Truly An Overcomer

Belinda Rowe, Founder and CEO of Gemss Ministry is truly a rare jewel in the body of Christ.  She is a true servant leader, who is able to effectively minister cross-culturally, with her gifts of mercy and compassion.  She is strategic and resourceful in her approach to ministry, and as such, is able to equip disciples by helping them apply the Gospel to their everyday lives and social contexts. 

Belinda’s compassionate ministry to hurting women embodies who she is.  I have personally witnessed her god-given ability to transform, inspire, and love the broken back into wholeness.  I have attended and been blessed by several of her ministry events.  She is a gifted communicator of the Gospel, being a speaker and teacher of the Word who has the proven skills of evangelism. 

No Excuses Lifestyle

Dearest Belinda,

The example of your life stirs my heart. You simplify doing the word!  You give methods of implementing God’s work in intimate and effective ways.  You keep it real, noting that as we draw closer to God, He asks greater obedience of us.  The Lord will ask greater sacrifice of the flesh while the undesirable weeds and dust of life will dissipate.  Your daily commitement to dress and look like royalty, which you are, is not an option for you, it is part of who you are.  You act according to the revelation of who you are in Christ.  You make me so hungry for more of God and you show me it’s easier than I think.  It’s time for me to deal with my excuses, to make the changes that appear to be impossible. 

I thank God for your mother and all of the mother figures in your life that have ministered to you.  When you minister to others you do it not only with your mouth and heart, but with your substance also.  I believe that since you see yourself as royalty you are always believing at that high standard and looking to bring others with you.  You give me so much hope!

Thank you for being so meticulous about your life and your walk with God, it speaks volumes.  It’s so very motivating!  I speak increase in your spirit, soul and body; multiplied prosperty; thousand times more according to Deut 1:11; Psalm 115:14 that you increase, you and your children more and more.

Following you as you follow Christ.
Mary Gunn – December 22, 2008

My name is Sonya Smith I’m 39 years old.  I was born and raised in a very large family.  We live in Los Angeles, CA.  I grew up in a normal family that was partially dysfunctional.  My parents were divorced when I was 12 years old and my dad also divorced me and my 2 sisters.  This experience left me feeling abandoned, deeply wounded with roots of rejections and low self-esteem.  I came to the Walter Hoving Home very broken in May of 2006. I gained a personal relationship with Jesus.  I was healed in a lot of areas in my life.  I dealt with my low self-esteem and anger in this home.  I also forgave my dad for abandoning me.  Now that the season at Walter Hoving Home is over I’m connected with GEMSS Ministry and have a wonderful mentor, Belinda Rowe.  She encourages me to work on the roots of rejection and gives me spiritual advice to continue my growth in the LORD.  I’m blessed to be connected with GEMSS.

A NEW BEGINNING

First I just want to thank God for Belinda Rowe for God laying it upon her heart to be my mentor.  This book, “Motherless Daughters”, is an unbelievable book.  When you’re ready to start healing, this is a good book to read.  It has opened up my eyes and my heart to begin the healing of my mother’s death four years ago.  Before I read this book I was suppressing any thought I had of my mother and her death and tried to bury the pain.  I still get teary-eyed, but I can now freely talk about my mother.  I know now that I’m not alone because I have God with me.  I’m confident in the fact that He will keep me strong.

This book helped me to understand that I wasn’t singled out; there are many motherless daughters just like me.  Now I can have freedom in Christ.  I learned that I can’t keep blaming everything bad that happens to me on my mother’s death. I had been using her death as an excuse for my bad decisions, but the truth was that I was hurting and acted out due to suppressing the pain.  I also realized that I had to accept the good side as well as the bad side of my mother for me to fully mourn for her.  When I opened my heart, all the abuse I received came to me; I mourned, and then forgave her.  Then the Lord slowly started filling the void and hurt in my heart.
I now know that I don’t have to follow her mistakes and I can prosper for myself and live my life for myself.  I still miss her, but I will always miss her.  She was my mother, hero and Best Friend and I’m thankful for her being the best Mother she knew how to be and she gave it her all.
Thank you Jesus and Belinda Rowe
Love, Magui Benitez – May 5, 2007