Studying Together: Mary & Elisabeth
“Take a little rest”
Life and ministry, both, have a way of surprising us with the unexpected – no matter how much we try to anticipate some things. Imagine, Mary, young Mary. She had, no doubt, been privy to conversations of the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah. Yet, as it is our human nature, we acknowledge that things can happen, but rarely ever think “it will happen to/for me.” I am sure this was also the case for her.
As we read in Luke 1, Mary was not the only one facing a sudden twist in life. Her cousin, Elisabeth was also uniquely with child at an unexpected season of her life. It is from this narrative that I find instruction and encouragement for us today. Come away and rest awhile. Yes, you!
First, let us acknowledge that many times we don’t see life’s bends and hills too far in advance. Second, let us remind ourselves that waiting to “recover” after we come through a challenging season is not recommended, as we can never be sure how long seasons may last. Thirdly, let us agree that not all seasons that are challenging are bad. However, even when “good things” are happening, we can take time to “escape” and rest. Yes, even right in the middle of it all!
Mary and Elisabeth were each living in the most exciting, yet uncertain time of their lives. They were faithful and full of faith. I can imagine, though, that even being filled with faith and trust that God could do anything, they still had processing of thoughts and emotions to do. Such a precious gift they were to each other! Luke 1:39-56 tells us of that great visit. What a time of rest and encouragement for these two! They could not have possibly been aware of all that lay before them, yet they took time to hide away and take rest. Of course, for Mary, the cultural implications of her pregnancy were great – but what care was extended to her in the plan of God to give her somewhere to go and someone to understand when she needed it most!
While there is much that we could continue to dig out of this beautiful narrative, it is my prayer that you are encouraged in two simple ways:
- That you give yourself permission to carve out time “in the middle of it all” to get away and rest.
- Whenever possible, that you will also be a person and place of encouragement and rest for someone near to you.
We need each other! And, dear one, I need you to be strong, encouraged and rested!
Challenge: I challenge you, dear friend, look at your calendar and reserve times of rest and refreshing, both alone and with a trusted friend. Reach out to someone that you may see could also use some time away… get a coffee, take a day trip! Take a little rest!
Harmony Pace, Euro Ladies Ministries Director
Chatting Together: Crystal Wallace
My name is Crystal Wallace. My husband Kevin and I are missionaries to the Kingdom of Belgium. I am the blessed mother of two beautiful daughters, 3 sweet granddaughters, and 1 handsome grandson.
How long have you been leading Ladies ministries?
My husband and I have been in the ministry together for 42 years and I have lead ladies groups on and off throughout this entire time.
What scripture would best describe your Ladies ministries?
I don’t have a particular Scripture in mind, however, at one church where my husband pastored, our motto was “Sisters Unite!” Our goal was to bring sisters together and to be a support system for one another.
What has been your greatest challenge in Ladies Ministries?
My greatest challenge has been the expectations I placed on myself. There have been times in the past where if I didn’t feel I could do an event perfectly, I would not want to do it at all. I came to realize that any effort I put forth was appreciated by the ladies who attended. As wives and mothers themselves, they understood the workload on a woman’s shoulders and were grateful for any event put together, large and fancy, or small and simple.
What has been your greatest victory in Ladies Ministries?
The greatest victory is seeing the younger women step up to be active participants in Ladies Ministries. Hallelujah!
What has been your greatest challenge in Ladies Ministries?
We’ve had women in our groups who had been so hurt in their past that they had built walls around their hearts and would not allow anyone in. But I’ve been blessed to see those walls crumble as we built relationships and spent time together sharing and studying God’s Word. I’ve seen the lightbulb come on in lives of those who finally realized who they are in Christ. For me, that is the greatest victory!
What tip would you have for motivating ladies to be a part of Ladies Ministries?
You will probably never get every woman in your church to attend every ladies event, and this can be disheartening. However, focus on the ones who do participate and do your best for them.
What have you tried that works best?
I first started having monthly meetings but found the attendance would be very unpredictable. Sometimes there would be a lot of women in attendance, but frequently there would be only a few. In the end, I focused our meetings around special occasions such as Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc. I put some extra special planning behind these meetings and found they were better attended.
I’ve also done ladies Bible Studies and book studies. These were held separate from ladies meetings and these were very well attended. I found these studies created an atmosphere where women opened up and shared more about themselves than they would have during a more formal ladies event.
What have you tried that did not work at all?
The one event I tried that I never repeated was a weekend event for our young teenaged ladies. That weekend event took a lot of time, effort, and money, and unfortunately, the young ladies didn’t seem to be that appreciative of the effort.
Has your Ladies Ministries done any community outreach? Tell us about it.
