Blog – Page 4 – Women.pcacdm.org

Created for a Purpose

INGRAM LINK |GUEST In 2006, I had a house full of children (11, 9, 7, and 1). My husband had a struggling business, and I was doing a variety of things to contribute financially. We enjoyed close friendships and were involved in our church and our community. Our families did not live close by, but those relationships were strong, and we spent vacations with our extended families on both sides. In the midst of what was normal life, my oldest daughter struggled. She was smart, kind, and had talents and abilities, but she often found herself on the outer circle of different friend groups. Socially, there was an immense push to be on a certain level soccer team, dance team, gymnastics team, etc. There was also social pressure to pull children out of regular classes and be placed in enrichment classes. I saw her and the girls around her striving to be identified by what they did, rather than who they were. My mom is an artist, and she always encouraged us to be creative. As a result, I was the mom that let the kids use glitter and help me cook in the kitchen. To remind my daughter and other girls her age that they were created by God in His image for His purposes, I reached out to some other creative moms to offer a weeklong creative arts camp for girls in my home. Throughout the week, we focused on 1 Timothy 4:12, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” My intention behind the camp was to use hands on, tangible ways to show the girls what it means to be wonderfully made by the God of the universe. The girls cooked a meal, sewed, painted, created a photo scrap book, and made a nativity sculpture. They had fun and they loved being together, creating, laughing, and hearing truths from God’s Word woven throughout the activities...

Created for a PurposeChristina Fox2024-08-26T14:46:01+00:00

Four Things to Consider When Selecting A Bible Study

SHEA PATRICK | CONTRIBUTOR Does your women’s ministry have big plans for Bible studies this fall? The primary way that God works in our hearts to make us more like Jesus is through His Word, and digging into God’s Word in community can show us even more of the beauty and truth of God. Hearing the insights of our sisters studying alongside us gives us a richer view of Scripture. A blog I read recently said, “Studying Scripture outside of the influence of God’s people often leaves us building shanty homes next to the beautiful, unshakeable house of God.”[1] Deep Bible study alongside our sisters in Christ can lead to heart transformation. One fall, ladies at a church I had recently started attending decided that the women needed to do a Bible Study. Past studies were an inconsistent hodgepodge of choices that didn’t seem to have much thought or intention put into them. It had been a while since the church had hosted a Bible study as part of their women’s ministry, so the woman in charge was unsure where to start. She dialed directory assistance and asked for the PCA, and someone in the CE&P office (now CDM) sent her videos and a study. This material was deep and rich in gospel content and was a blessing to the women who participated. While the Lord providentially blessed her dial-up request for material, I think we can take intentional steps in discerning quality studies for the women in our church. Bible Studies that Serve We should thoughtfully and prayerfully consider what we are studying with our women. Not all studies are created equal. I too have felt the allure of the most popular, best-advertised Bible studies or those from celebrated authors. An essential question to begin is: what will best serve the women of the church?...

Four Things to Consider When Selecting A Bible StudyChristina Fox2024-08-26T14:51:33+00:00

At the Start of a New School Year

JAMYE DOERFLER | CONTRIBUTOR Seven years ago, when my family moved to a new city, we had a drastic change to our children’s schooling. My three boys had been enrolled in a teeny Christian school with an excellent curriculum and godly teachers. I served on the PTA and spent many hours in the school planning fundraisers and running the book fair. Our family loved both the education our kids received and the environment in which they received it. Then, we had an opportunity to plant a church in a new city. As we were praying for God’s leading in this possibility, I distinctly remember having a strong sense from the Spirit that said, “You’re going to plant a church, and your kids are going to the public school.” I myself had only attended parochial schools and then went to a Christian college, so I felt some trepidation about this idea. And yet I felt confident that this was from the Lord. In fact, I knew it was God’s will because it was not what I otherwise would have chosen! Plus, it made sense logically: if we were to be missionaries in a new place, we needed to be part of the community in a meaningful way, and we needed to be where non-Christians were. Still, it was heart wrenching to say goodbye. I had watched my oldest son thrive in the Christian school for six years, but our younger two were only just beginning, and it made me sad for them to miss out on what he’d experienced. On the last day of school, one month before we were to move, I was a blubbering mess of tears as I circled the parking lot one final time. And what a fearsome thing awaited us! My oldest son would be switching from a class of 6 to a class of 225 in seventh grade. And in middle school—the scariest age of all! On top of that, he’s never been like everyone else. He marches to the beat of his own drum. I mean, this was a kid who wore three watches on his wrist for no apparent reason at all. What would a bunch of public school kids think? The first day of school, I was terrified. I was sure he would be bullied. As the day ended, I stood at the end of my driveway peering up the street like the father of the prodigal son, desperate to see my child return safely. Finally, I saw him. There were no visible bruises. His hair did not appear to have been flushed in the toilet. Maybe he was…okay? “How did it go?” I asked when he arrived. Completely nonplussed, he replied, “It was good.”...

