• See the NEW Summer Message from Stella below!

• To see the prophecy to Lorena from St. Michael the Archangel CLICK HERE.

• NOTE:  New Date for Annual CWIA International Conference:  October 14-16, 2022.  Make plans to join us in person!     

• JOIN US IN PERSON AT OUR CWIA PRAYER BREAKFAST MEETING on July 30, 2022, 9:00am, at the Hampton Inn Suites in Alexandria, VA. Advanced reservations are required as seating is limited. For tickets ($11) or more info contact Evelyn at 703.850.7607.  NO WALK-INS!

• Join us LIVE via Zoom - CWIA Weekly Prayer Meetings. Mondays at 10:30 EST.  Note that in-person attendance is available only with an advance and confirmed rerservation. NO Walk-Ins.  For the Zoom info, email cwiaholyspirit@gmail.com.   

• If you have a prayer request, we're happy to pray for you. Please email to ameliaraven26@gmail.com.

• Life In The Spirit - Part 2:  Those who attended the LITS Seminar on Saturday April 9, experienced a powerful workshop! CWIA President Stella Davis presented a 4 1/2 hour teaching - without stopping! There was time for questions and answers, testimonies, and "on the job training" for those who gained new spiritual gifts or had their gifts renewed at the previous LITS Seminar in February. Attendees determined which gifts they received and an "instruction manual” on how to use them.

• Click HERE for information regarding Our Lady of Fatima's request that First Saturday devotions be observed to ensure Russia's conversion. This is so very needed right now -- more than ever before!

• ​​​If you would like to purchase audio CD's of any of the talks at CWIA events or conferences, contact Ron at ronart.assoc@gmail.com

• Got Gifts? If you have spiritual gifts and would like to use them, we need you! Let one of our Board members know. We can always find a job for you!

June 2022 


My Dear  Brothers and  Sisters In The  Lord Jesus Christ:

I greet you in His wonderful Name, Jesus Christ our Lord!

Today I write about the difference between Hope and Faith. To get our prayers answered, we must be in faith, not hope. There is a difference between the two. Sometimes we think we're in faith, but we're not. 

What exactly is faith? Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."  According to the dictionary, faith means a strong belief or trust in someone or something. It means being fully convinced.

Hope, on the other hand says, "Yeah, I believe it's possible, but I'm not sure it will happen.” Being in faith is being fully confident. Even though we don't see something happening, we believe beyond a shadow of doubt that it will happen.”

That's the difference between hope and faith. When we come to God with a need — for finances, healing, peace, protection, or something else, we must be fully convinced that He will take care of us.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is that of the blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). “Then they reached Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples left town, and a large crowd followed him, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ ‘Be quiet!’ many of  the people yelled at him. But he only shouted  louder, "Son of David, have mercy  on me!” When Jesus heard him He stopped and said, 'Tell him to come here.’ So they called the blind man. Bartimaeus threw off his coat, jumped up and came to Jesus. Jesus asked ‘What do you want me to do?’ The blind man said, ‘I want to see!’  Jesus said to him, ‘Go, your faith has healed you.’"

Faith is not silent. When Bartimaeus heard Jesus was passing by, he already knew that Jesus could heal him as he’d heard he had healed other people. Faith is not silent. It is activated by our words. We can't just think what we believe, we have to use our mouth to speak our faith.

We need to speak to that mountain, and it has to move. We must know our authority in Christ Jesus and who we are in Him.

Do not be discouraged or distracted. Bartimaeus shouted, "Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me!!”  Sometimes we have to cry out to  God.

Remember, TRUST GOES ALONG WITH FAITH, IF WE DO NOT TRUST HIM, WHY BOTHER TO ASK?

Have a very Blessed summer and enjoy the sun (and the Son, JC)!

Your sister in Jesus Christ

stella +

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My Dear Brothers and  Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ:
           The  Peace of the Lord be with you!

