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making a difference
Not Enough
to dinner, watching a comedysomething. This Friday night I wanted to do something to make me feel better. But instead, I was once again mommy taxi. Unfortunately, going to bed didnt get me over it. I carried this yucky feeling over into Saturday. Maybe today we would do something. Once again, the day held activities for my kids and chores around the house. I just became more and more irritated. What is wrong? My husband asked late Sunday afternoon. I said I didnt know. Honesty would have said I dont want to tell. I had seen this in my life before; the thinking that doing something or having something would make me happy. The bad week had left me feeling that what I had was not enough. I needed more. I have to be honest with you. Some of the things and people in my life are not enough. My wonderful husband of 22 years some days lets me down. Three terrific kids, seven brothers and sisters, a godly mother; some days they are not enough. Even ministry. Writing, speaking, even having my first book published; they all fall short. And to make matters worse, the world around me is always screaming at me that I fall short. Maybe Im alone here, but do any of you ever have these feelings? When you have a bad week or poured your heart out serving so you think, There has to be more? I would venture to say every human has struggled with feeling incomplete. Maybe the problem isnt the world around us; maybe the problem is us. Maybe we are looking for love in all the wrong places. I know I have. Then I discovered some verses that radically changed everything. In fact, they ruined me for life as I had known it. The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, he will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17, New International Version). Mighty to save. Save me from the emptiness of looking to other people and other things to fill my heart. He told me He took great delight in me. When was the last time you had someone take delight in you? He did and does. He calms the anxiety of my wanting heart. The king is enthralled by your beauty (Psalm 45:11, NIV) filled my desire to be found beautiful. This truth melted my resolve to find the perfect life. It completely revolutionized my way of finding value. In fact, it radically changed the way that I saw myself. One of the greatest benefits this revelation in my life has brought is freedom; freedom to no longer look to my family, my possessions or my ministry to fill me. He can bring that same freedom to you. On those days when our husbands can do nothing right, we wonder why we had kids and our work drowns us in its wake, His love fills the wanting. The truth of His deep love for us quiets the anxiety. The things of this world can never make us fully happy; they were not created for that purpose. We were created to find fulfillment in Jesus alone. Whether you have known Him as your Savior for fifty years or have yet to know Him, this truth stays the same. Jesus alone satisfies.
Lynn Cowell is part of Proverbs 31 Ministries. Find out more about her at www.LynnCowell.com.

I was upsetagain. Friday night for me comes with expectation of doing something. Going out

by Lynn Cowell

Issue 6

www.MagdalenaToday.com

www.MagdalenaToday.com

MAgdalena in Action
T ouching At-Risk T eens in Orlando
Wendy Hill Sanchez is a staff member with Heres Life Inner City (HLIC), a ministry of Campus Crusade for
Initially Wendy reported: The first week we watched the whole movie, and it really held their attention. Lesson 1 made it very easy and natural to assess where they were spiritually. Four of the girls went through the whole study, with two or three more coming occasionally. They remembered the various women whom Jesus touched. Even if they missed a lesson, they remembered the scenes from the movie. Where are they now? Wendy shared that four of the girls chose to be baptized. The fifth committed her life to Christ and still attends Wendys weekly meetings. Three of the girls are still in school, but two who dropped out exhibit very little incentive to work or return to school. Wendy is very concerned about the lack of godly role models in their daily experience. Two of the girls attended the annual HLIC purity retreat in February 2012 where free Magdalena DVDs were offered to participants. Please pray for girls like these throughout the U.S., and Christian workers like Wendy who are committed to showing them Gods love and compassion, regardless of their circumstances. Praise the Lord for using Magdalena: Through Her Eyes and the Reflections of Hope Bible study to bless and encourage them! Christ. During 2010, she showed Magdalena: Through Her Eyes to a weekly gathering of five teens in Orlando, Fla., from very difficult home backgrounds. In a recent interview, Wendy likened their environment to a modern-day Corinth. After watching the film she led them in the Reflections of Hope Bible study.

Alabama Women Set Free Indeed!

