Victorious Life Christian Center_Seattle

Victorious Life Christian Center_Seattle To develop a lifestyle of worship and living that brings glory and honor to God.

05/23/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

Mother’s Day Message

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation making the second Sunday in May the official National Mother’s Day in the United States. Today Mother’s Day is celebrated in over 50 Countries, though on different dates. It remains one of the most commercially significant holidays of the year.

I am of the persuasion that Mother’s Day cannot be just this one day out of the year; it exists all year-round because of a mother’s worth. The world may dumb down a young person’s dreams, but a mother never will. There are too many examples of how mothers nurture their children to be the best that they can be. Mothers have been labeled as the gate keepers of humanity, authors of history, and the progenitors of the future. Mothers are the programmers of souls that birth value. Most notably, when God sent His Son to save the world, He chose to do it through a mother!

I love the biblical story of Mary, the mother of Jesus which is central to the New Testament. Mary’s obedience and faith made her the vessel for the incarnation of Christ, exemplifying humility and love. According to the Gospel of John 19:25-27, Mary was the first person Jesus saw when He came into this world and the last person He saw when He exited this world. “Can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son of her womb?” (Isaiah 49:15).

Mothers are not perfect, but God requires us to operate in respect to our parent(s), with the promise of long life. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that God has given you (Exodus 20:12). That land is here and now.

04/23/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

Love Thy Self

“Love thy neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). This central biblical commandment emphasizes that we should treat others with the same care, respect, and concern that we naturally extend to ourselves. We focus so often on loving our neighbor as ourselves, but do we love ourselves? Do we think of ourselves as being as valuable as our neighbor?

I remember many years ago, a friend asked me, “Gail, have you ever looked in the mirror and saw the awesomeness of God’s creation in how He formed you?” And I answered, “No.” So, when I stepped out of the shower this morning and saw my reflection in the mirror, I had to ask myself, ‘Do I value myself as I value my neighbor?’ To some that is a silly question! But sometimes we forget that according to scripture, “WE ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE” (Psalm 139:14). We are intricate and purposeful designs by God that reflects both our complexity and inherent values.

Yes, we are to love others as we love ourselves, but I have a few questions for you. How are you loving yourself? Do you like who you are, and are you taking care of that person in the mirror? It’s easy to minister to others, but are you ministering to yourself? Do you love yourself enough to give yourself grace when you fall, or to allow yourself to rest when you are weary? Do you schedule time in the day for self-care? Do you love yourself as the unique person that God loves?

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:13-16).

04/18/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

Rejoice in Your Freedom

One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is, “Whom the Son has set free is free indeed” (John 8:36). Jesus sets us free from our self-centeredness, from the power of sin in our lives, from the hold Satan has on us, and from cultural captivity. Ultimately, He sets us free to be in union with Him. We have reason to rejoice, not just at Easter, but every day of our lives. We are liberated to do whatever Christ has called us to.

When my husband accepted Christ when he was a teenager, his mother told him, “Son, love God and do as you please.” Spiritual freedom is not about the absence of rules or doing whatever you feel like. It is, in essence, the state of being liberated from the bo***ge of the power of sin because of God’s love. And, as we draw closer to Him, we are free to do as we please – because spiritual freedom means we are being set free to live in accordance with God's will and purpose for our lives.

I’m reminded of a song that is dear to my heart: “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow; because He lives, all fear is gone…” Written by Bill and Gloria Gaither in 1971. The Apostle Paul beautifully articulates this concept when he states, “For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don't submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). This verse encapsulates the heart of spiritual freedom; it is a gift from Christ, intended to liberate us from the slavery of sin.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). This freedom allows every believer to live without the burden of condemnation. Once we accept Christ, there is no need to go deep-sea diving to find our past mistakes or sins. It is all washed away by His blood. “Whom the Son has set free is free indeed.”

