Recently I tore my calf muscle, causing me to take minutes of significant pain to walk across a room. When I learned what my issue was, and my first text to my family discussing the problem included praise to God, I understood that my attitude was not that of Pollyanna, but derived from my understanding of how much God loves me. I’ll call this a Jimmyanna attitude.

The dictionary tells us that “A Pollyanna is a person characterized by excessive, blind or unjustifiable optimism, often finding a silver lining in every situation”. Instead of this, I want to be characterized as one who knows that God’s love is far greater than anything I can imagine; I have no need to doubt the truth of His care for me because He gave me His Word in assurance; and I don’t have a silver lining to fall back on, but am awaiting streets of gold for eternity.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 simply says “rejoice always.” It doesn’t say only rejoice at the good stuff.

Last year I had the experience of helping a young man on the Appalachian Trail who had been badly bitten by a dog in multiple locations and was in need of rabies shots in both arms, both legs and his torso. I first met his two companions as they were vomiting on the road as they talked because they were so sick with norovirus. A friend and I were able to get all of them the help they needed: rest, nourishment and multiple trips to emergency rooms up the trail for periodic rabies shots. My friend and I rejoiced for them, not because of their ills, but because there would be multiple opportunities in the next days to talk to them about the good news of Jesus, and also because they would be the recipients of multiple good meals and wonderful places to rest, much better than normal trail life. (In fact, all three were very moved by the love shown to them, and learned a lot about Jesus’ love; we hope they will accept His free gift of salvation.)

I hope that this year as I live along the AT for a few months, I will meet others with whom I can rejoice in the midst of their trials, and help them to experience joy that knows no bounds. And by the way, it’s important to keep in mind the context of the Thessalonians verse: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 We need to always keep our prayers and our focus on the will of God; rejoicing is not an idle sport!

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to arouse a deaf world." C. S. Lewis

I think most people who are not believers would say that they would be honored by the visit, awed by the appearance. Some might say they would be hospitable and make God feel welcomed. Or maybe they would say they have lots of questions they would want to ask him. And perhaps the more cavalier would say that they would have a word with the Almighty and present their grievances and accusations.

As Christians, we know what would happen if God were to suddenly appear among us. We would kill him.

We know this because God did appear before us. He took on human flesh and lived among us. And we killed him.

Peter tells the crowd in Solomon’s Portico shortly after the resurrection, “and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.” (Acts 3:15).

This is the first shocking thing Easter teaches us. We humans killed the very Author of Life.

And we would do it again.

We like to imagine we are equals with God, and we would make space for him at our table. Or we think we are submissive to God, giving him due honor. Or we believe ourselves superior to God and fantasize ourselves as prosecutors of the Holy One. 

We are none of these things. We are God’s enemy, we are in rebellion, we harbor hatred for him in our hearts and we wish to kill him.

So that we may finally and fully become gods ourselves. Accountable to no power but our own desire.

But the second shocking lesson that Easter holds for us is that we cannot kill God, try as we may.

We can write manifestos about the death of God, put on subversive plays, blaspheme and desecrate sacred traditions, belittle those who say they believe in God, conjure theorems that claim things happen by themselves, and live as if there is no monarch behind the universe.

But we cannot kill God.

We tried, and it didn’t work.

The Prince of Life is more powerful than death itself.

Death is the denial of life. And the Source of Life will not be denied.

And that leads us to the third surprising lesson Easter teaches us. Death is not the end. It’s easy sometimes to believe that the biggest reality we operate under is that we will one day case to exist, and therefore we should either enjoy yourselves as much as possible or try to leave some sort of legacy.

But we will live on, even after we die.

We know this, because the God we killed, Jesus Christ, told us he had the power of eternal life and he would prove it by rising from the dead.

And he did rise from the dead.

Peter tells the crowd in Solomon’s Portico, “To this we are witnesses.” Multitudes have willingly been martyred for upholding Peter’s declaration that Jesus rose from the dead. It is the singular claim in human history. No one else has said they would rise from the dead and then have ample witnesses assert that they did.

Jesus rising from the dead changes everything. If death is not the end, then the most important question in life is not how do I maximize this little bit of time I have among the living? No, the most important question becomes, how should I relate to this God who has proven I cannot kill him, who has shown he has power over death, and has told me he will see me after I die and judge me?

Now we arrive at the most shocking thing about Easter. The very God we tried the kill, the one we resent, the one we are at war with, willingly died so that we, yes we, these foul ingrates, these rebellious creatures of His, “may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10).

We go back to the first lesson: God is the Author of Life. We reject God’s authority and in doing so, we reject life itself. We imagine this life we have some out of nowhere, that somehow it belongs to us and we are in charge of it. But that is not true. Our life has an Author, and when we rebel against that Author, when we sin, what we are in fact doing, is summoning death.

But the absolutely incredible thing about Easter is that the Prince of Life, wants to gives us life again, a new life, a better life, a life where we are united to the Fountain of Life, where we no longer want to kill him, but want to share in life with him. An eternal life.

And to do that, he willingly took on the death, the anti-life, the sin, that we continuously heap upon ourselves, he took that death and put it to death.

So that we may live.

To receive this new life, we must recognize ourselves for who we are: doers of death. And we must acknowledge Him for whom He is: The Giver of Life. And we must lay down our arms, cease our rebellion, and surrender.

Jesus declares to Martha, before the tomb of her brother Lazarus, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26)

And then he asks her a question, “Do you believe this?” 

This is the question we must all answer for ourselves.

Our hope is in Him who delivers. When we consider His sacrifice, we can confidently go through life knowing that we walk in victory. Our shame is covered by His blood. The future glory of the end of our time on earth is secured in Him. Our identity as believers began with His sacrifice. His grace opened the door to our faith. Who is this glorious King who alone can keep us from stumbling and present us blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy? (Jude 1:24). 

Consider His goodness. How great that we get to call our Creator good. The God of all the universe — being goodness itself. When the heaviness of sin takes its toll, recall our omnipotent Creator, the source of goodness and redemption. He is the Good Shepherd who knows His own and knows our every need.

Consider His sovereignty. He has established His throne in the heavens and His kingdom rules over all (Psalms 103:19). His omniscient eye is always on us (Proverbs 15:3). Cultivate the habit of beholding the One who beholds you. In doing so, consider His love for you. He is committed to His children; we persevere because of His commitment to us. The Lord’s will shall not be deterred. Know that He will one day make all manner of things well.

Certitude is found in considering His promises. Rest in the promise that nothing can separate us from His love. We can trust in His divine security. He promises mercy and grace (Matt. 11:28-29). He promises never to leave (Deut. 31:8). He promises that He is coming soon (Rev. 22:20). God’s promises find their fulfillment in Christ and are sealed by His Spirit. The Lord’s promises become real for us when we consider the Holy Spirit. He is with you (Romans 8:11). What joy it is to know that when we feel uneasy, we have the privilege of calling upon His name. How quickly He responds, how ready He is to restore, how loving He is to always be nearby.

It can be difficult to remember the security we have when our minds are clouded by the distractions of the world. Consider His word and find clarity in Him. The effectiveness of Scripture speaks to every matter. As we navigate life, we have a true north. Meditation on biblical truth exposes us to our innermost thoughts and refocuses our mind on Him. His word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). When we guard our minds according to His word (Psalm 119:9), we find His character, His promises, His faithfulness. We learn about those who have witnessed His faithfulness, opening opportunity for us to consider His faithfulness in our own lives. 

Building small habits of beholding Christ throughout the day peacefully guides every thought and decision. As we consistently think about Jesus, we abound in knowledge of Him. There is no limit to the aspects of Christ that we may behold. Consider His mercy, forgiveness, justice, relentlessness, character, and all the countless ways He reveals Himself to us. Focusing our minds on Him is the catalyst for trusting the One who promises us forgiveness, redemption, serenity, and eternal life. It is He who keeps us in perfect peace when our minds are stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3). Behold Him today, rest in His steadfastness, and let Him guide your step as you walk in faith with eyes fixed on Him.

One thing he reminded me of was the fact that missions work isn’t only traveling outside the country. Many people are called to leave their native country so that they can share the gospel with other cultures. Praise God for the people who do work like this full-time or for certain seasons of their life. The pressures and demands of living in and with suffering communities are huge and heavy and I am thankful for the people who stick it out and trust God with their big problems. The stories they tell bolster my faith in our God who is bigger than any catastrophe or pain or need.

Traveling (or moving) overseas is not the only way to be a part of missions work in our world, though, as Ryan reminded me. The people whose calling it is to travel can only fulfill their calling with support from others. Ryan’s family has been looking for ways to invest in relationship with the missionaries in their community when they come home to the U.S. Hosting bonfires and making space for missionaries to talk and share their stories. Emailing with friends overseas to keep a pulse on what is needed and how the church can be praying. Making time to pray and seek the Lord.  

I have been able to see, in my own small way, the impact that support like this makes for people traveling. I am beyond blessed to be able to go to Bolivia with the MCC team this year. I am so excited to see the Lord’s work in a new culture and to make new friends who are worshipping Jesus on the other side of the equator.

In full transparency, I am also incredibly scared as the travel date approaches. The thought of all the unknowns is daunting to me. I feel unqualified to be a missionary, even in this tiny way. I still have so many questions of my own, so many things still to learn! This anxiety has given me a new gratitude for my church, family, and friends. Y’all have prayed with me and for me, shared your stories with me, listened to my excitement and my nerves, planned with me, and encouraged me to trust the Lord with all of my fear and all of my questions.

I have the gift of stepping into Bolivia physically, but in some special way I feel like all of you are coming with me. This is the gift of ministry oftentimes. Lord willing, as Jesus pours His love out into our lives, we are then able to pour into each other (broken vessels though we are) and somehow, wonder of wonders, there’s always enough to go around. Our God never runs out of love, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, mercy, or strength. I trust that He will continue to be faithful in the coming days as He has proven to be so far.

Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus to me and the whole Bolivia team. May the Lord bless and keep each of you and may He continue to open doors for each of us to share His good news near and far.  

The morning started with worship which was led by our own Radigan sisters as we circled the piano and sang from song sheets. We concluded worship with the blessing of “The Lord Bless You And Keep You:"

“The Lord bless you

And keep you

Make His face shine upon you

And be gracious to you

The Lord turn His

Face toward you And give you peace”

The retreat continued in the main dining room, lovingly decorated with flowers, colorful napkins, program materials and a butterfly and flower card for each with a verse from scripture:

Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone in in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

For our retreat, we studied “Seek His Face,” a Gospel Coalition Retreat Ready women’s event focused on cultivating a life of persistent prayer in a noisy world. The program consisted of three videos, each followed by ten minutes of discussion at our tables.

Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Session One was: Persistent Prayer When Everything Else Seems More Interesting. The discussion topic for our tables was: Identify one opportunity you have for prayer that you aren’t currently using. Women shared both about their current prayer routine and about other opportunities for prayer. 

Mark 1:35-37: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’”

Session Two was: Persistent Prayer When Everyone is Looking for You. The group discussion topic was: How does temporarily putting aside people’s needs in order to pray actually enable us to serve them better?

The program concluded with Session Three: Persistent Prayer When No One Else is Praying and the group discussion question: What are some promises of God that you could pray regularly?

After the program lunch was served along with the opportunity for ongoing fellowship. The MCC women who planned and led the retreat graciously ensured that the event flowed and that all were attended to. The warmth and beauty of the retreat, and the fellowship and connection with the women and with God continue on in my heart.

What we see again and again is this: Faith-filled, hardworking families doing their best carrying unnecessary financial stress because no one ever showed them a simple, sustainable path forward. Debt persists not because people don’t love God or don’t lack discipline — but because they don’t know how to make their financial stewardship reflect their values.

Why Getting Out of Debt Feels So Hard
1. Life doesn’t pause while you “get disciplined”
Kids, work, ministry, and responsibilities don’t slow down. A white-knuckle, restriction-only budget rarely survives real life for long.

2. Shame keeps people stuck
Many families feel embarrassed or believe they “should know better,” so they struggle quietly in isolation instead of getting help.

3. There’s no clear plan — just pressure
Without a clear, realistic spending plan paired with encouragement and accountability, debt feels overwhelming and defeating instead of conquerable..

There Is a Better Way — One That Brings Peace
Living debt free isn’t about perfection or deprivation. It’s about clarity, intentionality, and learning to work together with purpose. When money is handled intentionally, it stops dominating conversations and mental space—and starts supporting the life and calling God has placed on your family.

Why We’re Hosting the Living Debt Free Workshop
We’re hosting this free, Christian faith-based workshop because we believe families deserve to use their finances to honor God and fulfill His purpose for their lives.

This workshop is designed to help you:

Understand why debt tends to linger

Learn a clear, biblical framework for moving forward

Identify practical next steps you can take immediately

Replace anxiety and confusion with confidence and peace

Living Debt Free Workshop Details 

Sunday, March 15, 12:30-5:30 pm
Cost: Free
Lunch Provided
Child Care Provided

This workshop is for:
Families and singles 
Couples navigating financial stress
Teens

Anyone who wants their finances to reflect their faith

Contact Von and Elisa Trullinger at 505-917-7432

A Final Encouragement: Debt does not define you. Your past decisions do not disqualify you. And freedom is not out of reach.

Sometimes the most faithful next step is simply learning — together — how to steward what God has entrusted to us.

If you’re ready to take that step, we’d love to see you at the workshop.

Yet despite the incredible wonder and beauty of this realization, I find that there are still times in my walk when my sin and failure surround me at every turn. Sometimes the crushing weight of sin drags us down to the point where we forget the Lord’s grace, and we feel the distance our sin creates. Sometimes we simply do not feel His grace. It is in this place that we once again see the goodness of our God.

Because despite our failure, and despite our self-imposed distance, the Savior still chooses to come after us. The very grace we turn from is the same grace that renews and restores us.

 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are,  yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15–16

In my weakness, He is strong. In my failure, He succeeds. One of the greatest wonders of the gospel is that I, being the sinner I am, can draw near to the throne of grace—and the Savior will offer not only His mercy, but His help in my time of desperate need.

When life closes in, when our burdens weigh us down, and when we reach the end of ourselves, all we must do is run to His throne and receive His grace.

You may be asking, "Why would I need to attend a women's retreat when I’m fed so well here in church on Sunday morning?" Well, I will ask you a question now: Have you nailed the prayer thing? Or do you feel like things often compete for your attention (and win) when it comes to prioritizing prayers and conversations with your Father in heaven? You are not alone.  

As women in this busy world you may be facing a fulltime career, little children needing all your time and energy, ministry, marriage, school, and the list goes on. While all of these things are important and necessary, I believe we fool ourselves into thinking that any of it can be done and sustained well, without constant reliance on and relinquishing of ourselves to God.

This women's retreat will help us sort through what distracts us and seems more interesting than prayer. We will also discuss how to make time for prayer when everyone is looking for you, and finally, how to seek prayer time with the Father when it seems like no one else is. Believe it or not, Jesus can relate to all of these road blocks to prayer and offers guidance in the Bible. 

Of course, this time with a group of women is sure to be blessed fellowship. We can support each other in our struggles and leave not feeling alone or defeated just because we have not perfected prayer. God is patient and simply wants us to draw near and because we are known and loved, we can begin new habits feeling refreshed and encouraged.

We will begin the retreat with a time of worship, followed by three video sessions. Each session will have a short discussion time after with the women at your table. We will finish by sharing lunch together. 

Whether you are seasoned in your prayer life and can bless another woman with ideas and encouragement, or you need help getting started, please join us. 

Be encouraged, for this is what the Lord says: “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up, meeting together.” Hebrews 10:22-25

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8–9)

It is not that a lack of sight that makes Christianity seem untenable it just makes it different than most experiences today. Instead of having joy based upon an empirical basis we have joy through our communion with the invisible God through the portal of faith.

In recent years I have noticed a trait, particularly among men, where faith is impeded. I am talking about the cultural fixation upon fantasy. Many man today are wrapped up in a world of fantasy and also find it increasingly difficult to live by faith upon the God who is invisible.

In each of the examples below men are giving themselves to something they can see but is not real. However, with Christianity we give ourselves to something that we cannot see but is actually real. (In the following examples, I want to make clear that I believe the first is sinful but the others are not inherently so.)

Pornography

Over the last 2 dozen years pornography use has exploded. Some may call it an epidemic. Young men are being raised on it and the addiction continues through the college years and into their thirties and forties. As a pastor I don’t often go a week without hearing about somebody’s struggle in this area. Let’s think about what is happening here. Pornography attempts to enjoy the blessings of sex without the relationship of marriage. However, this is not the whole story. There is also the fact the medium for consuming it is not real, it is a bunch of images. Everything about it is a fantasy; the women, the experiences, and whatever the pleasures that come from it. It is all a fantasy. Many men are wrapped up in this sexual fantasy and it is therefore little wonder that they are distracted from a faith what is real yet unseen.

Fantasy Sports

Technological advances have made fantasy sports more accessible. For those who are unfamiliar fantasy sports are a type of online game where participants put together virtual teams of real players in a professional sport. Their teams compete against each other based upon the statistical performance of their respective players on their rosters. Each participant runs their team like an owner or general manager. In these leagues participants will track the stats over the year and award a winner at the end. Obviously playing fantasy sports is not a sin and I am not making this point. However, it is part of the overall cultural preoccupation with a fantasy world. And it is this that attends to my larger point that this fixation upon the visible but unreal tends toward making faith in the invisible but real more difficult.

Video Games

As with fantasy sports, video games are not inherently bad. However, they are a distraction from reality. Nearly 50% of Americans play at least 3 hours of games per week. It is interesting that the average age of a game player is a 35 year-old man. I understand that for many games are fun; they are something of a hobby. I also know for many the hobby can become a bit obsessive and dominating. Many people, particularly men, are caught up in playing video games for hours and hours a day. I have counseled far too many men who were spending their best hours of the day conquering worlds while their real families and real souls were being neglected.

Living in a Fantasy World

When you put these three together there is a common theme of living in a fantasy world. Pastors and church leaders attempt to encourage men to serve in the church, study God’s word, evangelize their neighbors, and step up and lead in the church. However, often times, upon pressing upon the heart, we find that men are reluctant and stagnant in their Christianity because they are thriving in a fantasy world.

Is there any wonder why there is such a decline in biblical masculinity in the church?

It is a shame that many men are far too busy conquering fake lands, looking at fake women, and winning fake championships to follow Christ’s path of self-denying, cross-bearing, service.

Pastors are attempting to preach and teach God’s Word to people who are living in this world with their minds and hearts in a fictional place must be diligent. They must labor to present Christ in his surpassing glory. The Bible that condemns also convicts and converts us. We go from belittling God’s glory to broadcasting it. Christ goes from a fictional hero to a living Savior!

Perhaps you are one who is consumed by a fantasy world. If these things are crowding out or impeding your faith it is time to evaluate and make some adjustments. Perhaps there are sinful indulgences (or in the case of pornography, sinful practices) that are preventing you from growing in Christ. As is always the case the first step is prayer, confession, and repentance. Then work toward accountability and service in the local church. I can assure you that seeing the real gospel work in real people’s lives will bring a lasting joy to your soul that is incomparable by any standard. Christ is far too precious to take a back seat to anything. If we believe this then we ought to live like it.

TheGospelCoalition. The Modern Man and His Fantasy World. Erik Raymond. May 2, 2016.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/erik-raymond/the-modern-man-and-his-fantasy-world/

A few years ago, I felt a calling to declutter my character. After two years of working on it I can tell you it’s still a choice every day to live by that. What does decluttering our character mean? It means knowing the simple ways God describes you and calls you and choosing those as your priority. If someone were to describe you, they would use those characteristics. Colossians 3:12-14 has a few of the key characteristics I think can be helpful to start with. 

Patience: Patience is a lost art and something our society actually strives to move away from. Everything is faster, everything is more “efficient”. Romans 12:9-13 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Patience is wrapped here in two beautiful ways to make it happen.  Hope allows us to rest in his joy and prayer draws us to lean on him in the waiting. Instead of rushing through everything and trying to figure it out all on our own, we get to grow in our relationship with God, sitting in the hallway with him as we wait for the door to open. Being a patient person makes us slow to anger and clears space in our hearts and mind to notice and love those around us well. 

Humility: 1 Peter 5:5-7 This is not one that comes easy but until recently reading this passage I did not understand the depth of it. God favors the humble and he opposes the proud. What are the practices of a humble person? If we were to declutter our character and live as humble people how would that look? 

1. We would be people who pray, humbling ourselves before Him knowing there is nothing we can do without Him. 
2. Humble people celebrate others - creating space for the success of others. They don’t play the game of comparison. 
3. Humble people are teachable. They are willing to learn and ask questions, never afraid to admit they might not know something. 
4. Humble people are grateful. They find contentment with what God has given them. And practice a thankful heart.

Love: John 13:34-35 reads, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  Because you are so deeply loved by the creator of the world you get to love others deeply. This love touches others and changes lives because it stands out like a light in the dark spaces around us. 

When we have Jesus, we get to have character defined by Him. A reflection of his character. We are a people who are patient in circumstances and with those around us. We are a people who are humble, who pray and celebrate others living with thankful hearts, always teachable, and we live with love poured out from our father so we can live like Him. We can do ministry better when we declutter and allow room for Jesus and share the simple but powerful message of the gospel. 

Recently my CRU team received a message from someone named Ahmed. He initially found us while doing an internet search about the very basics of Christianity. We were able to start the conversation by directing him to a resource on our website titled, "What is Christianity?" After he read it, he then asked about the Trinity. The team was able to explain the core concept, that there is one God who exists as three distinct persons. He asked, “Why is a Christian country at peace and a Muslim country in war?” That is a heavy, complex question, and to be honest, one we don't pretend to have the full answer for. The team acknowledged that we live in a broken world where conflict exists everywhere, regardless of country or professed faith. We moved past the political analysis to talk about God's promise of hope and shared an article highlighting God’s plan and promise in Revelation 21:4, where God promises to wipe away every tear. It was a chance to share the ultimate truth: that Jesus died and was resurrected again to save us and usher in an eternal peace that the current world can't offer.

These basics of Christianity changed Ahmed’s life. Can they change yours?

Yet the white bobbing heads remind me of fields white unto harvest. I’m helping to plant a home church with the Evangelical Free Church. Half our congregation is made up of people we met at pickleball.

Pickleball
Pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in America, is being played on converted tennis courts, in prison yards, on cruise ships, and at churches that are quickly setting up nets on their grounds to meet their neighbors.

Though it caught on first with the elderly, pickleball has spread to the young, with the fastest growth among those age 24 and younger. It’s inexpensive, easy to learn, and extremely social because there’s time on the sidelines for conversations while waiting for the next open court.

I’m thankful I became one of the avalanching number of players. Not only is it a fun way to get exercise, but it kicked me out of my Christian bubble and helped me join God in his adventure of bringing people to himself.

Invite Conversations
My friend Twila invited me to pickleball, and we’re alert together to those God seems to be wooing to himself. We pray for them, eager to connect with them if the door opens. As the years have passed, we’ve learned a lot about being winsome messengers, whether on the court or off.

Conversations are low-key, and we’ve become good listeners, trying to hear what might be keeping our friends from Christ. We don’t preach, but neither do we hide who we are. If someone asks, “What’s new with you, Dee?” I’ll say something that might pique her curiosity, perhaps mentioning my recent visit to a prison or how my visiting daughter commented on how our relationship is so much better than it was once. I hope she’ll ask, “What happened?”

If she does, I can tell her how God is changing hearts in prison—or changing my own heart since he revealed my nasty habit of making passive-aggressive comments. If I’m met with silence, I let the ball drop—but more often than not, she’ll volley back with a question.

Go Slow
Still, many are many wary of “evangelicals.” When one man found out Twila was married to a pastor, he told her, “I’d like to be friends with you, but the Christians I know are really pushy about their faith.”

Twila assured him that any faith conversations would only be at his initiative. From then on, they talked about their shared interests of gardening and music. One day, Twila slipped, telling him in her excitement about an answer to prayer. She stopped midsentence to apologize. But now the man wanted to hear, and he said, “No, no—I want to hear, for this is who you are.”

Their friendship grew deeper. We invited him and his wife over for meals and then to a series our church was doing with the ministry of Alpha. Both put their trust in Christ and began coming to church.

More Fruit
Marty was a friend I made at pickleball, and in time, she shared with me the heartache of her older brother’s murder when he was in college. It had devastated her mother and changed Marty’s childhood. We began getting together outside of pickleball to talk about why a good God might allow such a tragedy.

One day at pickleball, I felt led to invite Marty to a study on the Beatitudes. Marty was hesitant. “How much homework is there?”

“Not that much!” I was so eager for her to say yes.

Then Twila leaned forward with the truth: “Marty, you’ll get out as much as you put into it.” That challenge made Marty want to come.

The Beatitudes begin with the importance of facing our sin and admitting our need for forgiveness. “Blessed are those who mourn” means “Blessed are those who mourn their sin.”

Marty didn’t like it. She told me, “The problem is, Dee, I’m not a sinner.”

I’m so thankful the Lord silenced me, for normally I’d have had much to say. Instead, I prayed the Lord would somehow show her the truth.

Marty was so troubled by the sin discussion that she decided to skip that week’s Bible study and bike through our beautiful peninsula. A half hour into the study, Marty burst in, her face flushed with excitement. She said, “I was riding my bike and God showed me I’m a sinner. But he also loves me, and that’s why he died!”

A hush came over the living room. There’s nothing in this world as exciting as seeing God give new life.

It might sound silly to say that God is using pickleball to bring people to himself. But we’ve seen tempers tamed, marriages repaired, and souls saved among our pickleball friends. In an increasingly online and isolated world, having a physical place to connect over an interest, with time enough to have meaningful conversations, has been remarkably fruitful.

You could do the same thing in a group that gathers to run, hike, or discuss books at the library. Praise be to the Lord, who can use us anywhere.

TheGospelCoalition. How I Learned to Share My Faith on the Pickleball Court. Dee Brestin. March 7, 2024.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/share-faith-court/

After the elections of 2024, this day brings a new level of importance. Missouri, the state where I live, recently passed Amendment 3, an initiative guaranteeing “the right to reproductive freedom.” It was a devastating blow that shifted Missouri from being one of the most pro-life states in the country to one of the least. 

A Personal Heartbreak and a Profound Truth

The sanctity of life isn’t just a theological or political issue for me—it’s deeply personal. My wife and I were still in our first year of marriage when she shared the exciting news that we were expecting our first child. I still remember the excitement that filled our hearts and home as we prepared for this new chapter of life.

At our first doctor’s visit, everything looked great, and we eagerly scheduled the follow-up appointment, where we would hear our baby’s heartbeat for the first time. We even brought a brand-new VHS tape to record the ultrasound and capture the moment forever. But that day didn’t unfold as we had hoped.

When the ultrasound technician began, something felt off. The joy and anticipation turned to silence. I’ll never forget the look on the doctor’s face as he gently explained that there was no heartbeat. Our precious baby—whom we later learned was a girl—was gone. The news crushed us, and our hearts felt a pain we had never known before.

That moment solidified my belief in the sanctity of human life. It wasn’t theoretical. I knew our daughter wasn’t just a “potential” life—she was a real person, fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Even though her life was brief, it mattered. She mattered. And her absence left a void we still feel today.

God, the Creator and Sustainer of Life

As a Christian, I firmly believe that God is the author of life. Scripture makes this clear:

Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Jeremiah 1:5 tells us, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.”

These verses remind us that every human life begins at conception, is known by God, and is created with a unique purpose. Life is sacred because it comes from Him and is not ours to take or devalue.

The Darkness of Abortion

Since 1973, when the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, over 63 million lives have been lost to abortion in the United States. Let that sink in. That’s not just a number. It’s an incredible loss of lives, each one uniquely created in the image of God.

According to NPR, in 2023 alone, there were over 1,000,000 abortions. Yes, that is over one million. This number equals 2,739 per day, 114 per hour, or one every 31 seconds. These aren’t just statistics. They represent sons and daughters who never had the chance to take their first breath.

Abortion thrives in silence and darkness. It’s hidden in language like “choice” and “freedom,” but it’s anything but these. The truth is that abortion doesn’t just destroy the life of the unborn—it leaves deep scars on mothers, fathers, and families. As believers, we are called to shine the light of truth and love into this darkness.

What Can We Do

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is more than a day of reflection; it’s a call to action. Here are some practical ways we can stand for life:

1. Pray for an end to abortion. Ask God to move in the hearts of lawmakers, doctors, mothers, and fathers to protect and value life.
2. Support local pro-life ministries. Volunteer at or donate to pregnancy resource centers and other organizations that serve women and families in crisis.
3. Be a voice for the voiceless. Advocate for policies and legislation that protect the unborn and promote a culture of life.
4. Offer grace and healing. For those who have experienced abortion, extend the hope and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ.

A Nation at a Crossroads

With the passage of Amendment 3, Missouri is now at a crossroads. Our state and our nation must decide whether to choose a culture that values and protects life or one that continues to devalue and destroy it. These decisions will shape the future for generations to come.

I hope in knowing that God is still sovereign and working, even in our brokenness. As Christians, we are called to be light in the darkness and stand for truth, even when it is difficult. We may not change the world overnight, but we can make a difference one life, one conversation, and one act of love at a time.

A Final Prayer

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday reminds us that every human life is precious and sacred because it is made in God’s image. From the unborn child to the elderly, from the disabled to the marginalized, every life has value and purpose.

Reflecting on this day, I remember this simple prayer: “Lord, break my heart for what breaks Yours.” May we honor the Creator by honoring His creation. May we never lose sight of the sacredness of human life. Let’s stand for life, one heart and one life at a time.

BaptistBibleTribune. The Sanctity of Human Life: A Personal and Eternal Perspective. January 24, 2025. Randy Harp.

https://www.tribune.org/the-sanctity-of-human-life-a-personal-and-eternal-perspective/

To Rebel for Your Soul

I also want you rebel for your soul. Reading isn’t just a rebellion for the sake of your mind; it’s rebellion for the good of your heart. Reading is war in service of worship.

Does that sound over the top? Maybe a bit far-fetched? Not when we bring the Bible into the picture.

Christians get called, rightly, “people of the Book.” God’s people meditate on God’s Word. And meditation goes deeper than reading. It means to sit, to ponder, to consider, to contemplate. The Bible calls for our gaze, not a glance.

The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind. How do we learn to love this God? Well, when Moses first delivered this command, he followed it up with instructions on how to make God’s Word the centerpiece of everyday life. The ancient Israelites were to repeat the words of the Word throughout the day, teaching them to their children, discussing them at home and on the road.

One of the biggest obstacles to this kind of Word-soaked life is the distraction of a digital age. We’ve lost the ability to experience the power of great poetry, or feel the weightiness of wonderful music, or stand and stare at a masterpiece of art. It’s often said, most works of art yield their secrets slowly. The same is true for God’s Word. The Bible makes demands of us. It calls for thought, for patience, and for devotion. The path to truly internalizing and digesting Scripture is rugged, intentionally so, for this is how the Spirit does his work in our lives.

But what about all the Christians in the past who couldn’t read? Were they unfaithful? No. Literacy doesn’t equal holiness. Some of the ghastliest atrocities our world has ever seen were committed by the well-read, while many a saint never learned to read or write. Reading may not be essential, but God’s Word is. Illiterate peasants cherished God’s Word by listening to it and committing it to memory.

Just imagine our forefathers and mothers of the faith in centuries past, with only a handful of books and maybe a tattered Bible passing into their possession over a lifetime. What would they say if they saw the thousands of Bible editions and tools and commentaries we have at our disposal? How does it make sense that even with all our resources, we don’t know the Scriptures as well as they did?

Meditation on God’s Word, contemplation of his wonders—this is basic Christian practice. To read and understand God’s Word is to mount an insurgency against the shallowness of an ever-scrolling word and to be rooted, like the tree that describes the righteous in Psalm 1—planted and fruit-bearing through delight in God’s law and meditation day and night. Reading can help you see, truly see, the glory of God. And the glory of God lights the way for you to truly see others.

Consider Jesus’s haunting question to Simon the Pharisee after a woman entered the house and washed Jesus’s feet with her tears: “Do you see this woman?” (Luke 7:44). Not “see” in the sense of acquiring knowledge, but see with the eyes of attention, to see with spiritual intuition. It’s the kind of sight that demands paying attention while stirring in oneself the compassion that destroys any attitude of superiority and changes the one looking.

What receives our attention? What is it we see? What are we missing? The Bible would have us be more attentive to where we give our attention.

To follow Jesus means to pay attention to him, to be like Mary of Bethany, who reclined at his feet and hung on his every word. Theologian John Webster writes,

In our world today, many voices seek our attention. Influencers everywhere hawk their wares. How tragic if we develop the capacity to attune to everything but the Word of the Lord. The most radical, countercultural practice we can cultivate today is an intensity in reading and listening to the Scriptures—a steadfast attention that refuses to allow anything to wrest our focus from the Bible. To listen until it hurts, as Jacob wrestled with God, refusing to let go until he was blessed.

