Christian women In Action

 

• See the SEPTEMBER Teaching from CWIA President Stella Davis below!   

     

• JOIN US at the CWIA PRAYER BREAKFAST MEETING in September 30 at 9:00am at the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton in Alexandria, VA. Reserve your spot by contacting Evelyn at (703) 850-7607. The cost is $12 which includes a buffet breakfast! Half-Price ($6) for Veterans (with military ID). 
• Our Prayer Breakfast Guest Speaker for 09/30:  Robert.  Staff Sergeant Robert followed a long line of military service in his family, especially his Dad, a Vietnam Vet. Growing up, Robert was not raised Catholic, but through the persistence of his Catholic grandmother was baptized at the age of 10. His father, a fallen away Mormon and his mother, a fallen away Catholic, left the choice to Robert and his siblings. Although his life was nearly faithless, God was always trying to reach him, usually with signs of things to come, like the death of a grandmother, or his dying at the age 32. He saw the gate of hell, the Blood of Christ, and the four pillars, and the Dragon all mentioned in the Bible, but he felt God’s Love, Mercy, and his Peace. During one instance, his buddy’s spirit who was killed in the explosion, told him “he must go back as he had not been married or had kids yet”. He woke up instantly changed, and now Robert is a devoted Catholic and a soldier for Christ. Come hear his conversion story to boost your faith. Hear the many miracles that God has performed in his life, and continues to perform to this day. Bring a friend, especially those in the military.

 

• RESERVE YOUR SPOT for the CWIA ANNUAL CATHOLIC CONFERENCE on October 13-15, 2023 at the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton in Alexandria, VA. Join us and have a Life Changing Experience!!!  Click HERE for details and registration information.  For those who can extend their stay, after the Conference there will be a special trip to the CWIA (St. John Paul II Center) property with lunch and praise & worship included. 

   

• Join us LIVE via Zoom - CWIA Weekly Prayer Meetings - Mondays at 10:30 EST.  For the Zoom info, email [email protected].  All are welcome. If you'd like to attend in person, you must be seated by 10:15 at which time the doors will close.     

   

• We invite you to read the pastoral letter to the faithful from Bishop Joseph Strickland regarding the Synod on Synodality.  Click HERE to view the letter and a video summary of its contents..

   

• If you've heard about the weather miracle that Stella experienced, here is the prayer:  "Angels from every choir of heaven, all the saints of heaven, Immaculate Conception, please pray with me. God the Father, in the name of Your Son Jesus, please fill the sun earth and water and grant us only Your weather, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

 

• If you have a prayer request, we're happy to pray for you. Send your email to [email protected].

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• 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!

                

SEPTEMBER 2023


My Dear Brothers and Sisters In Jesus Christ:
The  Peace of the Lord be with YOU ALL!!!

Let’s learn this month about Joshua, in the Old Testament (Joshua 1:7-9). You may ask how does God's message for Joshua point us to Jesus?

Well, think about a time when we faced a big challenge -- a moment that made us feel weak, fearful or discouraged. Well, that's how Joshua was feeling. Even though he was a mighty warrior, he was facing the greatest challenge of his life: leading Israel into the Promised Land. 

He remembered how the people had once wanted to stone him, and he was probably very afraid when God placed him in charge of the tribes. But the Father wasn’t setting Joshua up to fail. He laid out a plan for his success — and it's the same one God has for us.

First, if we want to be strong and courageous, we must trust that God is with us. Whatever we face, we're to be optimistic and confident. Why? One simple reason: He's there. He promised to be with Joshua wherever he would go. (Joshua.1:9) Jesus said to His disciples just before He returned to heaven: "I Am with you always to the end of the time”. (Matthew 28:20)  We have the same promise from Christ.

Second, we have to obey.  There are many books on success, but nobody can beat this principle: "Be careful to do according to all that is written in (the book of the Law) for then we will be prosperous, and achieve success. (Joshua 1:8)   If we want our lives to prosper, we too must do what God says. For this, we have the Spirit of Christ to help us. (Philippians 4:1-3)

Third, we must meditate on God's Word. We need to read Scripture and think about it over and over until it becomes part of our thinking. Then, verses will arise in our minds when challenges come. Jesus is our example, remember how He quoted Scripture when tempted in the desert. (Matthew 4:4)  And He gave us the Holy Spirit to "remind us of all that He said.” (John 14:26 )

Fourth, we need to avoid distraction. God says, "Do not turn from (the Law) to the right or to the left.” (Joshua 1:7)  The key here is focus. When Joshua didn't do as God said, he faced setbacks and failures. If we want to succeed, don't get pulled away from His instruction by people, society, or anything else. Do exactly what God says.

Finally, if our focus is being bold and courageous, we are still focusing on the wrong thing. Set our mind on one thing only: Jesus Christ. He'll give us power and strength for obedience, His presence to rely on, and His love to encourage us. Success requires "looking only at Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:2)  Focusing elsewhere leads to defeat.

The most important thing in our life is getting on our knees every day (this can be an attitude of our heart if we are physically unable to kneel), reading or listening to the Word of God, and talking with Him. When those practices are consistently part of our daily routine, everything else somehow works out. That doesn't mean we are going to eliminate all our challenges, but it does mean we can remain strong and confident as we face them.

My Brothers and Sisters, it is easy to be bold and courageous if everything is going our way, but we will never fully discover who Jesus really is unless we walk through one life-stretching, faith-forming challenge after another. As we do, we will discover that Jesus truly is our life...

Whatever you might be facing today or tomorrow…whenever you feel  pressured, unsure, or fearful about a situation…remember Joshua 1:7-9, and all Jesus is to us. 

I pray you find this message encouraging and helpful. Read your Bible. Till next time, God willing.

For  His Glory,

your servant

stella +

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AUGUST 2023 

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

This  month let’s examine our spiritual life, and know how important self-evaluation is!!  It can even be exciting if we're willing to be honest with ourselves with the guidance of the tender, compassionate Holy Spirit. Our prayer life is a good opportunity for this.

Believing, loving and serving God well is only possible if we're growing in prayer. Let us learn the essential elements of a serious and fulfilling prayer life.

How do we describe our personal prayer life? For some, the answer is short and simple:  "Nonexistent".

