"Daughters Arise Ministries"

  Remaining a Christian While at University Scripture: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. —  Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV) Anonymous. Bodden Town SDA I attended a secular university as a young adult male, an experience that can shake one’s faith in God. As an introvert, one of the challenges that I anticipated was finding friends . . . This turned out not to be as challenging as I initially thought, as I shared a flat with two other young people. The bigger challenge was that they were not Christians. They drank alcohol liberally, had casual sexual relationships with multiple persons, and directly and indirectly encouraged me to fit in. I will be honest. I made choices that my parents would not have expected while at University . . . But I thank God for keeping me. When I was leaving home for University, I asked God to provide Christian friends while I was abroad. I eventu...

  Finding Rest: When Serving Becomes Overwhelming Scripture: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Kristy Hylton, Bodden Town SDA. — Matthew 11:28–30 (NIV) The irony wasn’t lost on me – burning out while doing God’s work. My calendar was filled with ministry commitments: worship team practice, children’s sabbath school preparation, AY planning and preparation, and countless committee/board meetings. From the outside, I appeared to be the epitome of Christian service. Inside, I was exhausted, running on empty, and slowly losing my joy in serving. It took a gentle reminder from a wise friend to help me see what was happening. “You’re being such a Martha,” she said kindly, referring to the biblical story that had somehow slipped from my consciousness despite my busyness for the Kingdom...

Forgiving Difficult People Scripture: I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Anonymous, Bodden Town SDA —  Ephesians 4:1–3 (CSB) Most of us believe we deserve forgiveness, but forgiving someone who has grievously wronged us is an arduous journey. My family has always been the centre of my life. My parents were loving people who encouraged all their children to be supportive of and love one another. I cherish the times I spent with my family, and things were going well until we reached young adulthood. My brother, John, whom we all adored, brought home his girlfriend, Judy. Looking back, I can see how deeply troubled she was, but as an inexperienced youth, I couldn’t identify mental health issues. My brother’s relationship became toxic, which affected my family tremendously. W...

  Scripture: Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. —  Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)   Anonymous, Bodden Town SDA One of the hardest experiences in the world for me was watching my beautiful, innocent child who I had raised to love God transform into a stranger — an emotionally distant teenager who was engaging in behaviours that were completely different from the values that I taught her. This transformation did not happen immediately but gradually I realised that I no longer knew my child and no longer knew what she was capable of doing. For me, this realization came when I started to see through the lies that my child was telling me. Over and over, I would learn of some deceitful activity. And no matter what my spouse and I did, nothing seemed to make a difference. My child seemed to be bent on following the path that I knew would lead to destruction. My feelings? Guilt: What did I do wrong? Perhaps I should have done this or...

  Scripture: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. — 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)   Dealing With Multiple Deaths in the Family The stillness of the night was interrupted by a loud pounding on my mother's bedroom window. "Del, Del, the glass is over her eyes, come." By Annette L. Vaughan, Bodden Town SDA My mother's name is Delcina, but everyone called her Del.. My sister and I shared a room with my mother. She jumped up, turned on the light, and responded with a question. “Is it Ma?” she asked. "Yes, she's going," the person answered. It was my great-aunt speaking, my maternal grandmother's sister. She lived with my great-grandmother about ¼ mile down the road. My older siblings in the house were all awakened by the knock and the anxious conversations by then. They quickly dressed and hurried down the road, leaving the children at home. They returned by daybreak with the sad news that our great-grandmother had died. She was 96 years ol...

  Living Beyond Labels: A Parent’s Journey of Faith and Advocacy Anonymous Writer, Bodden Town SDA Scripture: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. — Psalm 139:13–14 (NIV) As I sat through yet another parent-teacher meeting, hearing the same complaints – “won’t sit still,” “doesn’t complete tasks,” “not doing the work” – my heart ached. Deep down, I knew there was more to the story than just behavioural issues. My sons weren’t being defiant; they were struggling, and I could see it clearly even if others couldn’t or wouldn’t. Year after year, the pattern repeated. Teachers focused on what my boys weren’t doing, while my requests for assessments fell on deaf ears. Each report card, each meeting brought the same frustrations, the same suggestions to try harder with discipline or routine. But maternal instinct and daily observations to...