Reading is the best way to rebel in a world that can glance at everything and gaze at nothing.

For God’s sake, and for your own, read.

TheGospelCoalition. Reading as Rebellion. September 11, 2025. Trevin Wax.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/reading-rebellion/

Everyone agrees. We live in an age of vanishing readers—a digital desert where sustained attention has evaporated and the next generation risks losing its imaginative inheritance.

But we can still read! some say. Sure, we read snippets here and there wherever we scroll online, and we dip into an occasional article or post on a sports page or in a political forum. But reading a book, going about it the old-fashioned way, where you give yourself over to a thoughtful and sustained argument that unfolds over several chapters, or where you lose yourself in a novel alive with beauty and subtlety—this practice appears less and less common for all ages, but especially the young.

Reading just can’t compete with other habits and practices, my friends tell me. Young people don’t and won’t read. Pushing a book on them makes you resemble the parent cajoling a toddler to open up for a spoonful of mushy peas. “It’s good for you! Trust me!”

I know the stats. I’ve heard the stories. But I believe we’re humans, not robots. Trends aren’t determinative. We make choices. We have agency. Which is why I refuse to bow to the fatalism that marks too many takes on the decline in reading—the insultingly low expectations of teachers and commentators who throw up their hands and surrender the next generation to the power of the cultural tides.

I want you to rebel. That’s right. In today’s world, reading is an act of holy insurgency. I want you to ignore the chatter of parents and professors who claim you’re no longer able or willing to exercise your mind through reading. I want you to swim upstream against the currents that make it easy to settle for superficiality.

To Rebel for Yourself

First, I want you to rebel for your own good, so you can reclaim one of the greatest gifts you’ve received and one of the greatest gifts you can give: your attention.

Your attention is a sacred resource. That’s why so many organizations are after it. Life in the digital age is designed to capture your attention through perpetual distraction. To divert your powers of concentration so your eyes are drawn this way or that.

Iain McGilchrist, a renowned neuroscientist, makes the case that attention is more important than we realize. What we pay attention to, and how we pay attention, matters. Attention changes the way we see the world.

You know this already. When you’re hanging out with a friend and start to talk, your spirit deflates a little if your friend begins scrolling or texting during your conversation. You wonder about your importance, especially if no explanation follows as to why something online needs urgent attention in that moment.

Giving your attention to something is a way of assigning value. To fail to pay attention also makes a statement. “Attention is a moral act,” McGilchrist writes. “Attention has consequences."

No wonder so many people are competing for your mind space. The barrage of emails that flood your inbox, the clickbait headlines that startle you, the notifications that ping your phone, the apps and platforms that keep you scrolling or playing—they’re all designed to hook your heart. The landscape of your inner life is for sale.

The forces competing for your attention are winning. Even now, don’t you feel the little tug to jump into the stream, even if just for a minute or two, to see “what’s going on,” to dive back into the endless scroll of news stories, funny dances, prayer requests, or colorful advertisements? When you stream a movie or show, do you feel during the slow or quiet moments the itch to check your phone for news or play a round of a game you like? One screen isn’t enough to satisfy the need for stimulation, so you glance back and forth, from the bigger screen to the smaller, so you can “watch” and scroll or text or play. Multitasking isn’t only for work these days; we multitask our entertainment too.

Over time, our attention—one of the most valuable aspects of our humanity—gets spread so thin we have trouble concentrating on anyone or anything for long. We’re everywhere and nowhere all the time. We train our mental muscles to be ever on the lookout for the next bit of stimulation, while the muscles of sustained attention wither from disuse. Our inability to focus makes it hard to have long and meaningful conversations with other people. It weakens our capacity for deep thinking and consideration. It robs us of an emotional and intellectual life that goes deeper than the surface of whatever screen is most captivating in the moment.

This is just the way things are nowadays, people say. No. You can resist. You can stand out in a world of superficiality. I believe you want more for yourself. Or at least you want to want more.

Reading, especially when it’s challenging, is one way you rebel against all the corporations and influencers and platforms trampling the walls around the garden of your consciousness. Reading is setting a sentry at the gate, on guard against the horde of distracters intent on invading your mind space. Reading is clawing back your powers of attention so you can give yourself fully to the people in your life, so you can carefully weigh proposals and debates in society from multiple angles, so you can see today’s news through the lens of history and philosophy, so you can grow in wisdom and compassion, so you can savor the world’s greatest works of literature without the help of AI chatbot summaries.

Every time you power off your phone and pick up a book, you rebel. You haul yourself up onto a lifeboat in a sea of superficiality. You exercise your God-given mind and refuse to let your mental muscles atrophy. You defy the low expectations of those who say reading is a lost cause.

I want you to rebel for yourself. Drive a stake into the ground and tell the ever-encroaching attention vampires, “You will not colonize my mind.”

Conclusion next week .. and also good practice for reading multiple chapters.

TheGospelCoalition. Reading as Rebellion. September 11, 2025. Trevin Wax.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/reading-rebellion/

Pray for the Lord to reveal any sin that is keeping you from prayer.
At times our hearts are resistant to prayer because we are holding on to sinful habits. We can’t walk in obedience to Christ or intimacy with him if we are clinging to pet sins or ignoring behaviors in opposition to following Jesus. If you know that your resistance to prayer stems from disobedience, pray to love him more than your sin. Because you have been set free from sin, you are no longer a slave to it. You are free! Ask the Lord to help you be who you really are in Christ, not who you used to be. And then walk in obedience.

When our hearts feel apathetic, it can be difficult to rightly see our sin. Perhaps you’re not sure if there is any sin inhibiting prayer. David prayed that the Lord would reveal any wicked ways in his heart, and we can do the same. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous ways in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Ps. 139:23–24) Because our hearts are deceptive, a regular examination helps us see ourselves as we really are, to see God as he really is, and to remember what Jesus did at the cross to reconcile us to a holy God. Pray for the Lord to reveal areas of sin you might be hardened or blind to. As he does, confess them and repent.

Pray for the Lord to stir your affections for him.
It’s not uncommon to have days when you feel dull towards the Lord. You might even feel embarrassed to confess that you cannot muster any affection towards the Lord. These feelings aren’t unique; we see them in the Psalms. Asaph wrote, “I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you” (Ps. 73:22). But the Lord knows our weaknesses, and he has given us everything we need for life and godliness. The gift of prayer is that we can come boldly before the Lord, even when we don’t know what to say or how to feel. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us and Jesus is ever praying for us (see Rom. 8:26–27, Heb. 7:25).

Knowing that you aren’t praying alone, ask the Lord to awaken your heart to joy, love, and contentment in him. And then take steps to engage your heart with the beauty and kindness of the Lord. Preach the gospel to yourself, focus on God’s character in the word, meditate on a passage of Scripture so that it takes root deep down in your heart. Fix your gaze on Christ until you remember how much he loves you. Don’t be discouraged if there’s not an overnight change. The cumulative effects of looking to Christ in Scripture will change the way you think about the Lord. Fixing your gaze on Jesus may be a hard-won practice, but the Lord will work good from your efforts at renewing your mind.

Pray for and seek accountability.
Your prayers are never a solitary activity. The Spirit and the Son are interceding on your behalf as you pray to the Father. The Godhead is invested in your prayer life! Additionally, the church can be a gift to us when we struggle to engage with the Lord in prayer. If spiritual dryness or apathy are keeping you from regular, intentional prayer, ask the Lord to help you find a fellow church member who will both hold you accountable and pray for you.

Each week I meet with a friend from church. She asks questions about my spiritual disciplines and prays for me throughout the week in the areas where I’m lazy or weak. Prayerlessness has long been a topic of discussion; knowing that my friend is actually praying about my prayer life exhorts me to seek the Lord daily. I’m not the only one invested in my prayers! Praying with someone about your struggle to pray could revive your disinterested soul and remind you what a privilege it is to come before the Lord at any time.

Pray for an obedient heart.
When it comes down to it, how we feel matters less than obedience. Prayer is an act of both obedience and gratitude. Jesus tells us how to pray in the Lord’s prayer and begins with the assumption that we will pray. He said, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites,” and “when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do” (Matt. 6:5,7 emphasis added). He also demonstrated the need for prayer by slipping away from the crowds and disciples to pray (see Matt. 14:23, Mark 1:35, John 17). The apostle Paul called believers to unceasing prayer many times in his epistles (see Eph. 6:18, Phil. 4:6–7, Col. 4:2, 1 Thess. 5:17–19). Jesus’s half-brother addressed several specific reasons for prayer in James 5:13–18. Believers are expected to pray, and believers must pray in obedience to Scripture. But the motivation behind this obedience isn’t duty; it’s gratitude.

The author of Hebrews charges believers to draw near to God the Father because of Jesus’s sacrifice at the cross. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh. . . let us draw near. . . ” (Heb. 10:19–20, 22). Prior to Christ’s coming, the people of God could only seek him through a Levitical priest at the tabernacle and later the temple. A curtain separated the people from God’s holy presence. But when Christ died for us at the cross, he bought us direct access to the Father. We must take advantage of such a gift and draw near to God in prayer because we can. We pray when we don’t feel like it because Jesus made it possible.

Pray for perseverance and practice it.
Our flesh would have us believe that we should give up when prayer feels hard. Surely a break is what we need! But it is more likely that abandoning prayer will extend a season of disaffection rather than shorten it. Disengaging from prayer isn’t the right answer. Perseverance is. Pressing forward in prayer is how we learn to really pray. Perseverance is how we get past the brick-wall feeling and walk with delight in the nearness of God.

Don Carson wrote that we should “pray long enough and honestly enough, at a single session, to get past the feeling of formalism and unreality that attends not a little praying. We are especially prone to such feelings when we pray for only a few minutes, rushing to be done with a mere duty. To enter the spirit of prayer we must stick to it for a while.” In other words, we must do as the Puritans encouraged and “pray until you pray.”

The cure for praying with a cold, apathetic heart is prayer itself. We pray for God to help us obey, to persevere, to abandon sins that entangle and distract, and to stir our affections for Christ anew. We obey by practicing prayer. We recite what is true about God and Jesus and our new status as heirs—not because God needs to be reminded but because we do. Over time, the ice will thaw, the heart will warm, and we will delight in the presence and love of God. All the hours of practicing prayer when our hearts are cold are never wasted. They are the path we travel to renewed love for conversation with the Lord.

* * *

Glenna Marshall is the author of Everyday Faithfulness: The Beauty of Ordinary Perseverance in a Demanding World.

Crossway. How to Pray When Your Heart Feels Cold. Glenna Marshall. June 9, 2020.

https://www.crossway.org/articles/how-to-pray-when-your-heart-feels-cold/

In that vein, what do you suppose comes more readily to the mind of God when he considers us—the evil we have done or the good? The evidences of remaining sin or the evidences of new grace? The ways in which we have defied his will or the ways in which we have submitted to it? I hope and expect the answer is obvious. While God sees and knows all things, surely what he most readily and eagerly sees in us is all the ways in which we are becoming like him—the godly character, the acts of love, the deeds of faith. He is a proud Father.

But I wonder about you. I wonder what is in your mind and what fills your heart when you consider Christian leaders or personalities, when you consider members of your local church, when you consider your own husband or wife or children? When it comes to other Christians in the widest circle or the narrowest, are you more likely to consider their strengths or their weaknesses, their virtues or their vices?

When someone mentions that Christian leader, do you think first about his flaws or about his graces? Is the first thing that comes to your mind the position he holds that irritates you or the deed he committed that bothers you? Or is it the way the Lord has shaped him and raised him to a position of prominence and used him there to bless others? Is it his failures, however obvious they may be, or his successes?

When someone asks you about that member of your church, could you more easily recount evidences of sinfulness in her life or evidences of grace? Is what naturally pours out of your mouth a list of proofs of the old woman or the new woman? Of what she was or what she is and will be?

When you pray for your husband, are your first words to the Lord words of praise and gratitude for the way God has been working within him and doing such good through him? Or are your first words related to his flaws and your hope that God will finally correct them? Do you more naturally see what’s wrong with him or what’s right? Do you more naturally offer the Lord praise or petition when you consider him?

Does your heart more readily identify what is lovely or what is abhorrent, what pleases God or what grieves him?

When it comes to your spouse, when it comes to your children, when it comes to the members of your church, when it comes to other Christians of any kind, are you more skilled at identifying good or evil, sinfulness or virtue? Does your heart more readily identify what is lovely or what is abhorrent, what pleases God or what grieves him? Is the instinct of your tongue to praise God for the work he has done or to lament the work he has not yet done? I ask you to consider: Are you, like God, a true lover of good, a true searcher for good, and a truly committed identifier of good?

Challies. Are You a Lover of Good? September 4, 2023. Tim Challies.

https://www.challies.com/articles/are-you-a-lover-of-good/

Reflect
Early in the morning, I wake and quietly make my way to the gray wing chair in my home office. I’m determined to be productive in these precious predawn hours.

Only a few minutes into my routine, however, the door next to me slowly opens and my 4-year-old son walks in, bleary-eyed. All he wants to do is crawl into my lap and put a tired head on my shoulder. My plans for this moment are spoiled, but I couldn’t care less. Why? Because I’m this boy’s father, and he’s my son, and that’s enough to make me welcome his intrusion with joy.

One of the reasons we miss drinking more deeply of God’s love is that we forget to think of him as Father. We may know it’s true because we’ve read our Bibles, but our intuitions still imagine God as a more distant figure. This isn’t merely a shortcoming in our thinking; it’s a tragic distortion of our view of God.

“Father” isn’t a random nickname for God. It’s who God fundamentally is. He is Father. God the Father has eternally begotten God the Son. Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father.” Why? Theologian Michael Reeves puts it like this: “This is who God has revealed himself to be: not first and foremost Creator or Ruler, but Father.”

Not all of us have fathers who loved and protected us. For many, the word “father” is a pain, not a comfort. God sees this pain. He is the perfect Father, the One our hearts were made to know.

Understanding the perfect, fatherly character of God awakens the love of God in us. Jesus reminded us: if even sinful human fathers can genuinely love their children, our heavenly Father is infinitely more eager to shower unfathomable riches of love on us (Matt. 7:11). We’re not tolerated employees or hired hands but adopted sons of the Father (Rom. 8:15).

God’s love for his people isn’t something he was manipulated or forced into feeling. God the Father, in his perfect, insurmountable fatherly compassion, sent his only begotten Son to the world to die so that dying spiritual orphans, enslaved to sin, could become his children and hear their Father singing over them (Zeph. 3:17). Savor your position in the household of God—he delights in you, he loves you, and he welcomes you into his presence.

When we look at the Christmas manger, we need to see more than a baby. We need to see a heavenly Father, the One who gave his only Son to us so we might become adopted sons and daughters. Could a Father this good, who gave this much, be anything but perfect for our weary, sinful, broken hearts?

Respond
How does knowing God as Father change how you feel toward him? How does it change what you think he feels toward you?

Rejoice

Of the Father’s love begotten,
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending he,
Of the things that are and have been,
And that future years shall see,
Evermore and evermore.

– Prudentius (trans. J. M. Neale), “Of the Father’s Love Begotten”

Editors’ note: This meditation appears in The Weary World Rejoices: Daily Devotions for Advent edited by Melissa Kruger (TGC, November 2021).

TheGospelCoalition. Advent Meditation: Behold the Father's Love. Samuel James. December 6, 2023. 

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/advent-meditation-fathers-love/

Reflect
It’s the season of gift giving. I love considering just the right gifts for neighbors, friends, and family. Each person’s name under the tree is special to me in some way. The part of gift giving I enjoy has little to do with money and everything to do with expression. Each type of gift communicates some­thing from the giver to the receiver:

A gift that fulfills a need says, “I notice and care about you.”

A gift that’s a complete surprise says, “I know what you need, even if you didn’t know you needed it.”

A gift that can be enjoyed for years to come says, “I want to bless you with future joy.”

A gift that comes with personal sacrifice says, “I love you more than I love myself.”

Even though I love gift giving, as I face the hustle and bustle of shopping and see the materialism abounding in our culture, I find myself questioning, “What does any of this have to do with Jesus?” Is the way we celebrate Christmas just an excuse to overspend, overindulge, and focus too much on earthly treasures? Should I run from the stores, remove the presents from the tree, and find other ways to celebrate?

As I discussed my internal struggle with my husband, he kindly reminded me that gift giving is not just a reflection of worldly materialism (although it can be), but it’s also a reflec­tion of our Creator, who delights to give gifts to his people. Our conversation prompted me to ponder anew the gift giv­en in Bethlehem.

Truly special gifts usually involve preparation and wait­ing. From the exit of Eden, a promise of redemption and a hope were given. The divine whisper continued speaking through all the prophets: Something special is coming. Wait for it. Watch for it. Hope in it.

And then, at just the right moment in time, God sent angels and a star in the heavens to declare: “The gift is here.” Glory wrapped in flesh made his dwelling among us in the form of a baby.

It was unexpected. It was surprising. It was exactly what we needed.

The second Adam, born of a virgin, born far from the paradise of Eden, came and lived a sinless life. He resisted temptation. He wept. He rejoiced. He went to weddings. He made intimate friendships. He experienced betrayal. He healed. He taught. He loved. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. His people wanted an earthly kingdom, but he ushered in a heavenly one.

All of it was part of the gift.

When I consider all the reasons I love giving and receiv­ing gifts, I realize that in Christ, God fulfills them all. In Je­sus, God communicates:

I knew what you needed, even when you didn’t know you needed it. (Rom. 5:15–19)

You are fully known and fully loved by me. (1 Cor. 13:1–12)

I want to give you future joy. (Rev. 21:1–4)

I love you more than I love myself. (John 15:13)

Christ is the one gift needed. He never wears out or loses shape. Like a treasure chest, deeply laden with all sorts of riches, new delights await, ready to be uncovered.

Respond
Consider this past year. How has your faith in Jesus given you joy? When you think of Jesus, what are you thankful for?

Rejoice

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

– Isaac Watts, “Joy to the World”

Editors’ note: This meditation appears in The Weary World Rejoices: Daily Devotions for Advent edited by Melissa Kruger (TGC, Nov. 2021).

TheGospelCoalition. Advent Meditation: Joy in Giving. Melissa Kruger. December 15, 2021.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/joy-in-giving/

Reflect
Peace, as an idea, is immensely popular. We love talking about it, posting about it, dreaming about it, planning for it.

But it sure can be elusive, can’t it?

Despite its universally beloved status, peace doesn’t mark our world—and I don’t simply mean unsettling headlines from distant lands. Peace eludes those in the securest neighborhoods, the richest professions, the most advanced nations. Peace eludes us even when we’ve arrived.

In his 2009 NBA Hall of Fame speech, Michael Jordan called the game of basketball his “refuge.” He said, “[It’s the] place I’ve gone when I needed to find comfort and peace.” A few years later, on the occasion of his 50th birthday, the restlessness remained. In a candid interview with ESPN’s Wright Thompson, Jordan pondered aloud, “How can I enjoy the next 20 years without so much of this consuming me? How can I find peace away from the game of basketball?”

The answer, it turns out—both for Jordan and for us—is found in an ancient scroll.

Seven centuries before the Messiah’s birth, Isaiah the prophet issued a divine forecast. Addressing the Israelites, who were about to be exiled for their rebellion and idolatry, he pointed them to a future time when a solution—an undeserved remedy—would descend from God himself. He even hinted the remedy would be God himself.

This coming gift is cosmic in proportion and yet intensely personal. Notice the recipient: “to us” (v. 6). Israel’s name is on the label. And the contents are divine: the promised child will be none less than the “Mighty God.” Moreover, it’s a gift tied to the very thing that eludes us. The promised child will also be called the “Prince of Peace”—a fitting title because, for his people, there will be no end to “the increase of his government and of peace.” No exceptions, no elusiveness, no expiration date.

And the reason this promise will hold is because the gospel is bigger than a nativity scene. The incarnation of Jesus Christ was an invasion, both a dawning of peace and a declaration of war. The baby in the manger didn’t stay there, after all—he grew up and obeyed his Father to the point of death, even death on a cross. Suspended on Roman wood, he made peace between God and man (Eph. 2:14–17).

No other religion teaches anything like this. Each one insists, in some form or another, that you must achieve the peace of God, some semblance of transcendental tranquility—which is also why it never happens. How could it? As a sinner, you’re the problem in this equation, not the solution. In Christianity, however, you can

• receive the peace of God, through trusting Jesus;
• enjoy the peace of God, through following Jesus; and
• spread the peace of God, through proclaiming Jesus.

Friend, if you want to experience the peace of God, you must know the God of peace. And if you want to know the God of peace, you must embrace his only begotten Son.

Real peace isn’t found in a basketball arena or a Hall of Fame ceremony. It’s not found in a successful job or a secure neighborhood. It’s not found in food or exercise or travel or holiday cheer. It’s not even found in a loving family or a vibrant ministry. In the final analysis, peace is only found in the Prince of it.

Respond
In what created thing has your heart been seeking peace? How might the gospel of grace liberate you from that exhausting pursuit—reordering your loves and redirecting your allegiance to the Prince of Peace?

Rejoice

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings
Risen with healing in his wings

– Charles Wesley, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

Editors’ note: This meditation appears in The Weary World Rejoices: Daily Devotions for Advent edited by Melissa Kruger (TGC, November 2021).

TheGospelCoalition. Advent Meditation: The (Only) Place to Find Peace. Matt Smethurst. December 4, 2023. 

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/advent-meditation-find-peace/

Reflect
One of our favorite family stories is about the time my husband’s cousin made a particularly ambitious Christmas list. He copied down practically every item from a thick toy catalog. Then he added one final request: surprises.

Many of us go to great lengths to pull off a Christmas morning surprise. Even now, you may have gifts hidden away, tucked into nooks and crannies, or delivered to a neighbor’s house for safekeeping. Perhaps you’ve hunted down a gift that’s nearly impossible to secure. Maybe you’ll be up late on Christmas Eve doing a last-minute assembly.

Surprises can be delightful to give and receive, creating a sense of wonder and excitement around Christmas. But as we enjoy them, it’s good to remember that the advent of Christ wasn’t meant to be a surprise. God had been promising his people a serpent-crushing offspring from the earliest pages of the Bible (Gen. 3:15). The real story of Christmas isn’t a story of surprise but of fulfillment.

Through the Old Testament prophets, God revealed quite a bit of information about the coming Messiah. Jeremiah said he would be a king from the line of David (Jer. 23:5–6). Micah foretold he would come from the town of Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2). Isaiah said he would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14). Years ahead of time, God promised his people a Savior and gave specific details about his coming.

So when Philip went to share the news that Christ had come, notice what he said: “We have found him of whom Moses . . . and also the prophets wrote” (John 1:45). He didn’t say, “Surprise! God sent a Savior.” He said, “We have found him.” They knew the Messiah was coming. They were expecting him. Finding Jesus, for them, was confirmation of God’s faithfulness.

And that’s the story of Christmas for us too. The advent of Christ is a vivid reminder that God does what he says he will do, down to the last detail. Don’t skip over the details the Gospel writers record about the birth of Christ. It’s not extra fluff to fill out the story. In Matthew’s account of Christ’s birth, five times he writes something like “This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet” (see Matt. 1:22; 2:5, 15, 17, 23). Why does Matthew repeatedly point out the fulfillment of prophecy? Because it shows us God’s faithfulness.

God’s faithfulness in the Christmas story gives us hope in our own stories. Just as God promised to send Jesus, he promises to be with us now through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus came the first time, he promises to come again. We can look forward in hope, confidently anticipating Christ’s second coming and the fulfillment of his promises to dwell with us forever (Rev. 21:3).

God may not give us everything on our wish list, but we can be sure he’ll fulfill all the promises he has made. Great is his faithfulness!

Respond
How have you seen God’s faithfulness to you in the past? In what areas of your life are you struggling to believe God’s promises? What might it look like for you to find hope in God’s faithfulness today?

Rejoice

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness!

– Thomas Chisholm, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”

Editors’ note: This meditation appears in The Weary World Rejoices: Daily Devotions for Advent edited by Melissa Kruger (TGC, November 2021).

TheGospelCoalition. Advent Meditation: Hope Fulfilled. Winfree Brislely. November 29, 2023.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/advent-meditation-hope-fulfilled/

Advent is what we call the season leading up to Christmas. It begins four Sundays before December 25, sometimes in the last weekend of November, sometimes on the first Sunday in December. 

1 Peter 1:10-12 is a clear description of what we look back to during Advent.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (1 Peter 1:10-12 )

For four weeks, it’s as if we’re re-enacting, remembering the thousands of years God’s people were anticipating and longing for the coming of God’s salvation, for Jesus. That’s what advent means—coming. Even God’s men who foretold the grace that was to come didn’t know “what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating." They were waiting, but they didn’t know what God’s salvation would look like.

In fact, God revealed to them that they were not the ones who would see the sufferings and glory of God’s Christ:

They were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.

They were serving us. We Christians on this side of Jesus’ birth are a God-blessed, happy people because we know God’s plan. The ancient waiting is over. We have the greatest reason to celebrate.

(Adapted from Treasuring God in Our Traditions)

Noël Piper is wife of John Piper, mother of five, and grandmother of sixteen. She is also the author of Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God.

DesiringGod. What is Advent? Noël Piper. December 2, 2009.

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-advent

I don’t imagine however, that men’s ministry spaces often include such conversations. Birth isn’t a typical connection point for men in the same way it is for women.

So it seems odd that Jesus uses the metaphor of birth in John 3 when he’s speaking to a man, Nicodemus. But there’s an important similarity between physical birth and spiritual birth that Jesus connects for Nicodemus—and for us.

New Paradigm

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, which we’re accustomed to thinking of as a negative label. But in Jesus’s day, to be a Pharisee was to be the most religious guy in the room. The Pharisees were respected and trusted leaders in Jewish society. When we read that a “man from the Pharisees” (v. 1, CSB) comes to Jesus, we should think, An important man is coming to see Jesus. He was the guy you saw in the temple every Sabbath, the one who never missed a sacrifice, and the one who could recite the Torah front to back.

Nicodemus comes thinking his status and religious fervor put him and Jesus in the same category. So Jesus uses a metaphor that turns Nicodemus’s paradigm upside down: “You must be born again” (v. 7). Religious credentials and good works don’t make you a true follower, Jesus says. New birth does. “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asks him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” (v. 4, CSB).

Nicodemus comes to Jesus thinking they’re religious leaders talking man-to-man. He comes with great knowledge about God. But Jesus essentially says, “You need more than that to see me. You need something you can’t do for yourself.” That’s why the example of birth is so helpful.

Nonnegotiable and Impossible

While the practice of inducing labor now exists through modern medical developments, in ancient times, no one could make a baby be born. And even today, when a woman labors for her child’s arrival, no one knows the day or hour that labor will begin or end (unless there’s medical intervention). Our knowledge about the process doesn’t make it happen. Our strategies and best-laid birth plans cannot force the process.

The same is true for salvation, Jesus says to Nicodemus. The Spirit moves where he wishes (v. 8), and we never know the day or the hour of his movement in a person’s life. But to enter the kingdom of God, he must give you a new birth. That’s nonnegotiable.

And Nicodemus says—that’s impossible. Now we’re getting somewhere.

Nicodemus comes thinking he can align himself with Jesus without having to lose his position. He comes thinking that praising Jesus for his signs will put them on the same team. But Jesus wants Nicodemus to see how unattainable is any human attempt to enter the kingdom, see the kingdom, or even understand the kingdom, without a complete rebirth. Without the old Nicodemus dying and the new Nicodemus being born, he would remain blind to the path of belief.

Nicodemus is proof positive that knowing the Bible isn’t enough to open our eyes. Being born into a Christian family isn’t enough to make us a Christian. Going to a Christian college, or being in ministry, or even attending church won’t make anyone believe. We must be born again. We must walk through the impossible and supernatural process of dying to our old life and being reborn to new life in Christ.

Salvation and Beyond

But even for those of us who have been born again, the birth metaphor continues to serve us. A baby doesn’t will his life into existence, and a baby also doesn’t grow on his own. He needs someone to feed him, change him, take care of him, and show him the path of maturity.

Our good works don’t save us, and they don’t keep us either. The same grace that brought us into our spiritual new birth grows us into mature adults in Christ.

This doesn’t remove our responsibility to participate in our sanctification, but it does remind us who accomplishes our progress. For those of us tempted to rest in our good works and religious commitment (like Nicodemus), Jesus gives us the metaphor of rebirth to remind us of an important truth: You need something you can’t do for yourself.

TheGospelCoalition. How Birth Helps Us Understand Salvation. October 19, 2025. Courtney Reissig.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/birth-helps-understand-salvation/

Paul wrote these words of encouragement to the young pastor Timothy, recognizing the challenges and pressures that he was experiencing. These words ring true for the young pastors serving in the jungles of Peru.

Life in the jungle is difficult. The Indigenous Peoples who inhabit the jungle live largely off the land. Their diet consists of fruit from the forest, an occasional monkey or fish, and yuca taken from their small gardens. Most are undernourished largely because of the limited variety of food. They live in thatch huts built off the ground to keep snakes out, but this doesn’t preclude the rats. And, nothing protects from the heat and bugs, which are absolutely relentless. Transportation is exclusively by river, dependent on canoes carved from tree trunks. These communities are sorely lacking when it comes to access to clean water, sanitation, education and quality health care. Even worse, the communities are isolated with no internet or cell coverage. All together this lifestyle brings a sense of worthlessness and hopelessness. To cope many turn to alcohol (produced by chewing yucca, spitting it in a vat of water and allowing it to ferment).

Fortunately, there are those who have found hope in Jesus Christ. It has been our pleasure to champion and equip churches in these remote and otherwise forgotten communities. We provide this support first in the form of biblical training. We identify community members with a deep commitment and calling of Christ. We fully cover their training and travel expenses. This comes with a significant commitment on the part of the student and their family. The whole family must put their lives on hold and travel to the “big city” (Pucallpa or Iquitos). There the whole family is immersed in intensive Bible study and training for three months. They return home for three months to put into practice what they have learned. This cycle continues for three years. To date we have graduated two new pastors, Edgar and Fernando. Additionally, five new students have made the commitment and started their training—Ukama (38 and father of five), Shamichi (42, married and no children), along with three high school graduates who feel called to ministry: Isabel, Pegui, and Elmer.

We also support these remote churches by meeting basic physical needs. An important way we help is by providing a place to worship. While many materials can be sourced from the jungle, assistance is needed with roofing materials and cement. We have also supplied a boat and motor so Pastor Fernando can minister to villages beyond his own. At last count he was ministering to 10 different communities.  Also supported is the most basic of needs, the Bible. Supplied are Bibles recorded in the native language of the communities that are solar powered and can be played so that 50-100 people can listen at a time.

We are also equipping these remote churches by breaking down the walls of isolation. This is accomplished primarily by the work of Pastor Victor. He makes monthly trips into the jungle to meet with the churches and pastors. His primary function is to mentor the pastors, encourage the churches and help create a sense of unity throughout the jungle. The effectiveness of Victor’s work is evidenced by the constant invitations to preside over weddings and funerals and pray over ailing church members.

The Gospel is penetrating and thriving in the most remote areas of the Peruvian jungles thanks to the exceptional commitment of these ministers of Christ. Please be in prayer for them.

This connection across the global Church is mutual. That’s why we pray with our brothers and sisters rather than only for them. Their perseverance calls us to stand more boldly for Christ where we live.

Prayer is not passive. It is participation. When we pray, we link arms with believers across cultures and continents as one family in Christ.

While our enemy is real, the power of prayer is greater. Prayer strengthens those who persevere under pressure, and it equips us to stand with them.

Seven daily prayers for the persecuted church (from Spirit of Martyrdom International):

Unity – Pray for oneness in their witness so the Gospel shines with clarity and power.

Boldness – Pray for courage to share the truth without fear or compromise.

Authority – Pray they will walk confidently in the authority they have in Christ.

Faith – Lift up their trust in God as they endure hardship and persecution.

Provision – Pray for clear vision and for God’s provision as they make disciples.

Comfort – Ask for peace and strength for those imprisoned or separated from loved ones.

Love – Pray that their love will deepen for God, His people, and even for their enemies.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10

Jesus’ final words to His disciples have come to be known as the Great Commission. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” has become a central rallying cry for missionaries from the early church to the present day. Being part of missions and spreading the gospel message allows us to bring change around the world and be changed ourselves. As we enter the Christmas Advent season, we celebrate Christ’s birth and the gospel message we are called to share; here at MCC, our attention turns towards supporting the missional work of Operation Christmas Child.

Taking part in Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is a great way to get involved in missions at MCC and partner with churches around the world to spread the good news of Christ. With OCC, you and your family can prayerfully gift a Christmas-themed shoebox filled with toys and necessities for a child. In 2024, churches around the world helped to send more than 11.9 million shoebox gifts to children in need. Each shoebox not only represents a gift of toys and necessities to a child, but something even more precious: the opportunity to share the love of God.

