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Click to read the fall issue of Daughters of Promise, and be encouraged by the words of women from around the world. Together, they share on topics such as finding God in suffering, dealing with change, and experiencing godly courtship.TRANSCRIPT
love SCRIPTED BY
GOD, p. 22
The Face of Pain
finding God in suffering,
p. 30
learning in
unexpected
ways, p. 66
Give the gift of
hospitality our readers share
p. 10
SEPTEMBER&OCTOBERL2013
17
22 10
inthisissue
{open}
5 A word from Rae
6 Meet the Team
8 Mission Statement
relationship exchange
Cultivating the Sacred Gift of Friendship
10 Extending the Gift of Hospitality
14 Hold on for Change
& the Learning Curve!
22 Love…Scripted by God
SEPTEMBER&OCTOBERL2013
daughters of God Pursuing Deeper Intimacy with the Father
28 Rhema: Waiting with Hope
29 Pearl of Promise
30 The Face of Pain
38 The Long Way Around
46 I Trapped the Ball
3
30
21 pondering with Tina
50 featured blogger
53 life through Carmony’s lens
68 the team recommends
{close} 70 Comments &
Contact Info
life & style
Virtue in Everyday Living
37 Common Day Quotes
44 a Fresh Look at Modesty
48 Color Love: red!
legacy & impact
Living God's Heart for the World
54 Good Life Ministries: India
white spaces Creating Rest, Balance, and Room to Breathe
66 Learning in Unexpected
Ways
38
extras!
4
open
o·pen [oh-puhn]
vb.– to move from a shut or closed position so as to
admit passage.
w x
5
a word from rae
1
This summer found me traveling all over the place. In early August, I got to go home [TN Home] for almost a
week to see my family and friends from the Athens area. It was marvelous. One of the highlights of my sojourn
was my younger brother Zac’s fundraiser dinner—a little affair we did to
<-----help raise money for his trip to IGo this fall. It was an evening full of all
my favorite things: good friends, great food, laughter, lawn games, even
some fireworks to finish off the night. Everyone came early and partied late.
And gave GENEROUSLY to Zac’s cause. We had so much fun!
Then came the Hilty reunion—a renowned affair of my boyfriend Tim’s
family. It rolls around every two years and we rolled up to it on his new RED
[!!] Harley, along with a few of the others cousins, in the traditional
motorcycle ride to the reunion site. It was a very cool weekend in which I
got to meet dozens of Tim’s long lost relatives, learn awesome new games
like Kubb [a.k.a Viking Chess], canoe upriver, and
assist in a spectacular fireworks show as the
weekend grand finale. Tim and I made some
wonderful memories with his family and I was
invigorated by a weekend well-spent.
I have also added a few thousand miles to my
faithful little Celica doing Home Health. It has
been an interesting re-entry to the rigors of the
American medical system, but the fascinating
people I meet help compensate for the
mountains of rules and regulations! Maybe
sometime some of their stories will find their way
into Daughters of Promise. :]
This summer has also been a time of healing and
growth. As I enter Fall [which happens to be my
favorite season ever], I look back with satisfaction
that the events of this summer have shaped me.
Where in the past, I have rushed hurriedly from
one experience or relationship to the next, I am
learning to engage fully in each moment,
savoring every drop of its sweetness. Many
changes have occurred in the last 6 months, yet
recesses of rest have punctuated my time in the classroom. God is very good. His
love I know. There is healing and restoration in His presence.
Where has your summer taken you? What doors have opened? I am sure that for
as many as have swung wide, others have closed firmly behind. In navigating this
earthly life, I am blessed to know that Jesus leads. A good guide is one who shows
the way, who doesn’t just hand out maps and say, “Go get ‘em kid!” Our Lord
walks beside, searching out the best pasture for His sheep. As my friend Kristi Witmer
shares in her article [p.37], God sometimes leads us in unexpected and very painful
places. Yet, we experience His presence even there. What a testimony!
There are some wonderful articles in this issue, written by talented and godly
women with a beautiful message to share. I pray you are blessed!
Rae
RACHEL SCHROCK|VA
FOUNDER,
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Rae’s unique life experiences and love for writing
inspired her form DOP in 2010. She loves Jesus
and longs for all women to experience healing
and freedom through an intimate friendship with
Him. She loves many things, but especially the
color red, jazz, good coffee, graphic design,
and her family. In her free time, she can be
found undertaking DIY projects, traveling the
world, or behind the lens of her beloved Canon.
One of her favorite places in the whole wide
world is Mae Sot Thailand, where she spent 6
wonderful months in 2011 and 2012. Above all,
she strives to experience the precious gift of life
with grace and gratitude.
BRITTANY
SHULT| SC STAFF WRITER
Brittany is a schoolteacher currently living in
the lovely state of South Carolina. She loves
teaching her 2nd-5th graders and learning
life lessons from them. Jesus is her Friend; she
is thankful for everything He has done for
her. She is excited about the plans that He
has for her. Some of her hobbies include
reading a good book and whipping up
some baked goods in the kitchen,
especially cupcakes! She will take a warm
sunshiney day and flip flops over cold dreary
winter days.
MARLENE
STOLTZFUS|PA STAFF WRITER
Marlene enjoys learning, living simply, and
using creativity to meet a new challenge.
She and her husband Kyle live in Guys Mills,
Pennsylvania with their seven month old
daughter Elia. They are a staff family at
Faith Builders Educational Programs.
Marlene is the compiler/author of the White
Spaces section of DOP.
Meet the team
7
CARMIE
SANCHEZ | VA
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Carmie joined the DOP team in
January 2013 as the official
photographer. Photography has
been one of her pursuits for
several years and more recently
she has acquired a love of sewing,
DIY, and hosting people in her little
trailer house. She is a newlywed of
October 27, 2012 and her
wonderful husband is Gerry. Next
to feeding him and being a
housekeeper, she enjoys reading
and spending time with family and
friends. Her expressive
photography captures the
essences of life and inspires many
to delight in the simple joy of
beauty.
guestphotographer
LISA STRUBHAR | VA
GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER
As a teen, Lisa loved art, reading and world travel.
She has been to at least 14 countries and has
friends from many she has never visited. Two years
ago, her family spent 8 months in Thailand.
Although she still enjoys the same things when she
has the time, her life is mostly full of serving her
wonderful husband (who is also the talented main
photographer at Darren Strubhar Photography)
and her three little ones. She is learning to find joy in
little things and fulfillment in being in the center of
God’s will. Most of the photography in this issue was
a joint project of Lisa and her husband. You can
find more of their work on their Facebook fan page:
Darren Strubhar Photography,
www.facebook.com/pages/Darren-Strubhar-
Photography.
8
WELOVE
food. liturgy. music. yellow things. the first
spring rain. good coffee. DIY projects.
empty notebooks. pursuing holiness.
sunshine. green grass. the color red. long
walks.
who
WEBELIEVE habit forms character. chevron is
overrated. planting things is good for
people. in God’s goodness. pumpkin spice
lattes are the best. in redeeming love.
Jesus is Enough.
9
WESTRIVETO live with integrity. read broadly.
contribute to Anabaptism. give thanks.
live simply. celebrate life. be centered in
God’s will. advocate for the poor and
needy.
WEBELIEVE habit forms character. chevron is
overrated. planting things is good for
people. in God’s goodness. pumpkin spice
lattes are the best. in redeeming love.
Jesus is Enough.
we are
Hospitality and Kindness are closely
related.
Last week, some friends and I got away for
a night to a beautifully restored, 2-room
stone cottage in the woods. The owner
keeps it for her children to stay in when
they come home. The place was spotless
when we got there. The bed sheets were
clean. Towels laid out. Fresh flowers were
on an old sideboard. She even insisted that
we drive her "gator" the short distance to
the cottage, but we took our own vehicle
instead. Turns out we ran out of gas right at
the cottage, and discovered this fact the
next morning. It was raining, but the lady
and her husband and hired hand came to
bail us out, gas can in hand. "I enjoy this so
much," she chuckled. "This is exactly
something I would do." We only "knew" our
hostess through my friend's husband, but
left feeling like we were part of her family.
Extending the Gift of Hospitality
11
She is humble, gracious, charming, and
kind... everything I want to be.
For overnight guests: anticipate the needs
of your guests while they are in your home.
A little fore-thought and preparation goes
a long way towards showing kindness. If it's
a cool evening, have blankets to snuggle
up in and offer them hot drink. If it's hot,
have a pitcher of lemonade in the fridge.
Always offer your guests a drink of water,
and if they've been traveling for a while,
ask them if they want something to eat.
Keep extra toiletries on hand in case
they've forgotten theirs. By far, the best
hospitality is cleanliness and neatness, but
small touches go a long way, too: a
midnight snack basket, fresh flowers on the
nightstand, crisp, line-dried sheets,
chocolates on their pillows, a classic
movie, books to read.
Some of you may not have a house of your
own, or if you do, it may not be suited to
entertaining. Don't let that stop you from
offering hospitality! Even if you cannot
welcome people into your home, there is a
sense in which you can welcome others
into your presence. Love others for who
they are without trying to change them to
be like you. We are all different, and this is
good. Listen to the things they say... really
listen. Look for ways to serve them, even if
it is in ways no one will ever see. In
fact, now is the time to learn hospitality,
because hospitality is really an attitude or
way of thinking, not just an "event". You
can also rarely show hospitality without
suffering some kind of self-denial. :)
A few more practical ways to show
hospitality: brush up on great conversation
starters. Always look out for people on the
fringes and seek to draw them in.
I have learned that reaching out to others
in hospitality is a wonderful way to look
past my needs and see how I can bless
others. I naturally want my house cleaned,
candles lit, fresh flowers on the table, and
my child smiling angelically before I offer
an invitation to "Come on over!" But while
all of these things are wonderful, I do think
12
true hospitality starts with a servant
attitude; less of me and more of you. That
being said, I love fresh flowers on my table
and lots of candles. I want people to feel
at home when they visit but I also want to
provide for needs I do see. When we have
guests spend the night, I try to have food in
their fridge and extra toothpaste and
shampoo in the bathroom. It’s those little
things that say, I care about you, you have
value, let me call you friend.
Being a hostess as a brand new wife can
be very intimidating and a little
overwhelming! Some of the things that I
have learned in the past 21 months of
marriage…
-Don’t feel pressure to have the perfect
house—nobody does. Things like keeping
your house smelling fresh and looking
clean goes a long way! If I’m in a rush and
have sudden company, something that
makes my house feel clean fast is to give
the bathroom and kitchen floor a once-
over. Add a candle burning and I feel
good to go!
-Meals don’t have to be extravagant.
Don’t get so stressed out over them that
you can’t even enjoy yourself! Food is food
and you can’t expect to become your
mom overnight. Plan well in advance and
keep notes on each meal you make. Try
out new recipes for just your husband
before you make them for your company.
-Watch out for your overnight guests’
individual needs. Some may like a fan, a
nightlight, or extra blankets. Don’t expect
them to be comfortable just because you
are! Along with that, show them where the
towels are…and how to use the shower if
necessary! (ours is a little complicated as
we learned one night from a guest!)
-Initiate positive conversation that makes
all guests feel comfortable. A good topic
breaks the ice and sets the tone for the rest
of the visit. Talk about their lives more than
yours. Along with that, don’t be too busy
that you can’t sit down and relax with your
guests. Dirty dishes can wait.
