Christina Fox, Author at Women.pcacdm.org

Nothing to Do But Pray

MARISSA HENLEY|GUEST It was around 4:45 a.m. when I gave up on sleep, got out of bed, and reached for my phone. I saw a notification from our family’s tracking app—my oldest son’s phone was out of battery as of 3 a.m., and I knew what that meant. I could picture my sleep-deprived college student in his apartment, lying across his bed, fully clothed, with all the lights on. He had fallen asleep without meaning to, which meant his phone wasn’t charging and his alarm wouldn’t wake him in time for class. My brain went into panic mode. It was near the end of the semester, so he could miss an important quiz or test. Within seconds, my anxiety convinced me that his GPA and career goals would be ruined by one morning of oversleeping. And yet, I knew I was powerless to do anything to wake up my son. I was left with a last resort that should have been my first response: I prayed. Praying for our children is a gift from the Lord, whether our children are babies in our arms or adult children living hundreds of miles away. The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 98 teaches us this definition of prayer: “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.” As we consider this definition, we see how prayer shouldn’t be a last resort. God uses the gift of prayer to grow our dependence on Him, comfort our troubled hearts, and turn our focus to His faithful purposes...

Nothing to Do But PrayChristina Fox2025-01-02T20:18:05+00:00

Spiritual Synergy: The Impact of Gospel Partnership

KAREN HODGE | CONTRIBUTOR Synergy is not a word that often rolls off the tongue, but when you look around, you will begin to see it everywhere. Synergy finds its roots in the word for sun and energy and working together. It is where impact and multiplication collide. It is the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. On most days, one plus one always equals two. But synergy and collaboration offer the prospects of one plus one equaling three, ten, or one thousand. Don't believe me? Look around at God's creative acts. Bees exponentially pollinate, thus helping to oxygenate our world. Singular ingredients that may taste simple or bland when combined in a recipe delight the palate. Solos are nice, but how magnificent to sit in a sanctuary filled with an orchestra and the four-part harmony of a choir. It's the better together quotient! I write a strategic plan for our National Women’s Ministry Team each year. In 2025, we are inviting women to join us in stepping out in faith and asking God to enable the rich interdependence of spiritual synergy. Gospel Partnership Brings Joy, Thanksgiving, and Missional Alignment We don't read anywhere that Paul had favorite churches, but if he did, I am guessing that the church at Philippi would've been at the top of the list. This church was not perfect, but they were delighted to be partners. Paul expressed his joy in serving alongside them when he wrote, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 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" (Phil. 1:3-6). This shared mission compelled him towards worship and thanksgiving. Planting the church at Philippi was no casual once-in-a-blue-moon connection. It started the day they met, and because of the gospel's power, it persevered daily. He knew that unpacking the content of the gospel in the context of community was eternally shaping him and his fellow brothers and sisters. Growing and serving together as a Body was not a one-and-done partnership but a process of gospel transformation that would find its finish on the day of Christ Jesus...

Spiritual Synergy: The Impact of Gospel PartnershipChristina Fox2025-01-02T20:10:18+00:00

Don’t Hoard Peace

SUSAN BENNETT|GUEST "You can't keep this" are the last words someone who struggles with hoarding ever wants to hear. If you ever watched one of those reality shows about hoarding, you know that hoarders surround themselves with items, so much so, that they can’t maneuver around their homes. I once knew someone who tried to take control of their life with this activity to her own demise. It caused great ruin to both her physical home and her familial relationships. When God blesses us with material or spiritual gifts, it is always for the benefit of sharing them with others. God never intends for His children to hoard the blessings they receive, especially the gift of His peace. Biblical Peace Peace in Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, carries several ideas. Most importantly, completeness and wholeness are related to love and loyalty to God and others, which are at the core of the Gospel of Peace. The Hebrew word for Peace is shalom, which holds this same beautiful idea. This gift of peace comes to us per God's counsel from before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:11-12) As with all the good gifts God gives His children (James 1:17), they are as unchanging as He is. His peace is perfect and, therefore, constant and reliable even when our lives are anything but. We can trust God's peace when war rages out in the world or even at our front door! Perfect Peace "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusts in You" (Is. 26:3). Can you hear the hope in this verse? Notice the two actions of God in exchange for the two by man. First, God keeps him, and second, He provides for his peace. And not just any peace but "perfect peace." I like the ring of perfect peace, don't you? In this instance, to keep means to guard as with a garrison. God's keeping of us is serious business. God's perfect peace is His provision of protection, like a defensive weapon. Wow, a peace that guards like an army of soldiers!...

