Revive (October–December 2017)

VOL 9 NO 4

OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2017

Experiencing God in the

common things of life

THE EVERYDAY NEARNESS OF GOD

YOU ARE

SELECTED SOCIAL ISSUES

BEING COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP

E Q U I P P I N G

W O M E N

F O R

M I N I S T R Y

+

M I S S I O N

inside

09

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Experiencing God in the common things of life

04 The sacredness of the ordinary

09 Appreciating the

common things of life

OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2017

revive@salvationarmy.org

11 Living by the power BIBLE STUDY 15 Meeting Jesus when you (least) expect it SOCIAL ISSUES

20 You are selected MY STORY

04

22 Mission to serve LETTER FROM THE WORLD PRESIDENT

OF WOMEN’S MINISTSTRIES

COLUMNS

IN EVERY ISSUE

08 Be courageous!

LEADERSHIP

03

14 Naomi – faithful woman of God SPIRITUAL LIFE

Editorial

20

18 The Prayer House

Front cover: Captain Jenny Chan Back cover: Acts 2:46-47 in Portuguese and English, illustration by Jooles Tostevin All Bible quotations throughout this edition of Revive are from the New International Version 2011 unless stated otherwise TM – The Message, GW – God’s Word, NASB – New American Standard Bible, NKSV – New King James Version, KJV – King James Version, GNB – Good News Bible, NLT – New Living Translation, SASB – The Song Book of The Salvation Army

Articles on any subject of interest to women in ministry are welcomed by the editor. To send an article, write to revive@salvationarmy.org

A RESOURCE MAGAZINE FOR WOMEN IN MINISTRY AND MISSION Publisher: Commissioner Silvia Cox, World President of Women’s Ministries Editor: Commissioner Janine Donaldson Editorial assistance: Commissioner Dorita Wainwright, Kevin Sims and Paul Mortlock Designers: Berni Georges and Jooles Tostevin © André Cox, General of The Salvation Army, 2017 Founders of The Salvation Army: William and Catherine Booth Printed in the UK by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd

CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: revive@salvationarmy.org

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THE SALVATION ARMY International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4EH United Kingdom

Subscription details at:

http://sar.my/revsubu (Revive subscription UK)

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from the editor

From the heart Commissioner Janine Donaldson EDITOR

H

ello from International Headquarters! I always appreciate this opportunity to greet you and welcome you to another issue of Revive. This one takes the theme ‘Sacredness in the Ordinary’.

I have been thinking about things that affect my ‘ordinary’ life with my husband, three wonderful sons and my beautiful daughter-in-law, Kate.

In February 2014, on an otherwise ordinary day, I received the news that Kate had been diagnosed with an aggressive hormonal cancer.

I offered my help to Kate and Nik and they asked if I could go and stay with Kate through some of her chemo sessions.

I am aware these courses are horrid and realised that my son would find it extremely difficult to watch Kate suffer.

The treatments were everything and more of what I expected.

I handled and prayed over every bag of chemical that was pumped into her little system, whether I was present or not. Kate was not alone in her hospital room, with many other patients of every age and stage of life also there, receiving their treatments.

One night at home after a day of treatment, I sat with Kate on the floor as she vomited and groaned and begged me to take her to hospital. It is an experience repeated across the world by so many and yet for me it was

‘He offers GREAT COMFORT, constant availability, peace, a listening ear’

private and painful. I rubbed her back, prayed with her and tried to reassure her, all the time thinking about the many treatments that still needed to take place. I felt guilt, horror and helplessness.

I remembered vividly an occasion when Kate was receiving treatment and suddenly felt like eating hot chips. I dashed to the canteen to procure them, only to find they had run out!

Very kindly the staff made more and I was so thankful to be able to take Kate her chips. I was so determined to get what she had asked for but I felt enormous guilt over not helping her enough. The smallest thing I could do for her was important.

It distressed me when the treatment made her lovely hair fall out and it upset me to see how lousy she continually felt. Even now, I continue to grieve over the nasty scars on her body which have made her so self-conscious about what she wears.

I still worry about Kate. She is brave and uncomplaining on this journey that is hers. As her treatment continues I think and pray about wholeness and healing.

If I am honest, in some moments I fear.

I recently became aware that there is a heart-shaped pillow made especially for breast cancer sufferers which nestles right under their arm next to the heart and gives relief.

My experience is that God, too, desires to nestle into our hearts. He doesn’t seek to do this only on the days when things are going well, but his presence is constant every day. He offers great comfort, constant availability, peace and a listening ear even through times of incredible difficulty and despair.

These words from Exodus continue to speak to me and I need to hold them close every day: ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here’ (33:15).

In December last year, I spent some time with Kate.

As we talked and worked together doing everyday things, companionably side by side, it felt good. The tasks were ordinary but the moments were sacred, and I was thankful, blessed and full of great joy.

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Kristen Gray

I

The Sacredness

have a pretty ordinary life. Most days are remarkably similar to the ones that came before and not unlike the ones that will come after. It is a life that can be summarised with a few simple words – sleeping, eating, going to work and walking around, and for most of my adult years this is what my everyday ordinary life has consisted of.

I imagine that this kind of commonplace life sounds a little boring to most, and there was a time when I would have agreed.

Years ago, as a new mom, married to my high school sweetheart, raising two young children, working full-time and battling the constant fatigue that seemed to come with living such a busy, yet simple life, I often thought: ‘There has to be more to life than this.’

As it turned out, it wouldn’t be long before my desire for a more interesting life would become a wish I regretted making!

In 2003, when my husband of nearly eight years decided that I was no longer his one true love, I found myself walking through a marital breakdown, leading to a life much more complex than the one I had previously known. My husband and our eldest son (then a pre-teen) moved out of the marital home and the house went up for sale. Shortly after, my younger son and I took up residence in my parents’ home and, with emotions running high, I quit my job after a run-in with my boss. Adding to the upheaval in our lives, we were starting to realise that our youngest child, who was approaching his fifth birthday, had some development disabilities that would eventually be identified as Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In a matter of months I found myself separated, unemployed and navigating my way through my son’s new diagnosis as a single parent. Needless to say, this was not the kind of interesting life I had wished for.

