WMA  Enlistment         

Charlotte Johnson, National 1st Vice President                                                  10/2018        Do you have a women’s Bible study in your church?  If so, we would like to invite you to our meeting when the WMA meets at Rogers, Arkansas in May 2019.  At the WMA meeting in 2017, we voted to encourage all women to become a part of the National WMA.  The name of your group doesn’t matter, and the only requirement is that your group be a member of a local BMA church.  All WMA groups are encouraged to reach out to ladies in your local church.  The theme for WMA this year is to Catch the Vision! Will you catch the vision with the National WMA?
 
You’ve announced it in the bulletin. You’ve had a clever media slide that flashes before church services. You’ve even put up signs in the women’s restrooms. “Join our team!” your notices beg. But month after month it’s the same three women who gather to plan the same activities and the same studies and the same old everything. Are you longing for new leaders to join your team? Longing for them to bring fresh ideas and fresh enthusiasm? Google women’s ministry event ideas, service projects, mentoring, icebreakers, or training, and you’ll find many basic resources. What about the behind-the-scenes information? Where do you find answers to the questions people tend to brush aside?  If you’re reading this article as a brand-new-leader-and-not-really-sure-you-want-to-be-one, keep your heart open. Let God guide you instead of letting your insecurities become an excuse. It won’t be easy. Ministry isn’t always fun, but it’s filled with purpose, including blessings of learning through messes, flops, frustrations, and feelings. If you’re still reading this despite believing you have nothing to do with women’s ministry, take a second glance. If you serve women in any way, you are involved in ministry to women. Pray that God opens your eyes to the women He might have in mind to serve. Then think about the women you connect with at church. Who has a great smile? Who offers to help with small tasks? Who do you see welcoming new people at church? Who’s always praying for others? You might even want to go through your church directory one name at a time and consider what each woman could bring to your team.
 
Are you fully relying on Him, or are you relying on tradition, expectations, or those previously-mentioned comparisons? Just because we have done something for years, should we not change if we aren’t growing our groups?  Traditions aren’t bad in and of themselves. In fact, there’s a sense of security that comes with consistency. God doesn’t change. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. However, that doesn’t mean our ministries should be stagnant. What needs to remain—and what gives real security—is a biblical basis and commitment to seek, follow, and honor God in all things. That means details will change as God changes them. Just because something worked once, or for many years, doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for now. Likewise, just because some people want to change something doesn’t mean it should change. God cares about our desires but intends for us to desire Him and His will above everything else. Put pride and self-indulgence aside. It has no place in ministry except to be weeded out.
 
Remember if you have a Women’s Ministry then you can also be a part of your District WMA, State WMA, or National WMA. We hope to see at the National WMA meeting at JOHN Q HAMMONS CONVENTION CENTER, ROGERS, ARKANSAS on MAY 7, 2019
 
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Dear National WMA Officers,                                                                                                                  4/30/2018

     I just keep reflecting back on the great meeting we had!  I really enjoyed it and felt the Holy Spirit at work.  I didn’t want it to end, but we had to go home because we have work to do.  I know we all have our families, our churches, our work and everything else we have to tend to and somewhere in there we have our work for the National WMA.  I know we can count on God to stretch our time.  He does it for me all the time.

     I am looking forward to getting to know each one of you better this year.  Together, we have a lot to do.  We have a lot of money we need to raise.  We need to be good stewards with what He gives us.  We need to work hard encouraging our WMA groups and those we come in contact with to grow.  We need to help provide ideas and suggestions for resources for WMA groups to use.  We need to keep our WMA ladies informed and interested.  We need to plan a wonderful program for next year.

     When I talked to one our officers about serving, she said, “I don’t want to just be a name on a line, I want to do the job and I want to do it right.”  That’s the attitude we should have. What an honor we have to serve the Lord in the National WMA.  Let’s make Him proud.  If you need help to know what you are supposed to do, call me.  We’ll figure it out together.

     Let’s make this an exciting year!  I can’t wait to see what God is going to do.  Our God is a BIG GOD, let’s expect BIG things!

