This year, the Salvationist podcast celebrates International Women’s Day with a very special guest—Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, The Salvation Army’s World President of Women’s Ministries.
Women’s ministries is, of course, nothing new for The Salvation Army. But in this episode, Commissioner Rosalie talks about how the Army has been “re-imagining” women’s ministries around the world, including the new Battle Cry initiative.*
And as Commissioner Rosalie and General Brian Peddle prepare to retire later this year, she reflects on how God has sustained her through 47 years of ministry, and what’s next for them as they return home to Canada.
*Battle Cry is a global initiative to overcome systemic social injustice against women and girls. As part of The Salvation Army’s efforts to achieve gender equity, international Women’s Ministries has identified three social justice focuses for individuals, groups and territories to adopt: access to healthcare, increased opportunities for education, and the elimination of violence against women and girls. Our battle cry is for women, but it belongs to everyone. Find out more: sar.my/battlecry
This year, the Salvationist podcast celebrates International Women’s Day with a very special guest—Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, The Salvation Army’s World President of Women’s Ministries.
Women’s ministries is, of course, nothing new for The Salvation Army. But in this episode, Commissioner Rosalie talks about how the Army has been “re-imagining” women’s ministries around the world, including the new Battle Cry initiative.*
And as Commissioner Rosalie and General Brian Peddle prepare to retire later this year, she reflects on how God has sustained her through 47 years of ministry, and what’s next for them as they return home to Canada.
*Battle Cry is a global initiative to overcome systemic social injustice against women and girls. As part of The Salvation Army’s efforts to achieve gender equity, international Women’s Ministries has identified three social justice focuses for individuals, groups and territories to adopt: access to healthcare, increased opportunities for education, and the elimination of violence against women and girls. Our battle cry is for women, but it belongs to everyone. Find out more: sar.my/battlecry
Kristin Ostensen
This is the Salvationist podcast. I’m Kristin Ostensen. March 8th is International Women’s Day and this year, on the Salvationist podcast, we have a very special guest to celebrate the occasion—Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, The Salvation Army’s World President of Women’s Ministries. Women’s ministries is, of course, nothing new for The Salvation Army. But in this episode, Commissioner Rosalie talks about how the Army has been “re-imagining” women’s ministries around the world, with a renewed focus on social justice issues for women and girls. And as Commissioner Rosalie and General Brian Peddle prepare to retire later this year, she reflects on how God has sustained her through 47 years of ministry, and what’s next for them as they return home to Canada.
Hi Commissioner Rosalie. Thanks so much for coming on the podcast today. It's a real pleasure to see you again and have the opportunity to chat with you about our women's industries.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Thank you so much. It's a pleasure for me to be here. And I'm grateful for this opportunity. And I hope that I'm helpful to you this afternoon as I share this conversation with you.
Kristin Ostensen
Yeah, well, it's only fitting that this episode, of course, is coming out on International Women's Day. So, looking back to February 2020, our international women's ministries launched a new vision, dubbed a “re-imagining” of women's ministries. What were your hopes going into that launch?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Well, I have to say that it was a God-ordained, a God vision, to do the re-imagining. I'm grateful for the way he spoke to my heart. And as I had the overview of women's ministry around the world, I was convicted by the Spirit of that we needed to do a new thing. And it's really an invitation and a challenge, as I appeal to women leaders, to look at their women's ministries, and to re-imagine what God can do in this day that we're living. It is just wonderful, the breadth and the reach of women's ministry. And the vision itself was wide and deep. And I just wanted to have some conversation and a vision of what it could be with the Holy Spirit injected into it and the opportunities we have today, to look around and see what the needs of women are, what the challenges are, and how we can respond to them with the gifts God has given to us as leaders around the world. I am more thrilled of the response to this invitation and challenge to the international Salvation Army and the women's groups around the world. And I travel now, quite a bit, and I see so much happening, and the celebration of this re-imagining has been absolutely wonderful.
Kristin Ostensen
Absolutely. Can you tell us about the key elements of that vision?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
We did a new women's ministry international vision statement. We envision women who are transformed and empowered by the gospel to lead Christlike life; enriched mutually through local and global connections and support; equipped to fulfil their potential through lifelong learning and development, which is really a passion of mine; and engaged in social justice and action to positively impact the world. And that's what we want to do, is have this positive impact on our world. So, we have the international vision statement, which was brand new. We did a new women's ministries logo, beautiful logo that really, God has blessed and is using all around our Salvation Army world, wherever the women are on the ground and working. The logo was to bring light and life and freedom of the Spirit to all women around the world, where thoughts and actions and morals have always been, of course, based on the Bible. And we had five birds that represented the five zones around The Salvation Army world. Everywhere I am and everything I see on the website, people are using, they have adapted this logo and are using it around the world. So, I'm so pleased. I am celebrating the impact that this is having.