Thankfully it wasn’t long before the God who I had learned about as a young person, but subsequently abandoned as a young adult, began to make his presence known in my life in a powerful way. I returned to church and rededicated my life to the Lord, though that didn’t mean that life immediately began to look brighter. However, acknowledging the presence of God in my life did make traversing my ‘new normal’ somewhat easier as I relied

of the ordinary on his strength, rather than my own, to see me through those dark days. It was during this time that I learned to appreciate the ‘sacredness of the ordinary’.

Well-known American psychologist Abraham H. Maslow believed that ‘the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one’s daily life, in one’s neighbours, friends, and family, in one’s backyard …’ Although I was not familiar with Maslow or his theories at the time, I did begin to experience the truth of this statement in my now very complicated life. Over the next couple of years, my relationship with God gradually began to deepen and the Lord of my life, along with the Christian family and friends who surrounded me, taught me the joy of appreciating the ordinary. I discovered that the rhythm of routine and the common tasks of a typical day could actually bring comfort in the midst of chaos and, in the process, God brought about healing from my past and hope for my future.

Interestingly, this idea of the ‘sacredness of the ordinary’ may have both a theological and a psychological foundation. In the mid-1900s, Abraham Maslow developed a theory in keeping with his belief that ‘the sacred is in the ordinary’. Maslow’s theory is called the ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ and, according to the Simply Psychology website (https://www.simplypsychology.org), it is ‘a motivational theory… comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid.’

In simpler terms, Maslow essentially suggests that in order for human growth and development to take place, basic needs must first be met before we are motivated to achieve the more complicated aspects of life.

As science has progressed, the components of Maslow’s pyramid have evolved and expanded but the

‘I discovered that the rhythm of routine and the common tasks of a typical day could ACTUALLY BRING COMFORT in the midst of chaos’ 4 Revive

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fundamental elements of the original five-stage hierarchy of needs model are depicted in this diagram.

SelfIt would be years after that dark period in my life that I actualisation: discovered ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’ while completing the course requirements for my Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and achieving one’s full potential, Theological Studies. But as I reflect now on how God was at including creative activities work in my life throughout those challenging days, I can easily see how he first met my basic needs before calling me, then Esteem needs: equipping me, to achieve the more complicated aspects of PSYCHOLOGICAL prestige and feeling of accomplishment my life in the present day. In other words, the sacred was NEEDS in the ordinary as our divine God worked through the common things of my life.

Belongingness and love needs: With my marriage a shambles, the family home intimate relationships, friends sold and my main source of income gone, my first priority was to ensure that my son and I BASIC Safety needs: security, safety had the basic necessities of life. Fortunately, NEEDS God had taken care of those needs long Physiological needs: food, water, warmth, rest before by giving me parents who had the resources to build a separate space in their home for us. This allowed me (source: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html) to maintain some measure of adult independence despite living with my parents for the first time in many years. At the time, I took it for granted that my family would provide a roof over our heads and food on the table when we needed them, but it wasn’t lost on me even then that they also provided me with the rest I so desperately needed. Raising a young child with significant developmental delays brings a whole set of challenges in itself, but when the day-to-day realities of these responsibilities fall on the shoulders of a single parent, the need for rest takes on an entirely new meaning. Thus in the ordinary routine of daily life, God’s command to ‘be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10) became life-sustaining for me as I began a journey of healing from the brokenness that I felt in those early days on my own.

During this restorative period I can also see, in hindsight, how God placed significant people in my path who would be instrumental in helping me to push on in what was slowly becoming a new way of life. With our physical needs being met, I was able to focus on creating a sense of stability for my son and me, overcoming the fears that had initially shaken me to the core; and again something as ordinary as simple friendship would have a profound impact on my ability to move forward. It was not just one friend who walked beside me during this time but rather several friends who each fulfilled a unique purpose.

There was the lifelong friend who lived out of town but planned a girls’ night on what would have been my 10th wedding anniversary, and provided comfort and familiarity when heartache and emotions overwhelmed me. There was a new friend from my local corps (church) who was also a single parent in the midst of divorce proceedings when I first met her. This outgoing, fun-loving friend provided companionship and helped ease the feelings of loneliness that I experienced in the early days of my separation,

SELF-FULFILMENT NEEDS

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and later on became a sounding board when custody arrangements were being sorted out. Then there was the friend who lived on another continent and that I hadn’t spoken to in almost 20 years, who one day sent an email that led to the renewal of a friendship I had long since forgotten about. In God’s divine timing, that friend would become the spiritual mentor who eventually encouraged me to embark on a new path, one that initially seemed unattainable for a divorced, single parent of a child with special needs.

Many years earlier, I had felt called by God to become a Salvation Army officer (minister) and was just beginning to pursue this path when I met my future husband through mutual friends shortly after graduating from high school. Despite the fact that this handsome young man was not a Christian, I abandoned God’s will for my life without a second thought when my heart skipped a beat and I fell in love. As I look back on those days it seems to me now that perhaps I was more in love with my little-girl dreams of happily-ever-after than with the man whom I would pledge to love ‘’til death do us part’. Still, I knew that God had designed marriage to be for ever and that was the promise I had made. By the time I began to wonder if the discontent with the mundane might be stemming from the fact that I wasn’t doing what God had called me to do, I resolved to find a way to enjoy the path I had chosen for myself, while secretly hoping that someday my husband might share my faith and my calling to ministry. Instead, we both began to look for relief from our monotonous life together in outside activities and friendships that gradually widened the gap between us. Finally, the only things that bound our family – the two boys we both adored – were no longer enough to hold our marriage together.

