Women of Excellence Sister Carol L. Cates The vision God has given to me for the women in our church is that their lives be enriched with Peace, Joy, and Hope that can only be found in Christ Jesus. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope; and hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” Romans 5:1-5. Through the many hats we wear or the roles we take on as women, wives, and mothers, sometimes it is easy to take our eyes off of Jesus and put it on our circumstances. When we do this, we lose our peace, joy and hope and become overwhelmed and unfruitful. But God’s word says in I Peter 5:6-10; “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast”. You see no matter where you are in life, God cares about you and He wants to restore you and make you a strong, firm, steadfast women of God who is full of His peace, joy and hope. Always remember, that Jesus loves you and He has a purpose and destiny for your life. Be confident and full of faith because God says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of Him” I John 5:14 & 15. God Bless each and everyone of you, Sister Carol Cates