In the words of one of our trainers....

Dear partners in ministry, Thank you for your prayers, in-kind and financial gifts, because of God's grace and His stirring in your hearts to partner with GTIW we witnessed His glory manifested in a powerful way in Turkey this past week.  God is faithful!  He brought 15 of our Arab Sisters safely to Turkey from Egypt, Iraq, Jerusalem, Jordan and Sweden.  Many of the women came empty and worn and left filled and renewed in their hearts and minds.  We felt the presence of our Lord and Savior with us every step of the way. To God be the glory! From the bottom of our hearts we thank you and may our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ bless you and your families!  Blessings, Janelle Wood Executive Director GTIW In the words of one of our teachers... Mary with Hanan and Lilian Thoughts from my journal, written somewhere over  the Atlantic. Mary Malouf        The ever present alarm barely got its shrill sound out before our feet hit the floor of room 1408, this time at 3:15 am and this morning our last in Antalya, Turkey.  Really?  Was 11 days of work and presentations, love and sharing, prayers and listening actually coming to a close?  Was I ready to say goodbye to my 15 Arab friends with their resilient spirits and ever ready embraces?  I am tired but more grateful than tired, more in awe of God's faithfulness than my weariness.  Bits and pieces of these days beckon my attention. Camellia, our sweet maid who spoke to us in long and hearty hugs. The passionate praying of Inas and others as she wept over the countries of her sisters with all their bombings, civil unrest and mistreatment of women. One of our single gals living in her parent's Muslim home is so anxious to get out of the oppressive situation.  Her gift from God? She was able to lead her little brother to Jesus this month. Hanaa's sadness as she told of one of her teens at camp finally admitting not only her father but uncle and brother repeatedly using her sexually.  Afraid to report all this lest she be killed for shaming the family, she buries  How sweet it was to greet our dear Arab sisters!  the story in her young soul. Oh how life giving is this camping program where they have been encouraged to tell their story. The ability of the Arab women to engage in amazing worship and even dance the dabke!  Every worship session was led by an Arab. The joy on Azza's face as she told of the faithfulness of God to spare her 8 year old son who was almost kidnapped from their car by the Muslim Brotherhood. They will return again to get him but she is trusting God for protection. She is a brave pastor's wife. To hear of the continually and fast growing church made up of MBB's (Muslim Background Believers) in Jerusalem, acting as family for one another. One of our young women is discipling them. Hanan's generosity to care for her niece and nephew as her whole family has been killed, to share every lesson we teach, to her women at church, all the while restricted to water 3 to 5 hours a day.  Her brother in law was targeted and shot in the head twice while we were together. Yet she smiles, prays fervently and loves with generosity that humbles me. What joy to hear of Bushra's group of praying women called 'Disturbing the Heavens.' This group prays for big miracles like water for Iraq and healings. She serves women all over Iraq. Lilian said that though they suffer under Morrisee's regime in Egypt, the good news is that many Muslims are seeing that Islam for many has produced violence and disrespect and they are   disillusioned. They are pouring into Christian churches and engaging, their Christian neighbors in conversation about Jesus' claims. The environments are harsh and evil.  The injustices are real. Listening to their hearts will suck the air out of your lungs and your tears will only be wiped away by the hand which has a nail piercing. But as we worked through How to Study the Bible, How to Engage in Conflict Resolution and How to Practice the Presence The women spent many hours praying for each other and their countries of God their hearts filled with excitement and they once again were blessed that we came not just to teach them but to be their friend, to enter into their story.  It didn't hurt that we brought them to a lovely resort on the Mediterranean, lush and green, with nice accommodations and good food. But we came having prayed together as a team for hours and God seemed to use that. Grateful to God and you!  Mary

Christian Women Persecuted in Egypt

Below is an article that we would like to share with you and ask that you join with us in praying for our sisters in the Middle East.

Egypt is home to more than 8 million Christians, the largest Christian community in the Middle East. Religious authorities declare that wearing a hijab, or veil, is compulsory for Muslim women, but no one can be forced to wear it. The Muslim Brotherhood has said they will not apply a strict interpretation of Sharia laws with regard to women’s dress.
In total disregard for human respect, a Christian woman was attacked inside Cairo, had her hair cut off by two other women and thrown from a car while being called an infidel.  As a result she also suffered a broken arm. The humiliation, evil, disrespect, hatred, and degradation suffered by this woman was carried out by veiled women who belong to the Organization of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, an underground movement that is not officially sanctioned or supported by the government.
Other such instances have also been reported. A week earlier a veiled woman cut the hair of an unveiled 13-year old riding the subway. In the southern town of Luxor, an Egyptian court sentenced an Egyptian schoolteacher to a suspended prison sentence for cutting off the hair of unveiled 12-year old girls.
Is an Islamist-dominated government fueling an Islamist hardening of Egyptian culture?  Such reported cruel acts to a few Christian women are not the only signs pointing to such domination by the government.  Deepened by fears which came as a result of President Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, declaring new presidential powers, thousands of demonstrators been rioting Tahir Square and in front of the presidential palace to protest his ludicrous decree which has been labeled as a power grab, an “unprecedented assault” on the judiciary.
Muslim Brotherhood leaders have repeatedly said they will not apply a strict interpretation of Sharia law with regard to women’s dress.  But is that true?  In a country that is going through an unstable transition period, who will decide the interpretation of the law?  So far, the Brotherhood’s actions are speaking louder than their words.
Pray for these Christian women living in a hostile nation. Pray for the peace and protection of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).  If Islamic extremist ever gain control of any or all of Israel, Jewish women will be subjected to humiliation and persecution on a much larger scale. If the Muslim Brotherhood’s plan to take over America comes to fruition, Sharia law will be the rule and American women will suffer the same.  This is not a fantasy. We need to pray.
Source material for this story is found at World Mag and Virtual Tourist.

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Dr. Michael D. Evans is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, having penned 38 books including the titles shown below. You can read his full biography on Wikipedia. Dr. Evans also runs the Israel news site JerusalemWorldNews where you can receive current intel on Israel and the Middle East, as well as the Corrie ten Boom Museum from Haarlem, Holland, found at TenBoom.org

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

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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!