The month of May is not only the month of the Blessed Mother Mary, but also Mother’s Day. Let us not forget them! Mother's Day is a time to celebrate the women in our lives who have loved and cared for us. Raising children is one of the most influential jobs in the world - teaching the coming generation to know and love God. Thanks to all Moms for faithfully serving Him in this way.

Being a mother is the greatest gift God gives to them, and the greatest gift a woman can give to God (creation)! Just think if all women would reject this gift, what would this world be?  Nothing except an empty world. I am so glad the Blessed Mother did not reject God's gift!

And this brings me to the teaching for May. Every once in a while somebody says to me, “You teach of the goodness of our Lord, but I cannot see it in my life. The more I pray the worse it gets.” Have you ever felt like this? Perhaps you've prayed for a good outcome to a problem, but God didn't answer. In fact, the situation may have become more difficult than it was before you prayed. Or maybe you claimed a promise in Scripture, but it seems like God hasn't kept His Word.

Would it help you to know that this is a common experience in the Christian life? But the problem isn't with God, but with our understanding. We must be careful not to confuse the Lord's goodness with our expectations… When we don't understand what He's doing, we can still trust who He is.

I think you will find the  story of Moses helpful as we seek to understand God's ways. After God spoke to Moses from a burning bush, the reluctant leader obeyed, went to  Egypt, and told Pharaoh to let God's people go. But the outcome wasn't what he expected. Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he even added to the Hebrew's workload, increasing their hardship (Exodus 5). God's promise to free the Israelites was sure, but His means of accomplishing it would not be easy.  

We've probably all experienced something similar. We obey the Lord, yet trouble and suffering follow. Then we think we've done something wrong or accuse God of being unfaithful. Neither reaction is the right solution. Instead, we should look beyond the immediate circumstances.

Realize that God works with a big picture in mind… Moses may have wondered how increasing the Israelites' suffering could possibly fit with setting them free, but he knew the Lord's name was I AM, the ONE who eternally exists in the past, present, and future (Ex. 3:14). God's plans reached far beyond the enslaved Israelites. He told Moses, “…Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I extend My hand over Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst” (Ex.7:5). Yet even this was not the end of God's purpose. His ultimate goal was to bring forth a Jewish nation through whom Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer would come.

God's people couldn't foresee all that He had in mind at that time, and neither can we today. They needed to look beyond the immediate circumstances and trust God to work out the big picture for their ultimate good. So do we, If we'll trust Him even when we don't understand what He's doing, He'll strengthen our faith.

I would like to give you an example. This past week the Lord put me to the test. I had 42 people booked to take our trip to see “David” at Sights & Sounds in Lancaster, PA, and to the St. Padre Pio Shrine in Barto, PA. We were leaving early Friday morning. On late Tuesday afternoon, I received an email from the bus company letting me know that the bus driver would not be able to spend the night in Lancaster and had to bring us back in the middle of the night. We had non-refundable confirmed reservations for 22 rooms at a hotel for us to spend the night after the show, then head to the shrine in Barto the next morning. I spent the whole day on Wednesday searching for another available bus company, but could not find a single one in the entire Metropolitan area.

All this time I was praying. Then I contacted the CWIA prayer chain, telling them nothing but to pray for a miracle. On Thursday morning after Mass I said to the Lord, “Where am I going to find a bus?” HE SPOKE!  He said, “Rent a van.”  I called my travel advisor and right away I located 2 vans at the airport, and I found a rental place 10 miles from my home.

The bill for the shortened bus ride and driver would have been $4,500 for 12 hours. The rental place where the Lord sent me charged only $449. I added insurance for all the passengers, the vans and the two drivers, with a total cost of $668…a savings of over $3800!!!

What I didn’t tell you though, is that God gave me the confidence and peace to cancel the bus on Wednesday - two days before!! I stood in total FAITH that God would bring us the best method of transportation by the time we would need to leave — in less than 36 hours. TOTAL FAITH & TRUST in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!!!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL THE MOTHERS OUT THERE!!!!!!

Your Servant  In  Christ Jesus,

stella +

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Easter 2022 

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus:
What is the Lord saying to us this month?

