You can make a Kingdom difference using the skills and talents you already have. Below are a few women who are using their gifts for the Lord.
Yvonne Pirolo - Bold & Daring Outreach Leader
Bold! Daring! Adventurous! These were unknown words to describe Yvonne Pirolo–until. She stood on that side-walk shouting, “I can’t! I won’t! Never!” She was yelling at Jeff, the director of Eastern Europe Outreach who had just said, “A team will go to Czechoslovakia when you lead one!” She looked to her husband for support. After a moment of consideration, ignoring his wife’s plea, Neal looked at Jeff and said, “Yes! She will do that!”
Fighting the idea for months, she finally decided she should get God’s confirmation that her husband was crazy. She began her prayer with the words, “Now God, I know that You know that Neal is crazy to think that I could lead a team to Eastern Europe, but I thought I should get Your OK to dismiss this whole idea.” Then God spoke! And within ten minutes she wanted to do it, she knew who she would ask to go with her, the route they would take and what they would do! And it happened exactly as His plan had been laid out for her.
After these many years, having led fifty-two, three-week ministry teams, Yvonne is writing her memoirs. Yes, they encountered real, live angels on several occasions. And, yes, they also encountered real, live demonic beings! But they also ministered love and compassion through English Camps, Gypsy Camps, counseling and Bible delivery. They were hailed as environmentalists as the first foreigners to land on a South Pacific Island.
OH NO! NOT ME is the first in a series of three. In this writing she explores the good and not so good of working together as a team, the successes of ministering love and humanitarian aid. She and her teams modeled for people, in their new-found freedom, how they can reach out to their own people. She relates how they prayed with and provided medical care for the survivors of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. She experienced the humor in one country where her nod of the head meaning yes actually meant no!
This is Yvonne’s second book. She previously co-authored a book on spiritual warfare with her husband, titled Prepare for Battle! At the end of each chapter, she wrote a section called Practical Insights. Wisdom from her own experiences on the ‘battlefields’ of life are instructive.
Yvonne Pirolo lives in San Diego with her husband. Their four children left the nest a long time ago, as have their fifteen grandchildren with their twenty great grandchildren. Her fifty-third team was ready to go. Covid stopped it. Now at 86, she says her traveling days are over, but with all visa restrictions off the board, who knows what adventures might still await her.
You can learn more about this newly-published author and purchase her book from their new publishing house, PUBLISHING HOPE.
Lindsey Smith - Missionary and Missionary Care
After completing her Bible College education, Lindsey dedicated the next four years to teaching at a Christian school stateside. Little did she know that this teaching experience would become a stepping stone to her calling to cross-cultural missions. It paved the way for an open door that beckoned her to Southeast Asia, where she now serves as an international teacher and missionary.
In pursuit of personal and spiritual growth, Lindsey has continued her education, studying Biblical counseling online. Her aim is to acquire the skills and wisdom needed to offer counseling that aligns with the Word of God. This commitment reflects her desire to further encourage and strengthen the body of Christ through compassionate and faith-centered counsel.
In addition to her on-field mission work, Lindsey continues to make an impact as a missionary care partner with AJM. Her role extends beyond the geographical boundaries, as she supports and networks with fellow missionaries. She is excited to do her part in the Great Commission by encouraging other missionaries and sharing the hope of the Gospel through education. She hopes that her life can be a testimony to others of the transformative power of faith and God’s grace in a life.
Jennifer Duncan-Taylor - Master Potter, Simple Clay Ministry
That night began a radical change in my life. As a person who had been living as a cruisin’ along Christian, I had failed to fully submit my life to the hands of The Master Potter. From that moment on, I allowed the Lord to reveal His message through the experience of working with clay, the wheel, tools and the kiln. The connections came quickly and profoundly over the next few years and I began to share with others. Read Jennifer's full story here.
Jackie Phillips - Author and Motivational Speaker
Jackie is a bestselling author, inspirational speaker, and athlete with tremendous success as an entrepreneur. As a dynamic upbeat speaker, Jackie captivates and motivates her audiences to live their potential, strengthen and share their faith, pursue optimal health and age gracefully. She is a marathoner, optimal health coach and the founder and CEO of Phillips Wellness Enterprises in Riverside, California.
In 2019, she published a book Step by Step, 21 Steps to Enhance the Winner in You, using the analogy of running a race step by step to developing your God given potential. Later that year, she felt called by God to write yet another book. Despite her initial reluctance, the book, An Upward Climb toward Faith, 2021, was the answer to that call. Based on Romans 7:15, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do,” it was written for all who have faith challenges and triumphs.
Jackie has a passion to share God’s grace to all with her own story of his grace. Growing up in a small town in southwestern Ohio as a part of a Presbyterian Church, she witnessed her mother demonstrate her faith daily. As a young adult and military wife, she abandoned God and was living a self-centered lifestyle. Witnessing the unquestioning faith of a dear grief-stricken friend, she began her journey back to the faith of her youth. With many detours, in December 1988, she finally turned her life over to Christ. Jackie believes that living a faith filled life is a series of steps.
