How will they hear without a preacher, and how will they preach unless they are sent? How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace and the glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:14-15
Orlando Butterfly Training Thursday 27- Monday 31 March.
In recent weeks I’ve met with some very broken, desperate women – not in India or Asia, but here, in the USA. Reaching for the success defined by Hollywood has left these women insecure, desperate, broken and their lives and the lives of their children in ruins.
These women are the sad fall out from a society advocating a freedom that “we can have it all, we deserve it all, and – anything goes.” We are the extreme opposite of countries where women have no freedom. We have a vote, we have a voice, – but our freedom has taken us into slavery. We are not free at all!.
Listening to these very broken women, I have felt as helpless to help them as I did any desperate woman in India. For the ones willing to admit their brokenness; divorce, addictions, abuse, lies, debt, rejection, shame, fear, insecurity, desperation, sickness – there is only one answer – Jesus, and the truth found in God’s word – the truth which heals and sets all of us free. There is no other answer.
But it is frightening how little women know of God or the bible, when He is their ONLY answer and hope! How will so many troubled women in our society find help, how will they call on the only One who CAN help them, if they don’t know Him and don’t believe in Him?
I really thank God that only by His grace, His promises have brought me through my darkest hours, and out of many miry pits – but my heart cries for those who don’t know where to turn. As Paul cried for Israel, I cry for these women – How will they believe if they don’t hear? And how will they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? Romans 10:14-15
The cries and pain of my precious American neighbors and sisters has led me in helplessness to my knees, to do the only thing I could do – cry to the Lord for them. I am helpless to unravel the mess in their lives. I cannot solve their problems. I have no power to change them or their circumstances. They desperately need the good news about Jesus. They desperately need to know how to search and depend on His word, to access His power, and experience His love.
How many of us feel equipped to deal with the brokenness and confusion in our society and the messy lives of women around us? How many of us even know how deep their brokenness is? The situation is only going to get worse. We who have received God’s grace through His precious promises, are compelled by His love to reach them, to bring them His truth, to offer them His peace and freedom.
But how? I believe the greatest impact we have is to first bring these desperate ones to the throne of grace and weep for them the way Jeremiah wept for his people;
“I would comfort myself in sorrow My heart is faint in me. Listen! The voice of the daughter of my people from a far country. Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her? Jeremiah 8:18-19
“For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning”….Jeremiah 8:21
“Oh that my head were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears. That I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” Jeremiah 9:1
The next step is to be prepared and equipped in God’s word, and empowered by His Spirit, ready to respond when He calls us minister into another woman’s life – “having feet ready and shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15).
Today, twelve of our Butterfly leaders from around the world will meet in Orlando for our third Leaders & Discipleship workshop. My prayer for this time is that we will weep with deeper love and longing for Jesus, and we will leave empowered to share Jesus and His word with others. I am asking the Lord to transform us in His love, equip us in His word and send us out as “preachers,” women equipped and empowered by God’s Spirit to bring the gospel of truth and freedom to women living in bondage in our communities.
Will you pray with me that those who don’t know Him, the brokenhearted and captives in our communities will hear and believe His word through our Butterflies as they learn to boldly teach others and minister healing and freedom in the power of His Holy Spirit?
Will you join me in specific prayer for this week:
- Please pray for the women of America, Poland, Peru, Kenya, Nigeria, Cambodia and Costa Rica, countries represented by Butterfly leaders coming to Orlando today. They come believing through their own experience that Jesus and His word is the only answer to set women free. We believe THEIR freedom begins on OUR knees – in prayer, we beseech the Lord to open up the heavens and send His healing word through us.
- Will you cry with us for the broken and captives in our countries and communities, those who are poor, blind and naked and don’t know they are?
- Will you join us in asking God to anoint our Butterflies to walk in His light and power, to be courageous, ministers who boldly bring His truth, hope and healing to women who are in addiction, abuse and bondage.
- Will you ask God to release His Spirit over our Butterflies, to be His witnesses bringing the Good News and freedom to women living in deception and fear.
- Pray for our Leaders: Doroda and Jagoda from Poland; Jody from Kenya, Becky from Peru, Nan and Roath from Cambodia, Krista recently returned from Honduras, for Marybeth, Geneva, Marf and Cathi from Orlando, for Xilene from Costa Rica currently living in Orlando, who is translating our materials into Spanish.
- Pray the Lord’s power and anointing on our time from Thursday evening, March 27 to Monday afternoon March 31st. Pray the Lord will prepare the heart of each leader, fill her thirsty soul, renew her vision and equip her in His word to bring transformation and freedom to the lives of women in Orlando and Overseas.
- Pray for Sherry our hospitality and food coordinator who had to leave town this week to deal with an emergency with her daughter. Please pray for her daughter and pray Sherry will be able to return in time to help us with food and other logistic
- Pray for family and friends attending the Funeral of Dolores Livingston our beloved friend, partner and board member. Our training this week is dedicated to the memory of Dolores, in thanksgiving for her love, generous giving and service to help us equip and disciple women. If you wish to attend, the funeral is Friday 11am at Henry Chapel, First Baptist Church Orlando.
If the Lord lays it on your heart to join us in prayer this week, I deeply thank Him for partnering us together to equip the women He has chosen to “send” so others will hear and know how to “believe” and call on the Name of Jesus.
Liz