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In a world that constantly challenges our sense of self and purpose, it's essential to find a firm foundation for our identity. As Christians, we have a unique and profound source of identity: God. Our relationship with Christ and our status as children of the most high king. One powerful way to affirm this identity is through the practice of "I AM" statements, also known as affirmation statements. These declarations not only boost our confidence but also realign our thoughts with Christ and His truth for our lives. However, it's crucial to understand that our confidence comes not from ourselves, but from the ultimate "I AM"—God Himself. Understanding the Ultimate "I AM" The concept of "I AM" originates from a pivotal moment in the Bible, NOT from the "self-help" world of today. In Exodus 3:14, God reveals Himself to Moses in a burning bush and declares this is who I am, "I AM WHO I AM." He instructs Moses to tell the Israelites, "I AM has sent me to you." This profound declaration reveals the eternal, self-sufficient, and unchanging nature of God. He is the source of all existence and the foundation of all identity. By calling Himself "I AM," God establishes that He is always present, always reliable, and always powerful. He was, He is, and He is to come. The Power of "I AM" Statements When we create and declare "I AM" statements, we align ourselves with God's truth about who we are in Christ. These affirmations are not mere positive thinking; they are rooted in biblical truths. They remind us of our identity and worth as seen through the lens of God's Word. For example: I am a child of God. (John 1:12) I am loved by God. (1 John 3:1) I am forgiven. (Ephesians 1:7) I am a new creation in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17) I am a temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19) I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear fruit. (John 15:16) I am God's workmanship, created for good works. (Ephesians 2:10) These affirmations are not just about boosting our self-esteem; they are about acknowledging that our true identity and confidence come from God. By declaring these truths, we remind ourselves that we are who we are because of the ultimate "I AM." Walking in God's Confidence, Not Our Own When we declare "I AM" statements, we are not just speaking positive words into the air; we are making powerful declarations based on the character and promises of God. This practice helps us to walk in His confidence, not our own. God's confidence is unshakable and unwavering. It is not based on our performance, abilities, or circumstances. Instead, it is grounded in His unchanging nature and His faithful promises. When we align our identity with the ultimate "I AM," we tap into a source of strength and confidence that transcends our human limitations. Practical Steps to Embrace Your Identity in Christ Spend Time in God's Word: The Bible is full of truths about who you are in Christ. Make it a habit to read and meditate on these scriptures. Let God's Word shape your understanding of your identity. Create Your Own "I AM" Statements: Based on biblical truths, write down your own "I AM" statements. Personalize them to reflect your unique journey with Christ. (We have added a list at the end to help you get started). Declare Your Affirmations Daily: Make it a daily practice to declare your "I AM" statements. Speak them out loud and declare them with conviction, believing in the power of God's transforming Word. Pray for God's Perspective: Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you especially if you are struggling to do just this. Pray for the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and align your thoughts with God's truth. Surround Yourself with Encouragement: Join a community of believers who will encourage you in your walk with Christ. Share your "I AM" statements with them and support each other in affirming your identity in Christ. Embracing our identity in Christ through the ultimate "I AM" is a transformative journey. It shifts our focus from self-reliance to God-reliance. From self-confidence to God-confidence. To self-esteemed to God-esteemed. As we declare biblical truths about who we are, we align ourselves with God's perspective and walk in His confidence towards His will for our lives. Remember, you are who you are because of the ultimate "I AM." Let this truth guide you, empower you, and transform you as you live out your identity in Christ. We have added these statements to help you get started with your own personal list. ✨ I am a child of God. (John 1:12) ✨ I am loved by God. (1 John 3:1) ✨ I am forgiven. (Ephesians 1:7) ✨ I am a new creation in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17) ✨ I am a temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19) ✨ I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear fruit. (John 15:16) ✨ I am God’s workmanship, created for good works. (Ephesians 2:10) ✨ I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me. (Romans 8:37) ✨ I am redeemed and set free. (John 8:36) ✨ I am an ambassador for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20) ✨ I am justified by faith. (Romans 5:1) ✨ I am called to be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 1:4) ✨ I am a light in the world. (Matthew 5:14) ✨ I am a citizen of heaven. (Philippians 3:20) ✨ I am strong in the Lord. (Ephesians 6:10)

Happy National Day of Prayer! Here at WOMNOFWORTH, we are passionate about a lifestyle of prayer and we want to encourage you to grow in your prayer life. Many of us struggle with praying for more than a minute or two because it was never taught, modeled, or conveyed otherwise. But God doesn't want prayer to be an afterthought. He wants to be a constant thought or better yet a constant conversation throughout our day. The Bible says to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17). We look at that verse though and think how on earth can we do that? When you are in a relationship, why do you keep thinking about a person or texting them? When you eat at a really good restaurant and have an amazing meal, why can't you stop thinking about it? What you dwell on is what you will depend on. If you dwell on the word, you'll think about the word. If you dwell on social media you'll think about social media. If you dwell on that amazing cheesecake you had, you will be constantly reminded of it and crave it. If you dwell on Netflix or Hulu you'll sit there stuck for hours unable to move but if you dwell on the Lord, you'll think about the Lord. You'll talk to the Lord. You'll depend on the Lord. You'll sit in his presence and be undone by HIM. We all want to be seen, heard, known, and loved by people but what if you were already those things but not by a person but by God! He loves you. He sees you. He hears you. He knows you. He wants to get to know you and vice versa. I really dislike the saying "quality over quantity," when it comes to our spiritual lives. You can spend 5-10 minutes with the Lord as long as it was a quality time. Sure, maybe with everything else, but with the Lord it really doesn't work like that. Let me preface and say this: If your season doesn't allow you to spend hours with the Lord like if you are a new mom or you have several young children, or you