Dear Girls,

The next newsletter is attached. Click here to read and see photos: id087-maiden-daughters2

Warm regards,

Genevieve

Welcome and History

Welcome to all of you who have subscribed to the Issacharian Daughters newsletter over the past few weeks. It is wonderful to have you join us!

To give a little bit of history: I began the newsletter late in 2006 at the encouragement of my parents, Craig and Barbara Smith, and under their oversight. At the time, I was living with my family, helping my father in his ministry, assisting my mother in the home, preparing for marriage, working to strengthen my family and disciple my siblings and build relationships with younger girls in my church. My desire with the newsletter was to provide encouragement and exhortation to young ladies at home and even to provide an opportunity for the young ladies who receive the newsletter to get to know one another through the introductions they would share. You will find many introductions online at http://www.issacharian.com and are also welcome to email an introduction to me to email out with the newsletter.

In July 2007 I entered into a courtship with a young man by the name of Peter de Deugd. You can read about this courtship online on the Issacharian website in one of the past newsletters. We married in February 2008. Just before the wedding, I put the newsletter on hold while I settled into married life. When I commenced sending it out again about a month ago it was with a report about married life and an announcement of a wee blessing on his (or her!) way!

I was requested to do a series of newsletters focusing on my wedding. You said you were interested in what we did and how we did it and why we decided to do it that way. Well, thank you for this interest! This series on the wedding has started already. The next one is attached. And the series will continue for a little while still. While these newsletters do tell you about the wedding, I hope to also weave in other topics of interest such as modesty, Titus 2 relationships with younger girls, the blessing of sisters and more.

Introductions

Dear Genevieve,

Thank you so very much for your God-centered posts. Your testimony, first as a unmarried woman and now as a wife, has been of great encouragement and challenge to me. I am 21, the oldest of eight, and am privileged to have, on my dad’s side, the heritage of many generations of godliness (my mom is a first generation Christian). It is my deepest desire to fulfill God’s purpose for me on this earth, and to faithfully pass on the charge to the next generations—praying even that they would be more holy, Christ-centered, and effective for the Lord than I may ever be. I’m sure you know the perfect storm of desires that this vision can raise, and how hard it can be to let God purify those desires through waiting and “hopes deferred.” But I keep asking Him to let His will be done in my life as it is in heaven, and I know that He will keep giving me what I need to be faithful one moment at a time – whether I’m facing good times or hard ones. Again, I so appreciate your faithfulness to Him in the years following your “return home.” It is a needed reminder to me that none of us are islands, and that I will probably influence more people than I know, whether in my faith or my unbelief. I so want my influence to be for His glory, because nothing else is worth pursuing (even though the devil tries to tell me otherwise!).

The Lord’s richest blessings on you as you give birth, and learn more how to serve Him in this new season of your life! May you and Pete continue laying good foundations for the time to come, that you may lay hold on eternal life.

Love in Christ,

JC

Name: Jessica Bernhardt

Introduction: I’m a 24-year-old stay-at-home daughter in Harvard, IL, USA. Vision Forum Ministries has been so instrumental in my life, and my whole family’s life. We’ve enjoyed their ministry and products for years. The book “So Much More” by the Botkins has influenced me greatly. I’ve read it 3 times now, and feel I need to just keep re-reading it and working on applying the principles continually. It really made me realize that I didn’t have very many of my own convictions, and that I needed to EMBRACE biblical womanhood and make it MY OWN passion. I also have “Return of the Daughters” which is a great blessing as well. I still feel like I have so much to learn. God has shown me so much, and I feel I fall so short.

I have three younger siblings, ages 21, 8, and 5. I primarily do the cooking, cleaning, and help with whatever. God has shown me over and over the importance of my unmarried years. and His great and perfect plan for me, as I’ve had the chance to minister to several families in the body of Christ, who have either young families or many children. I spend time in their homes, mostly cooking/baking for them, babysitting, and helping with anything. Last year I was able to help my grandma care for my grandpa as he fought cancer, and now I spend time with her as she is widowed. Since I’ve graduated from HS, I’ve been able to spend time with about 25 children and their families, and that number still grows. God has always been faithful to bring families to me in stages that need help, and then He’ll bring others to move on to, who need the help more.

I look forward to being encouraged by your newsletter. I found your site from visionarydaughters.com (the Botkins). May God bless you abundantly ~ Jessica