Sometimes the hardships of life can feel overwhelming. That's true now just as it was in the days of the early church. Are we feeling defeated by our challenges? When reading 1Peter1:1-9, which was addressed to suffering Christians, I started thinking about the various difficulties believers face today. 

Many people in church are running low on hope because of medical, financial, or other issues that seem to have no solution. How about you? Are you feeling defeated by your challenges? Peter knew that even Christians can become deeply discouraged when times are tough. Jesus said we'd have trouble in this world, so earthly circumstances can't be the foundation for your hope (John 16:33). You need eternal hope — hope that is bigger than your problems. And that's exactly what Jesus offers.

Imagine how the disciples felt when they thought their dream of a victorious Messiah was shattered. They saw Jesus dragged off to face trial for crimes He didn't commit. He was beaten and crucified. When their Savior died and was buried, they assumed their dream was gone too. In their eyes, they'd wasted time following Him because His death proved He wasn't the Messiah after all.

If you've ever felt weak in faith or bereft of hope, you're not alone. It's not unusual to come to the Lord with requests for healing, financial security or other solutions, only to find that the trials remain. When we experience immediate resolutions, we feel very comforted. But when God gives no relief even after we've prayed earnestly, where's our hope then?

In such times, I urge you to focus on God's timeless truths. Jesus told His disciples multiple time that He was going to be crucified and would rise again, but they never took this message to heart: it wasn't what they wanted to hear (Matt. 20:17-19 ). So they became upset when events didn't turn out as they desired. This is what happens when we're looking for hope in the wrong places, and not focusing on truth from God's Word.

When Jesus rose from the dead, the disciples saw a seemingly hopeless situation turn into a miraculous triumph that lifted them from the depths of despair.

So, some years later, when Peter wrote that letter to the church, he wanted to encourage those who'd become dispirited by earthly problems. He called the resurrection of Christ a living hope that will never die, even when circumstances look bleak (1 Pet.1-3 ).  Peter reminded the suffering believers that their trials were testing and refining their faith, so that it would be proved genuine and result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus returns (1 Pet.1: 6-7).  There's no better truth to keep in mind when we face our own sufferings.

WHAT IS THIS HOPE THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST PROVIDES?  LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.

1. His resurrection assures us our sins are forgiven. Think about this. Our redemption required a perfect sacrifice, over which death would have no power ( Heb. 9-12). Jesus’ resurrection is proof that our sins, when placed upon Him in confession, could not defeat Him. Instead, He rose triumphant from the grave. Therefore, the Father accepted His Son's death on the cross as sufficient payment for our sins. Doesn't this make His resurrection a reason for tremendous joy? 
2. Our hope is assurance that Jesus is going to be with us. After His resurrection, Jesus made this promise to His followers: "I am with you always, to the end of the age"(Matt. 28: 20).  The temporal age Jesus referred to has not yet come to a close. We are a part of it right now, so we can be sure that even in hardships, He's present with us.
3. Hope is confidence in God's power working in us. We are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Pet.1:5). Jesus’ resurrection made it possible for us to become part of God's household. There, we're protected as we grow in Christ (Eph. 2:19-22) . God is continually empowering us to become the person He wants us to be — Christ-like in every way. It has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is" (1John 3:2 ).
4. Hope is the ultimate — our resurrection from the dead. Jesus' resurrection guarantees that we too will be raised and given new glorified bodies (Phil. 3:20-21). There will be no more pain, death, or trouble. This truth should fill us overflowing with hope, because the suffering of this present life cannot be compared with the eternal glory that awaits us! (Rom8:18 ).

When life is hard and our hope is waning, remember the living hope of Christ's resurrection that we celebrate on Easter. Our true home is in heaven. When our hope and dreams seem dashed, remind yourself that there you'll see your Savior face to face, and will be with Him forever! Until then, He walks with us every step of the way.

With God's Blessings and my love,

your servant in Christ Jesus,

stella

P.S.  I wish you all a very Blessed Easter!   
 

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Lent 2022

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus:

I greet you in His Wonderful Name!