In 2006 we signed the divorce papers and, with God gradually healing my brokenness, I began to feel the puzzle pieces of my life fitting together once again; though the picture looked a little different now. After the chaos of the past few years, this new image revealed to me that perhaps an ordinary life wasn’t so boring after all, as long as God was the focal point. God had been faithful in meeting my needs thus far and, as a result, my trust in him was deepening so that when he eventually reminded me of that long-ago call to full-time ministry, the realities of divorce, single parenthood and the special needs of a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, no longer seemed like insurmountable hurdles.

In The Message paraphrase of Romans 12:1-2, the apostle Paul instructs every believer in Christ with these words: ‘So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so welladjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.

Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the

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‘Something as ordinary as simple FRIENDSHIP would have a profound impact on my ability to move forward’’

inside out. Readily recognise what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.’

More than a decade since my divorce was finalised, God continues to meet my physiological needs for food, water and shelter, though some days he has to remind me also to find rest in him. He continues to meet my need to feel safe by providing the security of a wonderful family who always support me, and the freedom from fear that comes by placing my trust in the God who has never failed me. Wherever I find myself serving, God continues to place special friends in my life to satisfy my human desire to experience a sense of belonging and acceptance; and the two young adult sons – who I wouldn’t have if I had never

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married – fill my life with abundant love. Furthermore, my older son has given me the precious gift of a granddaughter. And while my younger son continues to navigate life with an intellectual disability, he brings an unsurpassed joy to my life as I witness how he daily overcomes personal challenges to accomplish the ordinary tasks of life that many others might achieve with little effort.

It has often been said that science and religion have little in common, but I think that maybe Abraham Maslow was onto something when he said that ‘the sacred is in the ordinary’. Once I fully understood that God alone was able to meet my most basic needs, I embraced this knowledge and was motivated to do the best I could for him, just as God’s Word encourages. I fixed my attention on God, allowing him to change me from the inside out and bring out the best of me. In turn this allowed me to realise my full potential as a child of God, fulfil his purpose for my life, and experience important personal growth in my Christian faith.

Today, I really love my ordinary life, because I’ve discovered that placing my life before God as an offering is a pretty extraordinary way to live. In 2010, I was commissioned as an officer of The Salvation Army in the Canada and Bermuda Territory and I have been serving as a corps officer in Ontario, Canada, for the past seven years. Some days are more exciting than others, but every morning I wake up and thank God for another day, a day that he has gifted to me; and I have chosen to give each of those days over to serving him with my life and ministry.

I also no longer crave a more interesting life, because I constantly experience God at work in the common things of my everyday ordinary life. But perhaps what I appreciate most these days is the consistently changing seasons of the year which remind me of the ever-changing seasons of life. For it is what we learn about God in the dark days of winter that brings about new growth in Christ during the springtime of our lives.

Captain Kristen Gray CORPS OFFICER – BRANTFORD COMMUNITY CHURCH ONTARIO GREAT LAKES DIVISION CANADA AND BERMUDA TERRITORY

‘I began to feel the puzzle pieces of my life FITTING TOGETHER once again; though the picture looked a little different now’ Revive 7

leadership

E G RA

U O EC

B

D

eborah was chosen as a judge in Israel. She was a gifted and wise person, close to God. In those Old Testament times, a judge not only handed down sentences, but also gave direction to the country and acted in times of crisis. Twelve centuries before Christ, this woman was called by God to hold this position and govern with power and responsibility. We read in Judges chapter 4 that when her country was under enemy threat, Deborah shared with her colleague, Barak, the promises of victory and the strategy given by God to defend the land. At his request, she went to battle and won, which led to 40 years of peace.

Her calling was clear, the conditions to fulfil it were given and she did the job!

Something like 700 years later, the people of Israel, strangers in Persia, could have disappeared in a huge genocide led by Haman. Where did salvation come from? In the courtyard of King Xerxes, a beautiful woman called Esther had become a beloved queen. This young woman, even as a queen, had to submit to the king and his rule; she did not have the right to approach him without his agreement. If the king refused to give permission to talk, she could be killed. But she still chose to risk everything, because she was personally concerned by the decision of Haman to kill all the Israelites since she herself was an Israelite. She was the best person at this time to defend her compatriots. (Read the full story in the Book of Esther.)

The circumstances of Deborah and Esther weren’t the same.

Deborah was recognised as a judge, she had a task to fulfil and the conditions were present to allow her to work with success: status, competence and the support of Barak. Esther was forced by circumstances. It was as if her whole life was planned for this special moment: her background, her education, her humble and beautiful personality and the process that led her to be chosen by the king.

But in both cases, we see two women with real passion, clear vision and the competence to lead successful actions according to 8 Revive

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S OU

their calling or duties. A passion can come from events, from facts, from your interests, from a series of opportunities that cause a revelation in you. A vision often comes from God, or from the exchanges one has with friends, from a serious study of a situation or from an instant moment of grace. It’s up to you to recognise your competence: it can be skills, talents, experiences but also time, strengths, opportunities.

Be serious in the way you undertake a role, a task or a project!

Maybe you are in a situation that causes you to think you have lost your passion or your vision; you could feel unable to act. First, ask yourself – what is your calling, or what is your task? Then, take the time to examine your passions: do they fit your calling?

Measure your competence levels – do you need to improve them or do you need to ask someone for help? Give yourself some space and time to dream and be creative. Share your challenges with others and speak with God about your work. You need a clear vision, a plan to go forward with and to act upon.

I have not always been able to choose my appointment or my work, but when I look at my life I can testify that I always found a special task prepared for me in my professional work or in my private life. These have varied from simple actions that help a family member or friend to something bigger that could change the future of a community. Like Deborah and Esther, you are very special, prepared for a particular task. Do not miss the opportunity to do your part, because nobody can do as well at a task that you are called to do. The world needs you to be the courageous and passionate woman that God has planned you to be.

