Category Archives: Love and Acceptance

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Sanctuary for Women – We are here for You! 2021…

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2021 is here! I know I know… and?

2020 was a hard year! So many were filled with joy when Christmas came, as was I. Christmas brings me joy! This year it seemed that it brought more widespread joy than I had seen in the past. People were decorating as soon as end of summer. I am ok with that. Don’t get me wrong I love fall and Thanksgiving.

But I believe that after so much fear, loss, sadness, sickness, restrictions, confusion, anger, and uprising we all needed some of the peace and joy that Christmas brings. I love the old Scrooge movie where he learns the real meaning of Christmas. The real meaning of what our lives should be. He determined to keep Christmas in his heart all year long. I have too.

Christmas to me is so much more than lights, decorations and trees. It is celebrating the birth of Jesus. The promise of eternal hope and joy to come! The Savior of the world was born!! The best gift ever because it is the gift of eternal life, of joy, peace and the love of God. So much love that he gave his only Son to die in our place.!! We just have to believe, accept Him and follow Him.

You may have wondered why I am writing about Christmas when a beautiful spring is in the air, well,,, it is because Christmas was the start of the fulfilling of the promise that a Savior was coming to help and save us all. But Easter, that is the finish. When Jesus was crucified and died in our place. He took on all the sins and sickness of this world and of us all! He was raised back to life!! Yes it is true! He defeated death and rose again. Now He is seated at the right hand of God interceding for us continually.

Have you ever thought what a great sacrifice that was for God to give up His son for all of us? Would you? Have you ever thought of the pain and agony of being hung on a cross, hands and feet pierced with nails and having to hold yourself up just to breath… But for the joy set before Him – which is us – He did. That is love that is beyond measure!

We went through and many are still going through hard times. But we do not have to do it alone. We have the hope of salvation in Jesus. If we accept Him for who He is., believe that He is the Son of God and died for our sins, confess that we have sinned and ask forgiveness, ask Him to save us and lead us through this life and one day on to heaven to eternal bliss with Him… then we are SAVED!! We are Free from Death! We have a hope and a future. That is right not only do we have eternity but in this life God has great plans for us. We were all created in His image with a purpose that only we can fulfill!

I know it just keeps getting better with Jesus. So with Him we have a friend who totally understands us. Who accepts us just as we are. We have nothing to prove. He already knows everything about us. He knows what we like and don’t like, what we think, what we are going to say and do before we do it. HE LOVES US JUST LIKE WE ARE, the good , the bad, the ugly and the beautiful!!

Let me hear from you. God Bless you!

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Thanksgiving

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Being thankful is something we need to practice all the time not just at Thanksgiving. But, I am glad that at thanksgiving it reminds us to sit back and reflect on the year that has passed. We remember the good and the hard times. We ask ourselves and others what are we most thankful for.

For me that is easy, God and my salvation!! God is always there for us!! Through the happy and sad times and through the times where we are not sure what will happen and if we will survive. God is there when we lose things that we think are so important only to find out later, God has worked it all out for our best.

My hope and my prayer is that we can maintain thanksfulness all year long!!! Everyday if we just get up and think of one thing we have to be thankful for and thank God for it we will have a better day. I read a Jesus calling this morning about being thankful. Jesus was saying thank me in all things, like it says in Corinthians be thankful in all things for this is God’s plan for you. No matter what happens we have God with us and we can always be thankful for that. When we thank God we open the windows of heaven. It opens us up to receive all the promises and blessings that God has planned for us since before we were born. The more we do this the more our perspective is changed. We begin to operate like we in the Kingdom of God instead of in the world… We can live in peace and joy because we are always thankful!!!

God bless you all and I hope this little tidbit will inspire you to take the first step to looking at your life and yourself the way God does and to adopt a lifestyle of thankfulness.

 

 

 

 

 

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Women’s Benefit Day

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Sanctuary For Women is a nonprofit resource and safe haven for women in Baldwin County. We exist to support and empower all women; and help them become the woman God created them to be, by teaching & encouraging them to walk with Christ.

Sanctuary For Women is holding a Benefit Day for Women on Saturday, June 11 from 10 AM to 1 PM.

If you’re a woman in need, we’re inviting you to 7792 Spanish Fort Blvd. in Spanish Fort. We will be providing you with clothing, accessories, household items, etc.

For more information, call 251-289-7925 or email sanctuaryforwomen@gmail.com.

