Encourage, Equip, Empower

Each month our very own amazing writers from South Texas publish a series of blog posts written with you in mind. Our desire is to encourage, equip, and empower you through stories, experiences, and insights from our writers and from God’s Word.

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  • Hannah Prays

    Are you a woman of prayer? This may seem like a loaded question, but this is something I’ve been asking myself lately. I used to keep a prayer journal with me and write in it every night before bed. I would pour my heart, soul and sometimes tears into those pages. After writing out my…

  • A Father’s Love

    Do you think it’s true that most women end up marrying men that share their father’s traits? Well, in my case I believe it. Both my father and husband are funny, always going back and forth with the “dad jokes”. They are both loving and affectionate. I’ve seen my father give a hug and kiss…

  • Are You My Mother?

    There is an old Dr. Seuss book where a little bird is wandering around asking every different type of animal (most of which are not birds) if they are his mother.  As a child, I thought how silly and funny it was that he was asking dogs and elephants if they were his mother when…

  • A Father’s Love

    Do you think it’s true that most women end up marrying men that share their father’s traits? Well, in my case I believe it. Both my father and husband are funny, always going back and forth with the “dad jokes”. They are both loving and affectionate. I’ve seen my father give a hug and kiss to my mother countless times. I’m not sure if this ever grossed me out or if I thought it was sweet, but nonetheless, my husband shows the same affection towards me. Wishing me a “good morning” followed by a peck on the lips. He’s sweet like that. We make it a point to give and receive hugs and kisses every time we see each other, something my dad does often. Every “Hello, my daughter” greeting is followed by a loving embrace. I love my dad.

    My husband adores his daughter, too. She is his world! It seems that there’s nothing she could seriously do wrong. However, don’t be fooled by her cuteness. He isn’t, at least most of the time. Their relationship is a perfect blend of Barbies, racing games, board games, imagination, discipline, respect, and fun! Can’t forget fun. She likes to remind me that he’s the “fun parent”. He’s the one that’s willing to teach her a new skill or answer her questions no matter how silly they may be. Just like my dad, my husband can be tough when he needs to be but also loving and fair. 

    Most of my memories as a kid are filled with little errands to the barber shop, the hardware store or the dentist’s office. These might not seem like much, but as a kid, I was spending time with my dad! He would also walk me to school and spend mornings with me before I’d catch the bus when I was older. 

    There’s one more trait that these two men share and that’s the willingness to do anything for their kids.This reminds me of a father in the Bible, whose 12-year-old daughter was dying. He was desperate to save her life, so he brought his request to Jesus.

    Mark 5:21-23

    21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”

    I know as a mother I have come to Jesus countless times when my child is sick. It’s not unheard of for mothers to stay all night at the hospital alongside their child. This story is so refreshing because it’s about a father’s love and determination for his child.

    If you continue reading you find that there was a delay. Wait, what? Yes, there was a delay in her healing. While Jesus was headed to the little girl’s home, he felt someone touch him through the crowd of people. Someone had touched his garment, and he felt power leave him. He wanted to see who had touched him, only to find a woman who had an issue of blood. She believed she just needed to touch Jesus’ clothes and she would be healed—this is exactly what happened. Her faith healed her (Mk. 5:24-34). But unfortunately, this delay cost Jarius’ daughter’s life.

    Mark 5:35-40

    35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

    36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

    37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

    I can’t imagine how Jairus felt as he saw his daughter’s lifeless body on the bed and being told that she’s only sleeping. Others laughed at Jesus’ explanation but that didn’t stop Jairus from trusting the savior.

    Mark 5:40-42

     40 After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.

    We can learn a lot from this story, and we can see what a father’s love should look like.

    1)      Embrace humility- Jairus was a synagogue leader and decided to put his pride aside and fall at Jesus’ feet with desperation and submission.

    2)      Trust through the delays- He had to let someone else receive their healing, before his daughter could receive hers.

    3)      Choose faith over fear- Jesus encouraged Jairus to keep the faith and to not be afraid.

    4)      Ignore voices of doubt- Despite what others had said, Jesus was there to help Jairus to focus on the truth and not doubt.

    I am blessed to have these two guys, and my father-in-law, as great examples of what a dad’s love should look like. I believe that they would have acted the same way Jairus did if they were in his shoes. Unfortunately, I realize there are women who didn’t grow up with or have experienced good Godly men. This is why I’m thankful that we have a heavenly Father who is willing to do anything for his daughter’s life.