As an entrepreneur, Jackie encourages others to be a living witness wherever they are by using their God given skills and gifts. She shares her gifts with her church, The Grove Community Church as a women’s Bible study leader, a small group leader with her husband, Dick, and a bookstore volunteer. She is actively involved in her community in a referral network, the local chamber of commerce and Christian Business Partners. She is married to her college sweetheart, the mother of a daughter, and the grandmother of two.
For topics, please visit her website, jackie-phillips.com
Email:
Ashley Christian - Margins for Moms
Ashley Christian is an author, and mother to five children through birth, foster care, and adoption. You can read more about Ashley at www.homesteadsweethome.com.
In 2009, after a life changing mission trip to the earth quake torn country of Haiti, Ashley and her husband Josh decided to pursue God’s calling on their lives to foster and adopt children.
Having three sons under age seven already, the task to become foster parents felt overwhelming. But with a distinct sense of purpose to fulfill James 1:27 to care for orphans and widows, they became foster parents to twin one-year-old girls.
Ashley recalls those early days of fostering twins:
“They were twenty-pound toddlers but acted like colicky newborns. They needed to be bounced and held while standing up, or they cried fiercely. I’d strap them onto my body with baby carriers, one in front and one behind, and do my best to keep everyone fed and safe.
“I was lost in motherhood and isolated by my experiences, but somehow found myself through pain. Exhausted and alone, God was stripping away my protective layers of self-focus. I was at my happiest and most desperate places all at once. Life is funny like that, the contrast of darkness giving way to brilliant light.”
Six months into their fostering journey, one of Ashley’s foster daughters developed a life-threatening kidney disease. She spent weeks in and out of the hospital and nearly didn’t survive. She ended up with a port in her chest and a feeding tube for four years.
Even through all the unexpected medical trauma and challenges of bonding, the biggest struggle was the developing mental health challenges of her twin girls, whom she adopted at age two-and-a-half. Both girls were diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and a form of bio-polar disorder. Dozen of daily meltdowns was a norm in their household.
These experiences pushed Ashley to a breaking point when her twins were five. Ashley writes …
“The thought crept in that perhaps time and love wouldn’t heal all things. I have spent the past four years trying to fix reality rather than face it. Grief and depression became unwanted companions.
“One spring day I sat on our back porch and sobbed and cried out to God. I was a failure as an adoptive mother and convinced we weren’t the right home for our twins. Maybe if we found another adoptive home for them, I could focus on my hurting sons and marriage. Maybe I could at least fix that.”
The Lord supernaturally met Ashley in her most shameful moment as a mom. When she was ready to not be one anymore. He prompted her family to switch from homeschooling to place their children in public school and gain margin to begin counseling and healing.
A decade later, with five tweens and teens in the home, Ashley has turned this rocky journey into a ministry for moms.
Special needs and adoptive moms will particularly benefit from Ashley’s book, Parenting Through Valleys | 6 weeks to overcome burnout for adoptive and special needs moms.
Ashley also has written Enough — 7-minute devotions for foster and adoptive moms. This beautiful devotional delivers the truth of God word for moms in a way that matches their busy season of life. You will find a scripture, a two paragraph devotional, and three journal prompts all surrounding the topic of being enough through grace.
Katie LaPierre - Eternally Minded Mamas
Katie LaPierre is a homeschooling mama and pastor’s wife. She has eight blessings from the Lord (children) with a ninth on the way!
Katie's ministry is called Eternally Minded Mamas and she wrote an accompanying one month devotional. Katie is currently working on the follow-up book. She writes to encourage mamas to see the eternal purpose and value in the midst of the temporal and mundane according to Colossians 3:2, which says “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Katie did not grow up in a Christian home. During her junior year in high school her dad became a believer while her mother remained an alcoholic. She loved her dad but didn’t want to go to church with him or have anything to do with his “boring” lifestyle. She believed Jesus died for her, but didn’t want to give her life to Him.
Katie went to college excited to be on her own! She moved to southern California where she didn’t know a soul when she was 17. It was there where God chased her and she finally said, at age 19, “Yes Lord, I will follow you.” That was the best decision of her life. She hasn’t looked back since.
Katie's husband, Scott, is a pastor, author, and speaker. He has written many books, his first was Your Marriage God’s Way. Katie and Scott grew up together. He was a senior when she was a freshman and they were in homecoming court together! She remembered he was cute and she liked his last name :) Who would have thought it would be her last name? God did!
Scott and Katie connected after 10 years of not seeing each other. She will never forget that first phone call. She was so excited to hear about how God had rescued him and made him a new man. Within a few months they were engaged and then married 7 months later.