At the Start of a New School YearChristina Fox2024-08-14T13:39:19+00:00

What Jesus Shows Us About Self-Control

SUE HARRIS | CONTRIBUTOR In 1978, Melissa Manchester famously, but tragically, sang, “Don’t cry out loud. Just keep it inside. Learn how to hide your feelings.” It’s a complicated song about learning to cope with pain. Melissa Manchester’s antidote to a broken heart is this: don’t show pain, be strong, and learn how to hide your feelings. Other than the pleasure of hearing Manchester’s amazing pipes belting out the chorus, I don’t recommend the song or the accompanying video with the creepy circus clown. I certainly don’t recommend the song’s posture toward love, pain, and suffering. Most importantly, I don’t think Jesus would, either. But in reading Titus 2, I noticed that Paul, when talking about teaching sound doctrine, repeats the idea of self-control four times in that chapter. Four times! People of all ages and stages are to be taught self-control. This is sound doctrine, according to Paul. I’ve considered the lost art of self-control in our express- yourself- and- find- your- voice world. I wonder if hiding or denying our feelings is a way of exhibiting self-control. Is Paul telling us to keep silent about our pain? Is that self-control? Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn’t seen any of the Inside Out movies, denying or hiding our feelings isn’t healthy. But more than healthy…is it biblical? I know there’s a difference between hiding or denying our feelings and exerting self-control, but how does this tension play out in everyday life? A Model of Self-Control When I think about perfect self-control, I think about Jesus when he was summoned by Herod. Remember, there was some triangulation going on between Jesus, Herod, and Pilate. Neither Herod nor Pilate wanted to take legal responsibility for Jesus. They didn’t seem to know what to do with this man, so they were sort of trading him back and forth, perhaps to see what the other would do. Eventually, Herod agreed to meet Jesus and was very glad because he wanted to see him perform miracles (Luke 23:8). But if you recall, Herod was also the ruler who ordered the killing of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, not long before this meeting. John’s death wasn’t simply a murder; it was a brutal, grotesque decapitation that was celebrated at a party Herod threw. This is where it gets explosive and unfathomable to me. This is the moment that the Lord Jesus exhibits a level of self-control that I can’t possibly understand. Can you imagine coming face-to-face with such a wicked man as Herod?...

What Jesus Shows Us About Self-ControlChristina Fox2024-08-14T13:36:01+00:00

What Would Paul Say About the Olympic Opening Ceremony?

REBEKAH COCHELL | GUEST Last week, my husband and I met a man in Istanbul. He mentioned the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony and shook his head. He said, “They don’t understand. This “freedom” they want is just another type of bondage. Another type of control.” He went on to describe how society thrives on structure and boundaries, on the family unit being the foundation of society, and how religious beliefs and moral values enhance a culture. The Olympic opening ceremony has caused quite a controversy. I took a particular interest in the banter. After all, it was “in my lane” as an art professor at a Christian university, currently teaching a course in “Art as Communication.” The performance that has caused so much controversy was a “tableau vivant,” a live re-enactment of a painting, and depicted a group of people, mostly drag queens and LGBTQ+ supporters behind a table. It included an immense plate filled with flowers and fruit and a man painted in blue with a flower wreath. Immediately following the performance, there was an outcry from religious and conservative leaders throughout the world claiming this was a blasphemous parody of Leonardo DaVinci’s Last Supper fresco. Almost as immediate were the social media posts in response which claimed that Christians were not “cultured” or informed about art history since the performance was meant to re-enact another painting, The Feast of the Gods by Jan Hermanzs van Biljert...