03/21/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

The Empty Tomb

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (1 Corinthians 12:9). The phrase in this scripture that God’s grace in sufficient, resonates with me during difficult times. This reminds me that God's grace sustains us through any and all hardships. It offers strength, comfort, and assurance that our God is trustworthy in all circumstances. Because the Lord is alive nothing is too challenging for Him to work on our behalf if we release all to Him. Christ is ALIVE.

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So, she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,’ she said, ‘and we do not know where they have put Him!’
Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed. For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.” (John 20:1-10 NIV)

03/14/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

Simon of Cyrene, Jesus’ Last Helper, Part 2
3/15/2026

The following is part two of a letter to Simon of Cyrene that was written by Joseph McAuley (assistant editor of the magazine “America”) on March 26, 2016:

“…Carrying a cross demands everything a person has and in doing so, Jesus went to the boundaries of endurance and beyond, when he could endure no more and offered himself totally. He became the receptacle of humanity’s untold sins, crushed for them on the cross, in order to affect redemption. It is incomprehensible and frightening thing to do, but Jesus went to Calvary and stayed ‘obedient unto death, death upon a cross.’

Jesus entered Holy Week with palms and hosannas in the highest and ended it being treated worse than a criminal, being crucified between criminals, with the prospect of burial among criminals. And among the sufferings he had to endure were those of betrayal and denial, to the point that the only ones left at the foot of the cross were his mother, the dedicated women who believed in him, and the beloved disciple, John.

The connected and the powerful of his day disdained him and his message; his own people (and not a few of his disciples) hoped he would be a Messiah and the rescuer of Israel. Everyone, from Pilate on down, had him pegged wrong and only saw him in ways they only wanted to see him, not as he was. Because they were human, they could only see surface realities; the Romans and the Jews of the day could only think about what truly mattered: their rank and position in the world. For them, there was no other reality. It took Jesus being crucified on the cross to prove them wrong.

Once you and Jesus—and the cross you both carried—reached Calvary, you “disappeared.” You had done your duty in what was perhaps the very first act of Christian charity: you performed an act of mercy when you helped Jesus carry the cross. Simon of Cyrene, you are a figure of curiosity—what happened to you afterwards? Did you leave Calvary hill a changed man? Were your eyes opened by Jesus? Was your life given a new sense of purpose by what happened? Or were you like the others, who felt sorry for a good man who was overwhelmed by the powers that be who could not possibly have been the Messiah, but simply a man who preached justice and mercy but was given none?

I prefer to believe the presentation of you as a man of tender countenance who willingly offered your hand and your heart to Jesus, with mercy, pity and compassion. The picture of you that has survived through the millennia is a needed one, especially in these days, when hatred, intolerance and violence are the rampant diseases of people who wish to overwhelm everyone with their sense of rank and power, expressing in the evilest way possible their never-satiated need of entitlement and dominance, in defiance not only of their fellow man, but of God.

Simon of Cyrene, you took it upon yourself to help a suffering Jesus. You didn’t have to, but you did. You are the model that the world needs today. In carrying that cross with Jesus, you became like him; help us to become like you, so we can become like him whom you helped that day and that in so doing, we can be the servants he wanted us to be and show the world yet again that there is another way.”

02/21/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

You Will Make It

It’s easy to become discouraged and distracted in today’s world. With wars and the constant threat of conflict in so many places, you may find yourself wondering, “What is this world coming to? Will I make it?” These feelings are understandable, especially when uncertainty and fear seem to dominate the headlines and conversations around us.

Popular culture often portrays the end of the world or the ‘last days’ in ways that differ greatly from what the Bible actually teaches. Numerous films have been made about the end times, each offering its own reasons for how and why the world might end. However, only the Bible provides a clear account of how the world will end, describing the End of the World within its pages.

To understand what the future holds, you must open God’s Word. For Christians—God’s children—this is no secret. But those who don’t believe the Bible are left to draw their own conclusions, often guided by their own assumptions. People who don’t know Christ are continually searching for fulfillment, yet never truly find it. True fulfillment comes only by surrendering your heart to Christ, for He alone is the true giver of peace. When we allow Him to guide our lives, He fills us with His peace and purpose.

