Pursuing Peace
Step into the lives of some champions whose walks with God have led them to find peace even in chaos. Written with women in mine, these relatable, truth-filled stories will help you cultivate a life lived in His presence and trusting His Word. Reconnect with the unshakeable, abiding peace that comes from our security in Him. Get Ready - God's about to write some new pages in your story. Ideal for both personal and group study, Pursuing Peace will make a great addition to church and home libraries.
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Contributors
Judy Chiarot
Judy co-pastored Faith Family Church with her husband, Paul, in Beamsville for twenty-five years, where their ministry took them to several nations to bless and encourage local churches. In her present capacity on the Board of Directors for Anchor Ministerial Fellowship, she and Paul provide inspiration and assistance to Anchor pastors across Ontario. At her local church, she serves in prayer and prophetic encouragement. Judy desires to see believers prepared for ministry and actively building up Christ’s body (Ephesians 4:12). Judy and Paul have three children and three grandchildren and reside in Hamilton, Ontario. www.anchorministerial.org
Abby Clattenburg
Abby Clattenburg is a lover of Jesus and the local church. She was born into a pastor’s home and has loved and served Jesus all her life. Recently married and residing in Beamsville, Ontario, she and her husband, Levi, love to worship together and serve people with a heart of compassion. Abby is an entrepreneur and a gifted worship leader, songwriter, and musician. Helping people discover their destiny through coaching, prayer, and a listening ear, Abby is a trusted and valuable contributor to team environments. www.lakemount.ca
Stephanie Courtney
Stephanie Courtney lives in Sarnia, Ontario with her husband, Caleb, and four children: Olivia, Samuel, Marcus, and Joel. Caleb and Stephanie have each been leading worship and music ministries in Ontario PAOC churches for over twenty years. Following a fifteen-year tenure as an elementary teacher, Stephanie is now a full-time stay-at-home mom. She’s passionate about her volunteer work at the local pregnancy centre and oversees the worship ministry at her home church, Bethel Pentecostal Church, in Sarnia. www.bethelsarnia.com
Sue Keddy
Whether Sue is sitting in the squalor of a Vietnamese refugee camp, a dilapidated shack in Haiti, a courtyard in the northwest frontier of Pakistan, the needle-strewn floor of a hovel in the inner city, or a palatial mansion overlooking the South China Sea, and whether she’s standing in front of one person in the grocery store line or before thousands, her heart pounds to make her Jesus famous. Her heart’s cry is for everyone to know His love, peace, and nearness. Her prayer is to be the hands, feet, and the heart of Jesus to the lost, lonely, broken, and forgotten, wherever Jesus takes her. www.dreambigwithus.org
Betty Ann Lewis
Betty Ann Lewis was born in Newfoundland, the daughter of Salvation Army officers. She and her husband, Doug, retired following forty years of ministry as Salvation Army officers throughout Canada, Germany, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Betty Ann enjoys volunteer involvement in the local Rotary and Probus and serves as part of the spiritual care on-call at the Royal Victoria Hospital. She oversees the community care at the Salvation Army in Barrie and conducts services at various seniors’ residences. Betty Ann and Doug take great joy in family—four sons, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Ruth Paul
Ruth is a mother of two young adult children, Andrew and Angela. Originally from the United States, she has made Canada her home since moving from the States to marry her late husband, Roger, in 1991. Having obtained an Associate in Theology degree from Ambassador College, Ruth worked at Lakemount Worship Centre in a variety of administrative and pastoral roles from 2002 to June of 2021 when she relocated to Florida to be near family. Her joy in ministry is watching people’s lives change as they grow in the knowledge of who God is and who they are because of His love for them. Ruth enjoys reading and baking chocolate chip cookies!