have a special needs child you are constantly caring for then of course God will meet you where you are at with the limited time you have to give Him... BUT for the rest of us, "No Time" is not an excuse, especially when the average screen time these days are almost 5-7 hours... which is really concerning but that's another topic. Back to the relationship illustration, -Would you ever marry someone who you've only spent 5-10 minutes with every few months? -Would the "quality" of one text in the morning offset the fact that there is NO other communication the rest of the day? -What about the only time you hang out with each other is when you hang out with your group of friends (aka when we go to church and think we've done our due diligence for the week) I certainly hope you wouldn't marry the person, because they clearly don't care about you. When we spend only 5 minutes with the Lord in the morning or 20 minutes with the Lord a couple of times a week, what we are saying (intentionally or unintentionally) to him is that we don't care about him. We don't care to talk to him. We don't love him enough to spend time with him. When we allow God to be part of our WHOLE day not just the parts we invite him into like during our 10-minute "quiet time" in the morning or night, we will actually have a relationship with the Lord. When you have a relationship with the Lord, it will be so much easier to do a longer period of time in the word or prayer because you will WANT to. We have compartmentalized our lives into nice neat little boxes that we have created for ourselves: church, career, family, friends, school, etc. We pull out our church box on the weekends and maybe once during the week if we are part of a bible study or community group where we do our "religious rituals" like prayer, reading the bible, singing our songs, reflecting on our lives, and being kind, humble, & gracious with those around us. We act one way during most of the week and then during our "holy days" we act another. Why is that? Because God is not constantly part of your day. You are not consistently walking and talking with God DAILY. A good analogy is when you're making a bowl of cereal you put your cereal in the bowl, maybe some nuts and fruit if you're making it healthy, and anything else you want to add in, and then you pour your milk into the bowl. You want the milk to touch all the parts of the cereal. You wouldn't just put some milk in your spoon with one piece of Reese's Puff. Likewise, we want God to touch all parts of our lives. He is the milk that holds and combines everything together. We don't want just a spoonful of him, we want the whole bowl. Not just giving him the parts we let him have but all of us. Surrendering daily the parts I've tried to control myself. And prayer is a way we can do that constantly inviting him into our day. Let me let you in on a little secret if you struggle with prayer... Prayer is essentially just talking with God! Prayer is one of our greatest privileges as believers in Christ. What other religion allows you to directly talk to God and have a personal relationship with Him? However, you do have to put in some effort and seek him. When you seek him, you will find him (Matthew 7:7). We hope you will choose to incorporate prayer into your daily life allowing yourself to constantly talk to God throughout your day and finding time to separate yourself from the world to commune with your heavenly father. The mystery of seeking God is that he is the One who finds you. -Kingsley Opuwari Manuel If you struggle with prayer we have included some helpful tips below to encourage you to have a more consistent and constant prayer life. We will also be having a WOW Workshop on Prayer in the upcoming months so stay tuned. An easy way to start praying daily is the acronym PRAY. P: Praise R: Repent A: Ask Y: Yield P: Begin with praise before the Lord. Thank you and bless his holy name. If you don't know how to do this or what to say, the Psalms have wonderful words of praise you can pray back to the Lord. R: Our unrepentant heart can actually keep us stuck and distant from the Lord so come to the Lord daily with a heart ready to ask for forgiveness from the ways you've tried to rebel and the things you've done knowingly and unknowingly to grieve God. A: Most of us probably know how to do this part. Asking God for the things we need and want. Pray that your desires would be according to his desires and ultimately to bring glory to his name. Y: We want to also yield to the spirit. When we are yielded to the spirit we will be able to discern if the Lord is moving in one direction and we in another. If we have one desire and he has another, we would yield to his will. We would surrender our lives before him knowing his ways are higher. Not my ways but your ways be done oh Lord. (Isaiah 55:8) A couple of other helpful tips are 1) Have a specific place you pray every day. Make it part of your routine to go there for a period of time daily to meet intentionally with the Lord. When you see that chair, mat, or room, it will remind you to pray. 2) Make a list of who & what you want to pray for and continue to add to it weekly. The number one question we get is what do I even pray for? The short answer: ANYTHING and EVERYTHING There should never be a shortage of things to pray for. Start small with family, friends, and coworkers. Then start to add things like the people you encounter every day like at the store, neighbors, or Amazon workers. Pray for your parents, your kids, their friends, and their parents that they would be good influences to them Pray for your pastors, and church staff Pray for the persecuted church across the globe Ask the Lord to place a people group or a country you should be interceding for on your heart Pray for your country, the political leaders, the politics & laws, and the political climate of this nation And keep the list growing As you mature in your prayer life, God will start to drop people, places, and ideas in your heart to be interceding for as well as having you dwell on scriptures He wants manifested on this earth as it is in heaven that you can start to add. 3) Last but not least end with silence. Allow the Lord to speak to you. He wants to hear from you but he also wants to talk to you and many times it's in a still small whisper so you have to be quiet and attentive to hear him. Silence is hard in our day and age but it's a spiritual discipline that is a mark of a mature growing believer. Prayer is not just a monologue, it's a dialogue Questions to Ponder: - Do I want to spend time with the Lord in prayer, or do I just do it because I have to? -Do I use prayer just in times of need like a spare tire or is it evident that prayer is part of my lifestyle? -Has prayer just become a habit, part of my daily routine, or do I commune and delight in the Lord? - What did Jesus say about prayer and how should that influence my prayer life? Pray This: Dear Lord, Thank you for who you are and who you've created me to be. Thank you for the privilege to communion with you and talk to you. Forgive me for neglecting our relationship time and time again. Teach me to pray. I want to talk to you and spend time with you but I don't know how. Woo me to you. Help me to delight in your word and in your presence. I surrender to your will in my life.

