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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  • Are You Serving?

    by April-Michelle Burkhalter 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…

  • In South Texas, As It Is In Heaven

    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…

  • Worship As They Do In Heaven

    “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…

  • 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.

  • Drawing from the Well: Sharing Kindness with Others

    February is known as the month of love. We celebrate Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s with our gal pals. There’s even a day to show love to our pets. Not only that but February is American Heart month. Do you see where I’m going with this? But perhaps you didn’t know there’s another national day in February known as, “Random Acts of Kindness Day”. Which is kind of funny because if there’s a whole day dedicated to doing kind things for others, then is it still considered random? Yeah, that one will keep me up at night. Regardless, the Bible reminds us that love is kind (1 Cor. 13:4). It’s also a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Kindness is something we should be exercising every day.

    I remember almost 3 years ago, I was headed to Walmart with my daughter in tow. It had just started raining as we pulled into the parking lot. She was about 3 years old at this point. The rain was getting heavy as I parked the car. I quickly pulled her out along with her backpack, my purse, and an umbrella. I was holding her on my hip, while I carried the backpack on my back, purse across my chest and held the umbrella in my opposite hand, all while trying to get out of the rain. In my failed attempt, I slipped and fell right in front of the sliding doors. As we were crashing to the concrete, I began to feel helpless. I fell to my knees, because I didn’t want to risk dropping her. Once I realized she was okay, and the only damage was a few cuts and bruises on my knees, we both began to cry. I think it was just the initial shock of it all. But I remember looking up as people walked by. Didn’t they see what had happened? Couldn’t they see I needed their help? I started to pick us up from the floor, when an elderly woman came by to ask if we were alright. She helped me to my feet, still holding my precious girl. I graciously tell the woman, “Thank you.” Her kindness was appreciated more than she knows. I had been having a rough morning, and slipping and falling while holding my daughter, in pouring rain, was not on my bingo card. I didn’t even know this woman. She could have just walked by and ignored us like everyone else. But she didn’t do that. She was very sweet and encouraged me that day. If she hadn’t shown up, I’m not sure what the rest of my day would have looked like. Would I have even gone into the store? Or would I have gone home, drenched and feeling defeated? But that’s not my story. She was there to lend a hand when I desperately needed it.

    There was another woman, who had been ostracized from her friends. She had no children and was living with a man who was not her husband. But she found the kindness of a stranger, and so much more. We read in John 4:1-14, that Jesus traveled through Samaria and he was very tired from his journey. So, he rested by a nearby well. While he was there, he saw a Samaritan woman, by herself, filling up her water jar. This was peculiar because most townswomen would choose to fill up their water jar in the coolness of morning or in the evening as the sun was setting. But this was in the middle of the day, when it was hot. Jesus asked the woman for a drink. She was startled by this interaction because:

    1) Jesus was a Jew, and they were not meant to associate with Samaritans.

    2) Jesus was a man, speaking to a woman in public.

    However, none of these things mattered to Him, because at that moment he cared about her and her needs. He really didn’t need a drink. He wanted to show her kindness and hope.  

    John 4:9-14

    9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])

    10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

    11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

    13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

    You see, Jesus knew her story. He knew she was weary, broken and dying of thirst. He never questioned whether he should talk to her or not. He just did it.

    This is the type of boldness I want. I want to be able to reach out to someone and share the love of Jesus without a care. Everyone needs kindness and everyone needs Jesus.

    A few months ago, our church was challenged to share Jesus with someone, a literal Jesus. Have you seen those cute little Jesus figures? They fit easily in your pocket or purse, making it convenient to take him everywhere you go. We gave each person in our church two little Jesuses: one to keep and one to give away. Some of the figurines have “Jesus loves you” written across his sash. While these are adorable, they remind us that someone is always there for us even when we feel alone.

    The world has taught us to only be aware of ourselves and our needs, that we should only be concerned with getting from Point A to Point B with no distractions. But I want to encourage you to take a moment and look at your surroundings. Ask the Lord how you can reach out to someone because there’s always a person in need. It can be as simple as making a casserole, gifting them their favorite stuffed animal, throwing a surprise party, or just saying, “hi” to someone new. A little bit of kindness can go a long way.

    After Jesus met the woman and told her who he was, it changed her life. She felt so blessed to have been in the presence of the Lord, that she couldn’t contain her excitement. She began to share with others all that the Lord had told her. She found peace and hope that day because of Jesus’ kindness towards her (John 9:15-30).

    One of my favorite radio DJs has a saying: “The world is full of nice people. If you can’t find one, be one.” Who’s to say that you can’t be that one? Let’s spread a little more kindness to this wild world we live in.

    By: Melinda B. 

