Meeting for our New Jersey group 27 Oct. 2014

 

Good morning Ladies ~ Today is a new day let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

Let us also remember

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

Lam 3:22-24  (NKJV)

***

Monday our sisters in NJ had a ‘homecoming’ celebration as Dotti was up there to share about our new ministry with them. That new ministry is supporting widows in India.

 

Below we have:

Pastor Bruce Sofia - Founder & Director of Gloucester County Community Church

Dotti ~ Founder and Director of FNF

Shari – Former director of New Jersey group

MaryLou ~ Present director of the New Jersey group

 

Let us be thankful for the vision for this ministry and the continued service by these four who care for widows, in our groups and around the world.

***

Here is Dotti sharing about the widows in India.

Ladies giving from their hearts.

Next we have Shari Hervold who gave a wonderful talk from Luke chapter 10, about the Good Samaritan. Here are some main points that touched my heart from reading her talk.

***

Whenever we choose to serve the needs of others, there's a cost involved.  Sometimes it is out time, sometimes our emotions, sometimes our convenience, sometimes our money, and sometimes all of these.

Indifference has no place in the family of God.

If we want to be more like Jesus, then we must be willing to lessen the pain and brokenness in someone's life today...and each day.

Let us think on these words as we consider being of service and giving to others.

***

Monday’s meeting had a great turn out of 100 ladies, and a good time was had by all.

As we go about our days, let us remember to pray for each other. Let us be thankful we have such a group as ‘Friends Needing Friends’ to meet with each month. Remember to pray for the staff also as they prepare for each meeting.

God’s blessings on each and every one of you.

S.E. Florida FNF meeting/luncheon 20 October

 

Hello Ladies ~ It was a beautiful day for our meeting/luncheon yesterday. It was good seeing everyone again and we had some new ladies too. Here are some of our sweet ladies enjoying themselves. It is always so good to be together again.

There was still some construction going on in the smaller room where we’ve been meeting, but we had a nice time in the larger room and then lunch afterwards. A delicious lunch by the way, fixed by our chef ‘Tony the Tiger’. We had a delicious soup, a roasted potato medley, pulled pork served over rice, and a nice salad bar, two kinds of salad dressing with delicious rolls too. Soft drinks, tea and coffee. We all enjoyed it.

Our guest speaker was Kathy Caprio who is now the pastor for our group.

Her lovely,inspiring talk was about ‘Focusing on Jesus’. She read to us about Mary and Martha and how Mary was focused on earthly things, while Martha was focused on spiritual things.

There is so much happening in our lives that we can often become distracted by things that keep us from focusing on Jesus. Jesus knows all that we are going through, and by focusing on Him and all that He is working out in our lives we will feel freer and lighter as we go about our daily business.

Thank you Kathy for encouraging us to ‘give all our worries and cares to God, for He cares for us.’

Our own Sue

told us about the good time she and her team had at Aquilla Cay, an assisted living facility, this month. Everyone had a good time and God’s loving presence was felt by all.

Friends Needing Friends has had a Teddy Bear Ministry since 1995. They are given out to widows and others who need cheering. It is a wonderful ministry and those who receive and those who give are truly blessed.

We have started another ministry here at Friends Needing Friends.  It is the support of 5 widows in the area of Trivandrum, India. Tom Caprio, Kathy’s husband has been involved with and going to this ministry in India for 8 years now. It is the Kerusomen Gospel Ministries. It is run by Saha Simon and his wife Anju.

Below is a photo of Tom handing out teddy bears to our widow sisters in India.

And here is our collection box for this ministry. Isn’t the collection box neat? There were only two boxes on the shelf when ladies went shopping, and this one with the countries on it was just meant for this ministry.

Our ladies here in s.e. FL have given generously since we started this ministry last month. Here they are getting out their purses and giving from their hearts.

This month we have started another ministry of ‘prayer requests’.  We the staff, don’t always know what to pray for our dear ladies, and this is a way for us to find out so that we can ask God’s blessings for them in whatever area they need.

Tom Caprio in his talk to us last month, said that we ladies were in fact a small church. That really had an impact on me. As a church, we are to pray for each other and encourage each other.

Prayer brings us closer to God. By praying we are letting Him know that we are dependent on Him for taking care of ourselves and for the care of others.

In the Bible we are encouraged to pray. To pray that God will lead us spiritually in His path. To pray for our daily bread. To pray for forgiveness for ourselves as well as others.

We are told in Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (NLT)

In Ephesians 6:18 we read, Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (NLT)

So dear Ladies ~ as we go out and about our daily lives this week, let us remember to focus on Jesus and to pray for our dear sisters in this journey of widowhood.

Here is a poem I got with my teddy bear as a new widow the beginning of last year. It greatly touched my heart and was just what I needed. Others have said it has also blessed them too.

Jesus Cares

There is never a day so dreary
   But God can make it bright,
And unto the soul that trusts Him,
   He giveth songs in the night.

