“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 107:1
Special Gratitude for Ardis Stenbakken
The 2015 Women’s Devotional will
carry the editor’s name of Ardis Stenbbaken for the last time. She laid down her
editorial pen at the end of July, 2013. The 2015 volume is the seventeenth
devotional bearing her name. She began her relationship with the devotional in 1999 as
associate editor. Her first book as editor is the 2000 devotional, In God’s Garden.
When Ardis retired as Women’s Ministries Director in 2004, she moved to Colorado with her husband Richard, but her heart remained with the Women’s Devotional. She continued to edit the annual devotional from her home near the Rocky Mountains.
Ardis arrived in Women’s Ministries in 1994, writing, and directing the literacy and scholarship programs. In 1995 she was coordinator of the Year of the Adventist Woman, and was chosen as Associate Director at the Annual Council that year, shortly after Women’s Ministries was organized as a department at the General Conference Session in Utrecht, The Netherlands. She was elected Director of Women’s Ministries in October, 1997.
In 2002, Ardis was chosen by Andrews University as one of the 100 Outstanding Women of the Century.
Richard Stenbakken, her husband,
is a retired pastor. He served almost 24 years as a chaplain in the U.S. Army
before retiring from the military. He was director of all the chaplaincy ministries for the
Seventh-day Adventist Church from 1994 to
2004. They have two grown children,
both married, and four grandchildren (two boys, two girls).
The Stenbakkens love to write and present dramatic presentations of Biblical characters. They lead a drama team, New Reflections, at Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado. Active in her home church, Ardis served as head elder for two years, and currently serves as Communications Director at Campion Adventist Church.
Ardis longs for time to enjoy neglected hobbies, quilting and painting. She also hopes to have time to read more and do cross-stitching (needlework).
2014 Women’s Devotional
Breathe
A good health habit is doing daily breathing exercises: fast, aerobic breaths and slow, deep-centered breaths.
Another beneficial habit is daily reading of God’s Word. We suggest reading today’s devotional while doing deep breathing. This habit flushes out toxic mind chatter while infusing the heart with divine inspiration.
Breathe, the women’s daily devotional for 2014, is now available at your local Adventist Book Center. Your purchase of the women’s devotional directly fundsscholarships to help Adventist women around the world obtain higher education.
To order online, go towww.adventistbookcenter.com or www.rhpa.org
“My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end.” Exodus 33:14,The Message Bible
Welcome, Carolyn Sutton!
“Love for my Savior is the unseen first line on my resume,” says
Carolyn Sutton,newly appointed editor for the
Women’s Devotional. “That is because He has never given up on me and has been merciful
to me more than I ever deserved.”
“Most of my daily life has been to put one foot in front of the other,” she says, adding that she finds herself “running ahead of God...and the result is workaholism, pride, worry, and discouragement.” But Carolyn has also repeatedly experienced God’s grace in her life—especially during the aftermath of an unexpected divorce and later while battling cancer.
Carolyn has a long and distinguished resume of writing, editing Guide magazine, authoring seven books, representing Adventist World Radio with her husband Jim, producing and co-hosting a television program, speaking for Women’s Ministries retreats and other inspirational events, serving with various ministries in her home church, and working as missionary and educator.
However, the best skill set she has developed for shaping a daily devotional book for women (just like herself) is her own deep desire to reflect on God’s faithfulness and to meet daily with her Lord.
Songs for My Sisters
Benefit Concert
This year GC Women’s Ministries celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the Women’s Scholarship Program. The program will present classical musicians including instrumental, choral, and a solo vocalist.
The goal for the concert is to raise $20,000 in pledges and donations to help Adventist women attend college.
At the concert, a special scholarship fund will be inaugurated in memory of Dorothy Eaton Watts, philanthropist, author, and missionary, who had a heart for women. She was the second departmental director of GC Women’s Ministries.
Revival and Reformation