Someone sent me an interesting Quote from the ‘Daily Bread Sept 2001’ that I want to share with you: “The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family,. You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, and a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called SUCCESS.”
“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

02/11/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

I Want To Versus I Have To

What is the difference between doing things out of desire ("I want to") versus obligation ("I have to")? Years ago, a church member was struggling financially. I saw that her son needed new shoes, so I helped to buy him a new pair. I didn’t think about being repaid or even the cost; I just wanted to bless him. This made such a lasting impact that years later, he still recalls this act as genuine kindness. Scripture teaches that blessing others is both a command and reflection of God's nature, as seen in Genesis 12:2 and Matthew 7:12. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. For this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

A ‘want-to-give’ comes from a I-want-to-bless-you genuine desire from the heart to do good for someone else, expecting nothing in return. The reward is the fulfillment it brings to the soul along life's journey, and the joy of experiencing God’s Heart.

A ‘have-to-give’ comes from a really-don’t-want-to spirit, expecting something in return. There is no joy in it as it lacks fulfillment and can even lead to bitterness and resentment. (I must point out here, please don’t mistake this with obligations that need to be met such as bills and family; there’s no escaping those responsibilities. That’s LIFE.)

Biblical teachings encourage kindness and charity. The importance of giving from the heart and finding joy in helping others, rather than seeking repayment or acting out of duty, is emphasized. My desire to be a blessing to others without looking for pay back has always resulted in God blessing me abundantly with His joy and enriching heart. I encourage you to live a life aligned with God's principles, embracing, not only the necessary have-to responsibilities, but also the joyful acts of want-to blessings to others.

01/31/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

I Have a Dream

We just celebrated Martin Luther King Day on January 19th. I loved his iconic speech, “I have a dream.” ‘Dream’ stood out to me because everything I see around me is somebody’s dream. As people, we were created to dream and, if we look at the world we live in, we can see God's dreams.

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, gives the account of Creation including man; “In the beginning God created heaven and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. He called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day” (Genesis 1: 1-5). It goes on to describe the sky and earth, separation of the waters, vegetation, and so forth.

I see this as a dream, defined as God having a strong desired goal or purpose. There are times I look at the beauty of nature and say to myself, “God created that for me because He had me in mind when He created it all and He loves me beyond words.”

When it comes to you and me, we were created to dream. Dreaming has an essential role in developing our faith and helping us become the kind of person God has always intended us to be. There is a key between dreaming and believing, between our imagination and our growth. Without a dream we get stuck. But with God-inspired dreams we have almost limitless possibilities.

We are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), with God’s ‘dream’ to bear His image on earth. God designed us with intelligence and the desire to live in relationship with Him and other human beings. We have value and worth, so let’s dream His dreams for us.

01/17/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

It is Yours

My mother went home to be with the LORD, June 21, 2021. She lived in another state, so my husband went with me to empty her home. I must admit it was quite a task. My mother was a child of the Depression; therefore, she believed in saving every newspaper, magazine, and the list goes on. As we emptied the house in order to put it on the market, I brought back with me some of her things. Why am I telling you all this? Because every time I passed her beloved china cabinet I placed in my dining room, I would have to fight back the tears of missing my mom. I wanted to run to the phone to call her to ask how she was doing. But I knew where she was - with the Lord.

I knew she wouldn’t come back even if she was able, but that wouldn’t stop my meltdowns. One day one of our church intercessors called me and asked me to go into my dining room and look at her expensive beautiful china cabinet. She told me to say to my mom’s china cabinet “This cabinet is mine now because my mom wanted me to have it!” As I spoke those words I began to cry tears of healing. I still miss my mom, but not in the same way as before.

In thinking about my china cabinet, I am reminded that the Bible has numerous promises geared for you and me. Just like I verbally claimed my mom’s cabinet, we can claim the Word of God as our very own. There are over three-hundred scriptures that belong to us because the Lord’s shed blood on Calvary made it ours for the asking. Elohim is the one who began it all. God, Almighty Creator, reveals himself in the beginning, Genesis 1:1-10, 31.

