Flourish in Your Calling-The Gift in You!

     Only one week away until our 15th annual conference "Flourish" with keynote speaker Dr. Caroline Leaf! There is much excitement in the air with emails flying in asking tons of questions about the schedule, what to expect and prayer requests from near and far. God uses gifted speakers/ teachers like Dr. Leaf to impart wisdom and knowledge to embark on the "journey of restoration", our vision here at WJOF.

     2 Peter is a book in the Bible where the apostle Peter wrote to the believers to encourage them to  stay in the truth and not be swayed by deception. The Word of God transcends time, and what was applicable in the first century to those on the journey to restoration is applicable now in 2014. As Peter warned against false teachers and emphasized staying in the truth and knowledge of God, we too are given leaders, pastors and teachers of the Word like Dr. Leaf who has been given a gift to impart incredible truths today. In order for us to flourish, we can rely on the simple but profound truth that through a relationship with Jesus Christ, He gives us "... everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3 NIV

    WJOF's recommended study this year is "The Gift in You". Dr. Leaf writes: "No matter what you have been told, what tests you may have taken, or what you believe about yourself- you have a unique gift, different from anyone else's, to fulfill your purpose in this world."
 -Dr. Caroline Leaf Author of "The Gift in You" and "Switch on Your Brain" among other best selling titles being featured at this year's Flourish Conference.

Visit her website  and watch a 40 minute message on "The Gift in You". http://bit.ly/JEt2l1   That outlines the 7 pillars of thought and she helps us to identify the unique gift in how we have been wired to deliver our gift(s) to serve a world in need.

You can purchase her book, workbook and DVD curriculum through her website.  Although her study isn't focusing on spiritual gifts as outlined in scripture, she addresses the gift of how the mind is wired to function in our gifts.

(If you haven't taken personality/strengths tests like DISC, Myers Briggs or you haven't taken a spiritual gift test before, there are numerous resources out there to purchase or incredible classes to take. WJOF has a free pdf download on our website if you can take 15 minutes of your time to read and fill out the questions. If you haven't done so, we encourage you to Click Here to download and print off! Sharing the results with a trusted friend and pastor of a Bible believing church will help sharpen your call and focus for serving.)

If you have any questions about the study (or want to connect with a study group or a church in the Saskatoon area) feel free to contact us at WJOF by emailing admin@wjof.com as we'd love to encourage you on your journey of faith!

"Each of you should use whatever gift he (or she) has received to serve others, faithfully administrating God's grace in it's various forms" 1 Peter 4:10

WJOF and CCS are partnering to bring in Dr. Leaf to Saskatoon for two incredible events this year! Dr. Leaf will be speaking at the CCS event on Thursday November 6th at the Willows in Saskatoon, SK Canada. Visit CCS's website for details and registration. Women's Journey of Faith's 15th annual conference Flourish is on Friday November 7th from 7pm-9:30pm and continuing through Saturday November 8th from 9am-5pm with Dr. Caroline Leaf speaking 4 time's throughout the Flourish event along with music by Dustin Smith and the Faith Alive Band. Lorie Hartshorn (author of Finding Freedom), will be acting as Emcee for Flourish alongside the host of the conference Jodi Kozan, President and Founder of WJOF alongside her team. For more information and to register, visit WJOF's website!

Flourish in Relationships: Man vs Woman by Dr. Caroline Leaf

Relating with members of the opposite sex can be frustrating and difficult, but it doesn't have to be! Successful relationships begin in the mind (which seeks understanding), and, through the choices we make, will end in the Spirit (which knows truth). In my book, "Who Switched Off Your Brain? The Mystery of He Said, She Said", I know the three C's of relationships:

• We are designed to complete each other and not compete with each other.
• We are compatible.
• We are complimentary.

Men and women have been created to complement one another through their own unique strengths; we are exponentially better together! This goes for husband- wife, father-daughter, mother-son, personal and professional relationships. It doesn't take a PhD to know men and women are not the same- we don't think the same, talk the same or act the same. These differences aren't a result of our environments and our upbringing, they're built in by design, God's design. As it says in Genesis 1:27, "He made male and female in His image."

