Changing Chapters

As I put away the last of the Christmas trimmings, I find myself reflective about what happened this year and curious about what lies ahead. I feel like a chapter is closing as the Lord is inviting me into the new year.

Unfortunately, some seasons in life do not close so easily. Unforgiven offenses, unhealed pain, and unprocessed grief have a way of following us into our present, hindering us from stepping forward. We can grow so accustomed to the companionship of hurt that we can’t imagine life without it, and it becomes the basis of our life story. At least that was the case for me.

As I read the Bible, certain stories caused me to pause. Stories of God’s goodness, his promises to hear my cries, and his assurance to give me the desires of my heart triggered questions about these truths in light of my circumstances and my past. For the longest time, I was puzzled by Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” 

How could the difficulties I faced truly be God’s will?

I wasn’t sure.

In my quiet time, thinking about what I read in the Bible and praying through it, something started to shift. This practice of silence and solitude helped me understand that God has a different perspective on my life narrative. He knows the beginning and the ending, how one door closing is another door opening. He knows my mountaintop experiences and valley crawls are temporary yet essential elements in my story.

What I began to recognize was that as I kept reading my Bible and seeking answers, I started experiencing more of God’s profound love for me. It changed me. It was a turning point in my relationship with him. The “whys” of yesterday didn’t matter as much anymore because a future filled with hope held greater appeal. Little by little, my love for God grew deeply. He enabled me to reflect on my past and ask him where he was in those difficult moments. Through prayer, the Holy Spirit gave me a sense of God’s presence throughout my life, even before I knew him (Psalm 139). He guided my steps and celebrated my wins. He also wept when I wept. The Author of my life cried with me, whispering into my spirit that he was with me, telling me to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9). Life wouldn’t always be this way.

One day, God will wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4), and by following his leading, we find our way through hope. When we look at our circumstances through the Spirit, not our flesh, we can see glimmers of his greater purpose. And we can know that he has always been with us, then and now, and will continue to be with us tomorrow.

It is deeply healing to know that the circumstances that threatened to distort our stories are the very places where God’s glory was planted within us. His presence closes our wounds, gives us the ability to forgive, and allows us to fully grieve losses. These things remain part of our story, but how we tell it is reframed to reflect the goodness that God brings through each chapter.

As we turn the page into this new year, may we embrace the truth that every chapter, both the joyful and the painful, has purpose in God’s story for our lives. The seasons that once felt heavy can become testimonies of his faithfulness when viewed through his lens of hope. We can step forward with courage, trusting the Author who writes with love and redemption, knowing that the best chapters are still ahead.

Traci Martin and her husband Bil reside in Georgia, have two married daughters and two granddaughters. Traci loves EVERYTHING tea, traveling, hiking, biking, spa days, and spending time with family and good friends.

She is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary with a Masters in Christian Leadership.

Following a decade in corporate America and 25 years as a business owner, she followed God’s calling into full-time ministry. From 2012-2021, Traci went from working part time for a Bible study ministry to being the president. Through all of her experiences, she saw the need of support for Christian women, especially those who serve God. Having a desire to help address this need led to her involvement with NEWIM.

Reach out and say hello to Traci traci@teachingsbytraci.com. 

Fulfilled Promises in the Christmas Story

When I read the Christmas story this year, I observe God’s faithfulness. God is attentive to his word and keeps his promises. Are you looking to him this Christmas season? Look to him in confidence; just as he kept his word to bring about the birth of the Messiah, he is still watching over his word for us today.

In the Christmas narratives, we see God’s faithfulness to fulfill many of his promises. We see Mary giving birth to our Savior in line with Isaiah’s words (Isaiah 7:14) and Christ is born in Bethlehem as promised by Micah (Micah 5:2). Jesus’ life is saved in Egypt since there had been a mandate to kill all the babes in Bethlehem in hopes of exterminating Christ (Hosea 11:1 and Jeremiah 31:15). God also promised Jesus would settle in Nazareth and be called a Nazarene (Matthew 2:23).

