Hello Ladies,


Freedom! You can't put a price on it. I love the Fourth of July, which we recently celebrated. Yes we all enjoy the barbecues and fireworks, but what I love most is remembering that God gave us this great country, where we are free to worship Him without restraint.

We owe so much to the Pilgrims, and later to the Founding Fathers, who had such passion to create a nation that was land of the free, home of the brave. In fact, their passion and dedication to lay the foundation of America cost them their very lives in many cases.

Many of our Founding Fathers had faith in God, and as a result created a constitution that allows for peaceful elections and a system of government that is a model for the entire world. Where did they get the wisdom to create such a remarkable government? From God Himself, and from modeling Judeo-Christian principles found in the Word of God. One visit to the Capitol building and other monuments in Washington D.C, and you will see the indelible print of God's Word on these great men of God.

Sadly, and as we see in the news every day, we seem to have walked away from these timeless Biblical principles. We see Americans killing each other in the streets, and a growing distrust of authority and of each other. We have lost our way, caring much more about ourselves than about the future generations, as our Founding Fathers once did.

But is our hope in a new president? In elections or a better economy?

No! I Truly believe our hope lies in returning to our first love, to humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God! Consider these two words in 2 Chronicles 7:14,, "if my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven and heal their land."

Ladies, join me in praying over our once-great nation. Pray for the racial tensions we see all around us. Pray for our men and women in law enforcement, for our leaders, but pray especially for the church to once again be salt and light. That the church would make the world around us thirsty once more for the things of God, and shed light on the darkness around us!

Consider the words of "America the Beautiful":

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood,
From sea to shining sea!

America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine!


Ladies, pray for our nation! Join us this summer as the Women's Ministry gathers for its first-ever summer study, and as we pray together for the church and for America. The study begins in one week on July 19th and continues for six weeks. Join us as we study several women of the Bible, and may the Lord revive each of us again, as He did these might women of valor in Scripture!

And lastly - we are excited to be starting a new radio feature, called "Take a Minute," to air on The Bridge soon Lord willing. In it, Women's Ministry teachers will exhort women to "take a minute," to consider truth from the Bible and to join us to build those friendships with each other! You can listen to these features and share them here http://tinyurl.com/takeminute, or by using the CCOB app, then clicking on Messages, then Women's Ministry.

I cannot wait to be together again soon to study the Word and pray for our nation!

We would see Jesus,
Karen