Scott had been told by many people they could see him as a pastor and she had been told by people that they could see her as a pastor’s wife and here they are! Scott has been pastoring the same church in Washington for the last 10 years and they are so blessed by their local church body.
Don't Mom Alone, a Podcast with Heather MacFadyen
Do you feel like you’re drowning? Do you wonder if the challenges you face are normal? Do you feel the constant pressure to be the ‘perfect’ wife and mom? You’re not alone.
“Know what it’s like to have four kids? You’re drowning and someone hands you a baby.” –Jim Gaffigan.
When Heather MacFadyen first heard Gaffigan’s joke she laughed out loud and then felt the pang of truth. You see, soon after Heather's fourth boy arrived, she had a panic attack on a Sunday. In the car. While waiting for chicken strips from Bubbas. That’s when she sought professional help. The pressure began to lift when her counselor said, “It’s completely normal for you to feel this way”. She felt relief knowing she wasn’t doing something wrong, motherhood is simply hard.
The irony? At the time of her breakdown she wrote online, encouraging moms to be God-centered. Helping them create spiritual disciplines reminding them of God’s presence. But she was missing an important element: other people. With four young boys, she’d isolated herself from community. She feared embarrassment, rejection, and failure. Slowly she began to reach out to friends again. Taking risks even if the outing didn’t go as well as expected. Through prayer with friends, God healed wrong identities She’d held onto. He secured her belief in who He said she was. Fear lost a bit of its hold on her.
In 2013 she transitioned from writing online to interviewing mentors on my podcast “God Centered Mom”. That show has reached every country in the world and downloaded over 7 million times. One listener began to use the podcast as content for her small group and helped her launch “podcast clubs” (like a book club but with podcasts!). Those clubs led to the use of the hashtag and a new site/brand: #DontMomAlone. Moms comment that the podcast is helping change their motherhood, that they are refined instead of broken. One mom wrote,”You helped me feel like I can do better, but all my efforts matter.”
Listen along. Instead of drowning, allow us to remind you that you don’t mom alone!
Cara Denney
After 20 years serving and living in Ukraine, CC Kyiv blessed Cara and sent her out to help minister in other places, including Hungary.
Cara loves to communicate the Gospel through writing, teaching workshops, counseling women and teaching the Bible wherever there is an open door. Recently God opened new doors for Cara’s writing ministry on Calvary Chapel’s website and through the translation into Russian of a 30 day devotional book drawn from her devotional writings found on her blog. Plus you can listen to an interview with Cara by clicking here for English and clicking here for Russian.
Her heart is to encourage women to know how much God loves them through the truth of Scripture and to see those truths heal and transform their lives in the power of the Holy Spirit. Cara desires to walk with women towards wholeness in Jesus. In April Cara will be the guest speaker at CC Netherlands Women's Conference and she asks for your prayers that God will use the Word to speak through her in Spirit and in Truth.
To sign up to receive her regular updates and prayer requests sent automatically to your email inbox go here and search for her by name. Don't hesitate to drop her an email and ask her to pray for you!
Apryl Ortiz
Combining her personal story of redemption with biblical truth, Apryl Ortiz is a Christian speaker and motivator who strives to connect to others with the story of God’s grace. Apryl attests to God’s sovereign Fatherhood, not only with her redeemed past and family, but with her present mission to encourage young women toward leading lives of strength and dignity. She is challenging young women to raise the standard on the culture by living out the word of God in fashion, faith and fitness through her ministry Strength Dignity Life.
Born in a rural community, Apryl was raised in the church and responded to Christ as her savior at a young age, but did not acknowledge her true calling until much later in life. After her parents divorced, Apryl not only suffered the effects of a broken home, but also survived multiple instances of sexual abuse and rape in her childhood and teen years. She soon turned to a life of violence, drugs, and sex to still her rage. Enduring a toxic marriage of her own, Apryl had 3 daughters with her first husband by the time she turned 20. It wasn’t until after her divorce that she rediscovered transformative grace in embracing Christ as her loving Father, who through all of her pain had always been close at hand.
Read more about Apryl and Strength Dignity Life by clicking here.
Lisa Collins - Missions
In July 1999, Lisa Collins went on her first mission trip to London, England, with Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. That experience changed her life. God has given her a passion for equipping, teaching, and training children and adults about the love and power of Jesus Christ. Since 2000, she has taught Simply Jesus Evangelism to churches, schools, at Calvary’s Missions Conference, army camps, and orphanages in America, Romania, Austria, Ukraine, Honduras, Kosovo, Albania, and South Africa.
Lisa is a missionary at Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe in Budapest, Hungary. Students from over 15 different countries attend with the desire to grow in their relationship and service to the Lord. Her ministry is to assist in mobilizing students onto the mission field through training and providing practical short- and long-term opportunities. In addition, her responsibilities include being a support to churches and missionaries in Europe and coordinating mission trips for American teams desiring to experience Eastern Europe. She recently participated in mission trips throughout Hungary, Ethiopia, Iraq, Cambodia, India, and Uganda. The vision for the Bible College is to raise up men and women to reach the nations of Europe and the world for Jesus Christ.