Rather than exchanging gifts with each other at our Christmas meeting, I asked each lady to bring a small gift for our local Women’s Shelter. I asked the Shelter in advance what they needed and provided this list to the ladies. The ladies brought their items to our Christmas party and we assembled individual gift bags. We included a card in each bag that assured the lady we were praying for her and we also included our church information.
As a testimony to the power of this type of event, one of the ladies in our church used to drive a school bus. One day one of her students got on the bus and showed her a card that her mother had received in a gift bag. That card was our church card from a gift bag our ladies had provided to the shelter!
Do you have any specific resources you use and would like to recommend?
I enjoy doing themed events and once I decide on a theme, there are so many great online resources available. Pinterest is a great option but I usually just Google the theme I’m looking for and specify that it’s for a church ladies group, and there are lots of aids out there.
What advice or encouragement would you give to someone who is just starting out?
Zechariah 4:10 tells us to “not despise small beginnings.” No matter how few you may be in number, start and maintain a Ladies Ministry in your church. Study the Word together, pray together, drink tea or coffee together, share together. Every great thing had a small beginning!
Debra Summers, Euro Ladies Ministries Secretary
Leading Together: Strength in Waiting
Rest: easier said than done. It’s no wonder that the Lord rested on the 7th day of Creation after His good work. Obviously, He didn’t need the break; rather, His action served as an example for us all. As the Omnipotent One rested, so should we. Amid this fast-paced world, we must remember that rest is essential for our mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.
The Lord knew exactly what He was doing when He commanded us to “keep the Sabbath and make it holy.” Research shows that rest improves our memory, strengthens our ability to handle stress, and reinforces our immune systems, among many other benefits. Conversely, lack of rest impairs our executive function, raises cortisol levels, makes us more susceptible to illness, and increases our risk for anxiety and depression. Psalm 127:2 tells us, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Isaiah 40:31 famously says, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
We are not designed to go through this busy life alone, and yet so often we forget to prioritize setting aside time to rest and wait on the Lord. In our humanity, we become caught up in our tasks and responsibilities, neglecting to lay those same things at the feet of our Heavenly Father and sit at His feet as Mary did. If we did so, we would find ourselves much lighter, calmer, stronger, and rested.
If we go back to Isaiah 40:8, we find a beautiful reason to rest in the Lord: His power and strength are unending. “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” The Lord gives power to the faint. When we are weak and restless, He strengthens us and calms our souls. He is the Unending Source Who provides everything we need to fulfill His will in this life.
Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Rest is not simply for vacations or particular days of the year, but should be a principle continuously practiced in our lives. Sitting at His feet and caring for His temple (our body) renews our body, mind, and spirit. If we are burdened, exhausted, or worn, we cannot lead effectively, nor can we properly fulfill God’s will for our lives. But, when we seek rest in the Living Water of His spirit, we find a well of strength-giving joy and peace which passes all understanding. In the Lord, we find all that we need!
Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Candace Lindholm
Meeting Together
My husband and I try to take a vacation every year, but most of the time we return to Canada or the United States to visit family and friends. These trips are always a wonderful time of reconnecting with our loved ones and we cherish every moment we have together; I wouldn’t trade them for anything. However, truth be told, we usually come back to Europe feeling more tired than before we left.
This year was different. In May, we took what I will call a “real” vacation. Rather than returning home to visit family and friends, we spent 9 days on the island of Crete relaxing, enjoying the sun, seeing new sites, reading, taking walks, and sometimes doing absolutely nothing! Honestly, I cannot remember the last time we took a vacation and I came home feeling rested and relaxed. It was WONDERFUL!
As women, we have so much to do so much of the time. There are always family events, work events, and church events that keep our calendars full of appointments. Life can be overwhelming and can affect us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Scripture has a lot to say about physical rest, and God Himself was our first example. In the beginning, God went into a 6-day creation project, but on the 7th day, He rested from all that He had done (Genesis 2:2.) Jesus specifically asked His disciples to “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while” (Mark 6:31, CSB.) The crowds had been so great and these men had been so busy that they didn’t even have time to eat. Does that sound familiar?
Summer vacation time is upon us and I pray that your family has the opportunity “go away to a remote place and rest for a while.” Your body, soul, and spirit need it!
BUT, if you can’t take a formal vacation, you still need a rest! The ladies in your church need a rest. So why not turn your next meeting into an evening of rest and relaxation. You could turn the room into spa-like atmosphere by dimming the lights, playing soft instrumental music in the background, and providing basins of warm water for the ladies to soak their feet in while you give a devotional about rest. You might prefer to give your room a beach-like atmosphere by putting beautiful beach pictures on the wall and by asking each lady to bring her favorite beach chair to relax in. Or how about a Hawaiian luau theme combined with the beach theme? A summer picnic in a local park or in someone’s backyard could be a great option. This picnic idea would be even better if you had the option of doing so beside a lake.
