VCC Soul Sisters

We are family....

2011-06-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Soul Sisters Spring Montage | 2011 from Valley Creek Church on Vimeo.

Sisters, here's our awesome video that gives an overview of the past semester, enjoy!

Overflowing with Thankfulness!

2011-05-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

What an incredible finale we had this week to a semester of becoming Brave women of God! Over 400 sisters gathered to celebrate God's faithfulness this semester through worship,"Only God" stories and lots of fellowship and food! We worshipped our Savior freely and with abandon, it was a breathtaking sight and a beautiful sound to hear us praising His name together. Lives have been transformed and we look more like Jesus as we have taken this journey of getting rooted in our faith.

I pray you will continue to seek Him with all your heart and say "Yes" to the next step He has for you. It's been a joy and privilege to share my Mondays & Wednesdays with you. Check the blog as I'll be sharing what the Lord is putting on my heart throughout the summer!

Phil. 1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Becoming a BRAVE Woman of God

2011-03-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

Do you long to be a woman who passionately follows after God? A BRAVE woman who lives according to His powerful Spirit? Then come join us as we continue our journey of getting rooted in our faith and ask honest questions about some very real topics:

I am Worn Out
I am Suffering a Thorn
I am Undisciplined
I am Trembling Inside
I am Invisible
I am Broken

Do any of these statements resonate in your heart? Then God has something to say to you. Each topic is a stand alone teaching and does not build off of the other. You can come at any time and I KNOW the Lord will speak to your heart and give you the truth His Word has on each of these very real subjects. Invite a friend and come join us on this journey of becoming BRAVE women in Christ!!

Mission Possible

2011-03-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

We're excited to partner with Unashamed Missions who is taking a VCC team to Honduras this summer. You can be the hands & feet of Christ by simply bringing 1 gal. ziploc baggies filled with the items listed below. These bags will go to families and school children in poor rural areas of Honduras that have GREAT need for these basic things:

Please bring to SS by April 14th

Family Medical Kit: analgesics, cortisone cream, band-aids, triple antibiotic cream wipes, ace bandage.

School kit: pencils, small sharpener, calculator, spiral notebooks, colored pencils, (Please include $5 in this bag for a backpack & shipping)

This is a great outreach to include your children in. You can shop for these items with your kids, pray over the bags before you bring them and ask God to bless the families that receive them!

C'mon sisters, we can make a huge difference with a very simple act of love. Let's touch these precious people in the name of Jesus! Thank you!

Rivers of Blessing

2011-01-19T19:21:00.001-08:00

Isaiah 43:19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

God is doing something new, something amazing, something breathtaking. A women's group that started in a living room is now a beautiful ministry of over 400 women.We see it, we feel it, it's an incredible display of His faithfulness!We've grown out of our old familiar room at VCC and moved to the Worship Center to accomodate all the lives that the Lord is touching. Such a blessing, such a privilege to be part of such a God movement. He is creating rivers of blessing. He is doing new things, in our ministry and in our hearts!

Join us for 2011!!

2010-12-25T22:12:00.000-08:00

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Soul Sisters is getting ready for our Spring launch! Now you have TWO opportunities to join our weekly women's group!! We are a diverse group of women from all seasons of life. Young mothers, working women, retirees, married and single. Some very familiar with the Word of God and some brand new to Bible study. There are always plenty of smiles, lots of hugs, outbursts of laughter, sometimes a few tears, and always a sense of anticipation.

Here are the days and times you can join us to connect with other women, build genuine relationships and go deeper with God.

Mondays 6:30-8:30PM Starts Jan. 10
Wednesdays 9:00-11:00AM Starts Jan. 12

We meet in the VCC Flood room, registration is required and childcare is available. Go to our website at www.valleycreek.org and register on-line.

We are kicking off with a powerful study by Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer & Beth Moore called FAITHFUL, ABUNDANT & TRUE. This study is all about having a deeply rooted faith that can weather the storms and trials life brings. It's something we can all relate to...Amen?! You can purchase the workbooks in advance at Lifeway Christian Bookstores.

I'm excited to see what God is going to do in us, through us and all around us as we seek to know Him more intimately. The last semester of Soul Sisters was full of life changing "Only God" stories of women growing in their faith and having friends to share their journey with encouragement, accountability and love.

In this day and age it's tough to build new friendships as we try to keep up with the busy demands of life. Soul Sisters is a safe place to study the truth of God's Word and build genuine relationships. Feel free to bring a friend and come join us for either of these two groups. I look forward to seeing you there!

Proverbs 27:9 A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.