Missions18 - Session 05 Lisa Collins from Calvary Chapel on Vimeo.
Since June 2015, impacting the Middle East has become a huge focus for Lisa and 100,000's of refugees from Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and from many surrounding nations are flooding into Eastern Europe. It has been a privilege for Lisa to be ministering in this area for "such a time as this." Their hearts are open and ready to receive the Gospel and to hear and experience the love of Jesus. It is an incredible time in history when the Lord has opened the 10/40 window and more than a million people from "closed" and unreached nations are now free to give their lives to Jesus.
Backstage Interview - Lisa Collins from Calvary Chapel on Vimeo.
9/15/2010 Devo with Lisa Collins
Read more about Simply Jesus Evangelism.
Calvary Chapel Samaritan's Purse Relay Center
2018: view our preparation video here.
The youth group at CCAG folded 1400 "GO" shoeboxes in exactly 1 hour! They were amazing, that was the first preparation for the CCAG OCC packing party for 2017.
Not only is Calvary Chapel Arroyo Grande a Relay Center but they also pack 900 shoeboxes as a church!
Donna is the Relay Center Coordinator and Church Project Leader:
"We have a group of about 25 women (not all in picture) that help out with crafting. We have a craft day once or twice a month, but a lot of the work is done by the women at home at their convenience. We have finished shopping and crafting everything on the list below. We have finished shopping and crafting for 900 shoeboxes for our 2014 packing party in November. Praise the Lord!"
Each box works out to be $3.58 per box containing 16-20 items!! This includes all the items needed for the crafts.
Here is the layout for our 900 shoeboxes for our November 2014 Packing party.
All 900 shoeboxes contain the following items:
Ziploc of 5 large candy canes, Ziploc of soap and washcloth, Toothbrush/toothpaste, Christmas card with message, Handmade scarf, 3 pencils, Pencil sharpener, 20 ½ sheets of blank paper stapled.
In addition, each box contains they following items pertaining to their age group and sex:
Boy 2-4
Handmade boy doll, Handmade crocheted ball, Handmade puppet, Handmade maraca, Handmade loom headband, Handmade Jesus Loves You crayons (3 per Ziploc)
Girl 2-4
Handmade girl doll, Handmade crocheted ball, handmade puppet, handmade maraca, handmade flower headband, Handmade Jesus Loves You crayons (3 per Ziploc), Handmade pillowcase dress
Boy 5-9
Handmade hacky sack, Handmade marble bag with 25 marbles, Hot wheels, Jump rope, Flip flops, Tennis ball, Pen, 24 pack crayons, Coloring book.
Girl 5-9
Handmade girl doll, Handmade handbag, Handmade cross, Handmade crocheted flower headband, Handmade loom bracelet, Jump rope, Tennis ball, Pen, 24 pack crayons, Coloring book.
Boy 10-14
Handmade beanie, Handmade hacky sack, Handmade marble bag with 25 marbles, Tape measure, Flashlight, Tennis ball, California bag, Spiral notebook paper, Pen.
Girl 10-14
Handmade beanie, Handmade handbag, Handmade crocheted flower headband, Sewing kit, Yarn cross, Tennis ball, California bag, Spiral notebook paper, Pen.
Jail Ministry
Rebecca is the Calvary Chapel Arroyo Grande Jail Ministry Leader, below she describes this ministry.
Our ministry at the SLO County jail is directed at the female inmates in Maximum security, the Dorms and the Honor Farm.
This ministry was birthed by the Holy Spirit through one inmate and myself having a relationship that became known throughout the jail and other inmates were hungry for the same thing. I began receiving names of girls who wanted visits and letters from me, which obviously became overwhelming quick.
Friends at church rallied with me and I started a visitation team as well as a pen pal program from church ladies to inmates. We are known at the jail as 'the church ladies' by jail staff and inmates. My vision from the very beginning that came to me from the Lord was to sow seeds in these ladies lives. I knew God would get me inside the jail to teach the word and He has!
I bring church to the Honor Farm every Monday afternoon and it is awesome! We minister to about 20+ inmates at the jail and a handful that have been sent to Chowchilla Prison. Every girl who requests visitation or letters has so far, received that, thanks to a very faithful group of women around me. We spend one hour on phones, through the glass, encouraging these girls in the life changing power of Jesus Christ.
The stories go on and on. One inmate said she was on the verge of killing herself when she got my postcard that told her God was on her side and not to give up. Another girl was set to get a state paid for abortion, she left the jail to do that on a 24 hour cruise waiver, we were fervently praying for 24 hours. It didn't work out, she came back pregnant and asked to be part of our visitation group. She is now in Prison and still communicating with a lady from church.