  • Joy Beyond Understanding

    Photo by Charles Parker on Pexels.com

    “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

    Summertime in the South is not for the faint of heart. Temperatures that soar to unbearable heights, iced tea that can’t seem to stay iced, and leather car interior that is torture whenever you get in or out of a car. However, one of the sweetest parts of summer is the abundance of fresh produce. Ripe tomatoes fresh off the vine, red apples cold from the crisper drawer, and sweet sun warmed peaches. Can you tell I grew up in a small town? 

    I always enjoyed learning about the fruits of the spirit in Sunday School because it was almost always accompanied by tangible representations for all the kids to enjoy. I can still sing the song we were taught to help us memorize this scripture and remember eating grapes and bananas and sour pineapple comparing them all to the nonedible but still very real fruits of the Spirit.

    I always thought these fruits were like the ones from the market. You just pick and choose which one looks the most appetizing and you’re all set. But God in His infinite wisdom has different plans for us. In my three decades, and some change, on this earth I have realized that when praying for love we are given opportunities to love not necessarily easy people to love. When we pray for peace, we are not gifted with easy circumstances, but tumultuous times in which we can rest our eyes on the Prince of Peace. And so, in joy it is the same.  

    Joy is a spiritual gladness that is placed deep in the presence of God. My friends who do not walk with Jesus or have a relationship with God at all are often puzzled by my and other Christian’s ability to praise the Lord and be joyful even amidst grief and unmet expectations. The spiritual gift of joy can be one of the most puzzling to witness and a powerful testimony in and of itself. 

    Joy is consistent and surges beyond the temporary and is wreathed in the eternal. Joy is not conditioned on circumstances or fleeting when our emotions transform. No one, not even mature Christians, are exempt from emotional extremes. When asked, “How do I manifest joy? Where does peace that surpasses understanding come from? How can I trust God after all that I have been through?” These are not questions from an unbeliever but from sisters in Christ who have lived heartbreaking testimonies and are still trying to seek the face of God. If you have similar questions, beloved, you are in good company. Having the faith to ask such things means you are closer to the hand of God than you think. The beautiful thing about being close to the hand of God, is that it is outstretched to us and He will never leave or forsake us in our adventures on this earth.  (Hebrews 13:5)

     The difference I have come to observe is that spiritual dependence begets spiritual maturity and spiritual maturity begets fruits of the Spirit. Dependence is a daily, no wait, an hourly or perhaps a minute-by-minute glance to God. The more comfortable we are relying on God the more we see the gifts and fruits of His love in our lives. 

    The new testament was mostly written in ancient Greek and the word used for joy in this passage is related to the Greek word for grace. This shows us that it is by the grace of God that we are gifted and blessed with the various fruits of the Spirit. It is who we say God is and how we show the world He is the One that reveals His blessings to those around us. 

    I have always been called happy. People in my life would call me “blessedly ignorant” to be in the world and as happy as I am. What they, and I truthfully, couldn’t see was God paving the way for me to see past what sin has done to God’s creation and still see God and know what many call happiness. My “blessed ignorance” came to an end when I buried my first child. I saw what sin had done to this world and felt how the fall of man affected me and I didn’t hesitate. Just like a child calling to a parent, I lifted my tear-stained voice and cried out to God. He heard me and He answered me.

    After the initial shock and heaviness of grief wore off, I remember washing dishes and praying. Through my prayerful ramblings I began to worship. I lifted my voice and I sang the song that just weeks prior had been played at my daughters’ funeral. “Then sings my soul my savior God to thee. How great thou art. And when I think that God, His son not sparing…” On and on I worshiped and begged God to transform my heart and this tragedy for His kingdom.

    It has been through the death of my firstborn that I realized everyone was wrong about me. I am not happy, but I am blessed with joy. My family and friends will tell you that my emotions are as fickly and human as can be, but my joy is divine. In every single circumstance I can see the hand of God weaving and creating beauty within and through tragedy and sorrow. Joy is not always well received, and I honestly bear the burden of it gratefully. 

    Let us see God and his hand upon lives first. Truly, may we be transformed by His love, His joy, His peace, His patience, His kindness, His goodness, His faithfulness, His gentleness, and His self-control. May we seek His kingdom first and let the Holy Spirit in wisdom and grace grant us what God holds for us. 

    MaKenzie V.

  • Peace in a Wild Workplace

    Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com

     I do not work in a church.  I am involved in ministry full-time, but I also work a secular job to provide for my family.  I don’t care where you work, whether it be in a church or out; if you work with people, it can be difficult.  

    Feeling called to ministry, I have asked God to deliver me from my secular jobs many times in the past.  I’m sure many of you can relate.

    For a little history, in my adult life, I have worked in retail, child care, job-site safety, management, custodial services, hospitality, social work, and education.  I have had careers, and I have had times when I had several part-time jobs to make ends meet.

