2012.10 Middle East Training - Session 2

2012.10 Middle East Training - Session 2, photos on Facebook

Here's a link to photos from our training session that has just been completed in Turkey! Please keep these ladies in your prayers.

My Interview with Laurie Wallin

Hello friends!

Thought I'd give you a heads up that Laurie Wallin (pictured below) from the blog "Living Power - Life Coaching" interviewed me and has posted it on her blog yesterday here.

If you have a few minutes, please check it out.

Thank you for your prayers as we continue to raise funds for our upcoming training session for women in the Middle East.  We're just a few short weeks away from leaving.  Your prayers, encouragement and financial support are priceless!

Have a great week!

New Class taught by Lyn Fish!

Our very own Lyn Fish started teaching a 10-week identity class based on Kristin's book "Who Do You Think You Are?" at Scottsdale Bible Church on Tuesday and we're up in the clouds with excitement!

Women are already sharing their “aha” moments as they begin to discover how their self-view is different from God’s loving view of them. Hope is already rising! 

Please keep us and them in prayer as we help these women discover their purpose so they can impact their world for Christ by living out their unique design for His kingdom purpose. 

We realize the enemy is prowling around and would like to thwart God’s plan. We’ve been sensitive to his evil schemes and rejoice that our God is on the throne—He who is in us is far greater than he who is in the world!

May our Lord do a great work in each of them as they ponder His truths… may they embrace His truths… may the shackles that have bound in lies about their identity fall off!

Have you attended one of these classes or read Kristin's book?  We'd love to see your comments about what you learned in the process.

Or if you would be interested in attending a class like this so you can discover your purpose and impact your world, please send us an email at info@gtiw.org or sign up for our newsletter (in the right column) where we announce upcoming events.  You can also find us on Facebook!  We hope to hear from you soon.

Middle East Update

I was telling Marty Caldwell, one of the vice presidents of Young Life, about our ministry not too long ago. He was very interested! I described our plan to host no more than 20 Arab women with leader-ship potential in Turkey. “A safe place and good choice of location,” he said. We’ll meet twice a year for three years in order to help them discover their value and purpose and teach them how to impact their world, and develop deep relationships with us and others. He said “That’s a great plan! It is Jesus’ way: smaller, deeper and longer.”

It’s exciting to know that with God’s help, our goals and plans are indeed being realized: build relationships, provide education, and open the door to transformation to women in oppressed regions of the world. We are thrilled! And this is only the beginning. Can you imagine the impact when we do this over and over again with more trainers and more groups? The thought inspires me to keep moving forward.
The team that took part in the May GTIW launch in Turkey called it a “holy time” and all are eager to go back. One said, “The team really jelled and there was mutual love, respect and help.” Another said, “I love the women already and can’t wait to go back!” The GTIW training team is a strong, seasoned, gifted group of trainers who have accepted this assignment as coming from God. So yes, we are going back! Our second session will meet in early October.

A special time of prayer with the women in Turkey

And what about our first attendees, (who come from all over the Middle East)? Some of their comments say it all:
Magda: “The only thing I am sure about is that I’m not here by accident.”
Mira: “I was really dry and empty before coming. Now I feel my emptiness is gone. I have felt loved and cared for.”
Virginia: “I feel a transformation in my life.”
Hanan: “This was a blessing. I am starting to train 3 potential leaders. I realize this training is something that I can take back to them. I felt commissioned by God through the foot washing. The Lord confirmed why I am here!”

You may be aware of the political struggles going on in Egypt. The courageous Egyptian women (there were 5 of them) came at a great price, as there was gunfire outside their doors just before they came. But God provided safety for them and their families. Several of the women are from Muslim backgrounds and risk social, emotional, and physical persecution, even death for their faith in Christ.
Consult any source. Women are still some of the most exploited people on earth. Yet when you lead a woman to Christ, you effectively win her entire family—for she holds the key to heart and home. In addition to her family, all of the women in the program serve in other positions of influence as well. They come from a wide array of roles, such as speakers, ministry leaders, and pastor’s wives. These Magdas, Miras and Hanans, are going to be used by God to win others to Him in Jordan, Egypt, Iraq and beyond. Imagine the possibilities when they embrace their full value and purpose!
So why am I writing to you? We need your help to continue to realize our God-given dream of helping women become effective influencers for Christ!We need your prayers. Lots of them! For the enemy does not want us to make inroads into this dark part of the world.

 And we need your financial gifts. Our attendees can’t afford to attend this training without your aid. We assist them by providing scholarships that are sent to us by you, for them.

With your generous support, the Global Training Institute for Women can continue this great work that offers so much potential for bringing hope and meaning to women throughout one of the most violent, oppressed, and conflict-ridden areas of the world. Your support offers a practical means – through the courage and faith of these women – for sowing the seeds that may ultimately transform that region with the love and peace of Jesus Christ.

