Pursuing God's Purpose and Promises For Women
Greetings!

Welcome to Promise Helpers' August 2021 newsletter. How is your year going? Better than 2020? There is no doubt that 2020 was a difficult year, but so has been 2021. We do not have the shutdowns we had in 2020, but 2021 has proven to be just as challenging. Aren't you glad you have the Lord to lean on? Continue praising Him throughout the rest of the year. Speaking of praising Him, what is your favorite Praise and Worship song? We love hearing from you, so click the "Share" button below and tell us your favorite worship song or share with us how the Lord has been good to you.  

If at any time you need prayer, please contact Promise Helpers by clicking the "Prayer" button below or visiting our Facebook page to leave a message. We have mighty Prayer Warriors ready to stand in the gap on your behalf.
 
Overview for our August newsletter:

  • Registration for Pursuit 10.21: Stand Firm
  • Article "Who's Carrying Your Weight?" by Karla Maxwell
  • Lyric Video: "FREEDOM" by Jesus Culture
  • Helpful Hints: How to Clean a Messy Home When You’re Overwhelmed
  • What's Happening in Your Area?
  • Our Contact Information
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Can you believe we are already preparing for our fall retreat? This year is flying by at rapid speeds as it seems we just had our spring retreat. Promise Helpers' women's retreats are not a force to be reckoned with. A room full of Spirit-filled women, praising and worshiping the One True God, lifting each other in prayer, commitments and recommitments to Christ made; Holy Spirit is always welcomed, and He moves mightily.
 
Make plans now to attend Pursuit 10.21: Stand Firm where we will focus on how we should handle the tough situations we trudge through, what we can do while in the dry desert moments of our spiritual walk while we are waiting for the Lord to move, and how we can keep the Armor of God on without it becoming so heavy. You will be blessed, and Promise Helpers will be blessed by your presence.
 
We always prepare for our retreats with a 40-day fast. You are welcome to participate by any type of fast you choose. It could be a fast from sugar, social media, eating meat, etc. Whatever you choose to fast from, remember to pray for the retreat, the speakers and leaders, all those who attend or would like to attend. Speak against the enemy from infiltrating through his devious and spiteful ways. Help us make this the most remarkable Promise Helpers' retreat thus far. We will begin the fast on Sunday, August 22nd. If you want, let us know you are fasting and praying in agreement. A cord of many strands cannot be broken.
Registration is open, and you can register here by clicking the "Register Now" button below.
 
October 1st-3rd, 2021
Glen Lake Retreat Center
Glen Rose, TX
$135 includes all meals and lodging
 
If you would like to receive a blessing from the Lord by providing a scholarship or partial scholarship for a financially struggling lady to attend retreat, Promise Helpers would love your willingness to help. Click on the "Scholarship Donation" button below for Promise Helpers' PayPal page and click on the "retreat" option. Any given amount will be greatly appreciated.
Who's Carrying Your Weight? by Karla Maxwell
Here we are on the downside of 2021. There is no doubt we have been through a lot in America and the world in the last year and a half; so much so that the Summer Olympics we were to celebrate in 2020 just now took place this summer.
 
As usual, the news and social media have kept us updated on the Olympic medal counts and all the victories, as well as the heartbreaks. The biggest Olympic news story was the world-famous gymnast, Simone Biles, walking away from the competition in the middle of competing. Her exit reason is not as important as the message she sent and the lessons that can be learned from her decision.
 
All eyes were on this young lady, everyone anticipating and confident she would win many gold medals. Jaws dropped when she missed her landings on multiple events. Shock and disbelief as she hugged her teammates and left the competition floor. Her reason? Her mental health. Prior to her leaving the competition, she posted on social media how she felt "the weight of the world on her shoulders". That is sad yet understandable as I am sure she felt the pressure of everyone's expectations.
 
Have you ever felt the weight of the world on your shoulders? It is a trap easily fallen into and causes much stress and anxiety. You may not have the world's eyes on you like an Olympic athlete, but the pressures of life can make you feel like you are carrying that weight on your shoulders. Today's pressures are unprecedented in our society; a vaccinated vs. unvaccinated war ramping up, masks or no masks, political and social unrest, immigration issues, violent crimes on the rise as our lack of human respect spirals out of control, and we are still dealing with the pandemic. Our stress levels are at an all-time high. So much pressure to be compliant, countercultures that are an abomination to the Lord are becoming more aggressive in their demand for acceptance, and Christians are looked down upon. America as we know it is slowly slipping away. It's no wonder we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders.
 
Referring back to Simone Biles, that whole scenario points to the goodness of Jesus. Granted, the phrase "feeling the weight of the world on our shoulders" is just a descriptive saying for us, but Jesus truly did carry the weight of the world on His shoulders when He was beaten beyond recognition. He carried the weight of the world when He died on the cross for our sins. As followers of Christ, we should never feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. If we do, we are not fully letting Christ have complete control of our life. We are trying to do things on our own. When we rest in Him, the weight is lifted. He evens says so in His Word in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
 
Not only did Jesus bear the weight of the world on His shoulders, but He did it for us because He loves us. He did not have to die for us, but He chose to. Without Him bearing the weight of the world on His shoulders, we would have been doomed and separated from the Lord for eternity.
 