People today are confused. I hate to say it, but they might even be delusional. I remember a time when a woman used to be a woman and no one would argue with that. A time when 2+2 = 4 and no one would or could say otherwise. There used to be a time when science and logic used to end arguments but now"my truth" can be anything. Whatever I want it to be is what it is. The problem with that is there is a truth. I can believe all I want that the sky is pink, but ultimately most days it's blue. Why? because God made it that way. There is a very real enemy trying to destroy the truth. If he doesn't care what you believe as long as it's not the truth. Here's the truth the world so desperately needs. God created truth because He is the Truth. I am the way the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Jesus is the truth and the way to God and in the beginning, He established who we are. That is the truth. We don't get to define ourselves, we have to look to the one who created us. The truth is we are loved and made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28) If we as believers in Christ, would truly grasp how deeply loved and treasured we were by God, our lives would be infinitely different. We would live knowing our Father loves us and nothing can separate us from the love of God once we declare Jesus is Lord. However, due to life, hardships, culture, unforeseen circumstances, etc, we can often believe lies like we aren't good enough, we aren't loved, and we will never accomplish anything. We can either believe our feelings are the truth or we can find the truth and believe that. We can't let our identity be dictated by our feelings because our feelings are always changing. We have to center and shape our lives around the unchangeable truth of who God says we are and who God is. Because He is the only thing that is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So, therefore, He gets the last word. Our feelings are real but very rarely are they ever accurate. We can't allow our feelings or even our desires to be the truth, because oftentimes they are wrong. Feelings can be helpful guides to notice when things are going on inside of us. They are like warning signals that something might be going array or going well. As human beings, we want to identify ourselves as whatever we think is correct. We can even get caught up in identifying ourselves by the roles we play in life. We introduce ourselves by our job titles, our relationships, and the labels that we assign to ourselves. While there's nothing inherently wrong with this, it can lead to a sense of identity crisis when these roles and hats are removed from our lives. Think about the hats you wear: Daughter Wife Mom Business Owner Career Woman Entrepreneur Volunteer Friend and the list goes on and on Has your life ever taken a drastic turn because one or more of the roles ended or were taken away? When we fall into the trap of putting our identity into what we do instead of remembering who we are, things can start to turn bleak. As Christians, we have the unique privilege of finding our identity in Jesus rather than in the roles we play if we remember to do so. Our identity is not dependent on our career, relationships, or social status. Instead, it's rooted in who God created us to be and how He sees us through the lens of His Son, Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." This verse reminds us that we are not just a sum of our roles and hats. We are God's masterpieces, created for a unique purpose and with a specific set of gifts and talents. Our identity is in Christ, and He is the one who defines who we are. When we find our identity in Christ, it changes everything. Or at least it should. If your life before Jesus and after Jesus doesn't look different, then I have to ask the question, is your identity truly in Christ? This identity should give us a sense of purpose that goes beyond our temporary roles and hats. It reminds us that we are loved and accepted by God just as we are, regardless of our successes or failures. In addition, finding our identity in Christ frees us from the pressure to conform to society's expectations. We no longer need to worry about impressing others or living up to a certain standard because our worth comes from Christ, not from our accomplishments, success, or accolades. We can live closely aligned to the law and walk in the obedience to God because we want too not because we have too. Our identity in Christ gives us the courage to step out of our comfort zones and pursue the things that God has called us to do. We can be confident that we are equipped and empowered by God to fulfill His purposes for our lives. What we believe about God and in turn what we believe about ourselves is the most important thing about us. It's what gives us meaning and purpose beyond our temporary circumstances. When we find our identity in Christ, we are free to be who God created us to be and to fulfill the unique purpose that He has for each of us. We can die to ourselves and the American Dream or even the South Asian Dream and live a life according to the Word of God. When we live in this truth rather than what the world tries to throw at us, we can represent a world to the next generation, our loved ones, our daughters, that pushes against the darkness and cancels out the lies. We can live in this truth. The Truth that sets us free! Questions to Ponder: How do you respond when your abilities and success are threatened in your daily roles? When life is going well does your need for God increase or decrease? Do you find yourself pulling away from God when the roles and hats you wear satisfy you? Have you noticed that failure in your roles or any negative comments/criticism crushes you or are you able to run to Jesus quickly to know your worth? Where have you accidentally placed your identity instead of Jesus? Pray This: Lord, help me to find my identity in you. Let me not be disillusioned by the world today and the lies that I am who I create myself to be or what I do. Remind me that my life is valuable because I am a child of God. I am your masterpiece, your work of art. Help me to live for you all the days of my life and not live for the approval of man. Remind me, that I am not just a sum of different roles. I am made in your image and am called to bear that image rightly to the world. Help me to represent you well to the world.

