Jesus uses this illustration as an object lesson for His 12 disciples to grasp and reproduce. "I tell you the TRUTH, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put everything - ALL she had to live on."

This story challenges me in so many ways. Do I give out of my wealth or my poverty. In the economic crisis we live in right now we all feel the stress of finances but are we witholding from God? Is our faith in our wealth or in the Lord?

I was put to the test just recently when I was at the church after hours and late at night, I was approached by a family with two young boys that needed a place to stay for the night and food to eat. I have to admit, I was on a mission at the time and wanted to just complete my task, but the distress on their faces stopped me in my tracks. They explained their hardship and their concern. I could tell that it was humbling just to ask for the financial favor. The father's voice began to crack in desperation and simply said "I don't know what to do for my family".

I have to be honest with you my thoughts were - "Oh no the church is closed, I have no money with me and maybe they could wait til morning". I sensed the Holy Spirit say "make the sacrifice, make the effort". I told them to wait as I ran up to Walmart and got some cash out and a gift card for food. When I arrived back I prayed for the family and asked for God's peace and love to surround them.

I am not telling this story to receive a pat on the back but I am reminding myself that God wants us to give our all, our hearts souls and mind (Mark 12:28)...give out of everything we are and even out of what we don't have. I really don't know if what I gave those people was enough to sustain them, but I gave all that I could. The mission that night was not to complete the task at hand but to be willing to stop everything to obey the voice of God.

I guess the question that pops in my mind as I write this blog is - do you give out of your abundance or out of your lack of??? This doesn't always have to mean money, this could simply mean - heart, emotions, time, efforts...basically does God have every part of you or just a portion????

As I read and reread this passage the thing that sticks out in my mind is the fact that JESUS was watching the whole time....it is a haunting thought, Jesus has been watching me all those times I didn't stop, didn't listen and didn't care......OUCH!!!!! I am freshly challenged to be like the widow, who is willing to surrender everything, even out of my nothingness.............

Thank you Jesus for making us aware that you see our every move and you encourage us to be a faithful servant, let my life reflect who you are.....

Brigette Metcalf
Women's Pastor
Women Unite Ministries

Hello Ladies:
Have you ever noticed that sometimes your greatest strength can be your greatest weakness?? I was freshly reminded of this and it is a hard fact to face. Sometimes you can be so good with communication and it be a strength in your life but then the weakness raises it's head and your smooth words become manipulative, controlling and even sarcastic you have turned your gift to a curse........

Another example would be if you are really discerning and sensitive to people's needs and feelings. You hurt when they hurt, you can tell when someone is upset or needs added attention, but the pitfall is when your sensativity controls you can sense when someone is mad and you take it personal or you get angry because you warned the person and they didn't listen and you knew they were going to fall...

This also can become a stronghold in your life as a believer because your feelings control you, yet you are so sensitive to the spirit of God...What do we do in those moments where the weakness can be mastered?? How do we avoid the pitfalls...Paul writes clearly in the scriptures that when I am weak HE is strong...

Weakness isn't bad if you surrender it over to the Lord. If you will allow God to cover it, admit and don't try to mask it............Weakness keeps us humble and in awe of God, for NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH HIM, but in ourselves we can do nothing........weakness creates a dependance on the Lord. It doesn't compute with worldy standards but with Godly standards it does.

Pride comes before a fall but humility comes before honor.........The world's ways are not ours. Don't beat yourself up because you have weaknesses, surrender it to the Lord and see His strength rise in you as you do. I admit it - I am weak....But through God He makes me strong. If God eliminated your weakness then you would not know how much you needed Him.

If you eliminated your weakness then you would also eliminate your strength because 99.9% of the time they are tied together. As you digest these thoughts I challenge you to write down your strengths and weakness. As God to make you strong in Him alone and see what God will do..........

In His Hands Brigette V. Metcalf

Hey Ladies:
Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like God is testing you? That He is looking to see if you really have forgiven and let go of all the stinkin thinkin in your life?? It really is like a true heart exam - is it clogged or is the blood flowing freely. Well I recently had a day like this where I had a lunch encounter and the two greatest hurts that I ever experienced I was faced with my perpetrators... OUCH.. I felt completely sandwiched in by the enemy and like a baby deer away from the herd feeling very vulnerable.

One of the violators had even greeted me with a kiss on my cheek. My heart was tested right then "had I really forgiven, had I let go". I have to tell you that the first thought that raced through my mind when I was greeted was JUDAS.... but then as the Holy Spirit began to check my heart I instantly felt like - WOW I didn't hurt anymore.

Isn't it funny how our mind at times can be a hiding place for our thoughts? If the human ear could hear what their fellow sister thought it would be murderess. Taking it captive is the key and not even allowing it to germinate in our mind or heart is vital. I can face this person and feel free. I don't need to hear "please forgive me how I hurt you" because I had already worked through the hurt countless hours with the Lord. I had told God years before, it was unfair what happened, I am angry and mad, thrown my tantrums, how can I let him off the hook so easy but the Lord kept saying forgive. The image I received was Jesus hanging on a cross, spit on beaten, mocked and him saying with his last breath "Father forgive them for they know not what they do". I wrestled with the thoughts, but they are Christians, they do know what they have done. I love the way God deals with me, He lets me vent and be ugly and then He gently restores my mind with His thoughts. My circumstance was not to the level that Jesus had received and would I be able to give my last breath away to forgiveness. As I contemplated this scenario I thought Lord I can only forgive if you give me the strength. So I released forgiveness in faith.

There were many days that the hurt would resurface and some other circumstance would appear and cause me to remember my pain of this one because of the similarities, but a daily choice to forgive caused me to go beyond my feelings and make my will submit to forgiveness. The easy part was that I had not had to face the people over the course of years of dealing with my forgiveness quest. Recently the true challenge was put before me, its time to face them. Surprised to be in the situation and no time to think about a reaction my day of the exam was here. Maybe the best way to describe it would be a POP QUIZ....Although my initial response was JUDAS when receiving the greeting, I felt a peace come over me and a release flood my soul. No expectations of repentance, no need for apologies, no acceptance of responsibility required.

I was free, my heart was pure. It felt so amazing to know that the years of pain that I carried was gone and even the residue was past me. Wiser from the situation, taking responsibility for my own actions, learning from mistakes, surrendering my rights to be right, I felt that I past the test and rose victorious as I faced off with my biggest hurdle.

Why am I writing this to you ladies as my first blog??? Well as I lead the women of Victory Worship Center and gather the troops, my goal is to lead by transparency and realness. One motto I live by is THE REAL DEAL. I am a typical woman that struggles through life just like anyone else. But I don't think God takes us through these life experiences just to grow us but as we share our testimonies it makes us tangible and run to each other's side. We need each other, we need relationship, we need to pick each other up and challenge each other in truth. We need to be real with one another and break down the walls so we can link together and unite.

Second reason I felt compelled to share this experience is that I feel like one of the greatest walls that we put up as women is UNFORGIVENESS. God wants us to shatter the walls and it takes our willingness to release. I guarantee that you will launch into victory in every aspect of your life as you live free from unforgiveness. The devil has no foothold in your life as you begin to let people go. I have a passion to see women reach their full potential and destiny. It cannot be accomplished without forgiveness as a daily discipline in our lives.

Master this and you will see not only your life renewed and blessed but even your children and those you affect in life. May God bless you and lift you up this very moment.

In His Hands Brigette V. Metcalf Women's Pastor