At the outreach events where the shoe boxes are delivered, local pastors and believers have the privilege to share the gospel with shoebox recipients and their families. These pastors and believers are trained by volunteers in the National Leadership Team on how to present the Gospel in a child-friendly way. After the event, children are invited back to take part in a 12-week discipleship program called the Greatest Journey. In the Greatest Journey, children learn more about the Bible, God, and how to share their faith with family and friends. Since 2009, 46 million recipients have participated in The Greatest Journey, and 23 million boys and girls have made professions of faith, changing not only their lives but the lives of their families as well.

Lives aren’t only changed around the world, but here at home as well, through end-to-end transformation. We encourage as you prepare your own shoebox, to be in prayer for the child that receives the box. Reflect on the Gospel message and the wonderful gift of Christ as you shop. Talk with your family about missions and how to reach the people around you with the good news of the gospel. There will be resources to help with prayer and discussion at the OCC table in the lobby. Feel free to contact Brittany Wendland with any questions or if you want more details on being involved with Operation Christmas Child. 

Bring change and be changed this Christmas season with Operation Christmas Child!

I probably don’t have to tell you about the current plague of anxiety in our society. Jonathan Haidt calls children born after 1995 “the anxious generation.” He cites reports showing anxiety levels doubling in recent decades, especially among 18-to-25-year-olds. Depression has climbed a similar path. Most concerning, suicides have spread like a dark and poisonous cloud. Nearly twice as many young men took their own lives in 2020 than in 2010; among young women, the number rose 167 percent. I have two young sons and a daughter, and their little faces make those otherwise clinical percentages dreadfully, fearfully human. What if my girl was one of those numbers? That thought alone threatens to add me to the hyper-anxious.

But this article is not mainly about the 18.2 percent (and climbing) of adults reporting moderate to severe levels of anxiety. This article is about you and your anxieties. When you lie in your bed at night, with all your hopes and hurts and unknowns, what worries wage war on your heart and rob you of joy? Could it be possible — truly, unexpectedly possible — to rejoice in God while battling the fears that sometimes plague you and me?

Not About Anything?

As I think back on the anxieties that have crept onto my pillow, even just over the last couple of years — health trouble, house trouble, work trouble, financial trouble, family trouble, and more — they’re not happy moments for me. They’re difficult moments, painful moments, can’t-this-just-be-over moments. I don’t associate them with rejoicing, at least not at first.

When I remember going to war with those worries, though, I think almost immediately of two verses that have been a sword and shield on my battlefield. In Philippians 4:6–7, the apostle Paul writes,

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It’s a startling command and promise: Don’t be anxious about anything. Depend on God through prayer, and you’ll experience the peace of God in everything. That’s not exaggeration or naivete; that’s a God-wrought, God-breathed promise. Put your particular fear into the verse — “Do not be anxious about [blank]” — and it wouldn’t change what Paul said.

When the apostle says “anything,” he means anything. For those who know and love Christ, there is nothing in your health, your house, your life that God can’t cover with real heartfelt peace. But not only peace.

Rejoice in the Lord Always

Just two verses before Paul addresses anxiety and promises this mind-blowing peace, the apostle says something even more stunning:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. . . . Do not be anxious about anything. (Philippians 4:4–6)

Don’t be anxious about anything. Rejoice in the Lord always. This God not only holds out peace in every uncertain circumstance, but with that peace, he holds out joy — an always joy. Can you bear to believe that? Do you believe that the God of infinite strength and worth is able not only to still the raging storms in your mind but also to place a blazing lantern of joy in the darkness of your boat? Do you believe that the God who daily caters for 120 million cardinals and tailors the brilliant petals of billions of tulips might be able to find and satisfy you in this valley?

“One way God proves his glory in the universe is by holding and satisfying his people through terrible uncertainties.”

You probably know someone who has survived horrible uncertainty with surprising joy. Who’s been one of those joy-in-anxiety miracles in your life? When you think of him or her, you likely don’t see the bright, lighthearted face we often picture when we think of joy. No, joy in the valley of uncertainty is often a heavier, more serious kind of gladness. It’s not the joy of a five-year-old learning to ride a bike (I love that joy too). It’s more, I imagine, like the joy of a soldier finally getting the upper hand in a fierce battle, with his closest friends at his shoulder.

There’s a joy buried in every season of uncertainty, even on battlefields. That’s why Paul can say, “Rejoice in the Lord always” — and then repeat himself: “again I will say, rejoice.”

Even in Anxiety

So, is joy possible in anxiety? Is your anxiety beyond the scope of God’s “always”? One way God proves his glory in the universe is by holding and satisfying his people through terrible uncertainties. And there’s no uncertainty too great for him — not even yours.

We need to remember that Paul wrote these verses from the shadows of prison — and he knew he might not make it out this time (Philippians 1:20). His worry was death. When he wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything” and “Rejoice always,” he wasn’t printing pithy Christianese slogans from a place of comfort and security. If any of us has reasons to be anxious, he had more.

And yet right there — in the injustice of prison, in the hostility of persecution, at the very doorstep of death — he could rejoice because he always had more reasons to rejoice than he had to worry. He could say, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).

If he could rejoice even then, can’t you rejoice even now?

DesiringGod. When Anxiety Clouds Reality. Marshall Segal. September 3, 2025.

Marshall Segal https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/when-anxiety-clouds-reality

Ask a serious Protestant today what is the biggest threat to orthodox Christianity today, and he might mention cultural hostilities, the sexual revolution, or nominalism in our churches. But if you would have asked a Protestant the same question a hundred years ago, he would have almost certainly mentioned the Roman Catholic Church. Until fairly recently, Protestants and Catholics in this country were, if not enemies, then certainly players on opposing teams.

Mary

According to Catholic doctrine, Mary is not only the Mother of Christ, but the Mother of the church. She was conceived without original sin (the immaculate conception) and at the end of her earthly life “was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things” (assumption). She intercedes for the church, “continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation,” and is “a mother to us in the order of grace.”

Mary was more than just the faith-filled mother of Jesus: “The Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.”

Purgatory

Catholics also teach that those who die in God’s grace, but still imperfectly purified, are assured of eternal life, but must first undergo purification in purgatory. Because of the presence of this intermediate state, the Catholic Church has developed the practice of prayer for the dead. “The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead.”

Concerning the salvation of those who do not hear the gospel, the Catholic Catechism is committed to inclusivism: “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation.”

Merit

It is not really fair to say “Catholics teach that you can earn your salvation.” That may be what many Catholics believe, but the official teaching of Rome is more nuanced, though still a long way off from the Reformation understanding sola gratia. The Catechism summarizes: “Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one can merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification, at the beginning of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life.”

Justification

Catholic teaching rejects the Protestant doctrine of imputed righteousness. The question is this: is the righteousness whereby we are forgiven and made right with God a righteousness working in us or a righteousness reckoned to our account? Catholics say the former, Protestants the latter. According to Catholic teaching, justification is more than God’s declaration of our righteousness based on Christ’s work, it is also a renewal of the inner man and reconciliation with God. Of course, these are good things too, but Catholics make them present in and through justification, rather than by faith alone.

The Council of Trent, from the 16th century Catholic counter-reformation, declares: “If anyone says, that men are justified, either by the sole imputation of the justice of Christ, or by the sole remission of sins, to the exclusion of grace and charity that is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, and is inherent in them; or even that the grace, whereby we are justified, is only the favor of God: let him be anathema.” While individual Protestants and Catholics may work to find common ground on justification, the official teaching of the Roman Church is still opposed to any notion of an imputed righteousness through faith alone.

Conclusion

Should Catholics and Protestants treat each other decently and with respect? Of course. Will we labor side by side on important moral and social matters? Quite often. Can we find born-again Christians worshiping in Catholic churches? I’m sure. But are the disagreements between Protestants and Catholics, therefore, negligible? Hardly. The differences still exist, and they still matter.

Sanctify us by your truth, O Lord; your word is truth.

This article was originally published in 2017 and was updated in 2025.

ClearlyReformed. 8 Key Differences Between Catholics and Protestants. May 12, 2025. Kevin DeYoung

https://clearlyreformed.org/8-key-differences-between-catholics-and-protestants/

Today, much of that animosity has melted away. And to a large extent, the thaw between Protestants and Catholics has been a good thing. Sincere Protestants and Catholics often find themselves to be co-belligerents, defending the unborn, upholding traditional marriage, and standing up for religious liberty. And in an age that discounts doctrine, evangelical Protestants often share more in common theologically with a devout Roman Catholic steeped in historic orthodoxy than they do with liberal members of their own denominations. I personally have benefited over the years from Catholic authors like G. K. Chesterton, Richard John Neuhaus, and Robert George.

And yet, theological differences between Protestants and Catholics are still wide and in places very deep. It’s important to be conversant with some of the main issues that legitimately divide us, lest we think all the theological hills have been laid low and all the dogmatic valleys made into a plain.

Below are a few of the main points that still separate Catholics and Protestants. Of course, many Roman Catholics may not believe (or even know) what their formal theology states. But by seeking to understand official church documents we can get a good idea of what Catholics are supposed to believe and see how these differ from traditional Protestant beliefs (unless otherwise noted, quotations are from the Catechism of the Catholic Church).

The Church

Since Vatican II, the Catholic Church has softened its stance toward Protestants, calling them “estranged brothers.” Nevertheless, to be a part of the church in its fullness one must be immersed in the Roman Catholic system of sacraments, orders, and under the authority of the Pope. “Fully incorporated into the society of the Church are those who . . . are joined in the visible structure of the Church of Christ, who rules here through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops.”

Further, the Pope is considered infallible when he speaks ex cathedra (from the chair); that is, when he makes official doctrinal pronouncements.

The Catholic Church also has seven sacraments instead of two—Eucharist (or Lord’s Supper) and baptism like Protestants, and then penance, holy orders, marriage, confirmation, and last rites.

Scripture

Catholics have a larger biblical canon. In addition to the 66 books in the Protestant Bible, Catholic Bibles include the Apocrypha, with books like Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccebees, Sirach, and Baruch. Catholic teaching also elevates tradition more than Protestants do. Granted, many evangelicals suffer from ignoring tradition and the wisdom of the past. But Catholic theology goes beyond just respecting the past; it sacralizes it. “Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence,” the Catechism states.

Likewise, the Magisterium has the authority to make definitive interpretations. “The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living, teaching, office of the Church alone . . . to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.” The issue of authority continues to be the biggest practical divide between Protestants and Catholics.

Lord’s Supper

Central to the Catholic faith is the Mass (their worship service), and central to the Mass is the celebration of the Eucharist. Catholics believe that bread and wine are transubstantiated into the actual, physical body and blood of Jesus Christ.

The elements are offered as a sacrifice from the church and a sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s work on the cross. This is not simply a remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice, but the same atoning work: “The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice . . . the sacrifice [of the Eucharist] is truly propitiatory.”

Baptism

Catholics teach that “justification is conferred in Baptism.” The waters of baptism wash away original sin and join us with Christ. Baptism is not merely a sign and seal of grace, but actually confers saving grace.

* * *

Come back next week for the rest of the article. 

ClearlyReformed. 8 Key Differences Between Catholics and Protestants. May 12, 2025. Kevin DeYoung

https://clearlyreformed.org/8-key-differences-between-catholics-and-protestants/

I was grateful for him considering our family, but that conversation gave me pause. Why did my husband seem to think he’d be letting our family down if he spent a weekend with friends?

New Day for Dads

Over the last few decades, I’ve noticed growing emphasis in conservative evangelical churches on men demonstrating servant leadership through practical help in the home. Dads change diapers and rock fussy babies. They wash dishes and fold laundry. They spend their evenings and weekends at home with their families, playing with their children and giving their wives a break.

This tracks with wider cultural trends. Compared to dads in 1965, today’s dads spend about triple the time caring for their children each week and more than double the time on household chores. These are welcome changes.

But at the same time, male friendship has declined significantly. Men report having half as many close friends as they did 30 years ago. Of course, declining male friendship is multifaceted—men don’t have fewer friends simply because they’re helping more at home. But I wonder if there’s a connection. As both church and culture have encouraged men to take on more practical responsibilities in the family, have we unintentionally discouraged men from taking time to cultivate friendships?

An Unnecessary Love?

In some spheres of life, we affirm that a man being away from home is part of a larger good. It’s good for him to go to work and earn income to provide for his family or go to the doctor for a checkup to maintain his health. Those are assumed to be necessary uses of his time, worth being away from home for.

But when a man takes time to go to a football game with his brother or play a round of golf with a friend, we tend to think of it as optional recreation. Sure, it’d be nice for Dad to have fun once in a while, but only if it doesn’t leave Mom with the kids too long. We can slide into thinking of a man’s time as a zero-sum game in which spending time with friends means taking something away from his wife and children.

Perhaps we instinctively understand C. S. Lewis’s observation in The Four Loves that friendship is the least “necessary” of loves. He explains, “Without Eros none of us would have been begotten and without Affection none of us would have been reared; but we can live and breed without Friendship.” We understand that marriage and child-rearing are foundational to human existence and to our responsibility as believers to fulfill the creation mandate.

Without friendship, we may be able to physically survive, but that doesn’t mean we can spiritually thrive. Lewis goes on to explain that while friendship “has no survival value . . . it is one of those things which give value to survival.” He says that friendship is God’s “instrument for creating as well as revealing” beauty in us. And it exhibits a glorious nearness to heaven because it “increases the fruition which each has of God.” Friendship with other believers helps us become more like Christ and know him better.

And if that’s true, then a man spending time with friends has the potential to be a blessing to his family, not a burden, as Samuel James has argued:

Christian men need to see how their obligations of love and loyalty to one another are deeply connected to their roles as husbands and fathers. Your friends are not merely a “break” from home. Rather, in Christian friendship, love and solidarity are shaping you in a way that will reverberate in the hearts of your wife and children.

I would add that Christian wives, too, need to see the value of these connections. When our husbands spend time investing in friendship with other Christian men, we lose some of their time and help. But we can gain in other ways. As our husbands are spurred on in their faith and find rest and refreshment through friendship, Lord willing, they’ll lead and serve our families from a place of greater spiritual health.

Of course, wisdom pursues balance. Just because it’s valuable for men to make time for friendship doesn’t mean they should spend every Saturday on the golf course or in a deer stand. Plenty of men, even Christian men, need to spend more time at home. But the majority of Christian men I know aren’t neglecting their families; if anything, they’re neglecting friendship.

Necessary Correction

I don’t know what it’d take to reverse declines in male friendship at a societal level. But within an individual family, it might be as simple as a wife’s encouragement when her husband mentions meeting a friend for breakfast or joining a pickup basketball game. When I consider why my husband was hesitant to bring up the golf trip last fall, I’d like to blame it on messages from church and culture. If I’m honest though, it has a lot to do with messages he’s received from me.

Particularly when our children were younger, I conveyed in subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways that when he spent time away from home, he was burdening me. Yet every time there’s a women’s ministry event at church, my husband gladly takes care of the kids so I can go. Every time a friend asks me to meet for coffee or invites me to a girls’ night, my husband encourages me to say yes. He’s never hesitated with his response or sighed and slumped his shoulders when I’ve wanted to spend time with friends. His sacrificial service is a wonderful example for our sons—and me.

My husband ended up going on that golf trip, and it has led to more opportunities to play with these guys from church. It’s led to more opportunities for connection when they see each other on Sundays and text in their group chat in between. These are guys my husband had known for years at a distance but now counts as friends.

So, at the beginning of this year as we planned our family calendar, we reserved days for my husband to play golf. Playing a few more rounds this year will mean he spends a little less time with our family. It’ll mean that I care for our kids solo on a Saturday here and there. But that’s a small price to pay compared to the eternal value of Christian friends.

TheGospelCoalition. Male Friendship Is Declining. Wives Can Help. September 10, 2025. Winfree Brisley

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/male-friendship-declining-wives-help/

For me, the end of a year is like the end of my life. And 11:59 pm on December 31 is like the moment of my death.

The 365 days of the year are like a miniature lifetime. And these final hours are like the last days in the hospital after the doctor has told me that the end is very near. And in these last hours, the lifetime of this year passes before my eyes, and I face the inevitable question: Did I live it well? Will Jesus Christ, the righteous Judge, say “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21)?

I feel very fortunate that this is the way my year ends. And I pray that the year’s end might have the same significance for you.

The reason I feel fortunate is that it is a great advantage to have a trial run at my own dying. It is a great benefit to rehearse once a year in preparation for the last scene of your life. It is a great benefit because the morning of January 1 will find most of us still alive, at the brink of a whole new lifetime, able to start fresh all over again.

The great thing about rehearsals is that they show you where your weaknesses are, where your preparation was faulty; and they leave you time to change before the real play in front of a real audience.

I suppose for some of you the thought of dying is so morbid, so gloomy, so fraught with grief and pain that you do your best to keep it out of your minds, especially during holidays. I think that is unwise and that you do yourself a great disservice. I have found that there are few things more revolutionizing for my life than a periodic pondering of my own death.

How do you get a heart of wisdom so as to know how best to live? The psalmist answers:

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. . . . So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:5–6, 12)

Numbering your days simply means remembering that your life is short and your dying will be soon. Great wisdom — great, life-revolutionizing wisdom — comes from periodically pondering these things.

The criterion of success, that Paul used to measure his life, was whether he had kept the faith. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7–8). Let this be our test at year’s end.

And if we discover that we did not keep the faith this past year, then we can be glad, as I am, that this year-end death is (probably) only a rehearsal, and a whole life of potential faith-keeping lies before us in the next year.

We are products of our theology. What we know about God will determine whether we flounder or flourish during transitions like these: 

“The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day” (Prov. 4:18).

“The righteous flourish like the palm tree . . . They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age . . .” (Psalm 92:12-15).

At age 83, I can testify to this forward movement of the gospel in our lives. My eyesight is weaker, but the path is brighter. My body is weaker, but my spirit flourishes. Because of God’s persevering grace, I know him better today than I did yesterday. In every transition I’ve faced as a mom, God never changed—but I continually change as I increasingly experience the reality of his presence. The biggest transition that determines our response to every transition is: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).  

This season of motherhood is fraught with unknowns. Yet, I encourage you to meditate on what you do know and reflect on the opportunities before you.

God created us for his glory. 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world . . . to the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph. 1:3-6).

Our identity is not in our various roles or in our children’s success but in our triune God. We are his image-bearers created to reflect his glorious grace. The Westminster Shorter Catechism succinctly states, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” This brilliant statement clarifies and simplifies life, even as our children leave the nest. Each morning, I’ve made it a practice to pray, “Lord, show me how to glorify and enjoy you in whatever you ordain for me today.” Dear mom, I encourage you too: ask the Lord to empower you to glorify and enjoy him in this letting-go season. 

We are to glorify God in our marriage. 

In preparation for this change in your parental role, talk and pray with your husband if you’re married. Take his hand and say, “‘Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!’ (Ps. 34:3) as we transition to this new season of parenting. Let’s help one another navigate this change with grace.” 

Prayerfully consider—together and individually—how you will re-allocate your time as daily responsibilities for your kids wind down. Ask the Lord to show you where and how he wants you to share your gifts and graces with others. Consider spiritually mothering young moms, spending more time caring for aging parents, going on mission trips together, or discipling young couples.  

Agree together how you will relate to your child—who is now an adult. (For example, if you are still paying some or all of his bills, what accountability will you expect from him?) Entrust your child to Jesus and communicate with her with grace. The primary teaching time is past, but consider the words of the psalmist:

“You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip” (Psalm 18:35-36).

Support . . . gentleness . . . wide place. These can characterize our role with our kids in the letting-go season.

Two realities I must mention: you may be a single mom, or you may be experiencing alienation from a child who is walking in disobedience. This adds to the pain of letting go. I pray the next three “things you know” will comfort and strengthen you. 

As God’s beloved children, we have access to his throne of grace. 

During our children’s teen years, a friend told me about praying Scripture for her son. I was immediately convicted. I realized I prayed about our children’s behavior and not their hearts. So, I asked the Lord to teach me to pray. 

My heart was drawn to Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21. For almost four decades now, I have prayed this passage for those the Lord entrusted to my husband and me. The list has grown as our children married, then had children. I don’t want my prayers to be limited by what I can imagine, so I ask the Lord to do “far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (v. 20). 

I trust God and not myself, so I pray for his kingdom to come and his will to be done in their hearts (Matt. 6:10). As I pray Scripture, I see more of the bigness and hope of the gospel. My imagination and my joy soar as I think about him answering in his way and his time for each of the people I hold before him. 

No matter what choices your children make out on their own, cling to what you know about God. Our actions as moms do profoundly shape our children’s lives, so we want to continue taking responsibility, seeking forgiveness for our mistakes, and remaining humble to grow. Yet, we are not ultimately responsible for our children’s wrong choices, and we cannot change their hearts—but we can prayerfully entrust them to the Lord, who proved his love by giving his Child to die in our place. 

God has given us outward means of grace—his Word, prayer, worship, sacraments, and fellowship. 

Ask the Holy Spirit to use these outward means of grace to strengthen your inner being during this transition—that you might grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. The Lord has given us himself and adopted us into his family. Cultivate gospel friendships with those who will pray with and for you and your child. Seek the wisdom and prayers of spiritual mothers who are ahead of you in parenting. This will be especially important when your child goes through hard places.    

The Lord is writing your story and your child’s story, and he has not finished either one. 

When a mom shares her grief about hard things in her grown child’s life, I listen and then say, “I am sad with you. Your focus is on your child, but I see what the Lord is doing in you. I see you grieving but not as one without hope. I see you trusting him. I see you growing in him as he writes his story of grace in you, and I pray he will give you grace to trust him to accomplish his good plan in your child’s life.” 

Recently, a grandchild asked what I would change if I could rewrite my story. My response: “Nothing, because it took, and is taking, everything—the times of rejoicing and the times of weeping—to accomplish God’s purpose. Nothing is random. Nothing is wasted. God ordains it all for his glory and my good. Jesus writes long stories. They are good stories. They are redemptive stories.”

RisenMotherhood. A Letter for the Letting Go Years. July 31, 2023. Susan Hunt

https://www.risenmotherhood.com/articles/a-letter-for-the-letting-go-years

I ended the summer reading through the Psalms and Proverbs. As I drank in the wisdom of these two books, certain passages in particular have encouraged and directed my hopes for my children as they head back to school. These verses have shaped my prayers and given words to the longings of my heart. As my children spend less time in my presence, I am thankful that I can bring all my concerns and cares before the Lord in prayer.

Lord, I pray that my children would understand their need for Jesus and rejoice in the good news of the Gospel. Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death (Psalms 68:19-20).

Lord, I pray that my children will love learning; that their hearts would seek to understand the world you have created.  The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly (Proverbs 15:14).

I pray that as they learn about your world, they would behold the majesty of your glory. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. (Psalm 19:1)

Lord, I pray that you would surround them with friends who make wise choices and encourage their faith.  Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20).

I pray that their teachers would be wise and gentle.  The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit (Proverbs 15:2,4).

Lord, I pray that they would work with diligence and put forth their best efforts. The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied (Proverbs 13:4).

I pray that they would be thoughtful with their words and respectful in their replies. The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things (Proverbs 15:28). 

I pray that you would free them from the pressure of trying to be like everyone else by instilling in them the confidence to know that they are uniquely made by you.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well (Psalms 139:14).

I pray that they would receive correction well.  The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence (Proverbs 15:31-32).

I pray that they would share their faith with others.  They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom (Psalm 145: 11-12).

I pray that when they do what is wrong, they would bear consequences that lead them to repentance.  I pray that when they do what is right, you would bless their obedience that they may learn to love your ways. The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his way (Proverbs 14:14).

I pray that your Word would be on their hearts and in their minds as they learn. Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD (Proverbs 16:20).

I pray that they would be kind to others.  Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21)

I pray that you would give them the grace of self-control. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls (Proverbs 25:28).

Lord, I pray that your grace would rest upon my children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! (Psalms 90:17)

I pray that you would protect them from all evil.  I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life (Psalm 121:1-2,7).

More than anything else, may their lives glorify you. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever (Psalm 86:12).

O Lord, hear our prayers!  Amen.

TheGospelCoalition. A Back to School Prayer. August 30, 2016. Melissa Kruger

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/melissa-kruger/a-back-to-school-prayer/

Did you know? Seventy-five percent of American adults who had a mentor growing up say that this relationship was a major contributor to their success in life. Sixty-seven percent of young people say that they remember a time when they didn’t have a mentor and they needed one.  The statistics go on and on – we all need mentors to walk alongside us! (mentoring.org)

At Juntos we regularly have opportunities to mentor on all levels. High school kids mentor younger kids in their small groups at our regular Rally Nights by sharing and memorizing scripture, praying together and helping them navigate relationships and hard (or exciting!) situations. College kids and young adults mentor middle school and high school youth as they volunteer side by side, attend their sports or school events, read the Bible together and encourage and build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Adults mentor all ages of young people as they share not only their experiences, but all of the ways that the Lord has worked in their own lives.

Juntos is intentionally designed for these mentoring relationships to form, but we are seeing the importance and potential impact of a much more intentional mentoring program. Our goal is for our Juntos students to be rooted, built up and established in their faith (Colossians 2:6-7), especially in a world that is rapidly changing and presenting many challenges and opportunities. This next year we will be looking for more ways in which our young leaders can mentor the children from their own families and neighborhoods. Additionally, we are developing an official community-based mentoring program in partnership with an existing ministry from Denver. We will be asking Jesus-following adults from outside of Juntos to invest significant time into some of our children and young people. We trust that through these efforts children will be more deeply rooted in their relationship with the Lord, parents and family members will see the truth of the Gospel, and the Lord will be praised and glorified by many!

Laura Jenkins has been involved with Juntos since 2005 and currently serves as the director. Juntos offers weekly meetings, summer programs, leader training, small group Bible studies, tutoring, and mentoring for kids in the International District of Albuquerque. If you’d like more information about serving with Juntos, call the Mountain Christian Church office.

Our first stop was Shahabhad, where MCC provides annual support for daily operations—paying teachers, maintaining the building, and serving nutritious meals for up to 80 students. Two years ago, MCC also gave a gift to repair a leaking ceiling and add a new upstairs room. This larger space now allows all the children to gather comfortably for programs.

We spent the morning singing songs the children had learned during summer camp (VBS). One song, written by staff, reminded them that being like Jesus is better than being a cricket or Bollywood star. We then shared a story about a king who lacked self-control, destroyed his city’s walls, and later sought wisdom and forgiveness from the King of Kings. The children made pop-up books to remember key points before we served lunch. GOH has also hired a music teacher at Shahabhad, which has greatly improved the atmosphere and attitudes of the children. Continue to pray for the staff and the children in each of the GOH centers. 

That evening we visited a church led by a GOH staff member. The women gathered for a Bible study on Romans 12. Many face deep challenges, including abuse for attending church. In South Asia, abuse of all kinds against women is widespread, underreported, and rarely prosecuted. Women often work tirelessly at home with few freedoms and many obstacles. It was a blessing to encourage and pray with these believers. Some have since begun meeting regularly together for prayer. Until now, women in this church have not met to lead other women to study the Bible or pray. Pray that they would continue to meet together and they would study the word of God. 

For three days we repeated this pattern—visiting children’s centers and women’s groups. One center works with Afghani refugees who face added challenges as outsiders. Women there live under strict cultural limits, often unable to work outside the home and required to wear burkas. At GOH they are learning tailoring skills and finding creative ways to help their families. Pray they come to know the love and freedom found in Christ.

At the end of our trip, we made tacos for a group of university students. Before the meal, Ravi (our partner with GOH) led a study on James 3. We met a young woman named Shambhavi, who joined us for sightseeing on our last day. We spent the day sharing the gospel and answering her many questions about the Bible. We left feeling as though we had known her much longer than two days. Pray she comes to believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father.

It is a privilege to support workers in South Asia and an even greater privilege to visit and work alongside of them. Please pray for Ravi and Caitlin, Ramesh and Gloria, and the entire staff of GOH. They are faithful workers serving in a country that is not amiable to the gospel. Pray for the believers in South Asia to continue in boldness; pray for their safety and for a deep understanding of the Lord and the word of God. I am encouraged and challenged every time I have been able to go serve alongside GOH. Pray that we would live with the same urgency to share our hope and faith with those in our circles.

I was also having a lot of questions and searching because of changes in the church I was raised in. Bernadette mentioned that meeting with Pastor Frank might help me with those challenges. We met and his help was invaluable and continues to be so. Shortly after checking out the Community Group, I became a frequent attendee and am now very involved with that group – that was about four years ago. As a result of getting to know the families in that group and my discussions with Frank, I also started coming to Sunday services and became more active in the church. 

Next this led me to joining Pam Cravens’ Women’s Community Bible Study group. The ladies in this group have become sisters in Christ for me and we stay in contact throughout the year (not just during active studies). Our group has grown in the last year and I feel like God has put us all together to support each other in challenging times and times of praise.

The next group I found was the Women’s Discipleship Group and I have now been with them for about two years and found the same sisterhood with them. 

One of the things that the Community Group, also known as the Wednesday Warriors, has done for the last several years is support the Shine winter food boxes. This experience brought my husband and me ways to be more involved in various outreach programs at MCC. One of the things that draws us to MCC is how much the church family supports the local community and we love being part of this. This led to us being involved in the preparations for VBS this year. 

Thanks to all the wonderful people I have met through these three groups I have found the following answers to my prayers:

• the church family that I have been seeking most of my life
• a wonderful way to continue my study of God’s Word (both individually and with my three small groups)
• a wonderful way to be more involved in outreach for our East Mountain Community and the opportunities to “pay it forward”

Our dear Lord and Savior is wonderful and has brought us so many blessings through the wonderful small groups and church family at Mountain Christian Church.

If you'd like more information on the small groups offered at MCC, contact Cruz Talamantes. 

Truth and God’s Word are inseparable! Do you have the mark of the Lamb (obedience, allegiance, love), or the mark of the Beast (comfort, compromise, security, individuality)? Whom do we serve? Jesus or the spirit of the age? As believers, we need to keep our focus on the One who holds all things together (Colossians 1:17), as the universe expands, and as our “clay pots” deteriorate. (2 Corinthians 4:1-12)

The enemy of our souls is working hard to get our focus on ourselves.

• Am I good enough? Am I too bad? Have I committed the unpardonable sin?
• Do I have enough resources to be a “winner?” This was David’s sin when he counted all his soldiers. (2 Samuel 24)
• Do I seek the approval of man rather than the applause of heaven, as did Hezekiah when he foolishly showed the Babylonians all the gold and silver in the temple? (2 Kings 20)
• Do I need just a little more “stuff” to feel appreciated or significant? This was Gideon’s mindset: a “little bit” of plunder, leading the Israelites into Idolatry. (Judges 8)

We pray “Your Kingdom come; your will be done.” (Matthew 6:10) And remember, the kingdom of God is within you, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. (Luke 17:21) Are we growing as kingdom men and kingdom women? Are we daily putting on our “kingdom armor” (Ephesians 6:10-18), so we will be prepared to fight the enemy of our soul?

We, fellow children of our heavenly Father, are told how to be overcomers (Revelation 12). “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” 

(For more, see the note from The MacArthur Study Bible regarding “The revealed truth from God and Christ contained in Scripture”).

Greetings from The Blue Ridge Mountains, the Appalachian Trail, and surroundings. Summer has now come to the communities where I mostly work. We have had a few showers in the last couple weeks, and they should start to revitalize the mountain springs which are the best source of water for hikers: there is less chance of contamination, and the water often tastes incredibly good from these springs.

Unfortunately, along with the gentle showers, we’ve had a number of days with severe storms leading to flooding, trail and road washouts, trees falling, and just plain miserable times to be out. The James River, which runs through the area has come close to flood stage three times in the last month. I often sleep a few hundred yards from the James, so I get to see the effects of the rain up close. To put the rains in some perspective, I-40 was hit by a large mudslide and flood last night right where the AT crosses under it. Parts of the roadway were badly damaged. With this kind of trouble to deal with, you can imagine how long it will be before the authorities can do work on the secondary roads and trails that have been hit.

On some of the particularly miserable days, hikers are holed-up in trail shelters and taking a rest. When I bring them food, it reminds me of piranhas feeding; the first batch of food often disappears as soon as I finish bringing things out of my bags. I wait for a bit if I can, and then bring out some more food which is eaten, but perhaps more slowly. Since I can take trash, I like to give out canned goods that they would never take hiking, as well as baked goods, energy bars, chips, candy, and non-water drinks. Some of the favorite canned goods are canned fruit, ravioli, chili, and queso. I am working with some of the churches in the area to collect food left over from the numerous pot lucks that are held in this area. We can package the food in clam shell containers and freeze it, and place it at off-trail locations where there is a microwave. The people of this area are great cooks, and this food is a wonderful way to remind hikers of home, and how they are loved.

