The day I’m writing this Victory Call is gray and wet. Leaves are falling to the ground signaling their preparation for winter and I am sad. My sadness is like a blanket around my soul and God is faithful as always to care for my heart. On this particular day He chooses to do it with a simple hug.

I receive a text from a dear young friend who is growing more precious to me as each day passes. She has decided, in the midst of my grief from the loss of my dear daughter, that I need the ministry of a simple hug and she is faithful to deliver it.

So, of course, I said “yes” and within a few moments she’s pulling up in front of my office and running down the sidewalk through the rain, smiling from ear to ear. I love it. All I had to do was open my arms and receive it. It wasn’t hard at all for truly, I tell you, my arms ache to hold my daughter again and I won’t get to do it again until I get to Heaven.

One of the things the Lord has taught me over the years about a simple hug is this: every single time you give one it’s an opportunity to receive one as well. How cool is that! Is it possible God knew what He was doing in giving us arms to hold those whom we love? Is it possible that something as simple as a hug can be a means of grace for us? I believe so.

Romans 12 communicates to us that our love is to be genuine…and we are to love one another with brotherly (sisterly) affection. J. B. Philips says, “Let us have no imitation Christian love.”

Dear sisters, where would we be without the fellowship and love of the church? Without Christian community wherein true love is demonstrated, surely a vast majority of us would languish for want of love and care.

I hope none of us ever has to live without the hope that is generated in and through our hearts when we rightly love one another. Truly, it is a beautiful thing.

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5

My encouragement for you today:
Hug somebody. Give a simple hug and when you do, I pray the one receiving it knows that you mean it.

For the one who isn’t a “hugger”, that’s okay. It may not be a physical hug that you give, but I’m sure that there is a way that God has wired you to hug that will clearly communicate the exact same thing, and that is: “I love you. I care about you. You matter to me.”

Stephanie Dale Paul

Stephanie serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women of Character. She has been married for over 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. They have two grown children.
Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.

Then Jesus told his disciples “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me,” (Matt 16:24 ESV)

The art of “denying ourselves” is the best way to describe living the Victorious Christian Life. Moment by moment we choose to serve God or ourselves. We make that decision in the big moments and the little moments of life. As a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend, in what we wear, what we say, and how we live, we are always making a choice of who we will serve in that moment. Denying our fleshly desires and choosing God’s way or not.

I spent a lifetime of making choices to fill the gaping hole in my heart with what felt good and what seemed to fill it quickly. I still can if I am not mindful to go to Jesus first and deny myself instant relief from a need I want cared for. When I have feelings that are uncomfortable, sad, frustrating, unfair, or overwhelming I want a quick, feel-good fix. I
may find that in food, control, approval, shopping, relationships and other things. I must remember in these moments as my flesh cries out for anything other than Jesus that this is war. A war is waged against my soul. Feeding my flesh the things it craves will never satisfy like the arms of my loving Savior. The very things in this life that have created an angst in my soul are also the very things that have drawn me closer to Jesus. So, I make war moment by moment against the desire to feed my flesh what it thinks it wants and choose to feed my soul instead what it needs. That need is always met by Jesus.

It’s not easy and I fail many times but I am becoming a seasoned warrior whose deepest longings, wounds and scars find healing and comfort from her King. There is a song by Tedashi called “Make War”. In the beginning, a sermon by John Piper
is being played and it goes like this;

I hear so many Christians murmuring about their imperfections and their failures and their addictions and their shortcomings. Murmur, murmur, murmur….Why am I this way?

MAKE WAR!!!!

What wages war against your soul? Pride, a need to matter, wanting to be loved, an addiction, smoking, gambling, control, _________ ?

LADIES- MAKE WAR!!!!

Kim Spicer
Women’s Ministry Volunteer
Women of Character graduate

While the answer is simple for those the Lord is leading, the follow-through has to be stretching to say the least…and the return is not a given nor is the survival.

Victorious Christian Living got lived-out LIVE so to speak. God hit the headlines in a big way when two people on a mission (His mission) Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol became infected with Ebola.

“God saved my life” Dr. Kent Brantly

“To God be the glory” Nancy Writebol

Try getting quotes like that into the headlines without a near-death experience. What’s missing from the conversation is that the mission they were on really wasn’t to care for those dying from Ebola but to tell the walking dead that HE lives and that even should they die from Ebola, or some other pestilence, they too can live as HE lives. In the interim they get to help save the earthly lives of those who may or may not ever come to that divine revelation. That is up to God. They don’t get to choose who they help; they are just there to help and as Nancy so eloquently said, “To God be the glory.”