-Most of all, make your guests feel
welcome, loved, and important. Make
them want to return! Invite more than just
church friends over—it can be a neighbor,
a co-workers, or kids from your community.
13
A Christlike spirit of servant hood and
humility goes a long way. Make your home
a place of rest, simple beauty, and most of
all, full of Jesus’ presence.
As I was thinking of hospitality in my life, I
thought of a few things:
-Numerous times in the last number of
years we have allowed guests to lodge
here over the night. People we had never
seen or known. But we felt secure and not
afraid. That is one of the blessings of the
Anabaptist community.
-When meal guests come, I try to have
thought of a seating arrangement for the
table so as to have folks care for, not just
say “find a seat!”
-I have tried to concentrate on the
fellowship more than making a fancy
meal. To care about guests and what is in
their life, not making a display to impress.
-Hospitality is also sharing food – a
casserole, dessert – taken to their house.
They can use it at their convenience. I like
to share extra food with my close-by family
also.
-Being sensitive to guests needs is also
important, even if their need is just a cup of
cold water at times, or a box of tissues
nearby. Perhaps a hug as they come and
go, so they leave feeling cared for. |
14
By Rae Schrock
15
16
Take a minute
to breathe.
Change
Change is an inevitable part of life. Not an
“if” but a “when”. For some, change is
welcomed—there is a thrill in moving from
one stage to the next. For others, changing
brands of toothpaste is enough to incite
anxiety. Wherever you fall on the
spectrum, there will come a point where
life throws a curveball that spins you out of
routine and challenges your patterns of
coping. Living as an adult in a fast-paced
society doesn’t often afford the luxury of
easing into the alterations. Waves of
change will hit and sweep us along, ready
or not. When it does, how will you react?
My life has been characterized by frequent
and significant changes. I have been
blessed to experience a wonderful variety
of job settings, cultures, and social groups.
Most of the time I enjoy the rapid
adjustments my life has brought, though
there are times I’ve been thrown so far out
of my comfort zone that running away
seemed like the best option. This past
spring I uprooted from my hometown of 18
years and moved north to VA. Settling into
a new community has been challenging
but also very revealing. I’m learning a lot
about myself and the patterns of coping I
have developed—some of them not so
healthy when applied to long-term social
and cultural transitions. I am still traveling
the learning curve and do not have the
edge on dealing effectively with change—
I am just a woman on a journey, excited to
share a few of the lessons I am learning.
Change is inevitable. But we can do it
bravely! Here are a few of the
practical lessons I am learning about how
to do that.
Change often
brings stress.
With new
routines and
new information comes extra emotional,
physical, and mental strain: we have to
work harder to keep up. Therefore, it is
essential to carve out time to take a break.
When I worked as a charge nurse on a
busy med-surg unit, the first hour of the shift
was always chaotic. Everyone needed
something and at times it was hard to stay
cool. Sometimes the stress didn’t let up. To
help myself re-orient and relax, I would
steal 5 minutes to slip out back and look at
the stars and breathe easy. It was a
window of refreshment that cleared my
mind and prepared me for the rest of the
night. It’s amazing what a 5-minute break
can do. Whether nurses, mothers, house
cleaners, or secretaries, we all experience
moments where stuff piles up and we get
that urge to panic. When this happens,
remember that the frenzy will pass! Instead
of caving in, carve out a period of white
space to do something relaxing, no matter
how brief or simple it may be. Intentionally
relax your muscles. Take a walk, journal,
pull on your favorite pajamas and take a
30 minute nap, steal away for 5 minutes
and deep breathe. You may feel that you
can’t spare the time, but in the end, you
17
Give yourself
time to grieve.
will face the transitions better having given
your mind a chance to decompress.
Anatole
France
said, “All
changes,
even the most longed for, have their
melancholy; for what we leave behind us is
a part of ourselves; we must die to one life
before we can enter another.” Change
inevitably moves us away from something
or someone dear; a part of life that was
significant to us. This is a loss and should be
grieved appropriately. In many ways, it is
necessary to do this before we can fully
move on. Working through the loss of what
is being left behind frees us to connect with
the new stage we are beginning.
Journaling or sharing with a friend are both
good ways to process change’s losses.
Don’t overdramatize or get stuck in this
process but do give yourself permission to
feel sad, cry, and wrestle with the new
norms being established. Talk to God a lot
during this time, and as you process,
continually re-orient to the perspective
that life is brief, yet we have a hope
through Christ for a day when all change
and loss will be past. For now, we must
move forward if we hope to grow.
Grieving what is left behind is a vital part of
maturing emotionally, spiritually, and
mentally. Big life changes, like moving
away from home, losing a loved one, or
entering a new profession require more
time and entail more loss. Give yourself
plenty of time to emotionally process these
changes so that you can move wholly on
to the next stage.
All changes
have their
melancholy;
for what we
leave behind
us is a part of
ourselves; we
must die to
one life before
we can enter another.
18
Call it like
it is.
Find a friend to
share with.
This has been one of
the most important
things I have learned
about change. To
“call it like it is” is to admit reality. Maybe
our tendency is to face change with a rosy
Pollyanna mentality that sounds nice but
fails to convince our hearts—or anyone
else—that “everything is great!” Don’t
elongate the process or frustrate yourself
by denying the realities of your situation.
Instead, be honest about its impact. It is
freeing to face the mirror and say, “This is
incredibly hard. Everything is not ok.” Be
realistic about what the change is going to
bring and how it makes you feel. Then gird
your loins and go face it. Things are not
going to “get better” or “be ok” until you
first admit that things may not be alright at
all. After I made the move to VA this spring,
it took me some time to admit that things
weren’t as rosy as I’d expected them to
be. There have been major challenges
that kicked me in the gut. But I’ve found
that recognizing specific areas of difficulty
helps me begin to address those issues. This
has been so freeing and is the catalyst for
real growth! Be honest with yourself in
change. Lay your cards on the table and
know what you have to work with. Call it
like it is.
When you
face
those big
learning
curves, it
is important to find someone to process
with. My big sister has played this role in my
life many times. Because she has walked
through many of the changes I am facing,
she can offer helpful input and a
compassionate listening ear. Her
perspectives are valuable to me because
they are based on experience and not
cliché platitudes. As you confront
uncomfortable changes, verbalize your
19
Enjoy the ride!
questions and feelings to others. Often,
simply talking out loud with a good friend
helps bring clarity. God made us to need
others, so don’t try to do wade through life
alone. Find a mentor who can offer
sensitivity, honesty, and advice and invite
her to share in your journey.
A few months
ago, some
friends and I strapped ourselves into a
gigantic roller coaster and began the
terrifying ascent to the top where we
would be plunged 305 feet toward earth
at speeds of over 70 mph. White-knuckled
hardly begins to describe the grip of my
fists on the lap bar as we neared the
moment when the bottom would fall out
and the dizzying drop would suck all the
breath from already-choking lungs. “Put
your hands up!” The others were saying.
“No!!” I screamed back, my hands locking
even tighter. Even securely lashed into a
seat designed for utmost safety, on a ride
that had safely carried thousands of others
before me, there was no way I was letting
go! Life is like this sometimes. Change pulls
us from what is familiar and into the
unknown. We feel out of control and we
know the big drop is going to be scary so
we hold on as tight as we can. Somehow
the bigness of God’s love and protection
doesn’t seem like enough to warrant the
release of my white-knuckle grip on the
situation.
Holding on for dear life on a rollercoaster
creates a false sense of security—what’s
going to happen on that 305 foot drop is
going to happen whether or not my hands
are glued to the seat. In the belly-dropping
changes of life, fighting for control may
give the same feeling of security. However,
in the long run, doing so actually keeps us
from experiencing the joy and abandon of
a life surrendered to Jesus. We are safe
with Him, even when it feels like everything
20
Remember
the purpose.
is spinning out of control. Relaxing in His
hand is hard, but possible, and brings true
rest. Don’t allow fear to distract you from
the beauty of what God has prepared for
you right now. He has something wonderful
to show you about Himself even in the
difficult changes.
Life, like the roller-coaster experience, is
better when you relax in the seat, throw
your arms in the air, and lean into the
adventure [ahem! a feat I did not achieve
on the death-defying Intimidator of terror].
As you face the unknown, trust in Jesus—it
will free you to enjoy aspects of your
journey you would miss otherwise. Notice
what is happening in the peripheral; you
may discover marvelous beauty. Once as I
complained about a stressful situation, my
boyfriend encouraged me in his to-the-
point way to remember that life is
beautiful. It was good advice for me in a
moment when I had let anxiety distract me
from the gifts God had prepared in that
unique situation. I encourage you to learn
with me to embrace the ride, confident
that God is in control. What a thrill of joy is
possible when we no longer have to be in
control, but can simply rest in His hand,
knowing that our end is secure.
What is the
ultimate
purpose of
change? The
Christian writer Sinclair Ferguson
summarizes it well: “Scripture speaks about
God working everything together ‘for the
good’ of those who love him (Rom. 8:28).
But what is this ‘good’? It consists of
believers being conformed (changed and
remade) to the image of Christ. Thus, all
the experiences of life are intended, under
the sovereign hand of God, to help us to
grow towards the great goal of the
Christian life—Christ-likeness.”
Whatever big or small transitions you find
yourself in, remember that they come to
you through the hands of our loving Father.
Look hard to see what Spirit-fruit He is
seeking to fashion in you. Embrace change
humbly as an instrument by which He is
revealing glimpses of His character and
molding your own to match. There is rest
and joy in such surrender.
My own journey continues and I have
much to learn. But I believe that change is
a healthy part of life, intended for our
growth. Without our willing participation in
the process, life becomes stagnant. My
personal challenge is to embrace change
with a heart of faith, believing that God
has plans in it—to change me and to
touch the world through me. I look forward
to experiencing the richness and joy that
comes from each new stage I encounter
and pray that you experience the same. |
Thus, all the
experiences of life
are intended, under
the sovereign hand
of God, to help us to
grow towards the
great goal of the
Christian life—
Christ-likeness.
21
There was once a
young woman who
liked to play Candy
Crush. She spent
much of her time and
energy trying to
calculate the right
combination of the
sweet confections so
that she could move
up to the next
level. Surely this time
will be different she'd
say as she started
each new round. On
and on she would
work trying different
strategies, calculating
her turns that slowly
ran out until she heard
the familiar music and
was defeated. This
game intended to
bring relaxation now
became a stressor
unto its' own
accord. Yet onwards,
she would play, the
familiar sound of the
divine crunch bringing
her another wave of
optimism that perhaps
this time would be
different; This time if
she worked hard
enough and did
exactly the right
moves then she would
conquer and be good
enough to move to
the next level, only to
struggle again.
Yay I say unto you,
such is life without
Christ and His
Mercy. Let Him who
have ears hear. |
with tina
Tina Newson is a licensed mental health counselor, having obtained her BS in social work from Florida International
University; an MA in Psychology from Trinity International University, and a Doctorate from the school of hard knocks.
She is a Certified Addiction professional and licensed mental health therapist. Tina has over 25 years of experience
working with addicts, mental health patients, the developmentally disabled, Geriatric patients, children, and grad
and undergrad students. She believes life is meant to be an adventure, lived with passion and flexibility and she
strives to live it as such. Tina loves book studies, sunsets [especially over FL beaches], the smell of coffee,
connecting with friends, and stepping out of her comfort zone for the sake of the adventure. Cystic Fibrosis has
been a channel through which God has given her glimpses of His sovereignty and taught her what it means to
embrace each moment as a gift. She is loved by many, mother of 2, wife of 1 and lives in Southeast TN.
