September 12th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens
Living for the smile of one… this quote has been on my mind frequently lately.
I thought I would share this little “word art” that I put together – hope it is a challenge and encouragement to you as it has been to me!
Feel free to download, print, or share this WordArt – find the image here.
September 10th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens
Many of you know the burden on my heart for the victims of human trafficking. Sometimes with a heavy and heart-breaking issue like this, we just want to be able to do something. Something specific. Something tangible.
Today I’d like to share with you another opportunity to make a direct impact through Women at Risk, International. The needs of victims who have been rescued out of trafficking are complex and difficult – but this is one beautiful and tangible way that we can touch their lives with healing and hope. Below is a letter from Rebecca MacDonald, the president of Women at Risk. If you feel led to participate in this project, please note the contact information listed below the letter. If you have specific questions, don’t ask me – I have no idea. ;) Jennifer Roberts can be contacted via email or you can call the office for WAR in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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I need you….Because my women and children need you.
Imagine that you are a child that has been chained to a wall for 7 years and finally rescued at age 11…sold day after day, night after night. You can hardly express the pain you feel. You are only 11. Imagine the relief if you don’t have to verbalize your pain but can simply color, draw and share your heart through pictures. Imagine that you are a woman, sold by your family against your will into the red light district and broken, forced to support them through the sale of your very soul. Suddenly you find a safe place. You need to share your heart but it is too painful. Drawing is the universal language. No words are necessary.
WAR has the incredible opportunity to take a trained Ph.D. in art therapy with us on the circle tour to train our leaders in how to help our precious wounded women and children recover and reconstruct their lives, hearts, self worth and world. She is donating her time that is usually very expensive. If you wish to be part of this unique opportunity…please pick something on the list to donate or donate financially and we will buy what is not donated. Five safe houses will get the training that Dr. Hudak gives…
The Elohim, the Creator God delights in our creativity which is a reflection of us being made in his image. Indeed one Old Testament verse says he “decorates” our world and us. There is great healing in both making things and using our hands… Women who can not “fix” their lives over night can “make a beautiful piece of jewelry” or “color their pain, sorrow or joy” and conquer something small. …There is healing in the process of creation when words fail.
When sharing with one safe house that we were bringing this new resource to them at our own expense, they excitedly shared with me that one of their “neediest women” is a new person due to art. They gave her a room on the top floor to draw and color when she needed to decompress. It has become the place that the women go to on their break to refresh, regroup and renew. Suddenly this room is one more safe house sanctuary that all the women and their children go to when sad. Through art they have found one more way to work through the pain of their lives and journey toward health and wholeness. Another safe house that will be attending the Circle Tour from Cambodia has a whole room where small children born to the red light district come to “draw and tell their story.” All these leaders are thrilled that we are bringing one more avenue of healing to them.
…Thank you for so faithfully helping me do new, creative, fun and meaningful activities in the lives of our women. It is my privilege and joy to continually be looking for new ways to walk the valley of shadows with women toward dignity and worth.
See below and ask God if there is a way you can purchase, donate or get a local art store to donate toward this goal. The trip is in February, so we have to collect all this before Dec. 31st. What a fun Christmas gift!
Coloring my world in as many ways as possible to reflect the Elohim:
Rebecca McDonald
A – Mail donated items to Women At Risk, ATTN Jennifer Roberts | 2790 44th St SW | Wyoming, MI 49519
B – Financial Gifts may be dontated online or through the mail. (Women At Risk | C/O Healing Color | 2790 44th St SW | Wyoming, MI 49519 or click here and notate in the box Circle Tour: Healing Color
C – Financial donation toward the $2500 it will take to start up this program to help pay for the travel expenses involved may be dontated online or through the mail. (Women At Risk | C/O Healing Program expense | 2790 44th St SW | Wyoming, MI 49519 or click here and notate in the box Circle Tour: Program Expense
Items needed from the states
Papers
Glues and Attachments
Craft Supplies
Items to be purchased in Thailand – need funding for:
Papers
Painting and Drawing Media
Glues and Attachments
Brushes, Tools, and Art Instruments
Craft Supplies
Other
Once again, if you have specific questions, don’t ask me – I have no idea. ;) Jennifer Roberts can be contacted via email or you can call the office for WAR in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
A – Mail donated items to Women At Risk, ATTN Jennifer Roberts | 2790 44th St SW | Wyoming, MI 49519
B – Financial Gifts may be dontated online or through the mail. (Women At Risk | C/O Healing Color | 2790 44th St SW | Wyoming, MI 49519 or click here and notate in the box Circle Tour: Healing Color
C – Financial donation toward the $2500 it will take to start up this program to help pay for the travel expenses involved may be dontated online or through the mail. (Women At Risk | C/O Healing Program expense | 2790 44th St SW | Wyoming, MI 49519 or click here and notate in the box Circle Tour: Program Expense
September 6th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens
Tonight we pulled the curtains shortly after the kidlets were tucked into bed. The sun is going down earlier. There is a chill in the air. Fall is on its way, and I am eagerly welcoming my favorite season with open arms!
Life is full of seasons. A woman’s life seems especially seasonal, full of all kinds of transitions as we minister in and through our homes.
This is somewhat of a season of change for me.
As regular readers have noticed, the blog has been rather silent lately! A new season of “official homeschooling” has begun in the Stephens home, and I’ve spent a lot more time here than at my laptop (or doing laundry, for that matter!).
Adding to the winds of change, I have been asked to serve as the women’s ministry director at our church. I wrestled over this in prayer, knowing that it would be a sacrifice – and I knew that one of the areas of life that would be most heavily impacted would be my blogging. As I sought counsel and prayed and discussed with my husband and wrestled some more, it became clear to me that this was something God was calling me to do. He loves to be strong in our weaknesses and be great in our smallness, and He is asking me to obediently follow in faith that He will take the little I can offer and multiply it abundantly.
Since I can’t seem to homeschool and post anything reasonably consistently, as I begin to serve as director of women’s ministries I know that my time will be all the more limited. I will still be keeping this blog going, but I expect that my posts will probably be much less consistent! I’m so sad that we didn’t finish out the One Summer, One Story series! My sincere apologies to those of you who were following it. I’m glad we at least made it through the bulk of the Old Testament – you can probably fill in most of the missing dots yourself in the New! =)
I will also sadly be stepping back from being a part of the writing team for Scripture Dig. I love these ladies and it has been a delight to work with them, but I knew that this was an area that was changing with this season, as well. I will, however, be writing for MOB Society once a month on the topic of teaching our sons to be missionally minded, which I am really looking forward to!
Our pastor exhorted the congregation on Sunday that when God places us in a local church, we need to be all there! As this new season of life and ministry brings new blessings and challenges, I know that God is asking me to be all here and pour myself into these new adventures He is bringing my way. May I ask a favor? If you have not already, I would love for you to consider subscribing by email and joining me on facebook so that it will be easier for you to keep up with what is happening here.
So, those are my winds of change. Is God bringing something new your way lately?
September 1st, 2011 by Kristi Stephens
More days without posts…
But, today you can join me over at Scripture Dig as we continue a series through the book of Proverbs. Today I’m looking at the wealth of things Proverbs has to say about speech – and that the take-away message is much more than “try harder” or “bite your tongue.” It starts in the heart.