  Marital Challenges Anonymous Writer, Bodden Town SDA Scripture: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee. — Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) My marriage was in trouble. I was afraid and totally helpless to change the situation. You can’t force someone to love you and care for you if they don’t want to. I was concerned about the impact on my daughter if divorce were the outcome. I prayed for a miracle. I prayed that my husband would have a change of heart, a transformation. . . . No change. Just more lies, more hurt, more brokenness. I pleaded with God. What is your will, Lord? If it’s a divorce, I know you will be by my side. But He said no to divorce. “Lord, when will my mourning turn into dancing?” . . . I started waking up at three o’clock in the morning to pray about my situation and for peace. I listened to gospel music and read the Bible, hoping for a quick solution. But the solution did not come quickly. One day, I realized tha...

  When God Says No: Finding Peace in Unanswered Prayers Anonymous Writer, Bodden Town SDA Scripture: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” — Isaiah 55:8–9 (NIV) The phone call I’d been eagerly awaiting finally came, but it wasn’t the news I’d prayed for. After months of interviews and fervent prayers, the secondment opportunity I’d hoped for wasn’t going to materialize. I had been so certain this was God’s plan – the timing seemed perfect, the opportunity aligned with my professional growth goals, and my heart was ready for this new challenge. The “no” felt like more than a rejection; it felt like a divine door slammed shut. For weeks, I wrestled with questions that stormed through my mind: Had I heard God wrong? Was my faith too weak? Why would He place such a strong desire for growth and change in my heart ...

Living with a Parent with Dementia Del Edwards, Bodden Town SDA Church Isaiah 46:4 (NIV) “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Having a parent with Alzheimer's dementia has been life-changing. I now find myself parenting my father. But I am grateful that God has given me a spirit of patience which is essential in circumstances like mine. He provided one of my sisters with a position providing professional counselling for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease. Her knowledge has helped us to make adequate emotional and financial preparations for the future. God is so good. The best advice I would give to someone experiencing a situation similar to my own is to treat every encounter with your loved one as if it were your first time interacting with them AND your last time interacting with them. Before I knew that it was the disease that was causing the...

 Real People! Real Experiences! Real God! Death of a Parent Anonymous Writer  Bodden Town SDA Church “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 (NIV)   When I was 19 years old, my mother died. Being a Seventh-day Adventist, I knew what the Bible teaches about death. Yet, I refused to be comforted. Each day, I would spend hours in the basement, alone. This annoyed my father, and from time to time, he would try to encourage me to socialize and open up, but I refused. When persons visited, they would say cliché things like “God understands”, and politely, I accommodated their attempt to comfort me. But as far as I was concerned, they were wasting their time. And here is the irony. I had prayed for my mother to die. My mother died of cancer. She was getting treatment in another country, and so when they called and told us that she was near death, we traveled overseas the very next day. Immediately upon landing, we hea...

 When Work Stopped, Faith Worked: Surviving Unemployment Togethe r Living through Unemployment and Depression: A wife’s experience Anonymous Anonymous Contributor,  Bodden Town SDA Those years were some of the most challenging of my life.  My husband went through a period of employment instability.  It felt like a roller coaster – anticipation after submitting a job application, excitement at the news of landing a job and gut – wrenching pain at the news of termination.  Many times, I wished that I was the one having employment challenges and not my husband.  He struggled to share his feelings about what was going on and withdrew into the world of television.  And then there were the times that he was irrationally angry with me for the slightest comment.  I started to feel as if I was walking on eggshells and even considered separation. Eventually, he saw a doctor who diagnosed him with depression.  This diagnosis started our journey out ...

No Longer Silent  Key Texts: “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6 Reflection When intimacy in marriage is discussed, one of the common confessions we hear is, “It is not that I do not want to express myself, it is just that I am shy.” Shyness, especially in the early stages of marriage, can hold a spouse back from freely communicating their needs and desires. This challenge is not unusual. Many couples struggle at first with openness, yet as they grow in love and bond more deeply, it becomes easier to share without fear or embarrassment. True intimacy requires both closeness of heart and freedom of expression. It is important for couples to learn each other’s love languages, because not all communication happens with words. Signals, touches, and gestures can also speak volumes....

