Alliance Women Around the World Encouraged to “Linger Longer”

Do you ever feel discouraged in your walk of faith or in your leadership? What can provide “fresh wind in your sails” as you move forward in life and leadership? Alliance women around the world were encouraged in a recent Alliance World Fellowship (AWF) Women’s Ministries Leadership Zoom gathering. More than thirty women, representing fifteen countries from the five AWF regions met for worship, teaching, discussion, and prayer.

Thamar Zanarini of Jordan led the women in worship, reminding us that the Lord is our light, our salvation, and the strength of our life.

Jen Vogel, the national director for Alliance Women in the U.S., encouraged women to “linger longer” in God’s Word each day, recognizing that allowing the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to work in our hearts takes time. She shared, “As leaders, we often find ourselves returning to very familiar places. We regularly meet with our leadership teams, we often find ourselves sitting around the kitchen table with our families, and we daily open God’s Word. Many passages in his Word can be very familiar to us… But as leaders, we need to be growing continually.” Jen recommended a way of interacting with Scripture that can bring a new perspective and understanding. She states, “When you read Scripture, slow down, and pause to think, to imagine, and listen.”

Jen described a recent experience while reading in the Gospel of Luke. One morning she began her daily Bible reading at Luke 4:16. “When he [Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day, he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.” Jen said, “I stopped there. I lingered. I didn’t read to the next verse because I was captivated by this thought: Jesus is in a familiar place, the synagogue in Nazareth, where he had grown up. Yet on this day, Jesus was ready to do something new. I continued to linger on that thought, looking at this moment in context. I looked back at what had happened recently in Jesus’ life, his baptism, and 40 days of being tested in the wilderness, and I looked forward to the amazing proclamation he would make concerning himself in verse 21. And then I took out my journal and I began to write some notes. Allowing the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts, I began to appreciate more deeply the significance of this moment.”

After being encouraged in the Word, the women were given three discussion questions to consider as they spent time together in groups of three or four. The questions were:

• How could you “linger longer” in God’s Word?
• How has the study of God’s Word equipped you for leadership?
• How can we pray for your interaction with God’s Word?

Women expressed appreciation for the opportunity to share and pray together, acknowledging that it is good to face difficulties with honesty and prayer. One participant stated, “We struggle in having solitude and silence to hear God’s voice.” Another shared, “I realize that I need to dedicate more time to God. This has been helpful and a blessing for my life.”

Jen stated in her concluding comment, “I trust that as you consider putting into practice some of these principles of ‘lingering longer’ that you will find yourself being renewed … empowered … and qualified to bring something new into your ministry for God’s glory and the advancement of his Kingdom.”

The leaders of AWF Women’s Ministries give praise to God for his Word and the opportunity to encourage women around the world in their walk with Christ. Special thanks are extended to Rev. Priskila Paksoal (Indonesia) for moderating, Ana Cuevas (U.S.) for the opening prayer, and Christine Amani (Cote d’Ivoire) for the closing prayer.

We encourage all women to sign up to receive information about future gatherings in the areas of Leadership, Prayer and Missions, Professionals and Career, and Pastors’ Wives by visiting our web page.