In the Beginning

2010-12-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

Every Monday evening and Wednesday morning I'm amazed to see the women gather at Soul Sisters. This group actually started in a home 7rs. ago as a way to make some new friends and reach my neighbors for Christ. I never dreamed that someday the Lord would turn this living room home group into a thriving ministry for women.

I remember feeling extremely reluctant, unqualified and not knowledgeable enough to even lead the home group. But I had clearly heard God's voice telling me to do just that and rely on His power and not my own. I prayed for a spirit of boldness and He gave it to me. My prayer was for God to "blow my mind" with what He wanted to do in the group...7yrs later He continues to do just that!

When the Lord called me into vocational ministry over two years ago, He had big plans for Soul Sisters. Partnering with the Lord on this journey has been one of my greatest adventures. I'm so thankful I chose to obey in spite of all my insecurities and fears.

Every week as I watch my sisters gather, I reflect back to those early days. Obedience really does equal blessing and His steadfast goodness and faithfulness continue to overwhelm me. He is able to do "immeasureably more than all we could ever ask or imagine according to His power at work within us!" Ephesians 2:9

Wow!!

2010-09-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Well, the Sisters of Soul are off and running for the Fall semester and God has shown Himself mighty on our behalf! We launched a new evening Sister group for the working ladies and the response was overwhelming in the best "ONLY GOD" way possible.

We had over 140 ladies the first night and the Wed. morning group had a beautiful turnout of 120 ladies. It was an amazing answer to prayer and I was in AWE of what God had put together and so humbled to be a part of it all. None of it could have happened had there not been women willing to step out in obedience and faith to become leaders and say "Yes Lord!"

The sense of anticipation and excitement for what God is doing is contagious. I can't wait to see how lives will be transformed as we build relationships and dig into His Word!

Psalms 9:1 I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High!

Celebrating Motherhood

2010-05-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

Psalm 126:3&5 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy. Those who sow in tears will reap songs of joy.

Happy Mothers day to all my sisters who share the beloved title of Mom. It's amazing how much emotion one single word can drum up. Today I celebrate my Mom and am grateful to share another Mother's day with her when just a few months ago she was not expected to survive a serious illness. She's such a gift, such a fighter such an inspiration. A single Mom, she raised three kids, one of them special needs, and lived a humble life that modeled selflessness and unconditional love.

I also celebrate the great privilege of being a Mom. My twins are 13yrs. old now and I remember their birth like it was yesterday. The Lord blessed us with our beautiful children thru the gift of adoption. I never dreamed after all those years of struggling with infertility God's plan was to bless us with not one, but two babies! God's plan for our lives is always greater than we can ever imagine. He can redeem every difficult situation for His glory.

The pain and heartache of infertility ended up being a true gift for me as it brought me to my knees desperate for His presence. I call it my season of divine pruning, a time of surrendering my dreams at His altar. To know Him more intimately became the cry of my heart and my tears of disappointment eventually watered and produced a harvest of joy. Motherhood...a true gift from above worth celebrating today and everyday!

"By Faith" Stories

2010-04-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

I love hearing testimonies of what God is doing in someone's life. We call them "Only God" stories here at VCC. We love sharing these with each other because hearing stories of God's faithfulness BUILDS our FAITH!

This week in our study we take a look at the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews chapter 11. I loved Beth Moores' thought that these were God's stories of humanity's faithfulness in His personal life. Wow...ponder that one for a minute! These are His "Only God" stories. Or maybe they could be called His "By Faith" stories. Hebrews 11 is one big compilation of God's stories of faithful men and women!

I desperately want that kind of faith...one that simply pleases God. May we become women of great faith that earn the ultimate commendation from our Heavenly Father.

Hebrews 11:5 He was commended as one who pleased God.

BELIEVING GOD

2010-03-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 43:10 "You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may KNOW and BELIEVE me and understand that I am He.

Ladies, are you ready for a fresh explosion of faith?! Please join us this Wed. March 10 as we launch our new study, BELIEVING GOD by Beth Moore. This study is based on Isaiah 43:10, do you take God at His Word, believing what He has told us, or do you just believe in His existence and the salvation He offers?

Through studying the lives of Abraham, Moses and others from Hebrews 11 as examples of persons who believed God, you will be encouraged to deepen your own trust in God and receive a fresh word from Him. Please join us for 10 life changing weeks as we learn to believe God!!

Workbooks will be available for $15 and chidcare is also available. Invite a friend and come join this very relational, diverse group of women as we build relationships and seek God together!

One Step at a Time

2010-01-26T19:46:00.000-08:00

The past couple of months have been an intense season for my family. My Mom was in the hospital for over a month and the prognosis was bleak. At times the doctors didn't even think she would pull through. However, I'm thrilled to say she was recently able to transfer to a skilled nursing rehab facility, praise God! She's now in the process of regaining her strength and literally re-learning many basic life skills.

