“Half the Sky”

“Half the Sky” is humbly described by its authors, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, as a book “about women around the world,” but it is so much more than that.  Kristof (a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with The New York Times) and WuDunn are a husband-and-wife team who have compiled a compelling volume, telling the stories of women throughout our globe who suffer from three major abuses: sex trafficking / forced prostitution, gender-based violence (such as honour killings and mass rape), and maternal mortality (which claims 1 woman a minute!).

What began as a book has turned into a movement to “emancipate women and fight global poverty by unlocking women’s power as economic catalysts.”  (Kristof and WuDunn go so far as to propose that the liberation of women could help solve many of the world’s problems, from child mortality to terrorism.)  Such a goal finds echoes in the mission & philosophy of our partner Justice Ventures International (JVI) and Freeset Bags, one of the Indian marketplace initiatives supported by JVI.

In two Sundays, we’ll hear from Kerry Hilton, follower of Christ and founder of Freeset Bags, as he shares about the Indian women rescued from prostitution and poverty as they come to work with Freeset.  Until then, check out “Half the Sky,” now available in bookstores and online.

All You Single Ladies! (… And Men … And Married Folks.)

My short attention span and general lack of large chunks of free time often prevent me from tuning into all the mp3 links people send me.  But this one caught my attention for no reason other than that I finally had an hour free to just sit and listen to something.  I didn’t even know what the topic was, so I had no idea what to expect when I clicked to listen, and I certainly didn’t expect to be as blessed and encouraged as I was.

For the sake of full disclosure, the title of the talk is “We’re Not on Hold: Biblical Femininity For Single Women.”  Carolyn McCulley led this elective seminar at the 2004 Desiring God National Conference, “Sex and the Supremacy of Christ.”  Now, before all you single ladies get all up in a huff, please allow me to tell you straight-up: it’s a good talk.  It is not like any talk you’ve ever heard before about your singleness, or about the Biblical view of singleness.  If you have an hour of free time, I pray that you will also have open ears and a soft heart to check out this encouragement from a loving and eloquent woman of God.

I would also strongly encourage SINGLE MEN and MARRIED COUPLES to listen to this message as well.  Carolyn speaks to the single members of your extended community, your sisters in Christ.  She offers some practical and gentle admonishments and encouragements to you as well.  She speaks words that are often difficult for single women (and men) to say to their married friends and family members.  Please listen and hear her words.

(If you’re better with visual intake, I have transcribed the entirety of her talk so that you can read, rather than hear, it.  Please contact me at cathy.cha [at] nhf-online [dot] org for a copy.)

WM Retreat 09: Reflections

Some words of reflection from some women who attended “Hear and Receive,” the annual NHF Women’s Retreat held at Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center this past weekend …

WM Retreat 09: “Hear and Receive”

This past weekend, about 30 New Hope sisters and dear friends gathered at Mariandale Retreat & Conference Center, in Ossining, NY, for the annual Women’s Ministry Retreat.  With the encouragement of our speakers — five honest, vulnerable, strong and faithful sisters from within the NHF community — we circled our hearts to “Hear and Receive” from our God, knowing that “ears that hear and eyes that see — the LORD has made them both.”  (Proverbs 20.12)

Valentine’s Day: Make it a Weekend to Remember

Happy Chinese New Year…

Valentine’s Day is approaching. If you haven’t already planned your “perfect” romantic getaway, may I remind you that the upcoming Weekend to Remember conference will be held in Hershey, PA? Chocolates and chock-full of teaching on God design for marriage — together in one place. YUM!!!

Should you need further information or help with the registration process, please contact Soy (click on through for details).

Using the buddy system with Noomii [VIDEO]

The dudes discussed using the buddy system more effectively at a recent Men’s Ministry meeting. I recently ran across a new website called Noomii that offers users tools to set and reach life goals.

Acts Study: My Favorite Part, Part 1

The Women’s Ministry finished studying the book of Acts a few weeks ago. For those of you who were unable to join us, we wanted you to know that God taught us lots of wonderful things. I, for one, was moved by the story of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). Here is this guy, traveling along reading Isaiah, when God sends Philip to talk to him about his faith…