<p><em>"Arise, shine; for thy light is come." — Isaiah 60:1 (KJV)</em></p><p>Dear Sisters in Ministry,</p><p>There are moments when God calls us to wait, and there are moments when God calls us to walk. <strong>This is a walking season.</strong> We honor every woman whose prayers, preaching, service, scholarship, and sacrifice opened doors before us. Now we must move through those doors with preparation, humility, and holy confidence.</p><p>Moving forward does not mean abandoning tradition; it means carrying the strongest parts of our tradition into the needs of this generation. The church needs women who can rightly divide the Word, lead healthy teams, understand technology, serve communities, build sustainable ministries, and develop the leaders coming behind them.</p><p>WIMA will be a place where calling is cultivated, gifts are sharpened, relationships are strengthened, and women are equipped for meaningful service. We are not gathering merely to be seen. We are gathering to become stronger, wiser, healthier, and more effective for the work God has entrusted to us.</p><p><strong>A Personal Charge:</strong> Choose one step you have delayed and take it this month. Submit the proposal. Begin the class. Call the mentor. Outline the book. Build the ministry plan. Preach with conviction. Lead with integrity. Your next faithful step may become a doorway for many others.</p><p><em>We move forward together—rooted in faith, ready to lead, and committed to lifting as we climb.</em></p><p>In His Service,<br/><strong>Rev. Dr. Tonya Gipson Miller</strong><br/>President, Women In Ministry Auxiliary<br/>Mt. Bethel Baptist Association of DC, Maryland & Virginia</p>