Your generous gift of $100, 200 or 300 a month, or a onetime gift, will provide help and hope to women who desperately need it. If you will send a contribution now, we can ensure that these precious women have the opportunity to continue to grow in their identity and the purpose for which God designed them!
Thank you! Thank you for praying, for giving and for sharing the vision to reach out across the world to lift women up with a message of hope that inspires and equips them to be all that God created them to be.
In Him who is able to do above all that we ask or think,

You can donate online here

Did you notice our new look? We’ll be sharing more about that in our next e-newsletter
so watch your inbox!
All contributions to Global Training Institute for Women (GTIW) are income tax deductible
and made with the understanding that GTIW has complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds.

Powerful Words of Truth

Don't you just love this graphic with the 100 most common words in my book, "Who Do You Think You Are?"  They're sized based on frequency.  The words used more are larger.  It will give you a taste of the topics and key words covered in this book where women can learn about their true identity in Christ.

If you haven't had a chance to read it, I think it's worth your time.

Enjoy!

Pray for Egypt

Dear friends,

Please watch this short video and pray for the country of Egypt.

We have several women in our Middle East training program who live in this country and have already seen unveiled women being threatened in public places since the new government came to power.

Please pray for their protection, safety and wisdom as they live out their Christian lives in a nation that is becoming more hostile to their faith and gender with each passing day.

We know that God is in control and His sovereign plan WILL be carried out.

Thank you for your continued prayers, encouragement and support.

Living the Dream

Have you ever had the thrill of living your dream...of stopping at some point during the day and saying to yourself..."right now, at this moment,; this is what I have been dreaming, praying about and planning for years". This was my experience after I arrived in Antalya, Turkey with my US ministry team in May, 2012. I unpacked my bags in the lovely resort that was to be our home for a week, and readied myself to launch our first ever Institute in the Arab world.  Then I went to meet the 20 women that had come from five different Arab countries. They had all set aside a week at great personal cost for training and relationship building. The Global Training Institute for Women, a three-year leadership training program, was designed for just such a purpose: to equip women both here and abroad with the truths of their biblical identity, value and kingdom purpose: and do so in the context of relationship. And God met us there in a mighty way!

We had a wonderful time in Turkey! My prayers were answered tenfold as I saw the women who came, open their hearts as we share d the love and wisdom of God. They were so thankful to us (and those who prayed and provided resources) that they were often moved to tears. I still continue to get notes of gratitude.

 

(one of our many teaching sessions)    

Lord willing, from this point on we are going to travel to Turkey to meet with this  group  of women twice a year for three years. We have developed a curriculum program that we will teach over the course of this time to the same group of women...thereby providing an educational experience that is relational and deep. The attendees, excited about returning, come from Egypt, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Jordan, even one from Sweden. (The woman is a Muslim background believer from Israel. She had to move for safety reasons.) Though our attendees are Arab nationals, they are able to read and write in English. And they are already turning in "homework"!

   

After this three year program, we hope to continue with a new group of 20 women.

Here are just a few comments from some of the women who attended:

Amal (Egypt) - When I first came I was just fearful- everyone was hugging and kissing and I thought you all knew each other. Then I realized you didn't know everyone, you were just being welcoming! I am still fearful and amazed by what you did today {we held a foot washing ceremony}. I don't know if I can do it too. But with God's strength I can. I also learned how to listen and encourage. I have so much love from everyone; I don't know what to do with it!

Mira (Sweden) - I was really dry and empty before coming. Feel now my emptiness is gone. I have felt loved and cared for.

Inas (Jerusalem) - On my way here I thought I wouldn't come back or understand. {She is just learning English}. On the first night I understood everything. Each hug from everyone was from God.

Magda (Egypt) - The only thing that I am sure about is that I'm not here by accident.

Salma (Egypt) - I didn't want to just come for fun, I really wanted to come to learn. I am going to talk a lot about this conference and teach it others.

Adele (Jordan) - I knew that they knew our weaknesses, but they only looked at our strengths. I learned one thing from the Lord- Not to condemn someone else for their weakness.

Seven women besides myself comprised the American team, helping me with logistics, teaching, worship and prayer. And a wonderful team it was: Mary Malouf, Deb Pirtle, Nancy Hann, Simone Lake, Janelle Wood, Stephanie Myers and a new friend, Majda Ayoub, a Jordanian living in Peoria, AZ. Five local Arizona churches are represented in this team. And we are all ready to go back...as God provides.

Your continued prayers and support in fulfilling this God-sized undertaking is deeply appreciated! I wish I could take every one of you with me on this ministry trip. And I can't wait to go back and be with my new sisters!

Love,  

Kristin 

Executive Director 

WHO KNEW????

I know that you all are at various stages of knowing what Fred and I have been living with lately, so I thought I would write and fill in some of the blanks…and thank you for continuing to support me while I supported Fred and tried to carry on my duties at the ministry.