By Beth Slabaugh
23
SC
RIP
TED
BY
24
Picture this scene with me…there is a
beautiful young lady, enraptured in the
love of her Lord, faithfully active in His
service. She loves what she is doing, but
deep inside, there is an ache of longing; a
longing to belong to someone, to be a
part of something greater than her own
‘adventure’. She lives with joy, content
with the life God has given her and daily
surrenders her ache to Him.
One day God says to a young man:
“Awake, Adam!” And the dance of
romance begins. (Proverbs 30:18-19)
We, as women have all shed tears over a
beautiful love story. It is our hearts
speaking…awaking desires placed there
by our Creator Himself. God is the Author
of the Greatest Love Story and the Author
of every beautiful love story since. Every
story scripted by the Author of Romance
gives us a tiny, tangible picture of His
Greater Story.
God created men to display His strength,
to bear His honor. A man bearing the
image of Christ commands respect. He
protects, he provides, and he is a warrior.
God created women to display His glory,
His beauty. A woman at rest, secure in
who she is in Christ, reveals the gentle,
nurturing aspect of Christ’s image.
The complete picture of Christ is found in
the Oneness of marriage. (This is not to say
that as a single you are not complete. We
all need to find our completeness first in
Christ.)
As John and Stasi Eldredge write in
Captivating, “Femininity is what arouses his
masculinity. His strength is what makes a
woman yearn to be beautiful…It’s that
simple, that mysterious, and that incredibly
profound. The beauty of a woman is what
arouses the strength of a man.” (154)
My own personal journey of allowing God
to script my love story began as a little girl.
From very young, I dreamed of being
involved in overseas missions, but alongside
of my beloved man. I longed to be the
help meet and to be a mother as well. As
the years stretched on and I sought God’s
leading in my life, He gave me many
Experience the
of a Godwritten
25
opportunities for serving and growing. I
was loving life! However, many times the
ache of longing brought me to my knees
as I surrendered my desires to the Lord. At
times I felt that God spoke the verses to
me…”Ask, and it shall be given you...” So, I
asked, and I waited…and I pursued my
Lord, and threw myself into serving Him!
The day came when my Dad shared with
me about a phone call he received from a
certain young man desiring courtship.
When he said his name, my heart leapt
with joy as peace flooded me. We had
met in Thailand at the Institute for Global
Opportunities. Lavon was the men’s dean
and having watched his leadership the
previous year, I knew that he was the man
that I wanted to follow. I did take time to
pray and to seek counsel, but that steady
peace and joy never left me and thus
began our together story!
You as a woman are created with a
beautiful treasure that is to be guarded
carefully and unwrapped with care. The
journey of courtship is a time where trust is
built. This foundation of trust is built to last a
lifetime. The way that your man pursues
and helps guard your treasure during
courtship are keys to how he will continue
to treasure you for a lifetime.
Dear daughters of God, how will you guard
the treasure of your heart and body,
allowing the rose to blossom ever so slowly
during courtship? We’ve all heard the
term: “play hard to get”. I don’t agree with
that term, but something of the
principle in it. There is something very
beautiful and attractive about the mystery
of a woman that draws a man and keeps
him attracted. This mystery is a piece of
how the woman reflects the character of
God. If a woman loses her mystery, she
has lost something very beautiful indeed.
Your heart and who you are as a woman is
a mystery. Don’t give it all away at one
time!
Allow your prince to pursue the treasure of
26
your heart. First, there will be a spiritual
connection. As sons and daughters of
God, your spirits will connect and be
drawn together in worship. Enjoy this
phase and then allow the soul connection
to happen gradually as he leads. You will
learn each other’s likes and dislikes,
hobbies, spiritual gifts, unique
personalities and love languages. Over
time, your stories will come out and you will
give bits and pieces of your heart.
Savor this time and delight in each step!
Save sharing the deepest parts of who you
are for the level of commitment you have
with each other. Lastly is physical
connection which is in perspective of the
level of commitment. Whether you as a
couple choose a hands off relationship or
to have appropriate physical touch, the
key is to guard your heart with all diligence
and have wide open communication with
your parents, mentors, and each other.
Boundaries in place are the key to a
healthy relationship.
Keep this in perspective always: Pleasing
Christ and having NO REGRETS!
Some keys in our relationship that helped
me to guard my heart and allow the
blossom of love to open slowly.
#1: Keeping Christ as our Center. (pursuing
relationship with Christ as individuals and
together).
#2: Parental blessing and communication.
Even if you haven’t had the most open,
caring relationship with your Father, this is a
time when you can show respect to your
Dad in being open with him. You need
your father’s counsel in this transition
period. It’s a good place to start practicing
in being able to respect and honor your
future husband! If your Dad has your heart,
Every story scripted by the
Author of romance
27
of His Greater Story. gives us a tangible picture
you are very blessed indeed and he is still
your protector until the day that you
commit your heart fully to your husband
and your Dad gives you away.
#3: Staying accountable. If you don’t
have a mentor, choose a mature, Godly
married woman with whom you can
openly share your heart and be free to ask
questions. It all feels so new and it is new
for you! But, many have walked the road
before us and have valuable insights to
share. One thing we did was to choose a
couple who we observed to have a
beautiful, healthy marriage, and asked
them to mentor us as a couple. This was
very helpful and healthy in guiding our
relationship. They helped us with
communication by asking insightful
questions about our relationship and about
topics that we hadn’t know when the right
time was to discuss them.
Be the initiator sometimes! Men are to be
the initiators but some spontaneity in a
relationship is a way that you can bless
him. Send him a card, make a surprise visit,
or call him at an unexpected time. Be
creative!
Save the special things for when they will
be the most precious…there is no rush! For
us, it was waiting till after engagement to
say “I Love You!” and to hold hands. We
waited till after our “I Do’s” for our 1st kiss
and real hug. Waiting to talk about the
most intimate things until within the
sacredness of marriage. Every story is
different…you as a couple need to choose
these things…but in today’s world of quick,
“do what feel’s good” mentality, I ask you
to carefully contemplate your choices!
Love is sacred…beautiful…a gift from
above. When you view everything along
the journey as a gift from your 1st Lover,
and delight in the treasure of today, you
won’t want to rush tomorrow’s treasures. A
quote by Amy Carmichael, one of my
heroes: “It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill
the desires which He creates…” May God
grant each one of you a beautiful, love
story scripted by Himself! |
About the Author
I am Beth Slabaugh, pictured
with the love of my life, Lavon.
He is my best friend and
teaches me daily about what
true love is all about. I have a
learner’s heart and desire to grow in my love
relationship with Jesus Christ and His call on my
life to be my husband’s help meet. I love Jesus,
Lavon, children, and people in general! The
people of Mae Sot, Thailand have especially
stolen pieces of my heart. I feel deeply when
people are hurting, especially children. My life
goal is to be a joy-giver and invite others to trust
in the One who first loved us! Some material
things that are touches of God’s love to me are
butterflies, flowing water, flowers, sunsets, and
piano music. Oh, and I like coffee shops,
especially in Thailand.
28
I was wrestling long and hard with the effects
of death. And not only death, but the wheel of
ways people attempt to make peace with it.
Especially grueling to me are the platitudes
about God knowing best and us being at total
peace with what happened as though it isn’t
holy to feel that death is invasive and part of
the fall. Yet how can the cruelty of death be
reconciled with the fact that, because of
Jesus, death is no longer hopeless, horrible
finality?
Against the backdrop of grief and turmoil, I
took an assigned day of solitude. Part of the
assignment was to read Romans 8. I sat in the
library of Allegheny College, tearfully feeling
God meet me and my questions through Paul’s
words. I have always found this chapter
profound, but this was the first time that I read
it in regards to addressing death.
In this chapter, Paul opens with a larger
perspective of death: more fearful than
physical death is the law of sin and death
which controls those who are carnally minded
(vv. 1, 6). He builds increasing contrast
between those in whom the Spirit or
flesh/sin/carnality dwell. Then, Paul slowly
infuses the harsh reality of life with the hope
Jesus brings for those in whom
God’s Spirits dwells. To summarize and
paraphrase this section: the same Spirit who
raised Christ from the dead will quicken your
mortal bodies. It’s the Spirit of adoption by
which we become sons of God. Paul then
masterfully delves into the tension between
hope through the partial redemption that
Jesus brought to death and agony of deferred
full redemption. At that time, it felt as though
this was release to feel the wrongness and
unnaturalness of death. “For we know that the
whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now. And not only they, but
ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the
redemption of our body (vv. 22-34).”
So if there are no complete answers yet,
instead the waiting like the pain of childbirth,
what keeps us going? The rest of the chapter
talks about hope, love, and the physical,
tangible testimony of God’s love by giving His
Son for humanity.
This chapter is too packed and interwoven to
write in full here. Read it sometime. It has
helped me to embrace the honesty and
confusion of only partially seeing and
experiencing now while waiting with hope that
one day I and all creation will fully know
redemption. |
By Marlene Stoltzfus
29
See what kind of love the Father has given
to us, that we should be called children of
God; and so we are. The reason why the
world does not know us is that it did not know
him. Beloved, we are God's children now,
and what we will be has not yet appeared;
but we know that when he appears we shall
be like him, because we shall see him as he is. [I Jn. 3:1, 2]
Pearl of Promise
30
By Kristi Witmer
31
Face
of Pain
in the
32
It was a crisp, sunshiny November day in
the Colorado countryside where our family
eagerly awaited my brother’s wedding. It
began with quiet moments with God and
chatter with the family in the small living
room of the downstairs apartment where
we were staying. We ate a yummy
breakfast, cooked by my mother, and
made plans for the day. It was happy and
innocent and full of excited anticipation
for the week ahead of us.
“Seek to please me above all else. As you
journey through today, there will be many
choice-points along your way….” read the
devotional for that day (taken from Sarah
Young’s, Jesus Calling).
Jesus, help me to live this way today. Help
me to continually choose You at each
point I come to.
“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I
use it for finishing the work assigned me by
the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others
the Good News about the wonderful
grace of God.” These were the words I
highlighted that very morning in my Bible. I
sat there pondering the heaviness of those
words, the passion with which they were
stated.
Then we set out across the Colorado
countryside, the three of us in our van—
Mom, my brother and I—to make the
fifteen-minute drive into town to meet up
with Dad and brother.
Little did I know how much that fifteen-
minute drive would completely change my
life and the direction I thought I was
headed in this journey.
I do not remember most of the drive, and
the details of the events that followed are
recorded as a large blank spot in my
memory, with faint glimpses of medics,
anguish, and tears. For that drive cruelly
brought an end to my mother’s life as our
minivan met the metal of a vehicle larger
than itself, crushing the bones and heart of
her body.
As the day went on and I tried to wrap my
injured brain around what had happened,
the only question I did not ask more than
once was where my beautiful mother was.
My mother had died. This information was
far too big, the pain too immense, for even
a struggling memory to forget.
And just like that, in a matter of several
seconds, I was thrust into a lifelong journey
I did not ask for. I had no choice in it; I
would not choose it if I could. It is a journey
of tears, of raw grief and continual pain. It
is a journey of learning, at age 20, how to
live again; a journey of finding God in the
broken places; of walking into deep dark
“Seek to please me above all else. As you
journey through today, there will be many
choice-points along your way…”
33
valleys and crevices in order to discover
the light and life of God.