Topic: Bedroom Ministry Key Texts: “Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.” Proverbs 5:18–19 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled.” Hebrews 13:4  Reflection Romance and intimacy are often overlooked in church conversations. For some, the very thought of addressing this subject in a worship setting seems inappropriate. Yet scripture reminds us that intimacy in marriage is a gift from God and should not be ignored or left to the standards of the world. If the church fails to educate and support couples in this sacred area, many will look elsewhere for guidance. Keeping romance alive in today’s busy world requires intention. Healthy marriages are not sustained on prayer and service alone but also on love, tenderness, and intimacy. What we might call “bedroom ministry” takes time, patience, and willi...

Whose Calling?  Key Texts: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” Colossians 3:23 Reflection One of the challenges we sometimes encounter in ministry-centred relationships is when one spouse receives a call to serve in ways the other did not expect. There was once a couple who began their marriage in great happiness. The husband was not a pastor at the time, but a few years later he felt the call of God and entered pastoral ministry. The wife was not pleased and expressed that she had not married a pastor. Over time, their differences grew, and they eventually separated. While many factors may have contributed to the separation, the question remains: if one partner receives a calling, does the other need to share the same calling for the marriage to thrive? Scripture reminds us that the call of God is personal. When the Lord called Jeremiah, He said, “Before I formed thee in the be...

Topic: The Mole in Your Relationship Key Texts: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Hebrews 13:4 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 Reflection Infidelity is like a mole in a relationship, hidden at first yet destructive over time. In research and in ministry it has become clear how far-reaching the impact can be on couples and families. Because of stigma and shame, many choose to keep it secret. They continue to attend church, put on smiles, and function outwardly, while silently struggling with the hurt and broken trust that lingers. The faithful partner often wrestles with painful questions: Where did I go wrong? How did I miss the signs? The betrayer also suffers in silence, carrying guilt and remorse, yet the focus usually remains on the wounded spouse. Too often the conversations that could begin the journey of healing are avoided. Yet healing ...

Topic: Balancing Church and Home Key Text: “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8 (ESV) Reflection So many times, individuals get so deeply involved in church ministry that their home life suffers. They become ever-present at church, the first to respond to the needs of others, faithful in committees and boards, and publicly celebrated as exemplary leaders or prayer warriors. Yet, behind closed doors, there may be a missing link. At home, the person seems different, and their family struggles to recognize the version of them that others praise. The tension is real. Leaders may believe their families will “understand,” while they pour themselves into ministry. However, the truth is that our families must never feel as though they are competing with the church . I remember a season in ministry when almost every public holiday was filled with church prog...

Topic: Help! My Children Key Text: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16 (KJV) Reflection Too often, we hear the cries of parents who are faithfully praying for their children to accept the Lord. Many of these children grew up in the church, attended services regularly, and were even actively involved in ministry. Yet somewhere along the way, they wandered. Does this mean that all hope is lost for them? The Word of God reminds us that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much . Prayer has power. Though children may turn away, God hears the cries of parents who intercede for them day and night. The key is not to give up. Continue to pray diligently, exercise patience, and trust in the timing of God. At the same time, parents must lovingly remind their children of the urgency of their decision for Christ. Life is not guaranteed, and salvation is the greatest choice they will ever make. Even so, we must not allow discourage...

Celebrated Leaders, Wayward Children Key Text “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 At first glance, the statement “celebrated leaders, wayward children” may sound paradoxical. Many times, we see leaders who have served faithfully in the church and community, living lives of integrity and devotion. Yet, their children may not walk according to the precepts of God. Our natural tendency is to judge quickly. We measure the children against the reputation of their parents, who may have been exceptional examples of faith. We ask ourselves, “How could this happen?” Sometimes we conclude that something must have gone wrong in the home, that the foundation was weak, or that the example was inconsistent. But is this always the case? Does a child’s rebellion automatically mean that the parents failed? Scripture gives us another perspective. Biblical Insight Consider the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11–32. The fa...