The fact that Horatio Spafford could pen the words "it is well with my soul," is truly amazing when you understand that it was not well with his circumstances.

It had not been well for many years.

Horatio Spafford was a successful Chicago Lawyer who had invested heavily in real estate. Yet, because of the Great Chicago Fire in October 1871, the Spaffords lost almost everything they owned. This occurred as Horatio and his wife, Anna, grieved the death of their son whom they lost earlier that year.

Two years later, in 1873, Horatio's friend, D.L. Moody, was holding evangelistic crusades in England. Spafford felt that his family needed a break from the sadness, and he decided to take his family on a holiday in Europe to see their friend. He sent his wife and daughters ahead, and he was to join them as soon as he had wrapped up some business dealings.

On November 21, 1873, while crossing the Atlantic, the ship carrying Spafford's wife and children was struck by an iron sailing vessel. On that dark day, two hundred and twenty-six people lost their lives, including all four of Spafford's daughters. His wife, Anna, was reportedly found floating unconscious on a piece of the ship's mast. When she and the remaining survivors arrived in England, she sent a telegram to Horatio containing these profound words-- "Saved alone."

Can you imagine his heartbreak?

First, the death of his son, then the loss of personal wealth and business, and then the deaths of his remaining children.

The human soul can only absorb so much sorrow. It was not well with his circumstances. According to Bertha Spafford (a daughter born later to Horatio and Anna), Spafford boarded a ship to go to England to meet his grief-stricken wife. As he sailed past the place where his daughters died, he penned the moving words that we now know as "It Is Well With My Soul."

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,
"It is well, it is well with my soul."

Chorus: It is well (it is well),
With my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

So, next time you stand to sing that beloved hymn in church, remember that just like Horatio, it doesn't have to be well with your circumstances for it to be well with your soul.

"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. "
Philippians 4:11 NASB

Blessings and Joy,
Jennifer Rothschild
Author of Lessons I Learned in the Dark (and Light), and Founder of WomensMinistry.NET

I, Robyne, am not a "crafting" person by nature (much to my crafty-mother's dismay), but over the years I have learned that many women LOVE to spend time crafting with other women.

Whether you offer crafts at all your events, or just one or two a year, it is important to recognize that just like many other activities, crafting offers women the opportunity to get to know each other.

Personally, I just love sitting and chatting with those whom God has blessed with the creative gene. At times, encouraged by the appearance of everyone else's projects, I have even attempted to participate.

Many a craft teacher has patted me on the shoulder, smiled and offered me the sample to take home instead of the sad little thing I created from their perfect instructions. So, in honor of these patient women, here are some great craft resources for you craft lovers to take advantage of.

Books:

Magazines/Websites:

Stores to find crafting items and ideas:

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Take a minute to visit these recent sponsors...

• Check out Priority's female friendly Bible studies, There Is A Season and The Temple by Laurie Cole.
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We recently featured an event travel theme and Nancy Kay Grace (www.nancygrace.com) sent in this outline for a message or devotional.

I was asked to speak for an event with the travel theme, and came up with a fun message...

P.A.C.K. S.M.A.R.T. for your Faith Journey

Using the acrostic, I teach on things we need to pack for our journey through life:
Proper Identification--knowing who we are in Christ,
Attitude of Christ,
Communication with God, and
Knowledge of the Word, to name a few of the points of the message.

Keep in Step with the Spirit.
Map your path using the Word of God.
Attire--as God's chosen people, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Refreshment-- drink of the living water.
True global positioning is found as we abide in Jesus.

Java with Jennifer is an informal monthly ministry update specifically for friends who want to keep up-to-date on what is happening with Jennifer Rothschild's ministry of writing, speaking, and singing.

Obviously, because you are receiving this eNewsletter, you are signed up for the Jennifer's "weekly" WomensMinistry.NET eNewsletter. However, if you want to get up close, and personal with Jennifer, just click on the Update Profile link at the bottom of this email, and select the Java with Jennifer interest group when asked to update your profile.

Still not sure?

See the Latest Issue here.