It has been an honour to live this year with you. May the Lord bless you and keep you safe on the journey he has prepared for you.

Major Christine Volet-Sterckx TERRITORIAL SOCIAL JUSTICE COORDINATOR AND UNITED NATIONS REPRESENTATIVE (GENEVA) SWITZERLAND, AUSTRIA AND HUNGARY TERRITORY

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Appreciating the common things of life Jenny Chen

E

arlier this year – in April – I wished my husband Jonah ‘bon voyage’ as he left to participate in a six-week course for Salvation Army officers (ministers) in London. This caused me to recall when, almost exactly four years previously, the roles were reversed as Jonah had driven me to the airport to travel to the UK to attend the same course. I thank God for giving us the same opportunity to receive the development training for our future service as part of each other’s lives.

Leaving the airport, on the shuttle bus bound for the high-speed rail station, I happened to sit next to a Singaporean family who had come to Taiwan for travel. Their intimate interaction and sweet laughter instantly filled the bus with warm happiness.

The two young girls of the family carried musical instruments, suggesting a privileged background. It was a typical bourgeois Asian family, with parents having stable, well-paid jobs and children receiving decent education.

Chances were they lived in a beautiful house, taking trips occasionally to enjoy their life. It occurred to me that if these two girls had been born into a family like the ones where some ‘delinquent juveniles’ – young offenders – I have worked with were born and raised, their lives could have turned out very differently.

Since the initial establishment of Puli Corps (church), The Salvation Army’s latest opening in the Taiwan Region, while I was serving as a cadet (trainee minister) I was judicially commissioned by district courts to attend to young offenders from around the island.

During the past 17 years, I have dedicated myself to preaching the gospel, community welfare promotion, and these juveniles’ life development. Some of them had committed

crimes such as domestic violence, sexual assault, theft, fraud, homicide, arson and loan-shark harassment. Nevertheless, some of them had suffered from a variety of disorders including physical, intellectual, emotional, learning or linguistic disabilities, retinal detachment, congenital diabetes, lymphoma, Wilson’s disease, Marfan syndrome, epilepsy, mental health difficulties or sleepwalking.

I believe that with close cooperation with medical and academic organisations we can effectively help them surmount all these challenges.

‘Over the years I have contacted and helped more than 1,000 YOUNG OFFENDERS’ Revive 9

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‘FAITH brings about MERCY, and mercy brings about PEACE’

Over the years I have contacted and helped more than 1,000 young offenders, with only a few of them failing to reach the goal set by the community correction programme. Most of them successfully completed the two-year correction programme and returned to their home towns. Some of them chose to stay with us because they literally had nowhere to go. We helped them finish high school education and continue to study at college, which was definitely a dream come true for them.

These special experiences undoubtedly heighten my sensitivity about the notion of ‘sin’. Every day I try to guide them and provide opportunities for them to make better choices. It is indeed a very tough task. Shedding tears, I can appreciate the same pain and sorrow that Jesus Christ tasted when he chose to live with ‘sinners’.

I can totally identify with the good intentions of the Lord.

I often encourage myself with a Scripture from Luke’s Gospel (7:36-50).

Although Jesus had been very sensitive and discreet about the idea of ‘sin’, his heart always abounded with mercy. According 10 Revive

to the Scripture, the Pharisees surrounding Jesus must have thought like this: If this man were a real prophet, he must know who just touched him and what kind of woman she is. She’s a sinner. It is apparent that Jesus knows clearly about our attitude towards a sinner, which can be very judgemental.

Instead of judging, Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.’ At the end of the story, Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace’.

This dialogue between Jesus and the woman reminds me that faith brings about mercy, and mercy brings about peace.

I think again of the two happy girls I

saw on the bus, and realise that the boys I have met on short placement probably never had opportunity to learn a musical instrument of any kind. That is until they came into contact with The Salvation Army, where three years of brass band training – based at Puli Corps – has allowed three of the young people to win titles at the Annual Music Competition of Nantou County. One of them even represented Nantou County in the National Student Competition of Music at the end of March this year, where he ranked among the best A-grade winners.

I don’t know much about the happy Singaporean family, their background or beliefs, but I do know that the young people who come through the programme at Puli Corps are blessed because they can come before the Lord any time in the hope of being forgiven and returning home in Jesus’ peace.

Captain Jenny Chen CORPS OFFICER, PULI, AND TRAINING OFFICER TAIWAN REGION

bible study

We live by the of our Creator

power

by Marie Grace Nsengiyaremye

‘We

believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship’ (The Salvation Army’s second doctrine).

The Christian’s life can be considered a long journey, marked along the way by great acts that God has done. Psalm 40:5 states: ‘Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.’

Recognising answered prayer is a joy to believers. And yet even when we perceive the work of God in our lives we cannot count the number of times he has come to our aid simply because we are not always aware of them!

We live in a world that is plagued with suffering and turmoil, much like the time of the Old Testament Israelites. That is why we must put our faith in God, who will provide everything necessary. He will take care of us.

Do we believe that everything is possible to God? In Matthew 19:26 we read that Jesus said to his disciples: ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ When people cannot save themselves, God can! Even in the middle of great suffering, Job tells the Lord: ‘I know that you can do all things’ (Job 42:2). When our suffering drives us to complain that God has forgotten us we don’t consider that he knows everything. We must be convinced by God’s response that he has all things under control.

The people of Israel suffered a lot, but this did not mean that God had forgotten them; it was a way of building their faith and trust in him.

In Deuteronomy, Moses explained how God showed his love for Israel by bringing her out of bondage, but that he also expected action on Israel’s part in response to receiving freedom. ‘It was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done’, he reminds the people (11:7).

There were still some in Israel who were old enough to remember witnessing the great miracles of God in delivering Israel

from slavery in Egypt. Having experienced such miraculous deliverance, they needed to respond through obedience, showing an example to their children.