I wish I could say that walking this journey
of pain has brought about more clarity
and answers to my questions of life. I wish
that for the next ten paragraphs I could
write a ten-step list of “How to Handle Pain
and Grief.” Unfortunately, that is not how it
is, and I do not expect it ever will be that
way. In fact, the longer it goes, the more
questions it seems I have.
Why God? What were You thinking? What
could Your purpose be in this? Are You sure
this is the journey You meant for us to walk?
Because, You know, You are God, so
maybe You could just go back and redo
that detail.
Yet, amid my many questions, I can know
for sure Who God has been to me in it all
and how He is leading me on this journey
of much falling down, of struggling to get
up, and of remembering Who the Strong
One is and who I am to Him. It is a journey
of believing truth, preaching it to myself
when I cannot believe it, and worshipping
God in it all.
“Truth” and “worship” are two words that
have become incredibly real to me. They
are two “lifelines”, I guess you could say, to
which I cling, and are intertwined in so
much of life. Focusing on truth leads my
heart to worship. Worshiping Christ for who
He is and all He has done for me, reminds
me of what I have experienced in the past
and know to be true.
I have come to realize just how much
Satan attacks truth and my worship in
desperation to draw me away from Jesus.
He combats truth with lies and shoots
down worship with ingratitude and despair.
When things do not make sense, and my
It is a journey of
believing
truth, preaching it to myself
when I cannot believe it, and
worshipping
God in it all.
34
This is Who God is to me.
Daily, hourly, moment by
moment, He grasps my flailing
hand in His and gives me what I
need to live each day.
35
mind tries to sort through all the pieces and
put them together in a logical way that fits
my understanding, I find the need to run to
the truth of God’s word and claim the
promises for myself; continually reminding
myself of truth, preaching it to myself.
Ocean waves and ripples would be a
pretty good description for life right now
and it amazes me how easy it is to sing
praises and trust God’s strength when I feel
strong. Yet, the Christian life has very little
to do with my emotions and how I feel,
and everything to do with the One who
gives me life and every breath I breathe.
What about the times when I am incredibly
weak and the feelings are far from praise?
Or when looking at my future is like looking
at a death-sentence because life seems so
daunting and I feel so weak that it is hard
to believe I could possibly step forward
and still survive? There are meals to cook, a
large house to clean, and appointments to
remember. Not to mention the deeper
things such as decisions to make, family to
care for, grief to process, and no mother to
help me do this! How can I begin to dream
about the future when I barely feel the
strength to process the here and now?
Well-meaning friends quote verses,
encouraging me to simply cast my burdens
on the Lord, and He will take them, and I
will feel so much better. What if I do not
even have the strength to cast my
burdens? Who says that what is right for this
journey is to fix the problem and be freed
from the pain? What if the power of what
God has to show me is only found in
walking this journey, step by agonizing
step?
Think truth, Kristi.
God reminds me Who He is: In Psalm 37:23,
David says that “The steps of a man are
established by the Lord and He delights in
his way. When He falls, He will not be hurled
headlong because the LORD is the one
Who holds His hand.” I get the picture of a
father and his child walking along a rutted,
dirty path. The child tries his best to step
over the big ruts and potholes, but often
catches his foot and nearly falls. Yet,
because the father is grasping the child’s
outstretched hand, strongly, gently, lifting
him over the potholes, the small one is not
thrown head over heels into the ditch. His
hand is tightly grasping the hand of his
father’s; the weight of his body is fully
dependent on the strength of his father’s
arm.
This is Who God is to me. Daily, hourly,
moment by moment, He grasps my flailing
hand in His and gives me what I need to
live each day. When I do not have the
strength to cast my burdens on Him, He
comes beside me, girds me up, and helps
me to carry the load. It is in my weakness
that His power is perfected.
As I surround myself with truth, my focus is
shifted off of all that does not make sense
and on to Jesus, Who is Truth, Who is Love,
and Who is so intimately involved in the
details of my life. He delights in my way (Ps.
37:23), and even though my journey looks
different from what I ever would have
imagined, He still has not forsaken me.
Even though my life sometimes feels rather
devastated and totaled, His plans are still
to prosper, and are still for good and not
for evil (Jer. 29:11). Even though the sting of
death feels so strong, God is still stronger,
the victory is still His.
36
Knowing these truths helps me to stand up
with Job and sing “the Lord giveth and the
Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the
Lord.” The only place where the deepest
needs of our hearts will be met is in the
place of worship before God. It is a
worship that is not found according to my
circumstances and surroundings, but by
being loved and surrounded by a God
who is in control and who is worthy of every
breath I breathe. |
About the Author
I live with my family in the big city of Los Angeles, California. God continues to show me
how much He loves me and each person He created. Therefore, I love being
anywhere that includes rubbing shoulders with others and making relationships with
people--particularly those who don't know Him or His love yet. Currently, I am getting
ready to begin my first year of nursing school--a dream come true, and something I
hope to use to help those around me and glorify God! In my spare time I love making
music, reading, writing, or being outdoors! I'm simply a follower of Jesus, continually
learning about what it really means to walk in His steps and be a true disciple of His.
37
{the
qual
ity o
f bei
ng th
ankf
ul}
Whatever you do work
heartily, as for the lord
and not for men, knowing
that from the Lord you will
receive the inheritance as
your reward. You are
serving the Lord Christ.
Col. 3:23-24
It’s when I get lost I the day’s
details, or so caught up in
worries about what might be,
that I miss the beauty of
what is.
Karina Kenison
{to a
ccep
t will
ingl
y}
In the sweetness of
friendship let there be
laughter and sharing of
pleasures. For in the dew
of little things the heart
finds its morning and is
refreshed. Khalil Gibran
Oh ordinary day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me not pass you by in quest of some
rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me grateful while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall fall
upon my knees, or bury my face in the pillo1, or lie among the sick, or raise my hands to the sky and
want, more than all the world, your return. Mary Jean Iron
embracingtheordinaryday
“What day is it?” asked Pooh.
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day.” Said Pooh.
Write it on
your heart
that every
day is the
best day in
the year.
Ralph Waldo
Emerson
38
The
Long
Way
By
Rae
Sch
rock
39
Has it ever felt like God is taking you on a
detour? Perhaps you were headed full-
steam toward a goal, when suddenly, out
of nowhere, everything changed. Detours
in life happen all the time, some relatively
minor—like having to adjust one’s schedule
for a last-minute appointment. Others are
catastrophic.
We organize our lives with certain goals
and expectations in mind. Our plans and
moves are chosen based on what we
want or expect to happen next. It can be
quite a shock, then, when we suddenly
experience the de-railing of our plans.
Sometimes the easy road we had mapped
out suddenly turns into a hazardous
pathway adding many more miles to the
journey: a loved one dies suddenly. A
precious child walks away from God. You
face financial crisis. A marriage that stood
for years is torn apart by unfaithfulness.
Serious illness sets in suddenly. Events like
these shake our world. We feel helpless,
frightened and maybe even abandoned,
like a little girl who is lost in a terrifying world
of uncertainty and change.
How do we make sense of the detours that
take us far from our dreams? Does God
know what He is doing? You and I have
both asked this question as we experience
the disappointments of this life. I know the
heartache of abrupt loss and unfulfilled
dreams and have wondered many times if
God really does know what He is doing.
Last year, a very special phrase in Exodus
helped me to get a better glimpse of why
God sometimes does lead us the “long
way around”. Perhaps it will encourage
you as it has me.
h making
sense of
life’s hard
detours.
40
In Exodus 13, we are told that when
Pharaoh finally relented and released the
Israelites, God did not lead them out
through the way of the Philistines, even
though it would have been the fastest
route. Instead, He took them through the
desert—a detour. I had never noticed this
detail but it leaped up at me. Why
wouldn’t God take the Israelites on the
fastest route, through Philistine territory? It
would have trimmed hundreds of miles off
their trek to Canaan—wasn’t the goal to
just get there after all those generations of
slavery? Why take the long way?
In the middle of verse 17, we read why.
God took His children the long way around
“lest the people change their minds when
they see war and return to Egypt.”
This simple explanation hit me with eye-
opening force, bringing simultaneous
comfort and clarity: God knew exactly
what His children would face if they
crossed into barbaric Philistine territory and
He knew that they would not be able to
handle it! It would terrify and destroy them.
The people who had lived in bondage for
so long had no strength to face the horrors
of war; they were weak and vulnerable.
They needed time to grow strong in their
faith and experience God as their
Defender. They had to go through the
desert.
The more I ponder this small detail from the
Exodus story, the more I am convinced it
was mercy that caused the Lord to lead
His children the long way around. It was His
protection and kindness that took them
the way that would build in them a deep
tenacity, patience, and faith.
My perspective of the seemingly senseless
detours I have experienced has also
changed. Think with me of some of those
you have faced—like when the perfect job
fell through; the doors closed to the ministry
you were certain God was leading you
into; the need you have prayed about for
months has not yet been met; the longings
for marriage remain unfulfilled. Could it be
that the when the Lord takes us a way we
don’t expect, it is, in some sovereign way,
His mercy? Oh how painful the detours can
be; how they test our patience! And yet,
maybe, just maybe, they are extended by
the loving hand of a Gracious Father who
knows just what we need and what our
faith can stand. He knows our frailties and
vulnerabilities and how to develop resilient
faith within us. Can we dare to believe that
the detours we face are tokens of His love,
weaving into us tenacity and rest as we
come to trust Him for all our needs? I
believe they are. Our loving Father does
not take us through the desert to punish us
or take away the things we long for. No, He
moves us into the paths of righteousness,
for His own name’s sake; the way that will
fashion us into a purer reflection of Christ
Himself. There is deep joy, even mingled in
the pain of the desert-journey.
When God calls us to the desert, He does
not send us out alone. He journeys with us!
Of the Israelites, Scripture tells us, “God led
them through the way of the desert.”
God led them. What an amazing reality!
We often mistakenly think of the Israelites
as wandering in the desert. In fact, this
terminology is used only twice in the
Exodus account. The rest of the time, the
Scriptures record that “God led” His
41
people. He did not leave them to stumble
blindly through the desert.
He didn’t occasionally step in to nudge
them in the direction of Canaan. No, the
Lord guided them with a visible presence
that went with them constantly. As you
face your own wilderness journeys, take
comfort in knowing that His presence
enfolds you too. If you are called to the
desert, one thing that will never waver is
that God is leading you. There is a purpose
in your detours and He walks with you, His
presence bringing an inner cooling and
warming as you tread the difficult places.
He may lead
you away from
your dreams
for a season,
but only that He
may fulfill them
more fully in the
. end
42
Taking the long
way around was
necessary to
remove Egypt
from their hearts
and carve out a
place for Canaan.
God’s presence in the Israelite camp
provided literal respite from the brutalities
of the desert—cooling shade during the
day, and protective warmth at night. For
us, His shade and warming is spiritual—a
soul-respite from the trial. I especially love
the idea of the Lord being our shade—a
description of God found multiple times in
the Psalms. How close does a friend have
to stand to block the glare of the sun?