Each year one of our church's Women's Ministry groups (The Beautification & Bible Book Club) sponsors get-away for tired and self -sacrificing moms (It's called the Esther Spa Day). They keep the attendance small and intimate as to aide relaxation. They pick an up-scale hotel in the city and treat these moms to a Friday and Saturday of luxury-Sunday is left free for worship and celebration with family.

During these two days they can receive spa treatments (massages, pedicures, manicures, etc. wonderful meals and good Christian fellowship, shop or commune with the Lord). While the body is getting luxury treatment (like Esther's 12 month beauty preparations) the soul is fed sumptuously from God's Word. An invited speaker comes and emphasizes a particular portion from the book of Esther (This is our fifth year in the book of Esther and we've yet to exhaust God's truth).

This year I was the speaker. I took my inspirational message from Esther Chapter 2, and called it "Preparation for Your Destiny." I covered ten critical steps a woman must take to walk purposely and confidently into God's destiny for her life.

Step 1: You must Embrace your femininity. Be proud that God made you a woman and recognize that your power is in your influence, not physical power or cunning of the world. (Esther used her feminine charms in a godly way to win favor with the King and those around her on a daily basis.)

Step 2: Celebrate your existence (Eph 2:10). It makes no difference the circumstances of your birth, your birth order or whether you come from a one-parent, two-parent or adopted family. God has a plan and purpose for your life. (Esther was an Orphan.)

Step 3: Delight in your Physical Attributes (Ps. 139:14). No woman loves everything about her body, but God loves everything about it. Learn to love your too close eyes, your wide hips, your ethnicity or coloring. He made you just the way He wanted you to be. (Esther's outward beauty got her to the palace but her inward beauty sustained her.)

Step 4: Learn from your Experiences (Rom. 8:28). Whether they are good or bad... as Rick Warren's states in his book Purpose Driven Life, "God Never wastes a Hurt!" (Esther learned obedience and submission through her experiences at court and with her cousin Mordecai. She learned to trust his wisdom and judgment and she learned to walk confidently and trust the Lord.)

Step 5: Be discerning of major influencers in your life. Choose mentors, advisors, and close friends carefully. They can build either positive or negative things into your life. Also beware of the subtle but powerful influences in this post-modern culture (Mordecai and Hegai were good mentors.)

Step 6: Exercise Your Faith (Esther 4:12-14). There will always come a time when faith meets opportunity and demands a response or decision. Do you have the courage to continue? (Esther was in a comfortable position. She could have ignored the plight of people, but she prayed, fasted and stepped out on faith to do God's will.)

Step 7: Know that your faith will be tested. This is the beginning of the initiation period toward our destiny. When we must trust God when common sense tells us not to do so. We must ask ourselves, "Can we trust Him, even when we can't trace Him." The answer is a resounding yes, but we must take the first step. (Esther took an uncommon path to accomplish the work God put before her.)

Step 8: Make sure you're in the right place. Purpose begins with understanding who God created you to be. There is a place for you to exercise your gifts and talents. Are you there? Have you given your life to Christ? Consecrated yourself in holiness? (Obviously, Esther was in the right place, in God's sovereignty He knew that Esther had to get to the palace, Vashti's rebellion was just a tool He used to get Esther there.)

Step 9: Make sure it is the right time. God orders the times and seasons of our lives To equip us for our destiny (Prov. 16:1). We shouldn't be impatient or discouraged If we are not yet where we want to be. God's timing is always right. He wants to Make sure we are prepared to walk into our destiny and give Him glory.

Step 10: Walk into Your Destiny!!!

We placed large paper map of the world on the floor (a laminated wall map works best) with a candle (I used the kind that run on batteries) at each corner- the light represented God's Word (Ps. 119: A lamp unto my feet... footsteps made of felt material were placed across the surface of the map to indicate movement. I ended the Esther lesson with an appeal to the women to search their hearts to see if God was calling them like Esther into service or a particular a ministry or even a life event that they had been hesitant to pursue. We then prayed together over how God had moved in women's lives.

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