Kristin Ostensen
Yeah, absolutely. Of course, when that vision launched, I don't think any of us expected what was about to happen only—how many?—a few weeks later with the arrival of the pandemic.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
I mean, the timing of us launching this, when we reflect and think back, the timing was perfect. It was just weeks before the pandemic and the lockdown around the world and the world paralyzed. And I'm grateful for our digital presence that we were able to, with social media, Facebook and Instagram, and our website, we were able to share around the world and still connect around the world. And it's a testimony of what God has done, God's provision. We are walking in God's way and listening to his voice. And it’s pivotal that we had the social media and the digital world ready for when the COVID hit us. So yeah, just great things that we are seeing through our website and our Facebook, our Instagram, it’s just absolutely wonderful.
Kristin Ostensen
Sure, yeah. Can you expand on that a bit and just tell us a bit more about how women's ministries adapted and pivoted in the wake of the pandemic? And maybe some new ministries that came out of that, perhaps?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Yeah, I think that places around the world I think were already into the digital world. But IHQ was still behind a little bit. And so we're grateful for the work that was being done prior to COVID that was able to bring us into the flow, and the connection. And since COVID, you know, the programs that have started, the whole idea that women are getting together, they're really looking at what is happening and what needs are around the world. And they're trying to be more relative, relate to what's happening. Of course, women's running and exercising programs have always been a big hit. And that's more on an intake around the world. Social justice issues and activities, the empowerment of women's skills. We have the rice collection in India, which is absolutely wonderful. Tree planting, sewing classes all around the world. Just recently, the last few weeks, I was in India, and I was able to present sewing machines to women who have excelled in the area of providing for their family and for the community. And they were given sewing machines to continue on with their work. There's financial literacy classes that are happening. There are coffee ministries, cafe ministries, for victims of domestic abuse. There's littering-picking-up groups happening. I really think that women around the world are becoming more intuitive to what is happening in the community. And that's what re-imagining is all about. Look around—what is not working that you are doing? and open your eyes to some new things that God might be calling you to do. So yeah, it's just great. I wish I could take you around the world and show you!
Kristin Ostensen
That would be so neat! And I do appreciate the specific examples, and what you were saying about it being such a hyper-local thing—you know, it’s women looking around and saying, What makes sense in my community? Because something that might resonate and take off in Canada might not work somewhere else, and of course, vice versa. And so it is really fascinating.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
And we talk about the digital ministries, and I really think that that is one of the key areas that really have developed through COVID and since COVID. Hearing about young women getting together for a Bible study; hearing about podcasts, new podcasts that are now initiated because of the need to be together, connecting through social media. I think there's a real spiritual awakening and people are returning to church. But I think there's still a great need for this social media, this digital ministry, to be very important, and for the women to understand the great connections they can have, for so many. And I think women still need to be together, women still need to talk to each other, whether it be digital, or together in a room somewhere—they just need that. And I think it’s absolutely wonderful. One corps had Bible studies where all the women were dressed in their pajamas. They gathered around the Word of God through their social media, to the digital platforms, and they were able to have a great Bible study together. So even during COVID, I think there was a great building up of women's ministries and women's gatherings that only heaven will record because we can't record it all.
Kristin Ostensen
It’s brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, Just as I am, Lord. [laughs]
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Yes, yes, I think it’s lovely! I just read recently about a group of women in a community who have decided to go into homes of new mothers, because babies and the stress of becoming a new mother, and they're going and sitting for just an hour or two with the baby, or watching the baby while the mother goes and has a rest. And I think of the stress for our younger women and the need when many people are not around family—they've moved to other places in the community or in the world, in their country. And to have someone who would come in from the church and sit with their children, I think is absolutely wonderful. So I love the creativity. I love the way people are thinking. I love the way women are thinking, What can I do? What if I was a young woman? What do I need? And what can I do to make an impact on another person? So yeah, grateful for that.