But even though the people of Israel had seen miracles with their own eyes, they were still going against God’s will. And yet still, despite their disobedience and ingratitude, he did not leave them alone.

At this point it is worth remembering that the Lord is full of mercy and compassion. His plans for us are for good and not evil. This was revealed in Jeremiah 29:11, ‘“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.” ’ This means that the power of God is manifested in our life day by day in a miraculous way. We live by the power of our Creator.

How can we recognise God in the common things? One way is by believing the Scriptures through Bible study.

• Psalm 139:13-14 reassures us that God knew each one of us while we were still in our mother’s womb, before we were 0-even taking form. There are no surprises with God. He can see our lives and he is Revive 11

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powerful. Where there is no hope, God intervenes even in a moment when we were not expecting support from any human being.

In Jeremiah 27:5 we read: ‘With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it.’ As a mother takes care of her child, God is caring for us as his creatures. Remember that he has created us in his image. There is no reason to fear for our future while we are with our powerful Father.

Revelation 1:8 states, ‘“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God.’ He is the first and the last. No one existed before him, and no one will exist after him. His presence is constant, even until the end of time.

Ephesians 3:14-15 tells us that all obedient beings that exist, whether on earth or in the heavenly realm, are of the family of God. God does not change. In James 1:17 we read: ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. who does not change like shifting shadows.’

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‘With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it.’ As a mother takes care of her child, God is caring for us as his creatures.

As Christians, we believe that experiencing God in common things does not have an end; it will go on for ever.

From the existence of human beings, God has done great things that people could not comprehend. Genesis 21:1-7 tells us that what seemed impossible in Sarah’s old age was possible to God. Both Abraham and Sarah had laughed at the impossible but, through the birth of a son, no one could conclude that God was not at work. It was truly a miracle that Isaac was born to fulfil God’s promise of a family to Abraham.

The Lord is the same today as yesterday, meaning that the same God who answered the prayer of Hannah, opening her womb and giving her a son, is able to do the same today (1 Samuel 1:20). We have to remember that what God has done in the past he can do for us today and in the future. God never changes – but he can change us, change our lives and change our world.

Experiencing God in the common things is one way of delivering us from that which we cannot deliver ourselves, in order to strengthen our faith. God leads us to the point where we have to trust him (Exodus 14:11-18).

Are all people able to see the great things that God has done in their lives?

Absolutely not! Even though people hear the Word of God, some of them don’t understand because of the hardness of their hearts (Acts 28:26-27). Even those who saw Jesus Christ did not accept him as the Son of God. But, by grace, we have been chosen to know the wonderful and extraordinary things that God has done in our lives.

That is why we must follow the conditions found in Deuteronomy chapter 10, where

bible study

‘We must fear God’s awesome being.

Deuteronomy 6:13-15 says we must not focus on our own skills of productivity.

If we do, we will lose our focus on God’

the people of Israel were told to fear God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve him with heart and soul, and to follow his commands.

• We must fear God’s awesome being.

Deuteronomy 6:13-15 says we must not focus on our own skills of productivity.

If we do, we will lose our focus on God. There is no obedience if there is no fear of God who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

• We must obediently walk according to his will. Acts 10:34-35 tells us that God accepts any person from any race who will reverently obey his commandments and do what is right. If we are obedient to the gospel (Romans 6:3-6) and continue to follow God’s commandments, it is clear that we are children of God. • We must respond to his being with love.

John 13:34-35 states: ‘As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’

• Our lives must be lived in service for his glory. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego put their own lives at risk

when they continued to worship God rather than Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:19-25). As Christians, we have to know that there is nothing on earth, neither man nor any created god after the imagination of man, who is to be worshipped.

• All believers must know and obey God’s commandments. (Exodus 20:3-17).

Our lives are full of great miracles, but some people do not attribute these miracles to the Lord. We must not forget that God has been manifest in our lives.

Let us all think about our past and consider what we have passed through. For some this may include hunger, poverty, sickness, family death, being hated by others, wars – I especially think of the people of Rwanda during the genocide.

Who has been able to help you in such circumstances? Only our Almighty God is able to do this. So the Word of God in the Book of Joshua (24:14) tells us what we have to do: ‘Fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness.’

We have to decide to serve God as Joshua did. ‘But as for me and my

household, we will serve the Lord’(24:15).

As Christians, we have our destiny in our hands. Our right to choose makes us responsible. Knowing what God has done for us, it is reasonable for us to make the choice to continue in obedience to his will in the future. However, if we fail to do the will of God, we are responsible for our own judgement from God. In our daily lives, we gain blessings from God if we worship him with a pure heart. There is need to thank, honour and worship him in every situation – good or bad. Faithful people sing and praise the Lord for what he has done for them.

May the Lord open our eyes so we can see the wonderful things that he has done and will do in our lives.

Captain Marie Grace Nsengiyaremye DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES, KAMONYI DIVISION, RWANDA AND BURUNDI COMMAND

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spiritual feature life

Major M. Mercy Manjula

Naomi DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES CHENNAI DIVISION, INDIA CENTRAL TERRITORY

‘Let us build ourselves in faith, pray in faith, live by faith’

– faithful woman of God

W

e read in Ruth 1:2 that Naomi, whose name means ‘lovable to God’ or ‘pleasantness’, had two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. She went from Bethlehem with her husband Elimelek to live in the land of Moab. She had gone from the Place of Bread to the Place of Gentiles. Both sons married Moabite women – Orpah and Ruth – so Naomi had two Gentile daughters-in-law.

Sadly, she lost her husband and her two sons. After realising her wrong decision to go to the land of the Gentiles at the time of famine in Judah, she returned to Bethlehem. We can learn some important spiritual lessons from her life of faithfulness: 1. She is a model mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16-17): Even though she left Bethlehem and went to Moab, Naomi did not fail to remember her God. By watching the life of Naomi, her daughter-in-law Ruth came to know that the Lord Jehovah is the Almighty God. When Naomi advised Ruth to go back to her people and her gods, Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.

Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.’ Ruth was a Gentile woman but she now realised that the God of Israel, the Most High God, wanted her to rest in the shadow of the Almighty. It was because of Naomi’s model life.

Often in society there is not a good relationship or love shown between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. But when we look at Naomi and Ruth’s relationship, we see that it is wonderful and good. They were united by God’s love. Ruth gave up everything so she could be with Naomi. She gave her life to caring for Naomi and, even after she married Boaz, her most important relationship remained the one she shared with Naomi. These actions and emotions are difficult – almost impossible – to explain as mere friendship.

2. She is a model of faith (Ruth 1:20): After 10 years Naomi lost her husband, Elimelek. She also lost her two sons. There was great bitterness and sadness in her life. A woman without a man had no social standing. Naomi, grieving and recognising her fate 14 Revive

as a widow, decided to return to Bethlehem where her father’s family was and where she hoped to find food. She counselled her daughters-in-law to do the same – to return to their own families.

Naomi showed great faith in God. He changed her life from bitterness to sweetness, from difficulty to great determination.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us, ‘… without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’ This faith comes from the Lord and it is the gift of God, as we read in Ephesians 2:8: ‘For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this is not from yourselves – it is the gift of God.’ When we commit ourselves fully to God, he gives us great faith. Let us build ourselves in faith, pray in faith, live by faith, walk by faith and die by faith.

Sometimes people are a little confused about what faith is. We hear them make statements like: ‘But I believed! I actually had faith – why did it not work?’ The truth is they were still in the arena of belief and not of faith. Belief is not faith. ‘Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see’ (Hebrews 11:1). That means faith makes real what you hope for – those things you have been expecting that looked so far away.

Through faith the Spirit takes hold of something you had hoped for.

This is exactly what happened in Naomi’s life. She returned from Moab to Bethlehem after she lost everything. When she came back to Bethlehem she got back her life and was blessed.

Dear readers in Christ, let us be models to our fellow women and trust in the Lord as Naomi did, receiving blessing from the Lord.

Meeting Jesus

social issues

when you (least) expect it

by Eva Marseille

M

e, religious? Forget it! I may be a ‘minister of religion’ by profession and, after a whole life in Christian service, I may also have become more ‘religious’ than I care to admit. But if religious means devoted to a system of religious beliefs and practices, that is not really what I am striving for. I want to be totally committed to Jesus Christ, but not religious. Having said that, I am grateful for the time spent in studying God’s Word and, with the advancing of age, I have become more and more attracted to religious practices like quietness and meditative solitude, at the expense of youthful activism. Seeking God’s face in prayer undoubtedly is an important part of my calling and commitment.

The Son of Man

One strong indicator that I am not the religious type is my attraction to Jesus’ humanity. My favourite stories in the Bible are the many encounters Jesus had with ordinary people in their ordinary situations: Zacchaeus the crook, who was spotted by Jesus when he had sacrificed his dignity and climbed a tree to feed his curiosity; the Samaritan woman at the well with whom he had a drink and a very significant exchange of thoughts; the woman who washed his feet with her tears. These are just a few of the numerous encounters between simple people, often of dubious reputation, and this extraordinary

rabbi whose love and kindness towards them transformed their lives.

There are also wonderful stories of Jesus meeting with his disciples after his resurrection. The supernatural in these accounts challenges me: the resurrection itself, the sudden appearances and extraordinary revelations. But through the eyes of faith, hope rises that he will indeed meet with all of us at some point. Saul, the persecutor of the first Jesus-followers, was met by the very Jesus he was persecuting (Acts Chapter 9), and even today people can have a one-to-one encounter with him when they least expect it.

In his presence

So, how many of us have experienced God in a flashing light that made us blind for several days as Paul did? Not many!

Instead, we observe how many people who used to go to church have given up on that tradition because, as they would claim, they did not find God. And those of us who keep going, do we actually meet him? Do we expect him to be more present in our prayer room than anywhere else and do we really experience his presence there?

We talk about ‘entering the presence of the Lord’, as if it were a place you can just go in and out of as you please. Many know the frustration of not finding it as easy as that.

And yet Jesus talks about himself as the shepherd, the gatekeeper who lets the sheep in, in fact the gate itself through which the sheep can go in and out and find pastures (John 10:1-21). I believe that he is present whenever and wherever I seek him. In my prayer I acknowledge his presence; but experiencing this is different from believing it. Many times I have wondered why I did not experience anything at all.

Do you sometimes worry that your spiritual life is not good enough? Is it dry?

Are the ‘mountain-top’ experiences few and far between? Perhaps maturity helps us to live by faith and not by sight. We trust that he is present even when we do not feel it, because of his faithfulness. He will keep his promises, including the one about being with us until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). Prayer and worship in their various forms are our opening to this presence. It helps me in my prayer life to meditate on the Bible, especially the

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social issues

Gospel stories. When I dwell on them long enough, I will find Christ and see the Word through the words. Christ is the person in whom God has revealed himself and going deeper in Scripture gives me a much better understanding of God’s character and purpose. I get to know God even when I do not experience him and in my prayerful surrender to his invisible presence I will include obedience to his purpose. God is in his Word, calling me to follow him and reach out to others as Jesus did. Instead of focusing on my feelings or questions, I try to consider where God might be present in whatever I am experiencing on my journey. If we have known God’s Spirit through extraordinary strength and power, we may have forgotten that he is present also in weakness, sorrow, pain and longing.

‘Do you sometimes worry that your spiritual life is not good enough? Is it dry? Are the ‘mountaintop’ experiences few and far between?’

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Sometimes the very longing for him is the strongest testimony to his presence.

