New Woman March 2006

Why should believers be satisfied

with “hand-me-down” revelation?

Why do we settle for the Word of the

Lord revealed to someone else and

passed on to us as if God does not

speak to us individually?

This shouldn’t

satisfy us. He

desires to speak

to us personally.

He wants us to

hear His voice,

understand, and

obey. Many have

become satisfied

with a mediocre Christian existence

that sits on the sidelines while those

we consider more spiritual have a

relationship with God.

One of the rights and privileges we

have as followers is that our Lord

speaks to us one-on-one. He meets

us where we are despite who we are

and reveals His will for our lives. I

want to encourage you to dig deep

into the presence of God and listen

for the voice of God as He speaks to

us all.

HE SPEAKS TO ME

By Priscilla Shirer

(Used by permission. Adapted from the introduction to Priscilla’s Bible Study, “He Speaks to Me.”)

Could our inability to hear God have

less to do with His desire to speak

and more to do with our lack of

preparedness to hear? The Lord

speaks clearly but those most likely to

hear are those who have correctly

positioned themselves.

On many occasions

the Lord has gently

reminded me that “it is

[my] sin that causes the

separation between me

and God” (Isaiah

59:2). I am the one

standing in the way of

receiving His fresh, personal and

revealing Word. While we are waiting

on God to do His part, He could be

waiting on us to do ours!

I believe God is going to reveal

Himself and His plan for you in new

ways at the upcoming Oklahoma

Ladies’ Retreat April 13 and 14.

Make a commitment to be obedient

to whatever He says. If you do, I

promise you will not be disappointed

in the glorious results!

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April

April 13-14

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IN THIS ISSUE...

Vol. 2 No. 1

Spring 2007

Giving for the Girls ....................................................................................... 3

He Speaks to Me Retreat ................................................................................ 4

Do It For the Kids .......................................................................................... 6

Prayer Wave Begins Partnership ...................................................................... 8

A practical spiritual and financial resource for women

Pearls

Priscilla Shirer

He wants us to hear

His voice, understand,

and obey.

I hadn’t eaten McDonald’s since I watched the documentary

“Super Size Me” over the Christmas holidays. Until yesterday.

In a hurry to pick my son up for an orthodontic appointment, we

made a quick decision to grab lunch at the popular fast food giant.

Pulling through the drive-through, I ordered Conner’s usual and

my own favorite, the double cheeseburger on the dollar menu. I

asked for no onions and thought I had communicated my

request. (Some of you are already shaking your head wondering

why in the world I would make a special request at McDonald’s!)

After paying and scurrying off to our appointment, I opened my sandwich to discover a

huge mistake. Instead of “no onions”, I got a burger with “no meat!” I have to admit, it was

pretty funny staring at a bun with two pieces of cheese, mustard and pickles. Not having

time to take it back, I placed the unusual sandwich back in the sack and decided it was

God’s way of telling me I didn’t need the extra calories that go straight to my waistline.

I had plainly stated my request. But the recipient heard a different message. Whether it

was a language barrier or a bad drive-through intercom, what I said was not what the

listener heard.

One young boy in the Old Testament apparently got the message God was trying to

communicate. There was no language barrier or drive-through speaker—just God getting

the attention of a young Samuel. Although he was first confused as to whether the voice

was Eli, the prophet gave his young apprentice instructions to lie down and listen.

I think that instruction is key to hearing—lie down and listen. I’m not talking about taking

a nap, but getting quiet and removing distractions that so easily surround us. For me, it’s

not until I find a quiet place with Bible in hand that I clearly hear the voice of God. It’s not

an audible voice, but a voice speaking to me through God’s word or in my spirit. It’s not a

loud voice, but most often God speaks to me in gentle whispers. I must quiet myself, focus

on Him and ask for His direction.

Do you know how to hear God? Would you like to? Attend the upcoming Oklahoma

Ladies’ Retreat April 13 and 14 and hear Priscilla Shirer as she teaches “He Speaks to

Me.” Our office is planning a weekend where you can hear great speakers and experience

great worship. But our greatest desire is that you hear from the most important speaker—

Jesus Christ. May we be like Samuel who said in 1 Samuel 3:10, “Speak, for your servant

is listening.”

KKKKKelly

elly

elly KingKingKingKingKing

Women’s Missions and Ministries Specialist

APTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF OKLAHOMA

EDITEDITEDITEDITEDITORSORSORSORSORS

KKKKKelly

elly

King

Women’s Missions and Ministries Specialist of the Church Outreach Team of the Baptist General

Convention of Oklahoma; Dr. Randall Adams, Team Leader. 405.942.3800; www.bgco.org

Brooke

HutsonHutsonHutson

HutsonHutson

Director of Communications and Public Relations of The Baptist Foundation of

Oklahoma; Robert Kellogg, President. 405.949.9500; 800.949.9988; www.bfok.org

Pearls is published by The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma and Women’s Missions and Ministries of the Baptist General

Convention of Oklahoma. It is published for the clients and friends of these organizations. The purpose of this newsletter is to

provide helpful information of a general nature. It is not intended as a source of legal or tax advice.