What is the Lord saying to us this month? Let's open our hearts and read!

There is a subject in today's world that sadly is not very popular among many children, teenagers, and adults alike. It is also unpopular in many Christian circles. What am I referring to? OBEDIENCE.

It seems we can talk about anything in our society as long as it doesn't involve adhering to a set of laws, rules, or regulations. Maybe one reason Christians don't like to talk about it is that, in the past, Obedience sometimes carried a negative connotation. A relationship with Jesus was reduced to a set of rules:  “Don't do this” and “Don't do that.”

In that context, obedience often meant adhering to regulations that were not necessarily in the line with the Word of God — they were really the do's and don'ts of tradition. But when we begin to study the subject, obedience is the underlying theme of the entire Bible. How pertinent this subject is to the church today!

In the Book of Genesis, we see obedience and disobedience from God's perspective as Adam's sons went to worship Him. Abel conformed to God's law and brought the proper animal sacrifice according to God's instructions. But Cain wanted to do things his own way.  He wanted God to recognize and approve of him without bringing the sacrifice He wanted. Cain wanted to do it his own way and still receive God's blessings! But God refused his sacrifice. Why? Because He had told man from the beginning how to please Him and thereby  receive from Him. So Cain’s disobedience made receiving from God absolutely impossible.

You will notice in the Old Testament that no one ever got into trouble with God unless they disobeyed His Word. The same is true in the New Testament. Today we don't get into trouble unless we disobey the Word of God. Of course we realize that God's word is the law. Therefore, simply stated, the underlying theme of the Word of God is obedience — with no negotiation.

God is the creator of all things, He is the only one who can set into motion the laws of His Word. We have no right or authority to negotiate with Him when it comes to those laws. He is the final authority. You see, God has been specific in His word to give us as a clear cut path or highway to follow. There is no confusion on God's path. The road signs stated will always lead us to the victory and eventually into heaven.  Obey God and His Word.

Many people in our society think they don't need to obey anyone or anything. They want to do what they want to do, when and how they want to do it!  But obeying natural authority is part of walking in alignment with God's line and His Word. Obedience! 

Obedience of God and his Word is not a popular subject today, but it is vital to the body of Christ. Therefore it is something we need to look at more carefully. Many people in the church world are disobeying God while still making faith confessions, trying to say all the right things. But God cannot bless them because they are failing to submit to His voice in other areas. What He  really wants from us is complete obedience. 

We  cannot live life our own way and then offer God a sacrifice of prayer or praise and so forth and expect Him to bless us. He delights in sacrifice, but not when we haven't obeyed Him. THE BIBLE TELLS US TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE. (Read 1 Sam.15:22.)

What God delights in above all else is obedience to His Word. God's Word will give us peace on the inside — right in the midst of the storm. When we obey to the fullest, He will take care of all our needs, whether in the spiritual realm or the natural realm. He will see us through to victory. He will let you lie down and sleep at night without any worry if we submit to Him. Why should we fret? Why should we worry? If we obey, we know God has it all under control for us.

(These are prophetic words from our Lord.)
 

I pray you have a fruitful Lenten season. Go to Confession often. Read your Bible. Go to Adoration and bend your knee to Him in humility.

Your servant and sister In Christ Jesus,

Stella +

   
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February 2022 

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus:
The Peace of the Lord Be With You!

 The Lord Has Put In My Heart To Teach The Joy Of Serving God.

I have served Him almost all my life - since a very young age -  and I am almost 92. What  keeps me going all these years?  Joy!

Joy is LOVE. Joy is the net of love by which we can catch souls. We catch most when we give with joy.

The way to show our gratitude to God and to each other is to accept everything with joy. A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love.

We all long for heaven so we can be where God is, but we have it in our power to be in heaven with Him right now. To be happy with Him at this very moment. But being happy with Him now means:

1. Loving as He loves
2. Helping as He helps 
3. Giving as He gives 
4. Serving as He serves
5. Rescuing as He rescues

We can just be with Him for all of the twenty-four hours of at the day, and touching Him in His disguise of the poor and poor of spirit, the hurt person, the troubled person. We should foster a joyful willingness to do even the most humble work.