These girls are hungry, they are addicted, they are desperate, they are broken, and they need Jesus like no other. We plant seeds through visiting and writing regardless as to their response or lack of response. This ministry has exploded and according to the Jail, it is unprecedented in nature, we are all scratching our heads at what God can do with a willing person.
We have since supported them in court, made phone calls to their family members, driven them around town to do errands, disciple them upon release, and do our best to track them into life or back into jail, where we start right back up again!
That's the gist of what we are doing at the Jail, it is ever changing, very fluid, and keeps us all on our toes! Contact Calvary Chapel Arroyo Grande for more info at (805)431-2637.
Discipling Women Through the Word
Heather Wathen heard the call to full time missionary service at the age of 18, and shortly thereafter met her husband of now eleven years at Calvary Chapel Bible College. Together they answered the call to minister in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, where Cameron now pastors Calvary Victoria. Heather uses her gifting to teach to minister to the women in her city and her own children as a homeschooling mother of four. She has a passion for writing, and regularly posts devotionals, discipleship materials, and Bible commentaries on her blog graceforvictoria.com She has also designed a literature based Old Testament history course for elementary aged children that can be accessed for free at TimelineHistory.ca. Heather's heart desire is to glorify the Lord Jesus by raising up women equipped to rightly divide the Word of truth who in turn can disciple others to do the same.
An Accidental Author
After a women’s retreat in 1998, two precious Christian women approached Tammy Brown who struggled with very deep-rooted problems and hurts. One of the ladies shared her story of repeated sexual abuse at the age of twelve, by her three brothers, as well as a battle with bulimia. The other shared that she was in great bondage to anorexia, an all too common eating disorder. As they all prayed and cried together, Tammy's heart was broken for them both. Tammy was all too familiar with the pain that these women were facing and wanted to comfort them with the same comfort that she had received from the Lord with her own healing from a painful past.
It was shortly thereafter that the Lord guided Tammy to develop the “Healed and Set Free” Bible Study. This Bible study is designed to help women, teens and couples, break the bondage of hurt and pain through Jesus Christ.
Read more here...
Book Club Ministry & Blogger
Kelly Gardner began the Women's weekly Book Club Ministry which met for two years at a local Starbucks. Due to the growth of the group and the noise of Starbucks they have spent the past year and a half meeting at their church. They meet every week and discuss how the Lord is growing and changing the group members through their reading selection. Many of the women who come have not been readers. So Kelly gets to use her background as a Elementary/Special Education teacher which has been so rewarding by sharing learning strategies for reading comprehension. "So many times I have wanted to quit and not continue this ministry thinking it wasn't making a difference. But watching women come every week and grow in faith and God confidence is just enough encouragement to continue this ministry" says Kelly.
Out of the Women's Book Club Ministry the Joyful Books Blog began. This ministry first began as an extension for those who could not join in to our weekly book club meetings. But God had greater plans. The Blog Ministry has weekly Devotionals, Book Reviews, Photo's from Calvary Chapel Reno-Sparks Women's Ministry events and Recipes. Who would have guessed that her blog would have had almost 21,000 hits from all over the world in nearly two years. Kelly says "What is incredible is to see the Holy Spirit working through this ministry". Although sometimes Kelly can get discouraged due to the lack of response in the comments she says "God is faithful and shows the importance of continuing this ministry".
Kelly took over the Women's Newsletter for Calvary Chapel Reno-Sparks and changed it to become a teaching newsletter five years ago. The purpose of the newsletter is to raise up the Women of Calvary Chapel to God's calling in ministry. Everything contained in the newsletter has to be written by the women of Calvary Chapel for the Women of Calvary Chapel. "The newsletter is arranged to model what we are taught and that is: Prayer, Fellowship and The Study of God's Word. Women who never thought they could write have become writers! Praise the Lord!" says Kelly.
Covered With Love
In the winter of 2005, a group of women came together with the object in mind to learn how to knit. Within a months time Our Lord placed it on our hearts to create a ministry with our new found talent and reach through out the world by knitting hats and scarves to help keep warm the many poor and needy.
Covered with Love consists of women from various churches in our area and Southern California with one focus which is to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. To date we ship on a regular basis to missionaries in the Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Russia, England and Israel. We also ship to an Orphanage for abandoned special needs children in Kiev, Ukraine.
Read more here...
Fruit of Her Hands
Kelly continues "At this time I am in the process of working through a new ministry, "Fruit of Her Hands" that reaches out to others. We meet four times a year and what we make we give away. Giving away can often be really difficult, but it is amazing to watch the hearts of these women."
When they met in August they made Fleece blankets for the Veterans in wheel chairs in their community. This was such an encouraging ministry that they have been asked to continue the blanket making on a regular basis.