    We’re reminded in John exactly what that sacrifice of love looked like.

    John 3:16-17

    16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

    Now you may have memorized these verses and can quote them by heart ever since you were a little girl, but I hope that this verse hasn’t lost its meaning. God loved you so much that he was willing to have Jesus, his son, die on the cross for your sin. This is a huge declaration of His love for you! Jesus took the fall so that you wouldn’t have to. 

    Maybe your father made you feel less than? Allow God to show you that you were made for more. Where your dad fell short, allow God to rise to the top.

     Romans 5:13

    May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

    This Summer, may the Lord show you his true characteristics. Remember, no matter what, there is a father who loves and cherishes you always.  

    By: Melinda B. 

  • Are You My Mother?

    Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels.com

    There is an old Dr. Seuss book where a little bird is wandering around asking every different type of animal (most of which are not birds) if they are his mother.  As a child, I thought how silly and funny it was that he was asking dogs and elephants if they were his mother when they looked nothing like him.  As a mother, reading it gave me a little bit of sad anxiety as I waited page after page for this lost little one to find his mom even though I had read it before and knew he would find her in the end.

    I remember getting lost as a child; the panic that would rise in my chest as I ran full sprint through a department store calling for my mom but unable to find her.  I remember how all of that terror and sadness would give way when I heard her call back and I knew that she was close.  I wouldn’t even mind the scolding I would get for wandering off because the relief of being near her again would be so complete.  There was safety and familiarity with her.

    These days Mother’s Day holds a mixed blessing for me.  

    As a mother, I have spent years opening the heartfelt presents of my children when they had nothing more to give me than their hugs and whatever they could come up with using the art supplies in the playroom.  I still have every painted rock and decorated cut-out of small handprints that they produced through those early years.  Now, as young adults I get gift baskets, dinners out, and coffee dates where they tell me all about what is going on in their lives away from my home.

    But as a daughter, Mother’s Day is not a time of great celebration.  As a daughter, Mother’s Day is a painful reminder of what once was but is no more; or sometimes of what never has been.

    We never stop needing our moms. One of the most difficult parts of being an adult (for me) has been navigating difficult times with a terrible longing to just go home, but knowing that the home of my longing is not there anymore because it wasn’t just a place; it was the people there that made it home for me. 

    Whether you are grieving the loss of a mother that has passed on from this life, an estranged relationship, never having known your mother at all or watching her slip away as the woman you once knew is consumed by an illness-we can find ourselves searching in our own lives asking “Are you my mother?”

    How thankful I am continually for the comfort I find in the Word of God.  In Psalm 34:18 the psalmist tells us that 

    “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  

    And again in Psalm 147:3 we are reminded that

    “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” 

    God knows our needs, sees our searching, and He can provide “mothers” for us when we need them. 

    No one can ever really replace the mother that you long for, but in the family of God we can find those women who are available, willing to offer the comfort, and Godly guidance that we lack. Much like the bird in the book, the willing mothers we find may look nothing like us, but they will bear a remarkable family resemblance in other ways. They will love with the love of Christ as our mentors, friends and protectors as they journey with us through life. 

    In the book of Ruth, God provided redemption and provision for Ruth, not just financially, but He also welcomed her into a new family; a place of belonging with the people of God.  He gave her a mother figure in Naomi and gave Ruth to Naomi as a daughter.  

    For your broken heart, God has healing and for the hole that has been left in your life by the absence of your mother; He has provision for that as well. In the body of Christ, we are the hands and feet of Jesus to the lost; but also to each other as we travel in this world toward home. God said, “He would go with us”, but He also said, “we would have a family in those of like precious faith.” 

    In Mark chapter 3 Jesus said:

    33 “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 34 Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 35 Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

    Jesus directs us to the family of God to find those with whom we can walk through life, even as some of us pray for our mothers to become one of those family members. God does not call for us to forget the mothers that we miss, but rather to build on the lessons they taught us by continuing to grow and by passing on their legacies to others, taking them under our wings as daughters-ourselves becoming mothers to a new generation of Godly women.