Right by our side! The feelings of rest,
comfort, and peace we experience in
difficult times are the “shade” of our loving
Father, who is walking at our side. Often His
shade comes in very tangible ways, for
even the most tedious trials are
punctuated by moments of relief—an
unexpected word of encouragement, a
breakthrough in the struggle, a moment of
unrestrained laughter.
As you walk, look for evidences of the
Lord’s presence. In my own life, the Spirit-
shade has often come in the form of
beauty; lovely things bring joy and serenity
to the difficulties. This past year, moving to
Virginia brought many unexpected
changes and my heart has craved to
touch beauty. Often, I escape to the
outdoors, meandering long through the
woods and fields, steeping my soul in the
colors and sounds and smells of nature.
I’ve found that creating beauty also brings
rest—painting, planting flowers, writing, or
playing my guitar are all things that calm
my heart and refresh me before I return to
the hard things that need to be done.
Realize that God’s shade takes different
forms, but be diligent to search for it. The
respite found in His presence will
strengthen you for long days of hiking.
43
h
Finally, remember that your story is still
being written. We have the advantage of
knowing the Israelites’ story, beginning to
end and it gives us hope. We can see how
their journey led to incredible spiritual
awakening, miracles and redemption. Had
they taken the “way that was near”, some
of the most dynamic revelations of God’s
character would be missing from history.
Even more meaningful to our journeys
today is the realization that Canaan was
not just a place where the Israelites’
journey ended. It was a place the Lord
wanted to infuse in His people
along the way. Taking the long
way around was necessary to
gently remove Egypt from their
hearts and carve out a place for
Canaan. God’s purpose is the
same for us today.
We sojourn without the benefit of knowing
how the details of this earthly journey will
unfold. But we do know that the end is
secure—and the Promised Land is in sight!
Walking with God through the desert, our
hearts fill with a yearning for deeper
intimacy with Him. The things of earth grow
dim, and the anticipation of the eternal
grows strong, filling in the spaces the desert
has carved out within us. Though you may
not see it all now, the desert is softening
you and removing the bondage of self-
preservation, pride, and doubt from your
heart. In its place, Jesus is kneading in
humility, surrender, and patience. Lay
down fear and rest in His kind hand. He
may lead you away from your dreams for
a season, but only that He may fulfill them
more fully in the end and at the appointed
time, you will emerge from the desert
strong in Christ.
We all have to walk hard roads
sometimes—maybe roads so difficult that
we feel we will not make it
through. But hold on to Jesus
and don’t waver your gaze from
Him. The long way around is not
a senseless detour, but a time of
drawing deeper into His arms.
What Spirit-fruit is the Lord
weaving into you through your
trial? Follow Him with eyes wide open for
the miracles He is doing every day within
your heart. Your faith will grow as you
glimpse His power and provision. Keep
hiking, sisters. The desert is hard and often
painful, but it does not last forever. Jesus
walks with you and is leading you away
from your Egypt that He may carve out a
place within you large enough to contain
all the glory of Canaan. |
44
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE MODEST? IS IT JUST AN ISSUE OF DRESS OR IS THERE
MORE TO THE STORY? CAN A WOMAN BE CLOTHED APPROPRIATELY BUT PORTRAY
AN IMMODEST HEART? READ AS BRITTANY SHARES PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND
SPIRITUAL WISDOM FOR CLOTHING MORE THAN JUST OUR BODIES, BUT ALSO OUR
LIVES WITH BEAUTY, FEMININITY, AND GODLINESS.
MODESTY. It’s a concept that invokes
many different reactions and at times,
confusion. Just what exactly is modesty? Is
it making sure every square of inch of skin is
covered? Does it mean buying baggy,
ugly clothes lest, heaven forbid, some
curves are visible?
While at times these particular aspects
may factor into our lives, they are not the
complete story. As women of God, we
should desire to cover ourselves outwardly
for several reasons. First and foremost, our
bodies are the temple of God. Putting our
bodies on display for the world to see
cheapens the holiness of how God
designed us. He created us to be the
dwelling place of His Spirit and our hearts
to be His throne room. Dressing in a chaste
manner brings beauty to that temple.
Secondly, choosing to dress modestly
protects our brothers in Christ. There are
plenty of examples of blatant immodesty in
the world. Our men should not have to
struggle because a sister in Christ chose to
clothe herself in a sensual manner.
Thirdly, choosing a modest wardrobe is just
plain lady-like! There is something special
about a woman who dresses in a genteel
fashion. People appreciate feminine
modesty much more then we may realize.
One time I met someone at the grocery
store who commented on my skirt and
expressed how they appreciated the way I
dressed.
Now, I can already hear some of you say,
“But wait a minute! Men just need to pull
their minds out of the gutter and get over
it. I want to dress the way I want to.” Trust
me, I understand where you’re coming
45
from. Once upon a time I felt somewhat
resentful that the subject of modesty
landed solely on the women’s shoulders
and that it was our fault if a man stumbled.
After all, we can’t please everyone. We
might as well wear a box so that
everything is hidden.
My outlook on modesty has changed as I
have gotten older and hopefully have
gained some wisdom. Yes, we as women
should do what we can to present our
outward parts as modestly as possible for
the reasons already listed. However, I have
learned that modesty is not just an issue of
covering our bodies, but also protecting
our actions and words. A woman may be
covered on the outside, but attention-
seeking actions and cynical words do not
convey modesty to the people around her.
We should guard our actions and protect
our speech.
I realize that God has blessed some of you
with personalities that tend to lean towards
a more boisterous, fun-loving perspective.
There is nothing wrong with that. God
created you that way for a reason. You
don’t have to force yourself to be a meek,
quiet woman because doing that simply
will not work. It was not how you were
designed. Rather than trying to be
someone you are not, try instead to
temper your actions. If you know that you
can be somewhat noisy in a group of
people, simply be aware of that fact and
do what you can to control it. Loud,
rambunctious conversation, while having
its place in some situations, should not be
the norm for a modest woman.
I have a strong personality that loves
sarcastic humor and I’m not afraid to dish it
out to people. However, I realize that
while having that particular characteristic
is not a bad thing, it can be immodest if I
am not careful. There is a time and place
for that type of joking, and I am learning to
temper it to the right situation.
Because modesty is a heart issue, we need
to be aware of how our words sound to
others. Negative emotions we feel inside
very often manifests itself in ugly words. A
modest woman is careful with how she
expresses herself. Harsh criticisms and
gossip are not attractive and lady-like to
anyone.
In case I haven’t made myself clear,
modesty is not only about our outward
46
It was the last play of an important game.
Down by three points, the game was on the
line. Number twenty four was to catch a pass
in the end zone. There was a long throw and a
diving catch. The ref signaled ‘touchdown!’
The bench was running onto the field. The
stands were emptying. The team was running
to celebrate with number twenty four.
In baseball and football the way a ball is
‘caught’ is critically important. It can happen
two ways: if the player gets to the ball in time
and gets his hand under the ball and the ball
does not contact the ground, the ball is
‘caught’. If the player gets to the ball at the
very instant the ball contacts the ground, the
ball is ‘trapped’. A trap is not a legal catch.
Many times it is nearly impossible for the ref to
tell if the ball was caught or trapped.
Twenty four, however, was walking over to the
ref. “I trapped the ball”, twenty four told the ref.
The ref changed the call. The points came of
the scoreboard. The other team won the
game. The stunned fans took only a moment to
react. The jubilant side grew silent and sullen.
The bench and bleachers on the other side of
the field erupted in victory celebration.
Twenty four walked to his team mates and
fans. Fear gripped his heart. What had he
done?
appearance, but also the way we
conduct ourselves. Some of us have
personalities that are hard to tame. Just
because we may live life a little bit more
loudly then the more sedate ladies does
not mean that we can’t be modest. God
created us with our special characteristics
for a reason. Don’t squash your natural
ability to make everybody laugh just
because it may not be lady-like. Learn to
temper it, to be aware of how it may
affect those around you.
Let’s take joy in being women and dress for
the honor and glory of the King, not for the
people around us. Let’s strive to present
our unique personalities in ways that point
back to the One who sits in our throne
room. |
Frank Reed, friend, teacher, and
mentor, calls us to a life of integrity.
I TRAPPED THE BALL
47
What will honesty
cost you? What is
the price of
honesty? Can you
live with
yourself?
Can you face God?
The ref had called the play. They had won
the game. He was the hero. The
cheerleaders, the team, the fans….He was
a hero.
No more. No more hero. No one would
have ever known. No one would have
needed to know. From hero to scoundrel.
The stands were quiet. The locker room –
more quiet. The long ride home on the
team bus – painful. What had he done? He
had a life to live. He had a moment to
relive. He did not have time to decide. The
truth had to be told now. NOW! Tomorrow
would be too late.
He had made a choice – a choice
between loyalty and integrity. Loyalty to
the team or integrity to doing what was
right. Doing what was right, no matter the
cost. He had a life to live.
Every morning when he looked in the
mirror, he would know. At every
reminiscence of the “play” that won the
game for his whole lifetime, he would
know. When his children heard the story he
would know. On his dying day, he would
know.
Loyalty or integrity? Which will it be for
you? Why must life be so hard?
The ref must make the call.
You must live with
yourself. If you are
honest and the ref does not change the
call, you have done what you could. You
will know you did what was right.
What is most valuable to you? Winning or
integrity? Can you live with yourself?
Volleyball – the ball was in and the ref was
not looking and made a bad call. What do
you do? What about your personal life? Is
a moment’s indiscretion worth the
damage it will do? A moment of fun at the
expense of someone else? An opportunity
to make money for your company…An
opportunity to cover up the truth at your
church. No one would ever know.
What will honesty cost you? What is the
price of honesty? Can you live with
yourself? Can you face God?
NO ONE WOULD EVER KNOW.
BUT YOU.
48
{RED}
49
SIMPLE RED ACCENTS
Roses arranged in a vase
A throw blanket on the couch
Red covered cookbooks stacked
on the kitchen counter
A bowl of fresh apples
Paint the front door red
An area rug
Red
is a vibrant, energetic color that
grabs our attention. As one of the
more emotionally acute colors in the spectrum, red is
known to incrase blood pressure and helps spur the
adrenal glands, thus encouraging strength and
stamina. It is commonly associated with emotions such
as anger, passion, and love; however it can also be the
color of courage and strength.
Excess exposure to this color can produce stress and perhaps
frustration; therefore use red sparingly when doing interior decorating.
Use it as an accent color instead of making it the focal point. Throw
some energy into your life by using one of these simple décor ideas:
Eating red fruits and veggies can help
boost our systems by providing powerful
antioxidants. Cherries, whether
fresh or dried, are great source of
fiber because of their skin. They
also provide Vitamin C and
Potassium. Tomatoes are
heart healthy as they also
provide Vitamin C and Potassium.
Grapefruits are a
good source of
pectim, which can
help lower cholesterol.
When choosing
grapefruit, go with pink or
red, as these varieties have
higher levels of lycopene. Lycopene can help reduce
the risk of various cancers as well as heart disease.
Red, whether light or dark, adds zest to ordinary
color palettes. Perk up your day with something red and
see if it doesn’t make things seem just a little more
energetic!
Meet Shari featured
blogger
About Shari Zook
“I don’t have much to post on this page, because most of what I say about myself is
probably propaganda and you should think before you swallow. Some is purposely slanted;
some is innocently biased; none of it is documented. I am not wise enough to see myself
accurately.
Here are the most basic facts I can think of.
My name is Shari Zook.