What Would Paul Say About the Olympic Opening Ceremony?Christina Fox2024-08-14T13:43:12+00:00

What’s In Your Worldview?

STEPHANIE HUBACH | CONTRIBUTOR About twenty years ago (I just realized that phrase can only be casually tossed out when one is over age sixty) Capital One created a series of commercials that ended with the question, “What’s in your wallet?” Each commercial envisioned an admittedly outrageous scenario (read: Vikings vacationing in the Grand Canyon) which ended up having some serious financial ramifications. In other words, as crazy as the storyline was, in the end—all that really mattered was, “What’s in your wallet?” The implication being: “If you don’t have a Capital One card—you are in deep, deep trouble.” We live in a world of increasingly outrageous story lines. Only they are not the stuff of funny commercials. They are the stuff of real life in our current cultural moment. More than ever, the question before us is not “What’s in your wallet?” but, instead, “What’s in your worldview?” As disciples of Jesus, if we do not carry a Christian worldview, we are in deep, deep trouble. Now, I can already guess what some of you are thinking… “Ugh. I’ve heard this worldview thing to death!” Or maybe, “I already have a Christian worldview. Next topic, please!” In either case, I’d like to encourage you to stop and take a deep breath and a second look at this subject. Let me explain by telling you a bit about my youngest son Tim, who has Down syndrome. Tim loves the Lord. Tim loves life. And he loves the Disney channel. When Tim was in high school the movie High School Musical was released. As he often does, he watched the DVD over and over again. Ultimately, he decided that he didn’t want to just be like Troy Bolton (the basketball star in the film) he wanted to be Troy Bolton. So, one day he confidently marched into the Athletic Director’s office at the high school and asked to sign up for the basketball team. Soon, I got a call from the Athletic Director’s office, and Tim was on the line. He could hardly contain his joy! “I have GREAT NEWS! I made the team!” Now, happy as I was to hear his elation, I also knew that Tim was 5’2” tall, weighted 170lbs. and had never played on a basketball team in his life. So, I knew there had to be more to the story. At this point, the Athletic Director got on the line and explained to me that he had invited Tim to be the manager. As Tim’s mom, I knew this would be a great fit for him. And I expressed my gratitude, even as I thought to myself, “And I am sure this is not what Tim is thinking!” I knew I’d have a lot of explaining to do when Tim got home. So, I met him at the bus stop....

What’s In Your Worldview?Christina Fox2024-08-06T17:19:43+00:00

Fellow Travelers on the Highway to Zion

BARBARANNE KELLY | CONTRIBUTOR Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. —Psalm 84:5–7 Who else remembers the sweet miniseries about Anne of Green Gables from the 90’s? A central feature of much of the story was the “bosom friendship” between Anne (“with an ‘e’”) and Diana. Hatched in the sweet exuberance of childhood, over the years their friendship blossomed and matured, with many ups and downs in between. I enjoyed following Anne and Diana as they grew up together through girlhood, into adolescence, and then young adulthood, probably because I rarely lived in one place long enough to grow up together with a “bosom” friend. Being created in the image of God means (among other things) that we are capable of and even thrive in relationships. There are different types of relationships given structure by God’s design for (at the very least) the perpetuation and survival of our species, and these are reflected in Scripture as pictures of our relationship to God. The love of God as a Father is the love that saves his children, nurtures them, and gives them life; the love of Christ for his bride is a love that protects, washes, and sanctifies her. I may be stretching the analogy too far, but perhaps friendship is an example of God’s love within the Trinity. For the fellowship within the Trinity is simply (and yet incomprehensively) about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit knowing, loving, enjoying, and glorifying one another. When we’re children, our friendships form with other children our own age, and may develop simply because we’re thrown together by reason of living near one another or being in the same class at school. As we age though, the ties which bind friendships together change from outward circumstance and become more inward. Our friends aren’t those who happen to live nearby—though they may—but it’s not simply because they live nearby. Our friends are those with whom we’ve found a common interest and enjoyment; those with whom we share an aspect of our inward selves...

