Communication in the 21st Century

This weekend I moved further into the technological age as my family updated our cell phones and data plan. It used to be just called a telephone bill.... I now have the capability to text, check emails and update my status on Facbook mobile. Notice that I said, I have the capability of these communication options but I am not actually using them yet. I am at the mercy of my 13 year old daughter to teach me how to use these new communication tools. Do these tools actually keep the lines of communication "open" or is it just another way to avoid connecting "one on one" with people in person? With almost everyone having an email account, does anyone write personal notes anymore? Have we lost the personal touch?

I must admit that I am a Facebook groupie and I enjoy connecting with all my ABW Sisters across the country. In the 21st century having may forms of communication is important to reach women and girls in a variety of ways but we need to make sure that we do not lose those who are not connected electronically and we do not forget the importance of the personal touch in building and maintaining relationships in ministry.

Fortunatley, some things in life remain constant and communicating with God remains the same - PRAYER. We do not need any fancy phones, computers or other gadgets to talk with our Lord and Savior. We can pray any time of day wherever we are. He is always there to listen and hear our prayers. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing or we can sing our prayers as in the Psalms. However, we need to remember that God is waiting for our call and wants to be in daily conversation with us.

As Women...Destined for God's Purpose let us remember the personal touch in building relationships with women and girls and in our busy lives, God is just a prayer away - no electronic gadgets required.

Blessings until we connect again.

Your Sister in Christ,

Barbara

Seeds of Friendship

Sorry it has taken me so long to return to the wonderful world of blogging. The mid-Fall crunch got the best of me and hopefully, I am back on track. My first AB Women’s Executive Board meeting was a wonderful experience. I could feel the presence of God with us throughout the weekend. I felt exhilarated, tired, energized, drained, and happy during the time we shared together. The best part - the relationships. It was wonderful being with my sisters in Christ who are so gifted and have so much to share. I feel that I have become so much closer with them and we have begun to build lifelong friendships. We had team building opportunities throughout our time together and at one point during the weekend, I was the bacon in a submarine sandwich and the next day I was Queen of Abolition – how awesome is that!

Relationships are a vital part of any ministry, organization, or whatever we do in life. Whether it is the people you are reaching or those you are serving with, you need to connect with one another and build relationships. Christ was relational in his ministry and shows us that we need to reach out to one another because of the love he has for us.

I passed on “Seeds of Friendship” to my AB Sisters at our board meeting and I left knowing that many seeds were planted that weekend and some were taken home to continue to plant and grow more relationships within AB Women’s Ministries. So, in closing I challenge you to continue planting seeds of friendship and we will continue to build, grow and harvest relationships with women and girls and together we will be Women/Girls…. Destined for God’s Purpose.

Your Sister in Christ,

Barbara

Fall is Here!

Dear Sisters,

You can tell when Fall has arrived. Everything that stopped over the summer has started up again and you are now in full swing with a full calendar of meetings and events and there is no rest for the weary.... That is how I am feeling right about now. I leave tomorrow for my first
National Executive Board meeting. I am very excited to be with my AB Sisters and know we have much to do. I ask prayers for me as I lead this meeting and prayers for my sisters as they travel to Valley Forge. I ask for God's guidance as we discern, plan, and strategize for the future of AB Women's Ministries.

Blessings to all of you and the ministries that you are a part of this Fall season as we continue
Women...Destined for God's Purpose.

Until we connect again (and I will have more time to write....),

Your Sister In Christ,

Barbara