Called out

For Such a Time: the Story of the Young Florence Booth by Jenty Fairbank tells how this girl was attracted to The Salvation Army’s social work. Her father was a medical doctor and the family was Christian; but growing up in a good, well-to-do family, Florence had no interest in religion and saw no need for God in her life. However, the movement had an attraction for youthful activists, and Florence knew this call on her life before she came into a personal knowledge of God. How grateful I am that I was born into a Salvationist family. The corps (church) I grew up in was placed at the edge of

a district known for slums, pubs and prostitution. The ordinary Sunday routine of going to church exposed me, together with all the ‘middle class’ Christian families gathering there, to the Army’s concern for the outcast. The corps had a missional conscience and my youth was formed by a fellowship with plenty of room for youthful activists who were not content to be pew-fillers. It seems I was conscious of the drunkard’s fallenness before I realised my own need of a saviour! And seeing our own generation being destroyed by drugs, we – the young people – felt called into the dark streets at night with very little to offer, except our concern and our mustardseed faith. God called me to ‘walk with the poor and needy’ and while doing this I was made aware of my own poverty in spirit.

All the way through my responsibilities in The Salvation Army, encounters with people in need have been not only ministry opportunities, but the Lord ministering to me through them.

Sacred encounters

Jesus’ teaching in Matthew chapter 25 makes it very clear that meeting Jesus, after his resurrection, will be in the encounter with people who are hungry, naked, sick, in prison. Mostly, we are even unaware of his presence. ‘When did we see you?’ (vv 37-

social issues

39, 44). Knowing this may help us become aware of it.

We see a helpful example in the story of the two disciples on their way to Emmaus (Luke chapter 24). Filled with sorrow and frustration, they shared their problems with a stranger on the road, without any idea that this stranger was Jesus.

As they reached their destination when evening was approaching, they offered him ordinary hospitality: a mattress and a simple meal. That was the moment their eyes were opened and they recognised him.

And as they talked about it after he had gone, they were aware of that burning they had felt in their hearts while talking and listening to him on the road.

I remember telling this story to a terminal cancer patient during a conversation we had at her bedside. She had called The Salvation Army and asked for a pastoral visit as she did not belong to any church. I shall never forget her answer that came without any hesitation: ‘I knew it… I knew there was someone beside me!’

What a privilege for me to share such a deep moment of fellowship with a stranger – a ‘Jesus-moment’!

When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, it was a very ordinary situation.

Tired and thirsty on the journey, Jesus sat down at the well while the disciples

‘If we have known God’s Spirit through extraordinary strength and power, we may have forgotten that he is present also in WEAKNESS, SORROW, PAIN and LONGING’ went into the village to buy some bread.

Jesus with his obvious need of water, and this woman with her own hidden needs, ignoring all protocol, had a wonderful, transformative conversation that you can read about in John 4:1-42. When the woman had gone, the disciples who came with fresh bread invited Jesus to eat, but he was not really interested. Not hungry anymore, he was already fully satisfied, as

he explained to his friends: ‘My food ... is to do the will of him who sent me!’ (v 34).

A deep moment of life-transforming fellowship, a moment of eternity when Heaven touched earth and God’s will was accomplished on an ordinary, hot, tiring day.

There are ‘Jesus-moments’ in my life where his name is not even mentioned, where a caring touch, a glance of the eye, a silence, a shared longing makes the encounter sacred.

If we know and believe that the Spirit of Christ is alive and with us everywhere, let us remind each other of his presence and help each other to respond with an attitude of prayer and surrender. Not only can we go into his presence in our private prayer and worship experiences, but we can go out to his presence as we follow in Jesus’ footsteps. When we reach out as Jesus did, we will be privileged to meet Christ in our encounters with others in ordinary ways, on ordinary days.

Commissioner Eva Marseille IN RETIREMENT, CORPS OFFICER COPENHAGEN CORPS DENMARK AND GREENLAND TERRITORY

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‘They all joined together constantly in prayer’ (Acts 1:14)

Prayer Cheers Me! Through prayer, God calls us to gratitude for the simple things of life.

The prayer of gratitude and praise changes us from sadness to glad-heartedness.

I

t was another beautiful day in the country of Haiti. Someone knocked at the door.

It was a Bible school student who had a headache and needed an aspirin. As I waited for his glass, I realised that he had bowed his head to thank God for the small white pill and the clean, cool glass of water he held in his hand. It was not a cursory prayer, nor was it a prayer spoken quickly, with embarrassment, but a very bold bow of the head with closed eyes. It was a prayer of determined thankfulness, and one that made me stop in the busyness of my day and wonder why a person would offer such a long prayer over a simple glass of water and tablet. When he raised his head, there

was great joy in his eyes and thankfulness across his face. I realised that he was deeply thankful not only for the tablet which would free him of his headache but also for the clean, cool water – the simple gifts that to some are a rare luxury.

Listing our gratitude for the common things of life is a tool that can lift our hearts from sadness, hurt and pain to a certain place of thankfulness and ‘glad-heartedness’. The first on our list most likely will be our family, children, grandchildren and friends. These are the dearest to our hearts and fill us with joy.

Too often, we quickly add to the list visible things of life – our home, our car, our job.

While these are important to us, all have a short shelf life and could be lost in the next 24 hours. I would hope the list includes God; his love and his power in our daily life. Such eternal blessings we will not lose as long as we seek him each day.

However, how many of us actually stop and add life’s simple blessings to our gratitude list? The air we breathe provides life-giving oxygen to the some 37.2 trillion cells in our body. The beauty of the flowers, the blue sky, and the billions of stars at night proclaim God’s love for us.

He created them all just for you and me to enjoy. Take a moment and embrace the sound of the birds, and the rustle of the

‘The beauty of the flowers, the blue sky, and the billions of stars at night PROCLAIM GOD’S LOVE FOR US’

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the prayer house

wind in the trees. Listen to rushing water or take in its simple, quiet flow. When you see rain and sunshine together, look for the rainbow and praise God for it. Smell the fresh-cut grass, salty seawater and bouquets of blooming lilacs.

There is sacredness in the ordinary.