Kristin Ostensen
Yeah, no, that's brilliant. That makes a lot of sense. And of course, as you noted, one of the key components of the new women's ministries vision is fighting against social injustice. And that is something that affects women and girls everywhere, in every country around the world, no matter where you are. Different contexts, different issues, but it is a big thing for women and girls. And I'm just wondering, what social justice issues do you feel most passionate about?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Wow, where do I begin? There's, you know, there's just a countless number of social justice issues. When I travel around the world to various countries, you know, sometimes I am surprised by what that country is dealing with when it comes to women and young girls. And there are several social justice issues that, I think, are the same in all countries around the world. Domestic abuse—I mean, that is number one right now, around the world. Domestic abuse and the whole family violence thing. And I really get saddened by what I hear. And because of COVID it has accelerated, you know, far beyond even our imagination. Child marriage in countries is huge. Human trafficking, modern slavery.
There are many, many, many social justice issues. I dare not try to talk about them all, but as an international movement and as the international women's ministry, we are looking at some of these, and we have developed a “battle cry” that we are going to issue on the International Day. Because there's so many social justice issues in the world, we know that we can't really attend to them all. We have to somehow look at some of the big things that we feel connect The Salvation Army, that are part of every territory, every country, and kind of dwell on that and see what we can do. So, we are looking at three things, actually—and I'll share them with you—three focuses that are forming our “battle cry” for International Day of the Women. The first one is improved access to health care and a better understanding of women's health. And that is certainly a huge thing around our world. And I think it's something that we as an international Army can look at a little closer. Look, there’s some thing's being done very, very well around the world, when it comes to international Army, and this. So we need to learn, we need to understand what's being done, we need to celebrate what's being done. But we also need not to take our eyes off the fact that health care and women's health is still very much a priority for us.
The second thing is the increased education and development opportunities for women and girls. And I'm passionate about that. Fair compensation for their skills and labour. I think that education, and the development of women and girls, is still a “must” issue for us to be aware of, and working towards helping in all countries around the world. Just came from India, where I met many beautiful young women and girls, and I really wish I had all the money I could pour into them for their education and for their development. So we pray for that. But we try, I am challenging the territories to look at these three issues that we have here and to see what they can do to re-imagine how they can better be able to help in this situation to alleviate some of the social justice issues in these areas.
And the last one, of course, is the elimination of violence against women and girls. Now, that is a huge problem around the world—family violence is a huge problem. But we want to kind of zone in on women and girls, as our responsibility for women and girls around the world. We want to look at that and see what we can do to eliminate violence with women and girls. There are some territories in The Salvation Army that are doing really well with this. One of the things we want to do through our social media and digital communication is find out what they are doing, and somehow share some ideas that they could probably do in their part of the world that would help them to better eliminate the violence against girls. It's huge. We don't have all the answers, you know; we can't do everything. But we have to do something. We have to do something!
Kristin Ostensen
Yeah, no, that's great. I'm so glad we're able to kind of share that as part of this episode. I'm wondering if you can speak to why those three focuses were chosen?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
I had a good group of women leaders who sat down for many months since COVID to work through these things. And we put up everything we could to social justice around the world. And we came to the conclusion that those three were the ones that we could take on and do something about, right? As a Salvation Army, we work in all countries, 133 countries around the world. We have hospitals, we have schools, we have medicares, we have so many things that can help us to zone in on these three things, that would help us to be better equipped, financially, personnel wise, so that we can move into these areas, and take these three things and kind of run with them, and see if our international women’s ministries can make a difference. We're more than programs, we're more than just a department—we have to be people of action. You can't do everything. So these, for us, we believe that the international women's ministries around the world are already involved in, but can be stronger and can be the leading force in territories around the world, to look at some of these issues. So, that's where we've landed. And we look forward to how we're going to continue to roll this out and continue to challenge people, and then hear the amazing stories from those who are on the ground doing these things.
Kristin Ostensen
Yeah, absolutely. No, that makes sense, leveraging our existing ministries, existing personnel, but taking them the one step further.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Yeah. It's nothing new. I mean, women's ministries is nothing new. I think it’s understanding our times, right? Understanding our times, understanding what are the main things that we need to be looking at. Understanding that, again, we can't do everything, but we can find places and spaces to do things. And I believe with all my heart that God has guided us to these three things. And I really believe that he will help us and equip us in these days to find ways and means and things that we can do to help eliminate some of these injustices in the world.