Michelle Gewin teaches a Reflections of Hope Bible study at The Lovelady Center in Birmingham, Ala. Michelle

describes the center as a ... home for women, many of whom have been in prison or have been sent to the center as an alternative to being sent to prison. Some women come to the center to seek shelter from an abusive situation or to overcome addictive behaviors. Virtually all the women are desperate to find true freedom and are seeking a new start to life. Each time Michelle begins teaching a new class, she shares a story about the emperor moth to illustrate the struggle which the moth undergoes to emerge the beautiful winged creature God intended it to be. She then introduces a family of grub worms. As the women follow the lessons in Reflections of Hope each week, they observe Gods process of change in creatures that appear to be little more than pieces of dirt in the beginning. Michelle relates each lesson to something happening with the grub worms. She wrote: the week we studied Will He free me? we saw our butterflies emerge and set free as a living illustration of their [the womens] new life in Christ.

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Share the Journey

We have been showing the Magdalena DVD at a rescue mission for women. It works very well. We have a short introduction, show the video and then I have all of the women that attend to pray with us. We pass a notebook around and ask everyone to write a short note, telling us if they accepted Jesus in that prayer or if they have any other prayer request. We have had a great response.
Dan and Janet

The Journey
by Helen Davidson

Inspired by a video clip on www.MagdalenaToday.com, I felt led to

invite the women in our Bible study group at church to watch Magdalena: Through Her Eyes. As a result, we started two Reflections of Hope Bible study groups using creative ideas to make the study times more meaningful. We opened each 2-hour session with prayer and worship songs to reinforce the theme of the Bible study lesson. It was so refreshing to have more time to include these elements before breaking into small discussion groups. During our last half hour, everyone came together again to share a story or an aspect of the lesson as a group. We ended each session with a song and prayer. As everyone departed, prayer requests were distributed to each person so they could pray for one another individually.

I have been showing Magdalena: Through Her Eyes [to] teenage girls in my apartment complex as I share Gods love with them. They can see how the love of Jesus changed her life and how He changed all our lives. Teenage girls are under a lot of oppression and stress today, and they can relate to the story of Magdalena and it helps them to open up to the group.
Winnie

I visited the The JESUS Film Project at Campus Crusade for Christ headquarters last summer and was so moved by the stories of how people around the world are being reached for Christ. I had just returned from a mission trip to Alaska doing womens ministry in an Eskimo Village. I was amazed to hear about Magdalena. That is exactly what they need. I will be returning there this summer, and we plan to do the study with the women and show the film. Thanks be to God for such a powerful tool!
Rebekah

Later, I would follow up with an email with links to the worship songs we sang so the women could listen to them again during the week if they desired. Through a mid-course evaluation, we were encouraged to find that all of the women looked forward to, and were benefiting from, the study. Here are some of the responses we received: It is great to talk about God and share with women in all walks for life. I have grown in my faith and really enjoy everyone! ... I have a different view on what God thinks of women in the Bible and today. I have gotten to know the ladies in my group much more this year. There seems to be more opportunity to share more personal thoughts, fears, feelings, etc. For our final session we hosted a potluck dinner. A place card and a pocket mirror were set at each place to remind each woman she is a reflection of Godmade in His image and deeply loved. I encouraged each participant to be thinking of others who would benefit from the touch of Jesus through watching and/or studying Magdalena. It was a delight to lead this study and to see how God will continue to use it in the lives of the women, their families and friends.

Your Journey
What are your thoughts, ideas and stories about using Magdalena? We would love to hear from you! Email info@MagdalenaToday.com or visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ MagdalenaToday.

The newly formed congregation of Revival Christian Church hosted a Magdalena

He Did It Just for Me!

showing at the downtown YMCA. A small group attended the showing and were deeply touched by the movie. One woman wondered if God had truly forgiven her past sins and mistakes. After watching the film she was assured of Gods complete forgiveness. Another exclaimed over and over, He did it just for me! after seeing Jesus compassion and sacrifice expressed through the film. Watching Magdalena was a beautiful experience, commented Pastor Elonda, who planned the event.

A movie night with a purpose at your home or church could be the turning point in the life of someone you know. Then go deeper with Reflection of Hope, the companion study. Visit www.MagdalenaToday.com to find out more.

D iscover the impact Magdalena: Through Her Eyes could make in your life or ministry.

www.MagdalenaToday.com
The JESUS Film Project A Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ
EVENT VIDEO