During this Christmas season, I am rejoicing once again how God has provided for my needs. His provision is not something I could have engineered or planned. Here at the end of the year, I can rejoice and exult and once again say, “The Lord has shown up!”

For several years I have served Southern California churches in the accounting and finance departments. When I am not serving a church directly, I have been in the commercial sector on short-term assignments.  It has been quite an adventure since I never know where I will be working each year until the opportunities present themselves. I am very dependent on the Lord for work.

In early 2025, an elder of a South Orange County church called, someone I had consulted for 10 years ago. His work was urgent. Could I get started immediately? Being part “nurse” as well as accountant, I jumped in and served the church for a few months during a challenging season. Once the most difficult things were accomplished, I believed the Lord asked me to step down and wait on him for the next steps. While it is so easy to explain I was waiting on the Lord, I confess I was anxious—would the Lord find work for me again? Is my work life over? How was God going to provide for my needs?

After a few months, I received a call. It was another church which also had a need in the area of accounting and finance. It was amazing—the South County church and this church in East Los Angeles County were very much alike, having similar cultures, philosophies of ministry, and organizational structure. The work in the South County church was nice preparation for doing the work in East Los Angeles County. God was providing another way to serve his church coupled with providing for my needs at the same time. I could only proclaim, “Thank You, Lord, for showing up!” Showing up and allowing me to serve his church; showing up and providing for my needs!

Do you need the Lord to “show up” for you too? Are you looking to him? Read the Christmas story again and rejoice in God’s faithfulness to his word. God will fulfill his promises for you. He can show up and accomplish things on your behalf.

Monica Brislawn resides in Southern California. She is an accountant by trade and has served on accounting and finance teams in both the commercial and ministry spaces. She also holds a master’s degree in theology and enjoys talking about the Scriptures with others. She works way too much and needs to take some college courses on how to have fun.

While serving as the Director of Women’s Ministries for a church, she was introduced to NEWIM and found a place to share with others the rewards and challenges of ministry. There she has also been encouraged by the many role models who serve God’s purposes, no matter what age or stage of life.

Reach out and say hello to Monica monicabrislawn@gmail.com. 

You Don't Have to Hold It All Together

Somewhere along the journey of ministry, many of us—maybe most of us—absorb the quiet message that we’re supposed to hold it all together. Keep the team running. Keep the family cared for. Keep our face composed, our hearts soft, our inbox cleared, and our Bible study prepped.

And yet—behind the gentle smile or the well-crafted sermon—there’s often a deep weariness. A loneliness. Even grief. If that’s where you are right now, friend, can I say this as clearly as possible?

You don’t have to hold it all together. In fact, you were never meant to.

Ministry, especially as a woman, can carry unspoken expectations. We become the person others come to for comfort, guidance, vision, and strength. We’re told (or we assume) that to be faithful means to be unshakable. But even Jesus, in his fullness of divinity and humanity, drew away to rest. He wept. He allowed himself to be ministered to. If the Son of God wasn’t afraid to pause, to let others carry the moment, why should we be?

A Place to Let God
One of the gifts NEWIM has offered for 40 years is space—a sacred invitation to exhale. At retreats like The Springs, women don’t have to perform. We don’t have to teach or fix or inspire. We simply show up.

And what happens in that space is holy. Tears come. Silence heals. Laughter returns. And often, the whisper of the Holy Spirit gets a little louder in our hearts. Joy and strength start to rise—not because we’re “doing” anything, but because we’ve let go of everything long enough for God to hold us.

If you're reading this with tears in your eyes or a knot in your chest, I want you to know something else: You are not alone. Your weariness is not failure. Your need for rest is not weakness.

It’s okay to say, “I can’t carry this today.” It’s okay to take your hands off the wheel. Because Jesus never asked you to hold it all together. He simply invites you to hold onto him.