Kristin Ostensen
Yeah, for sure. You mentioned that some territories are already sort of moving in these areas. I'm wondering if you do have a few examples in mind of where the Army is already doing an amazing job of combating some of those social justice issues.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
I know that, you know, in the United States, they certainly are working very hard when it comes to domestic violence and family violence. And there's some really good examples down there as to what they are doing, and some of the outcomes are very positive. Gender equity is another thing that—and all of this is done under the umbrella of gender equity when it comes to the leadership of women and equal working, equal pay things. And I think that in Canada, my home country, they're working very much, very strong in the gender equity field and we can learn from them. Africa and India are working with gender equity in these days, and South America. I mean, we all have our eyes open to that being a huge thing, that we need to make sure that we as a Salvation Army set a good example—role models to the world of what gender equity means and how important it is for men and women—but certainly for women around our world. We need to really work hard. I work hard, travelling around the world, to keep my eyes open, and it's overwhelming, really is overwhelming. There are some really great things happening. But we have a lot of work to do in all these areas. I mean, The Salvation Army believes male and female are made in the image of God. God has gifted our women immeasurably. And we just want them to understand their voices need to be heard. They need to be sitting around tables. They need to be part of the way forward for Salvation Army. Our young girls are coming up strong and vibrant, and we want to make room for them to be a part of it all, yeah.
Kristin Ostensen
Yeah, that's true. And our territory has had a whole task force around gender equity. So you're absolutely right—that is something that's huge for us. And, yeah, I'm wondering if you can speak a little bit more about where we, within ourselves, The Salvation Army, because the social justice thing sometimes is a bit more of an external thing, sort of. But just thinking more internally, where do you think the Army has made the most progress in eliminating, you know, sort of gender inequity and sexism? And where do we still have some work to do?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Yeah. Been on the agenda for many, many years. But I've seen in the last five years, for sure, a huge push towards making sure, and I think certainly in our leadership, you know, when it comes to leadership within The Salvation Army, women are moving into good, strong leadership roles. And I'm grateful to be at the tables were names are coming forward and we're able to say, yes, absolutely. Again, I always say this, whether it be a man or a woman, if they haven't got the leadership skills, if they haven't got what we need for them to be, we don't put them in anyway. But I think we do have a reason to be able to look strongly at the giftings of women in leadership. And it's a slow, slow shift, but we are gradually moving into the area of leadership within The Salvation Army, where we are seeing women taking on leadership roles—senior leadership roles. Not just leadership roles, but senior leadership roles. Because we do have a very strong women force within The Salvation Army. And our 70,000 officers, a good many of them, over half of them are women. And we need to do that. But we do it with such vigour and energy and love. Because men are important as well. And we make sure that while we're doing the pushing and the attention to women in leadership, we can't not do it for the men as well. So, the balance has to be there. You know, the right person for the right job. Well, let's forget whether they’re a man or woman or they’re married—the right person for the right job. Let's get them into doing it. And I think we're working very hard on that. So, for me, I would say, certainly in the area of leadership within The Salvation Army, we are doing it. It’s slow, but it's happening. Not everybody understands why it's not happening faster. But you have to be sitting in my chair, you have to be sitting around International Headquarters to know why it's not happening faster than what it is. So yeah, I celebrate the fact that we are we are moving in that direction, it’s really good. We just made our first married woman territorial commander in Pakistan. So yeah, that's a good thing. Great woman, loved by her people. Yeah, good thing, a really good thing.
Kristin Ostensen
Absolutely. It's interesting—you mentioned that you've really seen it, especially in the last five years. And I'm wondering if you can think of any reason why there has been a bit more momentum more recently?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
I’m probably unfair by saying five years. Let's go back. I've been here at IHQ eight years now. So, I think it's because we have given greater attention to it. I think that we have a more of a deeper focus. I think we're all a little bit more aware that we have to move in that direction and we do have some gifted women. Sometimes, you know, it’s not the time; it's not the time. But now is the time. And I think we've we're moving into it with good hearts, open eyes, more aware of our leaders around the world, more attuned to their gifting, more contact with them, communication with them, we see them at work, we watch them. And I think it's just all of that, all together. I wouldn't say, Oh, why couldn't we do it 20 years ago? Well, we could have, we should have done it 50 years ago. But I think there’s a good future for women in The Salvation Army as we move forward, in this continuing 21st century. I'm proud, as a married woman, to say that I sit around International Headquarters, part of boards, part of everything that's happening. My voice is heard. And I'm proud that and I celebrate that. And I say that all around the world, wherever I go—I'm a married woman who has a voice in the international Salvation Army. And so does many others besides me. And it's something to celebrate.