Watch this video clip from a series Dr. Leaf did at Victory church in Atlanta Georgia. She highlights some of the points featured in the book "Who Switched off Your Brain." It's more than a marriage series, it is filled with key insights that will help you better understand the often mysterious behaviour of the opposite sex, and practical tips that will quickly improve your relationships! All of her books will be available at the Flourish conference on November 7-8 2014 at TCU Place Convention centre and also available on her website as a digital download.

Dr. Leaf shares "You are You! And you express your uniqueness through your maleness and your femaleness and you will be interacting with the opposite sex daily whether you like it or not! So in order to not get toxic in our minds, we need to understand each other and target that struggle! In doing so, we increase our intelligence, health and longevity! Why is this important? Here is a sobering thought: research shows that couples that have especially sarcastic and argumentative discussions heal 40% slower than those who don’t. And we all want to be healthy!"- Dr Caroline Leaf

WJOF is excited to host Dr. Leaf to our 15th annual conference "Flourish" on November 7th-8th at TCU Place Convention Centre in Saskatoon!  With 1400 women registered thus far, we have room for hundreds more, so don't delay and get your tickets through TCU Tickets or online- for registration information, contact numbers visit www.wjof.com/2014 to purchase your tickets and to learn more about our exciting event. You don't want to miss it! Questions about the conference or the ministry of Women's Journey of Faith? Our website is a great place to learn more- or you can email us at admin@wjof.com   

We'd love to hear from you! In what ways are you flourishing in (or not experiencing) the truths of the three C's of relationships? Feel free to comment below or connect with a WJOF leader through our WJOF mentor Centre! 

"Godly Wisdom/ Wise Counsel" by guest blogger Wilna Van Beek

As we prepare for our 14th annual conference "Wisdom" with Keynote speaker Mary Kassian and musical guest Point of Grace, we are featuring blog posts from our recommended speaker team to share their journey on wisdom! This week, Wilna Van Beek shares with us the value of wisdom in all situations...

     It’s been an interesting and very challenging fall for me personally. I had several speaking engagements where I would share my story of redemption and restoration through Jesus Christ, and how there is so much hope in Him! Then I heard that a protest was on the rise in my city... People were protesting my testimony! (What? How? Why?) My first reaction was to jump on the first plane and just fly away! But, because God calls us to be men and women of valour, I did not jump on a plane. Instead, I prayed and sought WISDOM!  I sought GODLY wisdom and WORDLY wisdom! When we  face difficult situations in life, we need both!

• Godly Wisdom - It is comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God

• Worldly Wisdom - Having or showing sound judgment, great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them

Needless to say, God showed up in many ways!

He says that we must ask!  The wisest thing we can do in the midst of difficulty is to engage the assistance of someone who knows how to talk to God! Not only to pray, but also to help and assist in whatever way necessary. (Sometimes we are too proud to ask others to pray for us, or to ask for wise counsel!) 

 I asked for wise counsel…  

 ^“For by WISE counsel, you can wage your war, and in an abundance of counsellors there is victory and safety”. Proverbs 24:6 (amp)

…and God was faithful to bring many people alongside not only to intercede, but to give advice that the organizers and I needed.  (I had moments of being very scared though!)

I also asked for GODLY WISDOM…

“‘If any of you is deficient in WISDOM, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.”  James 1:5 (amp)

…and the Holy Spirit gave “insight into the ways and purposes of God” (which is Godly Wisdom). We received insight into God’s plans and purposes for the event despite the protest! 

^“He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the TRUTH we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free.”  1 Timothy 2:4 (msg)

So, WISDOM this fall meant to abide in Jesus!  It had to be daily, hourly, and even by the minute! (One of my speaking topics is about Abiding in the Vine, and this became such a reality for me! I realized how I needed to abide in His strength, power and wisdom in this difficult situation! I had to practice what I was preaching!) 

With Him, in Him, and through Him we have power to overcome and live victorious lives, but…. ”apart from Me (cut of from vital union with Me) you can do nothing!”John 15:5b

How precious was it to feel that life giving sap flow in times when I felt  discouraged, scared, and weak. To feel that sustaining power, love, grace and mercy is revitalizing!