Have you ever had moments of crippling anxiety? A time where the very thought of the next day made you want to not get out of bed in the morning? I’ve been experiencing more of those lately than I care to admit. This form of anxiety has come and gone for me in waves throughout most of my adult life. I’ve noticed that most of my fear, as I suspect most people’s fear does, surrounds the unknown. I’ve recently started my residency program and let me tell you, the learning never ends! Being overwhelmed and fatigue are a real daily struggle. The thoughts of encountering something I have no idea how to handle or simply forgetting something on my new long list of responsibilities incessantly plagues my mind. But anxiety can have many root causes: a fear of failure, fear of insufficiency, fear of rejection. There are times that as a Christian, I’ve felt guilty for my anxious thoughts. We are encouraged as followers of Christ to be anxious about nothing. However, anxiety in its simplest form, like all emotions, may be useful in signaling something to us. I’ve found that the following are often causes for an anxious heart. Lack of control- Many times we feel like we can plan our way out of anxious thoughts. To a certain extent this may help us eliminate some unknowns that cause us worries. However, it takes only a little living to know that life rarely plays out exactly how we map it out. The good news is that we have the one who saw our beginning and knows our end walking through this life with us. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” This does not mean that we are not going to have anxieties in life. It means that while we walk through this life of unpredictability when things outside of our control happen to us, we have a friend who is walking with us through it. Not setting healthy boundaries- Another frequent cause of anxiety our lives can arise from is the inability to set healthy boundaries in personal relationships or at work. Saying no to things can be healthy. Speaking up in love when you feel pushed past your limitations is healthy. Our culture is one that idolizes “the hustle.” We tend to believe that things like sleep or rest are inconsequential and that if our schedules are not jam-packed, then we are not being productive. However, overextending ourselves leaves little room for the quiet times that are so necessary for us lay our burdens down at the feet of the only one who can help us carry their weight. Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Placing your hope in the wrong things- Ultimately, placing too much value in the things of this world often leads to anxiety. Looking to find unconditional acceptance, fulfillment and meaning in things that were never designed to accomplish that can leave our hearts anxious as we endlessly strive to please. At some point, we will face failure, we will fall, and we will disappoint others just as they will disappoint us. Accepting this inevitability is a pivotal part of understanding that our hope should be placed in nothing, but the never changing love of God. The Bible tells us that even Jesus grappled with the anxiety before his crucifixion. In that moment, he laid all his fears and worries down at the feet of his Father. There is no greater example! Cast your cares on Him because he cares for you. Love, A woman of worth

Have you ever been told you couldn’t do something because of your gender? Girls you can’t play in the mud and get dirty, play sports, be loud, be fat, be hairy lol, etc. Guys you can’t like shopping, romance, arts and crafts, being sensitive, being a genuinely sweet person, etc. So what would you do, if someone told you you couldn’t do something because you were a woman? That you weren’t good enough because you were “just a girl”? When did ” you do that like a girl” or “you’re such a girl” become an insult? How can who we biologically are, be something bad or negative? Like in these videos, #Like a Girl and #Unstoppable we have to teach ourselves and the people around us that being a girl isn’t something bad. It doesn’t mean you are inferior, weak, or unable to do something. The glass ceiling that is visible and invisible needs to be broken! And it starts with YOU! It starts with ME. If you are a girl, own who you are and don’t let anything stop you, especially something you can not help like being a girl. If you are like me, you grew up in a family where anything was possible. As the oldest child, I quickly became the “all-in-one” child of the house. If my dad needed help building something he called me, If my mom needed help cleaning or cooking she asked for my help. If my sisters needed help with their homework or wanted me to play with them I became their friend. There wasn’t a situation in my household that “because I was a woman” I couldn’t do. My dad especially instilled in me to be a strong independent self-sufficient woman. We even used to be part of a father-daughter organization like girl scouts but we actually would do what boy scouts did. We pitched tents, slept in the wilderness, learned to shoot, etc. I fell in love with nature because I cherished this time of not only being close to my dad but even being close to my heavenly father. During my childhood, I also loved Barbies. I had over 20+ Barbies I played with them till I was 13. I would be being creative that way and make clothes and furniture for them and I sewed and made pillows for the longest time and just a bunch of DIY projects. But at the same time, I loved video games playing with my Gameboy and running outside with the neighborhood guys riding our bikes and playing in the mud and playing with the worms and doing “guy stuff”. I didn’t know that being a girl or being a guy was all that different from each other. Unfortunately, when middle school started, puberty happened. The guys I used to hang out with realized girls were gross to hang out with but were fine to date. I had always been a girly girl but 5th and 6th grade rapidly escalated that. Name brands became a huge thing and I was wasting so much money on Limited Too, Hollister, Abercrombie, Aeropostale, and all those name-brand clothes. Makeup, hair, and the way you looked became a huge thing. And so evolved this girl that wasn’t sure how to really balance her feminine side with everything she had grown up with. I was never the pretty one, the tall one, the super nice one, And soon I became the no one. Growing up though, when you’re surrounded by guys “who automatically step into their “I am great mentality” but being a girl you are told to be quiet or less bossy, it’s hard to think of yourself as something. And