    God,

    In the month of May, I know You see some of our hearts breaking.  I know that our broken hearts move You with compassion and that You desire for our healing and wholeness.  As we grieve, call to our memories and give us strength in the retelling of happy histories with our moms.  Remind us of the lessons she taught us and help us learn to love the likeness of her in our own faces as we get older for You are the God that honors our histories even as You write a new story for our future.  

    Guide us to women in Your family that would come alongside us to fill the void that we sometimes feel needing a mother and help us to become those women to others in need.  Make us into the women who will bear a resemblance to Christ as we “mother” the next generation of Your daughters.

    We look forward to the day when we can all gather around Your throne and worship together; mothers and daughters of every season-healed and made whole in You.

    In the mighty name of Jesus,

    Amen

    by Stephanie S.

  • Are You Serving?

    by April-Michelle Burkhalter

    Photo by Yuliya Duzhaya on Pexels.com

    Originally Published in Our Heart His Mission, Volume 2 (2024)

    The Compassion of Christ

    Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and disease among the people.  But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.  Then He said to His disciples, “the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”    Matthew 9:35-38 (NKJV)

    Oh, how my heart breaks when I read this Scripture.  How often have I missed a moment where He was tugging at my heart to act, but I refused to hear and obey His voice, because I had let the frustrations of the day make my heart cold, judgemental, or simply disconnected.  That is not the woman I want to be at all.

    So often I have tried to justify my lack of service by saying things like: “God, I’m too busy with work, family, keeping everyone’s schedules, helping and working in the church, and doing all these things.  I can’t do more.  I’m just too stressed to help one more person right now” and then I miss out on opportunities to show empathy and compassion in situations where He has needed me to ACT as a witness of Christ!  Who am I to be too busy to answer God?!  But it happens.  I fall short, too, even as a pastor’s wife.

    Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.”

    We all fall short, so we rely on God’s grace and mercy to build us up, and we try again.

    Even still, the call is there.  The plea for action by God for laborers to step out in faith is everlasting.  God wants us to kick out the worldly thoughts from our minds and really try to see and serve people in the way that Jesus did.  As I read Christ’s quote in Matthew chapter 9, I can feel His heart breaking when He sees the condition of the multitudes.  These are God’s children, weary and scattered.  It should stir our hearts to hear this passage.  We have all been those weary and scattered sheep at some point in our lives, and we should never forget how hopeless that time felt for us, or how our gracious Lord brought us through those trials, often by the hands and feet of a laborer that answered the tug on their heart.

    The church needs more laborers, and not just inside the four walls of the church building.  A plentiful harvest means there are still so many people that need help, the gospel, the love of Christ, and the hope and the joy that comes from having a relationship with Christ Jesus.  We need to open our eyes to the hurt, lost, or hopeless people that we run across daily.  We need to stop giving all the attention to the sin that people are in and see the soul that needs to be told that there is a real love to be found in Christ.

    We should carry that message daily and boldly.

    As the body of Christ, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus and keep God’s commandments.  We are commanded to go and reach people for the Kingdom of God.  This call is not based on how we feel, nor if we have a million other things on our plates, because that is life.  The biggest difference-makers in the lives of others might just listen for a few seconds to someone who is hurting, or even give a simple hug to a stressed-out momma.  Remember, we are not called to judge; we are called to love each other.

    Ask yourself:

    • What more can I do to be a laborer for the Kingdom of God?
    • Is it easier to judge or turn a blind eye to strangers than it is to find compassion or empathy for the people I see from day to day?
    • Does my witness to the world match the faith in my heart?
    • Would someone on the street recognize Christ in me, or would they only see the same old sinful world based on my actions, attitude, and words?

    Let’s pray together.

    Father God, thank you for working on my heart today.  Thank you for your daily mercy and grace.  God, I ask that You show me the flaws in my heart, those places where I am lacking empathy or compassion for others.  I ask that You help me to walk with humility, knowing that I am not a righteous woman nor am I higher or better than anyone else, but I am saved and redeemed by Your Grace alone.  Please help me grow in spiritual maturity so that You may use me as Your hands and feet, as Your witness and laborer, for Your great purpose.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

    Author’s Bio at the time of publication:

    April Burkhalter is a Pastor’s Wife in Channelview.  She has 7 children (15-28 years old), works full time as a Project Management Finance Controller, and teaches a Christ-based recovery system.  April enjoys singing and reading and loves people where they are in life.  She calls Alvin home.

