Thanks for joining us today as we are reminded of the presence of our Lord even in the midst of a storm! We hope and pray that you are encouraged in your walk of restoration to flourish and grow.
As leaders, the LORD calls us to persevere in following Him and His call on our lives through struggles and trials and challenges. It can feel like we are walking in the midst of roaring waves! Along the way, the LORD sends encouragement and words of reassurance to keep going, to press on, to keep believing Him.
Yesterday, the LORD gave me a gift of encouragement that redefined the last eight years leading Connecting Streams through many perceived difficulties and challenges…
Sandy asked me to come to her place for coffee. She leads our new cross-fit team at the Edmonton Institute for Women – they began volunteering a few months ago.
When I arrived at her home, the driveway was full of cars. I went to the door and Sandy announced that she had a surprise for me – we were not alone…I followed her into the dining room to find a group of women sitting around the table…Suzanne, Donna, Dara and Krista – all new volunteers that I had not met yet.
They announced that they had called me there to thank me for starting Connecting Streams and to tell me how their lives had changed since volunteering. They began one by one to tell me their stories:
…you opened the door
…my life has been completely changed
…words cannot describe
…God is teaching me how much He loves me through going to visit the women in prison
…It’s like looking in the mirror – it could have been me
…I was missing something in my Christian life and the void has been filled…by mission
…We have been awakened
…It’s an adventure with Him
…We are seeing little miracles all around
…We are learning to depend on the Holy Spirit
…We have to share this experience…with brothers, husbands, sisters…there are other women like us
…We just want to thank you for persevering
I was blown away. Women testifying of the life change we dream of. I was reminded again – LORD, YOU have made us for mission. I thank the LORD – every time we have needed it, HE has encouraged, broken through, provided, opened doors…for each of us and for Connecting Streams – all HIM!
Words really cannot convey the experience. I pray you are equally encouraged.
I don’t know where you are walking in your journey with the LORD – but be encouraged. He sees you in all of the storms in your life and He invites you to walk with Him in the midst. In Matthew 14, in the midst of a storm, Jesus was walking by the boat. The disciples were in the boat and they cried out in fear. Jesus immediately spoke to them and said “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” So Peter asked if Jesus would call him to walk on the water too. Jesus called and Peter stepped out of the boat. The wind and the waves unnerved him but when he began to sink, Jesus reached out and caught him.
He is walking with us in the midst of the storms of life. He doesn’t always calm the storms – He walks on the water in the midst. He sees you friends – He is calling you to risk following Him. All along the way, He will encourage you to press on. He has gifts and rewards that are beyond putting into words.
Donna serves as the National Director for Connecting Streams’ Ministry, a ministry division of Power to Change. She encourages believers to rediscover a relevant, thriving faith that authentically and completely reflects Jesus; as a result, restoring believers and those discovering faith in Jesus to the abundant life that God intended (Isaiah 58). As a national ministry leader, Donna eloquently expresses her passion as a compelling influential speaker at regional and national conferences, outreach events, church retreats and leadership workshops to encourage, empower, and equip believers to step out from behind church walls to reach out to a hurting world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Website: Donna Mitchell
Website: Donna Mitchell
Facebook: Connecting Streams/Facebook
To learn more about WJOF and our upcoming conference: WJOF/STJ