Most of the ministries that have been placed on Kelly's heart to begin at Calvary Chapel Reno-Sparks have encouraged women who lack confidence in the gifts the Lord has given them, or are very introverted.
Ann is in her 70's and is a staple in her Children's Ministry. Her husband passed away about 10 years ago not leaving her much. She is quiet and full of grace. A person that isn't showy in the slightest. Ann's gift of loving babies and her ability to always be available to serve in the Children's Ministry is worth more than any amount of money!
A Writer and Bible Study Leader
Mary Jane is in her 70s and has always wanted to write about her love for Jesus Christ, but always lacked confidence. She now writes in the Calvary Chapel Reno-Sparks bi-monthly newsletter as a regular, is a Sunday morning greeter, and a leader for the Calvary Chapel Reno-Sparks Women's Bible Study. All of these experiences have helped her to begin a Wednesday night Women's prayer meeting before church. Without the confidence she gained during these other ministry opportunities Mary Jane would have never had the courage to stand in front of others and share Jesus Christ.
Feeding the Homeless
Every Sunday after church Kerrie and her three teenage daughters bring food to feed the homeless who live along the banks of the Truckee River. Kerrie does this every week all year long. So many stories she has told about how she and her daughter have shared Jesus Christ with those less fortunate. Kerrie started this ministry on her own and is always eager to have others join in.
Sharing Lives
Kim Bowser, from Calvary Chapel Reno Sparks saw the need for mentoring younger ladies and began a program for young women ages 16-25 called Sharing Lives.
Kim describes her ministry: " We held our first Sharing Lives in 2002. Sharing Lives is based on Titus 2:3-5. We have between 15-20 spiritually mature women that come alongside our young adult women who are between the ages of 15-25. All of our classes are based on the Word of God and life experiences in a variety of topics that have to do with being a godly woman.
It is a 13 week course and each class is 3 hours on a Saturday morning. All the classes are hands on, meaning, we actually cook, clean, decorate, re-cover chairs, sew on buttons & hem pants, we have inter-active applications so the girls go away with illustrations. There is a cost to the girls for supplies.
The topics include: Inductive Bible study, how to plan & prepare a holiday meal, how to be keepers of their homes, Godly relationships, things that rob us of our joy, how to stay under God’s protection, hospitality and how to cook, being a good steward of what God has blessed us with; including finances, how to communicate effectively, what worship and prayer are, marriage and family God’s way, conquering temptation, what are the gifts of the Spirit, purity and the inner woman, and we also teach them how to put on a women’s luncheon for about 150 women – so, service in women’s ministry! They actually do the whole luncheon; from setting the theme, teaching, worship, decorations, etc.
After much prayer, I believe the Lord wants this program out and available to other churches. We hope to make this available soon."
You can read more about Sharing Lives by clicking here.
Stella Rooks - Author
Stella is an author and speaker, involved in women’s ministry. Her desire is that women will know : they are not alone and that there is a God who will never leave them or forsake them but will guide them into His marvelous light in the midst of trials.
Stella is the author of Arise in Me, a 31-day devotional. Arise In Me is a handy, mini workbook that will help those who are or have been discouraged in any way or those who feel paralyzed and feel like they can’t accomplish anything to get new hope.
The title, Arise In Me, speaks for itself: “Arise in me, Oh Lord and let Your power, might, and grace lift me up...ARISE IN ME!”
This book is great and is a quick heart-check for any of us. We all struggle in many ways...and that's just part of life. Frequently, there is a tug of war going on in our minds.
Let this book reset your mind with the Word of God! Through God's Word, prayer and thanksgiving…thoughts are transformed from focusing on your trials to the things above. The battle in our minds can only be won with the power of Jesus Christ! He is our Divine Warrior and our victory lies in His hands!
The book was birthed during a difficult trial. Stella's desire is to encourage women—although they are in a trial that does not mean that God is not working in their lives. She has experienced both depression and anxiety for herself.
Embracing His love and tapping into the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us is crucial to experiencing His power, His love, and His peace!
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. ” 2 Timothy 1:7
Stella loves to encourage women! She continually prays for those suffering from depression and anxiety, praying that...
The light of Jesus Christ, will bring life and peace to guide them through their trials!
Stella is a wife, mother & grandmother and lives in New Mexico with her husband James Rooks. To read more about her ministry and the book, and to read uplifting devotionals, visit her website at: www.desertrosecreations.org.
Donna Lowe: Bible Teacher and Author
Donna longs to see women experience the life-changing power of the Bible - the living and active Word of God. She believes women will be empowered and equipped to make a huge impact for God’s Kingdom when we are Biblically literate. Next to salvation and the Holy Spirit, the Bible is the greatest gift we’ve been given to live successfully here on earth because God’s Word teaches us everything we need for life and for godliness. 2 Peter 1:2-5. The problem is, few believe this.