Sadly a lot of Catholics don't spend much time, if any, talking with God. I don't mean praying on the run, offering up quick requests as they go about THEIR day. These random ad hoc requests are indeed a part of a serious life, but far from all it is meant to be.

The kind of prayer I'm talking about is an uninterrupted period of time together, just you and the Lord. No distractions, no other people. And not because you need something, but because you love Him and want to be with Him. Do you have that with God? And if so, how often?

What I'd like to  impress on you today is that Jesus, when He was here on earth, placed enormous importance on this kind of intentional prayer. Scripture indicates He often went off alone somewhere to talk to His father. 

He prayed when He had decisions to make, when He was tired, and when He was anguished. If prayer was this vital to Jesus who was God, imagine how important it is for us?

The time we spend in private with the Lord will refresh and empower us supernaturally. "Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength, they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary". (Isa. 40:31)   I can assure you that I've seen this happen many times in my own life.

I'd like to share with you here four basic, but essential steps for a personal prayer life that, if you practice, will be indescribably rewarding:

First - Make Time For God
If you want to develop a relationship with someone, you need to spend time with that person. Be deliberate and committed. Get alone with God. Refuse to be interrupted. If necessary, start with 15 minutes. Just talk with Him as you would with a friend. You’ll soon find yourself jealously guarding that time because it’s so restoring and precious to you.

Second - Choose A Place
Growing up sometimes the bathroom was the only place I could be alone to pray. If possible, find a corner that you can set aside just for this. When you do nothing in that spot but talk with God, here’s what will happen — it will become sacred to you, and as soon as you enter, God will prepare you for His presence. That’s a wonderful way to begin.

Third - Understand The Purpose
Are our needs important to God? Yes! But, the purpose of prayer is to commune with the God of our souls, to be enclosed with Him, to adore Him, and (don’t miss this) conformed to His likeness. Paul said, “Looking as in a mirror at the glory of the glory of the Lord, ‘we’ are being transferred into the same image.”  (2Cor.3:18). As we sit with the Lord, fully focused on His person, we will start to resemble Him in our thoughts and actions, and His glory will begin to shine on our countenance. The true purpose of our prayer time is to become like Christ!

Fourth - Keep A Prayer Pad
Let God tell you what to pray about. Record the day you start and the day you see Him act. Over time, this will give us confidence. Just remember the true purpose of prayer. His greatest works may be the things no one sees but God and us. Yet, our faith will be a blessing to others. When God’s people are strong, “Each will be like a refuge from the wind and a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry country.”  (Isa.32:2)

My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, understand that our prayer life will, to a great extent, determine everything else about us. We will live no better than our prayers. .

But, make no mistake — you'll need to be prepared. The enemy will fight us for it because he knows the potential of a serious prayer life. Through it, God will turn our human power into supernatural power, and that is well worth the battle. Let this awesome privilege begin to change everything for us today!!!

Encouragement toward a serious prayer life is our inspiration here at CWIA, and we hope it is to you too. There is no doubt that as we continue on the journey we’ll see true growth in heart, mind and soul, not to mention our circumstances.

God bless you, till next time!

For His Glory,

Your Servant,

Stella +

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JULY 2023 

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
I greet you in His Wonderful Name!

This month let’s learn about living by God’s guidance. So many do not understand what it means to follow Him by His words or guidance as He teaches us by His Word in the Bible. It is not enough to just say our Hail Mary’s. We need to live in accordance with the Scriptures by living our life in the Spirit. Let’s take a walk together through the Scriptures. I hope these words will encourage us today and lead us towards living an ever greater and more joyful and obedient life.

Please take a moment right now and ask yourself — what is really guiding your life? How do you operate - from your desires? How do you make decisions on a daily basis? Are you led by by a mental perspective, or by your feelings, or by another person’s advice?

These motivations are all common, but they won’t lead to a healthy and growing spiritual life, nor are they what God wants for us. No!  God wants us to live according to one thing only - the relationship we have with Him - the One who gives us strength, clarity and guidance. If we heed God, trust Him, and make His will our own, He will lead us flawlessly in every area of our life.

Do you recall how God let the Hebrews out of Egypt and into the promised land? Well, that journey should have taken several weeks, but instead it took 40 years! Why? It’s simply because they didn’t live by God’s guidance. They became fearful, rebellious, and doubtful. Because of that, a whole generation died in the desert before God’s people entered the land they’d been promised. We took that trip years ago, and we made it by bus in 8 1/2 hours!

We can have a different outcome than they did, if we keep our eyes on the Lord. People have often asked me over the years how do I follow God? How do I know His will? Many believers think that it’s a mystery to know His instructions, but it isn’t. There are things we indeed must do to live according to God’s guidance each day, so let’s consider how to walk in step with the Lord:

First - Meditate on the Word of God.

In the wilderness, the Hebrews didn’t have God’s Word preserved and accessible, but we do - right at our fingertips!  Later, in Israel, David wrote, “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)   Heeding God’s Word will ensure us to be at the right place at the right time, for every situation we face in life. No matter what we are going through, Scripture will direct us, but only if we read it, stay familiar with it, and keep it foremost in our thoughts.

Second - Remain Sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He promised to send HIs disciples a helper. The Holy Spirit would come to indwell within every believer. “When He the Spirit of truth comes,” Jesus, said, “He will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:13). We have someone living within us who will guide us according to the will of God in all things, but it’s necessary to pay attention and spend time in prayer in order to be sensitive to HIs voice.

Third - Wait for God’s Timing.

“From days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear…a God besides you, who acts in behalf of one who waits for Him.” (Isa 64:4) Sometimes God makes us wait, not only for His actions, but also for His guidance. Patience in prayer is essential if we want to hear what God desires to share with us.

I had to wait in prayer 9 months to find a house to buy, but what He gave me was the perfect home - at a huge discount as the previous owners had to leave quickly. It was 9 full months in prayer before I could start the ministry of CWIA, and it was 9 full months in prayer before we could begin to work on the John Paul II Community. (I have come to believe that the number 9 is the time it takes to birth something from the Lord!!)

Finally - Be Strong and Courageous.