    I say all of this to emphasize that no matter what the working situation I feel for you, except for food service.  I’ve never done that, but you guys are my heroes.  I never had the courage it takes to wait tables.

    If you absolutely love your job and never experience conflict or difficulty there, that is amazing, and I am so happy for you, but this particular blog may not resonate with you.

    I want to address those who have known long nights crying out to God to deliver you from a situation that, though it meets a need, is a source of stress and distress in your life. 

    As my heart has struggled lately with a similar unrest, God brought me to the book of Job.  HAHA  I do not compare my job situation with the sufferings of Job, by the way.  This is just where God led me for some clarity.  I have struggled with the book of Job through the years.  Sometimes, when I read parts of the Bible, I find myself going to the Lord and asking Him to help me understand why He responded in certain ways and did things the way He did.  I read the Bible from the human perspective of “what if that were me.”  How would I want God to show up if I were walking through a wilderness, running for my life, or grieving the loss of all that I held dear while my health painfully faded away?  I sometimes find myself struggling with what feels like harshness in God’s replies.  I hope that does not reveal me to be a bad Christian, but I want to be honest about how I’ve struggled in case someone else is in the same place.

    God’s reply to Job lasts for almost 4 chapters at the end of the book of Job.  For a little summary, Job starts the book as a rich and powerful man with friends, family, and all the comforts of an affluent life, and within the first two chapters, he loses it ALL.  His riches are stolen, his children killed, his property destroyed, and his health painfully failing.  He tries to maintain his belief in God’s goodness through it all, even with his friends and even his wife telling Him to accept that God has abandoned him.  In all of this, he understandably begins to question God.  

    God’s reply at the end of the book is four chapters in which He reminds Job that He sees and understands things Job cannot and that His wisdom is perfect, even in Job’s situation.  I do not know about you, but if I were Job, I might have spent a minute or two feeling like that was not really an answer to why this had to happen, but Job, being a much more mature Christian than I am sometimes, replied with repentance.

    Here is what God showed me in those chapters that I had never understood before:

    1. His wisdom is perfect.  When I am in the midst of my own turmoil, it is easy for me to want God’s immediate and undivided attention to my discomfort.  It can be tempting and easy to forget that the situation is not all about me.  It is never God’s will for us to suffer, but suffering is a reality in this sinful world, and if we will allow Him, God will turn our situation for our good and His glory.  In some of the worst times of my life, God was guiding me closer to Him, and when I looked back years later, I saw that others were following me to Christ as I ran to Him.
    2. You are not alone.  God has not opened a door for your provision and then pushed you through it with a “good luck” before He walks away.  If He called you to that workplace, He has come there with you.  Acknowledge Him.  Invite Him into your day.  The conflicts you are experiencing may not immediately cease, but He can bring a calm in the middle of it, even if it’s only for you.  Remember that it takes conflict for things that need to change, to change.  If there are unhealthy or unproductive dynamics at work in your workplace, this conflict may be God’s vehicle for those environments that are unhealthy for you to be healed.  
    3. God is good.  Though the words of God’s replies in scripture sometimes sound harsh to me, I cannot deny the love and care in His actions.  When I am tempted to question God’s goodness, it is not out of line for God to remind me of His wisdom and love, even if I feel like the reminder is harsh.  Sometimes my heart needs correction, and I am so glad that God is not afraid to do that.  He is good.  He does restore.  He does provide.  He does offer us maturity and perspective.  He is a good God.

    In the midst of your turmoil today, God wants to whisper peace.  This is not the kind of peace that comes with knowing your two-week notice has been delivered, and you are just riding out the remainder of your time.  This is not the peace of finality and release, but one of knowing that you do not walk into that place alone.  You never have and you never will.

    For some, God will provide something different, maybe even something better, but for some, He will place His hand on our shoulders and say, “Peace, my daughter.  I have called you to this place.”  To those, He will cause peace to reign in the midst of the conflict.  He will calm His child while the storm rages if we allow ourselves to surrender to His calm.

    Lord, I give you this day.  I ask that you help me to do whatever I lay my hand to for your glory and to the best of my ability with a joyful heart.  I thank you for the financial stability you have provided for my family through this work.  I thank you for the opportunity to use the strength and talents you have given me to provide a useful service to others.  I thank you today for the privilege of every new relationship, professional or personal, that has come from this work opportunity, and I ask that you would help me to honor You in all the ways I interact with those I work with.  For the times I have been tempted to despair or doubt Your goodness, I ask for Your forgiveness.  For those relationships I have jeopardized with harsh words or poor attitudes, I humbly ask for your grace and mercy.  I know that even as a seasoned believer, I still need a Savior.  I bring all of this to your feet, Lord, and I ask that you help me to go forward walking closer with you than I did yesterday.

    Amen.

    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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