My turn this month (Christine)! “Fight and Flight” are two of the well known ways we tend to handle conflict. My natural tendency is to flee – from the hard, the pain, from conflict. In my 20 years with Cru, being married and growing in my relationship with God and  others I have learned to flee less and how to work to move towards God and others in ways that nurture God honoring peace. And now I (Christine) get to help others!

Last term I taught a new course in addition to taking over the leadership of the PIM ministry. I taught a ten week course helping our 1st year women learn how to walk with God amidst conflicts they may have others and amidst life’s challenges and pain.

What a JOY and privilege it was to teach our first year women, many of whom come from cultures and contexts where they have no voice and where there are deeply embedded patterns of dealing with conflict that are not redemptive. The class included the wives of the military officers enrolled at IGSL and the wives of pastors, church planters, and missionaries from Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and a few others.

A few of the more transforming classes I taught were on Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Anger. Below are direct quotes from the women in my class about what was most meaningful and helpful to them from the class (English levels vary). It is so fun to see these leaders put off old patterns of dealing with hard things and learn how to invite Christ into these situations and their relationships in ways they have not been taught to do before.

Anger

• “I was helped to acknowledge my anger and how to control it. I keep a lot of anger and learned so much about how to be a person who makes peace in conflict.”
• “I found out that I’m a repressed anger kind of person and I run away when there’s conflict. I began to understand myself and then how to be able to help myself deal with my feelings in good ways.”

In fact, ED viagra online mastercard can be a potential indicator of cardiovascular diseases, neural problems, obesity and other factors. As a result, they are left alone with no getting viagra prescription solution. It helps lowest price for viagra to increase the stamina of a man changes with age. In order to allow this medicine to give better effects, patient must avoid drinking alcohol or grape juice; and eating grapefruit or fatty foods in order to get more strong erection check out to find out more viagra sans prescription which can be maintained for as long as it is desired and needed.
Forgiveness

• “God has really dealt with my heart in the area of forgiveness in this class, that was the most meaningful and helpful part of the course because I have withheld forgiveness with many people.”
• “I learn to forgive and ask for advice.  God is really amazing for the subject brings the best out of me.  I made peace with my enemies.”
• “It gave me a picture of the very big love of God creating the world and man, then providing redemption for the fall of man through Jesus. I understand the gospel better and how I can be a witness in my life.”

Conflict Resolution & Reconciliation

• “I usually just left behind my conflict without reconciliation and broke up my relationship with them. But I now know that God wants us to reconcile and also being closer to Him and to them who had conflict with me because we end up the conflict well.”
• “There is a way! As Jesus’ way, He provided us an example onhow we should bridge gaps amongst ourselves…We can do this through His grace working in our inside reformation first.”
  (conflict resolution cont.)
• “I came to know about what’s God strategy in my life and this is one opportunity to share His love for others if I take in a good way. Not only that, it helps me to reconcile with whom who has hurt me because Before I didn’t care about this matter. I used to think they hurt me and they supposed to ask forgiveness and reconcile with me. No, it is not – and I took the initiative and reconcile with them.”
• “Now I know. To tell my wants and expectations. Before I didn’t do that. So its made many conflicts in my life.”
• “I accused my husband and my children many times but now I know without accused tell my hurt.”

In this class we saw women bring hurts and conflicts up to their husbands for the first time and what was an area of powerlessness and isolation for many become a path of empowerment. Many are motivated to help take back this training to their countries because so many women in Asia are not helped to deal with their anger, conflicts, and disappointments in God-honoring ways.

I’m still adapting to my role being in charge. I don’t always like all the responsibility, but I’m finding that God prepared me to provide what PIM needs at this pivotal time of change and transition. Please keep praying for me!

In Christ,
                                            Christine (for the Virtues)