To walk in the Spirit of God requires deep conviction and courage to resist the pressures surely to come. The world is full of external influences that could pull us from God’s will, and our own heart may be an even greater temptation. Decide today to live by the guidance of God, no matter what He says or where He leads us. Remember what He told Joshua as the Hebrews were finally about to enter their promised land, “the land of milk and honey”:  “Be strong and courageous…Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:9)   GOD IS WITH YOU!!

I pray we all follow Him today in all the things we do for Him and ourselves…

A very blessed and Happy 4th of July!
 

In Christ and For Christ,

Your Servant,

Stella

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JUNE 2023 

Greetings to My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus!

As we dedicate this month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I would like to share how we should focus on living for the Lord. I hope this inspires you to think with hope and confidence about your own life in Christ.

Our Intimacy With God — Our Highest Priority For Our Lives — Determines The Impact Of Our Lives.

We aren't supposed to live the Christian life by ourselves — it’s impossible. Rather, we must let Christ live it through us. That's when we discover true power in our faith and we begin to witness for Him. 

We will see much fruit by living deeply in intimacy with God. Let us fellowship with Jesus — in prayer, in obedience, with trust. Sit at His feet in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Most High. That shows we abide in Him. Live this way and your life will become a powerhouse for God.    

We don't have to preach, or sing, or go to the mission field to serve God. But we are responsible to obey Him out of love and devotion, and to live a Godly life and serve Him until the day we take our last breath or He returns. 

So make every moment count until we see Him face to face. That, my brothers and sisters is life at its best. ”Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”  (Daniel 12:3)

The Peace of the Lord be with you!

your servant, stella

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MAY 2023 

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I Greet You In The Most Wonderful Name of our Lord Jesus!!!

My friends have you ever lost something? If you do, you know the feeling that follows. It has happened to me. There have been times in my life when I’ve suffered a different kind of loss -- that is -- the loss of peace.

Sometimes I’ve been quick to blame the circumstances or other people, even though “assigning blame” was rarely helpful. And there were occasions when I’ve realized my peace wasn’t stolen - I gave it away by focusing on the problems, or on people who weren’t peaceful themselves.

The truth is, every believer has been given peace with God. We’ve been reconciled to Him by grace through faith in the Lord’s death and resurrection, and as those united with the Father we’ve been given the incomparable peace of Jesus who said, “My Peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.”  (Jn. 14:27)

Knowing that you have Christ’s Peace, perhaps you are wondering why there are times when you do not really feel it. We might find ourselves filled with anger, fear or frustration instead. This side of heaven we’ll never have perfect peace in every situation. Some events may cause immediate and justifiable alarm. But we don’t have to let distressing emotions continually hold us in their grip. There is a way to regain our peace, and St. Paul wrote about it in Philippians 4:6-9.

The first step to regain Christ’s Peace is to cry out to our Heavenly Father. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayers and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil.4:6) We have all prayed in ways that increase our anxiety by focusing on the situation instead of on the Lord. Prayer that meditates on Scriptural truths and His power and love is a far better approach. The fruit of such prayer will be: The ultimate outcome is an increase in spiritual maturity, because our trust in the Lord has been strengthened. “The Peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds.” (Phil. 4:7)

The second step is to control our thoughts. This is very important because how we think determines how we feel and what we do. St. Paul tells us exactly what to focus our minds on - whatever is true, honorable, right and pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy.  (Phil. 1:8)  Now if we look at that list, every one of these qualities describes God, Hid Word, and His ways. When our minds are engaged in thoughts of the Lord, the dark situations that cause us anxiety are diminished. and Christ’s peace fills us, no matter what the circumstances are.

But if we let our thoughts center on things that are not right or good our trust in God is eroded, and emotions like anger, frustration and anxiety will dominate us. We find ourselves tossed about like waves in a storm and begin to doubt that God loves us. We may start to feel that He’s abandoned us - even though that’s impossible. Then in desperation we may take matters into our own hands, trying to fix the circumstances to bring back peace into our lives. But God’s Peace is a gift, not something we can manipulate, and the only way to receive it is to live in obedience to Him.

That brings us to the next step, which is both incredibly simple and a tremendous challenge: Do what God says. “As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of Peace will be with you.”  (Phil. 4:9).   The word “practice” refers to continuous work. Each time we read the Bible or hear a Biblical sermon, we’re responsible for putting the principles we learn into practice. There is no way for a Christian to live in rebellion to God and still have His Peace. Sin always brings turmoil.

If we are waiting for the Lord to give us Peace by fixing everything in our life that’s troublesome, we will never have it, because His Peace has nothing to do with our circumstances. When St. Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians he was unjustly confined in a Roman prison. Yet there is not one word of anger, bitterness, fear or anxiety in the letter. Instead he spoke of joy or rejoicing 16 times. What incredible faith!

What is truly remarkable is that the same Peace St. Paul had that surpasses human understanding is available to us if we are willing to take the steps he gives in his letters. And that is my prayer for all of you! Christ has given us His Peace! Will we take hold of it today?

Your Servant in Christ Jesus,

Stella

P.S. This month of May is Blessed Mother’s month and Mother’s Day. We pray in thanksgiving, asking our Lord to bless all mothers and asking our Lord to give mothers wisdom, peace, and strength to guide our children in godliness.

Happy Mother’s Day, and God’s Blessings to All Moms!

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APRIL 2023 

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ,
I Greet You In His Wonderful Name!!!

We are now in this great week when the Catholic Church came to birth with “The Last Supper.”

...but let us begin with the incredible wonder of the cross! If I had to choose just one subject in the Bible to understand, I’d choose the crucifixion. It is the foundation of the Christian faith and the heart of our life in Him.  

Today we see crosses everywhere — on buildings, in art, as jewelry, in people’s homes. We sing and speak about it, but sometimes I ask myself, how much do people really understand about the cross of Jesus Christ?

There is nothing mankind has done that compares with what Jesus accomplished in His death. All of humankind’s achievements, no matter how impressive, will eventually be destroyed, but the Lord’s work on the cross lasts forever. (2Peter3:10-13) It is the single most important and amazing event in history.

The apostle Paul was a man who understood the importance of the cross. When he came to Corinth for the first time, Paul didn’t come with eloquent speech or persuasive words, instead he said, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1Cor.2:1-2)

Everywhere Paul went, this was the message he considered most essential. He never wanted to do anything that would draw attention to himself, but only to the Lord, because apart from the crucifixion, there is no hope for the world -- no salvation and no eternal glory.

