When is the last time you took time for yourself? That self-care may look different for each woman, but it is important for all women (and all men too). For some, self-care may look like a massage, or perhaps a nice long bath, or time spent in a book, or gardening…you get the idea. When is the last time you just sat with God and prayed? Not just praying for others, but really sat with God and connected with him.

Self-care. If you’ve ever actually listened to those safety talks at the beginning of the plane trip, a part of the talk concerns the oxygen masks that automatically fall in the event of a loss of cabin pressure. When the masks fall you put the mask on your face, tighten the strap and then they try to dispel your fears of the bag not inflating. It doesn’t have to inflate for the oxygen to flow. I get a chuckle as I watch the video screens during safety talk, with everyone sitting very calmly and smiling as they talk about the plane going down.

I’ll get back to my real point. You are told to always put the mask on yourself first before you assist anyone else, even your own child. You can’t help anyone else until you are okay. I’m sure you can see the obvious analogy. You can’t adequately care for others unless you are taking responsibility in caring for yourself.

So, think through what gives you that life-giving “oxygen” and then make a space breathe it in. Take a deep breath, maybe two.

Then you can put the oxygen mask on someone else.

As we continue on, we will all need to remember our commitments to carrying out our "Purposeful Acts of Kindness" or "PAKS" for short.  These are the ways we touch each others lives throughout our days by being aware of who is around us and seeing what is needed.  Maybe it is a meal, maybe it is a spoken blessing, while for some people...well they just need to be noticed by someone, so a smile will uplift their hearts.

Let's purpose to practice the kindness of Jesus. 

PAKS

As I contemplate my new role as Women’s Pastor, I am confronted with the question: Why have women’s ministry? I wonder, “Can’t women minister just like men can, especially in this church?” The answer for me is, “Of course.” I have been allowed to pray for others in private, to pray publicly, to provide counsel, to preach…it seems I have been allowed to explore what my gifts are and use them freely in the body. So why have a separate women’s ministry? What is it for? I think because there is something about women being together. We have things to talk about that men just don’t understand. When I’m with women we talk about our pregnancies, our childbirths…and, as I’m about to be 45 years old, I find myself talking about menopause more and more (I’m not quite there yet, though☺) Those are things I can’t talk about with men. And shouldn’t. But getting together with women is not just about discussing our uniquely “female” things, moreover it is about being with others who are more like me by virtue of our shared gender, thereby allowing me to talk about my life with Jesus, my frustrations about my prayer life, and my epiphanies about the Lord with those who “get” me. 

I am thankful for the women in my life. I hope that Vineyard Women will provide a place where women can feel understood and challenged to grow in our individual and shared walk with the Lord. May you be blessed, all you women! 

 Nancy