A Simple Invitation
As we celebrate 40 years of NEWIM, we celebrate you—the woman who has poured out love and wisdom, who has faithfully said “yes” even when it was hard. Now, maybe it’s your turn to receive.
To step away.
To be still.
To be reminded that your value isn’t in your doing. It’s in your being—a beloved daughter, held and known.

Kristy Howard is mom of five, writer, and mentor for Christian women healing from shame-shaped religious systems. She has served alongside her husband, Jeremy, in vocational ministry for more than 20 years and recently stepped into the role of chaplain.

In 2014, Kristy began a Facebook group for pastor's wives, The Honest Pastor's Wife, which is now a ministry of NEWIM. Kristy loves being part of a NEWIM team that inspires and encourages women in ministry.

Kristy creates resources that help women rediscover identity in Christ, beauty and rest, and unshakable confidence through grace—not performance. You can connect with her online at Kristy Howard Writes. Would you like to meet Kristy? Join us for NEWIM Connects this month. 

Thriving Spiritually in Busy Times

I couldn’t stop thinking. Just one more thing to do, then I could finally relax. But that moment never came. Life was moving fast as a wife, mom, employee, and pastor’s wife. I was constantly in motion, doing good things, but slowly losing connection with the One I was doing them for. Then came the moment that forced me to stop. In a rush to finish laundry, I slipped on the stairs and fractured my ankle. Suddenly, I was sidelined—physically and spiritually.

In that stillness, God spoke.

I had become so busy for God that I wasn’t making space to be with him. I asked myself: Had I confused doing for God with intimacy with him? Was I bearing fruit from abiding—or striving on my own? That injury became a turning point. Slowing down gave me space to listen again. It reminded me that ministry isn’t about carrying everything; it’s about staying connected to the One who does.

2 Timothy 2:3-4 says, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs but seeks to please the commanding officer.” It hit me—I had gotten entangled. I wasn’t suffering as a faithful soldier of Christ, but under the weight of expectations and distractions that pulled me away from the mission he gave me.

Yes, we’re called to be faithful soldiers. But we’re also daughters. God doesn’t just want our service—he wants our hearts. And that kind of heart connection only comes from staying grounded in him. It reminds us of who we are and whose we are. When we’re not anchored to him, we react to everything around us instead of responding from a place of peace and purpose.

What helps me stay grounded? Having a plan. Randomly flipping through Scripture just doesn’t work for me. I ask God what I need and pick a book or theme to focus on. From there, I’ve built a simple morning rhythm—just a few quiet minutes to read, pray, and journal. That small habit has made a big difference. May I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to show you what works for you? Focus on deepening your relationship with the Lord and finding rest in him, rather than getting caught up in rules or pressure. He cares more about your heart than your checklist.

Tessa serves alongside her husband, Michael, who is the Associate Pastor at New Breed Church in Louisville, Kentucky. As she walks with God, she’s reminded of His faithfulness, knowing everything he does is purposeful and prepares her for what’s ahead. She’s served in both small and large churches—church planting, directing VBS, leading in youth and women’s ministry, and coordinating events and speakers—while also working outside the home and raising two kids.

Encouraging other ministry wives is close to her heart, and she loves creating space for honest conversations, mutual support, and helping them grow in their calling.

Having been recently introduced to NEWIM, I’ve been deeply encouraged by the warmth and sincerity of this community. As a pastor’s wife and women’s ministry leader, it means so much to connect with other women who truly understand the joys and challenges of ministry. NEWIM has already given me fresh encouragement, space to grow in my walk with the Lord, and the reminder that I’m not alone—there’s always support, prayer, and friendship here.

Forgetting What Lies Behind

Forgetting is easier now than ever as aging kicks in, and I forget what I did yesterday. However, when I clean out a closet or go through attic boxes or the garage cupboards, I'm sure to find some long-forgotten “treasure” that will swoosh me back to a moment that evokes pleasant (or maybe not so pleasant) memories.