Many years ago, I taught this song in Sunday school: “Every Promise in the Book is Mine.” We can take the blessings and promises found in the Bible as our own as we celebrate faith and hope in Jesus.

01/04/2026

A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GAIL

2026: A Time for Forgiveness and Freedom

We have entered a new year, leaving behind the old with its mix of challenges and joyful moments. Regardless of what 2025 brought, one undeniable truth remains: we are here today, experiencing a day we have never seen before. This is a gift granted by God’s grace, who generously and continually gives us blessings that we don’t deserve and, through His mercy, spares us from hardships that we might deserve.

As we move forward into 2026, let’s look at the power and necessity of forgiveness. “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:13). We have a duty to forgive others because that is what frees us to continue to walk forward and be victorious. As the saying goes, “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Unforgiveness will eat up your future, destiny, and your effectiveness.

What is unforgiveness and what does it look like?
• Lingering resentment: replaying the hurt or betrayal long after it happened.
• Emotional tension: feeling tight, guarded, or reactive around the person or memory.
• Desire for repayment: wanting the other person to feel what you felt or “make it right.”
• Avoidance or withdrawal: distancing yourself to protect the wound rather than heal it.
• Self-protection that becomes self-imprisonment: holding on to the hurt as a shield, even when it starts to weigh you down.

Self-unforgiveness I believe is the worst because you live in a state of torment from your past every day. At one point in my life, I was in prison of my own making because I did not forgive myself. I lived like that for over thirty years, walking around like everything was fine, hiding behind my happy-go-lucky mask.

One slippery night on the freeway a drunk driver and I almost had a terrible accident. It was that point I cried out to God, “Lord! I can’t live like this any longer! You have to let me out of this prison.” I clearly heard the voice of the LORD, “Gail, you’re locked into your self-made prison, and you threw away the key. I forgave you the second you asked me, but you refused to let go of your pain.” That wintry night I was set free, so I know what pain is all about.

Everyone has different crises, but God can take care of all situations. He is our Jehovah Jireh, meaning “He sees.” He sees everything you have suffered from others and from your own decisions. In 2026 allow the Lord to heal you through forgiveness, so you can be free to be who HE has called you to be. “So, if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

12/31/2025

A MESSAGE FROM PSTOR GAIL

Reminder to Trust God

When I was a child, my great mother told me that our memories never really fade away. OUR MEMORIES are stronger than we realize. As we age our minds recall our past and see yesterday like it’s on a movie screen. I didn’t realize what she meant until I got older, and I’m reminded every day that God is faithful and true to His promises.

Not only do we need God in our lives, but we also need each other; “No man or woman is an island unto themselves.” I saw a quote by Desireé B. Stephens, that said, "Community is the willingness to sit together when joy and grief share the same breath." I thought on this as I was reflecting on the memories of those loved ones who have transitioned from this life.

My husband and I were recently on our way to Starbucks when I said, “I wish my mom was here so I could hear her voice, or my very dear friend so we could go to the Noodle Shop together. We found such peace just hanging out doing extraordinarily little or nothing some days.”

My husband waited patiently until I was finished and he said, “Gail, do you realize that you’re closer to your transitioned loved ones now, more than you have ever been? You’ve known your mom your whole life, but you’ll never get those years back. They’re not in front of you, but behind you and you don’t have seventy odd years in front of you. Eventually you will see your loved ones. So, until then God wants us to keep on trusting and working until He calls us home.” That’s not morbid, but factual and it gave me total peace.

Trusting in the Bible is a profound and active reliance on God, rooted in the belief that He is faithful and will fulfill His promises. It’s a vital aspect of faith that encourages believers to lean on God's understanding and guidance in all aspects of life. Trusting God leads to peace, direction, and fulfillment of His plans for our lives, so I will go on with my life of trusting God.

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