HEARING BUT NOT LISTENING

baptist foundation

Leila Gillespie volunteers every day

(except for Tuesdays when she is at

Bible study) at the Ardmore Senior

Center. Every morning she arrives and

wraps all the silverware. Then she

prepares the cups of milk, buttermilk,

and water. When the “seniors” arrive

for lunch, Leila assists people with

their lunch trays. “I carry the trays for

those that aren’t able to do it

themselves,” she said.

Leila is 97.

Raised on a farm in Clements,

Kansas, Leila was the oldest of six

children—three brothers and two

sisters. In 1926, she graduated from

high school and she begged her

father to let her attend business

school. He finally allowed it after

much persuasion from Leila and her

mother. Leila graduated from

business school and was hired by an

insurance company, and later worked

for a law firm.

In the town where she worked, a

popular hang-out for singles was a

nearby cemetery. In the cemetery was

a music tower that played beautiful

music and it was a meeting place for

many young people. Leila laughs as

she tells of meeting her future

husband, Charles, in a cemetery.

A few months after the birth of their

son, Charles “Richard” Gillespie, the

couple

moved to

Tacoma,

Washington,

in 1937.

Charles

started a

small

produce

hauling

business,

hauling

potatoes over the mountains in his

truck. They had a few friends in

Tacoma, but Leila was homesick for

Kansas and convinced Charles they

should move back home.

After graduating from high school,

Richard left home to go to college. He

went on to earn a Ph.D. in physics.

For 19 years, Leila had worked as a

homemaker and receptionist for

Charles’ delivery business. When

Richard moved out, she decided to go

back to work for an insurance

company until retirement.

Leila and Charles loved to camp and

one of their favorite camping spots

was Lake Murray. In 1981, they built

a house in Ardmore and made

Oklahoma their permanent home.

A lifelong Methodist, it was the acts

of kindness from an Oklahoma

Baptist pastor that converted Leila.

Many of her family members had

battled cancer and died, including

her only child Richard. Tragedy

struck once again a few years after

Richard died suddenly from multiple

brain tumors, when Charles was

diagnosed with cancer and became

very ill. Because the couple didn’t

have a pastor, a friend called Rev.

Monty Baggett and he came to the

hospital to visit a couple he had

never met. “My husband was really

bad that day and Bro. Monty gave

me his card and said, ‘Call me if you

ever need anything.’ That night

Charles died.”

The next morning Leila called Monty

and he came back to visit and

continued to minister to the family by

preaching the funeral service. After

the service Leila thanked Monty for

his kindness and said, “You’ve been

so good to me that I promise now

I’m going to be Baptist!” The next

week she attended services at First

Baptist, Ardmore. “To be Baptist I

had to get baptized again in my

90s!” Leila laughed.

Pearls

Spring 2007

GIVING FOR THE GIRLS

By Brooke L. Hutson, Director of Communications,

The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma

“I carry the trays

for those that aren’t able

to do it themselves,” she said.

Leila is 97.

baptist foundation

“To be Baptist

I had to get baptized again

in my 90s!”

Leila laughed.

continued on page 7

Photo by Steve Childers

women’s missions & ministries

on Friday afternoon. More than 20

seminars featuring some of Oklahoma’s

best teachers will be featured.

The registration cost includes

accommodations and two meals—a

Friday evening meal and a Saturday

breakfast. Discounts are available to

groups of 10 or more and a special

price of $45 is available until March 26.

A special price

and track will be

offered to women

ages 18-22. The

cost for young

women will be $25

and some of the

seminars are

geared specifically

towards this age

group. In addition,

young women will

have a late night

with Jami Smith on

Friday evening

where they can hear the musical artist

up close and personal as she shares

her journey of ministry.

For more information about the

retreat and descriptions of seminars,

please visit www.bgco.org/ladiesretreat.

Online credit card registration is

available on the website as well.

Popular Ladies Retreat Returns to Falls Creek

“HE SPEAKS TO ME” RETREAT FEATURES

PRISCILLA SHIRER

women’s missions & ministries

Pearls

Spring 2007

“The Spirit gives life:

the flesh counts for nothing.

The words I have spoken

to you are spirit

and they are life.”

John 6:63

Dynamic general sessions and

numerous breakout seminars are

featured in the upcoming Oklahoma

Ladies’ Retreat April 13-14 at Falls

Creek Baptist Conference Center.

Keynote speaker Priscilla Shirer and

worship leader Jami Smith will lead the

general sessions which will be held in

the amphitheatre. This will be the last

year for the

sessions to be

held in the

amphitheatre as

the new

tabernacle will

be completed

for 2008.

Shirer is a

popular speaker

and author of the

best-selling Bible

study, “He

Speaks to Me.”

She focuses on

the expository teaching of God’s

word and its uncompromising truths.

She is the daughter of renowned

pastor Tony Evans.

Smith is a popular worship leader not

only in Oklahoma but across the

United States. Her honesty and desire

to keep the purpose of worship on the

person of Christ is

evident in her popular

recordings “Wash

Over Me” and “Bravo

God.”

Women have the

opportunity to attend

three break-out

sessions which

include a special early

bird breakout

beginning at 4 p.m.

Breakout Seminars

Stacy

BakerBakerBakerBakerBaker

Evangelism for Fraidy Cats!

Gigi

BrickhouseBrickhouseBrickhouseBrickhouseBrickhouse

The Shepherd Speaks

Liz