Kristin Ostensen
Absolutely. And it's so nice to get your perspective because you do have this global perspective on all the things that are happening. And of course, you've been an officer for 46 years.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Forty-seven!
Kristin Ostensen
Forty-seven! Oh, I apologize! Forty-seven years.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
It will be in June.
Kristin Ostensen
Oh yeah, 47 in June. So you've really seen, you know, a whole, you know, decades and decades of the Army and experienced those shifts first hand. And later this year, we are going to say a fond farewell to you and the General as you retire. So how are you feeling? Looking into retirement after now almost 47 years of ministry.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
It's an emotional roller-coaster ride that I feel like I'm on, especially in these final months. And they're coming quickly. I mean, the day I was commissioned as an officer in 1976, June 1976, I was excited about the future. I was confident that God had called me, very confident that God had called me. I was I said yes in obedience to the call. I knew he would equip me, but I had no idea of the path he would lead me. And yeah, God has been faithful. And I say that with all my heart. God has been faithful. God has been good. He has never failed. What he has promised, he has provided and the protection is just absolutely wonderful. Forty-seven years, it just doesn't seem like that. I still feel that I got a good head and a good mind and a good heart. But, you know, when I was afraid, and there were times when I was afraid, he always reminded me: Trust me. Right? Trust me. When I said often to him, I can't, he’d remind me: Yes, you can through me. You know, you can do it through me. And both Brian and I, both the General and I are celebrating the fact that it has been a good life. We probably, if we are chosen the way, we probably wouldn’t have chosen this. We are corps officers at heart. That's our first love, still corps officers at heart. But we've had such a ride and a journey. And we reflect these days more—so I'm getting older, you reflect more. Wow, how do we get here in this, these roles that we’re carrying right now. And we’ll soon we'll pass the torch over to someone else. But it's been good. And we go away celebrating. We look forward to retirement, we do. Forty-seven years, it's been a long time—away from the family for 13, 14. Looking forward to going home and being close to the family, living close to the family, spending the rest of our day with our family, our two girls and our grandchildren. They have been good in allowing us freedom to move all over this world, to take on roles and to be away from them. So but we're looking forward to going home. And again, seeing what God has for us in retirement. We're not giving up yet. It's not over yet. God still has lots for us to do. And I look forward to that, to a new journey. And grateful for what we have done, or what God has asked us to do, for the resilience and strength to do it. And we even say now in the busyness of our schedule right now, which is extremely busy—at the end of the day, we're extremely physically tired. But in the morning, the renewal of strength and the way God continues to take us and move us forward. It's just amazing. Powerful, powerful. And so yeah, it's been great. Really good.
Kristin Ostensen
That's good. And I know it's obviously hard to do this because, again, 47 years. But when you reflect on your decades of officership, what comes to mind in terms of some of your most formative experiences?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Well, I thought training college had it all for me. But I think that over the years as you develop in your own self, you realize that you continue your education, you never stop learning. Corps officership for us was a wonderful experience. Being with people, learning how to deal with people—the growth of that. Divisional leaders, again, a pivotal point for me, when I had to really take on leadership and understand how to be a good leader of leaders. So as we've moved up through those various appointments, it’s the continuation of keeping yourself developed educationally; it’s keeping yourself developed spiritually, staying close to the heart of God. For me, I couldn't do this without him, without kind of having a good handle on Scripture reading and understanding his Word for ourselves personally. Certainly a strong prayer life, taking time out to be with God, being renewed, constantly renewal spiritually and physically taking time out. My husband is really, really good at that, of just, OK, now we need some time out. And I think that sometimes we have a tendency as officers to keep working because sometimes guilt overcomes us and we think we can't do this. But I'm grateful for not only the spiritual aspect of finding time to develop my spiritual life, and staying strong, spiritually, but also developing a physical aspect of taking the day and saying this is my day. And I call them “Rosalie Days.” This is my day, it’s Rosalie Day. Nobody else. I go do what I want to do. And it could be reading, it could be just going to the shopping mall, it could be just going to the beach, it could be just going out in the fresh air, good walk. But finding stuff that renews you physically as well as spiritually. So that for me has been really some of the, just making sure that I, education-wise, I developed, just make sure that you know what's happening in the world, having a mind for what's happening around you, understanding the world you live in so that you can speak intelligently into things around the world and what's happening. Yeah, it's just keeping an open mind and having a good mind so that you can be the whole person, right, not just half a person, but the whole person that God's called you to be. I think that's, for me, is what has brought me to this day to sit here and say to you, It's been a great life, good Life. Now, I look forward to another journey, which is called retirement. But you never retire from being who God called you to be. You never retire from that. So yeah, I look forward to what that's going to do.