    On the evening of April 1, 2026 April and her youngest son, James, were called home to be with the Lord after a tragic car accident.  During her tenure of service with South Texas Women’s Ministries she was an active member of the STXWM Core Team and the San Jacinto Women’s Ministries Section Leader.  The effects of her ministry and the life that she lived will be felt in eternity.  

    The South Texas Women’s Ministries Department wants to share April’s words once again so that all that read them will hear the cry of Jesus’ heart for laborers to join the harvest.  April’s absence will be felt here but Heaven rings today with her singing as she sits at the feet of her Savior with her sweet son, James.  This is not goodbye but rather, see you soon.

    We extend our prayers for strength and peace, and our most sincere condolences the Burkharlter family until we all see April and James again. 

  • In South Texas, As It Is In Heaven

    Photo by Umar Faruq on Pexels.com

    I love this year’s national women’s ministries department theme, As it is in Heaven.  I think every Christ follower I know longs for Heaven for many reasons, chief among them, to see and worship our King. Along with seeing Jesus face to face, we will also be free from this world and all that it encompasses-sin, sickness, and death. 

    Reading through the Lord’s prayer in the Sermon on the Mount has always been comforting to me. Maybe it is my background growing up in a Catholic family where every week at mass we, as a congregation, would recite from memory the Lord’s prayer. Sometimes we would even sing it recitation style and I loved it! Our world today is full of distractions, and our attention spans are showing less and less ability to stay on task. For me this includes when I am praying. 

    Praying the Lord’s prayer is a great “reset” if you will. When I begin praying for an overwhelmed friend or the war in the Middle East or my daughter’s scoliosis or my son’s attitude or even my lost friends that I so desperately desire to know Jesus—more times than I would like to admit I get distracted and lose track of what I am praying for. I often get frustrated and feelings of guilt begin to rise up and further distract me from the beautiful privilege of communing with the God of the universe. Condemnation is not from the Lord. God convicts us of sin and grants us grace and mercy when we get separated from Him, but immense heavy condemnation and guilt are lies and tricks from the enemy to keep us from praying and doing the Lord’s will. 

    If you too get distracted or lose your train of thought, reciting the Lord’s prayer is a wonderful way to realign your mind and soul with the Lord and get back to the prayers, thanksgivings, and petitions you were laying before the Lord. 

    When I think “as it is in Heaven” my mind drifts to a vision God granted me many years ago when I was new to overseas ministry. I felt lost and out of my depth and like the weight of the world was on my shoulders to “save the lost.” Every negative interaction I had with a nonbeliever or language struggle I encountered with a person of peace felt like a failure to make heaven crowded. Now if you just shook your head and wanted to shake me because it is indeed not I who has the power to fill Heaven, then you would be justified. I had a lot to learn about working alongside the Lord and not for my own glory. 

    In this vision I was kneeling in the throne room of heaven worshiping God and rejoicing. I was overwhelmed with joy and amazement. Then I looked to my left and then my right. All around me were souls from every tribe, speaking every tongue, and representing every nation! It was a powerful vision! The light around us was holy. The angels were shouting their praises and we were among them. We were valuable enough to be before our God and our King. This vision taught me many things including that the weight of eternity was never on my or your shoulders. That burden is placed on the shoulders of the only one strong and wise enough to carry it, Jesus. 

    I believe that sharing the gospel should be natural and not feel forced. It is only natural to feel nervous or unqualified. But here is the beauty of it, we are unqualified and without the saving blood of Jesus we are unworthy sinners. But for Jesus. Someone loved us and cared for our eternity enough to direct our gaze to Jesus and we have the honor of doing the same for others. In fact, one of my most favorite approximations for sharing the gospel is, “we are all just beggars telling other beggars where to find lifegiving bread.” 

    Heaven is wonderful for countless reasons and one of those is how incredibly diverse it will be. Not just souls from modern tribes, tongues, and nations will be represented but from every past present and future ones as well. The whole world was created by God and everyone in it, why wouldn’t our eternal home be the same?

    This is also a very convicting thought. Does how and who I share the good news of Christ with reflect God’s heart for “as it is in Heaven?” Are we sharing with only people who can completely relate to or who look, sound, think, or act like us? Are we giving everyone we meet the opportunity to encounter Jesus through us? 