Should they have gone, should they have been brought back here, should they go back? I have no idea. I have an opinion, but I’m not The One in charge of their lives. In Him I confidently trust. I also will use the common sense God gave me. Do we need restrictions? YES! Do missionaries/all believers, in fact, put their lives on the line when they say Yes to God? YES! But they are His lives now, aren’t they? And weren’t their/our souls on the line before they/we said yes to God? YES! One radio talk show host commented this via her website:

If Dr. Brantly had practiced at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles and turned one single Hollywood power-broker to Christ, he would have done more good for the entire world than anything he could accomplish in a century spent in Liberia. Ebola kills only the body; the virus of spiritual bankruptcy and moral decadence spread by so many Hollywood movies infects the world. – (Ann Coulter)

I beg to differ and I’m quite sure God has Cedars-Sinai covered.

Jesus…Jesus…Jesus…Help us to discern your leading and not make a move without it.

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. …” Psalm 91:1-3 (AMP)

Dina Seaton

I recently attended the funeral of my friend Stephanie’s daughter. During the service Stephanie shared about Joyia, but then eyed her son and told him that she loved him and that her love was fierce. A beautiful word to describe a mother’s heart to a son that told him that she saw him and he really mattered to her.

Fierce – having or showing a lot of strong emotion: very strong or intense

Fast-forward- two months…During worship time one Sunday morning, my mind went to the expressions of God’s love for us…

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Jeremiah 31:3

For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. Ps 26:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. Ps 63:3

. … but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

God’s love is everlasting. You will not outlast His love for you. God’s love for you is steadfast. His love for you does not wax or wane, it is full, complete and unchanging. God’s love is unearned and previous to anything good you did. God’s love is sacrificial. God’s love is perfect. God loved you before you loved Him or even knew of His existence, before you were even born.

That Sunday while I was praising God for His love, suddenly the song we were singing called God’s love relentless. That description took my breath away.

Relentless — showing or promising no abatement of severity, intensity, strength, or pace

God’s love for you is RELENTLESS. Take that in today and let it sink deep into your heart and mind.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

i http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fierce accessed 10.15.14
ii http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relentless accessed 10.15.14

The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net. Psalm 25:14-15 NKJV

If you’ve ever been stuck in a trap, perhaps one set by another, or perhaps one set-up by yourself, the feeling of not being free is awful. We’re so blessed in this country with freedom yet there are nets being cast by the enemy that can and will trap even those who believe. The Lord is worthy of our fear and awe. He sees it all. Yet our eyes are ever toward Him as we pray for our feet not to be trapped in those nets.

The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net. Psalm 25:14-15 NKJV

What a blessed truth to meditate on today!

Blessings of truth and light…
Dina Seaton

Praise God for saving my soul fourteen years ago today…I once was lost but now I see Jesus.

As I read through Scripture, my old training peeks its head through causing me to wonder for just a split second how I could possibly go to heaven, but just for a split second.

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be the Lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

I’d like to say that in some ways that describes me at different times before I came to Christ however, in all honestly, I must say that is someway that describes me at different times since I’ve come to Christ.

Growing up believing that it is by my deeds that I will gain or lose heaven I feared at times I was more closely described by the characteristics of the doomed rather than the saved.

BUT

Whether I feel more like the doomed or saved is not what determines my eternal destination – hallelujah!!!

Truth be told, “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:27

Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? It is not been put there by you, by what you have done or not done. If your name is in the Book of Life it is written in the Handwriting of God.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

Scripture clearly talks about how we as wives must submit to our husbands….this is what the Lord commands of us. But wait….He didn’t tell me that my husband would be disabled and I would need to take leadership today and then in 2 days from now back to submitting. Wait….now I have to be a single mom at times too…..and yet submit??? Where is the rule book for being a wife of a disabled husband? Do the rules change in this game? Do you feel alone, confused, frustrated, overwhelmed with your new norm?

Well I did for years and years until I came to a place and found a new norm. We as women are trained to submit to authority and are trained that we must submit to our husbands. But how does this work when he is not always actively involved in being the head of the house?

Here are a few questions I have had…..

• What is my new role?
• What is his new role?
• Who is the real head of the house?
• What plans do I need to make?
• How do I go on with my new life?
• Where do I turn for help and support?
• How do I be the head and not feel quality?

First I needed to remember that God planned my life and has already gone before me and that He knew that my husband would not be able to drive, not be able at times to be the head, not be able at times to be an traditionally engaged dad, and that what I would remember my “normal” husband to be would change.

We can look at 2 women of the Bible:

Job’s wife …..Job was not disabled but in a very bad way that could cause him to not be able to be the “husband” his wife needed. What did she tell him…..curse God.

Abigail in I Samuel 25…she had a husband who could not be a “husband” for her that we would expect …so she needed to use the wisdom God gave her. She had a firm relationship with her Lord and that is what she could hold on to. She used strength and wisdom to save her family.

Both of these decisions are both available to us….we can curse the Lord for what we are now living in and with or we can use the wisdom that God has given us ( or will freely give if we ask) to help us make wise choices and decisions and to lead our family in the right direction.