I am married to a handsome and compelling man named Ryan. (See? The bias comes out
already. But what I say is true nonetheless!) Here on my blog he goes by The Boss, or Not the
Boss, depending on the month.
We have three beloved, infuriating children: Aarick (7), Regan (5), and Kelly (2).
We love Jesus.
We live in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and attend Meadville Mennonite Chapel.”
Click to visit Shari’s blog: http://shari.zooks.us
51
Did you know that I can hear what
plants are saying?
This is one reason why I hate
weeding (besides the fact that it is
hard work): it feels cruel and unfair. I
hate the sight of all those babies
gasping and shriveling in the sun.
When I prune I have to steel myself
against the protest. Once when
Ryan chopped off a big wild
grapevine, the sight of that gaping,
dripping stump was dreadful to me,
like someone bleeding.
The other day I was out in my garden
picking green beans. As I
pulled the long straight pods, I was
sure (quite sure) I heard the plants
sighing with relief.
Left alone, the beans would turn fat
and woody, aging idly, sapping
strength, corking the usefulness and
life span of the plant. Removed, they
cleared the way for fresh energy to
surge into the blossoms and new
beans coming on. The plant found it
was still young. Productivity endured.
They were delighted to give; I was
delighted to receive.
I thought to myself—this is how I
should think of good deeds.
Be kindly affectioned one to another
with brotherly love… not slothful in
business; fervent in spirit; serving the
Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in
tribulation; continuing instant in
prayer; distributing to the necessity
of saints; given to hospitality.
(Romans 12:10-13)
Sometimes I get exhausted with my
works, as though I have to produce
enough of them to stretch around to
the needs of all. Instead, I should be
Green Beans and &
Posted on July 30, 2013
52
producing them because that is
what I do—fueled by internal design,
not external pressure. I am a bean
plant. I make beans. And when
someone comes along and picks
them to enjoy, I can release them
with a sigh of relief.
Whew. Thanks for taking that. I
needed to cook a good meal for
someone.
Ahh. Lovely. Thanks for giving me an
opportunity to
babysit. I’ve
been growing
that one quite
a while.
Mmmmm. It
feels good to
stop in and visit
you. I hope you
are feeling
better soon…
Thank you for
letting me throw you a party! Now I
can start cooking up the next one.
If you’re feeling useless and stuffed
up, clear out some of the overripe
projects, the things you’ve been
meaning to do for others for a long
time—or you’ll soon find you have
stopped concocting the fresh.
And a little nontraditional advice, if I
may–
Don’t get too bogged down
examining your motives: you usually
have several. If you can get them
about 80% pure, just go with it,
trusting to Jesus to iron out the rest.
“Am I just doing it to make myself
look good?” is not the end of the
road you may think. For women who
claim to be devoted to God should
make themselves attractive by the
good things they do. (I Timothy 2:10
NLT.)
For women
who claim to
be devoted to
God should
make
themselves
attractive by
the good
things they
do. For women
who claim to
be devoted to God should make
themselves attractive by the good
things they do. For women who
claim to be devoted to God
should make themselves
attractive by the good things
they do.
*****
What do you think?
Among the Rocks
BY ROBERT BROWNING
Oh, good gigantic smile o’ the brown old earth,
This autumn morning! How he sets his bones
To bask i’ the sun, and thrusts out knees and feet
For the ripple to run over in its mirth;
Listening the while, where on the heap of stones
The white breast of the sea-lark twitters sweet.
That is the doctrine, simple, ancient, true;
Such is life’s trial, as old earth smiles and knows.
If you loved only what were worth your love,
Love were clear gain, and wholly well for you:
Make the low nature better by your throes!
Give earth yourself, go up for gain above!
Fall life through
Carmony’s lens
55
Good Life Ministries is located in
Hyderbad, India, and began in 2000
with a simple gift of $20.00, given to Sam
Gunti who is a native of India. With this
gift, Sam began a ministry formed from a
love for Jesus and a passion to reach
out to the un-reached of India! Today,
Sam and his wife, Becca, and their 3
children, continue to reach out with the
love of Jesus to the people of this needy
country. Here, Becca Gunti shares their
heart of ministry, as well as stories of
individuals they have met along the
way, and ways that you too can
become involved in the important work
in India!
Good
Life MINISTRIES
Hyderbad, India
56
As it is very tough to get into some
of the villages that are so closed to the
Gospel and with our love for children; we
felt the Lord calling us to reach out to the
children of India by starting little kids clubs
(using a coloring book which taught them
about cleanliness and later about Jesus).
Often, these clubs began under a tree or in
someone’s front or back yard or even
sitting on a rock or tree stump somewhere
in the village. The kids would love to come
and see what Sam has to share and the
parents were curious as well...but they
would stand far off at first...and little by little
get closer and closer; then they would tell
their children to come and tell Sam to
come and pray in their house for them. This
was a BIG sign that the parents were
interested to know more about Jesus!
Praise the Lord, through Kids Clubs, Good
Life Ministries has been able to start 11
churches in the different villages!
The Lord has expanded our ministry to
include many more avenues of outreach
such as:
1. Good Life Clubs
2. Good Life Schools
3. Sponsorship Program (Feeding Program)
4. Training Center (Computers, English,
Driving School)
5. Youth Ministry
6. VBS
7. Church Planting
8. Evangelistic/Revival Meetings
9. Christmas Gifts
10. Medical/Eye Camps
11. Bore Wells
12. Sewing
13. Jesus Films
14. Relief Work
15. Training Mission Workers (Good Life
Club Leaders)
16. Bible Correspondence Course
It is beyond the scope of this paper to tell
you about every aspect of the ministry, but
here are a few highlights of our work here
in India:
GLM Computer/English Training
Center Many youth who come to our Training Center
for the services we offer have a desire and
want to learn all they can to be able to earn
an income and support themselves and their
families.
57
As Sam was working in different villages,
parents and young people themselves would
ask Sam if he knew of a place where they
could take a class on computers as many jobs
require computer knowledge. Many wanted to
go somewhere but could not afford it. As Sam
realized the great interest among young
people for this kind of training he started
wondering how he could meet this need and
at the same time use it as a tool for sharing the
Gospel.
Some friends from the states offered to give a
laptop to the ministry. Sam had a thought: he
asked if they could give two desk-top
computers instead to help the youth to learn
computers. These dear friends surprised Sam
and not only gave two desktop computers but
four. Sam started out with these four computers
right in his home in 2005 and as friends told
their friends of a place where they could take
computer classes free, the need grew for more
space and more computers. Starting out we
thought we could reach around 40 young
people a year but within the past 8 years the
Lord has blessed us with over 6,000 people
coming through the doors of our Training
Center.
Presently we offer two classes, one in the
morning and one in the afternoon. We
average 60-80 students each day.
Sam initially meets with each of the students
before a new group begins classes to learn
what he can about them and how he could
best minister to them and share the Gospel.
This is different from what most students are
used to as in India as teachers do not normally
befriend them. As he shows an interest in their
lives Sam is able to speak into their hearts. Sam
requires each new group of students to attend
at least two extra classes where he will share
the Gospel message in a creative way. The
6000 or more young people who have come
through our doors in the past nine years
represent around 45 different villages coming
from various backgrounds and castes. To some
young people who are very closed to the
Gospel, this has been a way of breaking down
those barriers. Some who have come have not
only been able to find a good job but have
also “tasted and seen that the Lord is good”
and have given their lives to Him. Some have
begun attending Bible Studies.
Teaching young people Computer and English
classes has also been a source of protection
for us from the local government and leaders
58
in our community who may oppose us sharing
the Gospel. They see and appreciate our effort
of helping those in our community.
GLM Schools and Feeding Program--
Slum School
Our slum school began from our work among
the poor people in a slum area under a bridge
in the city. We initially began a Kids Club there
and as we would take our coloring books
called “Good Life Guides” into the slum we
would teach the children about personal
hygiene. We also taught them about how they
could be clean with Jesus in their hearts. Most
children who live in slums do not go to school.
They either help their parents picking up trash,
watching their younger siblings or find some
way to make a little bit of money. As we were
going into the slum on a daily basis and saw
their needs and the difference it would make
in their lives by giving them an education we
decided to start a school in the slum in 2004.
The original slum area where we first started
ministering to these children 9 years ago was
destroyed without warning in 2005. The people
were told to leave in a very short time. The new
school building we had built was knocked over
along with any other homes that were not
moved in the allotted time. The government
moved the people to a building to stay in but it
turned out to be very inadequate for the
amount of people. They did not bring them the
food they promised either. The parents called
us asking for help. That was the beginning of
our Feeding Program.
The children had been without food for a
whole day and night. The parents called us
asking for help since their children were so
hungry and they had nothing to give them. We
knew they also had not been getting
adequate nutrition in the past and so we went
quickly to a restaurant and took them some
little rice cakes and decided to continue
giving them one good meal a day at school
from that day onwards. Oh, how the children
look forward to getting a nice warm meal!
Time passed and the government did not
relocate the people as they had promised. We
eventually helped them find an area outside of
the city where they could again set up their
community of around one hundred families.
Good Life Ministries, with the help of friends,
then built another school near them in 2006
which is now known as the Slum School. (This is
also the same school onto which we built our
Boarding School in 2010.)
The present location of the Slum School has
turned out to be a blessing as it is not directly in
the slums. It is easier to teach the children
about cleanliness when there is easy access to
water. Ministering among the parents has
been difficult but we have been encouraged
by the commitments that some of the children
have made. We are also encouraged by the
different stories we hear sometimes from the
parents and sometimes from the teachers of
the children who have made changes. For
example there was one young boy who used
to pick up trash and keep all his money plus
take as much from his mommy as possible.
After coming to school, he learned about
helping his parents and helping other people
and sharing what he has with others; he then
would take the meager amount that he would
Approximately
25,000 children have
been reached
through Kids Clubs
& VBS.
59
get from his trash and bring it to his
mommy…she was shocked and wondered
what had made her son change.
We have 120 students at the Slum School. We
will be adding more students as we find the
sponsors to support these children in giving
them an education and also the opportunity
to learn about Jesus!
GLM Sandpit/Boarding School
Our school in the Sandpit began with a group
of parents who were believers and wanted to
learn to read so they could read the Bible.
When we started our school in this area in 2005
we had parents at first learning alongside of
their children. Another reason for starting the
school is that the Sandpit was located in a very
rural area, way back off the main road; the
government did not provide schooling for the
children. Knowing the importance of
education for these dear ones, we started a
school and were also excited that their parents
learned the alphabet so they could read the
Bible! We had a School/Church in the Sandpit
for five years. In June of 2009 the Sandpit
where the s worked was destroyed. The
parents needed to leave and move on to find
work elsewhere. Without much besides their
few meager belongings, they did not know
where they would need to go to find work;
what would happen with their children as they
would most likely not have a school where
they are going; what about their children’s
future? They trusted Sam to come to him and
ask if he could take their children in and care
60
for them helping them to continue their
education. Twenty three children came to live
at the Slum School. For almost a year the
children slept in the classrooms... moving the
desks out each evening and putting them
back in time for class the next day. We were
blessed with the resources to build a Boarding
School for these children and in December of
2010 the children were able to move into their
new home.