from then on I always thought of myself as a nobody. Someone mediocre, not someone with any real talents. I hated interviews because you have to be able to sell yourself, and when they ask you about your strengths you come up with some kind of nonsense but when it comes to the weaknesses, you can go on and on forever. So I wasn’t really sure what to do with myself. And as I got older it really just got worse and worse. The transition from middle school to high school was awful and I just felt like I kept losing myself and that I didn’t have any worth. I kept going to Jesus camps that really was opening up my spirituality but I was doing nothing to help my mental state of being just a girl. I started to do only girly things. If it had anything to do with I’m tired of people giving the same excuse over and over. I’m not good enough. I’m not ready. I’m scared. Or I love when they try to make a joke or laugh when someone says something great over their life. Stop making excuses for yourself because so what? You are basing your achievements on yourself and not on God’s abilities. You can’t say you're not good enough or qualified enough because God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called! And He is calling YOU. You are beautiful, you are talented, you are strong, you are worthy! Stop thinking of yourself as anything less! YES, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! I had the chance to be part of an all-women’s worship team and I always thought about my talents when I’m with them. Not because I’m insecure, but because I honestly believe I am probably the least talented person on the team. But as much as I’d like to quit due to my lack of talent, I can’t. It would be hypocritical of me to try to motivate other women by trying to do something with their abilities and talents, and I just up and quit. Even when you feel you are inadequate for the job, you can’t give up. The great wall of china wasn’t built in a day, Michael Jordan become the best basketball player in a season. And as a wise friend once told me, God sees your willingness over your ability to play. And really that is what makes you valuable in the kingdom: your willingness to do something for the Lord and for others. When you find your worth in Christ, then everything else seems to fade away. The worth that people see in you is nothing compared to the way God sees you. YOU are his beautiful bride, the daughter of the most high king, the proverbs 31 woman, and last but definitely not least you are HIS. When God knows where you are, it doesn’t matter if anyone else notices you!

Being a planner was one of my well-known qualities since I was young. I always had a plan A and a plan B, just in case the first one didn’t work out the way I wanted. One of the things God taught me and continues to teach me throughout my life, from grade school to college and from college to where I am now, is the burden I carry when I try to control the outcome of every circumstance. I became anxious and felt the urge to have all my life's details mapped out. I felt like I was the one in charge of my life, making all my decisions, calculating every step, and planning out every possible scenario whether it come to school, a job, or my relationships. Over time, this became very exhausting and time consuming. I was never living in the moment. Don’t get me wrong, we should have a plan and a direction in where we need to go when it comes to an education, a career choice, pursuing a relationship, or even getting involved in ministry. However, when we get to a place where we are wanting to control every step, every decision with minimal input from God, is where it gets to be problematic. Proverbs 16:9 states “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” We see the story of Ruth, a Moabite woman, who follows her mother-in-law to Israel after losing her husband. I am sure she had plans, hopes, and desires of her very own. I can imagine Ruth probably pictured a beautiful life with her husband, children, and growing old together. Instead, she is left with the tragedy of the death of her husband. However, after several attempts of her mother-in-law telling Ruth to go back to her people, Ruth is determined to follow her late husband’s mother. Some time passes, Ruth meets a man named Boaz who ends up marrying her and eventually, they have children. Much more happens in her story, but the one thing that stands out to me is Ruth, an ordinary woman, ends up becoming an ancestor of the Messiah! Because of Ruth’s obedience and faithfulness to God through trial and tragedy, God blesses her with a child named Obed. Obed becomes the father of David, Israel’s greatest king. David becomes the ancestor of Jesus the Messiah. Look how God intervened so mysteriously, yet so perfectly in Ruth’s life. I am sure it was nothing that she even dreamt of and nothing she had planned or prepared for. Perhaps, she thought her story was over. God led her from tragedy to purpose, from ashes to beauty, from sorrow to Joy. Not only does she end up meeting Boaz who not only became her kinsman-redeemer, but Ruth also gets the privilege of being in the ancestry of Jesus. How amazing! I think sometimes we cannot comprehend why certain doors close or when our plans do not go as hoped. For each door closed, rejection and detour in our life, God has a reason and a purpose. We may not understand it now, but we must hold onto our faith like Ruth and trust that God is working all things together for our good. We should come to a place where we can truly lay our desires, ideas and plans at the feet of Jesus. Surrender sounds easier than it is to do. To surrender your plan completely to the Lord, without expecting it to go to the way you desire, can be difficult. What happens if it doesn’t go the way you want? What happens if you don’t get your dream job, or you don’t get into the school you wanted to get into? What happens when the relationship you were in comes to an end or that amazing ministry opportunity that you really wanted goes to another individual? Regardless of the outcome, can we trust that God knows what is best for us and that He is establishing each and every one of our steps? Are we able to let go of wanting to have everything go the way we want it to and allow God to take his authority in our life as the one who sits on the throne and has a beautiful plan for our lives? It can be a journey to get to the place where we can truly trust God’s will for us. He always knows what is better for his children. It may not feel like it in that particular moment when something doesn’t go the way we quite expect it to. It is in those moments, I believe, where God wants us to completely let go our laid-out plans and surrender to His will. He has so much more for us that we can possibly dream or imagine. