The woman had been sick for a long time. She was in almost constant pain and she never had a day's rest from the blood that flowed from her body. Her clothes were always soiled and she felt dirty. Bathing helped, but it was a never-ending battle to stay clean.

She had spent the last 12 years and all of her resources trying to find a cure, but the physicians only made her worse. She had tried everything, and even though she might have given up, she still had hope (Luke 8:43-48).

She heard about Jesus and how he had power from God to heal diseases. Could this be what she had been seeking, searching and hoping for all these years?

When she heard the Teacher was in town, she walked all over until she found him, then followed him, trying to work up the courage to get closer.

When she heard Jairus come up and ask if Jesus could go with him to heal his daughter, the sick woman saw her chance. As he walked by with his disciples, she reached out and touched the hem of his garment. Her faith was so great, she knew this would be enough.

Jesus’ reaction is interesting, because it is the same reaction he has to us today, when we trust him and reach out to touch him. He called her "daughter" and, assuring her that her faith had made her well, told her she could now have peace. He not only wanted her to be well physically, he also wanted to encourage her soul. She had sought out and contacted God. Only the two of them knew it, and only the two knew how needy she was.

We are all just as needy as this woman whom the Bible doesn’t even name. We have physical, emotional and spiritual problems and enough anxiety to fill a reservoir. Where do we turn when we need healing? Isn’t there only one place to go - to Jesus?

In Psalm 27:8, God said to David, "Seek My face," and David’s heart responded by saying, "Your face, Lord, will I seek" (NKJV).

Go to God, and get face to face with him. He won’t turn away. He’ll do just what Jesus did to the bleeding, hurting woman. He turned around and wouldn’t walk another step until he knew who had caused power to go out of him. Even though everyone was in a hurry to get to Jairus’ daughter before she died, Jesus cared enough about this woman to talk to her, comfort her and bless her with his peace.

God wants us to seek him. He wants us to search for him, pursue him and constantly turn toward him. It’s like being in a crowd and trying to find that familiar, precious face. As soon as we see him, we receive comfort and rest.

At the time I went to college, I had only been attending church for a couple of years. I hadn’t yet learned to pray - it was new and I felt uncomfortable. But when I arrived on the Big Sandy campus, I noticed that everyone in my dorm would disappear into these little closets in the morning and again in the evenings before bed. I was intrigued.

One day I ventured in. It was a very small closet, with a light, a fan, and if you were lucky, a little stool to lean on. There wasn't much room in there, but I soon got used to kneeling in the cramped space, and it became my twice-daily habit too.

For a long time after my college days, I seemed to hold onto that prayer closet mentality. Prayer must be at certain times, in a certain position and even with a kind of structure that I must have heard in sermons at church.

I don’t remember exactly when I came out of the prayer closet, but it probably started when I sat in on the discussions about the nature of God, during the ministerial conferences a few years ago. I had God in a small box - the bottom, sides and top made up of the Ten Commandments, the Holy Days, the Sabbath and other legalistic restrictions - and it came as quite a revelation to me that God was omnipresent. He is much bigger than any box. On some level I knew that, but during those discussions, God became more real and personal to me.

Now I know I can pray anytime, anyplace and in any position. God hears me whenever I pray and in fact, wants me to pray all the time (I Thes. 5:17). I heard that someone once asked Mrs. Loma Armstrong how many times a day she prayed. Her answer was, a thousand times! She came out of her prayer closet a long time ago!

Emilie Barnes, author and speaker, uses a prayer basket to help her keep in touch with God. She fills it with a Bible, a devotional book, silk flowers to remind her of the beauty and fragrance of Jesus, some cards to write an encouraging note to someone she’s praying for. She takes her basket with her so she can pray in different places inside or outside.

I made a prayer basket for myself, but I also decided to set up a permanent place, so I put candles, a framed verse and inspiring books on my desk. Sometimes I take a cup of tea with me, so God and I can have conversation over tea.

The little engine huffed and puffed. He just had to make it to the top of the hill. It's so steep, he thought to himself, and I am so small and weak. I don't think I can do it. Then he remembered what would happen if he didn't make it over the hill. His load of toys would not be delivered to the boys and girls in the town on the other side. "I just have to make it," he said out loud. I think I can do it, I think I can, I think I can.

And we all know that the Little EngineThat Could made it to the top of the hill and delivered the toys. What about you? Do you always make it to the top of your hill? Or do you lose confidence and walk away feeling inadequate and not quite up to the task?

We all have moments when we feel this way, when we lack confidence in ourselves. We've all passed up opportunities because we said to ourselves, Oh, I can't do that, I'm not smart enough, good enough or anything "enough".