I have a number of other activities that are not hiker focused. Periodically, I offer rides for people needing to go to the hospital or doctors for appointments or tests. Because of my concerns about not being strong enough to support folks who need help getting into vehicles, I no longer offer rides in the case of such folks, but I ride along with someone else who can do the driving and the maneuvering into the car. This way I can provide companionship and help with understanding instructions from providers. I also make grocery trips for people who cannot get out themselves; thank goodness for online ordering and store information! I have some wonderful visits with people who cannot get out much on their own, either in health care facilities, or at home. God has abundantly blessed me with opportunities to serve.

The weekend of June 6 a number of churches and businesses continued the tradition of Troutville Trail days. We provided meals Friday night, three meals on Saturday from various other folks, and breakfast on Sunday. Hikers also had the opportunity to camp at the town park, get a shower, load up with lots of snacks and supplies for free, and get rides to needed services such as doctors or podiatrists. A highlight for me was Friday night when we had run out of the fried chicken, salads, side dishes and desserts only about an hour and 15 minutes into dinner time. There were more hikers than we’d had in past years, and they were very hungry. All that was left was a square of mac and cheese casserole about an inch and a half on a side. I met with the ladies serving the food, and we made plans to get more food at local fast-food places (fried chicken, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy) and the local grocery for more sweets and desserts. I went on my way to do my part of this plan. Unbeknownst to us, four local people heard our conversation and independently also went out and bought food! We not only were able to feed all the hikers who came in, but in the end, we had more fried chicken than we had started with. The whole event reminded me of the Biblical story of the multiplication of the loaves and fish.

Our church has been blessed to welcome a number of new believers to the family of God. We had four baptisms this month, and may have more before the summer is over. In the summer, our Wednesday night program is held at Limestone Park, a ministry which has a great swimming pool, tennis and paddleboard courts and other recreational areas. The young people get to play for a couple hours, we feed them dinner, and end the evening with a time of music and a message. It is a joyous thing to me to see teens still in their wet swimsuits with their notebooks and Bibles out following the message and praising God. At the end of the month, I will be giving the message at church so the pastor can have a well-deserved vacation. At the end of the coming week, the Buchanan Carnival begins, two weeks of rides, food, fireworks and fun. We will offer free drinks and snacks to the usually hot visitors, as well as a variety of Christian materials and opportunity to talk for those who desire. We do this right across the street from the park where the carnival is held. Many people walk by us there. In addition, as a Gideon, I’ll be helping distribute New Testaments and Life Books to any who desire. The Gideons also have a table right inside the entrance to the carnival. I also distribute materials about Jesus at some local campgrounds, laundromats and hotels.      

I’ll end this with this thought: through all the heat, hard work and challenges I feel an immeasurable sense of contentment in my life. I wake up in the morning rejoicing that I am wherever I am, and I go to sleep at night happy at whatever has happened in the day. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”— Philippians 4:11-13. I love being alive in God’s world.

Blessings to you,

Jim

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Madison, Wisconsin, but I grew up in Laramie, Wyoming after my parents moved there when I was 2-months old. I still consider Wyoming home.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

Once I discovered that engineers are typically the folks that design cool mechanical things, that is what I wanted to be. I had a great time in my career doing just that.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My earliest spiritual influences were my parents and pastor at the church I grew up in.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

At a church summer camp when I was in the 5th or 6th grade. It was an evening bonfire service, and the message was about knowing Jesus and not just knowing about Him. That was when I heard and responded to His call

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Joshua 1:8-9. “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

I see the great young men that David and Zac are becoming and see special answers to many prayers of Kristy and I over the last couple of decades: health, wisdom, love of the Lord, character, degrees, meaningful careers, and in the case of Zac, a wonderful wife.

What will be a blessing and what a challenge you see as serving as deacon?

It will be a blessing to serve and enable the body of the MCC. It will also be a blessing to spend time with and work alongside the rest of the deacons. I anticipate it being a challenge determining the best things to pursue and invest in amongst all of the good options/ideas that come before the Deacon Council.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

My hobbies right now include working on cars and reloading ammunition.  I’ve always enjoyed fixing things and find it entertaining and satisfying to repair our vehicles (and sometimes those of others) and keep them in good shape. Reloading is a recent addition and I got into it because I just find it interesting. I’m looking forward to more free time so I can pick up fly fishing again.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Teaching my boys to drive a manual transmission (carried forward from my family). Also playing the white rabbit game on the first day of each month (you’ll have to ask). And popcorn and milkshakes for dinner.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

I really enjoy staying close to home, fixing things around the house, an early afternoon nap, and then a movie in the evening.

What is the perfect meal?

There are a few different things I like a lot (most involve a grill or a smoker), but the perfect meal must end with pecan pie!

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Crazy cat videos will always make me laugh. And a good pun.

We asked Kristine to answer the following questions: 

What is your favorite trait of Hal's?

Ever since I first met Hal in college, I have appreciated and loved his compassion and willingness to listen to and serve others. He freely gives of his time and wisdom to help others - family, friends, coworkers, and our church family.

What does Hal do that can always make you smile? 

It always makes me smile to see Hal interact with his sons – teaching them or helping them with whatever they need. 

* * *

My earliest memories of knowing Jesus all revolve around Mountain Christian Church. As a little kid I remember singing as loud as I could to VBS songs, reading my Bible in the playground with my friends, and Mr. Mike teaching us Jesus is the only fix for sin. In youth group Sami discipled me and Marv challenged me to leadership. Sunday mornings I dug through theology with Luke and Frank, and long summer nights in the youth hall gave me a love for ministry.

Our little community… our little family… has created a solid foundation for knowing who Jesus is and His heart. 

Twenty-three years later and I am so excited to be entering ministry full-time. Everything I learned in our mountain church has bled into this desire that God has planted in my heart to share the gospel with the world. 

Last year I took my first position with the mission organization CRU and served on their Walt Disney World team where I got to share the gospel with cast members from every livable continent! And now I have just completed training for my full-time ministry position on the CRU digital strategies team. 

The average person spends seven hours a day on the internet. At CRU we think it’s very important to be where people are, so if people are on the internet we want to be there as a source of light and truth in a space that is traditionally dark and false. Our mission is to use the internet and technology as a tool to give every person in the world a chance to hear about Jesus.

My job is to make sure our digital presence invites people, and not only connects with them in a digital space but also finds local churches and CRU movements to get them plugged into a community. We’ve had an influx of people reaching out asking gospel questions - which is where I come in. With the Holy Spirit working through me, I personally respond to these people with responses that best inform and connect them with the gospel- not some AI generated response, but one from a real person sharing Jesus with them.

I am so excited to start this new journey God has set me on and as I build my ministry partner list and fundraise to be able to carry out this mission, it has been a joy to share with people what our church has poured into me and the big ways God moves over and over again.

* * *

To learn a little bit more about what Abbie is doing, or if you're interesting in supporting her directly, check out her video here.

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Sheridan, Wyoming. Although Hal and I have lived in New Mexico longer than my years there, Wyoming still feels like home.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I had several “dreams” growing up – a writer, a counselor, a role that allows me to help others. But perhaps the most consistent dream was that of being a wife and mother.  

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My mom, both as I watched her faithfulness and her instruction.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I was in early elementary school when my mom talked with me about the choices I was making with my friends. Understanding what the Lord Jesus Christ had done for me to save me made me decide I could respond with nothing other than living for Him, regardless of the cost.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

I love Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians Chapter 3:14-21.  For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth  derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

Hal is an answered prayer. I have been blessed with a godly husband who loves, serves, and leads me and his family. 

What will be a blessing and what a challenge you see as serving as deacon?

The blessing will be the ability to serve the body of Christ alongside the rest of the Deacon Council. A challenge for me will be understanding what my precise role is and how I can best serve both the team and MCC.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

The hobby I spend the most time on now is quilting. My mom was a seamstress so I think I had this expectation that I would know how to sew as well. Sewing clothes transitioned into quilting. The boys and I enjoy role playing games with several of their friends. Hiking and outdoor activities round out my hobbies. However, Hal and I used to rock climb, and I would love to begin again.  

What is your favorite family tradition? 

Preparing for Christmas each year with an advent devotional and Christmas baking including some of the Polish recipes I grew up enjoying.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Doing anything with Hal and my family. But it does need to start with a cup of coffee!

What is the perfect meal?

Gorgonzola Steak Risotto or anything that Hal smokes.  

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

My family. I love the sense of humor God has given them.

We asked Hal the following questions about Kristine: 

What is your favorite trait of Kristine's?

Her smile, her willingness to always help people, and she will always laugh at my jokes.

What does Kristine do that can always make you smile? 

She always breaks into a smile when she sees me when I come home from work, which makes me smile too.

Which brings me to one of the great benefits of being a volunteer at VBS- Christian fellowship. Our Heavenly Father weaves so many good things together when He calls us to a common purpose for the sake of His kingdom. There is certainly a lot of volunteer man hours that are required to run VBS- many of you are well aware of it. The thing is though, that most hours are spent working alongside others and it is a beautiful thing to experience. It is in the praying, the planning, the painting, directing and various other “ings”, that are accomplished alongside your brother and sister in Christ, young and old, that the unifying work of God’s Spirit finds a joyful expression.  It is not an exaggeration to say acquaintances grow to respect one another, coworkers become partners and strangers become friends. It is a beautiful thing that the Lord does in the hearts of all of us who volunteer. But don’t take it from me only, here is a sampling of testimonials from some who participated this year…

“Being a first-time volunteer for VBS, I was not certain what to expect or what I was getting myself into. It was even scary thinking that God would want me to be part of such a special event in the lives of the kids attending. What a responsibility!

The work and building part I was comfortable with, having prior construction experience. But leading them and teaching? And God’s word! Wow. Stepping into unknown territory for me.

But He planned for my participation in this a long time ago. Trusting Him through guidance from the Holy Spirit was the only way I could accomplish this.

I intended for all of the blessings during this week to be for the kiddos. But boy was I surprised. I saw so many workers and parents feeling God's love.

Throughout the week, especially day 1, I came out of my shell and let these beautiful children and young men and women transform my heart.

Their joy to lead them and commitment to bring them the word of God was incredible. And the dedication of the entire team made it all so very special.

I am beyond words in how thankful I am for the Lord to bring me into this wonderful work. I am blessed to have been a part, and look forward to the years ahead.”

Roger Comstock

“My name is Mary Robertson and this year for VBS I was helping Mr. Pete Feldner and Isabela Talamantes with the fifth and sixth graders. I learned a lot and built a stronger relationship with Bela. We had a lot of fun together working with the fifth and sixth graders and being on the drama team. I was really happy because I actually made another friend!

I think I benefited from this year’s VBS in many ways. The main way was there were some points that were made about Christ when he was a child that I really hadn’t thought about before. I was grateful when Mr. Talamantes put Bela and I on the same team this year.”

Mary Robertson

“I volunteered for VBS with the dream of bringing kids to Christ. The whole week of VBS really impacted how I look at kids and the body of Christ. Throughout the week I got teary-eyed quite a few times, seeing kids (especially the kids in my class who were 4-6 years old) praising God with all their little hearts.

I saw a change in their attitudes about Christ. The first day they were very quiet and shy, many of them didn’t sing or dance. The excitement progressed through the week and one of my little girls had one of the songs stuck in her head and was singing it with all her heart. Seeing the pictures of VBS at the end of the week, I saw such joy and excitement in their faces.

The Lord has been bringing me to ministry and after VBS I felt him calling me toward sharing his light with kids in particular. The Lord commands us to be a light in the darkness of the world and through VBS I could see all the volunteers being that light. Seeing the joy and excitement in my kids’ faces praising the Lord, brought me so much joy and happiness. Serving the Lord and sharing Christ to these kids and families is a huge honor and privilege that I would love to continue to do.”

Luke 18:16: But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

Olivia Parks

The only simple answer to that question is: it depends.

Were all the founding fathers evangelical Christians? Far from it. Did the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution establish this land as a Christian country? Definitely not. And yet, Christianity has certainly been the defining religious influence in our history. Virtually every key Revolutionary era leader took for granted the need for Bible-infused virtue if the Republic would survive. And many of these leaders were sincere, orthodox, evangelical Christians.

Like John Witherspoon.

On May 17, 1776, John Witherspoon (1723-94) preached one of the most significant sermons in the history of this country. Preaching at Princeton, the Scottish pastor turned college president, delivered his most famous address. It was a General Fast Day, appointed by the congress of the American colonies for prayer and humble supplication before God in the face of an unknown, and possibly war-filled, future.

Witherspoon’s sermon, based on Psalm 76:10, was entitled The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men. It is widely regarded as one of the principal sermons that prepared the way for the Declaration of Independence, a document that Witherspoon himself—the lone clergymen—would sign on July 4, 1776.

Scholars who care about these things almost always draw attention to the second half of Witherspoon’s sermon where the Scotsman, for “the first time” he said, introduced a “political subject into the pulpit.” But before he got to talking about independence, the Presbyterian minister had a more important point to make.

“In the first place,” he began, “I would take the opportunity on this occasion, and from this subject, to press every hearer to a sincere concern for his own soul’s salvation.” His argument was as simple as it was forceful: if you are right to care about your earthly affairs, how much more your eternal state?

I do not blame your ardor in preparing for the resolute defense of your temporal rights. But consider I beseech you, the truly infinite importance of the salvation of your souls.

Is it of much moment whether you and your children shall be rich or poor, at liberty or in bonds?

Is it of much moment whether this beautiful country shall increase in fruitfulness from year to year, being cultivated by active industry, and possessed by independent freemen, or the scanty produce of the neglected fields shall be eaten up by hungry publicans, while the timid owner trembles at the tax gatherers approach?

And is it of less moment my brethren, whether you shall be the heirs of glory or the heirs of hell?

Is your state on earth for a few fleeting years of so much moment?

And is it of less moment, what shall be your state through endless ages?

Have you assembled together willingly to hear what shall be said on public affairs, and to join in imploring the blessing of God on the counsels and arms of the united colonies, and can you be unconcerned, what shall become of you for ever, when all the monuments of human greatness shall be laid in ashes, for “the earth itself and all the works that are therein shall be burnt up.”

Witherspoon was doing nothing different from what he had done with previous Fast Day sermons in Scotland. Conversion always came before current events. Although Witherspoon grew increasingly interested and involved in politics from the time he arrived in Philadelphia in 1768, he never ceased to be concerned for “the ministry of reconciliation . . . committed to me.”

In urging his hearers to attend to the day of salvation at hand, Witherspoon did not call men to general deistical interest in benevolence and divine things; he called them to Christ.

Suffer me to beseech you, or rather to give you warning, not to rest satisfied with a form of godliness, denying the power thereof. There can be no true religion, till there be a discovery of your lost state by nature and practice, and an unfeigned acceptance of Christ Jesus, as he is offered in the gospel. Unhappy they who either despise his mercy, or are ashamed of his cross! Believe it, “there is no salvation in any other. There is no other name under heaven given amongst men by which we must be saved.”

Unless you are united to him by a lively faith, not the resentment of a haughty monarch, but the sword of divine justice hangs over you, and the fullness of divine vengeance shall speedily overtake you. I do not speak this only to the heaven, daring profligate, or groveling sensualist, but to every insensible secure sinner; to all those, however decent and orderly in their civil deportment, who live to themselves and have their part and portion in this life; in fine to all who are yet in a state of nature, for “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

The fear of man may make you hide your profanity: prudence and experience may make you abhor intemperance and riot; as you advance in life, one vice may supplant another and hold its place; but nothing less than the sovereign grace of God can produce a saving change of heart and temper, or fit you for his immediate presence.

The sermon is worth reading in its entirety (go here, scroll down, and click on the Dominion of Providence), both for its political-historical significance and also to learn from Witherspoon’s great concern for conversion and personal holiness even in the midst of such national tumult.

We give thanks for liberty on this day—temporal freedoms, yes; eternal deliverance most of all.

ClearlyReformed.org. The Sermon that Helped Push the Colonies Toward Independence. July 4, 2016. Kevin DeYoung.

https://clearlyreformed.org/the-sermon-that-helped-push-the-colonies-toward-independence/?

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Terre Haute, IN, and after 19 years in the Air Force and many moves we now consider New Mexico home.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

A pilot, the Lord has blessed me so much and has given me many opportunities to fly. Still love it.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My Mom, Brenda.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

Age 13, burning brush on the farm in Indiana. The fear of the Lord and great conviction fell on me to the point I could not sleep for several nights.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Ps. 37:4: Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

Throughout my Air Force career I have had crossroad decisions to make. Take the easy path and coast, or go after the “giants”. Every time I go after the “giants” knowing full well that I cannot do it on my own, the Lord does what is impossible for me. The blessings are always great.

What will be a blessing and what a challenge you see as serving as deacon?

It will be a blessing to serve others in a higher capacity. It will be a challenge to stay proactive, at least until I get my feet under me as a deacon.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

Anything outdoors: hiking, fishing, boating, biking, flying, and hunting. Growing up on a farm while being homeschooled presented me with many outdoor opportunities. I think the full nature emersion at a young age got me into the outdoor hobby.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Summer trips to see extended family.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Completing a task that I cannot during work hours; i.e., home chores, family or friend needs, etc.

What is the perfect meal?

Steak and baked potato.

Who or what never fails to make you laugh?

The Three Stooges.

We asked Snezhana:

1. The 4th of July reminds us that our nation was founded by men who recognized God was their Creator

The 4th of July celebrates the adopting of the Declaration of Independence by Congress on July 4, 1776. The document begins with Thomas Jefferson’s famous words:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

There’s quite a bit to notice from this one sentence:

1. The words, “all men are CREATED equal” reveal Thomas Jefferson did not believe in evolution.
2. Thomas Jefferson believed men have a “Creator.”
3. With the words, “endowed by their Creator” Thomas Jefferson gave credit to God for the “Rights” we have. He called them “unalienable” because he knew they were given by God and couldn’t be taken away.

Thomas Jefferson saw the authority for our freedom and liberty coming from God Himself.

2. The 4^thof July reminds us of our true freedom

I’m thankful for independence from Great Britain. But I’m more thankful for the greater independence Jesus has given us from the Law:

• Romans 10:4—Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
• Galatians 3:24-25—Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Our independence from the Law motivated Martin Luther to take a stand for the Gospel. The freedom we have as Americans is great, but the infinitely greater freedom we have is from having to be saved by works.

3. The 4^thof July reminds us of our dual-citizenship

I’m thankful for my American citizenship, but I’m even more thankful for my citizenship in heaven:

• Ephesians 2:19—So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.
• Philippians 3:19—But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ
• Hebrews 11:16—But as it is, [the heroes of the faith] desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.  

4. The 4th of July reminds us of the freedoms we can yield

Paul said Christians should see themselves as slaves:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20—Do you not know that you are not your own? You were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

In becoming Christians we’ve chosen to give up our freedom to live for Christ (see also Romans 6:6, 1 Corinthians 7:22, Ephesians 6:6). This entails giving up some of our freedoms for our brothers and sisters in Christ:

• Romans 14:21—It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
• 1 Corinthians 8:13—Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

As Christians we need not demand our freedoms. Instead, we can yield them at times for the benefit of others.

5. The 4^thof July reminds us of the sacrifices that were made for our freedom

We think about the sacrifices countless soldiers who have lost their lives, and I don’t want to minimize their sacrifices remotely. Without their bravery we wouldn’t have many of the blessings we enjoy today.

But we should think about the greatest sacrifice that was made for our freedom. There is a common saying: “Freedom isn’t free.” To enjoy the freedom we have in our country, people had to pay for it. Likewise, someone had to pay for the freedoms we enjoy from the Law and the punishment our sins deserve:

Philippians 2:6-8 [Jesus] being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

In John 10:18 [Jesus said], “No one takes [My life] from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.” Jesus was saying, “I have the freedom to keep my life, but I’m willing to give it up for you.”

As Christians we enjoy many wonderful freedoms. Let’s be reminded of them each 4th of July, recognizing it’s only because of Jesus’ willingness to give up His freedom for us.

ScottLaPierreMinistries. Five Christian Reminders for the 4th of July. July 3, 2017. Scott LaPierre.

https://www.scottlapierre.org/christian-reminders-4th-of-july/

It’s an odd feeling, that first time in your life when you experience true loneliness. For me, and I suspect many others, that first experience of true loneliness came during college. A couple of weeks after my parents dropped me off, the newness and excitement wore off. I settled into a routine of classes and homework, only to be struck with the realization that I knew no one and my community was a long 8-hour drive from me. 

College is a time of learning, growing, and changing. The further one goes from home, the more pronounced that change can be. In 2024, international students made up 6% of college students here in America; this equates to roughly 1.1 million students. International Students Inc. (ISI) is a religious non-profit that seeks to reach these students with the love of Christ by meeting their needs while they are in college. Their mission is “to share Christ’s love with international students and to equip them for effective service in cooperation with the local church and others.” MCC partners with their branch at UNM campuses, where ISI offers a range of services that provide these students with community and other practical resources. Their welcome center is located just off the UNM campus, and is where students can have free lunches, get help locating housing, and sign-up for other services. Ultimately, these services are used to show the love of Christ.

One of the services ISI offers is to help students find community through joining a Home Group. These Home Groups consist of 20-30 international college students meeting weekly at a volunteer’s home for food, games, and discussion. Students can choose from a discussion about culture or the Bible. ISI will also pair students with volunteers who sign up to be Friendship Partners. These friendship partners are individuals or families who offer to share their lives and form a genuine friendship with a student. 

Beyond Home Groups and Friendship Partners, ISI volunteers pick up students from the airport, open their homes for temporary housing till a student can move into an apartment, donate furnishings for apartments, help with English language classes, and set up group activities like Bible studies. Through meeting the physical and emotional needs of students, ISI can build relationships with students from all over the world and open doors to share Christ. Their impact is felt not only in our local UNM community, but in communities around the world as these students return home bringing the Gospel with them. 

If you would like to volunteer with ISI, you can talk to a member of our Mission team or contact ISI ABQ directly through their website. Be praying for:

• Volunteers to set up a third home study group
• Students from the Middle East, as the current conflict intensifies 
• Current volunteers have opportunities for gospel conversations with students. 

This is my 20th summer as a mom, and I still get both giddy and stressed out with every dawning June. But I’ve come to appreciate how summer allows for sweet and unique rhythms that the rest of the year doesn’t. With a little planning, you and I cannot just survive the summer—we can make it a time to point our kids to the Lord and have fun along the way.

Tried and True Rhythms

Here are a handful of my favorite tried and true rhythms from over two decades of parenting during the summer months.

1. Make consistent, small deposits.

Summertime is like all good things in life—slow and steady deposits build wealth over a lifetime. You don’t have to go big this summer. When I asked my young adult and older teen kids what they cherished about our summers, they all replied with simple daily things: slow mornings, reading challenges at the library, swimming at the local pool, and visiting the same aquarium year after year. Their fondest memories grew from consistency. Pick a few things you love to do as a family and stick with them. They’ll shape your children more than trying to come up with new and exciting ideas every day.

2. Aim for progress over perfection in spiritual growth.

You don’t have to read the whole Bible or memorize an entire catechism this summer. How about reading one page of a special devotional book at breakfast? Or picking one book of the Bible and reading a small portion together at lunch? Or selecting an adventurous novel with biblical themes to read aloud at night before bed? These habits are far from flashy, but your kids will be talking about those Bible verses and read-aloud books for years to come.

You don’t have to read the whole Bible or memorize an entire catechism this summer. Consider what you can do to make small spiritual deposits in your kids’ lives. 

3. Serve together.

One source of joy for our family has been serving together in some way every summer. Some years this has meant a cross-cultural mission trip. But many years it meant the kids making something with their own hands to sell for a special cause.

One year they made popsicles in paper cups and sold them at the community garage sale. They called it “Popsicles for Poverty” and gave all the money to Compassion International. The girls and I looked back at those photos this week and shared a laugh. At the time, I remember it feeling messy (and even a little cringey). I wondered if it was worthwhile. But I’ve learned that a rhythm of serving every summer affects the tone of the whole year.

4. Get out in nature together.

Take walks, go to the creek, find worms in the dirt, grow some plants, capture some caterpillars and watch them turn into butterflies, or make a list of the birds that come near your windows. These good gifts right outside your home are food for the soul and will give you ample opportunity to point your kids to the beauty of creation and the worth and goodness of their Creator.

5. Pick something to pray for.

Devote your summer prayers to something specific—maybe a certain country, people group, or continent. The goal here isn’t long, belabored prayer time but rather opening your kids’ eyes (and yours!) to a need you may not normally see. Place a map, a photo, or some kind of visual reminder next to the dinner table or your child’s bed and simply pray for that same thing each day.

6. Make a loose plan.

We all have different styles and cultures in our families. There’s no one right way to do summer. I’ve found, though, that a loose plan is helpful. When we start our summer days with zero agenda, it tends to go badly. Rather than creativity and joy, there’s complaining and meltdowns.

You don’t need to schedule every half hour, but creating a rhythm your kids can count on is so helpful. Rotating between quiet time and play time throughout the day struck a happy balance for us.

Share Life and the Gospel

The long, slow days of summer are a great time to recalibrate as a family. Rather than succumbing to any internal or external pressure to have an epic summer, ask yourself instead, How can I commend the Lord to my kids over the next three months (Ps. 145:4)? Steady acts of faithfulness will serve you and your family well. Sharing your life and the gospel with them will be time well spent (1 Thess. 2:8).

Take it from me, a mom who has just one of four little birds left in the nest: daily habits and nourishing rhythms over these summer months will shape your kids the way dripping water creates a canyon. The growth is happening. The fruit will appear. Keep serving, praying, and playing.

TheGospelCoalition. How to Survive Summer with Kids. June 22, 2023. Jen Oshman.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/survive-summer-kids/

Throughout this change, I have been especially thankful that God is a God of love and grace, but also order. In His word he has given us a clear framework to build our lives around. Before we can answer the question of what our individual mission is, we must understand the calling that has been given to us as followers of Christ. In Mathew 22:37-40, Jesus clearly answered the Pharisees when they came and asked him which is the greatest commandment, “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.””

I like to keep things simple, loving God and loving others as a framework for your entire life gives you clear, God-directed, and understandable criteria that can be applied to every moment. But it’s not just loving and following God as best as you can - God calls us to love with everything that He has equipped us with -heart, soul, mind, and strength. Until our last breath on planet earth, we are called by God to give Him our everything. I’ll be honest, walking out of a job where I was prepared to give my final breath in service to others, I have struggled to understand how I might find the same level of purpose.

Here is where I found an equally challenging response- giving up my priorities and desires each day in exchange for God’s, I am taking the risk that I will expend every part of myself without a clear, self-focused time to rejuvenate. In essence, every day we have the opportunity to lay down our lives and serve God to the point that only He can sustain us. That sounds risky and challenging, two things that activate deep and innate parts of every-man’s heart. Here is the reality, this only works if you are actively pursuing the heart of God through daily prayer, reading, and meditation which provides that opportunity for God to fill us back up. It’s almost as if God designed us to live like this…

The second part of the passage talks about others. Structuring our approach to others is critically important as there are numerous “others” in this lost and broken world. We are finite, we cannot give beyond the equipping that God has provided us. Going back to the garden of Eden, God provided Adam’s first “other,” his wife Eve. Our first “other” is our spouse. The person that we become one flesh with, establish a family with, and hopefully spend the majority of our lives with in service to God. The next step in God’s giving of “others” for Adam to serve were his kids. “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” Psalm 127:3-5 ESV. I absolutely love the description that David gives to children, arrows that honed, sharpened, and launched out into the world to conduct the mission that God has given them. Between loving your wife and kids, there will be seasons where these are the only priorities that you will have time to steward.

Two other categories that God has given us are to care for our extended family (1 Timothy 5:8) and to go and make disciples of every nation. His heart extends to each and every person on earth, and so should ours. However, the expansive nature of this last group means that we could spend our entire lives serving these others and neglect the first two categories that God has established.

Back to the question that has been nagging at me ever since I started charting the course out of the military where the mission was clearly defined for me every day. The answer God has been reinforcing for me is that the mission to love God and love others always existed. Additionally, the reality that was slowly soaking in was that in one aspect of my life, I had let the world define my mission over what God had for me. How did this manifest daily? Staying at work beyond the end of the work day to try and get ahead on tomorrows tasks, choosing to take my time away from family to invest in things that helped me to be better at my job, and when I was off work my mind was consumed with the stress and challenges of the military mission. In essence, my world revolved around my job. Have you found yourself in this situation? Finding the mission that the world has offered more engaging than the mission that God has laid out for us to be faithful to our wives, father our children, and serve others with everything that we have?

There is one other person that I haven’t mentioned in the priorities above, and that’s me. There is inherent risk in orienting your life around the service of God and others that seems to put our sanity and mental well-being at risk. The question is this, do you trust God? Do you trust that if you give him your everything that He can and will maintain you?

Here are a couple verses that highlight exactly my experience in the last year as God has sustained me through this incredible and critically important change. Luke 6:38 – Give and it will be given to you, a good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Proverbs 11:25 – “A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

Perhaps today is the day God has called you to re-order your life. Perhaps it is at this moment that He is calling you to take the risk to put Him first, God has been the same yesterday, today, and forever…something close to eternity, I think we can trust Him today!

* * *

Recent news headlines reveal the next generation is confused, lonely, anxious, and spiritually hungry. This is why Gideons and Auxiliary are committed to sharing the hope of the Gospel with young people.

A 2023 report by Barna Research titled The Open Generation revealed that 75% of USA teens feel motivated to learn more about Jesus. Among committed Christian teens, nominal Christian teens, and all other teens, the Bible was the top trusted resource for learning about Jesus (with only “the family” tying as a top trusted source among nominal Christian teens).

While there are challenges with the ever-changing landscape of today’s cultural issues, God is still opening doors for members of The Gideons to share the Gospel. Gideons and Auxiliary aim to make God's Word available to students in fifth grade and above. This past year, we were able to reach over 65 million people worldwide with the hope of Jesus Christ, and nearly 70% of them were students in middle school, high school, or college. Youth receiving Testaments in the USA has now surpassed pre-pandemic totals (4.8 million in 2019 versus 5 million in 2024).

We know from the testimonies received over the years that an encouraging word of witness or a single Testament placed in a student’s hand can make an eternal difference. Here are a couple of examples:

A Gideon handed Gary a brand-new Testament one day and said, “This is for you.” Gary felt so proud to have that Testament.

Instead of reading it right away, he tucked it away in the top drawer of his bedroom chest. As a teen, Gary began skipping school and getting into trouble. “I needed something to help me with all the guilt and shame that weighed so heavy on me,” he remembers.

“Because of that Gideon who gave me a copy of God’s Word, I ultimately had somewhere to turn during a very dark time in my teenage life,” says Gary. He ended up on his knees beside his bed asking Christ to be the Lord of his life. Today, Gary is a pastor in Florida.

During a Scripture distribution at a large Texas university, a group of Gideons had memorable conversations with several students. One student shared that he had started heavily drinking with his newfound freedom as a freshman. Before the end of the semester, he realized that he had become an alcoholic. He had attended church with his family growing up but had only head knowledge of God. After one drunken binge, he cried out to God to deliver him. God answered, and he was born again. A Gideon prayed with him and asked Jesus to give him boldness to share his powerful testimony with other students.

This student was one of 9,000 others who received a Testament from Gideons that day. “We planted seeds and pray that it will bear fruit,” said one of the Gideons.

Gideons and Auxiliary worldwide play a significant part in giving students the lasting hope of Jesus Christ. Join us in praying for the Lord to continue moving in the hearts and lives of the next generation. Pray also for today’s youth to openly receive the only remedy that can change their life—the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Gideons. Reaching the Next Generation. September 20, 2024. David P. Kinkade and Kevin McIntosh. 

https://www.gideons.org/blog/reaching_next_generation

Then when our daughter was about three, we felt a strong calling to find her a bible class, like my husband and I grew up in.

Within a week, Mountain Christian Church advertised their Vacation Bible School program, and we couldn't ignore the obvious and literal sign. 

So that summer our daughter attended VBS at MCC, and it turned out to be a life-changing experience for our entire family. She came home each day filled with excitement, sharing the songs, Bible stories, and crafts she had learned. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and we were deeply moved by the joy and spiritual growth she experienced during that week.

Inspired by the positive impact VBS had on our daughter, we decided to attend a Sunday service. From the moment we walked through the doors, we were greeted with open arms and sincere hospitality. The sense of belonging and the strong emphasis on family values resonated with us deeply. As a result, we have become regular attendees and participants in the church community.

VBS not only provided our daughter with a memorable and enriching experience, but also led our family to discover a supportive and loving Christian community. 

