January 2010
From the series...What Can One Woman Do?
You discover that your husband or son, father or brother is addicted to pornography. What do you do? This is the first of three articles that explore the issue of pornography from the perspective of two committed Christian women.
When a man admits to an alcohol addiction and asks for help, the church rallies around him, supporting and encouraging him and his family as he recovers. When a man admits to an addiction to pornography and asks for help, he and his family are either shunned or have their pleas for help ignored or diminished. Pornography seems to be treated as an unspeakable sin. Why would anyone take the risk of asking for help? Why would a Christian woman take the risk of confronting her man in the first place knowing what people will think?
Why have this arts/culture column on a missions organization’s website?
Baptist women are not only wives, daughters, mothers and teachers, doctors and lawyers. We are also visual artists, writers, poets, dancers, actors, and musicians. I believe that when we artists use our gifts well and to God’s glory, we take part in something larger than us. We build a tabernacle, a place where God’s Spirit dwells (Ezekiel 35: 30 – 35). We build up each other (His church). But, we’re also giving shape to the invisible; ushering in a bit of God’s kingdom and the possibility of a new creation. And that’s mission.
We hope that you’ll enjoy reading what our artists have to say about art, culture and mission.
When I went to Urbana (an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship missions conference held every 3 years) in Grade 12, I had no idea what kind of seed God was planting. I found the conference sessions and speakers inspiring and I loved the experience of worshipping with thousands of other students. But in Grade 12, my dream was to be a professional dancer and choreographer. My dream was not to be a missionary.
In September 2007, a group of us from First Baptist Church, Orillia, launched the church’s first Family Circle event. Family Circle is a support program for Orillia’s single moms and that day we offered three workshops to the 16 women who attended: haircutting, budgeting and a cooking class.
Our Christmas and Emergency Fund works hard.
Each Emergency dollar helps one woman, child or family in crisis . . . at home or abroad.
$3,000 went to Kenya this year, to support CBM/The Sharing Way relief efforts.
Each Christmas dollar brings cheer to one of our retired missionaries.
Thank you.
In the still moments, among the noisy bustle of work, family and service, when you get the chance to catch your breath and take stock of your life…where do you find yourself? Is it in the wilderness, the desert, the garden of bounty? For Pearl Hendren, the totality of her 96 years on this earth has been all of these things. Yet, at the centre, amidst every circumstance, has been her greatest stronghold and her most precious treasure…Christ.
“There was a point in mom’s life that was very difficult,” Pearl’s daughter Athabelle quietly said. “But, through everything, especially those trying years, she always prayed for strength and God never let her down.”