We should all go through life with a deep appreciation for Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, so let’s take a little time together right now to think about this most extraordinary of events.

First of all, the cross was planned and ordained by God before He created a single thing. He knew the human race would fall into sin, so He planned a path of reconciliation. You never have to feel like you’re an afterthought to the Lord. Your salvation was foreseen by Him and achieved by Jesus before we even existed.

God chose us in Christ “before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” (Eph.1:4)  To accomplish this, He planned the crucifixion of His Son before He created anything. (1Peter1:20)  Every detail was designed by Him beforehand, predicted by the prophets, and carried out by the Jews and the Romans just as the Lord ordained. None of it was outside of His control. It all came to pass just as He set forth.

The cross of Christ is the greatest demonstration of God’s love for mankind. He proved His love for us by sending His Son into the world to be the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. It was on the cross that the justice and the love of God met. To save humankind through love, sin had to be justly punished so repentant sinners could be forgiven. As Jesus hung on the cross, He took the world’s sins upon Himself as a choice He made in love.

He willingly suffered the consequence of our wrongdoing, our sins. This is why love is the 2nd greatest commandment. To love one another as the Father and Son have shown us their love, we must love as they first loved us.

I pray you’ll have a Blessed Easter as you remember Christ’s Death and Resurrection.

Prayerfully Yours, 

your servant in Christ Jesus,

stella

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MARCH 2023 

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

This month I want to teach about being obedient to God's calling.

God's requests are often stepping stones to the most fantastic blessings and incredible experiences of our lives. We sometimes don't take the first step, however, thinking that what He's asking isn't really that important. But to God, that first step is often a big leap toward life-changing blessings and growth for us.

One  of the most interesting examples of this can be seen in the life of Peter, a fisherman by trade. In Luke 5, we read about a morning when Peter was doing routine tasks related to his work — cleaning the nets after a night of fishing. Jesus was standing nearby teaching, but as the crowd grew, the people pressed around Him at the edge of the lake. So, Jesus got into Simon Peter's boat and asked the fisherman to take Him out on the water (Luke 5:1-3).

It was a simple request and Peter obeyed, stopping what he was doing and taking Jesus a little way out from shore (Luke 5:3). But the result of Peter's obedience is what interests me most. After Jesus finished preaching, He asked Peter to put out his nets. Peter had just been out there the night before and had come home empty handed, but he did what Jesus said anyway. Suddenly Peter had two boat-sinking loads of fish (Luke 5:5-7). He was so amazed that when he got to shore, he left everything and followed Jesus (Luke 5:11).

Peter's story has a lot to teach us about obedience, especially the importance of taking the first step.

Obeying God in small or seemingly irrelevant matters is an essential movement toward His greatest blessings (Matt. 25:14-29). Often those Blessings come as a result of our willingness to do something that appears very insignificant and unimportant.

When God says to do something, responding by saying to yourself, "I'll pray about it" or “Well, I need to get some counsel” is not the answer. When God says, specifically, "Here's what I want you to do,” the only right answer is “YES LORD!”

I’m not saying you should never pray about God’s request — seeking Godly counsel or biblical confirmation is a helpful and an important step when we're not sure we've heard Him correctly. But oftentimes we already know exactly what He's saying, and it's very clear to us the right response is yes, yes, yes, to whatever He requires (Luke 5:5).

When we obey God, He makes us a blessing to others (Deut. 7:9). Obeying God allows Him to demonstrate His power in our lives! Just think - that one simple act of obedience by Peter led to a miracle right there on the boat. He'd never seen so many fish in his life! I am sure that what Peter witnessed made his faith skyrocket and made his 3 years working with Jesus very exciting!!

I just want to share, this has happened to me with our "John Paul ll Healing Community”. The Lord has just poured His Blessings upon Blessings in all that we step out to do, bringing whatever we need to our fingertips, and leading us step by step in what we should do next.

What a joy it is to those of us that are working together on this project. We laugh, we cry, we work, and praise Him all the time because of the way He is fulfilling a dream, a vision, a prophecy. As He told us in prophetic words, "YOU ARE NOT BUILDING IT FOR ME, I AM BUILDING IT FOR YOU!"

Prayerfully Yours,
stella

P.S. - Please read your Bible.

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FEBRUARY 2023 

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ:

I greet you in this New Year 2023. The Good Lord has allowed us to live another year! So many of our brothers and sisters have been called Home to be with our Lord this past year.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, "Everything on earth has its own time and its own season.” 

Are we on the path the Lord has prepared for us today or are we directing our own selves?

One of my favorite passages about divine guidance is Psalm 32:8-9. It contains a promise and a warning — "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you."

Sometimes it may feel as if the path ahead is uniquely made in God's image, as all His children are. However, we are not the first person to walk with the Lord. And though the world has changed, the human condition hasn't. Many faithful believers have gone before us, and there's much to learn from their examples (Heb. 12:1-2). I've always found it to be a tremendous comfort knowing the Lord is always with us on this journey, and that He gives us the company of His Saints as we go.

For as long as you and I are on this earth, He will be there to faithfully guide us, taking us by the hand through every circumstance, and afterward. He'll receive each of us with open arms into His glory (Ps. 73:23-24). To appreciate what a blessing this is, let's look at how He'll lovingly guide our life — if we follow Him!

God carefully watches over us. "Lord, you have searched us and know our hearts. You know when we sit and when we stand up, You understand our thoughts from far. You scrutinize our path and our lying down, and are acquainted with all our ways"  (Ps. 139:1-3).

God knows us better than we know ourselves, which means He's qualified to guide our lives. He understands all our weaknesses, and is familiar with every facet of our life, personality, and takes all these things into account as He directs our steps. The Lord always chooses the best path for us. "He is better than the GPS!"

We know this in our minds, but sometimes we look around and doubt that the path we're on could possibly be the best! The Lord chooses experiences for us that work for His eternal purpose of making us more like Christ. The question isn't whether His is the right path, but whether we'll trust Him in the midst of dark valleys, dangerous passages and rough terrain. Wherever we are in life right now, the Lord is right there with us guiding and strengthening us in our walk through it.