* * * 

Lauren's story is a beautiful testimony of what the Lord does through VBS. Would you consider joining in His work for the Kingdom, right here in Cedar Crest? Talk to Cruz Talamantes today about how you can be involved. 

You will be blessed, and will also be a blessing. God may even use you to change a family's life forever. 

In addition to these works, MCC also has a connection with a godly and seasoned church leader in Ethiopia. Pastor Dr. Tesfaye came to Christ as a child through Finnish missionaries. His father was a spiritist and medicine man, and his mother was just one of his father’s wives.

Today, Pastor Tesfaye trains and mentors many other younger leaders. He often travels to outlying regions, and is one of the mentors to our four church planters.

Last December, we were blessed to support a Training Conference led by Pastor Tesfaye in Hawassa. This area has evangelical churches, but the leaders are still in need of discipleship and teaching. ”Planting Effective Disciple-Making Churches That Are Sustainable, Resilient, Missional, and Multiplying” was the title of the event that brought together nearly 100 young pastors from diverse denominations for three days.

Its aim was to equip leaders with the knowledge, skills, and spiritual foundation needed to lead effective disciple-making churches. In Ethiopia, many who come to Christ find little Bible training. Their discipleship is rich in prayer and fellowship; but since the leaders lack training, they have few tools to deeply ground believers in the Word. These pastors were trained to navigate and counteract the pressing challenges of rising consumerism, the spread of prosperity gospel teachings, the constant threat of tribalism, and the unstable socio-political climate in the country.

Please pray for Pastor Tesfaye, our four missionary church-planters (Epheson, Alebachew, Tesfaye and Henoke) and the attendees at this training. May the Lord continue to grant them courage, hope and every kind of provision for His purposes.

The rapid growth of digital technology has implications for our spiritual formation. The form of connectivity that comes with smartphones and watches is fundamentally new in human history; this isn’t necessarily good or bad, but it is certainly different. Thus, the countercultural spiritual disciplines that serve our growth ought to be different as well.

Spiritual formation and the purposeful means of formation (spiritual disciplines, habits, and practices) are always contextual; the dehumanizing forces of our idols express themselves differently in different cultures. Our culture is the first culture that is radically digital.

Deformative Power of Digitization

Being chronically connected to the internet tempts us to be “like God” in fresh and terrifying ways. We have never before been as tempted to pursue omnipresence and omniscience as we presently are.

When we have 5G internet in our pockets and on our wrists, we are networked into the entire developed world. We can instantaneously observe, communicate, and be interrupted by people on the other side of the planet who are on their phones more easily than our neighbors down the street who are grilling in their backyard or playing in their front yards.

We are more interrupted than ever; our interactions with our closest loved ones and neighbors are more vulnerable to being hijacked by the wants or needs of someone far away as our own attention spans have been truncated by our notification settings.

Information used to be a hot commodity; now it is ubiquitous. With “googling” as the new verb and “GPTing” something right around the corner, access to information is instant. Will we forget what not knowing something for more than 30 seconds feels like?

Omnipresence is one of the characteristics of God. When technology makes us hyper-present, not only can our nervous systems not handle it, but our close friends and loved ones go unloved because we are aloof, distracted, and preoccupied.

Omniscience is also one of the characteristics of God. God can handle knowing all things, we cannot. We are limited, bound, and local by virtue of being embodied. From simple trivia to current events, it is good for us to not know things.

Part of the reason we are so mentally unhealthy as a society is that we are flirting with omnipresence and omniscience. We know too much and know about it, so we are anxious and depressed.

The Power of the Proximity Principle

Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30ff) in response to the question, “who is my neighbor?” In the story, a man is harmed on a road and in need of help. Later, two people travel on the same road, see the man, and then pass by him. But a Good Samaritan travels by where he is lying harmed, sees him, has compassion, and then acts.

The first two stand condemned not simply because they didn’t help, but because they were right there, up-close-in-the-flesh, and able to help, but still didn’t help.

The basic ethical principle here: proximity and ability create responsibility.

Many are plagued by a low-grade sense of chronic guilt and anxiety because our nervous systems are not designed to handle all of the information we have access to in our digital age. Young people, in particular, are plagued with over-responsibility that leads to paralysis and depression.

We end up functioning like the Levite and the Priest in Luke 10:31-32 who are unable or unwilling to love the people right in front of them because we are preoccupied with all of the information, problems, and suffering far away from us.

If we look through the lenses of proximity and ability, some of our info-induced anxiety will dissipate and we’ll have a clearer conscience as we love those who are in the “place” God has placed us (like the Good Samaritan).

Only God can handle omniscience (knowing everything) and omnipresence (being everywhere), and we should repent of our desire to be like God in this way.

The Christian tradition has long practiced the discipline of fasting. Most basically, fasting is depriving oneself of a good thing for the purposes of prayer and growth. Our new context requires two new forms of fasting: fasting from digital devices and fasting from information.

How to Practice Digital Detox

A digital detox is a fast from digital devices, especially your smartphone, smartwatch, or tablet. The digital detox helps us repent of omnipresence. It is a break from being tethered to your electrical umbilical cord and your dopamine pacifier. Here is what I try to make this look like for me:

• Daily: When I walk in the door from work, I leave my phone on a shelf by the door for at least thirty minutes while I play with my kids and reconnect with my wife.
• Daily: I dock my phone at a table on the other side of my bedroom a minimum of 40 minutes before I go to bed and don’t look at it for 20 minutes after I wake up (except to stop my alarm)
• Weekly: A 12-hour Digital Detox that includes going to the park, going on a walk, or going to the gym without my phone.
• Monthly: A 48-hour social media, email, and texting Digital Detox.
• Twice Monthly: Leave my phone at home when I go on a date with my wife.
• Annually: Once per year, a 3-day personal Spiritual Retreat that includes a Digital Detox among other forms of traditional fasting and prayer while I focus on being present to the Lord.
• Annually: Once per year while on vacation, a 5-day total Digital Detox where my phone and computer are all the way off, and I focus on being present to my family.

How to Practice Intentional Ignorance

If it is true that ignorance is bliss, then that explains a lot of our current mental health crisis. The information we are asked to carry and steward is too much for our non-Divine minds.

Intentional Ignorance is the radically countercultural choice to embrace not knowing everything you could know. Here is what I try to make this look like for me:

• Less Updates: I don’t watch Instagram or Facebook stories. I don’t want to know what people are up to all the time.
• Less Breaking News: I unfollow almost all news accounts, especially those that do BREAKING NEWS.
• Less Answered Questions: At least once per day, I let a question go unanswered. What is the actual difference in diameter between the NBA ball and the WNBA ball? I’m going to choose just not to get my phone out and Google that. What happened with that rocket in North Korea yesterday? I choose not to find out the answer to that. In doing so, I pray, “Lord, you are the Omniscient One; because I trust you and your approval I don’t need to know that.” The feeling of enduring ignorance is foreign to us but serves our formation.

Many of these practices are aspirational for me; too often I’m embarrassed at the unhealthy patterns of my own device use. I recommend these habits as someone who knows his own.

Humans are called to have dominion over creation, but too often our own creations have dominion over us. The dual practices of Digital Detox and Intentional Ignorance will help us right the balance of power that our devices have over us as we seek congruence with and fidelity to the Spirit of Christ.

FortheChurch. Digital Detox, Intentional Ignorance and the Proximity Principle. January 18, 2024. Seth Troutt.

https://ftc.co/resource-library/articles/digital-detox-intentional-ignorance-and-the-proximity-principle/

You circle Mother’s Day on your husband’s calendar with red ink. You leave a note with the URL for your favorite florist on the bathroom sink, along with the number for rush deliveries, just in case. For weeks, you tell your children that Mother’s Day is “Mommy’s special day” and have them rehearse the name of your favorite restaurant so they can drop hints to Daddy.

Then Mother’s Day comes. You still have to make breakfast. The kids don’t dress themselves. The flowers don’t arrive, and your husband takes the family through the drive-through on your way home from church. The result? You spend the day stewing. You are miserable, and so is your family.

Maybe that’s not how it works for you. Maybe you are celebrated exactly how you want to be each Mother’s Day. But for most, this holiday can often be a major disappointment.

And you know what? Our husband and kids aren’t to blame.

Thinking we’re the center of the universe, even if it’s only for a day, misses a major point—namely, that we are not the center of the universe. We are a part of a family, an important part, yes, but we’re not so important that we’ve earned the right to demand adoration, affection, and a pass on serving others.

Here are some biblical truths that I need to be reminded of as Mother’s Day approaches. I hope they are helpful for you, too.

1. Humility is a twenty-four hour calling.

Matthew 23:12 doesn’t leave much room for tooting our own horn or demanding that our family toot it for us. It says, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

This lifestyle of humility defines us as followers of Christ. It isn’t something we switch on and off. Mother’s Day is just like every other day in that it offers an opportunity to humble yourself and therefore live like Christ.

2. Motherhood is not a burden. It’s a gift!

Psalm 127:3 says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.” If you are blessed enough to have children, your gift has already been delivered.

When you live out the gospel in your home, you are protesting sin. When you ask for and freely give forgiveness with your family, you are protesting bitterness. When you elevate God’s Word at the breakfast table, you are protesting the lies the enemy is screaming in the public sphere. What an opportunity! What a privilege! What a gift.

3. Remember who you serve.

I know that your kids probably don’t send thank-you notes very often, and your husband doesn’t always notice all the things you do to keep the plates spinning. But the truth is you don’t work for their approval.

Colossians 3:23–24 says, “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.”

There is not a single act of service done in Christ’s name that He does not notice. He pays particular attention to you, even keeping meticulous records of your life (Ps. 56:8–9). God does not take for granted what is done in love. When we expect others to fulfill our need for affirmation, a root of idolatry is revealed. God sees you. God loves you. God rewards those who faithfully serve Him. You will only find yourself fulfilled when you are working to please your Creator.

4. Service is our mission.

In John 13:12–14 we read, “When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.’”

Serving your family demonstrates Christ to them and to families who are crumbling because they don’t know how to serve each other. Psalm 100:2 urges us to “serve the LORD with gladness!” Losing sight of this mission, even for a day, won’t make for a happy heart or a happy family. Serve, momma, and keep on serving. Today. Every day. Our mission is to love others sacrificially. It’s a full-time job that starts at home.

If you still feel like you can’t go on without a thank-you this Mother’s Day, may I sincerely thank you? Thanks for being a great mom! Thanks for doing the heavy lifting required to teach your kids about Jesus and for parenting according to God’s plan, even when it’s countercultural. Thanks for modeling service every day of every year, even when you don’t feel like it. And this Mother’s Day, thanks for finding practical ways to live like it’s not about you so that the people around you know it’s all about Him.

ReviveOurHearts. Rethinking Mother's Day. May 9, 2019. Erin Davis

https://www.reviveourhearts.com/blog/re-thinking-mothers-day/

There have been new families stepping up to serve together, as well as new community groups.

There have been significant staff changes at the school, including a new principal, counselor and office staff.

But God. The one constant is God. He never changes. And His purpose for us serving at A. Montoya is still the same – to be the visible hands and feet of Jesus. To “shine” His light in a world that desperately needs Him. To participate in mutually transformative relationships, creating real and lasting change.

As I was reflecting on all the ways God has been at work in the ministry this year, I see so many ways His plans were better than ours.

We saw barriers and problems, but God provided answers and ways that far exceeded our ideas. The Lord opened paths and relationships that had been difficult in a most gracious manner.

There is a huge tutoring need at the school and at the beginning of the year it seemed like an enormous hurdle to get it up and running. But God provided a way and our tutoring coordinator stepped right in and organized not only our volunteers, but another organization’s volunteers as well.

I was overwhelmed by the amount of work and food needed to provide over 3,400 meals to families over the winter break – but God provided the biggest turnout of volunteers we’ve ever had. Families were blessed through that endeavor – the families receiving food, and just as much the MCC folks that served together.

I was asked just last week when I was at the school, “Why are you here helping? You don’t even have kids at this school.” And I was able to share about how we care about the school and the community there.

It may seem like a small thing to bake cookies, or shelf library books, or show up on a landscaping day, but God uses it for His glory. To show a hurting world that He loves them and cares about them.

We’d love to have you join us in this ministry. Talk to me or anyone else on the Shine Core Team. You’ll get to experience firsthand all the ways the Lord is using our church in our community school to transform lives, including maybe just yours. 

This spirit of servanthood was quietly evidenced in the everyday practices of the Food for the Hungry (FH) staff that we came to work alongside. It was nothing that they celebrated; rather, it is just the way they work. I am not even sure that they think much about it as it’s the Spirit at work in them.

One example relates to the life choices of one of the staff. As I rode on the bus, I had the opportunity to talk about life (e.g., family, careers, faith) with him. I learned that he was trained as an engineer and had originally followed that job path as an operator of a hydropower facility. But after volunteering with FH he decided that he wanted to make it his full time vocation. Rather than pursuing a career that would bring more wealth and status he chose to serve the needy. He told me it was the best decision he ever made and has found deep joy in the work he is doing.

But serving the most vulnerable is just what FH is all about. While improving access to needed resources like food, water, education and jobs is part of what they do, their engagement with the community is much more personal. FH views poverty through the lens of broken relationships with God, others (spouse, family, community), their environment (housing, clean water) and themselves (their view of themselves). So, they build relationships with the struggling child, overwhelmed mother, and jobless father, one at a time. The work of FH is not measured in projects completed, but relationships established. It looks like “washing feet” to me.

I also observed this servant-heartedness spilling over to others outside their target community.  Every driver, food vendor and server that they contracted was always rewarded with a generous tip, plate of food, and word of appreciation. I was also impressed to see the effort made to serve those donating to FH. In particular we had several MCC families that sent gifts with the team for their sponsored children. In each case FH staff tracked down the sponsored child and their family and transported them to the FH offices so that pictures and videos could be taken showing the family receiving the gift. All was done to simply bless the donor.

The MCC team was also very fortunate to be the object of service by the FH staff. It should be noted that MCC is not particularly special in that FH receives teams just like MCC almost every month from all over the U.S. Nevertheless, they made us feel special. They addressed our needs, making sure we were well fed, comfortable, entertained and most importantly included in the work they are doing. But the service went beyond the physical aspects of our stay; they worked to establish a relationship with each of us. They made us feel valued in their eyes and God’s. This was clearly evidenced on the last night of our stay during our final dinner together. Food, stories, pictures, gifts and contacts were shared, mixed with a lot of tears. Although we were only together for four days, often challenged by a language divide, deep relationships were forged through the work of the Spirit.

The FH staff provides a great example of what it means to “become last”. We would do well to learn from their example. In fact, we have numerous opportunities to serve our FH brothers and sisters in Bolivia. We can start by praying for them regularly (as a start see today’s prayer points). We can serve through financial support in the form of a designated gift or the monthly support of a child. We can also support with our time by participating in the next MCC mission trip to Bolivia and see firsthand how God is working in this community.

For more information contact Elisa Trullinger or Vince Tidwell.

I didn’t like getting up early, and I didn’t like sitting in the cold, but there’s something about watching the sun rise that makes the inconvenience worth-while. The reddish-orange hue on the horizon as that glowing disc approaches and then cracks the skyline never fails to impress. The light that begins to dispel shadows, pushing the darkness away, brings everything it touches into sharp focus. As it begins its march across the sky, the sun takes on a golden yellow glow, spreading warmth and bringing the promise of a new day. Sun rise. Son Rise. The play on words is trite, it’s old, it’s been used a kajillion times, but it’s still meaningful. On that first Easter Sunday the sun rose and the Son of God rose, and as He rose the light of His gospel spread, illuminating truth and dispersing the shadows of lies.

Sun rise brings the promise of a new day, but each day is fleeting and quickly comes to a close.

Son Rise – the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead – is the promise not of a new day but of a new life; a life lived in the very presence of the Lord Himself. A life that is not fleeting, that will not pass quickly, a life that is everlasting!

We have to remember there’s no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. There’s no Son Rise without the horrible, unjust, yet wonderful sacrificial death of Jesus. The juxtaposition is poignant; the indescribable fettered agony of the cross and the pure ecstasy of freedom in the resurrection.

But why did Jesus have to die, especially in such a cruel way? A good question we all have to answer, even a teenager sitting in the cold dawn of an Easter morning. We all have to come face to face with our own sin and the realization that we cannot justify ourselves before the holy God Almighty. We need a savior, one who can and will pay the price for our sins. Jesus was able and willing and that’s why He had to die. He was the only one who could redeem us, and for that He endured the cross.

Culturally sin is passé, but it’s still an accurate describer of what fills the heart of man. We are all sinners, we all need a savior, we all need Easter; not the bunny or the eggs, we need Jesus. We need amazing grace and He provides it – in abundance.   

Without Easter the past has no meaning, the present has no purpose and the future holds no hope. Have you seen the Son Rise on Easter morning?  

We have no mandate from Jesus or his apostles to mark these days for particular observance. Paul, for one, would be quite happy for us to partake, or not. “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5).

Clearly, the celebration should not be pressed upon the conscience of others. “Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath” (Colossians 2:16).

Opportunity, Not Obligation

Celebrating Holy Week is not an obligation, but it is an opportunity. It is a chance to walk with the church, throughout time and throughout the world, as she walks with her Bridegroom through the most important week in the history of the world. It is a chance to focus our minds on, and seek to intensify our affections for, the most important and timeless of realities.

While not mandating the observance, or even suggesting it, the New Testament does give us indirect reason, if we’re looking for it. The final eight of Matthew’s 28 chapters are given to this one week, along with the last six of Mark’s sixteen and the final six of Luke’s 24.

Most significant, though, is John. Ten of the Gospel’s 21 chapters — essentially half — deal with the final week of our Lord’s life, his betrayal, his trials, his crucifixion, and his triumphant resurrection. Even Acts, which then narrates the life of the early church, returns to the events of Holy Week with frequency (see, for instance, Acts 1:15–19; 2:22–36; 3:11–26; 4:8–12, 24–28, among others).

Indeed, it could even be said that all the Old Testament anticipates this week, and the rest of the New Testament reflects it in theology and practical living.

Seize the Week

Without any arm-twisting or conscience-pressing, I would encourage you to consider how you might make the most of this week. These are some of the darkest and brightest days in the history of the world, and they are rich with soul-sustaining food and life-clarifying vision.

In the chaos of our increasingly fast-paced and hectic society, Holy Week is a reminder to pause and ponder, to carefully mark each day and not let this greatest of all weeks fly by us like every other.

Perhaps pick a time each day — alone or with family or housemates — to slow down and savor what was happening during the Passion week some 2,000 years ago. Consider reading through a Holy Week devotional — or even better, one (or a couple) of the Passion narratives from the Gospels:

Matthew 21–28

Mark 11–16

Luke 19–24

John 12–21

Block out several minutes. Find a comfortable place to sit. Seek to quiet your soul, and pray that God would meet you in the events and significance of this week. And spend a few moments in prayer after you read and turn the truth Godward in adoration of Christ. Receive this week with thanksgiving, and make it holy by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:5).

You may want to make it memorable with candles or some other special flair. If your church, or another in town, does a Maundy Thursday or Good Friday service, that presents another opportunity.

A Prayer for Passion Week

If you’d like a specific biblical text to serve as a prayer charter for this week, here’s what I’m asking for myself and my family: that God would make the prayer of Ephesians 3:16–19 increasingly true of us this Holy Week —

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith — that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Jesus’s step-by-step journey to Golgotha is a glowing revelation of the extent of his love. He loved us “to the uttermost” (John 13:1) in going all the way to the cross for us, with every bruise, every puncture, and throb and stab of pain. And it is during Holy Week that we see most profoundly how deep the Father’s love for us. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

May God make this to be for you a week of being newly grounded in the love of Christ, so plainly on display from the resolve of Palm Sunday, to the ultimate sacrifice of Good Friday, to the triumph of Easter Sunday. And may you freshly know the love of Christ, in all its breadth and length and height and depth — and wonder upon wonder, be filled with all the fullness of God.

DesiringGod. Make the Most of Holy Week. March 21, 2016. David Mathis.

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/make-the-most-of-holy-week

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born and raised in a small town just outside of San Antonio, Texas. Though I call it home when I go to visit, the East Mountains feel more like home to me.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

Well, looking through my stuff from kindergarten (my mom saved everything), I guess I wanted to be a fireman or an astronaut. I much prefer sitting next to a fire than running into one, and I’m terribly afraid of heights, so…

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

I heard a sermon by Rick Warren on the radio a few months before I met Pastor Frank, so I guess I would have to say that sermon was it.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I think the best phrase I ever heard was in Alcoholics Anonymous: “God led me to AA so AA could lead me to God.” That miracle began October 20, 2019.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

Juntos and FH! It’s a bit of long story that I’d be happy to share one-on-one.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge as serving as Tech Ministry Coordinator?

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I really enjoy astrophotography. I was introduced to the hobby by a work mentor many years ago. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

I usually enjoy going hiking if I’m caught up on my chores.

What is the perfect meal?

Low saturated fat, plenty of leafy green vegetables, and a reasonable portion of protein. (Just in case my cardiologist reads this!)

Who or what never fails to make you laugh?

Nate Deterding and cat videos.

As we look towards celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, it is certainly the pinnacle of our lives leading into eternity. For us, that joyous morning looms large. But let’s look at the evening of that momentous day when Luke tells us about two sad people walking away from Jerusalem, disheartened that the Messiah had not come, and perplexed at all the happenings of the previous week: the arrest, suffering and death of their hope. Jesus came alongside them unrecognized and began talking to them about the events of the previous days.  

He enlightened them about His purpose in coming into the world, and how scripture pointed towards Him from ages past. When they stopped for the evening, the men recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread with Him, and joyfully and excitedly returned to Jerusalem to tell everyone. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)

Were those two just lucky beyond measure, or unusually blessed, getting a Bible study from Jesus, or are we the ones most blessed? Unlike the walkers, we have the opportunity every day to open the scriptures and to learn about God’s plan for us, and hear His purpose for our lives through our prayers. God has provided us with the gift of His written Word, so that we never need to be uninformed.

The two were walking physically, and had been trying to walk spiritually with Jesus. Have we realized the promise of the resurrection in our lives? Are we walking in the light of Jesus in all that we do, or are we swayed by the world around us? They were listening to Him; are we? The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.  (Isaiah 9:2) 

The walkers were excited that their teacher, friend (and now Savior) was not dead, but alive forevermore. How much more can we rejoice than them, because the power of the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and we experience that power every day. They told their friends the Good News; do we share with all those around us the hope of eternal life which we have? 

So, let’s rejoice that the tomb was empty, but let’s also look forward, like the walkers to Emmaus. Jesus has not only risen indeed, but He lives forevermore, and wants to walk with us and help us grow in knowledge of Him. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1

In spite of my frustration, he remained calm. I frequently became discouraged due to my inability and lack of skill as a newbie. However, I remember his joyful smile and the reassurance of his words. He’d say, “Just keep with it, you’ll get the hang of it soon enough.”

By early afternoon he managed to teach me to make a basic cast with a short leader, outfitted with a size 16 elk hair caddis fly. We took a break for lunch and afterwards made a short drive up a dusty mountain road to what he called his favorite run. It was a river bend with riffle water that dropped off into a deep hole tucked into an undercut bank, situated in the middle of a beautiful green mountain valley. As we waded upstream to approach the hole, he reminded me to remember what we had been practicing. He reassured me with words of encouragement.

I crouched down and creeped up to the hole, my grandpa trailing just behind me. I could feel my heart beating faster, so I took a deep breath and made a cast. The fly landed soft enough, and I’ll never forget the sight of the wild brown trout that rose to the surface from the shadows of the river bed to eat my fly. “SET, SET, SET!,” my grandpa shouted! I hooked the fish and landed it! However, that day I too was hooked!

Looking back, I don’t know which one outshone the other when I landed that fish: my excitement, or Grandpa Tom’s joyful belly laugh. I do know this, what was first his joy, he was glad to share with me. His joy became my joy, and then my joy seemed to multiply his joy. Such it is to be a disciple of Christ, and a fisher of men!

The Lord said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:8-12)

Is your joy in Christ? In His presence there is fullness of joy! As Christ’s disciples, we find our joy in Him, and so we pursue Him (in His word and prayer) in our pursuit of joy. In doing so, the Spirit leads us in fruitfulness to pursue one another in the love of Christ. Then, His joy may be in us, and our joy in Him may be full. As we grow in years and wisdom as disciples of Christ, may we not miss out on the compounding pleasure that comes from giving of ourselves in love and service to each other. This pleasure is found in our own pursuit of joy and Christlikeness, as we pursue each other out of the abundance of His love for us.

To the Church, the hands and feet of Jesus in this world! Are we ready – prepared in our minds, hearts, bodies, schedules, and pocketbooks? Not if our own “to do lists” are filled with “non-negotiables” or our minds are overloaded with fears that say “I could never do that!”

Have we forgotten that God anointed us with His powerful Holy Spirit so that we can stand firm in Christ, standing on all the promises, as we go forward in faith, not fear. (2 Corinthians 1:18-22) Have we forgotten, as followers of Christ, that His Spirit lives in us to bear fruit? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Paul cried out in 2 Corinthians 1 that he despaired, even of life, that in his heart he felt the sentence of death. This feeling of depression is a natural response to loss. But Paul responds that “this has happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (v.9) Our deliverance is sure. Our hope is in Him, “as you help us by your prayers.” (v.11) Paul knew the importance and privilege of prayer. God heard their prayers, would answer their prayers, and many would give thanks.

God has a special place for each one of us in this big ministry to the disabled, be it prayer, preparing meals, visitation, shopping, contributing financially, or any of the other ways of blessing the disabled. Our “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” will lead you on with His kindness and love.

“I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.” (Hosea 11:4)

God calls us together in community so that the Word of Christ can dwell richly in our midst and grow us to be like him.

The reason God calls us together in community is so that the Word of Christ can dwell richly in our midst and grow us to be like him. This happens as we love each other by patiently, kindly and humbly speaking that word to each other in any way we can.

Colossians 3 mentions a number of ways we can do this—it speaks of teaching and admonishing and singing and giving thanks. We could easily flesh that list out with other speaking verbs like reminding, encouraging, exhorting, discussing, chewing over, and asking-the-kind-of-dumb-but-obvious-question-that-helps-everyone.

Whatever mode of speech is involved, the content is ‘the Word of Christ’ and the purpose is to help one another grow to be like Christ.

Now there’s a why to get us out the door on small group nights.

Small groups aren’t about helping me feel part of things, or helping me to connect with people, or even expressing my commitment to church. In fact, they are not really about me at all. The reason to go to a small group is that God has called me to love you and be an agent of your growth in Christ. I go because you need me to speak the Word of Christ to you (and because I need to hear it from you).

The how of belonging to a small group flows straight out of this why, and is not very hard to figure out. It would include things like this:

• We should turn up every week, unless there is some important other reason—because is there really anything more important in your life than the job God has given us to do with each other in a small group?
• We should come ready to speak in love. Read and prepare the passage in advance if that helps, and take the initiative to speak in any way you can to help others understand and apply this part of God’s word. Ask questions. Answer questions. Grapple hard with the text in front of you. Share what you see. Look out for people who were just about to speak but got cut off, and invite them to contribute. Open up about your own struggles to put the word into practice. There are scads of opportunities to allow the ‘word to dwell richly’ in your group—and that’s your task.
• This why also generates a copious list of don’ts that I find very easy to compile (by thinking back over my own thoughtless, self-oriented behavior in small groups over the years). Don’t sit on your hands during the discussion. Don’t try to save face or protect yourself. Don’t leave it to everyone else. Don’t jump on your hobby horses when they pass by. Don’t stick tenaciously to your point in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Don’t try to make yourself look good. Don’t give the lazy pat answer that you could have given without even looking at the text. Don’t take the group off to some other interesting passage that you like, unless it is vital for understanding the passage you’re actually reading. Don’t be afraid to open up and be honest about your struggles.

I’ll leave you to figure out your own specific list of how-tos, because it will be a little different for each person in each different group and  circumstance. But if you can grasp why God wants to you go to small group this small group night, then how is not so difficult.

At least, it’s not difficult to understand. Doing it consistently and lovingly? Well, that’s that the challenge the word of Christ brings us as we start a new of small group life together.

TheGospelCoalition. Why Be a Small Group Member. February 20, 2022. Tony Payne.

https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-be-a-small-group-member/

Because that’s the expectation set by your church. In many churches, to be a true-blue member you’re supposed to come regularly on Sunday, give money and go to a small group. This is actually not a bad rule of thumb by which to recognize committed church involvement, but is it really an adequate reason for going to small groups? Because I kind of have to in order to belong to the club?

Because it’s a great way to get to know people and feel part of the church community. This feels better, and at least has a bit of relational zip to it. It is indeed hard in a church of even moderate size to really get to know people over a quick cuppa on Sunday morning. Small groups usually help with that.

Even so, I’m not sure any of these reasons are going to motivate us consistently to drag ourselves out the door every week at the end of a long day to engage in chit-chat with a bunch of other tired people. Not to mention the fact we still haven’t said anything related to … you know, God.

Does God have a why for us to join a small group?

He does as it turns out.

Does God have a why for us to join a small group? He does as it turns out.

The reason God gathers us together in Christian communities is not just so we get to know people or feel the warmth of being part of a group of like-minded people—it’s for a specific purpose.

Of the many places we find this purpose in the Bible, one of the clearest is in Colossians 3. This extraordinary chapter starts by summarizing the foundation and essence of the Christian life: “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (vv. 3-4).

Our new life is summed up in one word: ‘Christ’. We’re united with him in his death and resurrection. His life is our life.

The rest of the chapter is about living in light of that stunning truth—that is, killing off every vestige of our old fleshly life (anger, lies, malice, that sort of thing) and clothing ourselves instead in the new Christ-like life that we’ve been given, “which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (v. 10).

The punchline is in verse 17. Since our life = Christ, then everything we do—every word and every deed—should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

What does this have to do with why God gathers us into Christian communities, including the little communities we call small groups?

Everything, and it is spelled out in verses 12-16. This new life in Christ is essentially and unavoidably a team life. It’s something we do together as God’s chosen and beloved people:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Three things stand out in this paragraph:

1. Our [community] life is complicated by the ongoing sinful vestiges of our old selves. There’s a constant need for humility and kindness and forbearance. We all have growing to do.
2. The over-arching characteristic of our community life is love—which isn’t so surprising, given that it is a life lived in the name of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us.
3. Our task—in love, and with much patience and kindness—is to increase the rich presence of the word of Christ amongst each other by speaking it to each other. The word of Christ is what grows and changes us to be like Christ. The more it permeates our lives, the more each word and deed of our lives will be done in his name.

*Come back next week to read the rest of why God calls us to community….

TheGospelCoalition. Why Be a Small Group Member. February 20, 2022. Tony Payne.

https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-be-a-small-group-member/

As we know, the heart of this attack lies in the idea that your identity is chosen by you, projected to others, and is ‘editable’ at will – depending on how you’re feeling. For a young adult looking for their own purpose, facing a world full of shiny identities brandished across social media timelines, flaunted on school campuses, and broadcasted in headlines all around them, the identity question is hitting harder (and perhaps earlier) than ever before.   

As a youth group coordinator, I get a front-row seat to the raging war between the (often fledgling) faith of the Christian young adult and the fiery darts of the evil one. The identity attack is one of his most effective weapons. As many of their unbelieving peers begin to ‘pick’ their identities, young believers are feeling a pressure to do the same, and ‘Christian’ is becoming a less and less acceptable one. 

 ‘Christian’ is being portrayed as cliché and irrelevant, or evil and close-minded, or immature and pitiable, or innocent and unrealistic. Take your pick, I’m sure we could fill this whole page. When the voices of the world grow more devious and soothing, enticing us with refined tact away from what we believe, how do we encourage other believers to remain steadfast in who Christ made them to be? We study His Word. We meditate on who He says we are. And we remind each other of it often. Many encouragements have been on my mind for the young believer working through this question.

You are not simply a child of sinners doomed to the same – you are a Child of God, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)

You are not just a broken product of your sin – you are a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

You are not ‘just one more Christian’ – you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession. (1 Peter 2:9)

You are not simply ‘one more human’ – you are His workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)

You are not left alone to make the right decisions – your God knows the plans He has for you. (Jeremiah 29:11)

You are not an end unto yourself – you are the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

You are not defined by your past mistakes – you are to put on the new self, created in the likeness of God. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

You are not a body that exists for your own editing – you are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

You are not made to be fully at home in this world – you are a citizen of Heaven. (Philippians 3:20)

You are not left alone here to discover who you think you should be – you are chosen in Him before the foundations of the world.  (Ephesians 1:4).

As we know, Scripture is full with callings of similar tender, and glory, and courage, and peace, and so much more.

In a chaotically unidentified generation, which loves things that destroy, might we encourage each other to pursue our identity in Christ, and lean into it with all the joy of one who has been given an incomparable gift, and will one day get to bow to the King face-to-face.   