The most important thing is to pray, and pray, and pray to see which path will produce the greatest good. We must be filled with a deep desire to go and offer our hands and hearts in ministry to the poorest of the poor (specifically) to help those who are suffering and dying both in sin and physically.

God plants in our heart a seed a desire to go to far away and radically difficult and different cultures and countries, to face the complete unknown. By doing this, we will encounter opposition or frightful things. This fear can be replaced by an ever-growing earnestness to serve Christ in His distressing disguise of the poor.

When we say YES in our heart, we are encouraged by the realization that fruit will come out of it, as it would be only good for the glory and love of God. Our saying YES is a gift from God, a precious treasure to hold onto, until the time comes when the seed we planted will receive all the sunshine and rain it needs to blossom.

A ministry is like a seed, it has to be nourished. We have to keep on looking after it.

The person whom Christ has chosen for Himself — she or he knows they’ve been chosen, but maybe they do not know how to express it. But a calling is a calling, and we must recognize it is from God.

Where there is God's will there's always a way. If we only let go and let Him do it, which He will do in a beautiful way.

We need to let God make future plans for us. He will show us what to do if we only let Him, with our obedience and commitment. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today to make Him known, loved and served.

We need to pray that God gives us the ability to see and find beauty in helping others. We need to strengthen and develop this beauty to share love in the midst of hardships, suffering and even death. The ability to bring light into others’ lives just as others bring light into our lives. This should be our primary purpose in life. This is what life is all about. Each one of us can make a difference in this world for God's people because we are our brothers’ keepers.

When we go out into the darkness, we put our hand into the hand of God, for this is better than light and safer than a known way. When we go through the most terrible places we walk fearlessly, because Jesus within us will never deceive us. Jesus  in us is our love and strength, joy, and compassion. God gives us everything we need. We can feel the security of divine providence as we trust Him, knowing He will provide.

Let Him test and trust our faith in Him. Wait on Him, trust and believe, and obey, remembering that anyone who imitates Jesus to the fullest must also share in His passion. We must have the courage to accept, the courage to pray, because when we do not pray enough we see only the human part of the person. We do not see the divine. Then we resent the suffering that is meant to purify, to sanctify, to make us Christ-like, and to see others with Christ’s eyes!!

I must stop giving you milk in my teachings. From now on we move forward to the toughest meat. As the world moves into greater sin, we must be ready for it. God calls us to be the Navy Seal - the top soldier.

Blessings to you all,
Your servant,

Stella +

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January 2022

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ:

I greet you in His wonderful Name as we begin this New Year of 2022:

First of all I want to say, Lord we thank You! Thank You for giving us another year, another month, another day of our lives. We leave behind the past— the pains, sickness, trials and sufferings — and we turn a new page in this New Year. We count all the gifts and blessings that You have given us, the friends and families we have lost, and the new friends we have gained. We bless you Lord Jesus.

As I review our CWIA year in 2021, I am honored to express my deep gratitude for you, along with sharing my excitement for the future. It has being a busy year of serving the Lord and proclaiming His gospel.  

I often say that the awareness of God's presence energizes us for our work - that was as true as ever in 2021. I'm proud of our CWIA Board and staff who navigated the ongoing pandemic with grace and enthusiasm. Through all the challenges, they continue to get out the good news through all the works to God's people!

Jesus commanded us to share the gospel around the world and make disciples, obeying Him and teaching others to do the same (Matt.28:19-20). That's been our goal since CWIA began in the 1970s.  But we never could have imagined we'd be where we are now. With your help, CWIA has become a global ministry reaching people for Christ, in nearly every country on earth. We've seen God's faithfulness over almost half a century. As we preach of His Son, God opens doors and hearts to eternal life, and His kingdom grows.

In 2022 we'll celebrate our 47th anniversary! It's humbling and exciting to think of all that God has done. At first CWIA was staffed with 10 women and 1 man. Our bank account was $8. Today we have 9 on the Board, 5 men as advisors, 4 women Board of Directors, and others as chairpersons, hostesses, etc.