Wouldn't it be wonderful if you never said that to yourself again? When something new comes along, wouldn't you like to say, Yes, I can do that, instead of shrinking back into the wallpaper?

You can. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. You don't have to have confidence in yourself.

When I was asked to step in as a speaker at the U.S. Regional Ministerial Conferences in 1995, I didn't have much confidence in myself. I wasn't sure if I could get up in front of a hundred women and talk. My college speech classes were a long time ago. So I began to pray. And God gave me enough strength to walk up to the podium (my legs were shaking and my heart was beating very fast). I looked out at all those smiling faces, and realized that yes, I could do it, with my confidence in the right place.

God doesn't want us to put our confidence in ourselves, other people or in things. He wants us to have confidence in him and trust him. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Jesus told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." All we need is God - his strength, his power, his love, his grace.

Like Paul, we can have no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3), but our assurance comes from our understanding of who God is, his power, his capabilities and our relationship with him.

It’s cool and quiet. The animals are still sleeping. Even the birds haven’t started their morning chorus. Mary stirs and her eyes pop open. It seems as though she has just fallen asleep, and indeed, she has slept only a couple of hours. Was it just two days ago that Jesus was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb? It still seems so unreal.

From the time she heard of his arrest, Mary had been praying for strength, mercy and wisdom. Many of the things she had heard Jesus say over the past three years went through her mind as she hurried through the streets so she could be close in case he needed her help.

The waiting had seemed endless as she stood outside the government buildings while he was being questioned and then tortured. Oh how she had cried when she saw the blood and the torn flesh on his back and face!

Mary had to turn away when they nailed his hands and feet to the wood, but she looked up in time to see them place the cross upright and slide it into the slot in the ground. The tears streamed down her face as she watched the soldiers cast lots for his tunic and jeer at him, calling him names and spitting on him.

It had seemed such a long walk from the hill to the tomb. Her feet seemed heavy and her mind numb as she followed the others and watched as Jesus’ body was laid on the slab. Mary shuddered as the stone was rolled into place. It had such a sound of finality.

Now it was Sunday morning and Mary wanted to be at the tomb early, so she and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James and the other women could take the spices to anoint Jesus’ body. As they walked, the sky began to lighten and birds started to sing. Their footsteps were silent as they made their way carefully along the path, each keeping company with her own thoughts.

Just as Mary was wondering who would roll the stone away from the tomb so they could enter, she looked up and saw that the stone had already been moved. She stepped in, not quite knowing what to expect. What a shock to see an angel of the Lord, with a face like lightning and clothing as white as snow.

His words calmed her and filled her with hope: "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and indeed he is going before you into Galilee; there you will see him. Behold, I have told you" (Matthew 28.5-7).

Don’t you just love the comic page in the newspaper? When I was a kid, it was the first section of the paper I read. Well, it was also the only section I read. I’ve noticed my kids do the same thing, especially on Sunday when it’s in color. Sometimes the comic strips make you laugh, and sometimes you just shake your head and say, "Isn’t that the truth?"

A "Far Side" (by Gary Larson) really struck me one day. It showed a pilot and a copilot in the cockpit of their plane. They are looking out the windshield and it’s very cloudy, but there is a goat standing right in front of them. The pilot looks over and asks, "Say -- what’s a mountain goat doing way up here in a cloudbank?" Maybe we’re not the only ones who looked at life and saw a different reality.

I saw another cartoon recently of a chick standing beside a broken eggshell. His first thought was, Wow, a new paradigm! Again, I thought of us. Just like that chick, we have made a dramatic shift from the darkness to the light. For some, the light was beautiful. They said, "Wow!" and became very excited. For some the light was blinding. They said, "Ow!" and turned around to look for shade.

And then the pendulum started to swing. Some jumped right on and swung way over. They immediately wanted to throw out all the old, keeping nothing that would remind them of the past. Let’s have new music, new days, new jargon. Others wanted to hold onto the past, and continue to do everything "the way we’ve always done it." Let’s keep the old music, the time-honored traditions and not be so quick to conform to the way other Christians do things.

Someone once said her life is like swinging on a rope. She knows Jesus is in the center of her life because every time she passes the middle, she gets a glimpse of him.

Isn’t that how we are as humans? We swing back and forth, looking for that happy medium (or not), grabbing a peek every now and then, but not stopping long enough to put down roots.

Jesus must shake his head sometimes. He doesn’t move. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We are the ones who keep moving, going from one "new" idea to another, searching for the worship format, the Bible study curriculum, the music style, the paradigm that will bring us closer to where we think God wants us to be.

But what should we be doing? "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Let’s get off the pendulum and sit still before the Lord. Let him show us the way. After all, he is the way, the truth and the life.

Let’s not swing wildly in many different directions. Let’s learn to wait on God, be patient with him and with each other and keep a balanced perspective.