I am – a man unworthy of anything good, deserving of eternal punishment, living only by His grace towards me, grateful to serve Him imperfectly, eagerly anticipating the day I get to dwell with Him, one whose price for life was impossibly paid by another, and a future citizen of the new heavens and the new earth. Thank you, Lord, for letting me have that identity.

I have often been surprised at the number of people who volunteer to serve in any capacity for our church. Maybe it’s because I know that if left to my own selfish desire, I would leave the work to others. In its purest form, serving a need in our church is a work of the Holy Spirit. It is simply an act of obedience to Jesus’ call to love others better than ourselves. In recognition of your obedience to Christ, I would like to thank every single one of you who serve joyfully, determinedly and with great conviction in our Children’s Sunday School ministry. Thank you for choosing to dedicate your time in prayer, preparation and teaching our families’ kiddos on Sundays.

Having established that your desire to serve is born out of your obedience and love for Christ, I’d like to suggest some of the reasons why you choose to serve Him teaching children. Is it because you see yourself in them when you were growing up? Do you recall your own Sunday School teachers and the impact they had on you by their loving-kindness? Or maybe, it’s because you did not grow up in church at all but now wish you’d had the opportunity that is now your own child’s? My own experience is very similar. My very first introduction to God’s word was by a young, teenaged girl who exuded kindness and patience as she taught my friends and I the story of Noah. That experience has never left me. It colored my understanding of a God who is a righteous judge, and though at the time I dreaded that I would face a similar fate, it also served to plant the seed for a joyful celebration when in my late teens, He opened my eyes to the beauty of His grace found in Christ’s suffering on the cross on my behalf. Simply put, this young lady Bible teacher laid the foundation in my heart for the gospel of Christ.

And very simply put, most of you serve with us in Sunday School because you want to let the kids entrusted to us know the beauty of the Gospel. One of you recently wrote me and said, “My goal in teaching Sunday School is to accurately handle God’s Word, point to the gospel and our need for Jesus.” It does not get more complicated than that. It is a profound message that by the Holy Spirit’s work through the life of an obedient servant will resound in the heart of a child and make them to be born again - just like you and I.

Will you join us in this important work? Do not be afraid to say yes, God equips us all for the very work he calls us to do. You do not know everything there is to know, you know Him and He is the One who equips us to teach. We currently have needs for volunteers teaching K-1st, 2nd-3rd and 4th-5th for both services. We would love for you to serve with us.

* * *

By Mike Brazie
I would encourage everyone to consider becoming involved in the Sunday School programs. Having been a Sunday School teacher for most of my Christian life, I can tell you it is a wonderful experience and blessing, and leads to greater spiritual growth. The effort of preparing lessons provides a more in-depth understanding of Scripture and the Holy Spirit’s work in your life.

Teaching middle school and high school classes was a great experience as I was able to impact youth for Christ before their views had hardened, as happens in many adults.

I have also enjoyed working with young children in Vacation Bible School, as have many of you, but having them in a regular, on-going Sunday School class leads to greater spiritual growth of the youth and deeper personal relationships with them. It is a joy to be recognized by them as a spiritual leader with whom they can ask questions and share their concerns and fears with an attitude of trust, as they seek to know God’s purpose for their lives.

Everyone I know in Sunday School leadership sees the work as a great blessing from God and one that has eternal rewards in their own lives and the lives of those they are privileged to teach. Just ask them!

You can enjoy those blessings as well, and the church will provide the help and resources you need. Please volunteer to be a part of the Sunday School team.

When I was in middle school, God turned on the light in my heart and uncovered a truth about His character through His Word that I had never quite understood before - His unconditional love. It did not matter how much of a mess I was and still am, He loves me. What got me, however, was not the fact that He loved me, but the fact that He cared about what I cared about. What mattered to me, mattered to Him. 

What I cared about began to change as well. Jesus says to store up our treasures in heaven, not in this world. That verse changed my perspective. It wasn’t about being a good person, doing good deeds, living a good life, obeying all the laws, or any of those things that had previously made me feel good about myself. It was about the people who are coming with me to heaven someday.

I looked around and watched my peers, friends, and younger cousins. They were going to church because they had to. They were praying and reading God’s Word because they were asked to. It also appeared to me several of their teachers or Bible study leaders seemed to walk into church, speak words into the room and checkmark a box that recorded their “good deed for the week”. It bothered me some. I cared about my peers but didn’t have the platform to speak truth. It seemed to me that some of these teachers didn’t value the opportunity.

A few years later, God pushed me into the work myself. He wanted me to do it a different way, the way that I was taught by my parents, and my own high-school youth group leader: the personal way. What I mean by this is to allow the kids to see my own mistakes. It isn’t always fun, but I hope they know that I care about what they care about. God loves them, and He loves what He created them to get excited about. I want kids to understand this by seeing my example. I want to be invested in who they are, not just waiting for them give me the right answer. Many kids may know the answer, but God doesn’t want the words, He wants their hearts.

Sometimes I sense that they don’t understand. Most of the time, it’s just a routine for them. I know it was like that for me when I was their age, I can’t expect anything different from them. Yet, if they hear the truth, and see that I care about who they are, these are the memories that will never leave them. I have to be willing to address problems I see in their character; I have to be willing to say no to things that sound fun (even to me). Sometimes I’ll get to say yes to things, and then I have to be willing to take the fall for my own poor decisions. In the end though, when they look back, they’ll see Jesus doing his perfect work through an imperfect person who truly cared. 

When was the youngest that you remember praying for yourself?  What was that like?

As young as 5 or 6 years old, basically as long as I can remember after accepting the Lord as my savior. It has been a real comfort in my life to know that there is always an outlet for tough situations. 

Who is someone who has positively influenced your prayer life and how?

Certainly my (late) Dad has been most influential as a role model in this area by his belief in the power of prayer. 

What are you currently working on [or how are you growing] in your prayer life?

More frequent prayer and meditation on the Word, centering on the Lord's Prayer. 

What motivates you to pray? 

Mostly prayers of thankfulness, and sometimes to navigate challenging or tricky situations in life. 

What time of day is best? Where?

Typically before a meal, mostly at home. 

Do you typically give thanks before meals, even when alone?

Yes, most of the time. 

Favorite thing you've been taught (or learned) about prayer?

That prayer is powerful, and we may or may not always clearly interpret how our prayer is answered. 

Do you do better with lists? Other ways that you organize? Or just always better free? 

I would normally organize prayer around the most pressing topic on my mind.

One or two favorite time(s) of prayer that you remember? 

There have been times with major inflection points in family life with health issues and career issues, where I feel prayers were answered in powerful ways of healing and clarity in decision making. 

When was the youngest that you remember praying for yourself?  What was that like?

I remember first praying for myself when I was 5 or 6 years old. I grew up in a Christian home so it seemed like what you do. You ask God for the food to be blessed, thank Him that He is good, etc. But that’s all it was when I was little. The first time I truly understood that prayer was more than just asking God for stuff, I was 16. And the difference was staggering. Actually talking with God, listening to Him and the Holy Spirit during that time of prayer, it was definitely more like a conversation and not just a list of requests. 

Who is someone who has positively influenced your prayer life and how?

My wife, Sarah. When the both of us come together to pray, the intense feeling of unity that becomes present is amazing. It’s truly a wonderful time when the both of us enter God's presence to pray, not just over our life and marriage, but for those around us.

What are you currently working on [or how are you growing] in your prayer life?

I am trying to work on praying how it seems David would pray. Going before God, taking the time to actually listen and see what is put on my heart, and to listen to Him. Not just bringing a list of requests. 

What motivates you to pray? 

My desire to be like Christ is what motivates me to pray. I try to pray daily, even if it’s just a short time of praise.

What time of day is best? Where?

Anytime, and anywhere. Especially on the roads of Albuquerque (haha).

Do you typically give thanks before meals, even when alone?

I try to, but it’s not as consistent when I’m alone as it should be. 

Favorite thing you've been taught (or learned) about prayer?

It was from one of Frank's sermons. You don’t have to fix your problems to come before God. If you’re distracted by something on your mind, then pray about it. If you’re angry, just pray. He doesn’t want perfect, He just wants us. 

Do you do better with lists? Other ways that you organize? Or just always better free? 

I don’t use lists when praying. I try to just sit with Him and pray about what is put on my heart. 

One or two favorite time(s) of prayer that you remember? 

My favorite prayer memory is probably the first time I simply sat and prayed for what came to my heart. It was awkward because it didn’t feel like how prayer did before, but in the end it was so satisfying. To sit in His presence and just listen. It was the first time I felt like I heard His voice. It’s humbling, but it’s such a sweet thing, to feel like He’s right there with you, and we have all the time in the world to just talk, creation and Creator. 

When was the youngest that you remember praying for yourself?  What was that like?

The youngest I remember praying was after I had a tough situation at school with my friends. I was in third grade and I had learned that my two closest friends were talking about me behind my back. Coming from the background of a family that is close and directly communicates, learning that these friends where talking poorly about me broke my heart. I shared what was happening with my dad and he said, “Salome, at the end of the day your mom and I are going to pass away. Your brothers are going to have lives of their own. It’s you and God and that’s it.” As a young girl, when my dad said that in a moment I knew that it was truth. That is when I started going to my room, closing the door, and praying to my Father God in private. 

Who is someone who has positively influenced your prayer life and how?

The first person who comes to mind having positively influenced my prayer life is Jesus Christ. The story of my childhood hardship, prayer, and turning to the Lord in private came from knowing what Jesus taught us in Matthew 6.

What are you currently working on [or how are you growing] in your prayer life?

Recently I heard something about prayer that has been eye opening and helping my prayer life. I love praying to the Lord intentionally in the morning when I wake up and when I go to bed, along with conversations with Him throughout my day. When I heard praying with others is like using a magnifying glass onto what’s being spoken. Although this is something I knew, the visual impacted me to understand in a deeper way because I have experienced that magnifying effect. So recently I’ve been growing in being intentional about praying with my loved ones and friends, with the new understanding of how powerful it is when we come together to pray.

What motivates you to pray? 

My motivation to pray is how much I love and am grateful for the Lord. I have also experienced when I don’t pray, especially for long periods of time, I feel disconnected with the Lord and am easily weighed down with the worries and cares of this life. 

What time of day is best? Where?

For me the best time to pray is right when I wake up and when I go to sleep, because I can keep it consistent, especially due to my travel schedule and my varying days.

Do you typically give thanks before meals, even when alone?

Yes, I typically give thanks for my meals, even when I’m alone. I even love to rejoice in the Lord when I’m eating, food is such a gift!

Favorite thing you've been taught (or learned) about prayer?

My favorite thing I’ve been taught for prayer is to walk. When I pray alone with the Lord, I am typically in a room so I walk in a circle or oval because it helps to express myself and helps in moments of silence when waiting on the Lord.

Do you do better with lists? Other ways that you organize? Or just always better free? 

When I pray, typically I pray for what comes on my heart, but I try to pray after I’ve read scripture because it helps me to know what to pray according to scripture and with the wording of scripture.

One or two favorite time(s) of prayer that you remember? 

Honestly, I feel very grateful the Lord has blessed me with the revelation of who He is and being able to come to Him in prayer. Every day and every moment feels special because I get to live with a prayerful heart at all moments.

Nowhere in the Bible do we read about some believer being applauded or afforded this special title. Instead, God instructs all believers to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17). No one has a “special anointing” of the Holy Spirit that sets them apart from others in the area of prayer. Rather, every Christian should be a prayer warrior. This is the truth of the matter.

To demonstrate that, below we’ll consider what the Bible teaches about prayer in the life of believers.

Prayer and Communion With God
In Mathew 6:5-8, Jesus warns believers against using prayer to appear religious before others. Praying in order to be seen is, in his words, usually hypocritical (Matthew 6:5). But worse than that, he continues, if you pray for a human audience and praise that’s the only reward you’ll get. Sure, by praying impressively for the crowds you’ll receive attention, just not God’s. On the other hand, a quiet prayer directed to God rather than passers-by, will reap spiritual blessings (Matthew 6:6).

Following this warning, Jesus instructs us in how to pray. And the first line of that familiar prayer tells us a lot. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). Here prayer is about at least two things. The first is God’s glory (cf. Matthew 6:5, 7). The second is communion with our heavenly Father. Through prayer we prioritize God’s fame and fellowship with him. We speak with him, longing for his name to be made great.

Like any relationship, the believer’s relationship with God demands communication. He must speak to us. And we must speak to him. Therefore all believers are expected to pray. So we ought to make a conscious decision to pray, setting time aside both privately and with others to speak to our God (Matthew 14:23; Ephesians 6:18). Through prayer we can express our gratitude to God; ask him for guidance; and find comfort.

Devotion to Prayer Is How We Grow
In his teaching on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, note that Jesus doesn’t say ‘if you prayer’ but “when you pray” (Matthew 6:5). That is, prayer isn’t optional. It’s not some kind of add-on to the Christian life (Colossians 4:2). We saw this already, above. But do we really need to make a concerted effort? Is it even right to speak about prayer as a discipline?

Born-again Christians pursue godliness. This much is said in countless ways throughout the Bible. We put off sin and put on righteousness. But one of the fundamental ways we do it is simply by prioritizing prayer. Committing or disciplining ourselves, to “continue steadfastly in prayer” is in itself a means to greater godliness. For devotion demands sacrifice. By devoting ourselves to prayer we practice putting the Lord and his people before ourselves, while also being obedient to him.

Our devotion to God through prayer produces good results; it:

Develops a richer relationship with God
Provides understanding of God’s character, as we experience communion with the God who is love (1 John 4:8)
Strengthens us to avoid temptation (Matthew 26:41).

Pray Selflessly
In Ephesians 6:18, Paul writes, “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on pray for all the Lord’s people.” In some senes, prayer isn’t about us at all. Or it shouldn’t be. We’ve already seen that it’s about God’s fame, but it should also be concerned with his people. This is a mark of Paul’s prayers. “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1).

Prayer ought to be unselfish. Selfless. No believer who is strong in the faith stands alone. Others stand behind them, praying for them. Praying for each other in spiritual challenges is how we overcome. We all need to be covered in prayer. This isn’t only a biblical mandate to pray, but an act of compassion and love. “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

“When You Pray”
Being a prayer warrior means taking prayer seriously, learning from God how to pray and what it is. Prayer isn’t the prized possession of a few. It’s something each of us has the privilege of enjoying through our communion with God. So devote yourself to it, especially praying for others.

The Gospel Coalition. Anyone Can Be a Prayer Warrior. November 27, 2024. Thembelani Maqajana.

https://africa.thegospelcoalition.org/article/anyone-can-be-a-prayer-warrior/

When was the youngest that you remember praying for yourself? What was that like?
I grew up in the faith and I really don’t remember when was the first time. There isn’t a time I remember not praying. It always felt safe and tender to pray; usually at bedtime.

Who is someone who has positively influenced your prayer life and how?
My husband. He helped me grow into a wider array of prayers, especially repentance prayers.

What are you currently working on (or how are you growing) in your prayer life?
Frequency.

What motivates you to pray?
Joyful desire for closeness with God.

What time of day is best? Where?
Still bedtime, in bed. But any time of day and night are so good.

Do you typically give thanks before meals, even when alone?
Absolutely.

Favorite thing you've been taught (or learned) about prayer?
That God knows better than me and his answer will be best, even if it’s not what I wanted.

Do you do better with lists? Other ways that you organize? Or just always better free?
I’m in a season of mothering chaos and any and all lists disappear. So right now, free.

One or two favorite time(s) of prayer that you remember?
When I was huddled up in my closet, scared to death about possible chemotherapy treatment, and trying to negotiate with God. It’s my favorite because it was the beginning baby step of my journey to full surrender to His will.

“Which card, Lord, would be the best for my grieving friend?” she asked in the card aisle at Target. 

“Lord, I trust you. I trust you. I trust you,” her soul cried as she went about her daily duties and thought of her daughter in a difficult and dangerous circumstance. 

These women modeled to me the heart of a child walking hand in hand with their Father, sharing their heart with Him, blurting out their spur of the moment thoughts in spur of the moment places. They modeled prayer. There is a time for the discipline of prayer – a set aside time devoted to a prayer list or concerns. I need that, too. But I’ve been thinking about child-like prayer.

You know why the dye-filled, sugar-laden, colorful cereals are on the bottom shelves in the grocery lane, don’t you? (If not, go shopping with a child. You’ll find out right quick). Do you ever feel like that child when you try to pray? You know what I mean? Distracted. Tempted by what I think I need. Zero focus. My mind darting from one colorful box of cereal to another. How am I supposed to pray when I can’t even stay focused? Perhaps that is the place where relational conversation with our Father in Heaven is forged. What is distracting? Use that as a “rabbit trail” of pressing into the love of a Father who already knows what’s distracting and talk to Him about it.

What is worrying or causing anxiety that keeps you from “focusing on your prayer list” (or reading scripture)? Talk to your Father, who “inhabits eternity” and “who knows the end from the beginning and from ancient times, things not yet done” … oh, and who already knows what worries you, who has allowed the circumstances causing worry, and who waits to hear all that you are thinking. He wants relationship with us, His children.

I don’t think that children come up with the right words, said the right way, with the exact right attitude before they relate with their parents.  At least mine don’t. They ask, they share, they complain, they laugh, they say what’s on their mind. There isn’t a formula or a perfect method, and perhaps that’s the point of child-like prayer. 

The point isn’t always about affecting an answer; it is often more about the process. Sometimes I’ve had the thought that if I pray correctly, with the right attitude and words, blessing will follow. Here’s the problem with that. Prayer becomes a formula for getting the cereal on the bottom shelf, and not about getting more of my Father. It makes prayer about me. What’s worse is God’s character becomes defined by how He answers, not by who He says He is. It is no longer about relating with my Abba. 

The process of talking with God throughout the day and night as needs, worries, joys and gratitude come to mind brings friendship with the Lord - the One who does all things well, the One who always does what’s good (He gets to define “good”), the One who calls the stars by name, and the One who knows every hair on your head and every feather on every sparrow. The process of childlike prayer begins to get at the heart of “My Father, Who art in Heaven”. It begins to acknowledge that, “…the power of prayer does not reside in the place where it starts but in the place it reaches” (Alec Moyter). 

Of course, like a child asking for cereal, we ask our Father for needs and wants, but the cream is in the fact that we have a Father to ask. He is better than the cereal. Like my friends, we too can cry out for help, ask for direction, and rehearse the nature of God in difficult situations as we share our heart with Him and blurt out our spur of the moment thoughts in spur of the moment places. No formula needed. No perfection required. Just a child, distracted as they may be, enjoying the process of walking hand in hand with their Father.          

Mountain Christian Church has been providing winter food boxes to families at A. Montoya for eight years. The first year there were nine families that received the food. The effort has grown as the needs have gotten bigger. This year we served 26 families and provided over 3,400 meals.

And with that huge undertaking comes tremendous opportunity to serve and work together.

Last year the Shine Core Team made a conscious decision to turn the winter food box distribution into an opportunity for community – to both work together as a church body and to create an event that invited fellowship to the families we serve. There is a reason we encourage Bible studies and small groups to join together to provide the food for a box – it builds community. We even had a small group from another church want to get involved, and they provided the food for a family.

And we wanted to provide a way to visit with the families receiving the food – and thus the Christmas Cheer party was born. Instead of just a drive-thru to get their food boxes (thank you, Covid), we hosted a party where the families were invited to come and decorate cookies, make an ornament, pick a toy, get their face painted, play some games, eat breakfast, get their picture made in the photo booth, all while a live band played.

And this year it was so beautiful. Over 50 MCC folks showed up to have conversations, play games, engage with the children and let the parents know they are doing a great job. I looked around the room and I saw kids having so much fun they didn’t want to leave. I saw families come dressed in their Christmas finery, because they knew it was a special event. I saw families serving together – as our youth worked hard carrying boxes to cars and men had the opportunity to encourage other dads and let them know, we all go through hard things. I saw A. Montoya staff come in on their weekend because they knew it was such a special event and they wanted to serve.

Through all of it, I saw the Lord glorified through food boxes and smiles and fellowship as we served together. What a blessing to see the body of Christ at work. It couldn’t have been done without the enormous effort of so many and the opportunity God gave to us. I know we were blessed as much as the A. Montoya families.

While such distractions are, of course, a year-round ever-present danger, let me encourage you with some brief Christmas perspective on busy-ness.

Remember Joseph and Mary
First, we must keep in mind that the original Christmas was not peaceful, not for Joseph and Mary. They were the first parents who had to prepare for Christmas and the pressure they felt dwarfs what most of us are experiencing right now. Bethlehem was overcrowded with census registrants. Things did not go as they likely envisioned. Joseph was desperately searching for lodging for his wife who was in labor. All he could secure was a stable.

If an unforeseen crisis emerges in the midst of your already challenging Christmas labors, remember Joseph and Mary. That place of desperation is often where the grace of God breaks in with the greatest power.

Remember the Ministry-Weary Disciples
Second, certain seasons of ministry and serving are simply exhausting. The Bible is full of weary saints who serve in the midst of various kinds of pressures. One example is the time in Capernaum when the crowds trying to get to Jesus became so great and demanding that the disciples didn’t even have time to eat (Mark 3:20). Were they “distracted with much serving” at that moment? In a sense, yes — meaning they weren’t sitting at Jesus’s feet peacefully listening. Yet, at that moment, from what we can tell, they were doing exactly what they should have been doing: helping all those people hear Jesus.

That is what Christmas is for our children and our congregations (and all the visitors in our homes and churches during the season): a time to hear Jesus. If making that happen means extraordinary busyness for you, it is very likely that you are doing exactly what you should be doing.

Get Away to a Lonely Place Later
There seems to have been a rhythm in Jesus’s ministry of very hard work followed by seasons of respite in “lonely” or “desolate” places (Luke 5:16; Mark 6:31). This is necessary for all of us. If your Christmas is an extraordinarily busy time of family and church ministry, then it is wise to plan a time, in January if possible, to get away from the chaos and listen to Jesus in his Word and to pray (here are some helpful pointers on how to do that). Find a lonely place where you have time to eat the Bread of life and be refreshed for the next exhausting push.

A busy, high pressure Christmas does not de facto mean you’re a Christmas “Martha.” You may be a desperate Joseph or Mary in an overcrowded Bethlehem or you may be a tired disciple in an overcrowded Capernaum. If that’s your call, work hard and serve well. Make the aim of your serving the progress and joy of the faith of others (Philippians 1:25) and aim to serve in the strength that God supplies (1 Peter 4:11). Then afterwards, withdraw with Jesus to a lonely place and be refreshed by him.

If your Christmas isn’t tranquil because you’re trying hard to make room in the world for Jesus to become “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10) for others, you are in very good company. May God bless you.

* * * 

Jon Bloom (@Bloom_Jon) serves as teacher and cofounder of Desiring God. He is the author of four books, including Not by Sight and most recently True to His Word. He and his wife have five children and make their home in the Twin Cities.

Desiring God. When God Gives You an Overcrowded Christmas. December 22, 2014. Jon Bloom. 

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/when-god-gives-you-an-overcrowded-christmas

I’ve always had this vague notion of how Christmas should go — certain expectations that went unarticulated, but imposed themselves in wishful thinking and smallish discontentment.

This hazy idea was decidedly spiritual and definitely uber-holy. And while I may be fuzzy on the details of how it all would have worked out, I am certain that in this vague Christmas ideal, there would have been no chaos, no hurriedness, minimal shopping (only for books), very few messes (made only by the sweet play of children with nativity sets), and absolutely no vomit.

Undoubtedly, Christmas was to be about quiet reflection and uninterrupted contemplation in front of the Jesse tree with my Bible on my lap and coffee in hand. And maybe an Instagram post here or there to spread the brilliant meaning I had gleaned.

Surely those of us picking up steam in our sanctification should chuck all the extravagant Christmas madness out the window — overfull gatherings, tedious food preparations, chaotic tree trimming. Instead, we should get down to what’s really important: time alone with our thoughts. Clearly, the frosted snowman cookies are a distraction from what really matters.

Strip Christmas down to its essence, we think. Get rid of all the clutter. If tidying up is what magic is really made of, then an untidy Christmas is an affront to all that’s holy.

But perhaps a little clutter is just what we need to meet Jesus this Christmas.

A Gritty Spectacle

How eager we can be to make a mockery of the incarnation by longing to be the very opposite of incarnate: disembodied, lofty thoughts with no hands and no hearts to extend to those around us.

We can know one thing for sure about Jesus’s birth: it was a spectacle of gritty, messy, human-life drama. Every birth is. It was a spectacle involving real bodies, especially Mary’s. And despite my made-up ideals of fake holiness, Christmas still is that spectacle. Or at least it still should be. We still have the opportunity to be a messy but beautiful display of bodies laboring to bring Jesus to the world. Only, we are his body.

We have the opportunity to be his hands to our children and our neighbors and our friends in the present wrapping and the sharing of baked goods and the hugs. We have the opportunity to be his feet when we go to another family gathering or school concert or office party. We get to go in Jesus’s name, not as a grumbler, wishing that things were done differently or that the schedule wasn’t so full, but as good news to everyone we meet that Jesus has come into the world and he can be met in us.

Holy, Happy, Messy

All the stuff and material surrounding Christmas need not keep us from welcoming the incarnate Christ. They can remind us that Christ indeed was incarnate, earthly, human. He ate food, he celebrated with friends, he was surrounded by people, and he was present with them.

Perhaps the holiest and happiest thing we can do this Christmas is to be present with others like Jesus is with us. Actually be with the people you’re with. Listen to them, work alongside them, give yourself to them. And in so doing, show and tell everyone you come in contact with that Jesus really is Immanuel, God with us. He really did come into our mess, and he really is coming again.

What do you truly want this Christmas? Are you hoping for external peace for your circumstances, rather than internal peace for your disordered heart? Do you want him to make young children less needy? To make time-consuming food preparations quick and hassle-free? To make relational tensions with family disappear? To make the trek to relatives’ houses unhurried and never intruding on nap time?

Christ came primarily to rule in our hearts, not change our circumstances. Through his perfect life, death, and resurrection, Christ came to undo our small-minded resentments at our work and replace them with willing hands and thankful hearts. Christ came to change our ideas of simplistic, solo holiness by putting us in his family.

Christmas with the Prince

What has God entrusted to you this Christmas? Is it the privilege of hosting family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers? Then welcome people in Jesus’s name and show them how extravagant God’s love is. Is it traveling to someone else’s home? Then go willingly in Jesus’s name and be a blessing. Is it making Christmas memories for your immediate family? Then do good to them by celebrating Jesus in ways that minister to every age represented. Is it caring for sick people and missing out on everything you’d hoped for? Then do for the least of these as you would for Christ.

This Christmas, Jesus wants from us the same thing he always wants: death to our selfish desires and made-up notions of holiness and absolute loyalty and happiness in him. He’s bought our faithfulness so that we can make the food, set the table, and wrap the gifts in the strength he supplies. The Prince of Peace has come, and he can multiply our meager efforts a hundredfold — even, maybe especially, during the chaos of Christmas.

Fathers, I have a confession: I get “the feels” around all things Christmas. Listening to nonstop holiday music (after Thanksgiving, of course), the sight of a tree on a car, exterior illumination that would make Clark Griswold proud, the smell of evergreen — I love it all. I don’t need Andy Williams to tell me, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year,” but I sure can’t wait until he does!

If you don’t relate to this confession, though, don’t worry. I’ve got another one: on multiple occasions, I’ve arrived at Christmas morning feeling that it snuck up on me. This moment of recognition usually happens in the middle of our Christmas Eve service, when I glance around and see my wife and our five kids joyfully singing praises to “Christ, the newborn King,” or listening intently to the story of Jesus’s birth. On a number of years, this joyful moment has been accompanied in my heart with a twinge of sadness. Another Christmas has almost passed, and yet again, it snuck up on me.

Stewards of Hearts

I’m aware that these two confessions may sound contradictory. On the one hand, as a man who’s a kid at heart, I eagerly anticipate and count down the arrival of the holiday season. On the other hand, as a father who’s a steward of hearts, I have a tendency to arrive at the end of the holiday season and feel like I wasn’t ready for it — and now it’s gone.

I’ve heard quite a few fathers say that their daughter’s wedding day snuck up on them. They don’t mean they didn’t see it coming or were surprised by its arrival. No, it snuck up because the many things they needed to do (host family, write toasts, pay invoices, and much more) distracted them from the one thing they were honored to be: “Daddy.” In short, the significance of what they were a part of was lost on them until it had passed. Even if they were present in the moment, they were not prepared to win the moment.

This illustration has helped put words to the sadness that I’ve felt at the end of too many holiday seasons (and I don’t think I’m alone). If we are not mindful on the front end, the many things we “need” to do this December will distract us from the one thing we need to be: children of our good and generous God. And if we fathers personally neglect the significance of the Advent season, it’s unlikely we will lead our families any differently.

Fathers, let’s do more this year than be physically present; let’s get spiritually prepared to lead our family to win the moments. If you’re inspired to join me but don’t know where to begin, I’d like to offer three practices that have consistently enabled our family to win the holiday season, moment by moment.

1. Create Devotional Moments

The first practice is to create devotional moments. By “devotional moments,” I’m talking specifically about creating time for the family to gather and hear God’s word together.

Before I share what my wife and I have found helpful, let me make sure you are picturing our family correctly. Imagine a quiet and orderly group of serious, scholarly believers, gathered together to eagerly learn from the Scriptures. Got those people in mind? Now picture the opposite of that group. That’s our family. There are seven of us, and for some reason just saying the words “family devotion” produces an effect like drinking a Red Bull, where everyone “gets wings.” Even the dogs get in on the madness.

But while family devotions aren’t always easy and can go south quickly, we’ve discovered that a little planning and perspective can set us up for success. Years ago, we set it as our goal to create family devotional times that were fun, engaging, and memorable. We observed that many kids leave Christian homes feeling that the Scriptures are boring, irrelevant, and hard to understand. Not only do our three goals counter these, but they can create a learning environment that kids might even look forward to. As a father, I consider it a huge win anytime I can spark in my children an eagerness, or even an openness, for the living and active word of God (Hebrews 4:12).

“Fathers, do what it takes to carve out some planning time on the front end of the holidays (now!).”

During the holidays, we try to gather at least two times a week for family devotions. For us, family-devotion topics typically emerge as my wife and I share with each other what we are learning in our respective Advent devotionals. If we have any “secret sauce” to share, however, it’s what we do next. Julia and I then spend a few minutes brainstorming about three things: teaser, takeaway, and treasure hunt. (The more you do this, the better you get at it.)

The teaser starts our family devotions. We tee up our time with a fun question that gets everyone talking and points toward the message. The takeaway is the one big idea from Scripture that we want the family to walk away with. A concise takeaway focuses the devotion and gives the family language to rally around. Last, the treasure hunt is when things really get fun. Prior to the family devotion, we secure some sort of holiday treat (like a family game, a dessert to make, a holiday movie) and hide it somewhere in the house. Here’s the catch: the treat is hidden somewhere that is connected to something from the devotional. The one rule about the treasure hunt is that all the kids have to discuss and hunt together.

I hope you can envision how powerful it can be to create family devotional moments that are fun, engaging, and memorable.

2. Capitalize on Seasonal Moments

The second practice is to capitalize on seasonal moments. Unless you live on Mount Crumpit, others in your area have already put together holiday events that can provide your family with memorable moments. If setting aside time to pray and think creatively is the key to the first practice, this second one hinges on the willingness to do a little calendar coordination. In all likelihood, your area schools will have holiday programs, churches will host Christmas concerts, community theaters will produce shows, and the city at large will plan a slew of seasonal events. It’s all there, simply waiting to be leveraged by those who will take some time now to look ahead and make a few decisions.

For years, we had the same experience over and over: I would find the greatest holiday events for the family to enjoy — and we wouldn’t ever go. Before you think I live with a bunch of hermits, I should add that I would find these events the day of the show, and either the tickets would be sold out or someone in the family had other plans. Bah humbug!

My wife had been telling me about this thing called “planning” that adults sometimes do, and when I finally applied it to the holiday season it was a game changer. At the start of the Christmas season, we take some time to identify important moments for each family member (so we can all plan to attend), as well as a few special holiday events. (By the way, news of a special seasonal event makes a great treasure hunt discovery after an enjoyable family devotion!)

3. Copy Memorable Moments

Last, I would encourage you to copy memorable moments year after year. It doesn’t take long in life to realize that change is inevitable — and navigating through a world of constant change can lead to a feeling of instability, especially among children. As a father, I long for my children to know they have a God who is “the stability of your times” (Isaiah 33:6) and one who is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). As we teach these truths, we can also seek to create a home environment that models it. We have leaned on our family traditions as a way to provide a sense of constancy in an ever-changing world.