Our duplication technology with cassettes over the years progressed to tapes, CDs, and thumb drives, and now we have ventured into broadcasting worldwide through Zoom, reaching far and near.  We pray that one of these days we can have a radio program talk show.  

Who would have thought in the 70's that 47 years later we would be reaching people with the good news all over the world and traveling to so many different countries, and helping the poor as we are in South America, and building a  church (St. John Paul II).

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,"WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE”. God is so faithful to bless our obedience, even to the following generation, making our legacy a powerful testimony to those who come after us. I thank you, with all my heart, for your partnership — on behalf of myself, my board and staff at CWIA, and all the people who've come to know Christ or have been strengthened in faith because of your support. I hope you are as excited as I am to see all that God will do in the coming years.

In the words of  St. Paul to the Ephesians, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever Amen".  ( Eph. 3:21-22)

May God bless you deeply in 2022. I pray you'll grow each day in faith, love and service, and that your joy in Him will be full.

I hope you'll celebrate with us as you reflect on the history of CWIA. We are very grateful for your prayers and support. Please join me in thanking God and praying for all who will hear His word in the future. TO GOD BE THE GLORY....leading people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and strengthening the body of Christ with the Truth of our faith. One catholic and apostolic Church. The Word of God never changes — Yesterday, Today, and  Tomorrow!

I Wish You a Blessed New Year,
Your servant and sister In Christ Jesus,

Stella +

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Advent 2021 - FORGIVENESS IS THE PASSWORD!

Dearly Beloved in Christ Jesus:

 In searching the Scriptures related to forgiveness, I came to the parable of the Prodigal Son. This is an excellent subject as we enter the season of Advent --  the Coming of the Lord -- His birth.

How better can we prepare the way of the Lord than with a forgiving heart? When we think of forgiveness and reconciliation, I believe that most Catholics would immediately be reminded of that most memorable parable regarding forgiveness. This parable could actually be labled the ''Forgiving Father.'' It goes without saying that God is the Father in the story who welcomes back His son-daughter (who) was dead (Lk. 15:15:24). What a tremendous act of compassion and reconciliation on the part of the Father! 

The Father actually "ran" to his son, embraced him and kissed him (Lk.15:10). I am sure you remember that at this point the young man begins his speech asking for forgiveness from the Father. But before he can even finish, his Father cuts him off and tells the servant to bring the finest robe and put it on him, put a ring on his finger.....etc. In one sense of the word we can say that the embrace that the Father gave to his son is also extended to us, but only when we forgive and turn to Him in times of temptation. Do not let the adversary gain victory or  influence us into evil deeds.

We are to comfort one another with words that will build up a persons character and not destroy them. "I Give You a New Commandment, Love One Another As I Have Love You" (John 13:34). Our Father is a kind and Loving God who knows no bounds in forgiveness, He wants to show us that His compassion and caring for us extends equally to one another.

This will be our last teaching for the year of 2021....so I take this opportunity to wish you all a Blessed, Healthy, Happy Christmas and a Very Happy New Year 2022!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Your Sister In Christ Jesus,

Stella +

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November 2021

My Dear Brothers and  Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ:

My question to you this Month of November — what are you grateful for today? At the very least we can usually thank God for daily nourishment, and a roof over our heads. And we will probably find quite a bit more, when we stop to "count our blessings."

God's gifts shouldn't be taken for granted. Oftentimes we have to learn to appreciate them. One such gift is the blessing of companionship.

I know someone who understands what it takes to be a devoted friend. She will stop by and ask whether I'd like to have lunch with her, or if she can do anything for me. Even if I declined, she will just keep coming back. Eventually we have become close, and I truly appreciated her persistence. She has taught me what it means to really be a friend--and that’s a blessing from God.

Do you have friendships that enrich your life and fill you with gratitude? In this age of social media, people have more "friends" than ever. But what about loyal companions who know you intimately and stick by you through good times and bad? We all need this, yet deep relationships are harder to find than ever before.