 

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Women’s Benefit Day

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Things have been busy here at Sanctuary. We have been making a lot of plans to assist women in our area.So here is what is going on now. On June 11th from 9am to noon, at 7792 Spanish Fort Blvd, Spanish Fort, AL 36527, we will have a women’s benefit. Basically it will be a big giveaway for women in need of assistance. We will provide women’s clothing, accessories, furniture, household items, etc.

I NEED YOUR HELP to make this a great event.  I know that God will bless you. We are tax exempt and will provide you with Tax Receipts for your donations.

Here are some ways you can help:

1- Donate gently used or new items. Between now and June 10th we will be gathering and accepting donations of these items. Please email me at sanctuaryforwomen@gmail.com or call me at 251-589-7925 to make arrangements.

2- You can donate on our website if you have no items to share but would like to provide financial assistance.

3- Tell all your friends about the event, those who can help but also those in need of help.

4- If you have a truck and are strong you can help us transport these items to the holding place and to the event.

If you want to be involved in other ways just let me know.

I am so excited to see what God does. This is the first of many benefits that we will provide to the women in our community.

I hope to hear from you all, see how you are doing, and what God is doing in your lives.

God bless you all,
Jana Woodard
Sanctuary for Women, Inc.
251-289-7925

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Status Report

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Hello everyone,

Well 2014 is over and we are starting a brand new year and doing so with a bang!!!

So far this year, Sanctuary has:

1- Enrolled clients in the program and the Divorce Support group. We are excited to see how God will work in their lives as we journey together.

2- We are meeting with pastors and sharing our vision for Sanctuary.

3- We are meeting with a great PR lady that is helping us develop our image and putting us in touch with others with similar visions to see what God may develop.

4- We are getting on the Wise Hope database to track our clients.

5- We continue to look for volunteers to assist in our work.

We are looking forward with great expectation and anticipation to see what God has in store for us this year. So please join us in prayer as we stay in step with God on this great adventure! Thank you for your support!

God bless you all,

Jana Woodard

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Progress Report

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This year is flying by but we are staying busy here at Sanctuary. The excitement is high and the prayer is constant.

  1. We completed our Counseling DVD series. This was important to help us learn how to work with the women that ask for our assistance. This will also be part of the training for our Recovery Advisors.
  2. We revamped our website and purchased a new domain name, www.sanctuaryforwomen.com
    1. We now have a Donate button on our site
  3. We received our tax exempt status from the IRS on June 10, 2014. Praise God that was a big milestone for us. We can now receive donations that will be tax deductible for our donors.
  4. We are currently working on fund raising. We will keep you posted and hope that you will join us for some of these events. There is much to be learned and so many possibilities. We are currently exploring…
    1. 5 K run
    2. Meetings with local churches and organizations
    3. Building Program
  5. We have a new committee head working on recruiting and training volunteers
    1. We now have a link on our website where you can request information on being a volunteer and other ways that you can get involved.
  6. We have purchased some software and will soon be purchasing a computer to allow us to track donations, expenses, and the women we assist.

There is still much to do and we are taking it one day at a time with God. Please keep us in your prayers. We are trusting God for guidance and provision to get the work done.

God bless you all and thank you for your support!

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Standing on God’s Promises

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God has given us so many promises. Sometimes we get lost in the clamor of this life and we forget who we are and who God is. We forget all the promises that HE gave us to stand on that will keep us strong, keep us headed in the right direction, and keep our hearts joyful.

Here are just a few. Think about these scriptures and really open your heart and take them in! God’s word is alive and powerful and brings about miracles!

Strength:
Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble.
Isaiah 40:31 – But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Headed in the right direction:
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Proverbs 16:9 – We can make our plans but God determines our steps
Proverbs 3:6 – In all your ways acknowledge Him first and He will direct your paths

Joy:
Psalm 94:12 Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions.
Proverbs 3:1 – My child, store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying.
John 16:24- You have not done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
Psalm 144:15 – Yes, joyful are those who live like this! Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord.
John 15:9-11 – “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
Psalm 30:11 – You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.

God will work in your life if you trust and seek Him with all your heart as follows:
Psalm 40:1-3 – I waited patiently for the Lord to Help me and He turned to me an He heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He put a new song in my heart, a hymn of praise to my God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed, and put their trust in the Lord.

Now believe and act on these promises and see what God does in your life!!!

Let me know what happens…

God bless you all!