What are your family traditions that you copy year after year? Our holiday season is full of memorable and repeatable moments that provide an anchor for our family. We have traditions that are unique to us (“elf knock,” holiday game night after devotions, ham-and-steak holiday meal, stockings hid on Christmas morning, sibling gift exchange before Christmas) as well as some that I imagine many families do (family pajamas on Christmas Eve, birthday cake for Jesus, reading Luke 2 and praying together before opening gifts). To quote my good friend Cousin Eddie, a meaningful family tradition is “a gift that keeps on giving” year after year.

Seize the Season

The prophet Isaiah provides much-needed wisdom for what it’s going to take to see these ideas become a reality: “He who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands” (Isaiah 32:8). Fathers, do what it takes to carve out some planning time on the front end of the holidays (now!). Get a plan for creating devotional moments, coordinate how you will capitalize on seasonal moments, and identify the memorable moments to copy year after year.

For those who apply these three simple practices, I am confident that you will look at your family on Christmas Eve with a whole lot of gladness and very little sadness. For this holiday season came, and you were ready for it.

I can’t say life has been particularly easy in recent weeks, and too often I’ve found myself complaining about some of the circumstances I am in. Some of these are related to my health and my inability to type as often or as painlessly as I’d like, some are related to the fatigue that comes with this worldwide project I’ve taken on this year, some are related to people I interact with on a regular basis. Whatever the circumstance, I face the temptation to grumble. And in the face of such temptation, I’ve found it helpful to revisit some counsel I’ve received in the past. Here are some ways I’ve had to speak truth to myself.

Remember God’s care and kindness in the past. All through your life you have been the recipient of God’s undeserved kindness. Despite this unblemished record, it’s possible God could charge you the way he charged Israel: “But they soon forgot his works” (Psalm 106:13). The human memory tends to be faulty and slippery when it comes to remembering past mercies. But there is a high cost to such forgetfulness: It deprives you of the comfort you need and God of the glory he deserves.

Trust God in times of need. God has been faithful in the past, so what reason do you have to doubt his provision in the future? Of course this was exactly the temptation that Israel faced: “He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people” (Psalm 78:20)? It is absurd to doubt God’s care in the future when it has been so consistent in the past.

Acknowledge the sheer evil of grumblings. You are tempted to grumble when your circumstances change from favorable to what you perceive as unfavorable, but grumbling is not made any less sinful because it is universal or habitual. If you acknowledge the sheer evil of the sin of grumbling you will be slow to complain when circumstances no longer accord with your desires or preferences. Conversely, you will be quick to identify and admire God’s bounty in every circumstance.

Refuse to display discontentment. Commit to not showing even the slightest discontentment with any circumstance. Instead, choose to be pleased and satisfied with all that God gives you. Choose to say, with David, “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance” (Psalm 16:6). You can have confidence that the circumstance you experience now is the one God has determined is best for you, and equal confidence that some day you will see how this is so.

Seek God in your times of desperation. If you truly believe that God’s providence brings about every circumstance, then it becomes your responsibility to worship God in whatever he brings. Remember God’s command: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Remember God and he will not forget you.

Combat sinful fretting. Jesus makes it clear that when you are concerned about provision you simply need to look to the birds. He was not referencing pet birds that are fed by hand every day, but wild birds that do not know where their next meal will come from. If God provides even for the birds, won’t he also provide for you? Combat the sinful fretting that distracts you from living with joy and confidence.

These precious truths come courtesy of John Flavel and his wonderful book The Mystery of Providence. They’ve ministered to me before; they minister to me now.

Challies. Life Has Not Been Easy. March 23, 2018. Tim Challies.

https://www.challies.com/articles/life-has-not-been-easy/

Lucas: My family, food and God

Bree: Friends, family, soccer and my mom's new car

Enoch: Animals

Eloise: Unicorns

JJ: My sister

Jasper: Ships

Georgia: My mom and dad

James: My dog

Ezra:  My family

Gideon: Snow

Thomas: My family

Rose: My family and everything God gave me

Jenna: ALL!

Luke: Family and friends

Brielle: Family

Vera: Family, clothes, God, bed, Bible, water and food

Zoe: Bree, family, Rose, life, God, jiu-jitsu, food, shelter and definitely Cheezits

Ravi: Hot Cheetos 

Evelyn: my family, the trees and my bed

Sophia: Always having a roof over my head and food to eat

Maddon: My mom and dad

Madison: My dog Thunder

Josiah: Pumpkin pie

Olena: God and Jesus

Jaxson: God

What a sweet reminder of all we can thank God for! 

Several years ago, I started printing Bible verses that express our gratitude, our love, our appreciation for all that God has done for us. We go around the table and read the verses. Then we once again go around the table and everyone prays, thanking God for what we're thankful for. It always blesses me to hear everyone's prayers thanking and praising God, especially the grandkids. Then we're ready to eat our Thanksgiving meal. But, can we celebrate Thanksgiving every day without the turkey, dressing, pies? Absolutely! It's all about having a thankful heart.

I know there are a lot of precious brothers and sisters in Christ who are hurting and in pain, either physical, emotional, loss of a loved one, or loneliness. Sometimes it's hard to be thankful when we're hurting. As someone who lives with pain, I know what you're going through. I realized I had a choice to make: Do I wake up and thank God for another day of life - a precious gift from Him? Or, do I become so overwhelmed by the pain that it's my focus all day long? I started thanking God for my family, for the beauty of His majestic creation, for the joy of being His daughter. My day completely changed. The pain is still there, but I was rejoicing as I started counting my blessings.

"But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10. Some days there's no gold - no silver- no bronze: it's what I call a "straw day." The pain is overwhelming. On those days a verse that encourages me, comforts me, brings a smile, or tears, is Hebrews 4:16: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Dear ones, Jesus, the King of Kings, Creator of the Universe, our Heavenly Father, invites us to go to him - boldly, with confidence- when we're having a "straw day", to find mercy and help in our time of need. We don't need an appointment - the invitation is 24/7. My "straw day" becomes a "thankful day."

And, that is why every day is Thanksgiving to a believer.

Seriously, it’s not that hard! Write something about thankfulness and gratitude—anything about thanksgiving and gratitude. And for the last hour, I’ve got nothing except a title. And I don’t even know where that came from.

I started typing, and that is what came out. I always pray about what I am going to write and ask that God guides my fingers over the keys. It seems at this point that he stopped after the title: Thankfulness is not a feeling.

I know that there is something in there. I am just waiting for him to bring it out. Still waiting. I’ve taken a walk, folded laundry, gone on an ice cream date with my husband, played a game of Solitaire, watched a bit of college football and waited for something amazing to come out onto the page.

Thankful or happy?
The thing is, the only thought that keeps coming through my mind are those five words: thankfulness is not a feeling. I guess that it is good that thankfulness is not a feeling, because sometimes I feel more “thankful” than others.

I was thankful that my son passed his college algebra test. I was not thankful that our puppy ate my daughter’s new shoe. I was thankful that my oldest son called me the other day on his way to class. I was not thankful that I forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer to thaw and we had to eat leftovers for the 47th time this week.

Am I the only one who walks through life being both “thankful” and “not thankful” depending on what is going on? It seems like we throw the word “thankful” around and confuse it with “happy.”

Gratitude from deep down
The reality is that thankfulness is not dependent on what is happening around us. Thankfulness is dependent on what is happening inside us. David says in Psalm 100:4, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise” (NIV).

When we enter his gates with thanksgiving that means we are full of gratitude, which is a readiness to show appreciation and return kindness. Gratitude isn’t a flippant, “say thank you” kind of thing. Gratitude comes from deep inside you.

I don’t want to confuse feeling happy with expressing gratitude through thankfulness. I don’t want to raise children who do, either. The opposite of gratitude is a forgetfulness or a poor return to kindness shown to you.

Basically, the opposite of gratitude is acting like you deserve more than what you have. We cannot be thankful and think that we are getting the short end of the stick at the same time.

I have heard this question asked, “What if you woke up tomorrow morning with only the things that you had thanked God for the day before?” That is a question that will stop and make you think, won’t it?

If we live a life entering his gates with thanksgiving in our hearts daily, we don’t have to worry about that because we are living a life of dependency, recognizing that every good and perfect gift comes from him (James 1:17).

He is enough
When we say we are thankful, we are saying that we recognize that what we have is from him, and through him, and in him. We are saying that without him we are nothing. We are recognizing that the “things” we are thankful for like our family and our friends are gifts from a loving father to his children.

When we enter his gates with thanksgiving in our hearts, we come before the Lord knowing that he is Jehovah Jireh, and he has provided all that we need out of his riches and glory. We go before the Lord knowing that he is enough and because of that, we are enough in him.

When we enter into his gates with thanksgiving in our hearts, it does not matter what is happening around us. What is our response when thanksgiving is in our hearts—we come before him with praise. What else could we do?

We can’t give feelings
During this season of Thanksgiving, when we talk with our children about the things that we are thankful for, let’s put a new spin on what thankfulness really is.

It is not just the things that make us “feel happy.” We can be thankful even when we don’t “feel happy.”

I am glad that I waited for his words to come through my fingers. So, thankfulness is not a feeling. It is living in the fact that we “see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). We can give thanks—we can’t give feelings.

So—what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? How are you entering his gates?

Christian Parenting. Thankfulness Is Not a Feeling. November 9, 2021.  Lisa Tyson

https://www.christianparenting.org/articles/thankfulness-is-not-a-feeling/

Few places is this more true than the Amazon jungle of Peru. Here indigenous peoples live in remote villages whose only connection to the outside world is by canoe-like boats that move up and down the network of rivers. While the rest of the world has forgotten these people, Jorge Alvarez has not. He established Asociacion Ministerios Fuentes de Agua (AMFA) to bring fresh drinking water and the Living Water of the Gospel to these people. Over the years AMFA has installed hundreds of water wells and hand pumps, some of which were funded by MCC.

One of our desires for partnering with AMFA was to help extend their evangelistic reach into the jungle. We did this by supporting Pastor Victor to travel along with the AMFA team and focus on evangelism. Specifically, Pastor Victor preaches each evening, performs Gospel-oriented hygiene training, and organizes activities with the youth. Pastor Victor also spends a week each month cruising the rivers and visiting communities where AMFA has previously drilled. In this role, Pastor Victor is able to encourage the remote churches and pastors, as well as help build a sense of community among these scattered Christians. Pastor Victor’s effectiveness is clear, as now his trips are largely scheduled according to the request of villages throughout the jungle. On top of this, Pastor Victor finds time to pastor his home church. MCC was recently able to bless Pastor Victor and his church by providing funds to rebuild their church building when the roof collapsed during a storm.

Three years ago, MCC began supporting two men to attend seminary. These men were from communities where AMFA had previously drilled. Over this time, the men and their families have traveled back and forth from the community to the school. In this way they spent half their time at school and half their time at home applying their new skills. This fall they both graduated—Pastor Fernando and Pastor Edgar. Over this time both men have seeded new churches in their communities. Additionally, Pastor Edgar has been assisting Pastor Victor with his duties. Now, Pastor Fernando is not only pastoring his home community, but has also seeded churches in 10 other local villages. As the only means of travel is by boat, MCC has purchased Pastor Fernando a boat, motor and projector so he is able to spend more time evangelizing than paddling.

Indeed, God is orchestrating Romans 10. Through God’s blessing on our church, we are able to send Jorge, Victor, Fernando, and Edgar to the mission field. They are being equipped as preachers through jungle seminaries focused on the unique needs of these communities. Together we are answering the call—How will they believe if they have not heard, and how shall they call on the one they have not believed. We are in the process of identifying the next families to answer God’s call. Please pray for this process.

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else? 

I was born in Taos, NM and I still have my parents and lots of family up there, so Taos will always be my “hometown”, but home for me, in this life, is where the Lord has me now.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream? 

I had aspirations of becoming an artist, a hunting guide, or a fly fishing guide. I spent many years as an artist, so in a sense I did experience that, and lately I’ve been spending a lot of time teaching my kids and others to fly fish and hunt, so even though I don’t get paid for it, I get a lot of satisfaction from teaching others to enjoy the outdoors. God is all too good to me… 

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

I have had many spiritual influences over the years, so choosing one would almost be impossible for me. But early on, Terry Ash, who modeled the strength of Christ in his weakness certainly stands out for me. But again, there were many great men and women who impacted me spiritually, almost too many to choose one. Again, the Lord is all too good to me… 

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

My testimony is long and a bit of a story to tell, so let me just say this; Praise God that He is able to humble the proud and that His hand is not too short to save, even a wretch like me… I was 25 when the Lord quickened my heart to life, but it was a long process that included many faithful saints planting the seeds of the gospel on the infertile soil of my heart, until the Lord brought them to life at His intended time. I know with certainty that His plans for me were set from even before the foundation of the world, and my contribution to it all was a lot of fleeing and rejecting, until He unveiled my eyes to the irresistible grace of the love of Christ for me, while I was lying on the floor of a jail cell. 

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

I don’t know that I have a favorite verse, but I find myself quoting Romans, 1 and 2 Peter, the Psalms, and of course the Gospels more often than most these days. But if there is one verse that motivates me the most to pursue the Lord in His word more than any other, it is 1 Samuel 3:1 “…The word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.” This is a bone chilling verse for me to think about, and it reminds me how blessed we are to have full access to God's word, things into which even the angels longed to gaze upon. We can become so near-sighted at times that we are blind, even forgetting that we were once cleansed of our former sins. We have all that the Lord intended for us to know in His word, and somehow we often choose to pursue temporal pleasures…The word became flesh! The person of Jesus Christ epitomized the word of God to us, and no one has ever seen God, but the only God who is at the fathers side, He has made Him known! Every question about who God is, is answered in Jesus! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us! 

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

A couple years ago I noticed a remarkable increase in my desire for God’s word, and an unquenchable longing for a deeper relationship with Him in prayer. I also couldn’t help but notice a multiplying of grace and peace in my heart, as a result. After six months of this happening, my son Joshua gave me a letter explaining that he had been praying that the Lord would light a blazing fire in my heart for Jesus, and that he was so thankful that the Lord had answered his prayers… Now my prayer is that the Spirit would ever increase that fire all the days of my life, until I see Him face to face. 

What is a blessing and what is a challenge you see will come from serving as a deacon?

I feel blessed to have been called to serve the Lord as a servant to my family at MCC, especially since this is not something that I ever aspired to, so it further proves that the Lord is moving me. I’m challenged at this point to see what benefits I might add to the DC, but also very hopeful that the Lord will do what He wills with me. 

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

As far as hobbies are concerned, I love the outdoors. I particularly love bow hunting, fly fishing, fly tying, and camping. My father was very instrumental in it all since he is an avid outdoorsman himself. I also enjoy exercise, gardening, and cooking.

What is your favorite family tradition?

One of my favorite family traditions is to go to the mountains together to harvest a Christmas tree. We normally do this the weekend after Thanksgiving. We go with friends, and make a day of it, playing in the snow (when there is snow), eating good food, drinking hot cocoa, making a campfire, and hanging out in the mountains for the day as we search for the perfect tree! It’s the best!

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

I enjoy spending time with my wife and kids any chance I get. A perfect day off would be to get up early, spend time in the Word while enjoying coffee with my wife in our living room. Followed by a family gym outing. Followed by a great homemade breakfast, and the rest of the day well spent in the woods together hiking to a great piece of fly fishing water. To be honest, as long as I’m with my family I’m happy.  

What is the perfect meal?

We enjoy anything made with simple but high quality ingredients. It’s better if it’s something we grew, caught, hunted or raised ourselves, but to be honest any meal shared with loved ones is the perfect meal. Oh, and yeah, tacos are good! 

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

My wife and I have the best relationship. We love each other deeply and have the best conversations.  At times I’m sure we get under each other's skin, and can have heated debates, but we love to laugh together. She makes me smile, a lot…

We asked Ashley: 

What is your favorite trait of Gabe's?

One of my favorite traits of Gabe is his leadership qualities. He leads our family with grace and humility and leads those around him in Truth. Oh, and his sense of humor!

What does Gabe do that can always make you smile?

I can always count on Gabe’s sense of humor to make me smile. 

It’s time for Operation Christmas Child (OCC)! We will start thinking about packing boxes full of fun items for children all over the world – children suffering from poverty, war, famine, or natural disasters. We imagine their delight as they open their boxes – screeching with excitement at that soccer ball or stuffed animal. It’s fun to pack the box – selecting each item and perhaps leaving a special note. Did you know that a child will only receive one box in their lifetime? How much more precious is your box knowing it is the one shoebox gift they will receive!
Your shoebox is delivered with a gospel lesson taught by a local and an option to attend a 12-week bible study.

OCC has been delivering boxes to children for more than 30 years now. We’ve had a chance to hear the impact of the boxes – from those children who are now grown.

Vanessa grew up in Honduras. Her father was paralyzed in a car accident and lost everything. She could remember her mother expanding her school uniform waistband to make it fit as she grew. She remembered being embarrassed because she had holes in her socks. She cried when the girls made fun of her – thinking how she wanted new socks but was afraid to ask because she knew they had no money. She was given a shoebox at a local church. In her box was a new pair of pink socks! She was ecstatic – they smelled ‘new’. She laid out everything in her box and counted – 17 presents!!!!

She thought about what she heard – about a God who loved her. She went back to the church and gave her life to Jesus. Her parents thought she was foolish. She asked her father if she could pray over him. He refused. One night he woke up in unbearable pain. She asked if she could pray again, and he finally accepted. They took him to the hospital where the doctors found nothing wrong with him – his paralysis of years was gone! Vanessa brought her family to Christ. Her father is now a pastor of a church in Honduras. She remembers the box with the socks but most especially learning of the love of God.

Remember as we pack our boxes this year that God will use your gift. There are so many stories of God making sure the right gift miraculously gets to the child who needs it. Be sure to pray over your box and know that God reaches the hearts of children and their friends/family through your faith and gift. The real gift in an OCC shoebox is God’s love! What a wonderful way to reach the ends of the earth!

MCC will be collecting shoeboxes – pack yours and bring it to the church by Nov. 17th! We’d like each family to pack at least one box and include a personal note to the child. You may receive a letter or email like we did from Ernesto above! Look for more info coming out in the (L)ink or go to Operation Christmas Child | Shoebox Outreach of Samaritan’s Purse.

Acts 1:8 “…and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The sentiment isn’t much better among God’s people. We struggle to reconcile our faith in God’s sovereignty with current events: Is this event a sign of God’s providence for our nation . . . or a sign of judgment? Does God know things are this unstable? Does he care? Will God allow his people to perish and the wicked to win?

Politics is important, so it’s good for Christians to be active in an election season. But politics isn’t ultimate, so we shouldn’t be anxious in an election season. Still, in a media climate so oriented around hyperbole and scare tactics, fighting political anxiety is easier said than done.

My weapon of choice has been the second psalm.

Introducing Psalm 2

Even though David wrote the second psalm 3,000 years ago, his Spirit-inspired perspective is as fresh as ever. Nations raged then, and they do today (v. 1). Wicked leaders opposed God and his Christ then (vv. 2–3), and they do so today (although you won’t see that truth in the headlines). Psalm 2 reminds us that our favorite candidate will not usher in a utopian society, nor will our least favorite candidate destroy the world as we know it.

When I meditate on Psalm 2, my perspective zooms out from the current turmoil of the world to see the true eternal drama unfolding. As I see who truly reigns over history, my anxiety turns to worship. This psalm motivates me in three specific ways.

1. Psalm 2 inspires me to rejoice in God’s sovereignty and justice.

How does God respond to the world rulers rebelling against him and his Christ? He doesn’t wring his hands in despair or think, What am I going to do! Verse 4 says bluntly, “He who sits in the heavens laughs” (emphasis added).

God laughs because he has set his King on the throne of the universe—and his rule isn’t challenged by term limits, opposing parties, or voter fraud. He’s the eternal King with “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18). Current turmoil doesn’t surprise him. Revelation teaches us that Christ is on his throne through the famines, wars, plagues, and revolutions of history. It was the same for the first two world wars and will be the same if a third breaks out. Christ owns the ends of the earth (v. 8) and will smash the disobedient nations to pieces with a rod of iron in judgment (v. 9).

Christian, don’t let raging nations or rebellious politicians suffocate your faith; they’ll one day be Jesus’s piñata as he ushers in his perfect reign on earth. Because he has a firm grasp on the steering wheel of history, we can hope in him beyond the headlines. And according to this psalm, today’s political leaders can too.

2. Psalm 2 challenges me to pray for the conversion of world leaders.

Verses 10–12 conclude the psalm with a call for rulers to escape the Son’s wrath by “[serving] the LORD with fear, and [rejoicing] with trembling.” Every politician who makes your blood boil can escape Jesus’s wrath by bowing before him in reverent humility.

God, the perfect Judge of the universe, could have skipped this part of the psalm—I’ll dash my enemies to pieces because they deserve it. And yet our God is also merciful, desiring all men to be saved. He calls us to pray for the salvation of “kings and . . . all who are in high positions” (1 Tim. 2:1–4). While many world leaders will continue to rebel against the Lord, some will heed God’s warning and take refuge in Christ.

Do you pray for the conversion of world leaders as if it were possible? Don’t forget, with God all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). Why would God offer this command in 1 Timothy 2 if he didn’t plan to save some? What a glorious thing it would be to see Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Nayib Bukele, Kim Jong-Un, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin worshiping King Jesus with saints from every tribe and tongue and nation in heaven. Think of the eternal difference you could make by praying for world leaders instead of complaining about them.

As the political temperature rises around us, let our prayers rise as well.

3. Psalm 2 motivates me to rest in Christ, our refuge.

If you’re in a major storm and finally reach shelter, how do you react? You breathe a sigh of relief—and rest. The same is true when we pay homage to the true King of the universe (v. 12). When our sins are covered and we no longer fear his wrath, we rest. When we trust his perfect justice, we rest. When we see his sovereign hand over the past, present, and future, we rest. This is no ordinary rest; it’s a blessed rest (v. 12).

From this place of rest, we can engage our political world with a perspective like that of the early church. Instead of letting politics and injustice derail their mission, they were motivated by Psalm 2 to trust God’s sovereign hand and go on the offense by praying for boldness to proclaim the gospel of God’s Son (Acts 4:23–31). Christ’s blessed rest fueled their mission to advance his kingdom, and it can fuel ours as well.

Call to Worship, Not Worry

Every election cycle gives us a choice (and not just the big one at the ballot box). Will we let sinful anxiety overtake us, or will we battle our political fears with gospel truth? Don’t let the consternation of our day harden your heart so you fail to enter Christ’s rest (Heb. 3:7–4:15).

When political anxieties rise in you, filter the drama through God’s eternal purposes expressed in Psalm 2. Remember who’s on the right side of history: Jesus, God’s anointed King, along with all who take refuge in him by faith. Remember past rulers and kingdoms live now only in history books while the true and living King expands his kingdom with unstoppable force across the continents and millennia (Matt. 16:18). Remember his grace saved a wretch like you and can save the worst of humankind. Instead of worrying, we can worship God for the truth and security found in his Word. These days of distress might present our greatest opportunity to exalt the King of kings in a world desperate for hope.

Kevin Halloran, The Gospel Coalition. Use Psalm 2 to Calm Your Political Anxiety. Sept. 10, 2024

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/psalm-2-political-anxiety/

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Raton, NM but moved to Rio Rancho when I was very young. I consider Tijeras as my home now.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I wanted to be a psychologist. That is definitely not still a dream of mine. God had other plans!

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My friend, Amy Grebe who I met at Calvary when I was visiting there. Shortly after I became saved and moved in with her. God definitely brought her into my life, being a new Christian who needed a mature believer to encourage me in the faith.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I had been questioning my purpose in life and the Lord used someone at my work to share the gospel with me. Although I was skeptical, I decided I would go to church. God gave me eyes to see and ears to hear from His Word. He awoke me from my dead state and called me to Himself in 2003 and my life completely changed after that.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

John 14:6 always comes to mind. It was the first verse ever shared with me so I love sharing it as well. I am always encouraged by Hebrews 4:16, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

I made some dating mistakes as a Christian, and I prayed that I would marry the next person that I dated. That is when He brought Gabe into my life.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge you see will come from serving as a deacon?

A blessing will be to serve along my brothers and sisters on behalf of the body and be used by God as He sees fit. A challenge will be feeling inadequate for the job but I am encouraged that He will enable me through His Spirit to do what He calls me to do!

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I enjoy hiking, camping, baking, making sourdough, and going to the gym. My husband was a big influence in my love for the outdoors.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Every year right after Thanksgiving, we take a drive to cut down a Christmas tree for the kids and spend the day in the mountains. They get to decorate it however they like when we get it home.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Taking my time in the morning drinking my coffee and reading the Bible, then going to the gym and afterwards having lunch with my husband and kids or catching up with a friend.

What is the perfect meal?

Street tacos with all the fixings. And chocolate cake!

Who or what never fails to make you laugh?

My husband 😀

We asked Gabe: 

What is your favorite trait of Ashley's?

Ashley is such a hospitable person, and always goes out of her way to make people feel comfortable and welcomed. I love that it makes her happy to make others feel loved and cared for.

What does Ashley do that can always make you smile?

We have a great relationship because we can go from having a very deep conversation one minute to laughing until our jaws hurt the next. I love her sense of humor. Her humility and light hearted nature to even laugh at herself ant times is contagious.

The ministry is designed to encourage those who need help to seek relationships with people around them that can help stack wood, deliver wood, or help in whatever capacity they can. The ministry also helps them identify what brought them to this place of need.

Those who volunteer to help are often church members, but we also have people who have received wood in the past help with current needs. And working alongside people from the community has other  advantages! Since we always pray before a work event, it is such a witness to those who may or may not go to church. As we talk to clients about their needs and how we can help, we often ask how we can pray for them. 

I love that this ministry has many people helping. As we work together to get to know one another, we form bonds and can have relationship with people we may not have had an opportunity to get to know otherwise.  Building relationships with both clients and those volunteering are a huge part of the ministry. Our focus is to honor God.

I think the most challenging part of this ministry is finding a time that works for everyone and their schedules. The other challenge I see is being able to connect with clients without them feeling like we are intruding on their space. I love connecting with people and sitting down with them over a cup of coffee, but find people are hesitant to do this in this new era we find ourselves in. I think this is a challenge for people in general. I find people today don’t want connection and are extremely uncomfortable with it. But Christ CALLS us to connection, that is His design for us….so in this culture of cell phones, laptops, computers, and isolation we must work past that to find connection with each other. More importantly, to find connection with those who need Jesus - those who are feeling isolated. This is a hard and uncomfortable balance that we must work through in a loving supportive way.      

If you are interested in helping with the Wood Ministry, we look forward to seeing you. This is a great way for families to come alongside each other to serve not only the body of Christ, but also the community around them. Please be on the lookout in your bulletin for upcoming Wood Ministry opportunities! Coming soon!                

The goal of the Shield Ministry is to honor and glorify God by being prayer warriors for our First Responders and their families. Day after day and night after night, law enforcement officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and EMTs say goodbye to their families and put their lives on the line to keep us safe. Day after day, they put on the full armor of God Paul spoke of in Ephesians 6:10-18.

We provide spiritual back-up for these heroes with prayer and words of encouragement. This may look like birthday cards, anniversary cards, notes of encouragement, scripture verses, or however the Lord leads.  We commit to praying for their safety, courage, strength, and integrity.  Sometimes we receive specific prayer requests and join our First Responders in bringing them before the throne of grace.  

We encourage everyone to pray for First Responders. If you are a First Responder or are interested in becoming a Shield Ministry Prayer Warrior and receive specific prayer requests, contact Pete Feldner at (505) 350-0399 or Cathy Feldner at (505) 362-8048.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  Thessalonians 5:16-18

About four weeks later, I got a call from a caseworker I’d never met. She said, “I’ve read your home study and I think I’ve found a really good match for you and your husband.” I was so excited… tell me more! She began talking and I was immediately floored! She began, “It’s a sibling pair, a girl and a boy. The boy is 16 and the girl is 10.” I stopped her there and said, “I know exactly who you are talking about.” She was speechless when I said, “Is it Felix and Ashley?” She hadn’t even realized that Sean and I had been at the slide show night. She had no idea that we’d been discussing them.

It was absolutely clear in that moment that God was opening a door for us and making it crystal clear that this was His plan for us and for these kiddos. Every fear I had of adopting, of their age, of the unknown, completely vanished. I told her, “YES!” She tried to tell me more, making it clear to me that if we said yes we had to mean it because these kids had just been through an adoption that had fallen through and they didn’t want to take a chance that it would happen again. I continued to just tell her, “Yes, yes yes!” I couldn’t wait to go home and tell Sean.

When I got home, Sean was in the garage working on his motorcycle. I told him the news and he got immediately choked up and was in complete agreement. It was completely evident to us that God had heard our prayers.

Our next step was to put together a family book that CYFD could share with Felix. Because he was 16, he had a say in his adoption. I quickly gathered photos, bought a DIY scrapbook at Hobby Lobby, and whipped up that family book! When they presented it to Felix and he said, “Yes!”, we were thrilled.

At that point, we were given full disclosure of their past, CYFD reports, police reports, medical records, school records, etc. AND, we got pictures of them! Big 11 x 16 photos! I loved them immediately! We hung them proudly in the kitchen and shared them with our family and closest friends.

This was late October. We found out soon after that we would meet them for the first time on January 1.

We went home to Washington for Christmas that year and flew back to New Mexico a few days before the New Year. While we were in the Seattle-Tacoma airport, heading back to New Mexico, we got a call from the social worker telling us that Felix had run away. She told us that he had a pregnant girlfriend who had recently moved out of state and that they believed that was where he had gone. I felt like I had been hit by a semi-truck! I literally almost threw up. They still wanted us to come and meet Ashley and move forward. We were grateful for that and more than willing… but, it was such a shock! Sean was really looking forward to a teenage son and a boy he could mentor and help grow. A boy who wanted to fly in the Air Force. A boy who wanted a motorcycle. It seemed too perfect.

On New Years Day, the drive three hours south was long and silent. Each of us wrapped up in so many thoughts and emotions. We arrived at the foster home, knocked on the door, and that little girl answered. She was hiding behind the door so we couldn’t see her. She slowly came out from behind the door and the love I immediately felt was beyond anything I can truly explain. I have no doubt that God gave me the love for Ashley Nicole days, weeks, months, years before I actually got to meet her! She was part of me. She was mine. It was something I thought a woman could only feel/have by giving birth to her own child. I was SO wrong. Though I’ve never experienced that, I can only imagine it was exactly the same. God is so gracious. God is so faithful.

These last four years have been nothing short of a tremendously rich and blessed experience. We feel so extremely fortunate to have this amazing little girl join our family. She is a light and so amazingly full of joy. She is funny and gracious and beautiful and sweet and loving and awesome! She is the perfect addition to our family.   

(P.S. This was written in 2014- most of you know Ashley now and have witnessed our blessed journey! She is our absolute pride and joy! We continue to feel like the luckiest parents there are- though we know there was really no luck involved. God had a plan and we are so thankful we listened.)

Once we actually decided to start the adoption process, we looked first at the international avenues of adoption and the adoption of a baby through a private agency. At the same time, as I met with God daily, I felt him stirring in my heart the idea that He wanted us to adopt an older child. I easily dismissed this feeling because I WANTED A BABY. I fought it for months and then one night Sean came to me and told me that he felt God was prodding him (us) to consider adopting an older child(ren). Wow! It was clear from that point on that this is what we would do and we began the process of becoming licensed as foster parents so we could adopt through the State.

As we went through the training, classes, home study, etc., we still talked of adopting an older child in terms of a child age 2-5’ish. We had decided on a boy because the trainers scared Sean when they spoke about all the things that can happen when you adopt a girl. They warn of adoptive fathers having trouble with girls accusing them of different kinds of abuse (many because of what they’ve endured in the past). They warn fathers to keep journals of any time a touch or a hug may have taken place and been misconstrued as inappropriate, etc. Sean felt strongly that we should adopt a boy and I couldn’t blame him.

We completed our training and home study and became officially licensed foster parents. We had chosen to only accept “waiting children”, meaning that they were ready for adoption (parental rights had already been terminated). I was too scared to have a child in my home for any length of time only to have them taken away. I felt I had already endured so much heartache and did not think I was capable of that kind of situation. We told CYFD that we preferred a toddler boy because they highly encourage you to narrow it down to a specific sex, age, etc. I think they thought we were crazy because we kept telling them that we had NO idea what God had planned and we were mostly just willing to be obedient to whatever He laid in front of us. Still, to me, in my heart this meant a young boy and just one child (while Sean was open to a sibling group).

Shortly after our home study was finished, Sean got orders to deploy to Afghanistan for one year, putting everything on hold.