Today, I look back with such a grateful heart and  I am in awe of what God accomplished through this event! He showed up and He did all the work of the heart because He is in the business of restoration, redemption, healing and forgiveness!   Those who were hungry, He personally fed them the bread of life! He quenched their thirst and stilled their hunger because of His love for all men/women! We heard so many stories of how lives were touched and changed...

So, how did all the people and I who organized the event receive wisdom?
The key was not so much what we knew, but rather, who we knew and still know!  It is friendship with the One who says:  

^“Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).” Jeremiah 33:3 (amp)

When this friendship becomes a lifestyle, answers and divine solutions, uniquely clever and true to their source, will come. These solutions are the kind we would never conceive on our own!

And today I can say, along with Job:

” God understands the way [to WISDOM] and He knows the place of it [WISDOM is with God alone].” Job 28:23 (amp)

I am so thankful to know the One! To be able to sit with Him and obtain WISDOM, whether it is worldly or godly wisdom, is a privilege... 

May this inspire you to know your source of WISDOM on your journey of faith! 

Wilna was born and raised in South Africa, later moved to Canada, and  is now enjoying her dual citizenship journey! She is a pioneer in ministering to diverse groups including homosexuals as she has had multiple gay relationships in her past. She speaks to groups of any size to grow in understanding, love and great empathy by sharing her faith journey. When speaking to Christ followers, she encourages them to put on the Jesus glasses as we treat others with both truth and grace. 

  

She is currently involved in outreaches such as: Winning Women (a ministry that reaches out to children in the inner city of Saskatoon) and is an active member of her local church. Wilna is also a recent graduate of the School of Women in Ministry. She owns her own grooming business and is passionate about it! Though the rest of her family is living in South Africa, she considers her two dogs, Daisy and Thursdae, a part of her family:)

• To find out more about Wilna click here: Wilna Van Beek
• To find out more about WJOF and our upcoming conference where Wilna will be on a panel with others on our speaker team, click here: WJOF/2013

TW101 Week 3 "Sugar and Spice"

 "What does it mean to be a woman? The current cultural ideal for womanhood encourages women to be strident, overly sexual, self-centred,  extremely independent (or Codependent) -- but above all -- powerful and in control. Sadly, this model of womanhood hasn't delivered the happiness and fulfillment it promised. The Bible teaches that it's not up to us to decide what womanhood is all about. God created male and female for a very specific purpose. His design isn't arbitrary or unimportant. It is very intentional and He wants women to discover, embrace, and delight in the beauty of His design." 

-Moody Publishers

     Being the mom of four daughters has heightened my awareness of the upside and downside of female thinking and behaviour. Yes, there is a lot of estrogen in the Kozan home, but my husband has learned to navigate and lead well amidst it all. Not without our share of trials and drama, but does anything eternally worthwhile ever come without challenges? :)

     Celebrating my daughter's High School graduation recently brings this mother to another level of reflection on my faith journey. Have I taught her to seek out and follow truth? Do I model biblical womanhood to Jess and her sisters on a consistent basis? Going through this study, the Spirit of the living God reminds me of times where I did impart God's Word through mentoring, mothering and modelling the principles. At the same time, I am gently reminded of those times where I didn't and my heart breaks for the lies I bought into of a counterfeit restoration!  Some of which were lies I inadvertently bought into through media and cultural influences where I aligned and defined myself throughout my formative years. Ideologies rooted in the "Wonder Woman" mindset of the 70's-80's, I was swept up into a whirlind of deception which carried over into my marriage, parenting and identity without realizing it at the time.  (We will look at that later on in week 6 "Hear me Roar") I cannot erase time or mistakes I've made as a wife, a mother, a woman... but I can receive God's restoring grace to redeem those times of waywardness.  Although I had a radical transformation with giving my life fully to Christ in 1996 receiving such grace, I have been unfolding His truth and life each passing day since.

             Restoration begins in the heart, extends to the family and seeks to infiltrate the world! 

