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JAC Interview with Stephanie Parker Chagas

 

JAC: Tell us, who are you?

SPC: I am a mid-twenties brazilian/british daughter, sister, friend, soldier and servant on a life-long discovery of myself, others, the world. I’m compassionate, caring, sensitive, seeking to be at the heart of God’s will, set apart for Him and his purposes…

 

JAC: How did you get saved?

SPC: Growing up in a family of Salvationists, my church has always been The Salvation Army. I feel that my personal encounter with Jesus and experience of the Holy Spirit happened when I was about 10 years old at the Children’s Convention at the UK Territory’s Roots Conference.  There was an appeal and I felt the desire to stand up and go to the front. As I was doing so I felt my legs weak and a strong sense of fire within. I remember I couldn’t speak much after that but just cry. That was an awakening moment for me. I felt the difference as I returned to school after that weekend and was excited to tell my friends about the time I’d had.

 

JAC: What have you been up to over the last few years?

SPC: I studied Journalism in Brazil and worked in the area in a couple of corporate firms. As much as I enjoyed my job I didn’t find total fulfilment and wanted my work to have a longer lasting impact upon people. I soon moved cities and had the opportunity to work for The Salvation Army in the communications department of the Thrift Store Programme. To cut a long story short, one day out of the blue God called me, took me out of Brazil and placed me in London at the International College for Officers and Centre for Spiritual Life Development where I’ve been for the past two and a half years nearly helping to create spiritual life resources, promote the Global Call to 24-7 Prayer, support events on and off campus, network with Salvationists worldwide, develop my own relationship with Him…

 

JAC: What has been the impact on you of this experience?

SPC: I’m still trying to take it all in. It’s been amazing. I have learnt so much in these past two years about God’s provision, timing, guidance. I have learnt how to better nurture my relationship with him, understand myself better to be able to serve Him better, see God at work in the lives of other people from all around the world. I have been truly blessed. 

 

JAC: How has your work with the Centre for Spiritual Life Development affected the world?

SPC:  I often sit in my little office on the outskirts of London and think how effective the CSLD truly is. However, in these five years of it’s history, I feel that through the participation in events on and off site all around the world, the resources that are available online and also sent to the different S.A. territories, contact with hundreds of officers through the International College for Officers, networking with Salvation Army personnel in this role from different territories, the start of the Global Call to 24-7 Prayer and hearing testimonies of what’s happening is encouraging. The CSLD is inevitably transitioning at the moment and I do feel quite excited to see what will happen. I know there is so much more for me to do and learn and there is so much more for the CSLD to do, but I am confident for the future. 

 

JAC: How can the CSLD benefit salvationists and corps around the world? (SPC - maybe suggest resources...)

SPC: I think firstly, Salvationists can benefit through the resources on the website – www.salvationarmy.org/csld. There is a diverse range of Bible studies, spiritual formation and prayer resources; articles related to justice issues; weekly online devotional and video news updates; audio prayer tracks and the CSLD’s monthly newsletter along with specific content related to the Vision and links to other useful resources and websites. Salvationists can benefit by reading the book Army on Its Knees (Major Stephen Court and Colonel Janet Munn), a great resource on prayer and spiritual disciplines. They can ‘Like’ the CSLD and Global Call’s facebook and twitter pages to receive daily news and resources about what’s happening.  They can take part in the Global Call to 24-7 Prayer – a day and night cry for justice, create a place of prayer in their corps, social centres, divisions etc. The CSLD is also available to help with teaching and providing resources at events.

 

 

JAC: How has discipleship - both being discipled and discipling - influenced your life and war fighting?

SPC: I’ll always be grateful to the people who took time to invest in me as a child and who first called me to help out with Sunday School. I have no idea what they saw in that extremely shy, introverted, self-conscious thirteen year old, but as I grew, those times I spent with the children teaching and helping them were sometimes the best moments of my week. I am grateful that today, some of those children who are now adolescents remain firm in their Corps back in Brazil. This was an open door to me in terms of having the confidence to discover my own ministry and gifts in other areas and being able to use them for the sake of the kingdom. In my youth I felt the need to have someone more present helping me at a personal level in my spiritual growth. More recently I feel this need has been better met and I am more aware of what to look for in a discipler and how to be one myself. Presently, there are a few people, near and far, who I try and be a role model too, simply listening, trying to make myself available and helping them in their spiritual journey.

 

JAC: What has God been teaching you about prayer?

SPC: One thing I have learnt is to identify the different rhythms of prayer in my own life and to try and understand what God is saying and what he wants me to do for him through prayer. There are times when my prayer life seems dry, other times where I find myself praying all the time, there are times when I rejoice in prayer, times when I weep constantly in prayer, times when I feel immensely burdened in prayer. My constant prayer is that I may have faith to believe in prayer, for the small or the huge things and to be persistent as I do so.

 

JAC: What does the future look like for you?

SPC: I’m not too sure, but I think that’s ok for now! My only desire is that my ears and eyes by open to know what the next step is.

 

JAC: What's your favourite move of God that you have experienced first-hand?

SPC: I feel that a personal favourite move of God happened while I was taking part in the mission team of Salvationists that came together during the Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2007. In just two weeks of teaching and mission on the streets, in parks, shanty towns etc. God truly opened my eyes to others and their needs. This was such a huge thing for me, something ‘clicked’ inside. Another move of God was the way he brought me to the U.K. His guidance has been so evident from and since then, it still amazes me every time I think about it. It’s my Ebenezer stone that I always look back to for faith and reassurance for the future. 

 

JAC: Does God often impact you through preaching and teaching? If so, what are some outstanding examples?

SPC:  I am often impacted through preaching, teaching and simple observation of what people say and do. I learnt a lot through simply observing how my parents related to people, how they fully engaged themselves in everything they did and guided me in the right way. More recently, I have been impacted by the teaching and preaching of Colonel Janet Munn who I had the opportunity to work with closely. Her spiritual authority, biblical knowledge and general lifestyle, whether in the small mundane things or the big events would always challenge and inspire me.

 

JAC: What do you see as the great opportunities for The Salvation Army in coming years of the salvation war?

SPC: I feel society is reaching a point where people are realizing that having jobs, cars, technological gadgets, isn’t really that fulfilling. With the economic crisis that has hit some countries in the past years things haven’t turned out quite the way they were expected financially socially. I see these things as a great opportunity to reach out to those in need of a meaning, purpose, intimacy. At the same time, used wisely, I do think media and communications are a great tool to share the gospel all over the world and at a more rapid pace. It’s a great way for people to be encouraged, connected and receive the Word in so many creative forms through videos, audios, websites etc.

 

JAC: If you could write a quick letter to salvationists around the world, what would you say?

SPC: There is always more than meets the eye. Do not fall into a position of contentment and complacency with the way things are in your life, with the things that are presented to you by the media, society etc. Seek. Take time to be holy. Try and fast at least once a week from things that can be overpowering your life, time and energy – food, facebook, phone…Set spiritual goals and ask someone to help keep you accountable to them. Be resolute in knowing who God is and who you are to Him. Find ways to relate to him according to the way he has created you – in solitude, in silence, through music, through dance, through writing, through spoken word, practical service – and use these tools.  Live a lifestyle of worship, be conscience of God wherever you are and in whatever you do, think and say. Don’t be too hard on yourself, receive His love. Expect Him.

 

   

 

 

   

 

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