The Department of Women's Ministries exists to uphold, encourage, and challenge Adventist women in their pilgrimage as disciples of Jesus Christ and members of His world church.
WOMEN'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL READINGS
NOVEMBER 21
ANGEL'S PRESENCE
The angel of the Lord encamps around all those who fear him, and delivers them.”—Psalm 34:7, NKJV
For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.—Psalm 91:11, NKJV
The challenges of mission work strengthen our faith in God. My husband and I agreed to work, without salaries, in the poorest mission in the north Philippines. The beautiful scenery with temperate year-round weather made it a home for us. We never went hungry, as God provided. Our two daughters were born into our simple life in Baguio City. After seven years of committed service, we moved to metro Manila to work. We found a two-story apartment that had jalousie (louvered) window panels on the first and second floors. One day, I was dusting the window panels upstairs and one of the glass panels fell to the ground below—right where my daughter and other children were playing. I ran downstairs to learn that it had seemed as if someone had pulled my child out of the path of the falling panel so it wouldn’t hit her on the head! I believe angels were protecting those children.
A week later, the mission president phoned to tell us a mission house had been finished and would we like to live there. We were very grateful and moved. After lunch one Friday, I was putting my two-year-old daughter to sleep and my older daughter offered to get a pillow from the bedroom upstairs. My older daughter, not seeing a wooden panel left by the painters, bumped her head on it, lost her balance, and fell down the flight of stairs. On her dangerous descent, her body turned 360 degrees causing her to come to a halt with her feet hitting the cement floor instead of her head. Surely her guardian angel controlled her fall! I picked her up and cuddled her. Together with the two year-old, we knelt and thanked the Lord for her guardian angel and the miracle of her safety. In her church’s Bible study class the next day, she and I shared her testimony.
In the Psalms, David helps us understand that angels are always near. Any sign of their presence is beautiful and symbolic evidence of God’s omnipotence and omnipresence in our lives. God promised that His angels would camp around us. Should we not remember to embrace this promise and thank Him for His involvement in every circumstance of our lives?
Edna Bacate Domingo
First published in Carolyn Rathbun Sutton, ed., In His Presence (Silver Spring, MD: General Conference Women’s Ministries Department, 2018), 332.
Women's Tips
B
Why You Should Eat Slowly
Back in the 1880's, health-food enthusiast Horace Fletcher advised people to chew each mouthful thoroughly in order to prevent weight gain. It turns out this isn't just old wives' tale!
Evidence is mounting that fast-paced eating is detrimental to your health.
Benefits of moderate pace
You tend to eat more food when you eat quickly yet feel less full and satisfied when you're through. A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed people consume 10 percent fewer kilocalories when they eat slowly than when they gobble down a meal.
Self-reported rapid eaters have a higher body mass index (BMI) and gain more weight over time- whether they are healthy or diabetic, adults or children. One study of more than 3,000 Japanese men and women showed those who ate quickly until they felt full had three times the risk of being overweight than those who ate more slowly! Speed eating is also linked with a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
How it works
After eating at a moderate pace, your body releases more "satiety" hormones, which send a signal to your brain that you should stop eating. For example, when healthy males were given a tub of ice cream, they were more satisfied after licking it over a period of 30 minutes as opposed to devouring it in five minutes. If you bolt down your food in a hurry, there is inadequate time for your brain to get the message that you've eaten enough and it's time to stop. Most fast eaters will therefore "overshoot" and consume additional kilocalories they would otherwise have been satisfied without.
Tips to eating slower
Your eating speed is a learned activity. Research with obese adolescents showed they could retrain their habits in ways that would positively influence their "satiety" hormones. Here are a few tips to help you eat slower:
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Put down your fork and spoon between mouthfuls and savor the food-and the moment.
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Chew well and swallow before you insert more food into your mouth.
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Pretend you are eating at a fine dining restaurant. Most people eat slower under such conditions, savoring each "expensive" bite.鑫
SHARE A THOUGHT
A Dose of Humor
A well-known adage affirms that "laughter is the best medicine." Indeed, one of the secrets to a long and happy life is laughing. It is delightful when we wiggle or chuckle with friends and family, more so when we cause others' faces to light up.
Even in the Bible encourages us that "a merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22, New King James Version).
Amid life's difficulties, finding simple things that bring humor makes our burdens lighter and our journey merrier.
Our friends from Israel Tel Aviv & Jerusalem Int'l SDA Church , recount experiences and moments that tickled their funny bones or warmed their hearts.