You could ask the ladies to share a story about their favorite vacation or to give tips on what they do to make vacation a restful experience. If reading is a restful activity for them, what book would they recommend? Where is their favorite vacation spot?
Here are some devotional ideas for you to consider:
- Genesis 2:2; Hebrews 4:9-10 – And God Rested
- Mark 6:31 – Come Away and Rest Awhile
- Matthew 11:28 – I Will Give You Rest
- Jeremiah 6:16; Psalm 62:1; Matthew 11:29 – Rest for Your Soul
- I Kings 5:4 – Rest on Every Side
Enjoy your summer, ladies! Take time for yourself! Rest, relax, and renew yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually!
Crystal Wallace
Teaching Together: Come Away and Rest a While
The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all that they had done and taught. Jesus said “Come off by yourselves, let’s take a break and get a little rest”. For there was constant coming and going, and they didn’t even have time to eat. (Mark 6:30-31, The Message)
Does that sound familiar to anyone? Especially someone in ministry? The Message translation of Mark 6:31 could have been written for us, today! And Jesus’ solution for busy and weary servants – who were successfully doing exactly what He had sent them to do – was to come away from the crowds and rest awhile. For the service of the King requires the pouring out of oneself over and over, and we must have a time and place where we can rest our physical bodies, clear our heads, get in touch with our Purpose and our Mission again in order to continue.
So what do you do to relax? Recoup? Renew your strength? All of us without a doubt must maintain our personal, daily devotion and time with Jesus, but occasionally the demands of ministry are overwhelming to the point that we need a little something extra to replenish the virtue and the “want to” that has been depleted. Following are a few ideas and resources that could help each of us to maintain our health, our balance, and our peace of mind in the ever-increasing demands of ministry.
- WALK! Go for a walk! Strap on your sneakers, plug in your headphones, and go for a nice, long, heart-pumping blood-stirring walk! Don’t stop to look in the windows – save that for later! But take off in earnest and walk quickly and surely for 30 minutes to an hour each day. The health benefits are immeasurable! Stress levels will decrease, blood flow and oxygen replenishment will increase, waist and hip measurements will decrease! Not to mention that it is totally free – no cost whatsoever! We are by far too much of a sedentary society and our health and stress levels demonstrate it. So walk your troubles away! Breathe deeply the fresh air and sunshine (or smog!!), say hi to someone you don’t know, sing along with your favorite playlist, let the Lord drop fresh and new mercies and anointing into your spirit each day. You will be the better for it!
- Take a bubble bath! If you are blessed with an actual bathtub in your home – use it proactively! Banish the children and the dog for an hour, light a candle, add some bubbles, and soak awhile! Taking an hour of “me” time will help you replenish your strength to be able to serve those that depend on you. The same principle applies even without a bathtub – a long, hot PRIVATE shower can do wonders to help relax tension in the neck, back and shoulders. Try some eucalyptus discs in the bottom of the shower – they will help open your breathing passages and pores and allow the body to rejuvenate itself.
- Read a book! An actual book! We all spend too much time watching images and not enough time exercising our brains with actual reading. Reading, with its active processing of language and text, fosters deeper understanding, memory retention, and imagination. Reading affords many benefits, from childhood comprehension and critical thinking to staving off dementia in your older years. Things like crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and other written challenges while fun and relaxing, will also give you a great “mental workout.” A very old-fashioned, yet effective exercise would be to pick a book to read aloud as a family. Read a chapter together each night, allow time for comments and questions, and see how your family grows closer together!
- Get a hobby! Find some type of manual activity to occupy your hands and allow your brain to relax, such as crochet, knitting, painting, sewing, refinishing furniture, making quilts, making beautiful hair accessories, or leatherworking. Something that is NOT scrolling thru social media! The possibilities are as endless as your creativity. Not only will the manual labor help you to relax and relieve stress, but there is always the possibility of selling your creations for a little extra income. What kind of stress relief would that be!
- Play a game! Drag out the board games and challenge your family to a match! Quality time spent together around the table playing games is invaluable. Declare it a media-free zone (no cell phones allowed!!) to make it even more special. Learn to talk again – face to face with one another! You will be amazed at how your children will open up in conversation with you again, once they feel they have your undivided attention, and no one is staring at a screen.
Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that to everything there is a season, and that it is the gift of God that every man should enjoy the good of all his labor. If we do not take the time to come away and rest for a while, we will find ourselves coming apart. Even God rested on the 7th day from all His creative labors – how can we as mere humans, do less?
Kay Burgess
Don’t forget to register for Together!
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“She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” Mark 14:8-9 (NLT)