Don’t Hoard PeaceChristina Fox2024-12-26T19:38:33+00:00

Why I’m Reading the Bible (Again) This Year

JENILYN SWETT | GUEST How did you usher in the new year? Perhaps with a midnight toast, watching the Rose Bowl parade in your pajamas, or eating some dumplings or black eyed peas. In addition to some of those festive activities, I spent time journaling and did some deep-cleaning to help give the year a fresh start. I also started back at the beginning of the Bible reading plan I followed (with a few stops, starts, and detours) last year. If you’ve gotten out of the habit of regular Bible reading – or if it’s a habit you’ve never developed, the new year can be a good time to start (or start again). The Bible is God’s Word, for us, so it is worth our time and attention. It’s worth treasuring because it’s how God makes himself known to us (Psalm 19). And just like any treasure is worth looking at over and over, the Bible is worth reading again. Here are a few reasons why I’m continuing the habit of regular Bible reading again this year, and why I hope you’ll consider doing so too. Because We’re Forgetful No matter how many times I’ve been told, no matter how many times I tell others, I still tend to forget some important things: God’s love for and delight in me, the ugly reality of my own sin, the significance of Jesus’s sacrifice, the hope we have in the resurrection. I need God’s Word to remind me. We have the Holy Spirit to help us remember what we’ve been taught, and one of the key ways he does that is through the living, active words of Scripture (John 14:26; Heb. 4:12). Because We Need Help Praying When I don’t have the words, when I’m not sure what to ask for, or when my heart is just struggling to pray, the words of Scripture are a great help....

Why I’m Reading the Bible (Again) This YearChristina Fox2024-12-26T19:37:56+00:00

What Do You Want?

LISA UPDIKE | GUEST I want, I want, I want! Usually when we hear those words we think of a selfish toddler, or…teenager…or even ourselves. But sometimes those are the very words that bring delight to the Lord. And dear sister, I have a feeling you have cried out just like I have with these strong desires: I want to be more like Jesus I want to love Jesus first and best I want to trust in the Lord with all my heart I want to delight in the Lord I want to love His law I want to rejoice in all circumstances I want…to rest in His goodness, to abide in the Lord, to be content in all things, to be anxious for nothing, to run the race marked out for me. One day, I want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Sanctified Wants These “I want’s” bring joy to our Savior revealing that His Holy Spirit is already working in us. Only those who have been justified by grace through faith have these radically unselfish “I want’s.” By nature, we are corrupt in every part of our being. Without the saving work of the Holy Spirit, we want nothing to do with God. When we are unregenerate, we long for the life of ease, success, popularity, wealth. Without His work, we care only for our passions, and nothing for the wellbeing of others. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” We may not have arrived yet, but the very fact that our longings have been transformed should encourage our hearts....

What Do You Want?Christina Fox2024-12-19T18:23:13+00:00

Loving Single Women in the Church

AMY SANTARELLI |GUEST “I sit at the back of the church and look around at all the families and everyone looks like they are happy and have a great life. Church is a very hard place to be.” I have heard such words more than once from my friends who are single again, whether through death or divorce. Other single women have similar thoughts. These dear women of all ages often struggle with loneliness, financial challenges, feeling overwhelmed, and connecting with others. God’s care for the vulnerable is found all through Scripture. Deuteronomy 24:17-22 describes God’s provision for the immigrant, orphan, and widow. Psalm 68:8 declares God as Father to the fatherless and protector of widows. In James we see true religion described as caring for the vulnerable among us. How can we reflect God’s provision and care for the single women in our fellowship? How can we help them feel loved and seen? 1. Anticipating needs. There are often tasks involved with caring for a home that for one reason or another are difficult for a single woman to tackle on her own. This is true of car maintenance as well. When you are working on home or car maintenance tasks for your family, consider checking in with the single women of your church to help them as well...

Loving Single Women in the ChurchChristina Fox2024-12-19T18:13:55+00:00

His Blessings Flow

SARAH IVILL | CONTRIBUTOR I’m always glad when our church puts up Christmas decorations and we begin singing hymns about Jesus’s advent and birth. Many of those hymns haven’t been sung by the congregation since last Christmas, so though they are familiar, they are also fresh. One such hymn is Joy to the World! It’s one of my favorite hymns, so I want to share some reflections on the third stanza to assist us in preparing our hearts to worship the King this Christmas season. “No more let sins and sorrows grow” This phrase would be discouraging to anyone who is unaware of God’s amazing grace. There is not one person who has the ability to stop sinning. You likely know how difficult it is to be told to do something when you don’t have instructions, tools, or the capacity for doing it. It’s disheartening, to say the least. But thankfully, for those who trust in Christ alone for our salvation, we have been given everything we need to live a life of godliness (2 Pet. 1:3-4). Because of God’s grace and power, we can “walk by the Spirit” so that “we will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). But what about sorrow? In this broken world you and I will have lots of sorrows. Broken relationships, dashed dreams, loved ones dying, infertility, financial ruin, depression, prodigal children, and things like these. How do we keep sorrow from ruining us? When the apostle Paul pleaded with the Lord to deliver him from a “thorn…in the flesh” He replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). And so it was. Paul could be content with sorrows “for the sake of Christ…for when I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 10)...

