We've already started out celebrations with a West Auckland Area church parade and sleepover at Westgate Baptist on the Friday evening through to Saturday morning. A fabulous service, an awesome speaker (Raewyn), and fun action songs (Megan). Thanks to the planning by Veronica, piano by Val, and the readings and prayers by the girls. Then we all got into our PJ's and watched 'Another Cinderella Story' with Selina Gomez, and when it had some supper and danced around. Heaps of fun! A great breakfast in the morning, thanks Dorothy.
This week the Pt. Chev company is having a big birthday party on Wednesday and a celebration service on Sunday to show all the things they have learnt and have been preparing for this very special week.
The 10th June is also the Girls' Brigade International Day of Prayer...and if you come back to this blog from 9am and then every hour onwards you'll find guidance on praying for all our Girls' Brigades around the world...and not only that to pray for girls everywhere.
Reflection 1: Girls' Brigade 120 years
From Asia:
The year is 478 B.C. A young Jewish girl named Haddaseh is crowned as the new queen of King Ahasuerus of Persia. Imagine a young woman, an orphan raised by her uncle, a member of an exiled people, crowned as queen of Persia! Unthinkable, but God works in mysterious ways. Five years later, the Israelite people are threatened with extermination. The death of her whole people and here is Queen Esther. She alone has the power to stop the plans of Haman, but she must risk her own life for the lives of her people. After much prayer and fasting, Queen Esther is able to go before the king uninvited, and the rest is history.
Now, the year is 2013. Young and old, Asian, American, African, European, girls from the Pacific and Caribbean, united by the organization that is the Girls Brigade. In the world of these girls, there are many influences that could undermine their discovery of faith and stand in the way of the work to which God has called this GB. Poverty, hunger, lack of education, discrimination, peer pressure, materialism and the increasing sexualisation of girls: all rage around these women of God. United as they are through Girls' Brigade they are, however, in the position to stand in the gap, to fight as warrior princesses for the faith of others in their nations. With the power of prayer, these modern-day Esther’s are ready to take up the fight and go on behalf of their King. When He hears their prayers, the wonders He will do in and through them will forever be remembered in history.
In all our giving – whether it is time, money, effort, talents and abilities – may we always remember that it is deeply anchored in the character of God. He is the first One who gave wholly, generously, and willingly and because He gave, it is possible for us to give. He creates opportunities upon opportunities for us to do those good works (Ephesians 2:10). He enables us to do them and, sometimes, He even allows us to witness the fruit of those good works. Therefore, ‘for from Him and through Him and to Him are all things… to Him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:36)
Virene A. Azarcon (Officer) and Karin Shana Bangsoy (Young Leader)
From Africa:
Matthew 16:24 reads: “Then Jesus said to his disciples,’’those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their cross and follow me.”
Are there times when you feel tired. fed-up and feeling you would like to give up?. Following Christ while in our comfort zone is always easy and fun. But for us to show our love for Him, we must be ready to follow Him during good and bad times. We may have to sacrifice a lot and deny ourselves some privileges so as to do that which He desires of us.
GB worldwide is taking time out to pray and walk for girls. Why not deny ourselves of the comfort our houses, leisure time and may be food, to demonstrate our love for God and for GB. This is that time of the year where we connect with our sisters and friends all over the world.
Let the fun begin, let it out, say a prayer, shout aloud and speak for girls. Prayerwave/walkathon
2013,we walk by faith.
Ruth Morris.
From Europe:
Everyone loves to celebrate! Celebrations evoke memories of happy, joyful times. In 2013, Girls’ Brigade is celebrating its 120th year of ministry, ‘Girls’ lives transformed, God’s world enriched! As we join in celebrating the mighty God we serve, we are raising up our hands in praise, thanksgiving and unity in Christ. We are getting on our knees to pray for our sisters across the world and the issues that girls face in 2013, knowing that our Heavenly Father calls us to love others and reach out by sharing His unending love. And we are shining our lights in the area that God has placed us, walking to raise awareness and celebrate Girls’ Brigade. ‘We walk by faith, not by sight.’ 2 Corinthians 5:7.
Celebrations also evoke thoughts towards the future and what is next. Today many people are filled with worry about these things; they want to know clearly what is in their future. It is true that none of us know what tomorrow holds, but we know the God of love who holds our tomorrow and our future. To focus on 2 Corinthians 5:7 as we walk through our 120th year is a great goal to pursue. This verse, ‘We walk by faith not by sight’ comes from a passage where Paul is explaining our temporal home and describes these as earth and the body. He’s comparing it to the incredible hope of living in heaven with God one day and how amazing it will be. Paul sympathises with how difficult this can be to expect based on our earthly troubles, and circumstances. But we know that Jesus never promised that to follow Him would be easy, that we would be without problems and troubles. But what He did promise was strength for the day, comfort for the tears and a life in its fullness. So we can travel through our unknown knowing love, hope and with a hand out to God – the best light that will shine through the darkness.
So let’s celebrate our 120th year and let our confidence for all that is to come, be in our amazing Heavenly Father.
Jayne Ruddock.
Reflection 2: Prayer Wave 2013 theme.
2 Corinthians 5 : 7 “For we walk by faith not by sight”
From Asia:
We live in a world of warring principalities, of black and white, good and evil. Yet rarely are these two so separate, so defined. We see a world of different shades of grey, where candles, lamps, and torches shine in a myriad of different intensities. Some shine and are suddenly put out, extinguished by the ever-present, ever-growing darkness. Some are little more than a feeble spark. Some are just flashes of brilliance, yet others are the strong, vibrant light that leads others to the right path.
Eyes can deceive. What we see is a confusion of our mind, a result of the war around us. Different views and perspectives are what tear friendships apart, destroy the ties that bind, break down trust and ruin reputations. What we think we know only brings out more of what we do not know. Eventually, the war turns inside, the raging roar of mind against reality, the struggle to really define for ourselves what the truth is. Rarely do we look inside our hearts, to search for the reservoir of faith that comes from our Heavenly Father. For it is faith that tells us what is true even though our eyes see deceit. It is faith that tells us we can move mountains even though our eyes see insurmountable odds. It is faith that tells us to keep loving, even though our eyes see only hate. It is faith that tells us to keep reaching out, even when our eyes see only loneliness. It is faith that tells us to keep hoping, keep dreaming, even when our eyes tell of a bleak future ahead. It is faith in God alone that will be our guide, even when our eyes can no longer see.
It is walking by faith that will enable us to overcome every difficulty, every challenge that will come our way – distance, communication, culture, etc. It is faith that will bind us together in love as we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against powers and authorities. It is faith that will enable us to hold on to the truth that Christ has overcome the world and thus we can take heart. It is faith that will keep us walking amidst all uncertainties because we have a God who is certain.
As we join hands, it is also by faith that we bind our hearts for the glory of God to be displayed
amongst the Girls in the world.
From Africa:
It is always easier to believe and trust what we have seen and handled. We sit comfortably on a chair because we believe it can carry our weight, and since we have tried it over and over we have come to trust it.
2Corinthians 5:7 “it is what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going” (MSG).
God is calling GB worldwide to trust him to activate their faith as He takes the lead. We might not have seen any glimmer of hope, but we need to keep moving on.
Lets walk in faith believing God to bring His light through GB to girls around the world.