God will provide everything we'll need as we follow Him. His divine power has granted to us everything we'll need as we follow Him - in the true knowledge of Him (2 Peter 1:3).

God guides us with His Word. "Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path."  (Ps. 119:105)  Perhaps the reason we do not sense the Lord's guidance is because we are not looking for it. Or maybe we are looking in the wrong places. The best way to recognize His direction is through consistent reading of His Word  — Scripture. That's where we'll find His voice as well as exemplary stories of the Saints who have gone before us. The more familiar we are with the Bible, the better we are able to perceive His leading.

This new year gives us the opportunity to grow in our knowledge and understanding of the Lord. As your President I wish to help you and encourage to walk in His path, as we know not when He will call us Home for we live one day at a time.

Please read your Bibles. It is part of our Christian life.

Prayerfully, Your Servant,
In Christ Jesus,

Stella

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NEW YEAR 2023 

Have a Very Blessed New Year
My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord!

I will begin with Psalm 62:5:

"My soul is quiet and waits for God alone.
My hope alones comes from Him."

It might be hard to believe but it's true—we’re turning the page on another year! No matter what we went through last year, perhaps a good way to start 2023 is by embracing the word “REJOICE!”

When we think of rejoicing, we might think of being in a state of constant happiness and celebrating every detail of life with exuberance. But what about the times when we are sad, or angry, confused, or tired? 

In Philippians 4:4 the apostle Paul declares that we "Rejoice in the Lord, always. I say it again: Rejoice!"

My Dear Ones, there is much to REJOICE in:

• That our body and soul can be healed and restored
• That all broken things can be made whole
• That suffering can be an opportunity for growth, both spiritually and mentally.  (Romans 5:3)
• That in every moment we can give thanks to the Lord for His love and provision and rejoice in the hope we have in Jesus who "makes all things new.”  (Revelation 21:5)

May the teachings the Holy Spirit gives me to share with you, enrich and encourage you, and help you to rejoice in the blessed assurance that Jesus is the God of second chances, the Lord of resurrection, and the One who makes everything new.

My prayer for you is that you see and find all there is to rejoice in this NEW YEAR 2023. My prayers and my love to you. Please study the Scriptures.

In Christ, your servant, 
stella +

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Advent 2022 

My Dear Brothers and Sisters
Greetings to You All in Christ Jesus!

ADVENT.

As you know, we have entered the liturgical season of Advent. But I ask, do you truly know its meaning?

Advent should be deeply meaningful and fruitful to us Christian Catholics, or should I say we who are practicing Catholics. It does not mean running from store to store looking for the best sales, or beginning to buy Christmas gifts, or going to Christmas parties, or decorating our homes with the best decorations in the neighborhood. The first thing we should do is to put on our dining table the Advent candles!

Well, my dear beloved, we who want to follow the light of Christ should straightway make a very good confession to clean what's in our temples so that we can hear the One who is calling us to come and follow Him, the One we are waiting for.

There is no earthly event, power or love that can bring peace to man's hearts, except for the promises from God about mankind above and beyond all our wishes and ideas. All that counts is that the Lord has consecrated us and created us for an intimacy with God, “that no human eye has seen no human ear has heard.” (1 Cor. 2:9)  We are designed for this. 

This should be our first Advent light: to understand everything that happens to us and all that threatens us, from the perspective of life's character of waiting. The character of waiting is to keep going, to keep looking, and to endure until the vigilant hearts of men and the heart of God who meets us come together presently in the true interior meeting in the Sacraments, and later in the final homecoming. God enters only His own rooms where someone is always keeping watch for Him.

Are we living out of the center of our being, or just from memory or impulses? Or are we settled in the center of reality and find our stability nourished there? This, my Brothers and Sisters, is the deeper sense of Advent — always be vigilant!  Prepare, for we know not when the Messiah is coming. The Lord, as He is the master of our life, does not need to announce His coming!

As I sit by my husband’s bedside and wait and see the outcome of his life, all I can do is wait and pray that any moment the Lord might come to take him home, and that he is ready to give an account of his life that is pleasing unto God…

I want to wish all of you a very meaningful and blessed Advent. I assure you of my prayers. May God Be Praised.

Merry Christmas!

your servant, 
stella davis +
 

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November 2022

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
This Month's Teaching is about LOVE!

“I give you a new commandment, love one another as I have loved you. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”   (John 13:34-35)

The two great commandments of love: to "love God above all else, and to “love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Mark 12:28-31)  This is the fulfillment and the embodiment of the ten commandments - the source of unity and peace amongst all people and all nations. Holy love is God’s divine will!

Jesus, speaking to Peter, Simon, Thomas and Philip before He departed from them during the Feast of Passover said, “I am going to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:3)  “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow me later.’’ (John 13:36).  “If you love me you will keep my commandments.’’ (John 14:15)  Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.'' (John 14:6). Jesus tells us ''Do not let your hearts be troubled; place your trust in God, trust also in me.’’ (John 14:1)

Again, Jesus shows His love to us. He knew his time here on earth was coming to an end (John:13:1), so He washes the feet of his disciples. He had loved his own who were in the world, and He loved them to the end. Jesus said, “You call me Teacher, Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. So if I your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have given you an example, what I have done for you, you should also do to others!”   (John 13:13-15)

The knowledge that God loves us beyond all limits will compel us to go into the world to love others in the same way - but neither natural love nor God’s divine love will remain and grow in us unless it is nurtured. Our spiritual life continually causes us to focus our attention inwardly for the determined purpose of self-examination. Love means that there are no visible habits - that our habits are so immersed in the Lord that we practice them without realizing it.

The love of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His son is. It is one thing to choose adversity and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstance by God's sovereignty.