Fellow Travelers on the Highway to ZionChristina Fox2024-08-06T17:06:42+00:00

Hope in Hindsight: Navigating Unexpected Journeys

KIM BARNES | CONTRIBUTOR Have you ever felt like your life was heading in a clear direction, only to have things take a sharp turn? Maybe you felt called to a new job or ministry, only to have it fall apart. Perhaps you envisioned your empty nest years filled with one thing, but reality brought something entirely different. A little over five years ago, my husband and I felt confident that God was calling us to a new place and ministry. It was a significant change, and there was trepidation as we embarked on this journey. However, the path seemed wide and clear, and we sensed God’s leading. So, we set off for my husband to pastor a church 800 miles away from Central Florida, where I had spent most of my life. We embraced our new home and hoped that we’d spend the next couple of decades serving this church and community that we quickly grew to love. That’s not what happened. My husband lost his job after two years. It was a gut-punch, and we were devastated. A path that initially seemed so welcoming, one that we thought would lead to joy and life-giving ministry, became a road filled with grief, betrayal, and despair. Along the way, we saw God’s hand at work, nevertheless it was a season where we questioned God’s calling on our lives and felt uncertainty about the future. Life wasn’t turning out the way I thought it would. The Bible is filled with stories where journeys lead to unexpected places...

Hope in Hindsight: Navigating Unexpected JourneysChristina Fox2024-07-26T14:16:29+00:00

The Blindspot About Women and Sexuality

ELLEN DYKAS | CONTRIBUTOR I well remember a conversation years ago, at a Harvest USA fundraising banquet, during which I needed to defend my full-time position in our ministry to women. The conversation went like this: Well-meaning man: “You’re full time? Are there that many wives who have Christian husbands looking at porn?” Me: “Well, yes; not only do wives reach out for help, but Christian women who are struggling with things like pornography and casual sex do as well.” Well-meaning man: “Really? I never thought women struggled with that stuff!” It wasn’t the first time I had to defend my job. Women have long felt invisible in the church. When it comes to sexuality, most of the attention has gone to men. So, when a woman needs help for her sexual struggles, she often wonders, where do I turn? Who can help me?! Darcy¹ came for help because she couldn’t stop hooking up with men. She’d sought out more men than she could remember, and her face and voice communicated shame and pain as she gave me her diagnosis, “Ellen, I guess I’m just more like a man.” She needed help understanding that lust and sexually sinful behaviors are gender neutral. Why did Darcy think that? Because in her church circles, she only heard that men had problems with lust. Yes, there was something wrong with Darcy, but it wasn’t that her sexuality was more like a man’s. She needed help understanding that lust and sexually sinful behaviors are gender neutral! Idolatrous, lonely, and selfish hearts don’t belong to one gender. Is your women’s ministry a safe space for women who struggle sexually?...

The Blindspot About Women and SexualityChristina Fox2024-07-24T17:09:04+00:00

Equipping You For A New Women’s Ministry Year

MARIA CURREY | CONTRIBUTOR With a new Women’s Ministry year peaking on the horizon, leaders’ minds are perking with everything from finalizing calendars, setting the fiscal year budget, and encouraging and recruiting existing and new team volunteers—just to name a few likely thoughts on your prayerful punch lists! Sometimes, facing new year expectations seems daunting, like scaling a ministry-Mt.-Everest. Fortunately, we have the best gear for whatever climb we face: God’s Word, prayer, and leaders before and behind us as “spiritual sherpas” of sorts. Jesus is first and always at the front as our guide and hems us in from behind, but it is also helpful to know the resources and relationships of trusted leaders who have climbed similar mountains. The Priority of Prayer The combination of God’s Word and prayer first informs our preparations. Pulled from God’s Word, prayer was the pacing of Jesus ministry from His baptism in Luke 3:21 to His final breath in Luke 23:46 and in His consummation of blessing and breaking bread with His disciples in Luke 24:30. As we follow in Jesus’ perfect footsteps, trusting established placement of our feet, He gives us the critical cues to pray without ceasing as we prepare. Jesus, who was perfect in every way, relied on prayer as the lifeline with God His Father; if it was critical for Him, it is even more essential for us...

Equipping You For A New Women’s Ministry YearChristina Fox2024-07-24T13:50:16+00:00