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” This Scripture encourages us to not depend on our own insight or understanding. It tells us to not rely on our understanding because sometimes we can be led by our own feelings and desires. We need the input and wisdom of God to recognize what God’s will for us in our lives. Let’s pray. Father, We come to you with all laid out plans, desires and decisions that need to be made. We don’t know what to do, but we ask for wisdom and discernment in these areas of our life. For those who need to make tough decisions this week, give them the wisdom and revelation to do as you desire. For those who have plans for the next season of their life, give them peace and knowledge to carry out that plan if it is Your Will. We ask that you direct each and every step, decision and plan in accordance to your will. Help us to surrender it all to you and wait on you as you lead us day to day. We trust your amazing plans for our life. In Jesus name, Amen. I encourage you as you begin this week and talk to God about your desires, dreams, and plans, ask Him what His will is for your life. Pray over those plans and ask God to lead you step by step, moment by moment. Love, Lindsey A Woman of Worth

For my whole life, I dreamed of going to this well-known university in my state. Growing up, I would go to many football games at this school with my dad. I also attended quite a few camps and workshops that were hosted there, so I was on campus often. My brother, along with many others that I knew, went to college there as well. One of my friends and I even made plans to live in a dorm together while attending this university. It only made sense for me to spend the next four years of my life after high school there. Then the day came around where I needed to select what college I was going to attend. I never thought twice on where I was going to go since I always had my dream school in mind… until a few days before I had to make the decision. For those few days, another school came to my mind to attend. This is another university in my state, but it is not as well-known or big as my dream school. I knew a few people who went to this university, but not as many as I knew who went/were going to the other one. I started to pray about it, and I felt like God was leading me to this smaller school. As I continued to pray for clarity, I felt God’s peace over my mind. That was when I made the choice of attending the other school instead of the one I always dreamed of. Once I started my freshman year at this university, I began to regret my decision. I tried to get involved on campus, enjoy my classes, and make new friends, but none of it was working out. I would always see my friends posting on social media of all the fun they were having at their colleges and with their new friends. While I was so happy for all of them, I felt like I made the biggest mistake of choosing to go to this university rather than the other one. I finally went to God in prayer and fully surrendered my ways and thoughts to Him. Even though I was confused why God led me to this school, I knew He had a greater plan for me there than I would understand during that time. I wanted Him to take full control of my life and lead me in the path that would ultimately draw me closer to Him and let my life be a testimony of His goodness. I prayed that His Will would be done, and not my own. While I prayed these things, I also asked God to reveal to me the purpose He had for me attending college at this university. As for most of us, I didn’t get an answer to that last question right then and there after praying. It took the rest of my college career to understand why the Lord brought me to this school. At the end of my freshman year, I met one of my best friends. I know she was a God-send friend for me to do life with during that season of life. To this day, we are still just as close. During my sophomore year, I took on a different major that I was truly passionate about. I absolutely loved the classes in that program, and I had the best professors teaching them. I was also able to get involved in a few different ministries on campus, which allowed myself to grow more - not only as a leader, but in my spiritual walk with God too. These were just some of the amazing things that God was providing for me while attending college there. By the end of my senior year, I was so grateful that the Lord led me to this school. Isaiah 55: 8 & 9 says, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” Looking back, I see how God’s hand had guided through every step I took at this University. There were many hills and valleys that were faced, but His faithfulness clearly paved the way. I learned so many lessons through my time at this University - one of those lessons being how to truly depend on God and trust in His plans. Sometimes, we may think we know what is best for our own lives. We try to plan out every detail, not realizing that God’s plan for us may be different than what we may want. However, our Heavenly Father knows exactly what is best for each of us. As Proverbs 3: 5 & 6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight”. For those starting school this month, or those who may be going through a new season in life, allow yourself to submit your ways to God. He will use what you may think is imperfect and not ideal to let His Glory shine through and reveal the perfect plan that He always had for you. Love, Allisa A Woman of Worth