Throughout this journey we celebrate the simplest things each day. She's able to feed herself again...she's able to speak clearly enough for us to understand her...she's laughing at our goofy jokes...yaay God!! The things we take for granted are mountains of success in her recovery. Each small step brings us closer to our goal of bringing her home.

She's an amazing woman and she inspires me daily with her fierce determination and steady perseverance. Her team of therapists set goals for her to meet and she focuses on giving her best in this uphill battle one day at a time. Some days she's extremely tired...actually weary would be a better word.

To get the full picture you need to know she's already at a deficit because her right arm is totally paralyzed and she has limited use of her right leg. She came into rehab with this existing handicap coupled with all her recent medical setbacks and a month spent lying in a hospital bed. I share all this to simply point out how difficult her daily routine really is. Each day brings new challenges, new victories and some setbacks.

One of the exercises they do with Mom is simply assisting her in trying to walk.To do this they strap an assist belt around her waist and have someone push her wheelchair behind her so she can rest as needed. She supports herself with a quad cane and takes one step forward with her good foot then drags her right foot to take the next step. She is unable to walk unassisted so the physical therapist must hold onto her assist belt to support her and make sure she doesn't fall. She does all this while also being tethered to an oxygen canister. Simply attempting to walk is a monumental task!

At first she could barely stand up, let alone take a step. Then she could take a couple of steps then sit back in the wheelchair to rest. The long term goal is to make it to the end of a very long hallway about 200ft. Mom's daily goal is to simply put one foot in front of the other, go as far as she can, then rest and try to do it again. She is focused on the course that is marked out for her and continues to persevere.

Watching Mom take those steps down that hallway reminds me that each of us have a race marked out for us. We all have challenges that hinder us from staying the course. They may be physical like hers or they may be emotional or both. Pride, selfishness, fear...the list goes on. We all have something that entangles us or distracts us from staying the course He has marked out for us.

I am reminded as I watch her of the race that is marked out for me. That in order for me to run that race well I need to surrender my struggles at His feet and keep my eyes FOCUSED on HIM. As we cheer Mom on to take one more step I am reminded that's just what our Heavenly Father does for us...keep going...one more step...I know it's difficult...keep your eyes on ME. Like her physical therapist, Jesus is our constant support system and guide. He gives us strength for the race and rest when we are weary.

Mom inspires me to stay the course...to press on...to throw off the sin that keeps me from moving forward. I may be on the sidelines cheering her on but without knowing it SHE is the one cheering me on by the example she sets!

Hebrews 12:1 ...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning it's shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of grace. Consider Him who endured such oppression from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

REAL Men Wear Pink

2010-01-17T06:09:00.000-08:00

The Sistas are off and running for 2010! We launched the New Year with a beautiful morning of fellowship, fun and encouragement with an inspirational word from Pastor John Stickl. He truly honored and encouraged our women and was a tremendous blessing to all!

Remember the challenge last semester between the Mighty Men of Merge and The Sisters of Soul, "The Battle of the Sexes" to see who had the most attendees at their groups? We had TONS of fun bantering back and forth as to who would win the challenge.

Just for the record...we ran neck and neck, but the Merge Men held steady and emerged victorious!! As much as I wanted to win that challenge, I can't think of a better victory than to know that our men are rising up as Mighty Men of God!! So AMEN to that one..I sure love you guys and as a Sister in Christ I applaud you!!!

Since Pastor John was making a guest appearance on opening day, he was presented with one of our pink bedazzled shirts as an honorary sister (his secret desire)! He graciously donned that hot pink, blinged out tee proving that REAL men really do wear pink!!

Thank you bro for being such a terrific sport, such a friend and such an encourager in Christ to myself and all our women...you are a true ROCK STAR!!

Be Still

2009-12-17T20:58:00.000-08:00

Okay I have a confession. For me, simply being still in Gods presence can be challenging. Maybe it's my adult ADD or midlife menopausal state of mind that makes it hard for me to just be still and focus. But recently I've had alot of time to do do just that...be still in His presence.

My Mom is sick again and has been in the hospital for over 3 weeks now. At first they thought her cancer had spread to her brain, then they thought she'd had another stroke, now she has come down with pneumonia. She has a myriad of medical concerns and they seem to change daily. There is so much uncertainty about her health and I'm treasuring each moment I have with her. As her caregiver I kick into crisis mode attending to every detail, as her daughter I am grieving, as a believer I am desperate for His presence.