I will show you another love! Love is a special gift. It is born in the heart. It embraces the whole man/woman, yet more it penetrates one who is loved. It forgets hardship, sacrifice, suffering. It bears all things and never ends. (1 Cor.13:7-8)  Love gives meaning to and uniquely motivates our lives. It fears nothing, it inspires our goals. Amazingly, it can realize them. That is how it is with us human love — with God it is much more, because God is love,

God has given us everything we need to live successfully. He has given us many promises.  But how do we move into His greater plan for us? To live victoriously, we must know the  Father. It is the most important thing we need to do. By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a Godly life. (2 Peter 1:3-4)  We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence - and because of His glory and excellence He has given us great and precious promises!! These are the promises that enable us to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

The key to living life on earth is getting to know our God. Just as we develop natural relationships, it also takes time to get to know the Father. It doesn't happen instantly, even though we live in a time when everything is instant. Think about it. It used to take an hour to bake a potato in the oven. Now it only takes 5 minutes in the microwave, but I still find myself wondering, "Will this ever hurry up and get done?”  That's the age we live in, and that's how we try to approach our relationship with God. We want to get to know Him microwave-style, but the Father is saying, “I'm going to cook you until you are so filled with my power, my strength, and my might, that nothing can keep you from fulfilling your calling!!” HALLELUJAH!

When we allow the Father to put us in His crockpot, when we take the time to get to know Him will become like HIM, then we won't be stressed out or fall down, no matter what we face.

So how do we get to know Him? One of the most important ways is by meditating in His Word. Joshua 1:8 instructs us to ponder and “meditate on it day and night, making sure we practice everything written in the scriptures, then we will get where we are going and will  succeed!” His words are so precious, and if we want to know our God, we need to fall in love with His words (scriptures).

Another way we come to know the Lord is through prayer, daily Mass (Communion), and by sitting before Him at the adoration chapel. Our relationship with God will not rise to the level He desires unless we intentionally fellowship with Hm. Unfortunately, we sometimes get so involved in our daily lives with the work of our Lord, that we fail to commune with the God of our work.

I have caught myself doing this. I was always the Martha who made everything happen. We need Martha’s, but we must be Mary’s as well. (Luke 10:38-42) We need to set aside time to talk to the Lord and allow Him to talk to us. When He was on earth, Jesus always took time to fellowship with the Father, though He was the son of God and knew everything.

We should pray about everything continually not just when we need something, or when something awful happens. (Phil. 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7).  The Lord desires so much for us to know Him, for our hearts to connect with His. He longs for us to know Him as our best friend - He is our best friend. The question is will we spend time getting to know Him today?

An intimate relationship with the Lord is the only thing that will truly relieve the stresses of this life. It's what will open doors of opportunity, lead us to walk in His ways, His will, and will lead us down the right path. Our cry should be to know the Lord in a closer, deeper way above all else. Our greatest passion in life should be to know Him. When we know the Father we know the end result, and then can we love each other as He calls us to love one another.

My dear ones, this was actually the teaching I prepared for the conference, but I just could not teach it at that time because He wanted to use my lips to speak directly to His people. I suppose that by your reading it here instead, you’ll learn more and then put to work what you have read!! There are a lot of scriptures to study, but you will be a winner if you learn them!!

In His Love,

your servant, stella davis +

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October 2022

My Beloved in Christ Jesus,
The Peace of the Lord be with you!

Let us learn this month about:  PATIENCE.

When I was young, life was slower-paced. Folks waited for the news till they saw it in print.  Nowadays, people can find out what's going on 24/7 — sometimes events are even reported as they are occurring.

In many ways, we've become a society that values speed. I will admit there are some advantages to having everything quickly, but these expectations can also rob us of the Godly quality of patience, which is beneficial in every area of the Christian life.

Do  you think we are being influenced negatively by the culture around us? Sometimes we adopt common manners and values without realizing it. Has impatience crept into our life?

We could define patience as the ability to endure hardship, stress, or annoyance quietly, without complaining. In the Bible it's sometimes translated as "long-suffering" and also conveys the idea of being long-tempered.

Are we willing to persevere through trials or delays with a gracious attitude? Can we overlook a wrong instead of responding with anger? Godly patience doesn't come naturally. It is a gift from the Lord that is bestowed on us as a fruit of His Spirit. (Gal. 5:22-23 ) But we must cooperate while He develops it within us.

Since the Lord is omniscient, He knows the precise circumstances that will help each of us in this area. But we often think we are just fine without greater patience. Even though it is a virtue we should desire, many Christians avoid praying for it because they don't want to have their patience tried and tested.

The reason patience is so important is because it's  a characteristic of  God, and as Christ's followers, we are to be imitators of Him. (Eph. 5:1) Though we want the Lord to treat us patiently, so often, we don't treat others this way.  Just consider how patient God has been with us. He does not react in anger or revenge when we don't grow quickly in our spiritual lives. Nor does He punish us every time we sin. He's mindful of the weakness of our humanity. (Ps. 103:14)

Waiting graciously is important in every area of our life, but I invite you to focus on two instances.

• First, we need patience in our relationships. James reminds us that we should be “quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” (James 1:19)  Relationships are easily damaged by rash words. And once such words are spoken, they cannot be taken back, the hurt cannot be undone.  That's why we need to guard against lashing out in anger and stop rationalizing our impatience in order to justify ourselves. 

What impatience reveals is a lack of love. Paul describes Christians’ love as being patient, kind, not easily provoked, and willing to overlook a wrong. (1 Cor. 13:4-5)   Could that be said of us?

  

• The second area in which we need patience is in our trials. "It is for discipline that we endure: God deals with us as sons and daughters.” (Heb.12:7)  No matter what the form or cause of the affliction, our loving heavenly Father is using it to train us to share in His holiness (v. 10), but we become impatient and resist God.

  
Are we tired of waiting for the Lord to heal our body, remove a burden, or change a painful or stressful situation? He allows these things not to harm us, but to mature us.  Paul experienced many afflictions in his ministry, but he saw them as momentary and light compared to the eternal weight of glory they will produce for him. (2 Cor. 4:17)   That’s the kind of attitude that will help us patiently endure whatever God has given us to bear.

As I have mentioned before, I write to you in areas I have grown in by what I have experienced, and how I have counseled people. We can all grow in our spiritual lives, which helps us to help others.

Last month I asked to see how many of you were taking the time to read my Spirit-filled teachings and learning the Scriptures I provide. For the sake of the 10 people that responded, I will continue to take the time and ask the Holy Spirit to give me the teachings to give to you.

May the good Lord bless each and every one that reads my teachings and puts them to work in your lives.


Prayerfully, In Christ Jesus,

your servant, stella davis +


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September 2022 

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ:

Last month I  spoke about hearing the voice of our Lord!

Today’s topic is: How We Can Know When The Holy Spirit Is Speaking.

