Barefoot Cinderellas

I welcome to the words of life. Welcome back everybody and welcome to you Cheryl Gillam hey Bernie, do I call you major Cheryl Gillam door listeners know the respect that you command. You can call me Cheryl. Okay that's my mama name me both good and we've known each other since we were teenagers, so that a good thing. It's a few years anyway just a couple. It's a new time in the life of words of life. You may notice just a small change in the way they were introducing the program. I hope your listeners will agree with us.

We just want to get to the message. Quicker absolutely, these are essay wonderful, wonderful words of life. One third of life words of Doncaster. This week we're starting a new series and this is unlike anything that we've done on the show before major city.

Erickson has written a new book on her lifestream to encourage especially women who have walked in similar shoes, barefoot, Cinderella's, I'm excited about this because Susie is really an authentic follower of Jesus Christ. And she's written from her own personal experiences. She's even talk about some family and some different struggles. I just got my copy yesterday, so I haven't read through it, but having heard her talk about it and seeing some of the promotional materials. I'm excited for listeners to get a hold of us. Absolutely these are relevant topics that anyone really can identify with and can be ministered to through things like shame, loss, pain in the waiting she talks about infertility and she talks about even marriage.

Her and I and my our husbands have this discussion on that and some of the struggles and in how we overcame some of the struggle. And so we partnered with Susie to launch a words of life series that will follow.

Each chapter of the book and each episode shall be joined by another barefoot Cinderella whose own story reflects that of each chapter. I'm excited to Cheryl to get to the fact that I think this book well may be targeted towards women specifically would be an encouragement to men.

I'm only saying that just because I think it's it's important for us not only to come alongside our spouses, but to be praying for powerful women in the kingdom that will strengthen family. It will strengthen marriage, it will thwart a lot of the devil's schemes in my brain so her first episode, Susie, joined by Commissioner Barbara Howell as they discuss the process of writing this book.

From the moment she felt called to write to the actual release of this book, which will officially be available next week. Yeah, as we begin the countdown to the release date. Susie and Sharon a daily blog starting today that you can find on our website is Salvation Army sound cast.org/words of life to follow along with Susie on this journey. I'm excited to share with your listeners that there is going to be an audiobook of Susie reading this I know a lot of people are necessarily running to libraries and sit in silence and reading like maybe you and I did when we were younger, but were just trying to meet her listeners in any way we can so that when good material comes out.

They can hear the voice of the author, the passion behind the words that their reading and for Susie. Even the chuckles because she's talking about her family, and associates. She's afraid she's good to be laughing while recording it. I think that's healthy. She has such a great way of narrating tail when you hear her yell just be no drawn into the story in such a way so be on the lookout for all resources related to this and will see you next time. Hello I major Susie Erickson at the Salvation Army and today we're starting a new series entitled barefoot Cinderella's and it's based on the book barefoot Cinderella set the captives free and today I'm in the studio with Commissioner Barbara Howell and she is the territorial president for women's ministries in the southern territory USA South. That's right Susie, I am so privileged to be here with you today and just to talk about the beautiful wonderful book that you have written and as being part of ministry to women. I think this book just shares so many stories that possibly many of our women throughout the territory had experience and for you to be able to put this down into writing and to share your experience. I just think that's a beautiful ministry that you are sharing with each one of the women across his territory.

What it's been an exciting journey of writing a book.

I've learned a lot about myself and a lot about God, but also I've learned a lot throughout my journey in ministry to women about women and that is one of the motivators for writing this book I came to a point in my life when I realized that barefoot Cinderella's are hard to find.

Outwardly they blend in with the maidens around them, but when they let you get close enough to look deep into their eyes. You see it you see a girl that's longing for something more than she has in her spiritual journey and I was that girl on the outside. Everything was polished, but only inside I knew that there was something in my spiritual walk that was missing. I wasn't experiencing the abundant life that Christ offers to us and I came to a point of understanding that what I really was longing for was freedom. Freedom in places that I did not even really know that I was in bondage and I wanted to be free to be all that God created me to be but yet there was this girl who the enemy had condensed was nothing more than an orphan slave girl and I lived my life with that mentality that there was something more but I just couldn't quite attain it. And I couldn't reach and find what it was that I was looking for. I was living more like a pauper than a princess and as you go throughout the territory and you minister to women in leadership and in every walk of life. I'm sure you've seen that in their eyes as well. Yet that's very true you know God has given each one of us a story to share, but for many of those women that we have out in our two beautiful territory. That story is been captured within sight of them and they do not feel the freedom to sharing that because they think it's too ugly to share right and I felt the same way. There is this element of shame that the enemy uses in our story and convinces us that that were not worthy of the love and the grace that God so freely gives to us, but also I think he tries to use that element of shame to keep us at the organ table instead of at the banquet table that our father has prepared for us.

As you know Susie, we have put together the new resources calling gather were we are inviting women to come home to gather and gather at the table and you were just talking about coming to a table and how beautiful it would be dead.

Women would feel so free just to come and gather and come to the table and feel free to share their own personal testimonies and stories that God is writing in their life just like you have well over the next 10 weeks. That is exactly what were doing.

Through this series is where providing a table for women to calm and to share their stories were going to be looking at 10 women who have walked very unique journeys. Each one of them and they're going to come over the next 10 weeks and share their story and what they've learned about themselves and the journey, but more importantly once they have learned about God and the purpose that he has for them. Each one of them have walked a painful journey in some ways, but from that pain. They have been able to rise up and to see that that God has purpose in their suffering and their pain and they have stepped into their purpose because of what Christ has done in their life, and he has brought them on the other side of that pain-and-suffering. And that's the experience that I had had in my life as well and barefoot Cinderella's is the story of that of walking through a painful journey but coming out on the other side realizing that the cross lead you to a resurrection that is so beautiful and just a reminder to all of them that you have portrayed throughout your story in your book you have reminded them that they are all daughters of the King.

And if you are a daughter of the king or princess right you are a beautiful princess both inside and out, and no matter what has happened in your feud in your past and what may happen in your future. You are still to Hunter of the King and you share that so beautiful. Throughout the story was Cinderella's prance knocked on every door in the kingdom to find her and our prince does the same for he's looking for us. His daughters, you are chosen. You are cherished and created to fulfill God's plans for your life. Join us over the next 10 weeks as we look at the stories of incredible women who have found victory in their challenges and you will find victory to open the door to your happily ever after. The life that you long for awaits. On the other side of fear. Let's join hands and let's go get your crown. Amen to that. Susie think you the Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping people with material and spiritual needs to become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army visit Salvation Army USA.org to offer your support and love to hear from you. Email us@radiouss.salvationarmy.org or call 1-800-229-9965 colitis PO Box 29972, Atlanta, GA 30359 tell us how we can help share prayer request or share your testimony.

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