Too many Christians just don’t know their Bible. To be clear, they know parts of the Bible; their favorite verses, the famous stories, and even which parts of the Bible to avoid. Everyone has an opinion about the Bible, but most are oblivious to the Bible’s basic content, meaning, and message.
From the beginning of time, God’s Word has been a target for the enemy. Satan’s strategy was to deceive Eve by questioning the validity of God’s instructions. Satan only had to ask her, “Did God really say….?”, and Eve compromised her relationship with God. That’s all it took.
Today’s world is no different. The Bible is under attack. It’s being supplemented, stripped down, twisted, misquoted, undermined, misunderstood, and re-written. The scary thing is, most Christians don’t recognize this is happening. Why waste so much time trying to discredit the Bible? Because the enemy knows it’s effect!
We don’t have to live powerless, in this world! Through her expository teaching, practical application, and her profound love for the Word, Donna makes the Bible come alive. Her greatest joy comes from seeing others go deeper and grow stronger in their faith, as they trust Jesus Christ. Donna’s challenge to women: “pick up your Bible! Read. Believe. Practice it’s precepts. Little-by-little, you can not help but live out your God-given purpose, impacting your world for Christ.”
Donna Lowe is an international Christian speaker, and Bible teacher. She speaks at events, conferences, and retreats. To connect with Donna about speaking at your event: donnalowe.com/speaking.
Donna also equips believers through her discipleship/Bible study resources. She co-authored the book Radical Love…Forever Changed and the Bible study Examine Your Heart. Find her resources here: donnalowe.com/radical-love.
Donna leads Women’s Ministry at Calvary Chapel Kelowna, in BC, and serves on the Servant Leadership Team and the Missions team at CCK. She is the Founder of For The Sake of Truth Ministries. As well, Donna is on the board of Kelowna Christian School. Donna and her husband Kelly live in Kelowna BC. Together they have three boys, two daughters-in-law and two grand babies. Donna loves hiking, snow-shoeing, hanging out drinking coffee with friends and, mostly, spending time with her family.
She believes that her whole life, whatever time she has been given here on earth, is a gift - one that she wants to use to glorify God and prepare the Bride for Christ’s return.
Grow your Garden, Flourish your Faith
Author and gardener Shelley S. Cramm writes, speaks, and encourages those interested in gardening and “growing their own” good things to flourish their faith alongside their garden, seeking the beauty and revelations of Scripture, connecting the Word to the land. She launched a website gardenindelight.com to serve readers as a reference for planting and cooking with plants from the Bible, featuring a bi-weekly blog and Plant Guide.
Shelley hopes by relating gardeners to the plants and bringing them to table, they will see Scripture stories come to life in a fresh, hands-on way. One of the meanings of “Eden” is “delight;” Shelley believes when “the LORD God had planted a garden, in the east, in Eden” (Genesis 2:8 NIV), He provided pleasant joys and curious whimsy for each of us to discover in planting a garden, to cultivate intimacy with Him and experience His delight in daily life.
Shelley wrote the devotions for God’s Word for Gardeners Bible, a devotional Bible written for gardeners, featuring daily essays on a range of garden themes, Bible plants, landscapes of Scripture, and quotations from garden writing across the history and “how to” of gardening. Readers enjoy the oldest gardening book from a gardener’s point of view. No other book examines gardening knowledge and wisdom in Scripture with such devotion and detail. It is a perfect complement to growing interest in gardening and peoples’ desire for clean food and wholesome living.
All the while, Shelley is discovering the journey herself, planting and growing a garden while tending her family and the business of writing. She and her husband, Topher, have been married for 25 years. Natives of California, they met as students at the University of Colorado in Boulder and have lived all of their married life in Texas. They have five children; 2 daughters, 3 sons from college age to middle school.
More info on Shelley:
View her website, or her book, read her text commentaries on Blue Letter Bible, or watch her on youtube, or her Still Growing Podcast interview, and you can also listen to her radio interview with Better Lawns and Gardens.
Operation Christmas Child
Donna has been packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) for the past 15 years with her family, shortly after she gave her life to Christ. When she moved to the central coast 10 years ago, her family began to volunteer at the OCC Orange County Processing center in December each year, and the Lord was tugging at her heart to take a step of faith and get involved more in this ministry.
Donna says "Being obedient to the call that I knew the Lord put on my life 6 years ago, I started an OCC ministry at our church. The Lord was faithful and has raised up a group of ladies that helps me craft throughout the year. We have once a month craft days, and I constantly keep an eye out for “good deals” at stores for items that she can use in the shoeboxes."
This year she will be packing 1400 shoeboxes at her packing party in November. God has started a work in this ministry and she believes it is her duty to just be faithful back to Him and to do what He has called us to do. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations”, this ministry is part of fulfilling the Great Commission, and Donna thinks it is a privilege and honor to do so. Her calling is to reach more children with a gift of love in the name of Jesus, and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ! These shoe boxes are sent to children around the world that are in need and like many, have never received a gift before. With each shoe box they receive, the Gospel message of Jesus Christ is proclaimed and is given to them in their own language. In many countries they are also given the opportunity to participate in a 12 week discipleship program called the Greatest Journey after they have received their shoe box.