GOD has a purpose and destiny for all of His children. He has prepared great things for us, but too many Christians fall short of God's plan. This happens when His children do not know how to clearly recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit. 

1Cor. 2:9-10 says, "No eye has seen, No ear has heard, No mind has conceived what God has prepared for  those who love Him - but God has revealed it to us by His spirit!"  

We can see from this passage that the Holy Spirit wants to show us God's plan and purposes for our lives. It's up to us, however, to be sensitive to His voice and follow His leading. We do this by spending time reading God's Word and communing with Him through prayer and in the  Adoration Chapel.

During our time with Him we will hear an audible voice when the. Holy Spirit "speaks" to us. What we will sense is a strong leading to do something, or we might feel strongly about going in a certain direction.

When I was young in the Spirit and learning to recognize the Holy Spirit’s voice I often wondered, "Is that the Holy Spirit speaking to me or is that just me thinking about this things?”

My heart's desire above anything else was to not do anything motivated by the flesh. In other words, I didn't want to do things that I, Stella, wanted to do if they weren't things that God wanted me to do. I wanted to be a vessel for the Lord and do whatever God had for me to do.  I wanted to make sure that I was acting on His will and not mine. I wanted to obey God's will.  I knew I had to hear His voice clearly.   

It is also God's desire for us to be able to recognize His voice so He can lead and direct us in every area of our lives.  John 16:13 says, "How be it when He the Holy Spirit of truth is come, He will guide us into all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall be speak, and He will show us things to come.”

In addition to God showing us His plan and purposes for our lives, He also wants to protect us. He wants to warn us of harmful events, as well as people we should be wary of, Consider the following examples of how these warnings might occur.

While coming home a few weeks ago from a beautiful day at our waterfront property, Joan and I drove different cars. At the last minute I changed my mind not to ride with her, though we were going to leave our cars at the church parking lot. Had I not listened to the Holy Spirit prompting me to take my car, I would not be here to talk about it. I would have been seated in her car in the passenger’s seat - right in the place where the van that hit her head on pushed her motor. The impact would had killed me!! In situations like this you want to know that what you are sensing is the Holy Spirit and not your own imagination. You have a gut feeling about it. 

One other time in my life, I've gone back and forth in my mind wondering if what I was sensing about another person was me or the Holy Spirit. I told the person not to take that trip as I was feeling in my spirit to say it. But the person gave me  all kinds of excuses why they had to go. They made the trip and caught the virus and died 10 days later.

The Bible says, "We have not because we ask not.” (James 4:2)  God does not want us to  wonder, He wants us to know with certainty when the Holy Spirit is  speaking to us and to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit. One of the best indicators of whether we are on the right track is  your level of peace. Romans 14:19 instructs us to "follow after the things which give us peace.”

Allow peace to be your guide and boldly step out in what Holy Spirit is telling us to do or say. When we obey, the right door will open and the right words will fill our mouth. The devil wants to get us off track from God's plan and purposes for our lives, but God did not leave us alone or defenseless while we are here on this earth. The Holy Spirit, Who was sent to live inside us believers, is greater than the devil and all of his forces who seek to devour us.

My prayers to you all who take the time to read my teachings and act on them by the prompting of the Spirit of God.

Let me hear from you - that you enjoy  reading them - or I will stop. They come from the Holy Spirit to you!


In Christ and For Christ,
a servant of the Lord,
stella +


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August 2022 

My Beloved in Christ Jesus:

Today let us learn about God's Word!

God’s Word is a deep mine full of treasures just waiting to be discovered by those who are willing to search and be careful in their application. It takes wisdom and understanding, as well as time to listen to the Lord.

Sometimes believers avoid Scripture because they don’t know what it means for them. But if we read the Bible truly seeking to know what God is saying and how He would have us apply it, then Scripture becomes rich and meaningful, and a powerhouse for getting us through all of life’s challenging times.

In this teaching I would like to help you gain a better understanding of how to listen to God speak through His Word. Let’s take a look at three basic lessons, based on how He interacted with Moses in Exodus 3:1-14.

1. We must pay attention to the Word. While Moses was pasturing the flock, he noticed something astonishing - a burning bush that wasn’t consumed, and God’s voice calling to him within the bush (Ex. 3:3-4). The Lord clearly wanted Moses to notice and to hear Him. Our Father is often trying to speak to us, but we aren’t always listening. If we are expecting to hear HIs voice, we will pay closer attention. Remember that God always wants to communicate with us. The Bible contains His living Word, and He uses it to speak directly to Hs children. When you read the Bible, be ready to listen.

Psalm 119:18 is a great verse to prepare your heart before reading Scripture: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law.”  You may be surprised when the Lord applies something in a passage to your life and His Spirit opens your eyes to understand.

2. Secondly, we must obey the Word. After getting his attention with the burning bush, God gave Moses a message. “Now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt” (Ex. 3:10).

Moses initially objected, saying, “Who am I, that I should to go Pharaoh?” (v. 11)  All he could see were the obstacles to obeying the Lord. Moses’ objection did not change God’s mind or His plan, and neither will ours. Although we may think of all sorts of reasons why we can not do what He’s said, His commands are indisputable.The Lord never calls us to do anything for which He does not have a reason, purpose or goal.

Does the thought of obeying the Lord sometimes fill us with fear? Feelings of inadequacy and trepidation are not excuses for disobedience. We have been given the Holy Spirit to empower us. When we can’t see what is ahead, ask the Lord for strength, and then obey in faith!

3. We must trust God’s Word. Since Moses had left Egypt as a fugitive, the thought of returning for such a daunting task must have filled him with fear. But the Lord assured him by revealing His name: “I AM WHO AM” (v. 14). Moses had to know that the Lord was the self-existent One who needed no help. This was His plan, and He would surely accomplish it because He’s the sovereign God of the universe who controls all things.

The Lord also gave Moses a promise. “Assuredly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you, when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain” (v. 12). This great I AM was about to act, and no-one could thwart Him because HE always does what He says He will!

When we read the Bible and come across a convicting passage, and wonder how we could possibly do what He says, realize that the one who calls us to obey is the great I AM. Knowing this should calm our fears and give us courage, whether He’s calling us to a quiet act of service, or anything else. The Lord promises His assistance and provision so we should never have to go empty-handed to His task. And if a situation doesn’t turn out as we expected, you must rely on truth rather than our feelings. The Lord will never fail or desert us (Deut. 31:6).