God created us as relational beings so we could interact with Him and each other. That's why after making Adam, He created Eve, saying, "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Gen.2:18). Throughout Scripture there are accounts of companionship--Moses and Aaron, David and Jonathan, Daniel and his friends Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. Jesus chose 12 men to be His disciples, and three were even closer friends—Peter, James and John.

The Lord doesn't want us to walk through this life alone. If we feel a void in this area of our life, we need help. First of all, our intimate friends are usually few in number. Friendships don't come automatically: they require time, effort, and unselfishness. There's also emotional risk because at some point, we may be hurt by a friend. But that shouldn't stop us from finding a trustworthy companion and cultivating a relationship that both can be fulfilled.

Building a long lasting friendship requires a good foundation. Mutual interests are the starting point in friendship, and the most important one is a relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior. Although we're not to isolate ourselves from non-Christians, they won't necessarily be our closest friends because their values, desires and beliefs might be contrary to ours. The  bible warns that “bad company corrupts good morals" (I Cor.15:33). We need friends who draw us nearer to the Lord, not farther away.

Building blocks are relationships governed by Biblical principles. One of the reasons friendships fall apart is a failure to treat each other as God's word says. We need to be a friend, and have a friend, who is patient, kind, humble, unselfish, and forgiving, not holding grudges, becoming jealous, being easily provoked to anger, or acting ugly (1Cor.13:4-5).

Philippians 2:4 reminds us to look out for the other person's interest more than our own. If we enter a relationship out of neediness, it will soon become imbalanced. We'll constantly lean on our friend to meet our needs. That is exhausting for the other person and will likely drive them away. God wants us ultimately to lean on Him, not on another human being, because He alone is sufficient to meet all our needs, whether physical, material, emotional, or spiritual.

Lasting relationships are built on mutual spiritual edification. We encourage each other in the faith, share what we've learned in God's Word, talk about the Lord, and pray for and with each other. When A close companion is going through a hard time, we give empathy and support, and if God blesses our friend in some way, we will likely rejoice together (Rom. 12:15). Sometimes, edification takes the form of a reproof given in a spirit of humility and gentleness (Gal.6:1).

An intimate relationship is build upon mutual transparency. It's impossible to cultivate a deep relationship when one party refuses to open up. You can't build friendships with someone who built a wall so high and thick that no one can get through. The apostle Paul had this problem with the church at Corinth. He had laid bare his heart to them, but they were restrained toward him. So he pleaded with them to open wide their hearts in like exchange (2Cor.6:-11-13).

Experiencing all the dimensions of a good friendship will make us profoundly thankful both for the person we've befriended and for God's goodness in bringing us together. We'll find a loyal, trustworthy friend and together we will grow in relationship with the Lord. 

Following my biblical guidelines will open a path to contentment, joy and fulfillment. That devoted friend can become one of God's richest blessings in our life! I write my teachings many times from counseling the many people that come to me for help, with the help of the Holy Spirit and Scripture. Read your Bibles and find all the Scriptures I gave you!

Your Sister In Christ Jesus,

Stella +
 

P.S.  I'd like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving as you celebrate all that God has done. His gifts include the incredible riches of salvation, along with the blessings He gives us on earth as He supplies all our needs. What a wonderful God!!!

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From Your President’s Heart:

When my children were young, they loved camping. It was before the days of cellphones, and there was no telephone in our camper, so they had Mom all to themselves. Can you imagine that?! As a busy counselor I was constantly receiving phone calls at home, and the children just wanted that time when no one else could interrupt.

Now just imagine, as a child of God, we have the full attention of the maker of the universe any time we call upon Him. He’s never too busy, and He’ll never be called away before we have finished pouring out our hearts to him. What a privilege! Why don’t we use it more often?

I think one of the primary reasons is a lack of understanding regarding the blessings we have in Christ Jesus. We are the children of the Almighty, yet sometimes we get so focused on earthly concerns that we forget to cry out to Him or trust in Him. Before long, we’re shouldering every burden, feeling defeated by trials, and suffering from feelings of inadequacy.

