Compliments of the season! By His grace we are here, 2022, and God is saying in Isaiah 40:9 (NKJV) “…lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Rise in Strength!
2021 is gone with all its challenges. We do not know what lies ahead in 2022, but one thing is certain, God is still God. The past two years have been blighted with a pandemic that has left no one untouched the world over. Despite being believers and optimists, we could approach this year with a heavy heart, which can steal our joy in celebrating the New Year. New variants of the pandemic keep coming up and there is no end in sight despite the breakthroughs in vaccines. But you know what, God hears our cries. He has not forgotten or forsaken us. God’s word is full of promises and in Lamentations 3:22-23 (ISV) “Because of the Lord’s gracious love we are not consumed, since his compassions never end. They are new every morning – great is your faithfulness!”
What does the new year mean for us? We do not forget the past but take stock of what God did in our lives during the past year. It will show us the faithfulness of God and draws us into worship. As we step into the future, looking back at God’s work in our lives, both the expected and unexpected gives us faith for what He will do next. We are assured of God’s faithfulness always. As an organisation, we thank God because we experienced His presence and guidance when the whole world went into lockdown. We have been connected as never before as an international body through Zoom and other social media platforms.
We make new year resolutions, but maybe the most important resolution of all is to make Jesus come first in our life. In the busyness of life, it can be easy to forget that we were commanded to love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind (Luke 10:27). When we focus on God, everything else falls into place.
Our theme for 2022 is “Rise in Strength” based on Isaiah 40. In Verse 9 God commands us to, “…lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Are we ready to Rise in Strength to share the message of Hope? May I encourage each and every one of us to form some personal habits that will shape and focus our lives as we join God in His mission to ‘See girls’ lives transformed and God’s world enriched.” Let us read the word, speak the word, live the word and pray the word. For the word of the Lord endures forever.
Priscilla P. Penny
The International President
“For we walk by faith and not by sight”…. to see girls’ lives transformed: God’s world enriched!
Maintaining Kingdom Values With 21st Century Mission 2022:
RISE IN STRENGTH Isaiah 40:9…” lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”