Having the children living at the Boarding
School has been an opportunity to allow those
children who do not come from Christian
homes to see what it is like to live in that
atmosphere and to have a time of prayer and
sharing with them. It is also an opportunity to
be able to give them a more structured
setting. Here we can also encourage and
teach them to respond in right ways. We have
been encouraged with how we have seen
them thrive in this environment. We have also
seen an improvement in their grades as a result
of the structured learning time. We now have
60 students at the Boarding School. It costs
$25.00/month for a day student and
$40.00/month for a student staying at the
Boarding School.
GLM Vacation Bible Schools
Initially we began Vacation Bible School as a
ministry to come alongside and encourage
churches and other ministries. Although we still
do occasionally help churches or ministries that
ask us our main target is the unreached
children.
We have found children to be great
“evangelists” as they come one day/year and
having enjoyed VBS they bring their friends the
next day/year. Festivals in India are times of
great celebration and fun. In the States it
would be likened to children going to camp
for a week. Lots of fun! That is how children
here view VBS! Christian parents are glad to
have their children going somewhere to learn
Biblical truths. Other parents who hear good
things are going to be taught are excited to
send their children. Children from Christian
families are also excited to be able to bring
their Hindu friends. Our smallest VBS is around
30 children and our largest reached over 7,500
in January 2013.
VBS has been a way to encourage children to
love the Lord and make decisions to live for
Him. As many pastors have not had a lot of
training in knowing how to minister to children
and do not have a lot of resources available to
them the time of VBS is an encouragement to
them as they observe VBS and even take part
in teacher training sessions. Sam sometimes
gives them resources to be able to use with
their children after we've left. It is an
encouragement to the pastors just to know
they are not alone. It has been our privilege to
be able to train 50-100 volunteers (youth), from
different areas, to know how to minister to
children. It has been encouraging to us to see
them continue to carry on that vision by
ministering to children after we leave. We've
had a young man who has joined our team
ministering through Kids Club in our area. Some
One child’s testimony:
My Name is Kavitha. I am in the 8th grade. I
have been to VBS several times. My family
beat me the first time I went to VBS. I loved
hearing the stories and singing the songs so I
went back. This year I made a commitment to
follow Jesus Christ. Since then my hardship has
increased at home. My brother takes my Bible
away from me when I read it and my dad
keeps me from going to church. He tells my
friends I have work to do and cannot come. I
keep remembering what Jesus did on the cross
for me; how much pain he bore for my sins. I
am happy to suffer for Jesus because He
suffered for me! I am so thankful that God used
GLM VBS to save me! I am so happy with Jesus
in my life. I want my Dad, Mom and brother to
have this same happiness!
Please pray for children, like Kavitha, who
suffer for the commitments they have made to
follow Jesus at VBS and Good Life Clubs.
61
of the young people who have volunteered
have also since then been to our Youth Center
joining in Bible Studies or taking part in our
Computer/English Center.
Here it is so hot and so we need to be sure to
have ample supply of water or some kind of
drink. We usually also give out a snack or meal.
Many times children come without having
eaten breakfast. We sometimes cook a meal
for the children because they come from a
distance in the extreme heat of the summer
and without nourishment they become sick.
The Lord has blessed VBS with rapid growth, it
started in 2007 with 800 kids, 1500 kids in 2008,
2250 in 2009, 3000 in 2010, 4000 in 2011, 6000 in
2012 and around 7600 in 2013.
GLM Kid's Club
For Kid's Club we like to target non-Christian
areas where there is not an established church
and not any Christian presence that we know
of. We start out Kid's Club using Good Life
Guides to teach the children cleanliness and
make parallels to our lives spiritually. Our youth
boys (Young men who are being mentored
through our Youth Center) help out with the
Kid's Clubs passing on the things they have
learned. Kid's Clubs can be challenging as we
start out because the children are generally
unruly and undisciplined but over time they
learn to be respectful. We have found Kid's
Club very effective in gaining the confidence
of their parents as they see the good things we
are teaching their children. Many times when
we have Kid's Club it is held somewhere right in
the middle of the village. The parents come
and gather around the edge of the circle of
children to see what we are doing. As they
listen seeds of truth are planted in their hearts
as well. Over the years GLM has reached into 8
slums 16 villages with Kids Clubs. We currently
have 8 Kids Clubs where we go every week
and share with the children.
The children who come to our Kid's Club come
to our VBS as well bringing their friends with
them. (Just recently in 2013 we have started 18
new Kids Clubs).
GLM Church Planting
Our goal for church planting is to go into areas
where there are no Christians, churches or
ministry working presently. As these villages are
usually closed to the Gospel we build their trust
and a relationship with them by holding
Medical/Eye Camps in their village, boring
wells and through Kid's Clubs. A church was
started in the Stone Quarry as a result of our
Kid's Club and School there.
Presently we are meeting in eleven villages
where churches have been started through
Kids Clubs. We have 3 full time and one part
time worker going out and ministering in these
villages. Sam tries to visit each village at least
once a month to encourage the believers
there.
Because the believers are first generation
Christians they usually have a lot of questions
about why they should or should not do
certain things. There are many traditions that
they have that are not necessarily wrong but
they want to make sure they do them in a
godly way. For example: when a baby is
named at six months or later normally a priest
or grandparent would name the child. Since
they are now Christians they come to the
pastor wanting him to name the child- giving
him/her a Bible name.
GLM Medical/Eye Camps
In 2004 we started Medical/Eye Camps as a
way to go into rural villages that were closed
to the Gospel. As villagers see that we care
about them as individuals they are willing to
open their hearts to us and the message we
bring.
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Sometimes the leaders of the villages are more
opposed to us than the people. It has already
happened that the day we go into a village
that a leader who is opposed to us will be sick.
After coming to us for help and getting better
he will be our best spokesperson having
gained a different outlook about who we are
and what we are doing.
We normally begin our medical camp with
prayer, dedicating all that we are doing to the
Lord and giving Him the credit for whatever
takes place. That in itself is then a testimony to
the people that anything that takes place is
from the Lord. As needs are met among the
people their hearts are softened. In this way
we are able to begin Kid's Clubs in the villages
opening the door to the possibility of
eventually starting a church within that village.
In many different ways people are helped and
encouraged through Medical/Eye Camps.
To date we have been able to reach into
approximately 150 villages with the Gospel
through Medical Camps.
GLM Bore Wells
In India there is a scarcity of water and people
need to carry any water they use for long
distances if there is not a well nearby. If a well is
not giving much water it affects the whole
village because everyone is dependent on it
for water. Bore Wells are similar to Medical/Eye
Camps in that as we meet the need for water
people out of gratefulness are open to
listening to the Message we bring.
When we go into a village to begin digging a
well we will pray asking the Lord to provide the
water for us. When the people see the
abundance of water, they remember that we
asked the Lord for it, and recognize that it is
the Lord who has provided.
In one large village where we drilled a well
there were a number of wells the government
had drilled. In time the government wells dried
up. It has been a testimony to the people of
the Lord's faithfulness as the well we drilled has
continued to supply the much needed water.
“Although access to drinking water has
improved, the World Bank estimates that 21%
of communicable diseases in India are related
to unsafe water. In India, diarrhea alone
causes more than 1,600 deaths daily—the
same as if eight 200-person jumbo-jets crashed
to the ground each day.” (water.org) You can
see that the need for good, clean water is very
much a necessity.
At this time more than 50 villages have access
to wells that we have drilled bringing water to
30,000 people.
GLM Sewing Centers
We started Sewing Centers in 2006 as we
realized the young girls within our Kids Clubs
would not be coming much longer. What
could we do for them that would benefit them
in the future? That would help to better their
lives and give them a brighter future?
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In many villages parents and husbands do not
allow their daughters or wives to leave or
venture far from their homes. Without the
ability to go far they usually don't have the
opportunity to learn a trade or even have a
job.
With Sewing Centers the young ladies could
learn the trade within their village. It is a trade
they could learn at home and then also work
out of their homes.
Knowing how to sew not only helps a young
lady bring in a little income for her family
before she is married but also afterwards.
Because of the dowry system in India, if a
potential husband knows his bride-to-be can
sew he may ask less dowry from her family
knowing that after they are married she will be
able to bring in a little income for them.
As young ladies are helped and learn how to
sew they in turn encourage their younger
siblings to come to our Kid's Clubs.
GLM Jesus Film Ministry
We have found the Jesus Film to be a very
effective tool in sharing the Gospel and has
touched many lives. As many people do not
know much about Christianity other than that
they believe it is a foreign religion; showing the
Jesus Film helps them to learn the truth about
who Jesus is and why He came.
Sometimes there is opposition; as in one village
where three Hindu leaders insisted that Sam go
to the police station for forcing his religion on
their villagers. Even though Sam had the young
men take down the equipment they still
insisted that he go. Ironically the men had no
vehicle to take him in and so insisted that Sam
drive them there. As they went the men asked
questions about Christianity in a rude, mocking
way. At the police station, there happened to
be a Muslim policeman among the
predominant Hindu staff. He told the men that
because Sam had willingly taken down his
Raju’s Story
Raju sat very still; looking down as words flowed
all around him. The kind, funny man had come
again. Raju liked this man; he made Raju laugh.
He made him forget. Forget that he looked
different. Forget that he had a gap in his upper
jaw and a lip that was big and out-turned
showing teeth and gums that were badly
deformed. Forget that children made fun of him
for looking different, for talking funny and for not
being able to keep food from running out his
nose when he ate. He liked to forget. He peeked
up at the man who was talking intently to his
father and mother. The man made him feel safe,
like he belonged, like he was no different from
any of the other children, like he was special.
Raju turned his eyes to his mother as he realized
she was crying. “I am so happy you will do this for
my son! I thank you so much! She said lifting her
folded hands to her face and bowing her head
slightly as a sign of gratefulness and respect. Her
heart ached for her son whenever she knew he
was hurting from some thoughtless word that
had been directed at him. She had been deeply
disappointed when as a baby he had had a free
surgery to correct his cleft palate only to have it
come apart months later. She sensed Raju’s big
brown eyes looking at her questioningly.
“Raju, Mr. Sam, will take you to a special Dr. and
he will fix your lip! You will look like other
children!” she exclaimed happily. Even though
there was much pain and discomfort that little
Raju had to go through for some time with the
different surgeries; he now is so happy and he
looks beautiful!
Raju will always have a scar but it is a good
reminder of how God showed His love to him
through using people like you to reach out and
make it possible for him to have surgeries to fix his
cleft pallet!
There are many hurting children in India…much
by harsh words that are directed toward them!
Please pray that they will lean on Jesus and feel
His loving arms around them and Trust in Him!
64
equipment to show the film he was not forcing
it on them. As the other police talked with the
leaders, the Muslim policeman took Sam aside
into another office telling him that he was free
to go they were not going to charge him with
anything. He could leave out the back door.
As Sam went to leave he felt bad as it was late
in the evening and if he left without the men it
would take them awhile to walk back to the
village. Sam offered them a ride. The Muslim
policeman thought he was crazy. The men
rode quietly all the way back and Sam took
the opportunity to share his faith with them.
Get involved with Good Life
Ministries:
1. through our sponsorship program for the
children at our Slum/Boarding School.
With $25/month you can make it possible
to send a child to school and receive a
nice warm meal a day.
Ruthnamma’s Story
In 2003, someone gave Sam $20 to go to remote villages to share the Gospel. He faced some difficult
times. One of the villages Sam traveled two hours to was called Rumkanpally. It was way back off the main
beaten path. He would go evenings when school was out. There was a lot of wickedness in this village,
NOBODY wanted Sam to come and convert their people to Christianity.