It has been just about two months now since Fred and I had a life-changing experience: his 6 artery by-pass surgery! We had no idea that this was what awaited us when we went to the hospital on February 24th for what we thought was an angiogram and then procedure for a stent, possibly two. His so-called one artery blockage, possibly two that the doctors suspected might have to be dealt with turned out to be severely blocked arteries (all of them) that could not be handled with stents. And we had plans in the evening! We were told it was out-patient! The doctors were as surprised as we were with what they found.



Well, guess what? It was not only NOT out-patient, Fred ended up having open heart surgery and staying one week in the hospital. And now the long recovery is almost over. Getting physically strong again is Fred’s major job (along with resuming his ministry role at SBC): mine is to ready myself and my team for a trip to Turkey. We are very much looking forward to him driving again starting this coming weekend! I have been full time nurse and chauffeur and am happy to shortly be able to give Fred his car keys. We are indeed very grateful for God’s intervention in prompting me to prompt Fred to get checked out before he tried to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro again. Every time I think about the “what-ifs” I am stunned anew and reminded how our Sovereign God leads, protects and guides. How we can thank God for having His hand on all of our lives!

We at Global Training Institute for Women (formerly Greater Reach Ministries; we are going through a name change but nothing has been officially announced yet) are about to launch our first training institute in Turkey on May 3rd- May 14th and I couldn’t be more excited. This means I and Stephanie Myers and 6 other God-picked women will be leaving to meet with the 20 women who eagerly applied and are coming from all over the Middle East and North Africa to begin a three year journey of growth together. I can’t wait to tell you more about these ladies. Many are Muslim background believers, who came to Christ at great personal sacrifice, and are eager to grow in their faith. I would so appreciate your prayers for us as we embark on this God-ordained ministry adventure.



Many volunteers (including many of you) have come alongside during this challenging time to help move this ministry forward in my absence. That is only one of the many things I am grateful for. Many of you also contribute financially to sustain me and GTIW. It warms my heart when I think of you and your gifts of love and prayers.



We are praying for more to come alongside and scholarship these precious Arab sisters. $200/month provides for one woman to attend the twice yearly training. In the meantime, thank you for your friendship, prayers and support!

If you would like to scholarship a woman please click on this link for more information https://globaltraininginstitute.missionsconnex.com/gtiw

Come Along for the Ride!

What an exciting and growing time we have going on with the Global Training Institute for Women (GTIW)!! We are in full swing to launch the first training session this May, with 21 women from five different Arab countries (Iraq, Egypt, Israel, Sudan, and Jordan).

We would love to share with you, how you can "Come Along For The Ride" and join us as we launch this program.

The Global Training Institute for Women is designed as a three-year, region-specific program, where women selected from the Arab world will meet with a small group of trainers face-to-face two times a year for three years in a neutral location. The classes are small to facilitate the building of deep relationships in a safe environment; the trainers are experienced and equipped; the training itself is focused and systematic. The Institute covers three core areas: Biblical understanding, character development, and ministry skills. The Institute training team is made up of women from the United States and the Arab world.

Did you Know?

Eighty-five percent of the world's poorest people live in a region between the west coast of North Africa and the east coast of China, an area that contains 95 percent of the world's least evangelized people. Four out of five of these least evangelized poorest of the poor are women.

The social barriers that separate the millions of women living in the Arab world from the truth of the Gospel can seem almost insurmountable.

Many Arab women are illiterate - unable to read a Bible, even in their own language. Many more live in fear of their husbands, who are encouraged by the Qur'an to beat or kill their wives if they embrace or even study any other religious faith. Cut off from any biblical understanding of their role in their home and community, Arab women often submit to a slave-like identity born out of Islamic culture and its often brutal directives for family relationships. This situation frequently leads to feelings of isolation, loneliness and poor self-esteem.

Without the biblical understanding that comes from deep interaction with God's Word and His people, even Arab women who have converted to Christianity are utterly unaware of their value as children of God and of the unconditional love Christ has for them. They are also unaware that they have been gifted in unique ways in order to make a contribution in furthering the Great Commission. Facilitating these women's ability to discover biblical truth together, while teaching and encouraging each other to embrace their true spiritual identity, is the work of the Global Training Institute for Women.

A woman can only attend the institute if sufficient financial support is in place. Every prayer is mighty. Every dollar counts.

You can make a difference!

Would you pray with us about becoming a vital part of our growing partnership with national workers, churches and seminaries? Through your prayers and financial support God will use us together to raise up godly leaders for His glory around the world.

It's so easy to give online! Visit our website here to donate!

Grounded in the Word, these women will become world-changers ...victoriously passing on to others life, truth, and freedom in Christ!

We want to unleash influential women to impact their world. Won't you join us?

Come Along For The Ride!