God’s gifts to mankind are all around us. Take a moment and make a list of 10 things. Yes, it must be at least 10, because the first five are much too easy! Now lift a prayer of praise including those 10 priceless gifts God has given you. I assure you that glad-heartedness will be yours.

In Psalm 96, the psalmist called for the heavens, the sea, the fields and the trees of

the forest to sing for joy! In Job chapter 38, the Lord himself calls us to consider the stars, the sea, clouds, the dawn, the snow, the animals and the birds of the air. Isaiah 40 reminds us to consider the heavens, the earth, the mountains and the starry host whom he calls by name! God prepares a canopy of sacred simplicity for us. Let us not ignore his gracious gifts of the ordinary. Let us pray our praises, list our gratitude and thank him for his gracious goodness! This is the prayer that will cheer your heart and set it to singing in the midst of this chaos-filled life.

When you hear a bird sing, know that the Lord set that bird singing for you.

When you discover a beautiful rock along the path, he placed it there with you in mind. In that moment when the first flower of spring appears in your sight, he gifted it to you to brighten your day. Stop in the moment and lift a prayer of praise. He loves you! He wants nothing more than to uplift your heart! He meets you in life’s grey routine with cheer as you pray your praises of gratitude to him.

Major Anita Caldwell CORPS OFFICER, WACO CORPS USA SOUTHERN TERRITORY

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my story

Dalia Sarker

J

eremiah 1:5 tells us: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’ When I read this verse I remember my life story. I was born into a Hindu family.

When I was a teenager my mother became mentally disturbed and my father was suffering from paralysis. We lived hand to mouth because nobody earned money in my family. I believed in our god and idol. I loved them and worshipped them.

My dream was to become a lawyer, but I stopped my study because of financial problems, then restarted after two years and gained my Higher Secondary Certificate. At that time I got involved in some wrong things.

Although my plan was to become a lawyer, God had another plan for me. It was a miraculous and memorable day when I started my first job. I decided that I would not go back to my home district but would go to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. In the afternoon I was going to meet my director to ask her to appoint me to Dhaka. As I went to meet her, I felt that two eyes were on me. They were following me like a searchlight! I felt warm and my

20 Revive

You are

selected

feet became very heavy. I stopped for a few moments and again tried to walk but could not, because those eyes were still looking at me. I returned to my house, thinking over what had happened. I had no understanding that the eyes that were following me were the eyes of Jesus. I did not know about Jesus. I tried to forget this experience but could not.

One morning I was passing the Salvation Army corps (church) on my bicycle. Suddenly I heard someone calling me by my name. I stopped and looked around for the one who called me, but nobody was there. Again I started riding my bicycle and heard the same voice, again and again. I got off my bicycle and again

looked around for the person who called me, but nobody was around.

Then I saw the sign for The Salvation Army. I did not care much about it as I thought it must be the Government Army quarters. After a few days I met with Captain Alfred Mir who was then the officer at that corps. I introduced myself and he invited me to come and attend worship. After that I started attending the corps every week, and day by day I grew closer to Jesus. I received and accepted him as my personal Saviour, and now I am an officer of The Salvation Army.

Dear friends, I have shared my testimony with you, but when I recall my past life, my personal ambition, my family

my story

‘I feel happy because God is USING ME to support those who are poor and oppressed’

ambition, my faith in idols, my lifestyle and my worship style, I become very surprised.

I feel the love of God. What was my plan?

What was God’s plan for me? How did he lead me to be a child of God? He selected me before I was born.

Yes, my ambition was to be a lawyer and earn lots of money, but I could not. Now I am a lawyer for God! I advocate for him by sharing the gospel and leading souls to be saved. I feel very pleased, although my

friends and family are not happy because they did not want me to receive Jesus and become a Christian.

I have been an officer for almost 15 years now. I have served in many appointments, and now I am District Director of Women’s Ministries in Dhaka. When I see injustice in society, when the heart of the poor is crying and they are tortured by powerful people, I can see that Jesus is there, offering hope and salvation. I feel happy because God is using me to support those who are poor and oppressed.

Finally, I remember these words from 1 Samuel 2:8: ‘He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and makes them inherit a throne of honour. For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.’

Captain Dalia Sarker (Rebeca) DISTRICT DIRECTOR OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES DHAKA DISTRICT, BANGLADESH COMMAND

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Dear Sisters in Christ, Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Having reflected during the past year on the theme ‘Transformed into God’s image’ and having been challenged about being mobilised for God, in 2018 we will carry on reminding ourselves about our responsibility to serve God with a specific focus on the theme ‘Mission to Serve’.

We are looking at our commitment in service to the poor and marginalised as we recognise that this was true for Jesus. He came to save the lost and his life demonstrated that he cared for the poor. His compassion was evident when he saw the need of the people and we are to follow in our Master’s footsteps.

This theme also emphasises the two-fold mission of The Salvation Army: to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name without discrimination.

Our key verse for 2018 is: (Jesus said) ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25:40).

Once again, ten Bible studies written by women from around the world are available to help us develop and go deeper into this theme and can be found at: www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/womensministries

‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ Matthew 25:40. (NIV)

Wishing you all a blessed year as we grow in our relationship with God and as, in his love and power, we go about our mission to serve others.

With my warmest greetings,

Silvia Cox

COMMISSIONER WORLD PRESIDENT OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES

OFFICE OF THE WORLD PRESIDENT OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES

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WHOLE WORLD

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MOBILISING

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Nova Versão Internacional

Atos 2:46-47

Todos os dias, continuavam a reunir-se no pátio do templo. Partiam o pão em suas casas, e juntos participavam das refeições, com alegria e sinceridade de coração, louvando a Deus e tendo a simpatia de todo o povo. E o Senhor lhes acrescentava diariamente os que iam sendo salvos.

Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating with glad and humble hearts, praising God, and enjoying the good will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

Acts 2:46-47 Good News Translation