    Every soul is valuable to God and He desires, “That none shall perish.” 2 Peter 3:9.  We are not responsible for the decisions that others make regarding their faith choices, however, we are responsible for the knowledge that God has given us. If we know that Jesus is the son of God born of a virgin. He died and was buried and rose again for our sins in fulfillment of the scriptures, then we are responsible for sharing that great news!  

    To live here right now in 2026 as it is in Heaven we need to begin opening ourselves and our comfort zones up to all that Heaven has to offer. We serve a God of miracles and if we allow Him to use us, the ways in which He does will surprise and delight us!

    I pray the gifts God has blessed you with will be magnified in your obedience to Him. I pray that all our eyes will be opened and we will step out in faith believing that God can and will use us to do mighty things in His name!

    Lord, we come to you today as your children. We seek the love and comfort that only you, our awesome Father can give. Teach us to pray and move our feet and open our mouths to spread your word all around us so that not only can more people know of your love for them, but also for us to experience a little bit of Heaven here on earth. May it be in South Texas as it is in Heaven! May it be in our homes as it is in Heaven! May it be in our circles of influence as it is in Heaven! Amen.

    by MaKenzie V.

  • Worship As They Do In Heaven

    Photo by Luis Quintero on Pexels.com

    “May your Kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

    Matthew 6:10

    This year the national women’s ministries department has chosen these words as our theme for 2026: As It Is In Heaven.

    Looking around our world today, it is difficult to imagine this being anything like what we have learned to expect in heaven.  It is hard to even imagine how it could ever be so.  How could we bring ourselves (or this world) to a place where God’s will is done here as it is in heaven especially when there is so much of it that is out of our control?

    I once had a conversation with a friend who, by the way, is a gifted and anointed singer, about our callings in ministry.  She confessed to me that even though God had given her a gift to sing and she would use it where He opened the door, she felt a stronger pull towards pulpit ministry and the study of the Word that it entails.  She said “I feel closest to God when I am studying and delivering His Word to His people.”  As we spoke she helped me to see that worship is where I feel closest to the Lord and where I feel the greatest draw toward ministry.

    For me, in worship I am most at peace and the least alone.  In worship, my heart can say all the things that my mind and heart can find no words to express to the only One who can affect real change.  I often find it difficult to tarry in long periods of intense prayer but that is never the case with worship.  It pours out of me almost unbidden no matter how burdened my soul is at the time.  It is a release.  In worship all worry and fear are forced out like a long held breath in the light of the glory of God.

    For me worship is the most vulnerable place.  It is where I bring all my burdens to release them, not because I work through them, but instead because I cannot hold them when my hands are out stretched to God.  Worship is complete surrender to God that abandons all else at the feet of the King of the Universe.  Before God is the only place on earth I am not embarrassed or fearful to weep openly.  In worship my heart is free because in worship my heart is not my own.

    When Jesus prayed, “May your Kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” He was calling us to bring heaven to earth.  His will is for His creation to worship Him with abandon.  We have the power to bring that worship to earth rather than waiting until we get to heaven to do it.

    We might not have the power to redirect governments and stop evil overnight but we can invite God’s presence into our homes and our workplaces today in worship.  Picture the scene described in Revelation chapter 5:

    11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

    “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
        to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
        and honor and glory and praise!”

    13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

    “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
        be praise and honor and glory and power,
    for ever and ever!”

    This is within our grasp today.  We can start the culture of worship in our own lives.  We can see His will being done on earth as it is in heaven today in our worship.

    As you walk through your day today, do it in an attitude of worship.  Invite God’s presence to walk with you and to go before you.  Worship is the same no matter your circumstance in life at the moment because God never changes.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Bring all that you have been carrying and lay it at His feet.  Lose the fear and worry as you extol the One who sits on the throne and the Lamb.  Cast your anxieties and your achievements and all the things that have seemed so important before Him and surrender.  This is how we can bring God’s will to earth.  He is coming back and there will come a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.  Let’s prepare the way.

    Below is a link to a song I have not been able to get out of my mind and heart for about a week.  It’s an old song and the words are not complicated.  If you need a place to start today, this is a good one.

    by Stephanie S.

About STX Women

We are the Women’s Ministries branch of the South Texas Assemblies of God.

Women across South Texas desire a community where we celebrate each other and share each other’s burdens.

Together, we walk out our God-given purpose in our family, church, and community!

Our passion and love for Christ unite us to reach the lost at home and across the world. 

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