Sometimes, the simplest memories bring the biggest smiles. I often find myself laughing whenever I remember the days my siblings and I did everything together—whether it was picking fruits in the mountains, swimming at the beach, or just doing chores at home. We ate together, slept side by side, and shared endless stories about anything and everything—laughing until our stomachs hurt. Those moments were full of love, laughter, and a kind of joy that no time can erase. They may belong to the past, but the happiness they bring stays with me—proof that humor, when shared with the people you love, becomes a memory that lasts forever.
There’s a special kind of joy that fills my heart whenever I remember my grandmothers—two amazing women who played such a big role in my life. There was something truly magical about being with them. As they say, nothing compares to a grandmother’s love. Their care was different—gentle, wise, and full of warmth. I treasure the quiet moments spent with Nanay Rosie, Nanay Flor, and Lolo Goding. Whether I was alone with one of them or we were all together, those times felt sacred. Their stories, their laughter, and even the silence we shared brought a kind of peace that words can’t fully capture. I learned so much from their advice, and just being in their presence made me feel safe, loved, and seen. Though my grandmothers are no longer with me, their memory remains deeply rooted in my heart. I still have my lolo Goding with us, thank God… Anyway, in times of struggle, those memories with my grandmothers are still bring a smile to my face. They are treasures I will carry with me for the rest of my life. And one day, when Jesus returns, my greatest hope is to be reunited with them again—where love, laughter, and joy never end.
In life’s fast-paced journey, it’s the simple joys and shared laughter that leave the deepest mark on our hearts. Whether through family moments, childhood memories, or the gentle wisdom of those we love, humor and love remind us of what truly matters. Thank God and praise Him for the gift of memory—for the ability to hold on to life’s treasures, even when time moves on. May we always find joy in remembering, strength in our shared stories, and hope in the promise that one day, all things will be made new, in the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Sis. Liezl Bical
Women's Ministries Member
Jerusalem Int'l SDA Church
How Do You Know
You Are Loved?
Women's
Insight
Join the
Program
To say that love is powerful is an understatement. It is also a mystery that has long captivated and baffled humanity. People often search for ways to define and understand love, but one thing is sure: Although love is difficult to comprehend, it can be experienced.
Our friends from Israel Tel Aviv International SDA Church share how they experience love from family, friends and God.
I feel genuine joy when I reflect on God's love for me. Simply knowing that He has purchased me from my sin overwhelms me.
He is indeed a merciful and loving God. He created us in His image and desires us to be more like Him-loving and forgiving. His love inspires us to love ourselves and others.
If we balance love for God, ourselves, and others-with God as our priority-I believe everything will run smoothly.
Elder Gina Supnet
Caregiver in Ramat Gan
WOMEN'S ACTIVITIES
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Women's Health
Dieting
Dos and Don'ts
So, this year, you want to lose weight for good, but you're tired of the dieting merry-go-round. Maybe it's time for a lifestyle overhaul.
What not to do
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Don't go on the temporary diets
you read about in magazines and popular books, because they don't work over the long term. Instead, change how you buy, prepare, eat, and think about food.
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Don't consume sugary drinks and alcohol. Your body cannot easily gauge liquid kilocalories. Instead, swap them for water.
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Don't snack. Many people have six to nine snacks throughout the day-and the kilocalories add up! Packaged snacks are especially dangerous. If you get hungry between meals, munch on a piece of fresh fruit. You have to consume eight apples in order to get the kilocalories in one blueberry muffin.
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Avoid fast food at all costs. It isn't just kilocalories that count; the quality of the food you eat influences the hormones that regulate your weight.
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Don't Compromise your sleep by staying late to watch TV or read. Sleep deprivation is closely linked with obesity.
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Don't eat late. Several studies have found that consuming kilocalories earlier in the day is one of the keys to weight control. A large study of men also showed that people who eat late in the evening may be unknowingly increasing their risk for heart attack and stroke by up to 55 percent!
What you should do
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Plan your meals in advance a week at a time. Make them as a plant based as possible.
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If you're busy through the working week, prepare two or three meals on the weekend and freeze them when you won't be able to cook during the week.
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Drink water frequently between your main meals.
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Always eat breakfast.
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Set a realistic goal so that you don't set yourself up to fail. Studies have shown that significant health benefits are possible with even a 5 to 10 percent loss of your starting weight.
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Make movement a natural and regular part of your life. If you go to the gym three times a week but remain sitting the rest of the time, you're still leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Women
in the
Bible
by Sis. Grace Maglente
Special Days
The Department of Women’s Ministries at the General Conference promotes three special days in the worldwide church calendar:
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International Women’s Day of Prayer is the first Sabbath of each March when women have the opportunity to strengthen their spiritual bonds as they pray for and with each other.
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Women’s Ministries Emphasis Day falls on the second Sabbath of each June. This provides an opportunity for women to lead out in a worship service and to educate the church regarding the purposes of Women's Ministries.