Ephesians 3:20 says “Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us…” Have you ever said to yourself “There’s no way I’ll be able to pass that test, get that job, or move to a state and learn to start life from scratch? “I’ll never find the right person to spend my life with…” "I’ll never be able to graduate on time…” … “I’ll never be able to start a family… “I’ll never achieve success…” "I’ll never get to start my business”… I’ll never be financially stable… or “I’ll never be healed from this trauma emotionally or physically…"etc The list goes on with the “I won’t be able to or I can’t do that.” I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve said at least half these statements during my life time. It’s so difficult to change our pattern of speaking from “I can’t" to "but God can…” A lot of times, we’ve placed circumstances in our hands hoping that we would be able to fix it with our human intellect, reasoning, and strength. Most of the time, our abilities fall short. They lack one huge thing…God’s limitless power to carry it out. I think it’s in these moments, that God shows us how we as humans have our limitations. When we attempt to do things in our human effort, we tend to make a mistakes or don’t have the grace to carry out the plans. But with God, He can do more for us than we can possibly think or imagine. With our human perspective, we see things through a different lens. When we are discouraged, we have the tendency to put God in a box and all the amazing things He can do. When we face struggles, trials, and problems, we forget God’s unchanging character. It is easy for us to forget His faithfulness, His provision, His abundance in times of desperation. The things we stayed up in middle of the night tossing and turning about, the times we’ve cried and prayed so earnestly, it felt like there were no tears left, or the times we’ve stood by the phone waiting for the doctor to give us good news. When we can look back on all the ways God has led us through the ups and downs of life , we can meditate on His good deeds and praise Him for how Far He has brought us. The nature of God is faithful, sovereign, and good. From Genesis all the way to Revelation, we see God doing the most impossible things. The way He performs miracles, heals the sick, the lame, the deaf.. the way He calms the storm, provides comfort to the widows, and the ones forgotten. The way He carries the cross to Calvary, and defeats death and choses to give us eternal life. If God could do it then, wouldn’t He be able to do exceedingly more than we can ask for in our life? I think about Hannah, a woman who fervently prayed day and night..the scriptures say she was in the temple crying daily asking God to give her a child. That was all she wanted, all that she ever longed for. Have you ever wanted something so bad, and everywhere you looked it seemed like everyone had that one thing? That was Hannah. She was desperate for a child to hold, to love, and to care for. The Bible says she waited a really long time. Not just a few days or a few months, but years. All the while, she had a rival, who would taunt, ridicule, and demean Hannah of not being able to have kids. Hannah did not lose hope and she certainly did not lose faith. The Bible says God remembered Hannah and opened her womb. God not only blesses her with a child named Samuel, but after that, blesses her with sons and daughters. Her prayer was answered, her heart relieved. All the tears she cried when no one else was watching, the moments that she felt isolated, the times she felt like that God wasn’t listening, God came through and showed up by not just giving her one son that she cried out for, but multiple children thereafter. What in this week seems impossible? What have you been facing that seems out of reach? I want you to know that Miracles is what God does. He is known for it. God can take an impossible situation and makes it possible. He has the ability to heal, restore, and change us. No matter how long you’ve been waiting for something, despite the struggle that no one else else sees, whatever season you may be in right now, God is able to do more than you can possibly dream. His power is limitless. His love is enduring. He is a promise keeper, and scriptures say that His word does not return empty, but accomplishes what it says it will do. Before we even can even think or ask God, we need to be reminded that God’s abilities are infinite. Luke 11:9-13 says, “So I say to you, ask, and it will given to you; seek, and you will find; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” When we go to God, let us ask in faith and not doubt what He can do. Let’s hold onto God’s word as we go dive into this week. Let’s hold onto His promise. Let us remember that our God is able. Love, A Woman of Worth

Matthew 6:22 – “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and man.” People often complain of seeing double, usually after trauma or due to an underlying condition. Seeing double is not fun; you can’t function properly, you get headaches because you don’t know what to focus on, and your quality of life overall is reduced. Isn’t it crazy that this truth of our physical eyes is a reflection of a spiritual truth! This is what Jesus says in Matthew 6. If we can’t have a single focus in our spiritual lives, we cannot live a life that is fruitful. Throughout scripture, Jesus reminds us of the importance of establishing a single focus. There’s a phrase that’s repeated throughout the Bible – “one thing”. What is this “one thing”? Mark 10:17-21 - “And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Luke 10:38-42 - “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” John 9:24-25 - “So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” Philippians 3:7-13 - “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Psalm 27:4 - “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” These five passages highlight the importance of a single focus in our spiritual lives. What is this single focus – it’s Jesus. He is all we need, He is all we desire, His presence is all we desire, and knowing Him more is our sole pursuit. The rich young ruler had all the riches in the world, kept all the commandments, but he was seeing double. He was focusing on all the wrong things. Jesus asked him to let go of everything and follow HIM. Martha was caught up with all her chores and serving, that she forgot who was she was doing all of it for. She was seeing double, she was seeing her to-do lists and she was focusing on all the wrong things, that she completely missed the best thing. The man born blind had no other testimony to give than the simple fact he knew, he was once blind, but now he sees, and at that moment, there was no greater truth. Paul’s ultimate aim was to know Jesus, it was his sole pursuit. So much so that he laid down his comfort, pleasure, and pride to run after this one thing. Paul was not seeing double. David was called “a man after God’s own heart.” Although David could have desired many things, as he was king, we see him relentlessly return his focus to God. David sought the presence of God more than any earthly treasure. Our lives are to be singularly focused on Jesus. We have so much in this world pulling our focus away, whether it is our career, school, relationships, or possessions. We are constantly seeing double. When we strain to follow Him, our hearts are filled with joy and purpose and love. When we fix our eyes on Him, we receive the one thing our souls truly long for: Himself.