Love and blessings,

Jodi Rhea

Nat’l WMA President

 
 
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From Janet Widger’s Facebook post on the WMA of Missouri: 2/3/2018
 

Ladies, Your National WMA needs you!  How can I (you) help?  I am so glad you asked. First and foremost, PRAY! Pray for each National Officer as we prepare to meet in Jackson, MS in April.  Pray for the plans made for this meeting.  It’s going to be very DIFFERENT! Our First Vice President Jodi Rhea and Second Vice President Charlotte Johnson, along with other ladies, with much prayer and consultation have totally changed the schedule and format.  We are praying that this will increase interest and participation as well as MINISTER to ALL ladies in our churches.  Watch your state papers, the National WMA Facebook page as well as other Facebook pages and the National WMA website for information on the meeting.  You do NOT want to miss this year! Second, contribute to the Project Fund. The 2017-2018 Project is the BMA of Philippines Bible College.  This is a great mission outreach to those who live in “closed” countries in Asia.  If you wish to learn more about this you can find information on the Webpage, nationalwma.org as well as the Facebook page. There will be an offering taken at the National WMA meeting on Monday afternoon for the Project. Third, contribute General Fund of the National WMA. Granted the General Fund receives 10% of the Project Offerings.  However, if funds are not sent in for the project, the general fund does not receive any either.  There will be a second offering taken at the National WMA meeting on Monday afternoon for the General Fund. What does the General Fund pay for?  Well, again, I am so glad you asked. The National WMA General Fund pays for expenses incurred at the annual WMA meeting such as the speaker and program expenses, printing of the program books, display tables (both for the meeting and the display hall), meeting room rentals (if required), Miss GMA expenses to the meeting, National Officer expenses throughout the year, annual audit of our finances. So you can see, it is a lot and quite honestly this year we may not have enough in the fund to pay these bills. One word about the National WMA Officer expenses, we do have a spending limit and many of these ladies will not even turn in their expenses because they love to serve through the WMA.  However, they should be compensated for their labor and time. Again, Pray for the National WMA and if the Lord leads you to give, please do.  No amount is too small.  Please designate if your contribution is for “PROJECT” or “GENERAL FUND” and mail to Pat Duncan, PO Box 30, Hardy, AR 72542 We will receive offerings anytime, however, the annual books close February 28 to be credited in the 2018 report. Thank you for your consideration and contribution. Janet Widger, Assistant Treasurer WMA of BMAA

 

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GOD’S WORD FOR THE NEW YEAR

 

            Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. – Psalm 119:11.

                As we begin this new year of 2018, I urge each lady in the BMA of America to be committed to studying God’s Word on a daily basis.  The uncertain times we see around us should make us more dependent on God as the only source of direction and peace as we face crises in our nation, our churches, and in our families. 

                There are many methods of daily Bible study that have proven effective in the lives of Christians.  As you seek a method that works for you, be much in prayer for God’s guidance to fit the method to your level of spirituality, your time, your personality, and what He would have you to learn from the study.  As you begin (or continue) your daily Bible study, I pray that God will give you a hunger for His Word and that you will continue to grow in your walk with Him.

                Some suggested methods of daily Bible study include:

Through the Bible in a Year – Some editions of the Bible include plans for reading through the Bible in a year; the December 20, 2017, edition of the Baptist Trumpet lists one plan of this on page 8; Our Daily Bread @ourdailybread.org lists one of these plans; Christian bookstores carry several versions of Bibles printed to read through in a year such as The Daily Bible in Chronological Order and Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible;  An online version can be read at oneyearbibleonline.com (you can select from several versions).

Pick a topic and read everything you can find in the Bible on that subject.

Pick a book of the Bible and read it through several times over several weeks or months. Learn everything you can by immersing yourself in the book.

Listen to the Bible on audio.  This is a good option for those who cannot see well enough to read or have trouble reading.

Whatever method you choose to study the Bible, read it to understand it. Meditate on what you read.  Share what you have learned with others. Devotional books, books by Christian authors, and commentaries can be good aids to Bible study, but cannot replace the reading of God’s Word itself.  Don’t let reading about the Bible replace reading the Bible itself.

                                                                                                Brenda Hornaday

                                                                                                National WMA Third Vice President

 

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