I've been her caregiver for almost eight years and it's been quite the journey...there have been many uncertain times like this. As challenging as caregiving can be there is a sweetness and a privilege in it. I know when I am tending to Mom it's an act of worship to God. My Mom raised three kids as a single parent, she taught me what unconditional love and sacrifice look like.

Most recently most of my time is spent at her bedside while she sleeps or simply loving on her and caring for her needs while she's awake. As I wait God teaches me to be still, to trust Him and rest in His presence. It's hard for this "gotta get it done take action kind of gal", but I am grateful for the calm in the midst of the storm. I wonder why it takes something like this to slow me down enough to clear my mind of insignificant clutter.

As we face the unknown of each day I cling to the things I do know ...that He is good, that He is loving, that He is sovereign, that His mercies are new every morning and that He is FAITHFUL.

Psalm 77:1-2 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress at night I stretched out untiring hands...

Psalm 77:11-12 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.

Psalm 47:10 Be still and know that I am God.

A Thankful Heart

2009-11-29T23:33:00.000-08:00

My Thanksgiving was overwhelming this year, in the best way possible, in an Only God kind of way. I got a call first thing in the morning from the assisted Living Center my Mom resides in. Something was terribly wrong with Mom, she was having seizures and had been taken by ambulance to the ER.

Just a little background on Mom...she's had two strokes that left her paralyzed on her right side and impaired her speech. She was also diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago. Most of this happened when she was in her 60's, pretty young I think. Her electric wheelchair has become her new set of legs and she has learned to manage beautifully with just the use of her left arm...she is amazing. Even though her speech is slurred and her body is disabled her mind is good, her faith strong and her spirit sweet. She still has a great sense of humor and a funny laugh we affectionately call her "machine gun laugh". When she gets tickled it has this kind of rapid fire sound to it...you get the picture.

So here we are Thanksgiving morning with some very scary news, my brother is in from Austin and we are heading to the hospital to face the unknown. We live with a sense of uncertainty whenever something like this happens, wondering if this is the time God will call her home. Thankfully and surprisingly our ER visit was brief and she was released in time to be with all her children and grandchildren for Thanksgiving dinner. My sister-n-law's father was there as well, he just had a liver transplant a couple of weeks ago.

Before dinner we all joined hands to make a VERY large family circle and give thanks in prayer to the one who gives us life thru His Son and praised Him for His great love for us and for protecting and healing our parents. Having Mom there after our frightening morning added a dimension of gratitude that was overwhelming. That good kind of overwhelming where you want to drop to your knees and just be at His feet simply because you love Him.

Psalm 28:6-7 Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Holiday Happening

2009-11-29T18:13:00.001-08:00

Ladies, you're invited to a holiday event this Thursday Dec. 3rd, 6:30-9pm at VCC. Please join us for a casual, fun evening with something for everyone including including mini-spa treatments, games, holiday party ideas and snacks. Take a break from the holiday rush and join us for this fun girls nite out!! Bring a friend, it's a great gift!!

Bring an unwrapped toy to brighten Christmas for a boy or girl in need.

Tickets are $5.00 and must be purchased in advance. Register online at www.valleycreek.org under events. See you there!!

The Joys of Sisterhood

2009-11-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

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I love hanging out with other women, there's a bonding that takes place when your just being one of the girls. I especially love spending Wednesday mornings with my Soul Sisters, new friends and old, a roomful of women seeking God together. We come from various walks and seasons of life, young mothers, retirees, married and single. Some seasoned in the Word and some brand new to Bible study.There are always plenty of smiles, lots of hugs, outbursts of laughter, sometimes a few tears, and always a sense of anticipation for what God will reveal about Himself. I am so grateful for each woman that has taken the step to join us, I can't think of a better way to spend my morning!

He Speaks to Me

2009-10-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

You are invited!!!

Are you ready to prepare your heart to hear from God? I want to personally invite you to join me for a 7 week study, He Speaks to Me, by Priscilla Shirer. This study focuses on what we need to do to position ourselves to hear from God through a study of the life of Samuel. We’ll look at the six characteristics God must have seen in Samuel that made Him desire to speak and made Samuel capable of hearing.

We’ll meet on Wednesday’s from 9:00 - 11:00 AM starting October 28th in the VCC Flood room for this powerful study. This is a great opportunity to connect with other women, grow in your faith and hear from our sweet Savior. Our first get together will include a time of praise and worship with Pastor Ben Moreno and his wife Rachel from our awesome VCC worship team!!

Invite a friend and come join us, childcare is provided!

Please register on-line at groups@valleycreek.org. Hope to see you there!!

Blessings sisters!

Laurie Sutherland
Groups Pastor
Valley Creek Church
972-539-2002 ext.101
laurie.sutherland@valleycreek.org