W.I.L.L.O.W. Say it Again

Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates. Deuteronomy 6:7-9 The Message

Elim women literally “Say It Again” openly sharing their lives’ secret treasures. Often the most encouraging and uplifting words for women flow out of the life-streams found in women.
Streams From The Mountains PDF Print

Streams From The Mountains

By Conny Hubbard

It was late afternoon when I passed over the bridge coming out of the little town of Shinglehouse. I glanced down on the river below and wondered why the water level was so high. This little stream, the Oswayo River, looks more like a lazy creek than a river on most days. You can easily wade in it in many places. Today, however, it had swelled to at least triple its size. What had happened? I remembered the downpour earlier in the day. That was the explanation. With just a couple of hours of heavy rain this innocent little creek had transformed into a river coursing with increased capacity and making its presence known by its water's roar.

I pondered this as I continued driving home the short distance to the parsonage where I live. I had just returned from a W.I..L.L.O.W. leaders meeting and Nancy Clark had spoken about the Stream Teams that were to make up our area’s leadership. She had shared the vision the Lord gave her of reaching out to others to work together in a planning and leadership capacity. The emphasis was that one alone cannot do it all. I had struggled the previous year because I was doing just that – trying to do it alone.  Women in ministry cannot do it all—we need each other.

Just like the Oswayo River, I thought, by myself I’m just a small trickle of a stream. What causes the water level of this river to rise so dramatically is that many, many little streams from all over the hills flow together. In doing so they have the power to change a small insignificant stream into a powerful force to be reckoned with. So powerful, in fact, that the landscape is literally changing as the Oswayo River carves out the banks on one side and slowly makes a new path for itself.

God used the picture of the streams coming together into this river to illustrate two things to me: a fresh vision for my ministry and the importance of streaming together.  If we can join together as women leaders, each one sharing her strength and resources, we can make a difference in our area and in each other’s lives. We can change the spiritual landscape and make a way for the refreshing water of the Spirit to flow in our land, churches, communities and families.