There is never a path so hidden,
   But God can lead the way,
If we seek for the Spirit’s guidance
   And patiently wait and pray.

There is never a cross so heavy
   But the nail-scarred hands are there
Outstretched in tender compassion
   The burden to help us bear.

There is never a heart so broken,
   But the loving Lord can heal,
The heart that was pierced on Calvary
   Doth still for His loved ones feel.

There is never a life so darkened,
   So hopeless and unblessed,
But may be filled with the light of God
   And enter His promised rest.

There is never a sin or sorrow,
   There is never a care or loss,
But that we may bring to Jesus
   And leave at the foot of the cross.

***

Love, hugs and prayers for all of you,

Rainey

 

Four Women that God Chose…Conclusion

 

Hello dear Ladies,

Today we have the final installment of this series. I hope and pray that you all have been inspired and encouraged in your life of hope and trust in Jesus.

 

Four Women That God Chose to be in the Lineage of His Son, Jesus Christ

by Shari Hervold

 

Bathsheba

In the last three installments of this series, we have looked briefly at the stories of three women in the lineage of Christ Jesus, God's son.  I trust you've found their stories interesting and inspiring.  If you didn't read about any of them, you may do so by clicking on their names: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth.

The fourth and last woman mentioned in the lineage of Jesus is the former wife of Uriah whom we know as Bathsheba.  If you recall, Bathsheba was the very beautiful woman who David lusted for, took to bed and impregnated, then had her husband killed so that he could wed her. Some have cast her as a seductress, but I take issue with that.  2 Samuel 11:4 tells us that David sent his men to get her (he was the king and she had to come) and when she came to him he lay with her.  David is cast as the actor and she the one acted upon.  Dr. Larry Richards calls it outright rape.  David had other wives and many sons, but Bathsheba lay aside fear and advocated for her son to succeed David as king and won David's promise to do so.  She further acted courageously on Solomon's (her son) behalf when it looked like another son was going to claim the throne.  Even though her marriage began on the weakest of foundations, she had the strength and fortitude to put that behind her and be a good wife and mother.  It is said that Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs as a dedication to his mother who strongly influenced his life. 

Matthew gives us a quartet of women whom we would least expect to see in the genealogy of Christ.  Yet, we learn from them that when God wants something done, He will enable it to happen and He used ordinary, imperfect people as His instruments through which to work. His grace and mercy cover all sins and He can turn mistakes and unwise choices into blessings.  Whatever it is that God lays on your heart to do, there's not an excuse that you could use that God hasn't already heard...and He simply replies that: "My strength is made perfect in weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:9).  Nothing or nobody, saint or sinner, can thwart God's plan for your life.  If you doubt that, just remember these four, less-than-stellar women chosen to be in the lineage of Jesus Christ our Savior!

 

Reflection: You can become a child of God by accepting Christ's death as penalty for your sins, and acknowledging Him as your Lord and Savior.  He will come to live in your heart and give you eternal life.  I encourage you to do this now!

 

Four Women that God Chose…Part 3

 

 

Hello Ladies ~ Today we have part 3 in our series. May we all be blessed and encouraged as we read.

 

Four Women That God Chose to be in the Lineage of His Son, Jesus Christ

by Shari Hervold

 

Before we meet Ruth, let me remind you that if your haven't met the two women that were introduced in the first two lessons in this series, you may read about them by clicking on their names, Tamar and Rahab.

 

 

The next woman, Ruth, is greatly admired and loved by all who read her story in the book that bears her name.  She, unlike Tamar and Rahab, did not have a blemish upon her record...except for one thing.  There's always a back story, isn't there?  Ruth was a Moabite and as such, because of a sin the Moabites had committed, according to Deuteronomy 23:3 she "was shut out of the congregation of the Lord." God's Word itself shut her out.  Yet, she, with great courage and strength from God Himself, rejected the gods of the Moabites, traveled to a strange land and culture with Naomi, her mother-in-law, and accepted the Hebrew God.  The trip from Moab to Bethlehem was a long and dangerous one, yet Ruth bravely faced down her fears and made the journey, fully expecting nothing to await her there.  She was an outsider from a heathen country and, as far as she knew, would remain so.  Soon after her arrival she began the hard task of working for food for herself and Naomi.  Ruth 2:12 says that Boaz states this concerning her: "The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." The one thing Ruth had not reckoned on was God's love and protection for her.  But, because of her love for Him and Naomi, God rewarded her.  God worked out the details so that Ruth went on to marry Boaz, a kinsman of her deceased husband, and bore a son, Obed, who became the grandfather of King David, thus in the lineage of Jesus.  Next, we will meet the last of these four ladies, Bathsheba.

Reflection: If you are reading this blog and have not asked the Jesus of the Bible to become your Lord and Savior, I implore you to do so now.  If you long for a lasting joy in your life, I ask you to trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life made available to you through His death and resurrection.  Jesus Christ himself said that if you come to him, you will become a child of God and joint heir with him in all the wonderful things that God has prepared for those that trust in Him.  It is the best decision you will ever make.