A Moment of Hope

by Marilynn Chadwick One of the most inspiring "real life" women of valor I have ever known was Barbara Brewton Cameron. This vibrant and joyful woman with an easy laugh and a giant heart was a powerful leader in her community. She became a dear friend, mentor, and role model. During our fifteen-year friendship, Barbara opened my eyes to the powerful impact that one ordinary woman can have on her...

by Marilynn Chadwick Men, women, and children of all ages squeezed into the patchwork tent that was both home and church for Pastor Raju and his family. David and I were traveling through this remote slum village in India to see the work of church planters like Raju. Raju was a ragpicker by trade. Daily, he sifted through the nearby garbage dump to find rags, plastic, bits of this-and-that to sell...

by Marilynn Chadwick I believe every woman has a little bit of princess in her. And deep down inside, she believes she can change the world. A long time ago there lived a real princess who actually did change the world. Her name was Margaret. She married a Scottish King and thus became Queen Margaret, one of the most beloved nobles in the history of Scotland. I became captivated by her story years...

by Marilynn Chadwick There are many heroines found in the pages of the Bible. The Hebrew term used in Proverbs 31:10 for the famed "virtuous woman," eshet chayil , can be better translated as "woman of valor" (Proverbs 31:10 JPS Tanakh 1917). I've come to believe women are at our best when engaged in a courageous fight for someone outside ourselves. While I love biblical heroines, I equally love s...

by Marilynn Chadwick Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies Proverbs 31:10 KJV I have come to love the biblical phrase "woman of valor." I think you will, too, as you journey with me over the next two weeks. Deep down, I believe most women long to be world-changers. To use their powerful influence for good and give life to those around them. The Bible presents us with man...

by David Chadwick Pharaoh's daughter is the last woman of valor we are going to look at this week. You can find her story in Exodus 2:5. An unnamed Egyptian princess was used by God to save the nation of Israel by saving Moses. After the nursing time from Jochebed that you learned about earlier this week, Pharaoh's daughter was the one who raised Moses in Pharaoh's court. Apparently, Moses's name...

by David Chadwick Miriam was first mentioned in Exodus 2:4, but not named until later in the story. After Moses's mom, Jochebed, who we learned about yesterday, hid Moses in the Nile's bulrushes, Miriam watched over the "cradle" in the water. I wonder what was going on in her young mind. Maybe she was making sure no animal attacked him. Or to keep an eye out for other enemies. I can't help but won...

by David Chadwick First mentioned in Exodus 6:20, Jochebed is our next woman of valor. Jochebed was the mom of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. As the story unfolds in Exodus 2:1-10, she gave birth to Moses knowing the Pharaoh had issued an edict for all Hebrew male babies to be killed. With a heart of wisdom, she decided to hide Moses in the bulrush. One day, Pharaoh's daughter, who we will learn more a...

by David Chadwick I love the special women God has put in my life. I have seen biblical strengths of women of valor in my own mom, my wife, my daughter, my daughters-in-law, my granddaughters, and many others. I believe strong, Godly women play such an important role in God's story. Women are made uniquely in the image of God, just like men, but carry unique parts of his heart that men don't have....

by David Chadwick My wife, Marilynn, wrote a book called Woman of Valor  where she explains that more than a virtuous or excellent woman, the Proverbs 31 woman in Hebrew culture is actually referred to as a woman of valor. A strong, mighty courageous presence in the life of her family and community. This week, I want to look at five women of valor from the Bible who played a significant role in sa...

by David Chadwick As we wrap up this week's focus on how to keep revival fires burning in our personal lives, remember the importance of the "daily" decisions. In a society that idolizes the big, the glamorous, the tantalizing moments, many of God's treasures lie in secret and hidden places. Think about the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45-46). Or the parable of the hidden treasure (Matthew 13:...

by David Chadwick Yesterday, we talked about how in order to keep revival fires burning, you must daily choose to hate sin. You must kill it. Crucify it. Suffocate it. But there is another important step to this process. You must daily cultivate a deep love for God. With ALL your heart, soul, mind, and might (Deuteronomy 6:5). With every ounce of your being, LOVE Jesus. Desire him and his kingdom...