Throughout God’s conversation with Moses, He promised Hs presence, and He has not changed. We can count on Him whenever we listen and obey His voice as He speaks through His Word (the Bible).

Are we ready to start approaching Scripture with careful attention, a spirit of obedience, and a trusting heart? When we do, God’s Word will become alive and exciting. The Lord will open our mind to receive a deeper understanding of Him, divine guidance for our life, supernatural power to obey, and encouragement of His unfailing promises in our weakness, fear, or inadequacy.

I pray you’ll open your Bible today, knowing these treasures are in reach.


Prayerfully In Christ Jesus,
your servant,
stella +

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My Dear Brothers and  Sisters In The Lord Jesus Christ:

CWIA Ministries is God's Timepiece for Christ's Return...


We are called to prepare, not only ourselves, but God's children - by example and action - to teach, evangelize and be disciples.

These are very difficult days. Times are challenging right now. Depression, addiction, political unrest, a virulent pandemic, children struggling, etc. There is a loss of hope.

But, here is the secret. Prophecy is being fulfilled, and you are in the front row. Know that you can do so much more than sit back and watch it happen. Stand up!

It is your moment to be part of history. It is amazingly simple.You will be part of this prophecy when you share the Gospel with God's people. Take note of the prophecies that have been or are being fulfilled right now.

My name is Stella Davis, the President and Founder of the oldest Catholic spirit-filled ministry in the Arlington Diocese of Virginia. For more than 45 years, Christian Women and Men In Action (CWIA) has been extending the hand of God's love to all people here in the United States and other countries around the world through personal evangelism and discipleship.

I am inviting you to stand with Christian Women and Men in Action ministries as the Lord is moving us into covenant community living. He is taking us away from the worldly life into a life of prayer and peaceful living.

These are glorious days for the fulfillment of bible prophecy. We have an opportunity to be inspired by the Lord Jesus and help call His children to a covenant with Him.

At this point we are developing architectural plans for the communal house. Once we have the plans, we will know the work that we can delegate and go forth with God's help for our first phase of the project.

All CWIA members will be invited but we all know that many are called but a few are chosen. However, you can all come and spend time whenever it is possible. We will be living off of the land and water as the Lord will lead us.

The readings He gave me for this venture:   

• Acts 7:1-4:  "The God of glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran, and said to him,  'leave your country and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you.' He left the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God had him move from there to this country in which you are now living."  

• Romans 12:2:  "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect."

• Jeremiah 24:11-14:  "'I know the plans I have for you' says the Lord, 'plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.'"  

• Stella:  I will trust God's good plan for my life. "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to me and I will hear you. You will see Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places I have driven you." - Jeremiah 29:13-14

With God's Blessings,
your servant,
stella +

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July 2022 

My Dear Brothers and  Sisters In The Lord Jesus Christ:

The Peace of the Lord Be with Each One of You!


Today let us learn about OBEDIENCE.

When it comes to obedience, we all sometimes fall short. If you're like most Christians, you've struggled with God's will. Maybe you've asked yourself, “How can I know God's will for me?”  “Does  He care about these little things?”  “Why is He telling me NO in my situation?”  There's a lot of confusion about this issue. We want God's will to be reasonable and desirable, and we also want it to be logical and clear.

Well, the fact is that the Lord's ways are often beyond our ability to understand. We won't always be able to comprehend what He's doing in the world and in our lives, but I want to assure you of this:  We can trust the one who holds us in His mighty hand, in small things as well as big ones.

God's will is sometimes inconvenient. Peter was a fisherman by trade and had just finished a long, unsuccessful night of fishing. As he cleaned his nets on shore, Jesus asked Peter to take Him out in his boat so He could continue teaching (Luke 5:1-3).  Jesus’ request was not unreasonable. It was a small thing and may have seemed unimportant: but Peter did what Jesus asked.

We tend to think that God is only interested in the big, important events in our lives, but in reality, His will is lived out one little act of obedience at a time. The Holy Spirit's promptings don't always come when we're well rested and eager to obey. He may ask us to help someone in need when it's uncomfortable for us. Following Jesus requires self-denial in order to fulfill His desires.

Yet, there may be times when the Lord's will does seem unreasonable. After Jesus finished teaching, He asked  Peter to do something illogical to a professional fisherman:  "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch" (Luke 5:4). Fishermen in Galilee knew that fish were caught at night in shallow water…but Peter obeyed.

Are we willing to do what God says even when it seems unreasonable? Throughout my years of ministry, I've watched the Lord sovereignly direct my path in some of the most unexpected ways. It often seemed illogical to me, but every time I obeyed Him, He brought me exactly where I needed to be and equipped me with everything I needed to accomplish what He'd planned.

Trusting the Lord even when obedience seems foolish is essential if we want to live our life according to His will. Common sense is inadequate compared to the omniscience and wisdom of an all-powerful God. If we step out in faith, our perspective of the Lord will increase like Peter's did. Because he obeyed Jesus, he caught such a great quantity of fish that his nets began to tear.

God's will is spiritually life changing. When Peter saw the miraculous catch of fish, he realized he was in the presence of deity and felt the guilt of his own sin, exclaiming, "Go away from me. Lord, for I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8)  Repentance is a prerequisite for being used by God. We can never walk in His will as long as we walk in pride, independence, and self righteousness.

Jesus didn't give Peter all those fish so he could become a more successful fisherman or to brag about his great catch, but so that Peter would see the greatness of the one who was calling him to become a fisher of men and leave it all to follow Him (Luke 5:10). This moment was orchestrated by God to lead Peter into the role God had planned for him to become the apostle who would lay a foundation for the Church.

The Lord can work the same way in our life, if we but let Him… We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph. 2:10). His will for us was established long before we were born.   

If you want to know God's will, read His Word (the Bible) ask Him to guide you. Seek Godly counsel when you need it, and you will find it.

I wish you a Blessed 4th of July!

With God's Blessings,
your servant,
stella +


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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 +++

Stella's latest book is available at all breakfast meetings and through major on-line booksellers. ** Now available in Spanish! **