Sam would hold Kids Club under a tree, sitting on a stump, and as he did the people would gather around.
A certain lady would catch his attention each time. She would stand in back and stare; her devilish eyes
would make you want to run. Sam found out that she was the witch doctor for the village. When going into
the village Sam and the team felt a heaviness and a darkness. The people were very superstitious. The
village was hard to reach… when there were Hindu festivals the Christian had to go in before they started
and wait until the festivities ended or they would be harmed.
Sam went in one day to do a Kids Club; while he was sharing a man from the village who didn’t like him
sharing with the children came to him and began cursing Sam and his family. Sam tried to ignore him but it
was hard as he even spit at him. Within the same week the man that cursed him became very sick and
died. Sam wasn’t sure how the people would take it- would they think he had caused it by coming into
their village and sharing about Jesus? The people didn’t take it that way though- they believed that the
Christians’ God was angry at the man because he had cursed Sam. They came to respect and were
willing to listen to what Sam shared. He no longer had the opposition that he had had before.
This lady who had stood at a distance glaring at Sam- the Lord worked in her life and was able to break
the chains of darkness in her life. Now she is one of the main Christian ladies in the village. We still do not
have a church in her village but for the last 9 years Ruthamma has allowed us to hold church in her home
every Sunday and Kids Club during the week. She is always so happy to do what she can even though she
has had trouble with her health. She has a strong faith in Jesus and we believe that because of that faith
God has healed her and blessed her family.
Sam was also able to help the daughter and wife of the man who died. He bought school books and sent
her to school. The mother was delighted with the help and would accept the gifts of God’s love when Sam
would visit her village. The daughter has grown up so much… she is now in the 9th grade. At Christmas last
year, at a Christmas program that we held in the village, she was there and sitting in the front row, listening
intently with a big smile on her face. It made her so happy to be able to come forward and help Sam with
the object lessons he was doing as well as cut the Christmas cake in celebration of the birth of Jesus!
Sam has many memories of how difficult it was when he first tried to share the Gospel in Rukanpally, but
now… we praise the Lord for the believers and young people who were once in Kids Club but are now
growing into beautiful testimonies for the Lord. Please pray with us for these believers and especially the
youth that they would be able to stand strong even in the face of opposition and persecution from their
family and friends!
65
2. with $40/month you can provide a child
to go to school and have room and board
and 3 warm meals a day!
3. for VBS; you can help to provide the
means for a child to come to VBS for 4
days for $4.
4. we are also training young men and
woman to be effective Kids Club leaders
and if you would like to be involved in
giving to these teachers (we normally have
a 3 day training) trained and equiped to
go
Volunteer Options
-come and teach our children here at our
house as well as get involved in ministry a
bit
- help equip Good Life Club (Kids club)
leaders. For a gift of any amount you can
help these young men and women who
have a desire and passion to get involved
and share Jesus with the children in their
villages.
- fundraisers for specific needs or helping to
raise funds for ongoing work of GLM
-come and visit on a short term mission
trip...it will open their eyes and give them
things to think about and open their hearts
to what God wants them to do in the
future.
-help with designing of different things that
we may need for newsletters/cds etc.
-help with banquets, programs, etc when
we come to the states or other times.
Find out more at: www.glmindia.org
or contact us
at [email protected] to sign up
for our newsletter or learn more
about the ministry.
You can also visit Youtube and look
up Sam Gunti Good Life Ministries to
find videos about the ministry and
work!
Our U.S. address is:
Good Life Ministries:
P.O. Box 382
Plain City, OH. 43064
About the Author:
My name is Rebecca Gunti. I grew up in Plain City Ohio on a farm along with 5 sisters! We lived on a dairy
farm and learned to live a very disciplined life of work and also some times of fun and enjoyment. I went
to Shekinah Christian School...After graduating I taught first grade in Indiana for a year before heading off
to India to see what Sam's country was like.
I married Sam Gunti, from Hyderabad, India in July of 1996. He had went to Rosedale Bible School and graduated with a diploma in
Christian Ministries. We moved to India to start the work God called us to in Sept. of 1998 along with Sonya Gunti (our daughter). We
now have 3 beautiful children (gifts from the Lord)...Sonya - 16yrs; Jason - 14 yrs; and Judson-8yrs. We have been living in India now
for close to 15yrs.
My hobbies are to sit down and read a good book, play games with our children, share with people the exciting things the Lord is
doing and has done! I love the Lord and am so thankful for what He has done in my life and I want to share Him with those around
me in any way I can.
Our vision is to continue reaching out to the lost and hurting here in India! There is such a ripe harvest of souls searching for TRUTH!
If one of us can put a thousand to flight then 2 of us can send a legion fleeing. Deuteronomy 32:30
66
It all started a month or two ago.
I have a fetish for food products that can
be made at home. At the top of the list is
yogurt; I love maintaining an abundant
supply for my family. While poking around
online, I came across fermented foods
besides yogurt that could also be made at
home. Great, I thought; yogurt’s good for
you as a means of probiotics so this stuff
probably is too. Kombucha, a tea based
drink, most intrigued me. So I got a starter
culture (a slightly frightening white disc
called a mushroom, mother, or scoby) and
made my first batch. It was pretty good.
Only afterward did I realize the drink is
controversial. It is touted by some
natural/alternative medicine camps as the
wonder elixir to cure cancer, kill toxins, and
generally give a chance at a long and
healthy life. But that’s not the only
controversy. Apparently, there’s concern
over how much alcoholic content results
from the fermentation process. It’s
generally agreed that the levels are too
low to classify as an alcoholic beverage.
However, the potential for alcoholic
content increases significantly if kombucha
is put through a second ferment by adding
white spaces
{learning in unexpected ways}
By Marlene Stoltzfus
67
fruit juice and leaving at room temperature
for a day or two.
Did I mention that I added fruit juice and
went on a trip, leaving the brew at room
temperature for four days? Yeah. Oops.
You mean that pleasant carbonation was,
um, not just carbonation?
By this point, I felt thoroughly dumb that I
had stumbled so unwittingly into this
experiment. I mean, what kind of stay-at-
home mom welcomes her husband back
from work with a glass of homemade
bubbly? And I have questions about the
natural medicine movement. Making a
celebrated preventative drink made me
feel like I was going hook, line, and sinker
for everything connected to it.
It was a big deal to me. I felt that I had to
Draw Conclusions, as though making
kombucha also meant making a
statement. Later, I realized it’s hard for me
to let experimentation be just that: an
experiment. It’s easy for me to gaze
microscopically before I leap. Instead, I
want to live with an open hand in a way
that invites attempts and experimentation.
But to live that way also invites the
experience of failure, because sometimes
attempts are flops.
Fast forward a few weeks. Now we’re on
the hunt for a dining room set, of which
I’ve been at the helm. I’ve been working
through hundreds of listings on Craigslist in
three nearby areas. After gobs of calls
and emails, we drive two hours to
Pittsburgh to look at a set. We buy it, bring
it home….and I don’t like it. There’s a list of
strikes against it in quality and preference,
now that I’m away from pressured decision
making in front of the owners.
Experimentation, huh? This was a pretty
expensive experiment. It feels like a failure
on a number of levels.
There’s also a growing list of gardening
disappointments. I planned on broccoli for
a fall crop. Apparently, nobody has heard
of such a thing, so there are no plants
available and now it’s too late to plant
seeds. The tomatoes, which I grew from
seed and babied against the local blight,
went from loaded green lushness to
skeletal deadness by late blight within 48
hours. We planted winter squash too late
to get a crop before frost, and we’re
barely going to get summer squash for the
same reason.
So there they are, my steady visitors lately:
experimentation, failure, and
disappointment. I’ve been frustrated by
the lack of fresh energy that new
discoveries give. Make that pleasant new
discoveries; there have been discoveries,
but I haven’t exactly been in love with
them. I’ve spun my wheels, getting
nowhere or even backward.
So I realized that my idea of learning has
needed to enlarge. I expect learning to
happen in predictable ways. I expect it to
be exciting new ventures, to feel good,
and make my life better almost
immediately. I’ve forgotten that learning
happens sometimes in unexpected ways. I
have forgotten the hard work of learning
when it isn’t pleasant and the payback
comes in a gradual, long-term way. After
all, success is about being changed in the
image of Christ, not the list which we have
perfectly achieved.
I’d say it was worth brewing a cup of
kombucha to find that perspective. |
the team
Carmie Recommends… I have found that being intentional is a must when it comes to my time with God. While it’s easy to have good intentions, it’s another thing to carry out those intentions. There are many other things that happen during our day that we do intentionally…spending time in the Word should be one of them as well. When I intentionally take the time to read and meditate on God’s word, my days feels more complete and I feel more ready to face the different tasks ahead of me. Being married and having a household to run, it can be a challenge to not let thoughts of all I have to do that day or that week take away from the quiet time that gives me so much needed strength for each day. If it helps you to be more intentional, add “quiet time” to your daily to-list list. While spending time with God is not something to be viewed as just another task to check off our list, writing it down and making it a part of your daily routine may help you actually carry out your good intentions. Having a specific study plan can also help keep your intentions on track. I have found that reading through a specific devotional book along with my Bible helps me stay more focused. Keeping a notebook and pen on hand to job down thoughts that come to mind as you study solidifies the truths that you are reading.
/time in the secret place/
69
Marlene Recommends… Having a steady devotional time has always been difficult for me. About a year ago, I realized that I put a lot of pressure on myself to have some kind of emotional experience or breakthrough during my devotional times. If I approached, say, my husband with the same intensity of expectation, I would also avoid spending time with him. So I’ve learned to be OK with the normal times and even off times with God, just like normal ebb and flow of a human relationship.
I’ve also found it’s good to try different things in different seasons of life. Right now, I can focus best at night, reading Scripture while I put my little girl to sleep, enjoying the inner order I feel from almost everything in its rightful place. Sometimes you have to revamp your routine to find something that works better.
Rae Recommends… I am a night-owl and concentrate better at night, so I like to spend my quiet times with God in the evening. Lately my life has been extra busy and it seems like I never have enough time to get everything done. Times like these, I value my alone time with God extra-much—it is sweet and calming to pull away from the daily demands and steep my heart in the promises of Scripture and one-on-one time with God. I have also learned to relieve myself of the feeling of “duty” when it comes to my devotions. Rather than just putting in time, I strive to come to Jesus with a heart of love rather than guilt. Quality time with God isn’t just something to check off the to-do list; when it starts feeling that way, I look for creative ways to refresh my intimate times with Him: journaling prayers; long walks enjoying the beauty of creation; playing worship songs on the guitar or piano. Sometimes, just escaping to a quiet room for 10 minutes is a spiritual oasis. When I come to Him in quietness, with an open heart, eager to meet Him, I find comfort and strength for the other tasks ahead of me.
Brittany Recommends… I have to admit, my devotional time is not always what it should be. However, I am trying to be more disciplined in setting aside time in my day to spend with Jesus. Something that I have started doing more often is making use of the Strong’s concordance on my phone. At times as I read through Scripture, I’ll find a word that doesn’t always make sense to me. Taking the time to look up various words has been a huge blessing, one that I didn’t realize I was missing out on. Some verses that I’ve always known have taken on new meaning for me because I have a better understanding of what the author was trying to say.
70
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[klohz]
vb. - to bring the parts or edges together.
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