Cheryl-Ann Philip
Cheryl-Ann Philip is a chemistry graduate of the University of Toronto. She has travelled extensively to aid in humanitarian relief and volunteered with Big Sisters of Peel and the Philip Aziz Centre for Hospice Care. After a decade in telecommunications sales support, she transitioned to the charitable space, planning and overseeing international events. She’s an entrepreneur, visionary, and advocate for personal wellness. Cheryl-Ann is a founding member and managing director for Truth Nation, a charity group specializing in community wellness events.
www.truthnation.ca
Vinetta Sanderson
Vinetta Sanderson, an ordained minister with the PAOC, resides in Armstrong, British Columbia alongside family. Her life has been a beautiful tapestry of ministry alongside her late husband, Ira, sharing her musical talents, preaching, and ministering in pastoral care. Past roles have included Executive Assistant and Office Administrator for Women Alive and pastoring at Kitchener Gospel Temple. Vinetta is well known as a speaker who carries a message of hope and healing, born out of God’s faithfulness during significant personal loss. She enjoys grandparenting, writing, and music, and she insists that celebrating Christmas requires much more than twelve days.
Karla Stoffelsen
Karla Stoffelsen, BTh, is co-founder of House of Refuge Street Ministries in Guatemala. She grew up in El Salvador and responded to the call of God in 2006 when she married her husband, Steven Stoffelsen. Karla reaches out to women trapped in human trafficking, prostitution, and poverty. She is a fire-filled preacher/missionary/pastor who shares the gospel together with her husband in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Canada, and the USA. She believes that signs and wonders follow the believer. www.houseofrefuge.ca
Janet Soppitt
Janet moved to Canada from the UK in 2005 with her husband and five children. She has been both a homeschooling mum and pastor's wife. She holds degrees from Oxford Brooks University, England in both English and Geography, and a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education from Oxford. Janet is currently teaching English and physical education at Niagara Christian Collegiate, where she passionately shares God's love with others, encouraging them to live out the abundant life promised in Jesus. Janet has served the community as a regional athletics coach and is a gifted motivational speaker and professional life coach.
www.niagaracc.com
Marion Venables
Marion Venables is a retired Salvation Army officer. She married her husband, Gary, also an officer, fifty-three years ago, whom she met in the Salvation Army College for Officers. Their forty-four years of service provided varied opportunities to serve across Canada as pastors/officers in corps/church, youth work, college staff, the Six Nations, and in Canada territorial and divisional appointments. Marion and Gary continue to serve within the Salvation Army church community of London Citadel. They have three children and eight grandchildren.
Christal Wilson
Christal Wilson MDiv., R.P was born in Ottawa, Ontario. She’s a Registered Psychotherapist and marriage counsellor. In 2020, she started a private practice, and she serves beautiful people from all over Canada through the wonder of technology. Christal loves to travel and also feels at home in her church, Lakemount Worship Centre, where she serves in prayer ministry and worship leading. She speaks and teaches about her passions for mental health, relationships, and life with God. www.wilsonpsychotherapy.com
Virginia Zyta
Following a thirty-four-year elementary school teaching career in Niagara, Virginia Zyta joined a friend in developing an early childhood literacy program for parents and teachers in Peel region. Her career delightfully included a two-year teaching exchange in the United Kingdom and a post-retirement position with ESL international students at Columbia International College. She enjoys extensive travel as well as painting, walking, biking, swimming, gardening, and kayaking. She serves in Rapha Healing Prayer Ministry and assists with training at her local church. www.facebook.com/vzyta
Endorsements
" Pursuing Peace is the sun breaking through on a cloudy day. These devotionals are heartfelt, and full of wisdom. Each passage has a beautiful deposit of inspiration and truth. They offer comforting reminders and teaching that brings new revelation. Words that prepare a place of peace for whatever the day may bring. "
" Ruth Teakle lives what she speaks and writes what she lives. I have known this faith-filled woman of wisdom, work and wit for over 25 years. Jump in and enjoy her practical truths in “Pursuing Peace”, written in vivid, direct language, for your own encouragement and growth. As you do so, the Holy Spirit will enable you to share that pursuit of peace with others. "
" Ruth demonstrates throughout this devotional, with great spiritual sensitivity, how we can face our daily human struggles and common hurts, knowing who we are in Christ. Pursuing Peace reminds us so beautifully of simple truths such as how to: forgive and let it go, pursue peace, renew our mind, win with love and trust in God’s Word. These pages can be read over and over again – a wealth of testimony to be applied and treasured. "
" You will love Ruth’s conversational stories, personal and scriptural, especially during this time of COVID 19. Having walked through the many challenges of negative emotions associated with this past year, I literally felt the peace Ruth wrote of in each devotion. Pursuing Peace will be one of God’s gifts to you through this season and beyond - a navigational guide through rough waters. "