Some verses to help:

Psalm 146:9
Where God promises to take care of the widow and the fatherless. (This can be used in similar situations.)
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Lynn Wilson

Lynn Wilson a wife and a mother of two. Currently on Staff at America’s Keswick for the past 20 years. She has been involved in her local church in women’s ministries as well as speaking for other churches and retreats. Her mission statement would be to…touch one life so in turn they can touch a life for eternity. Her greatest joy is to go home at the end of her work day and spend time with her family and enjoy her first ministry which is being a wife and mother.

“Only a sinner, saved by grace….” Have you sung that chorus? I’ve probably sung it dozens of times, and rejoice that I am a sinner saved by grace. But wait – “only” a sinner…? No!

Several weeks ago, my pastor started a series on “Who Am I – in Christ.” Last Sunday’s sermon was – Because I am in Christ, I am a saint! I doubt most of us think of ourselves as saints – I know I don’t! But according to Scripture, that is who and what we are.

God has sanctified us, through His Son, to be saints. Colossians 1:12 (NIV) – “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints…”

And 1 Corinthians 1:2 (NIV – “…to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

As you read through Paul’s epistles, almost every one is addressed “to the saints at….” Never once did Paul send a letter to “the sinners saved by grace.” It is the calling of every believer to be a saint. The most common terms used in the New Testament to refer to Christians are brothers (and sisters), saints, believers, then Christians. “Saints” is not some elite club of those who have earned the title. It is a huge, growing, universal family.

Colossians 1:9-14
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

In Christ I am – you ARE – a saint. What we do does not determine who we are – who we are is what determines what we do (Neil T. Anderson). Yes, we still sin. And yes, we are sinners saved by grace. But in Christ, and in God’s sight, we are saints. Let’s live like what we are – saints in Christ!

With thanks to Pastor Dave Ridder, Bayside Chapel
Ruth Schmidt

Ruth Schmidt is on full-time staff at America’s Keswick, and grateful to be a daughter of the King.

Recently during a Families for Christ (FFC) weekend at America’s Keswick, Pastor Randy Smith shared a thought from author Paul Tripp and these two words struck a chord with me: AWE AMNESIA

Have we forgotten the awesomeness of God? Have we been so focused on what He does for us that we have forgotten His Awesomeness?

Truth be told, when we meditate on the vastness, the beauty, the glory and the creation of God – we are awe inspired. It is then that life’s problems tend to get put in proper perspective and our view of self gets an adjustment. We will then find that our love, admiration, glory and praise of God will soar.

“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him” Psalm 33:8

“…they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.” Is 29:23

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1

“On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.” Psalm 145:5

Purpose to be awed by God today. All around you He is active. Look and see.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

1-800-John 11

Mary & Martha called the 1-800 number – verse 3: the sisters sent to Him saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” (ESV)
Verse 4: But when Jesus heard it he said, “this illness does not lead to death”. (ESV)
Verse 5: Jesus loved these two women & Lazarus.
Verse 6: Jesus didn’t go immediately. There’s silence for Mary & Martha. I believe Mary & Martha were beside themselves.

Umm, any wonder why? Hey, their brother was dying and Jesus wasn’t responding fast enough! Ever felt this way? I have!!

In this story we find Martha struggling more openly than Mary. It’s obvious that these sisters were wired differently. Sure is interesting to see how God doesn’t create us all the same.

When I am in a circumstance that requires God’s help “NOW” I can be a Martha. I will loudly, openly cry out to the Lord. And, I can be loud!!!! And, waiting is not always easy for me. I’ve learned to wait, but it took lots of pruning…and He’s still pruning me. I haven’t attained it all yet. Phil 1:6 – And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Someday I will be complete!!

We all have our grief to deal with. Whom do you call upon first: The Lord Jesus or a friend?

There have been many times in my life where I’ve openly, loudly called upon the Lord – and some of those times God has been silent. One very painful circumstance that I can’t even explain the pain: I couldn’t even speak – I cried desperately to the Lord – God heard my cry, He opened a door quickly for me to speak with a godly biblical counselor that very day. It’s not necessary to give details, but what is necessary is that God helped me to grow closer to Him, and not to crumble up and feel sorry for myself. No pity party, but a heart that was pruned by God. It was painful for some years, but in that time I can tell you that God’s peace was always with me. I can praise God for the work He did and is still doing in my heart. Ladies, we need to be real, especially if we are going to walk alongside another woman to help her grow in Christ.

It is always for our good to call upon the Lord first and wait upon Him. Remember this, God may be silent but God sees, God knows and God cares! Just like He cared about Mary, Martha & Lazarus – In all our grief God wants us to Believe Him; Have Faith in Him and Walk closely with Him.

I’ve seen God change & restore many relationships. And, all of them Believed God, had Faith in Him and are Walking closely with Him.

There’s Victory in Jesus

“My help comes from the Lord”
Psalm 121¬ (1) I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? (2) My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven & earth.

Blessings,
Pat Spies
A Servant of the Lord and a Friend of Keswick