Kristin Ostensen
Yeah, no, that's very true. And, you know, I'm sure a lot of people will be encouraged by what you've said because we sort of have that reputation for being ministry in action. We're very action-oriented people, Salvationists. And remembering that the God also needs us to sort of take care of ourselves, to be renewed. That's so key.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
And nobody's going to tell you to take a day off, no one’s going say to you, You're working too hard. You have to make up your mind that you know who you are, you know how much you can take at a point. You need to make sure that if you're going to be healthy, it's more than just the body; it has to be the mind, it has to be the spirit. And all of it needs to be developed if you're going to be the whole person that God wants you to be.
Kristin Ostensen
Yeah, absolutely. And as you've mentioned, you’ve served many years abroad and you're coming home. Do you have any sort of specific plans for what's next that you can share, or what you're most looking forward about coming home and retiring?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
No, at this point, we have a couple of things in our minds, but I just want to go home to an address that's my home. I say to my husband, because he is an adventurous person, and I just say to him, Give me one year, just give me one year to put my feet under the table and say, This is my home. You know. Give me one year to do that. After that, I don't care. We can go anywhere you wanted. But just give me that. Of course, all the travelling we're doing—you know, we're travelling so much—and I think that's why I'm very anxious to put my feet under a table and say this is home. So, we're really looking forward to that. And yeah, take a break, a short break. And then we'll see what God has to say.
Kristin Ostensen
No, that makes sense. You folks really do keep up quite the schedule!
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
We’re very busy right now. Of course, we're doing extra because of the two years of COVID, and because the retirement data is coming and we're just getting around the world fast and furious. Meeting of the people, watching the moving of the Holy Spirit. People are coming together, in many places we've gone, first time after COVID. And just watching the people just be together and just watching them respond to the voice of God—it's just heart-warming, it’s just inspiring. And even though we finish a trip and come home for a day and go, I don’t think I can do that, it's really amazing how God renews you. And we're on the next plane and we go on, and once we hit the ground, we're full on again. So yeah, God’s good. God’s good.
Kristin Ostensen
And of course, before you hang up your hat, you're coming home here to Canada. We'll all be gathering in Toronto for the INSPIRE Conference and Congress, and you’ll be special guests. So, how are you feeling going into that, and what are you hoping that Salvationists here are going to take away from INSPIRE?
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
We're looking forward to the INSPIRE Congress weekend. I’m just praying, we're just praying that God gives to us words and he inspires us before we come, to speak the right words into the hearts of the people. God does that and we’re relying on him to do that. I hope that Canada will see how much we have been inspired by the world, the international Salvation Army, and how over these past months, we have seen the moving of the Spirit, so real. We want to see that happen while we are in Canada. It can happen before we get there. But we would like to—really, really praying for the deep moving of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the people, our people. We're looking forward to conversations with people we haven't seen for a long time. We're looking forward to our family all being there for this weekend. And that's brothers and sisters, as well as our children and our grandchildren. Yeah, we're just praying for a deep moving of the Holy Spirit. We're praying that God speaks into the hearts of Salvationists, that getting together for the first time for a long time now, the territory, that everything, every song, every word spoken, not only from us, but from everyone, will be just what the people need right now. And that God will speak clearly and deeply into the heart of Salvationists in Canada. And we'll celebrate coming home. And we'll celebrate what God is doing. And we'll celebrate that we can become part of this in just a few months, to help speak the word clear to people, that there is a God who is moving and doing great things in the hearts of his people; that salvation is still a real thing and people's lives can be transformed by the Spirit of Jesus; a hope is possible and that we can we can have our hope in Jesus.
Kristin Ostensen
100 percent. Wonderful, thank you. Well, I just want to say a huge thanks to you for making time in your very busy schedule to talk with us and to share your heart for women's ministries around the world. And, yeah, just want to thank you again and wish you well.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
Thank you for your time. I hope that anything I've said this afternoon will be helpful to those who are listening.
Kristin Ostensen
Thanks for joining us for another episode of the Salvationist podcast. For more episodes, visit Salvationist.ca/podcast.