His Blessings FlowChristina Fox2024-12-05T15:12:34+00:00

Celebrating Christmas with Hope

BETHANY BELUE | CONTRIBUTOR Christmas is my favorite season with children, with all the lights, decorated yards, Christmas festivities, and the awe they experience as they soak in each fun holiday activity. It’s a sweet time of joy and celebration and I make every effort to enjoy each moment with them and let go of my stress and anxiety that sits just below the surface. That’s because, in the midst of all the celebrations and joy, the hard parts of this life still exist. In my community, there are broken relationships, marriage hardships, the first Christmas without a parent, another Christmas with empty arms, and the longing to celebrate this holiday with a spouse. The pain I see all around me is real and deep, and yet Christmas is coming. All those sorrows will not disappear in the middle of feasts and festivities. I often wonder what it looks like to hold both joy and sorrow as we approach this special holiday. During a recent conversation with a friend, I was reminded of something Tim Keller said while I sat under his teaching, “Christmas means that you will never be alone.” I remember that season of life when I heard those words and how they filled my heart with peace. No matter what my life may look like, no matter what sorrows I’m sitting in, or unmet desires I’m waiting for, I am not alone. Jesus was born so that I may never be alone...

Celebrating Christmas with HopeChristina Fox2024-12-05T15:02:53+00:00

Though and Yet

PATRICIA CURTISS | GUEST I’m a Florida native and have lived here most of my life. Recently our state—along with several others—was slammed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. It has been devastating and burdensome for family and friends. Over the past several weeks, I’ve been reading through the Bible’s minor prophets. It has struck me how some of the literal events described, or the imagery used, refer to such devastations: “…the sea grew even wilder than before…” Jonah 1:13 “…The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope…” Micah 1:4 “…His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry…The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it…” Nahum 1:3b-5 And then, there’s the last stanza in Habakkuk. Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields produce no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength, he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. Habakkuk 3:17-19 Habakkuk’s Walk Writing is a challenge. When writing, you’re trying to communicate your thoughts to someone without using your voice’s tonal inflections, facial expressions, or body language to assist in meaning. What is written must fully carry the message. It’s even more problematic when writing poetry where every word’s letter, every word’s sound, and every mark of punctuation is crucial in translating the poet’s meaning. The Book of Habakkuk reflects the language of psalms (Hebrew poetry) in the expression of his complaints, reflections on God’s character, and response of obedience. He was really steamed that the kingdom of Judah had turned away from faith in God under the rule of two wicked kings, Manasseh and Amon. Habakkuk understood God needed to punish Judah for its sinful rebellion. He just didn’t understand why a good and just God would choose to use a more wicked nation (the Chaldeans, 1:8) to do the punishing—they deserved punishment, too. After Habakkuk goes through a question/answer period with God, he responds by trusting and rejoicing. His example encourages us to do the same when faced with debilitating circumstances....

Though and YetChristina Fox2024-12-05T14:54:13+00:00

The Way Prepared

SHARON ROCKWELL | CONTRIBUTOR In California, we are constantly admonished to prepare for earthquakes. They can happen at any time, and the threat hangs over our heads. The “big one” can happen tomorrow, or a thousand years from now. Most of us don’t take the preparation warnings as seriously as we should – like collecting flashlights, medications, and water and food for several days use (plus a can opener!). Those who live in California know the feeling of unexpectedly having the ground shake beneath their feet. We immediately turn on the TV to check for the epicenter. We text our loved ones to see if they are safe. We survey our house for damage. And likely regret not preparing despite all the warnings to do so. The Call to Prepare Seven hundred years before the coming of Christ, the prophet Isaiah records a call for preparedness, for deliverance of the Jewish people and the redemption of mankind by Christ. He warned God’s people to prepare themselves by making their ways straight, that is by repenting of evil inclinations and believing in the promised Messiah to come. “A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Is. 40:3-5)...

The Way PreparedChristina Fox2024-12-05T14:41:23+00:00

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