     I believe Tim and I have been given the gift of raising confident daughters, yet God asks us to parent them to be soft in their strength.  We pray that they know their true strength lies with their identity in Christ and God's plan for them  rather than the worlds view on their identity.  Deep down inside, we ache to be loved, accepted, secure and significant and ultimately to make a difference. My girls are no exception as they too want to be world changers!  I remind them often- it is not through "Girl Power", but through the power of God at work within:

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." Ephesians 3:19

   How about you? Do you ache to see God's Kingdom come and His will be done?  As the Founder of Women's Journey of Faith and in leadership since 1999, my involvement has catapulted my interest in learning more about why God created us as women over the years.  This study has grabbed my heart like no other because of it's foundational teaching, hence calling it "True Woman 101"... Brilliant Mary and Nancy! (Co-authors of this study) Hats off to them and Moody Publishers for putting together a fantastic study that is so needed in our ever changing, fast paced, love starved, media frenzied, celebrity chasing world. One that more often than not seeks to confuse, distract and lure us all to distort gender and God's "divine Design" through oppression, neutralization or seeking an extremist feminist agenda like no other time in history.

“Sugar and spice and everything nice, that’s what little girls are made of.” The message of this nursery rhyme is one that many women today would rather not embrace. After completing week three in your True Woman 101 book, watch this twenty-minute conversation between authors Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Mary Kassian, and their friends as they discuss how our culture has changed the idea of womanhood and then point us to core qualities of a true woman of God."- TW101  
TrueWoman 101 - Week 3 Table Talk from TrueWoman 101 on Vimeo.
Chapter 3 Focus verses: 1 Peter 4:7, Genesis 2:18-20, 1 Corinthians 11:8-9, Psalm 42:1-2, Genesis 2:22-23, Genesis 3:20, 1 Peter 3-4, 2 Timothy 3:6-7, Titus 2:4-5, 1 Timothy 5:14, Proverbs 31:27, Genesis 2:18, 

On page 84 of the TW101 workbook, Mary and Nancy confirm four core strengths and attributes of women as a whole: 

• Softness
• Having a welcoming responsive spirit
• Forming deep relational bonds
• Creating a place to beget and nurture life.

Gender Matters. True we are imperfect creatures living in a fallen world, but Jesus came to restore all that was lost in the fall of mankind! This includes restoring women to our original intent and empowering us with the Spirit of God to make it possible to live out those strengths and influence rightly in a world aching for answers.

Do you agree? Check out the discussion guide below and visit TW101 website for other helpful videos on this topic including "Softness and Strength",  "Bent Towards Relationships", and the "Challenges of Womanhood"  We'd love to hear from you on any of the points in this study. What does it mean to be a woman? As we open God's word together, we will all be blown away by His divine design:)

TW101 Week 2 "Snips and Snails"

     Week 1 proved to set the tone for this WJOF Summer Study adventure through God's word, and we pray you are all excited to venture with us in reviewing "Divine Design, an 8 week study on Biblical Womanhood!" Simple, yet profound foundational truths we are diving into this year as we gear up for the "Wisdom" conference November 1-2 at TCU Place Saskatoon, SK with keynote speaker Mary Kassian (one of the co-authors of this study)...
   
     This week's focus is on men.  Depending on the woman, you may be saying... "ahhh... what does a chapter on MEN have to do with ME?" or some may be curious, excited to study further... Wherever you are at, I pray you are open to God speaking to you through this focus before we journey further into other chapters.

     Pastor John Piper is quoted as saying: "The depreciation of male and female personhood is a great loss. It is taking a tremendous toll on generations of young men and women who do not know what it means to be a man or a woman." Our vision is the Restoration of Women here at WJOF and we know that the restoration of both genders go hand in hand and it is crucial we know what Jesus came to restore men to...

   One of my favourite photos and summertime memories is when my husband Tim and I went ziptrecking in the mountains of Whistler B.C.  He always encourages me to go out of my comfort zone when on holidays or at conferences and I am so glad he does!  I am a "strong woman", yet he cares for my safety and protection and I like having him take the lead in many instances (including going first down the zip line!) With our helmets in place and our gear all strapped on, I felt safe and secure as we rode the lines together with our crew. Reminds me of the security we have in Christ when we follow His design for protection and provision. Tim and I are both created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), we both have unique gifts as husband and wife, man and woman- and yet there are distinct differences and strengths/ weaknesses we "bring to the table." I know deeply that women and men are pretty confused with their roles and relationships, churches and marriages are suffering as a result across the nations. Jesus came to restore us all spiritually, emotionally, relationally and physically...  As I journey along in my imperfections yet seeking to live by faith, I see God restoring me and my husband as we seek His will for our relationship and not our own selfish independent ways...

