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“Makeover” is a free downloadable skit for women’s ministry at Retreat-in-a-Bag. Needy DeDe feels lonely, unlovely and unloved, and needs a makeover. Will the world have the answers she needs?
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Leave a Comment (0) →After a recent study of Jesus’ prayer in John 17, I was pondering how this portion of scripture applies to those of us in leadership in women’s ministry. In this prayer, we see Jesus’s heart as He prays for “those whom You gave me” – speaking of His eleven disciples with Him at the time, and His heart for us, “those who will believe on Me.” Jesus had manifested the Father’s name to this small group of men (vs.6) and had given them the Word of God (vs. 8). He had preached about God, but He also lived out God in an observable way in their midst (“he who has seen Me has seen the Father”). He had discipled them by encouraging and exhorting them as they stepped out in ministry. Jesus had poured His life into this small group of very ordinary men…men that He refers to as those God had given Him. We see Jesus’ heart for them as He prays for them. He commits the “keeping” of them to the Father (vs. 11), and prays for their unity (vs. 11, 21), their joy (vs. 13), protection from the evil in the world (vs. 15) and their purity (vs. 17).
Perhaps in a similar way, God has “given” us women…the women who take the step to walk in the door of a women’s event or women’s Bible study. In a very real way, those women are those whom God has given us. He has put them in our path, perhaps temporarily, so that we can live out God in an observable way so that they can know God better. God has given us the opportunity to teach them, disciple them, and minister to them individually. Some may leave, not being truly a part of us; others may stay and learn and grow with us. Who are those women that God has given you?
“Trees Planted by the Water“ is one of the latest Serial Skits by Retreat-in-a-Bag. This four-act serial skit follows five greenhouse-grown saplings, transplanted by the water, through seasons of growth. They face trials and temptations, but learn wisdom from a nearby mature and fruitful tree.
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Our pastor’s wife, Denise, shares a devotion about the pressure we sometimes experience in women’s ministry:
A wine press is a device used to extract juice from crushed grapes during wine making. There are many different kinds, but basically every wine press exerts pressure that will free the juice from the fruit. The wine press pictured continuously forces the grapes up against the barrel wall, applying pressure on the grapes until the juice is flowing. I can image that the grape, if it could think, might be a little discouraged, being forced up against that wall, particularly if it was unaware that there was a purpose for the pressure.
God says in Zech. 13:9b “I will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them” Isaiah 48:10 adds that God will test us in the furnace of affliction. God tries and proves our minds and hearts (Psalm 26:2). In ministry, we may find ourselves in the heat of a refiner’s fire, the furnace of affliction and the wine press. Will we draw close to the Lord and call on His name?
Often, in the intense preparations for a women’s event, we find all of our leaders “in the wine press.” Family and personal issues are putting pressure on them in addition to the demands of the upcoming event. Will we continue to serve Him while the pressure is on us, or will we give up? As the wine press exerts pressure on us, will we produce sour or sweet wine?
“The Puzzling Game of Life“ is another Serial Skit by Retreat-in-a-Bag. This four-act serial skit uses various game shows to provide settings for the main character to progress in her spiritual journey. The skit shows how God uses even those difficult experiences in our lives for our good and the good of others.
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