For my whole life, I dreamed of going to this well-known university in my state. Growing up, I would go to many football games at this school with my dad. I also attended quite a few camps and workshops that were hosted there, so I was on campus often. My brother, along with many others that I knew, went to college there as well. One of my friends and I even made plans to live in a dorm together while attending this university. It only made sense for me to spend the next four years of my life after high school there. Then the day came around where I needed to select what college I was going to attend. I never thought twice on where I was going to go since I always had my dream school in mind… until a few days before I had to make the decision. For those few days, another school came to my mind to attend. This is another university in my state, but it is not as well-known or big as my dream school. I knew a few people who went to this university, but not as many as I knew who went/were going to the other one. I started to pray about it, and I felt like God was leading me to this smaller school. As I continued to pray for clarity, I felt God’s peace over my mind. That was when I made the choice of attending the other school instead of the one I always dreamed of. Once I started my freshman year at this university, I began to regret my decision. I tried to get involved on campus, enjoy my classes, and make new friends, but none of it was working out. I would always see my friends posting on social media of all the fun they were having at their colleges and with their new friends. While I was so happy for all of them, I felt like I made the biggest mistake of choosing to go to this university rather than the other one. I finally went to God in prayer and fully surrendered my ways and thoughts to Him. Even though I was confused why God led me to this school, I knew He had a greater plan for me there than I would understand during that time. I wanted Him to take full control of my life and lead me in the path that would ultimately draw me closer to Him and let my life be a testimony of His goodness. I prayed that His Will would be done, and not my own. While I prayed these things, I also asked God to reveal to me the purpose He had for me attending college at this university. As for most of us, I didn’t get an answer to that last question right then and there after praying. It took the rest of my college career to understand why the Lord brought me to this school. At the end of my freshman year, I met one of my best friends. I know she was a God-send friend for me to do life with during that season of life. To this day, we are still just as close. During my sophomore year, I took on a different major that I was truly passionate about. I absolutely loved the classes in that program, and I had the best professors teaching them. I was also able to get involved in a few different ministries on campus, which allowed myself to grow more - not only as a leader, but in my spiritual walk with God too. These were just some of the amazing things that God was providing for me while attending college there. By the end of my senior year, I was so grateful that the Lord led me to this school. Isaiah 55: 8 & 9 says, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” Looking back, I see how God’s hand had guided through every step I took at this University. There were many hills and valleys that were faced, but His faithfulness clearly paved the way. I learned so many lessons through my time at this University - one of those lessons being how to truly depend on God and trust in His plans. Sometimes, we may think we know what is best for our own lives. We try to plan out every detail, not realizing that God’s plan for us may be different than what we may want. However, our Heavenly Father knows exactly what is best for each of us. As Proverbs 3: 5 & 6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight”. For those starting school this month, or those who may be going through a new season in life, allow yourself to submit your ways to God. He will use what you may think is imperfect and not ideal to let His Glory shine through and reveal the perfect plan that He always had for you. Love, Allisa A Woman of Worth

Jennie Allen, best selling author and the founder of the IF:gathering has come out with a new book Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World. This is such a timely book with everyone peeking their heads out from the pandemics aftermath. Many of us have realized we truly are lonely and

We all have habits. Some good and some not so great. Habits are defined as "a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up". I remember starting my Master's program and it was a regular practice for me to go for a daily 4 mile jog and eat healthy. One day, at the beginning of my program, I was in a study group in a lounge on our campus. I didn’t have time to grab a healthy meal or go for a jog that evening, so I made my way to the vending machine and chose to have a Snicker's bar and a Coke. That was the first time I had drank a Coke in years but that split-second decision would change my life. That one trip to the vending machine became a regular practice of drinking Coke and its content of detrimental high fructose corn syrup- for the next 17 years. It was my greatest regret--putting something into my body regularly that was harmful, addictive and simply no good for me. Fast forward 17 years later and my daily struggle with drinking Coke continued. It was at that time 17 years later, my good friend asked me to be her bridesmaid and I became nervous at the thought of anyone taking pictures of me. And in the same split second it took me to start drinking coke, I made a decision to stop drinking coke cold turkey after 17 years of drinking 1 cup of it a day! Needless to say, I had withdrawals the night I quit. From chills to feeling sick without it, I finally said goodbye to the worst thing I had ever put in my body. 2 Peter 1:5-6 says, “For this very reason, applying your diligence in your faith to develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control and in your self-control, steadfastness and in your steadfastness, godliness.” The Apostle Peter talks about practicing self-control in this scripture. Changing a bad habit comes from intentionally practicing good habits daily. Can you think of anything you practice regularly that isn't good for you? We all have them. Whether it is not being intentional in checking up on our friends/family or drinking high fructose corn syrup like I did, let's think about what habit we struggle with and begin practicing being who and what God called us to be- being good stewards of what He's placed in our lives. God is faithful to help turn your bad habit into a beautiful testimony of overcoming. Love, A woman of worth.