The children are crying. The house is a mess. There are bills to pay, but not enough money to pay them. There are schedules to keep, school, work, activities and appointments. This is a small sampling of everyday existence that allows little time for meditation upon scripture and time with the Lord. When we feel depleted and alone we begin to doubt. That is when Satan steps in to whisper lies—”It is too much, there is an easier way, God is not good, He does not love you.” Step away. It is during our quiet time with the Lord that He grows and strengthens us. The power of prayer transforms us from this is impossible to “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13).

Women are created for communal worship. Your corps is a perfect location to live out Colossians 3:16, 17 (NLT): “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

Schedule a time for communal worship bringing together officers, staff and the community to share in a time of teaching, prayer, and counsel with one another to strengthen and refresh. Consider providing childcare. Depending on the time of the meeting the teen groups may be able to provide babysitting service while women gather.

Time together in prayer and conversation not only fuels the soul but creates important connections that each of us need in the body of Christ. Teens gain satisfaction from service and feel valued, mothers may connect to share babysitting exchange services to get that needed break when they feel overwhelmed, and friendships blossom. Corps members are able to share information about services provided to meet the needs of those attending.

God created each of us with unique gifts to serve Him. Psalm 139:14 says, “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” When we are so busy and our tanks are running on empty, it is easy to become overwhelmed with our daily existence and underwhelmed by our value. Coming together points us back to what is important and shines a light on the gifts God has fiven us to use for His kingdom and to strengthen the body of Christ.