The United States has as one of its basic tenets the rights of the individual. We have the right to bear arms, the right to freedom of speech and the right to pursue happiness. Many people have died defending those rights, and people continue to fight with each other over perceived rights such as abortion and flag-burning.

But what about our rights as Christians? Do Christians have rights and should we stand up for ourselves and fight over them? Jesus said that if someone hits you on the cheek, you should turn and let him or her hit you on the other cheek. I have never done that literally and I don't think I've done it too often figuratively. It's not the normal reaction of a human being.

If someone is attacking us or even being critical, our first reaction is to become defensive and try to justify or excuse what we have done. We strike back or try to turn the attack back on our attacker.

Jesus gave us the ultimate example of how to get along with others, and if we are following him, we will give up our defensiveness. (Of course, I’m not speaking of abusive situations.) We will acknowledge where the defensiveness comes from, why we hold on to it so tenaciously and then let go of it. We will have to admit that being defensive arises out of pride, ego and guilt.

Pride in who we are or what we've done causes us to hold onto our goodness or righteousness. Knowing we are wrong, or admitting the possibility that we might be wrong, mixed with even a little pride can uncover our hot buttons and bring out the defensiveness in any of us.

That was not Jesus' reaction when he was accused of crimes, subjected to a mockery of a trial, severely beaten and then crucified. He did not lash out in pride, trying to defend himself and stubbornly holding up his righteousness in his own defense. Jesus laid down his life humbly and willingly.

We have not been called to be Christians in order to stand up for our rights and defend our righteousness. We have been called to lay down our lives and humbly accept God's will for us. Proverbs 11:2 tells us that when pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

If you are still wondering about your rights as a woman, and get angry about why it has taken so long for some of the barriers to fall, it might be good to take a long look at yourself to see if you are a bit on the defensive about it. Then replace that defensiveness with praise to God for what he has done in releasing us to serve him.

The year is 2046 - I'm 90 years old. One day, my reat granddaughter sits on my lap and begins asking questions about my life. I tell her that my walk with Jesus has given it the variety, meaning and purpose that has kept me going these many years. I've seen so many changes in the body of Christ, but the one that had the most impact on my life was the one that gave me my own ministry.

It happened when I learned about the New Covenant Jesus made when he died. He fulfilled the law through the cross, doing away with the need for a priest to represent us to God. He became our High Priest, and we became a priesthood of believers.

I Peter 2.9 tells us, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (NKJV).

When I learned this, I realized (like Peter did when God gave him the vision about clean and unclean animals – Acts 10:9-16) that God doesn't assign different values to people the way we do. We are all important to him, each just as precious as the other. Jesus died for each and every human being.

Neither does God assign different values to different types of work. He may lead you to give someone a glass of cold water (Matt. 25.40), or teach God's way to others, like Priscilla and Aquila did with Apollos, or send cards of encouragement to shut-ins.

Whatever the job, each one is important to God. To him, no task is of more or less value than others.

Each one of us is important, and the work that each of us does is important. The contribution we make on this earth is our ministry. Our ministry, our service to God is what we do to help build up the body of Christ through exercising our gifts. Anyone and everyone can have a ministry.

I got so excited! When I learned this, I knew that God loved me and wanted me to do work for him! I knew that my contribution, no matter how small it may seem to others, was important to him and he was counting on me.

I found my purpose, my calling, my value and I knew that Jesus would be there, helping me and cheering me on all the way.

Then God broke my heart with something that breaks his heart. He showed me that the women of the Worldwide Church of God needed to know this too. They needed nurture, encouragement and someone to show the way. I became their cheerleader and I've been doing it with great joy ever since.

When you think of listening to God, what comes to mind? Voices in the night? Whispers in your ear? Dreams, visions, bright lights? God has used these methods of speaking to his people in the past, but Hebrews 1:2 tells us that God has spoken to us now by his son, whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the universe. John 1:1 makes it clear that Jesus is the Word, the Logos (NIV throughout).

How does Jesus the Logos speak to us today? Does he still speak?

The Bible is not filled with meaningless stories and parables. It’s not like other books, written years ago, in language no one understands, out of date and more or less dead. God didn’t speak these words once and that was it. He speaks to us through his word now. And if he does, his word is still being spoken. Just as God was, is and is to come, so is his word. God spoke, he speaks and he will speak. The Bible is alive, just as Jesus is the living word.

Psalm 19:7-9 has a beautiful description of God’s word. "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure, and altogether righteous."

We can expect Scripture to revive our soul, make us (the simple) wise, and give joy to our heart and light to our eyes. We know it will endure forever and is full of righteousness.