If we are weighed down by fears and emotional baggage, it doesn’t have to be that way. Peace, joy, freedom and victory should characterize believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. These qualities fill and stabilize us as we focus on the spiritual riches that are ours as a result of salvation. So what exactly has Christ provided for us? I’d like to focus on just three of His many gifts.

First of all, we have God’s acceptance. “He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace with which he favored us in the beloved.” (Eph 1:5-6) One of our most basic human needs is a sense of acceptance and belonging, and that’s exactly what Christ gives us. Once we’ve trusted Him as our Savior, we become a part of God’s family forever.

The Lord doesn’t tell us to clean up our lives and stop sinning before coming to Him. We couldn’t do that even if we tried! He simply invites us to come just as we are to Christ, believing that His death covers all our sins. In that very moment, we are forgiven and clothed with Christ’s righteousness, The Father accepts us, not based on who we are and what we’ve done, but on who Jesus is and what He did. “He (God) made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2Cor 5:21)

Now, that doesn't mean we can willfully live a life of depravity, God's gracious acceptance is a motivation for holy obedience, not a license to sin. It enables us to come to the Lord in confession, receive forgiveness, and participate in the sacraments in the lifelong sanctification process. Though God hates sin, He loves and accepts His children.

Another amazing gift we have in Christ is eternal life. Contrary to most peoples’ understanding, eternal life doesn’t begin after we die and enter heaven. Rather, it becomes ours at the moment of salvation. Jesus said, “The one who believes in the Son has eternal Life.” (John 3:36)

We usually think of eternal life as living an infinitely long time after we get to heaven, but it’s much more than that. Eternal life is an entirely different quality and character of life — it is God’s supernatural divine life indwelling in us through our union with Christ Jesus. “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” (1 John 5:11)  That’s why believers can never be lost, when Christ is our Savior, His divine life is flowing through us right now and will continue forever.

A third gift Christ gives us is a fellowship with God. Having been one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, John wrote, “What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”  (1 John 1:3)   Whenever a person believes the Gospel and turns to Christ in faith, he or she enters into a personal relationship of fellowship with Christ and the Father.

Are we living in the reality of these three gifts that are ours in Christ — God’s acceptance, eternal life, and fellowship with the Father and the Son?

When we believe and live in these three truths, they become a vital part of our thinking and sustain us through every trial. Instead of being burdened with defeat, inadequacy, insecurity, and heartache, our faith will grow and so will our confidence in the Lord. We will rely on our heavenly Father with the love of a child. When a child loves its Father, understanding and enjoying HIs blessings will set us free to enjoy a victorious Christian life!

(I have given you a lot of Scriptures. Please read them all!)

Prayerfully yours in Christ Jesus,
Stella  ++++

Our Prayer Breakfast in July was phonomenal and the Holy Spirit rested on us in a mighty way! Some have been calling me to provide the prayer of protection for our homes that I read. This prayer is as follows:

Dear Lord Jesus, please surround us, our families, friends and our homes with a perimeter of Your love and protection throughout this day and night and every day - 100 yards in all directions. Lord Jesus, render any demons that are here or should try to come deaf, dumb, and blind. Strip them of all weapons, illusions, armor, powers and authorities. Disable them from communicating or interacting in any way. Bind, sever, and separate them, binding them directly to the foot of the cross, without manifestation or harm to us, or to anyone else, to be dealt with by You, Jesus, as You see it fit. May Your precious blood cover us. May the Holy Spirit fill us, and Blessed Mother, place your mantle of love and protection around us in our homes, from any event of fire, theft, vandalism, flood, storms, elements, and accidents of any sort, distress, hardship, curses, and all unwanted things. I ask all this in Your name, Jesus Christ, and through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and in the power of the Holy Spirit. We call upon St. Michael, St. Joseph, St. Padre Pio, and St. John Paul II, and all the saints and angels, to pray for us. Amen.