Taking another step of faith shortly after starting an OCC ministry at her church, "I became a year round-volunteer with Samaritans Purse OCC and now am the relay center coordinator for our area. This is where people drop off filled shoeboxes during collection week in November and I get them ready to be sent down to the processing center in Orange County" says Donna.
Pray for the children that receive a shoebox, that they may receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, the greatest gift of all, and that they may grow in the love and knowledge of Him.
Donna says "It’s amazing what the Lord can do with someone who has a willing heart to serve Him and love others... I’m a testimony to that! Christ living in Me!! To God be the Glory!"
If you would like more information about this ministry check out: samaritanspurse.org
Jail Ministry
Rebecca is the Calvary Chapel Arroyo Grande Jail Ministry Leader, below she describes this ministry.
Our ministry at the SLO County jail is directed at the female inmates in Maximum security, the Dorms and the Honor Farm.
This ministry was birthed by the Holy Spirit through one inmate and myself having a relationship that became known throughout the jail and other inmates were hungry for the same thing. I began receiving names of girls who wanted visits and letters from me, which obviously became overwhelming quick.
Friends at church rallied with me and I started a visitation team as well as a pen pal program from church ladies to inmates. We are known at the jail as 'the church ladies' by jail staff and inmates. My vision from the very beginning that came to me from the Lord was to sow seeds in these ladies lives. I knew God would get me inside the jail to teach the word and He has!
I bring church to the Honor Farm every Monday afternoon and it is awesome! We minister to about 20+ inmates at the jail and a handful that have been sent to Chowchilla Prison. Every girl who requests visitation or letters has so far, received that, thanks to a very faithful group of women around me. We spend one hour on phones, through the glass, encouraging these girls in the life changing power of Jesus Christ.
The stories go on and on. One inmate said she was on the verge of killing herself when she got my postcard that told her God was on her side and not to give up. Another girl was set to get a state paid for abortion, she left the jail to do that on a 24 hour cruise waiver, we were fervently praying for 24 hours. It didn't work out, she came back pregnant and asked to be part of our visitation group. She is now in Prison and still communicating with a lady from church.
These girls are hungry, they are addicted, they are desperate, they are broken, and they need Jesus like no other. We plant seeds through visiting and writing regardless as to their response or lack of response. This ministry has exploded and according to the Jail, it is unprecedented in nature, we are all scratching our heads at what God can do with a willing person.
We have since supported them in court, made phone calls to their family members, driven them around town to do errands, disciple them upon release, and do our best to track them into life or back into jail, where we start right back up again!
That's the gist of what we are doing at the Jail, it is ever changing, very fluid, and keeps us all on our toes! Contact Calvary Chapel Arroyo Grande for more info at (805)431-2637.
Disaster Relief
Mary Jo Hencye and her husband Curt are missionaries who respond to disasters worldwide.
Whenever a disaster strikes, Mary Jo and Curt immediately begin praying to see how the Lord is directing them to get involved.
When led by the Lord, Mary Jo and Curt go in and work with local fellowships/churches and others in the area to help with the relief/recovery efforts. Mary Jo offers experience in this type of endeavor so that the local church body can take care of their own needs. This also allows the local body to Spiritually minister to those affected by the disaster as the relief work takes place.
While in the field Mary Jo begins to form relationships with residents that have been affected by the storm and locals who just want to volunteer but don't know how, when, where, etc. As Mary Jo helps point them in the direction of a local church that can help disciple them. Once Mary Jo and Curt leave, the local church body is responsible for the follow-up ministry/discipleship--this is the remnant that God uses once the door is opened to new ministry.
Mary Jo says "Anyone who wishes to join the work teams is more than welcome! We love working alongside local volunteers." Mary Jo wants to be Jesus's hands and feet and share His love with others in order to bring more people into His kingdom!
Mary Jo and Curt are ready to roll with a truck and trailer loaded with tools and supplies that are commonly needed in disaster relief/recovery. They can typically tool and employ about 50 volunteers a day and often bring along specifically requested items.
Mary Jo and Curt expect nothing in return for their help. Mary Jo has been trained in Biblical Crisis Counseling. She also works with their county and city government to help with many other aspects of disaster preparedness. Mary Jo says "Feel free to contact us with any and all questions concerning how you can be involved with us as we follow the Lord and His will!" If you're interested in joining them, click here.
Mary Jo and Curt are not funded by any particular church, organization, government or individual. Mary Jo relies on The Lord as He uses people, churches and organizations to allow them to serve Him full time in the field. For more info on how you, your church or organization can support Mary Jo and Curt one-time or on a monthly basis, click here.