When things around you seem to consume you, take a deep breath and praise the Lord that He's got you, He's carrying the load working on your behalf. Trust Him daily and make everything you do in life for the Glory of the Lord. If you do this, you are a Champion in Christ, and that is the most rewarding win of all.
 
To God be the Glory
 
Karla Maxwell
Lyric Video:
FREEDOM by Jesus Culture
How To Clean a Messy House When You're Overwhelmed
Is the mess in your house causing you stress? These helpful tips will teach you how to clean your messy home when you are overwhelmed. 

Make a Plan
Decide when you can set a time to start cleaning your home. Find what works for you and schedule it on your calendar. Make sure you won’t be interrupted so have Dad take the kids to the park or put on your kid’s favorite Disney movie. (Or better yet, you can have everyone pitch in to help get the house clean.) Either way, having a plan in place makes everything go much more smoothly.
Before you begin, make sure you check your cleaning supplies to see if you’ve run out of anything and stock up prior to your planned cleaning day. Here are a few cleaning supplies to have on hand:

  • microfiber cloth
  • all-purpose cleaner
  • duster
  • toilet cleaner
  • furniture polish
  • mop
  • broom
  • vacuum
  • vinegar (I use it to clean my windows and mirrors)
  • baking soda (A great carpet deodorizer- just sprinkle, let sit for a few minutes and vacuum)


Pick up Clutter First
Before you start your actual cleaning, grab a basket for items that need to be put back in their proper home. Also, a trash bag to pick up anything that needs to be tossed.

To save time, take care of items after your cleaning is complete. This is a great job for younger kids to help with.


Focus on one room at a time
Once the clutter has been picked up. It’s time to start focusing on cleaning your home. I would suggest focusing on one room at a time. As with any big project or task, I have found that it’s easier if you concentrate on small areas to avoid overwhelm. Just focus on the room you are doing and once completed move on. As you complete each room it will help motivate you to finish the rest.


Stay motivated
When dealing with a messy house, you may find a little extra motivation is needed to keep going. If this is true for you, turn on some music, a podcast, or an audiobook.

If you are still struggling, try setting a timer to keep you motivated. You can set it for an hour (try a power hour cleaning!) or break up each task into 5-10 minutes so you don’t get distracted Plus, it helps you stay focused so you’re getting the job done faster.


Start cleaning your home

Kitchen
  • Wash dishes or empty dishwasher
  • Wipe down the countertops
  • Clean light fixtures and light switches
  • Dust all surfaces
  • Wipe down appliances
  • Sweep and mop your floors

Bedrooms
  • Replace your dirty sheets with clean ones and then make your bed
  • Dust your nightstands and dressers
  • Wipe down your light fixtures and light switches
  • Straighten any items that are out of place
  • Put any dirty laundry laying around in the hamper
  • Sweep and mop or vacuum

Living Room
  • Fold blankets and fluff pillows
  • Dust all surfaces
  • Wipe down light fixtures and light switches
  • Straighten anything out of place
  • Sweep/mop or vacuum your floors

Bathroom(s)
  • Wipe down all counters
  • Clean mirrors
  • Clean the bathtub and/and or shower
  • Scrub the toilet
  • Dust all surfaces
  • Sweep and mop
  • Empty any trash cans
  • Put out clean towels  


Form cleaning habits to keep your home consistently clean
Now, that you have tackled the huge mess, it’s time to start working on building habits to help you stay on top of your cleaning so that these huge messes don’t happen as often. Life is busy, but being prepared will help you avoid the mess and the overwhelm that comes with it.

The best way to form better cleaning habits is to start using a cleaning routine. Cleaning routines are one of the best things that I have done to stay on top of my daily cleaning tasks. They have definitely saved my sanity over the years.

Before cleaning schedules, I would spend my entire Saturday morning cleaning, which I would dread the entire week. But, now just taking a few minutes to clean every morning and doing a quick pick up after dinner has helped keep my home clean on a consistent basis.
What's Happening In Your Area
Cross Plains
** 2nd and 4th Tuesdays:
Tuesday mornings Bible study 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Tuesday evenings Bible study 6:30-8:00 p.m.
At the home of Connie Kirkham
Contact Connie Kirkham
              

Hamilton 
No activities at this time
Contact Alicia Saldaña


Parker/ Wise /Tarrant Counties 
No activities at this time
Contact Debbie Barber
Contact Us
Promise Helpers is a non-profit Christian ministry for women that seeks to help women experience the fullness of God’s purpose and promises for them. Our desire is to bring women to a place of personal wholeness so they can bring wholeness to their marriages, homes, families and communities. Promise Helpers is women ministering to women, reminding one another of the promises of God and encouraging one another to implement those promises into their daily lives. The foundation of Promise Helpers is prayer, for apart from Jesus Christ we can do nothing.