Read the Bible with fresh eyes, with these expectations in mind. Ask for these things to be accomplished in your reading and it will come alive. You’ll see things you hadn’t seen before and learn new applications for your life. You will hear God speak directly to you through his living word.

Dr. Margaret Nikol, a speaker and missionary who escaped from *** after several of her family members were killed because of their faith, talks about how she and her fellow Christians preserved God’s word. Bibles were routinely confiscated from people’s homes, so each believer received one page from a remaining Bible – hers was from Deuteronomy. She jokingly says she’s thankful it wasn’t from Numbers, but she was glad to have even that one page. It was lovingly and gratefully read and memorized.

When Dr. Nikol was finally able to escape to the U.S., her one desire was for a Bible. Some friends took her to a Christian bookstore and, seeing the rows and rows of Bibles, she broke down sobbing. It was just too much to comprehend.

Sometimes when I get an idea, I get very attached to it. It becomes my baby. It’s a common thing for people to hold on to their ideas so tightly they’ll do anything to see them through to fruition. Tom Clancy, in his book Executive Orders, said some people wed their ideas more faithfully than their spouses.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing. It can be good to tenaciously hold onto a good idea, and in the face of opposition, see it through. Hannah is an example of a woman who wanted a child and prayed so desperately, she seemed drunk. Her determination, persistence and faith are legendary, and so is her son, Samuel.

Being wed to an idea can have disastrous consequences if it’s not from God. Rebekah decided she had to help God with his plan for her sons. She deceived her husband and set a poor example for Esau and Jacob, bringing rivalry, deceit and contention into her family. God overruled the sinfulness of all four of them and fulfilled his promises anyway.

I’ve been on both sides of this equation. For a long time, I held on to the idea that I would never change. I told my husband this is the way I am, and I’ll always be this way. Actually I was right, because at the time, I wasn’t tuned in to the Holy Spirit and wasn’t letting Jesus live in me.

But I’ve also had good ideas. When I found out about women's ministry, I knew it was from God and didn’t let go of it, even though we received some criticism and encountered those who saw no need for it in our fellowship. I don’t take credit for this, however. God helped me hold on to it even when I doubted it myself.

We need to make sure the ideas we have and hold onto are the right ones, and beyond being right, are from God. But how can we know our ideas are from God? First, we have to pray. We can pray about something and still go off in the wrong direction. We have to pray with an open mind, giving it to God with the attitude that it doesn’t matter if we don’t do this certain thing. What matters is being in tune with God’s will, not our own.

Next, talk to a mentor or accountability partner or group about your idea. It’s best to get counsel from someone you trust, and ask for prayers from them too.

After praying and talking to trusted counselors, be alert to answers from God. You may receive indications or signs as you read scripture, as you talk to others, as you read and do research about what you have in mind. Take time to wait for answers from the Lord, rather than rushing into something.

When I hear women from our own fellowship speaking at retreats and conferences, I’m inspired. The talent that has been lying virtually untapped is a tremendous resource for the Worldwide Church of God and should no longer be allowed to go unused.

At the women’s ministry meetings in Pasadena, several women have stood up to give icebreakers during our "Getting to Know You" time. It’s amazing to hear new things about a person you thought you already knew. I could tell some of them were nervous and hadn’t spoken in front of a group before. But I think they enjoyed telling their stories, and we definitely enjoyed getting to know them better.

During the Elder’s Wives Conference this year in Los Angeles, five pillar-in-the-church women spoke about their experiences both in the pastorate and life in general. Some of them were also anxious about speaking, but they exhibited the same grace and wisdom they have shown throughout their years in the ministry. We all appreciated their warm and insightful messages.

At a retreat in Florida, several women presented a mini seminar on Putting God First. They quickly overcame their nervousness as they warmed to the subject. It was obvious they felt passionately about their topics and had a real desire to encourage and help their sisters.

We in the Worldwide Church of God have a long history of being exclusive and isolating ourselves from people and ideas not our own. Now we eagerly read books and invite outside speakers to our retreats and conferences. This is great and we can all take advantage of the many resources available to us.

In our excitement to learn from our fellow Christians in other denominations, let’s not forget that even though we may all feel we have so much to learn, we have much to offer as well. Women who have been in the church for 20, 30 or 40 years have a wealth of experience and wisdom. They may just be afraid or lack confidence to come forward and offer their talents.

I’d like to encourage everyone planning any women’s function to look around your own congregation and call on those who have "never done this before" to bring their gifts to God’s altar and use them to edify their sisters in the Lord.

Scripture tells us our gifts are given to us not for our own glory, but for the glory of God and for building up the church (Eph. 4:12). We have a responsibility to help build our church, help it heal and bring it into the new millenium. The only way we can do that is to use our gifts, step up and take responsibility and don’t be afraid to try something new (even if that something new is public speaking).