"But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand." Isaiah 64:8

      Not only is this week's lesson helpful for marriage relationships, but also for the way we engage in other relationships as father/daughter, sister/brother, pastors/friends/coworkers...  Why all the pain in the world? Men (or women) are NOT our enemy... Satan is our enemy and he wants to destroy God's plans for restoration and is working overtime doing just that in our world. The more we realize that ALL have sinned and that we've ALL fall short of the glory of God the better. Sadly, there is so much discord in male/ female relationships, we tend to play the blame game. We blame God, we blame each other and then the true enemy of our souls has us just where he wants us... (more on that in upcoming lessons "Snake in my Garden and Battle of the Sexes",... I appreciate this week's teaching- I pray you do to! It's balanced and filled with God's transformational truth to help us understand more fully why God made men- Men! That way, we can pray, encourage, (have boundaries when needed) and trust Christ to do the restoration work in their lives as we too find grace for the journey!

"We know little boys aren’t really made of “snips and snails and puppy dog tails,” but what are guys really made of? After completing week two in your True Woman 101 book, watch this twenty-minute conversation between authors Nancy Leigh De Moss, Mary Kassian, and their friends as they discuss that if we want to understand what God has in mind for us as women, we need to first take a look at what He has in mind for men." -True Woman 101 

Here is Mary and Nancy on their "Table Talk" with their crew as they discuss this lesson: "Snips and Snails"- Enjoy:)

Key verses in this week's study: Genesis 2:7-8, Isaiah 64:8, Psalm 139:14-16, Genesis 2:15, Ephesians 5:28-29, Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 2:20-22, 1 Corinthians 11:8-10,  Ephesians 5:23-25, Mark 10:42-45,

Here's a link to the Discussion questions from Week 2 on Snips and Snails! You can use this as a place to ponder the concepts in the study if you are simply watching the video solo this summer or going deeper in this study with the workbook! 

Here is yet another fabulous teaching from Mary Kassian, our keynote speaker for Wisdom who talks about the "Genesis of Gender" from a previous conference:


*What do you think? Do you think God's design for men benefits or harms women? Where are you seeing the dire need for men to "man up" in your world? As we know we can't change people, only God can! But what then is our role as we seek God's heart for restoring men? We'd love to hear from you!

"God created men to image the relationship of Christ to the church and this has significant implications for male-female relationships." -TW101

Our Vision: The Restoration of Women!

Reflecting on our vision statement as we embark on a new ministry year, a key scriptural verse that comes to mind is from the story of Zacchaeus encountering Jesus found in Luke 19:10 . By reading this verse in 3 different translations, we can consider what being "lost" truly means. As a ministry to women, these convictions affects how we seek to connect with women throughout the year: 

“ For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” (NLV)                                 
Women are "lost" without a relationship with Jesus. WJOF seeks to pursue our vision by sharing and hearing testimonies of restoration. As believers, we have a responsibility to share the good news that Jesus Christ is Savior of the world!

“For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost." (Message) 
 Women are "lost" without truth to guide their path.  Jesus Christ calls all women to a deeper relationship with him as Lord.  Christian women continue to face distractions, lies and temptations to lure us off the path of holiness. WJOF seeks to pursue the restoration vision through life changing discipleship opportunities!

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Amplified) 
 Women are "lost" in the shuffle if not positioned in God’s kingdom purposes. They need alignment as both men and women are called to reflect God's image and character. (Genesis 1:27). WJOF seeks to pursue our vision through encouragement and affirming the call upon each and every life we touch. We've heard many stories from women who've attended our events who have experienced just that!

It is obvious that Jesus came to restore all that was lost in the fall of mankind. Would you join us in prayer as we seek to proclaim this message in all we set out to do this year? 

Restoring His Kingdom as Jesus teaches us to pray "on earth as it is in heaven."

Restoring Dignity

Restoring Purpose 
Restoring Joy 
Restoring Peace
Restoring Balance
Restoring Relationships 
Restoring Marriages
Restoring Strength 

*Personal reflection time ladies...What does "Restoration" or "Being Restored" mean to you?