A few years ago, my husband was rummaging through old boxes when he found a childhood relic I’d held onto for 70 years—a hobby horse I’d won as a five-year-old in an art contest on Angel Casey’s Playhouse. Encouraged by my mother, I had entered a Crayola drawing, and to our delight, I won the grand prize. It is the only art award I have ever received.

Over time, the hobby horse traveled with me from state to state, eventually forgotten in storage. Wanting to surprise me, my husband tried to reassemble it—but to his shock, I no longer wanted it. I tossed the old, rusty pieces into the fire. A wave of nostalgia came and went, but I had no regrets. The memory, and the original drawing tucked away in my cedar chest, were more than enough.

Honestly, letting go of the hobby horse was a loss with a little “l.” But how do we handle the losses with a big “L”? In 1997, I lost my husband to a sudden heart attack. My world changed in a matter of minutes.  As a believer, I was grateful to know he was in heaven with the Lord, but at the same time, I keenly felt the loneliness and singleness of my new life. My friends, family, and church provided tremendous emotional and spiritual support, and I began to understand firsthand what Galatians 6:2 means: to have others carry my burdens. However, at the age of 47, I was reluctant to surrender my singleness to the Lord, fearing he might accept it.  No, I didn’t want to live the rest of my life without a partner to share it with, so I tightly held onto the dream of one day being married again.
 
I relate to Corrie ten Boom, who, speaking from the experience of a lifetime of loss, reminds us to “Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.”

Paul's words in Philippians 3:13-14 resonate deeply with me. After forgetting what lies behind, we must strain towards what is ahead.  But what is worth more than all those remarkable accomplishments? What can take the place of prizes, titles, awards, and degrees? Or on a much deeper level, what can take the place of the companionship of a spouse?

Paul tells us in Philippians 3:8—the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord.  The loss of my husband propelled me into the deepest relationship with the Lord that I had ever experienced. He was my everything. After three years, I realized that my relationship with him could sustain me, and I was able to relinquish my desire for marriage. I also became more keenly aware of many others who needed understanding and support through different types of loss.* Six years later, a wonderful Christian man came into my life, and we have now been married for twenty years. Throughout that time, God has provided multiple opportunities in different countries to share my faith journey through loss.  It’s not about completely forgetting my past but using it to encourage others who have experienced loss.

The same year I labored over that award-winning picture was also the year I invited Jesus into my heart as Savior and Lord. I have had the privilege of knowing him for 70 years now. Just as Paul confessed, I can’t say I’ve arrived or never wrestled with a desire for material possessions or personal achievement.  However, I am learning to understand better the eternal rewards of knowing Christ more intimately as I study his word and serve him in the new ministry that he has called me to. These things speak to his heart, bring satisfaction and joy, and cannot be destroyed or consumed. They are the “treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where [my] treasure is, there will [my] heart be also” (Luke 12:33b-34 ESV).

Where does your stroll down memory lane take you?  Although it is good to know where we’ve been and what we’ve experienced, it’s better—even heavenly—to reach forward to what’s ahead.

*Gerald Sittser’s book, A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss, provided a significant foundation for understanding the tension between our spiritual knowledge and our emotional experience.

Over the years, strong Biblical teaching and ministry opportunities, both in the US and overseas, have allowed Nancy to see the Lord at work in the lives of women of diverse backgrounds.

In 2017, God put it on Nancy's heart to form the Olympic Peninsula Women's Fellowship, a non-profit organization with the vision of unifying and encouraging women in Christ at an annual Inspirational Weekend. As many as 600 women from 70 different churches across the Olympic Peninsula have gathered to fellowship and listen to a speaker share God’s word.  

Nancy and her husband Allan retired to Port Townsend, Washington, and love visits from their five children and 11 grands.

A recent attendee of NEWIM’s Springs Retreat in Three Rivers, California, Nancy was encouraged by the opportunity to connect with other women in ministry and share their vision to deepen their walk with Christ. 

You may contact Nancy by email at opwfellowship@gmail.com.