by David Chadwick In the midst of so many recent conversations about revival, my heart is to see people maintain revival. How? I believe there are daily rhythms that can help keep revival fires burning in each one of our lives. Here is another way to keep revival burning within you: Daily hate sin. This is one area where Jesus gives those who follow him permission to hate. We are to love what he l...

by David Chadwick Over the last couple of years, many have been discussing revival  after the events that took place at Asbury University in February of 2023. Corporate revival experiences can be great, but I believe the heart of God longs to see his children maintaining revival day after day after day. I have found many of the ways to maintain revival come through  daily  decisions to obey and fo...

by David Chadwick With our current series on revival in mind, here is one question we all must ask. How do we keep revival fires burning? Over the next week, I want to help you answer this question. I find the key to maintaining revival is in this one, simple word…"daily." A daily pursuit of habits can result in lifelong change. No one notices the significance of taking vitamins each day. In fact,...

by Marilynn Chadwick A revival known as the "Children's Prayer Revival" was ignited around December 28, 1707. The location was near the border of Poland and Czechia in an area where evangelical worship had been outlawed. Boys and girls, ages 4-14, assembled in the open fields outside the town to pray. They would sing hymns, read Psalms, and close with a blessing. Church leaders were furious that p...

by Marilynn Chadwick True revival awakens a heart for the least and the lost. Historically, revivals have occurred during times of cultural darkness. England, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, had plunged into moral decadence. Drunkenness was rampant and gambling so pervasive that historians described the nation as "one vast casino." Tickets were sold to public executions as entertainmen...

by Marilynn Chadwick The First Great Awakening in America was ignited around 1730 by a scholarly New England minister named Jonathan Edwards. From there, a series of revivals rapidly spread, bringing about the most significant social upheaval to occur prior to the Revolutionary War. The dramatic, impassioned preaching of England's George Whitfield fueled these revival fires as he passed through th...

by Marilynn Chadwick Fervent, persistent prayer always precedes revival. Revival historians consistently point to what is sometimes called  extraordinary prayer . This is united, persistent, and frequent prayer…often for extended periods of time. The Moravian Revival of 1727 started as a 24/7 prayer meeting that lasted for over 100 years. A group of humble, simple servants who were hungry to see G...

by Marilynn Chadwick The dictionary defines "revival" as "coming back to life" or "increasing in strength or intensity." An Emergency Room doctor might  revive  a patient whose heart has stopped. While the word "revival" doesn't appear in Scripture, "revive" does. Psalm 85:6 says, "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" Isaiah 57:15b says, "I dwell in the high and holy...

by David Chadwick Jesus's final words came on the heels of two very important days that we in the Christian faith know as Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. What made Friday so good? Because the cross secured our eternal life forever! Thursday and Friday paved the way for Jesus's last words to be released in power, precision, and purity…paving the way for a future and a hope for all who put their tr...

by David Chadwick Over the past couple weeks, we have been looking at some of the significant final words that Jesus spoke on the cross. But for the next two days, I want to go back a few days and look at the last hours in Jesus's life before he went to the cross and died. In church history we refer to today as Maundy Thursday. This was the day that Jesus celebrated his last supper with his discip...

by David Chadwick When someone is about to die or is approaching the end of life, he or she usually shares words that are full of perspective, insight and purpose. There is something about nearing the end of the road that provokes people to say what they wished they had always said and to communicate things they may have missed the opportunity to communicate. Jesus's final words held the most sign...

by David Chadwick Final words. Defined as "the final things said in an argument or a discussion." I love to think about all of the final words that Jesus spoke as he put an end to the argument of who would end up having the victory between him and Satan. Jesus's life, death, and resurrection settled the discussion once and for all when he took back the keys that Adam relinquished in the Garden of...

by David Chadwick Have you ever spent the day at the beach on an especially hot summer day? Splashing through the waves for hours? After so much time in the salt, sand and sun, it is very common to feel very thirsty. Did you know that some of Jesus's final words in John 19:28 were, "I thirst"? I love the depth of this phrase. Jesus was most likely physically dehydrated. He probably had not had any...