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enditnow® Emphasis Day is observed the fourth Sabbath in August. This worldwide church initiative is included in the Church's Calendar of Days and Events. The enditnow® Emphasis Day resource packets are coordinated by the General Conference Women's Ministries including production of source material and distribution. Six co-sponsoring departments of the General Conference also contribute to the source material: Children's Ministries, Education, Family Ministries, Health Ministries, Ministerial Association, and Youth Ministries.
Women's Spiritual Retreat & Outdoor Activities
June 13, 2025
To our Brothers and Sisters who will be joining our Spiritual Retreat and Outdoor Activities to be held at Rockach Blvd Afrodita Street, Tel Aviv on June 13, 2025 at 5pm, Registration is required for food preparation purposes as well as for the activities.
For more information for the exact Venue & location please contact Sis. Lovelyn Ocampo with CP #: 0507852698
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
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Wear your comfortable clothes
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Pls. bring your 10nis for registration
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Pls. come on time
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Buses are still available on that time just search it in google maps Afrodita Street Tel Aviv and the nearest Bus Station stop Namir Road/Yehuda HaMaccabi ( bus # 501, 47, 149 ) if you are from Tel Aviv Central Bus Station 6th floor.And bus 71, 171, 271 Hahagana Rail Station/Heharash
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Beauty
in GOD'S
Grace
Tricia May dela Cruz
iTIAC Women's Ministries Director
“We may do a noble work for God if we will. Woman does not know her power for God. . . . There is a higher purpose for woman, a grander destiny. She should develop and cultivate her powers, for God can employ them in the great work of saving souls from eternal ruin.” —Testimonies Vol. 4, 642, and Evangelism, 465
iTIAC Women's Ministries Leaders
Nurture. Empower. Outreach
“All who work for God should have the Martha and the Mary attributes blended — a willingness to minister and a sincere love of the truth. Self and selfishness must be put out of sight. God calls for earnest women workers, workers who are prudent, warmhearted, tender, and true to principle. He calls for persevering women who will take their minds from self . . . and will center them on Christ, speaking words of truth, praying with the persons to whom they can obtain access, laboring for the conversion of souls.”
—Testimony Treasures, vol. 2, 405
LOCAL CHURCH WOMEN'S MINISTRIES LEADER
Our Job Description
The leader is appointed by the local church nominating committee. The Women's Ministries leader is a member of the church board.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
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To assist the church in meeting the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual needs of women in their various stages of life and cultural diversity.
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To create an environment that encourages productivity, rewards effort and initiative, and provides a spiritual climate in which each woman can experience growth.
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To assesses the needs of the women in the church through surveys and interviews. She acts as chairperson for a Women's Ministries committee to develop programs and activities to meet the needs identified through the surveys.
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To be an active member of the local church board disseminating information on women's activities and harmonizing these activities with the larger church program. She works closely with the pastor and the local conference Women's Ministries director.
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The church board or nominating committee selects the Women's Ministries leader in the local church. Qualifications include a sensitive, caring nature, a clear spiritual understanding of God's design for women, and a burden for women's broad needs and concerns.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The major duties and responsibilities of the Women's Ministries leader includes the following:
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Establishes a Committee. The leader will work with the church board to establish a committee. The committee should be composed of women interested in the broad spectrum of women's needs and concerns. The purpose of the committee is to brainstorm, develop strategies, and assist in planning programs and activities that relate to women's specific and varied needs.
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Needs Assessment. The leader will work closely with her committee to survey the needs of the women in the local church and community. Survey questionnaires can be used to obtain this information.
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Program Development. The leader will work with her committee and the pastor to develop and implement Women's Ministries programs or seminars, and network with existing support groups active in the church. She and her committee may decide to sponsor such programs as support groups for abused women, support for elderly members, single parents, health care, hygiene, time management, grief recovery, spiritual care (discipleship), witnessing, personal devotions, self-improvement, and support for women married to non-believers, etc. Other activities may include prayer breakfasts, literacy programs, day care, and programs for the elderly.
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Chairperson of the Women's Ministries Committee. It is the responsibility of the local church Women's Ministries leader to chair the Women's Ministries committee. She will encourage ideas and plans that maximize women's contribution to the mission of the church. The chair will put together an agenda, moderate discussion, and facilitate group cohesion through personal sharing, prayer, and fellowship.
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Advocate of Women's Concerns, Needs, and Contributions. It is the leader's responsibility to keep the church membership informed of Women's Ministries and its contributions to church life. This responsibility includes allotting time during personal ministries, announcement period, or Sabbath school to share with the congregation at large. This responsibility includes being a liaison between the women of the church and the church board members, assisting the board members to keep in view the needs of the women in the church and recognizing the Women's Ministries as a significant and vital part of church growth and church dynamics.