When he returned, we made sure everything was up-to-date with CYFD and a few months later told them that we were ready to be considered again. We went to a “slide show night” where the caseworkers show pictures of their kiddos and give little bios on them. At the end of the night, prospective parents turn in a list of kids they are interested in. We submitted the name of one little boy, Ezekiel, about age 5. About a week later, they notified us that he already had a prospective forever family. At that same slide show, a caseworker had spoken about a brother and sister who had just come up for adoption. She had no pictures and just a little bit of information about them. The boy was 16 and the girl was 10. Something about them sparked Sean’s interest. He mentioned it to me and I abruptly dismissed it. What in the world would I do with a 16-year old boy? It seemed, to me, more than I could handle!

After the prospect of Ezekiel fell through, Sean again mentioned this brother and sister duo. I really didn’t say anything, I just let him talk and then I let it go. After all, we had told CYFD that we wanted a toddler boy and so they would never even consider our home study for this pair of children. I didn’t need to worry about it. He brought them up a few other times, but it never went further than just casual conversation.

Come back next week to find out the rest of the story…..

She and four friends started Bible Study Fellowship in California and it now is world-wide, numbering thousands of participants and still growing, as the Lord moves hearts and souls to seek Him.

The BSF approach to understanding His word is straight forward. Every year BSF leadership selects a book or books from the Bible to walk through in 29 weekly lessons. Each lesson is broken down into reviewing BSF-created notes, hearing a lecture (now online) on the previous week’s lesson, daily reading of verses (usually less than a page), and answering thought provoking questions on the current week’s lesson (4 or 5 questions per daily reading). The questions often refer to other related Bible passages, which help provide perspective on the verse or lesson. The weekly meetings review ‘take-aways’ from the notes and the lectures, and then review the daily questions. In all, a disciplined study approach.

However, the ‘secret sauce’ is how the discipline is relaxed in the weekly meetings. Study group sizes are typically 10 to 20 people, from a variety of vocations and Bible knowledge. This results in many perspectives on the verses’ meanings, which often lead to lengthy discussions on single questions. This is where the Lord and the Holy Spirit are working on hearts and minds, giving understanding.

The Lord pursues every life that He created, but He also numbered everyone’s days. Life is so short - don’t pass up opportunities to draw closer to Him by studying His word. 

There are men’s and women’s groups scattered from Los Lunas to Rio Rancho to Edgewood. There is a men's group that meets Tuesday evenings at MCC. And there are online groups. This link has more information on BSF, and this link can help you find an in-person or online group.  

This year’s study started this week and covers the book of Revelation. In this tumultuous time, you may identify things happening now that the Apostle John saw in visions almost 2,000 years ago. But, remember that the Lord is in control and is faithful to His own.

If you have questions, call Tom Mead at (505) 710-9138 or the church office. We can help you find a study group or answer questions on BSF.

Marcy introduced me to Felisa Palfery, who immediately started the ball rolling. When I was midway through the process, an urgent request arrived for a reading tutor for a third grader to start as soon as possible. Then, just before my clearance was approved, we received an urgent request for a math tutor for a third grader.

And so it was that I found myself in early April tutoring two third grade students. And the blessings poured in. First, I met the two caring and talented front desk staff who all day juggle scores of tasks and who inspired me with their kindness and devotion to everyone in the school. Next, I met the school counselor, whose outpouring of love for the students shines like a beacon. I was touched by so many that I met and got to know at the school - the students I tutored, their teachers, and many other school staff.

Everyone at the school expressed sincere gratitude for my service. However, for me, the abundant gifts I received surpassed anything I could imagine. The gift of relationships with so many. The gift of witnessing the growing confidence and skills of a student. The gift of creating a safe space for a student to share about the death of a beloved pet. The gift of living God's will for me. The gift of being inspired by the many who go above and beyond for the school. The gift of being challenged and developing my skills. The gift of engaging with students, teachers, staff, fellow tutors, and the exceptional members of the Shine Core Team at MCC.

Not all of my experiences were easy or as expected. One day, a student disappeared as we were walking back to the classroom. I had to confess to the school counselor that I had lost my student and waited for her to be found. I then was able to witness and learn from the school counselors who firmly handled the situation with kindness and compassion.

As I was finishing tutoring this past school year, I told my fifth grade student that the following week would be our last session together. “Noooo!” he responded. Certain he was disappointed that we would be unable to finish the exciting book we were reading, I assured him that he could keep the book after our last session. When he told me he had other books he was already reading, I asked him what made him sad that our sessions were coming to an end. “Not seeing you every week.”

I have no words for the beauty of God's blessings.

* * *

If you’d like to experience the blessings of serving with Shine, talk to Wendy Erickson or Marcy Bryant.

This summer God answered my prayers and opened the door for me to serve at Lone Tree Ranch. There were some obstacles but He removed them all and allowed me to have this opportunity and reassured me this was where I was supposed to be. Lone Tree Ranch is a Bible camp outside Capitan, NM. They allow for different churches from all over New Mexico and Texas to bring their youth programs and other organizations to the camp and do high-adventure activities while keeping God at the center of everything they do. 

This experience was truly unlike anything I've ever done. Being surrounded by fellow believers who are around my age or in the same stage of life as me, pursuing the Lord in all they do, was a new experience for me. We lived and did life together, while encouraging each other to deepen our relationships with God. Whether it was leading staff devotionals in the mornings, having conversations about our faith while cleaning, or worshiping with each other every night, you could see and feel God’s presence working in all of us. 

Not only could I see Him working in our lives, but I also got to see so many kids get saved at camp. At our share night every week, we heard many different testimonies coming from kids of all ages and walks of life. One that stuck out to me the most was of a young man who had been coming to Lone Tree for a few years but he was not a believer. Last summer when he came, he said that he would believe when this specific tree on the camp property was not standing. This year when he came back that tree had fallen over and no one knew why. That week at share night he accepted God as his Lord and Savior. There were so many more stories like this that I got to learn about while talking to the campers and building relationships with them. 

Although I thoroughly enjoyed all of the different weeks, I think the one that personally impacted me the most was our Joni and Friends family retreat. Joni and Friends is a Christian organization that helps support families who have family members with special needs. When they come to Lone Tree, they get to watch their kids have experiences and do things that they would usually not get to do, like riding a horse or going on a zipline. Watching how much these families sacrifice while still having so much joy and love for the Lord is something I’ll never forget. Even though some of the kids have already gone through things that many of us will never have to experience, the joy they had could not be mistaken for anything but the love and joy of Jesus. 

This summer has grown me in ways that I never would have expected. God knew exactly what I needed when He opened this door for me. The Lord was able to show himself to me in countless ways. He also blessed me with amazing relationships and changed my perspective on so many things, while also challenging me to make my faith my own. 

Dulce and her husband Juan are raising their four children in the community of Solares de Villa in the Dominican Republic.

In Solares de Villa, Dominican Republic, high school dropout rates and teen pregnancies plague the community. Dulce’s family was no exception. Her children couldn’t read and they struggled emotionally and academically.

Before her involvement with FH, Dulce’s home life was chaotic. The children were unmotivated to do household chores and were not doing well emotionally, physically, or in school. Most notably, the older children couldn’t read.

Although she gained solace through seeking the Lord and learning about salvation, Dulce felt powerless to help her children. She felt that her life lacked purpose, and she didn’t know what she could do to change it.

Dulce joined the parent school, which was established through the partnership between child sponsors and FH. The parent school equips and empowers parents and caregivers with training to improve their daily interactions with their children. This training also promotes children’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills which has a positive ripple effect in all areas of their life – academic, social, and interpersonal. Additionally, the parent school prepares children to become future leaders. This shows how child sponsorship can positively impact whole families and entire communities.

Dulce’s perspective on education and development notably changed from her training at the parent school. She eagerly applied what she learned at home and has witnessed an impactful change in her children’s academic and social development. She was able to apply this in her children’s reading skills through the “art of storytelling” and use of colorful illustrations. Remarkably, in a short time, Dulce’s children have made progress in their schoolwork and her teenage children have greatly improved their reading skills. And, her husband, Juan, and children now regularly do household chores and share more responsibility.

Dulce has also found a new purpose in life — she eagerly participates in a group for leaders who are mothers and is also a volunteer in a local mental health group.

Dulce hopes for a better future for her family. She dreams of her children becoming exemplary individuals who strive to please God. Now, she is eager to participate in more workshops and wants to see her family continue to learn and grow.

She has the dream for the Solares de Villa community to improve their youth engagement. She also hopes to see the community grow, offer technical courses, create job opportunities, and make new recreation spaces.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 states, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children.”

Dulce’s story is a powerful example of how child sponsors help FH partner with local communities so parents have the skills to raise their children to reach their full potential. Child sponsorship opens doors to a better future for children, extending to their families and communities challenged by poverty.

FH. Child Sponsorship Opens Doors to a Better Future for Families. July 26, 2024.

https://www.fh.org/blog/child-sponsorship-opens-doors-to-a-better-future-for-families/

Women’s Community Bible Study is just another opportunity at MCC to do all the “one anothers” of Scripture – to love one another (John 13:34, 1 John 3:11), to accept one another (Romans 15:7), to bear with one another (Colossians 3:13), to serve one another (Galatians 5:13), to seek the good of one another (1 Thessalonians 5:15), to confess to one another (James 5:16), being like-minded, having the same love (Philippians 2:2).

We look forward to beginning a new study mid-September. We meet on Wednesday mornings from 9:15-11:15. Please pray with us that women from MCC and our surrounding community would come together in a spirit of unity and love (Psalm 133, Ephesians 4:3), ready to take up the “sword of the Spirit”, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17), so we will be able to stand against the enemy (the world, the flesh and the devil), and to fight deception, stand for truth, and be doers of the Word, not merely hearers deceiving ourselves (James 12:22-25).

This is a BIG prayer request, but we worship a BIG God with a big sword (Hebrews 4:12). So, let’s go out with joy as we sit at the table together and “eat” God’s Word (Jeremiah 15:16 – “When your words came, I ate them. They were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.”)

This statement was made, through tears, by a grateful (and proud!) mother at our intern celebration. She was referring to the fact that her high school daughter has made time alone with the Lord a daily habit, is practicing Bible study methods and is arranging to spiritually mentor younger children in their church. This young lady, who started with us at Juntos when she was six years old, also led one of our Kids Club classes and has become an example to her peers of what it looks like to enjoy a relationship with Jesus and share Him with others.

A second mom shared how her daughter has become a completely different person after participating in the internship the last two summers, part of which included one-on-one discipleship from a Juntos staff. “She has come out of her shell and been encouraged to try new things. She was really dealing with anxiety and depression. Knowing she could be honest and that her mentor would love her no matter what has given her confidence she never had before.”

Mid-July marked the completion of our second Juntos internship in recent years. We had three young leaders (aged 17-19) commit to an eight-week paid internship. They not only helped us with programming and spent time with kids, but they received extra training in basic spiritual disciplines. It was surprising to us that all three mentioned that learning to study the Bible independently was the highlight of the internship for them. They were surprised that they could learn so much from God’s Word on their own and the practical tools they received has made Scripture much more exciting and accessible to them.

One of our main goals at Juntos is “spiritual generations.” By this we mean that we not only want to lead kids to Christ and disciple them, but we want them to be able to do the same. You can imagine our joy when one of the interns told us that she had offered to start meeting with a middle schooler from her church to mentor her and show her how to read the Bible. As we praised God together, we were reminded that the plan for spiritual generations that Jesus laid out for His disciples takes a long time, but it really works!

We are grateful for this current season at Juntos. While God has always been at work, it appears that the “harvest” is more plentiful than ever! After many years of sowing and watering, He is proving his faithfulness to us in the form of these young people who have caught the vision to make disciples. He promises us that our labor is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58) and we are seeing, once again, that our God is a promise keeper!

Laura Jenkins has been involved with Juntos since 2005 and currently serves as the director. Juntos offers weekly meetings, summer programs, leader training, small group Bible studies, tutoring, and mentoring for kids in the International District of Albuquerque. If you’d like more information about serving with Juntos, call the Mountain Christian Church office.

While the term pro-life was birthed from the abortion wars of the 1970s, the pro-life movement has grown into a thriving community of those with the mindset that all human life is valuable. Whether you are a preborn baby, a newborn, an elderly person, or someone with disabilities, your life matters. If you are human, you deserve fundamental rights. Being pro-life is about the value and equality of all human beings. 

The National Care Net ministry is a Pro Abundant Life ministry providing compassion, hope, and help to women and men at risk of abortion. Care Net’s goal is not just to save babies from abortion, but to ensure that they and their parents have the abundant life that can only be found in Christ. Care Net exists as a gospel-centered ministry that builds strong families, promotes marriage and fatherhood, and connects people to their local churches for ongoing care and discipleship.  

Today, approximately 2,500 unborn children are expected to lose their lives. Care Net believes that “life decisions need life support,” and the church is God’s instrument to provide life support to women, men, and families to empower them to choose life for their unborn children and abundant life for their families. James 1:27 compels us to care for orphans (who are children without fathers) and widows (who are women without husbands). Accordingly, God created his church to, among other things, fight to protect the unborn, end abortion, and strengthen families. However, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute, 54% of women who have abortions identify themselves as Christian. Care Net’s research found that 4 in 10 women were regularly attending church at the time of their abortion. These high numbers provide an opportunity for the church to become more actively involved in saving the unborn from abortion and ministering to women and men with abortions in their past. 

Mountain Christian Church supports our local Care Net organization, Care Net Pregnancy Centers of Albuquerque. One of the largest fundraising events held annually by Care Net Albuquerque is the Walk for Life. My family and I have had the opportunity to support Care Net Albuquerque by fundraising and walking in the Walk for Life for several years now. It has been a great opportunity to not only support a cause that aligns with one of our core beliefs, but it is fulfilling to be surrounded by other pro-life families.

This year’s 41st Annual Walk for Life event is coming up in Albuquerque on Saturday, August 10th, at 8 am, at Hoffmantown Church, 8888 Harper Road, NE. We hope you will consider joining us and others from Mountain Christian Church by walking in and supporting this important fundraiser. 

Register today here! 

I’ve been asked how I typically share the gospel with people I meet. The actual presentation I use depends on the person and situation, but I try to turn the conversation to spiritual things, and then have the person read gospel verses. I just let God speak to the person through His Word. 

For example, someone may say it is a lovely day, and I might respond by saying it is the day God made. I then start asking questions to lead to an opportunity to get them in the Word. Some questions I might use are:  Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs?  To you, who is Jesus Christ? Do you believe in heaven and hell? If you were to die today do you know where you would go? If what you believe is wrong, would you want to know? 

If their answer is negative or they resist, I stop and pray that God will use the seed planted to work on their heart. But if they continue to answer, I ask if they would read a few Bible verses out loud for me and tell me what they mean to them. I use the verses in the back of our Gideon Personal Workers Testament, which are: John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 on God’s love; Romans 3:23 and Romans 3:10 on our sins; Romans 6:23, John 1:12, and I Corinthians 15:3-4 on God’s remedy for sin; and Revelation 3:20 and Romans 10:13 on salvation is available to everyone. 

I don’t argue or question their answers to my questions, it doesn’t matter – the objective is to get them to agree to read the Bible verses. Pastor Frank has described it as leading other people to share the gospel with themselves. It takes away anything really offensive because you aren’t telling them anything, you are just asking questions and letting them hear God themselves. The Holy Spirit does all the heavy lifting. 

If I get them through all the verses I then ask if they want to have Jesus as their Lord and Savior, have all their sins forgiven, and know they will spend eternity in heaven with God. If they say no, I leave it at that. But if they say yes, I will lead them in the sinner’s prayer and encourage them to find a Bible-oriented church to attend. If they live close to us, I will invite them to come to Mountain Christian Church.

And if I can’t even get started with a person, I will just give them a Personal Worker’s Testament and ask them to at least read inside the back cover (which has the gospel verses), and then pray God will use it to lead them to His Son.

If you want to do this but don’t want to become a Gideon, you can be a Friend of Gideons and buy the same Testaments but without our Gideon logo.

One aspect of Fellows is going international for one month in Brazil or South Africa. The purpose and title of this trip was not a typical mission trip; it was referred to as an international immersion trip. A journey in which the purpose is to see God's creation and people elsewhere. Through this, I got to work with a nonprofit called Living Hope.

My team worked with Living Hope the whole time we were in the country and got to experience and see how the kingdom of God works in different cultures. Living Hope nonprofit has many developed programs in which my team got to work together and dive into the work Living Hope does every week.

One of my favorite programs we worked with was the rehab center. The rehab center is where addicts, murderers, and alcoholics come and hear the Word of God and get to hear from their brothers and sisters who are going through similar trials. The rehab center was a very impactful experience. I sat next to a murderer and talked to a recovering alcoholic, and shook hands with a drug dealer. I heard their stories and how God brought them out of darkness. I learned that what they had done was not their identity, for that was now in Christ.

The other parts of Living Hope are farming, elderly care, nursing in close communities, and working with kids. Every part of Living Hope was so unique to see. I got to experience so much in the short time I was there. The Lord grew me significantly, and I loved serving the people there. I learned a lot in Cape Town and would love to return at some point in my life. I learned about abiding in and with Christ through the people in South Africa, and on my team, I learned how to rest and lean on Him.

I loved my time there and learned so much. I am so lucky to have been able to go, and I cannot wait for God's next thing for me.

We had 93 children attend at least once during the week. Half of the kids were not from MCC, and 8% didn't list a home church. The Gideons handed out 106 Testaments, and at least one girl had never read the Bible before. They were loved on by 115 volunteers. And raised over $1,562 for hearing aids for 11-year-old Dayana in Bolivia!

The pictures from the week are precious. The sweet faces of the children and of the volunteers brought tears to my eyes. I am SO PROUD of our volunteers.

We started each day with corny jokes and learned new songs and dances. We watched live drama productions and ate fun and colorful snacks that supported the daily lesson. We got our wiggles out in games before using our hands to reinforce the lesson in crafts. We even saw volcanos explode! We learned that sharing the Good News can be done far away as well as in our own community, and we heard our daily lessons from a new guest teacher each day. We had 15 tour guides, plus a multitude of helpers leading the kids and building relationships with them.

At our closing ceremony Friday evening, many families joined us to sing and dance, enjoy the drama team one more time, watch the slideshow from the week, and hear the gospel from “Jungle Jim”.  Then we had cookies and talked. So many people just enjoyed visiting with one another. It was beautiful to see the community created by a week of VBS.

The Sunday after VBS my heart was filled as I looked around the sanctuary and saw the familiar faces of the volunteers that worked together all week. Memories were made, friendships were formed, and relationships grew stronger.

The week of Vacation Bible School is so much more than construction paper and chaos. I have heard many stories about people who attended church for the first time because of VBS. And many accepted Christ because of VBS. 

Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

I am proud of the VBS program that we have built up over the years, but not because it’s our program. The VBS program at MCC is God’s VBS and it is meant to teach kids about Him.  

I will be stepping down from the co-coordinator role next year because Micah and I plan to enjoy his retirement next summer. The VBS team will need administrative assistance. If you enjoy spreadsheets or completing To Do lists or thinking ahead logistically, then let Cruz know that you might like to join the VBS Team. (Actually working with the kids is optional; so don’t let that scare you off.) You will have an eternal impact. 

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Albuquerque, NM. I moved to the East Mountains when I was 13 years old.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I wanted to be a soldier in the Army and then a law enforcement officer. I have done both and am still trying to grow up.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

Mrs. Wever. She was my Sunday School teacher at Mesa Baptist Church.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

In 1985 I accepted Christ after a Sunday School lesson and after further discussion about that lesson with my parents.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

The words of Paul the Apostle: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

The Lord has blessed me with a beautiful wife and amazing children.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as a deacon?

Blessing: Getting to know people at our church better and work with them. Challenge: Learning to delegate tasks and ask for help.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

Hunting, hiking, mountain biking and camping. I have always loved outdoor activities. If some of those activities happen to keep me in decent physical condition and occasionally put meat in the freezer, then that is a bonus.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Christmas Eve dinner in Old Town of Albuquerque.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Early morning hike or bike followed by working on a project at home, then finishing the day on the back porch with a cold drink till the sun goes down.

What is the perfect meal?

Elk or deer steak from the grill, ranch beans, salad, biscuits and a cold beer.

Who or what never fails to make you laugh?

My dog Daisy cracks me up almost daily. Even when she is bad I can't help but laugh at her once I'm done being irritated.

We asked Nicole: 

What is your favorite trait of Micah's?

Micah is good at maintaining relationships. He patiently listens to our teen daughters, puts a lot of thought into replying to texts and diligently returns phone calls. He is also really good at learning how to do things that need to be done – from repairing vehicles to replacing the bridge at the cabin.

What does Micah do that can always make you smile? 

Watching Micah play with our dog, Daisy, always makes me laugh.

International Students, Inc. operates on college campuses throughout the United States and even internationally. According to their mission statement, ISI “exists to share Christ’s love with international students and to equip them for effective service in cooperation with the local church and others.” 

International Students, Inc. is thriving close to home at the University of New Mexico. Would you believe, UNM recommends that every international student connect with this Christ-centered ministry prior to their arrival? The value of the support ISI offers is undeniable!

Imagine you’re traveling alone to another country. You don’t know the language particularly well, and the culture is unfamiliar. Despite these challenges, you’ll need to assimilate quickly before your university classes begin. What a daunting endeavor! 

At the airport you are greeted, then welcomed into a home while you look for your own place. You are even offered donated furniture so you have fewer expenses to worry about as you get settled. 

Your new friends invite you to share meals, celebrate holidays and to experience local customs. Respectfully, you ask questions of each other and exchange ideas. 

These tangible expressions of Christ’s love, poured out over the course of your time studying abroad, would make quite a lasting impact! Especially as you return to your home country, a highly-educated leader in your field. 

Even for those of us who are not international students, ISI is invaluable because it breaks down into achievable steps that daunting goal of sharing Christ’s love with the nations:

Available during your lunch break to pick up a newcomer from the airport? ISI will put you to work! 

Willing to converse with someone practicing their English? ISI will invite you to the “English Corner” hosted at the Baptist Student Union. 

Got an extra seat at the table for holiday dinner? ISI will extend your invitation to students hoping to make relational connections. 

The first step to getting directly involved with International Students, Inc. is to check out isiabq.org. Contact director Joan Lasche and she’ll talk you through the steps to getting on their email list. Or, if that’s more than you’re able to tackle at the moment, be on the lookout for ways you can come alongside MCC’s Mission Team as we support ISI: 

Email mcc4missions@gmail.com if you’d like to donate furniture or household items to the cause. We’ll even pick up!

Drop off your food contribution at the church next time you hear the mission team is providing an ISI Welcome Meal. We’ll take care of the rest!  

You may choose to get involved with International Students, Inc. now, later, or not at all. Either way, I hope you’re excited to know that the Lord is working through this ministry. Thank you for lifting ISI in prayer! 

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else? 

I was born and raised in Tijeras, NM. We live in Edgewood now, but I do miss the mountains.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I wanted to join the military for as long as I can remember. God closed that door long ago.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My parents started, and then Scott Butler was one of my closest friends and spiritual mentor for years before he passed away. My grandparents have always been a huge part of this walk. And most important was my brother, Kris. 

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

When I was the ripe old age of 8, the Lord impressed on my heart that I needed Him as my savior. I don’t remember all the details but I do remember very clearly that he called me.  

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Psalm 34, Galatians 5:22-26, and Genesis 1-3 are the most common go-tos for me.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

That Jesus would be my closest friend. 

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as tech ministry coordinator?

The blessing is just having fun with it, among other things. Serving in any capacity is always amazing when seen as a gift. But when you have fun doing it, it’s so much better. The challenge is making time to do the job well.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I love animals, especially reptiles and amphibians. And the most favorite is spending time with my wife and kiddos. Time is a precious thing and often taken for granted.

What is your favorite family tradition?

The Thanksgiving box. We write down something that we are most thankful for and put it in a box for the next year. We always read the previous year after we write down the current year thankful card. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

As of late most of the things I like doing revolve around what Naomi and the kiddos like/want to do, as much as I can. Usually the kids want to play video games and hop in the pool or play on the trampoline. All good times. 

What is the perfect meal?

Anything around the dinner table with family/friends. My personal favorite is with the “friends group”. How I hope those times don’t end anytime soon. But if I have to pick a food, I love Cajun. Anything spicy has always been a good go-to. 

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

A night watching the Three Stooges with the kids. Late night conversations with Nay. Games with the friends group. Nights around the campfire with loved ones. Memories of good times. 

We asked Naomi: 

What is your favorite trait of Josh's? 

Probably my favorite trait about him is his ability to look at a problem, any problem in the time I’ve known him, and logically and empathetically find a solution that works for as many people as possible. From issues within the work place, to anything our kids can think up, to “What’s for dinner?”, to encouraging/helping a friend. In short, he’s a logical and kind problem solver and leader. 

What does Josh do that can always make you smile? 

Last October I traveled with a small team from MCC and was able to visit three of these centers and meet several of the teachers and pastors that work tirelessly for the children and their families. Several of these staff members I had met on previous trips five years ago, and some even more than 12 years ago. There is such joy from these men and women. They showed us some of the ways they are creatively teaching math and language lessons to the children and art projects they have done as a community. The centers provide a safe space for the children and the leaders provide care and emotional support. 

The first center we visited was Shahbad Dairy. MCC provides annual support for this center, which allows them to minister to approximately 80 children and their families. We were able to meet about half the students and were able to share a song, story and craft. The teachers at this center are amazing. We heard their testimonies and how Genesis of Hope has made a difference in their lives, even as staff. They were so excited to share how they are teaching the students in very creative ways.  

The second center was in a predominantly Muslim area. I was especially excited to visit this center because my family sponsors Sana, a 12-year-old girl that lives there. At this center we squeezed into a very small space. There were three connected rooms where maybe 60 kids crammed in and sat on the floor while we shared our song, story, and craft. I was also able to spend a little time talking with Sana and her mother and brother. 

The third center we visited is a new ministry that was begun by a pastor who noticed a growing slum underneath the metro lines on the floodplains of a major river near his home and asked if the ministry would be able to support another Genesis of Hope center. This center meets in a very basic open-air structure. This area receives food daily as a part of a feeding program from Amazon. It’s a rural area and gets flooded as the monsoons come every summer. 

Now imagine a super fun Vacation Bible School week at each of these centers. Genesis of Hope hosted six VBS experiences throughout their city this past week. What a sweet thing to pray about as we experience our own VBS. There were over 700 kids in attendance total. Kids had a chance to experience the hope that Jesus brings and have fun with their friends. Unlike many of the students attending MCC’s VBS, these children are from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds. Some are regular attendees of a Genesis of Hope program and for others this will be the first time they have ever had a chance to hear about Jesus. 

There are some logistics that make this VBS quite different from what our students experience in our church. While we may think it is hot here, they have experienced 110+ degrees with little or no access to air conditioning. They also managed to fit nearly 50-60 kids into spaces that we would only feel would comfortably hold 15-20 kids. The snack the kids receive may be the only nutritious food they receive that day. But there were volunteers and staff with smiles on their faces greeting each child, just like what happens right here. There was fun, there were songs, there were snacks, there were games and most of all, the name of Jesus was proclaimed. Those are the very same things that make our VBS special. 

Genesis of Hope will continue to meet the needs of children living in the poorest parts of this huge city. Our support enables them to pay their faithful staff, maintain their buildings, and provide materials needed to provide education and support for these children. Pray for all the staff of Genesis of Hope. The situation in their country is becoming more and more difficult for them to share their faith freely and sometimes even finding a space to meet together as believers is difficult. Pray for favor among their neighbors, and even with the government. When you pray this week, just remember Genesis of Hope. Please pray for each child to understand God’s love for them. Please pray the stories and lessons they learned will take root in their heart and that their families would come to know Jesus as well. 

Discussion topics weaved in and out of important thoughts, with some of my favorite conversations centered on:

• ‘How do we reject the fading beauty of worldly things for the eternal beauty of godly things?’
• ‘Why is the struggle of being a 21^st-century believer worth it?’
• ‘How do you represent Christ to your peers when they don’t want to hear about Him?’
• ‘What’s the difference between believing something is true, and living like it’s true?’
• ‘How do I prioritize Christ amongst all the other big decisions in my life?’

The Lord was at work through these conversations, basketball games, gag-ball pit contests, an adrenaline-raising slew of camp activities, the praises lifted in accord with some 200 other camp attendees, the quiet times we regularly had with the Lord, and the daily time spent together, as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Our MCC students were example-setters all week, even garnering recognition from other churches for the way they comported themselves. One of the other leaders mentioned in the morning leader-huddle that he was so grateful for the Mountain Christian Church students, and how easily they engaged other students, as his group had been blessed by ours. Another leader told me how impressed he was by our students’ constant choice to serve and engage with some of his younger students. How beautiful it is to see God use young people to model Christlike living!

There’s a beauty in attending a camp where exhaustion sets in, and distractions slowly disappear as the focus moves onto Christ. I was immensely encouraged by the willingness and humility of our young adults to enter conversations regarding things eternal, and grateful for the Lord’s faithfulness in meeting us daily. 

I continually pray that each student will eagerly build on their professed desire to follow the King of Kings, and if any do not yet profess it in their heart, that a seed would have been planted at camp, which will continually grow into a full-throttle approach to knowing Christ our Savior.

This used to be my view of budgeting too. My parents were always starting a “tight budget” in an attempt to get control of their finances, and then bailing a couple of months later when they just couldn’t keep it. Then they’d start again. It was always their excuse for why I couldn’t get something, so as a kid, a budget was the enemy.

When Von and I had a young family, money was getting stressful. Von, my “solution finder”, signed us up for a weekend budget workshop. As you might imagine, I was not excited about it. I had very low expectations of taking away anything meaningful from it.

But I walked away pleasantly surprised, and....dare I say it, excited?! Is it possible to be excited about starting a budget? What we learned was how to honor God by being good stewards of His money. How to see how money flowed through our household, and how to stop the “leaks”. We learned to pray and set goals together, and then how working on it together made us a team, not opposing spenders. We saw that as the budget is based on our goals, it’s a living document that changes as our goals and situations change – it’s flexible. And situations do change all the time! Jobs change or have pay adjustments, health and goals change, kids grow and have new interests...and your budget can easily flex with you.

We also learned to save, and this was a big one for me. I felt a lot less stressed knowing that money was ready when those unexpected expenses happened. And, boy do they! The first time I wrote a check for yet another emergency car repair, and I knew the money was right there in the account all ready for this moment, I was a complete believer. This budget thing works!

Honestly, this has been a game changer for us. For our marriage, our family, our faith... oh yeah, and for our finances. We got involved teaching budgeting because it was so impactful for us. We would love for it to be a game changer for you too.

Please join us on Saturday, June 29, from 9 am-3 pm at MCC. Childcare and lunch are provided. Ages 15-110 welcome! Please contact me (Elisa Trullinger) at 505-971-7432 by June 26 to find out more information or sign up!

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Glen Cove (Long Island), NY, but home is Sandia Park.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I wanted to be a pilot. I still dream about it. Many are nightmares.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

I attended Sunday school growing up but my earliest spiritual influence was the drug culture of the mid-60s. Posters saying ‘Acid is God’ generated a real ‘No He is not’ reaction and pity for those who were caught up in and lost in that culture. The real influence was a Christian Navigator, Ed Polley, conducting an adult Bible study at Bitburg Air Base, Germany in 1979.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

At Bitburg, in the late ‘70s, I knew that I was not part of the prevailing culture and chose to maintain the moral standards of conduct that I had been brought up with. This was my first situation of having to make a clear choice based on secular values and Christian values, that is choosing to obey the Lord.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

I love reading how John the Baptist jumped for joy in Elizabeth, when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, entered the house of Zachariah and greeted Elizabeth.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

There have been many. In 2014, my son was hiking in the Sandias, had an accident, and had to be rescued. I prayed during the whole rescue sequence and the Lord got him to UNM hospital where he was taken care of.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as a deacon?

The blessing is to help mitigate what could be distractions from worship, Sunday School or any of the other many activities that go on in our church facilities. The challenge is finding time to do all that needs to be done.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

New Mexico and Colorado have some great fishing spots. I got into this to enjoy time with my brother, who is an avid fisherman, when he would visit.

What is your favorite family tradition?

We meet our kids for dinner somewhere in Albuquerque about once per month.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

I gave up ballet when I outgrew my slippers so now I do yardwork.

What is the perfect meal?

Waffles with molasses, and bacon.

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

My son in ‘one ups-manship’ pun making contests.

We asked Karin: 

What is your favorite trait of Tom's? 

Honor. Tom is an honorable man in everything he does! From this flows faithfulness, loyalty and integrity. I have known this for as long as I have known Tom.

What does Tom do that can always make you smile? 

Every year when it is time to plant his garden, I smile at how much joy this gives him. He gets those little plants ready to go in the ground and tends to them faithfully. Tom gets up to water before going to work and waters first thing when he gets home. He produces some great veggies and loves to share with the church members every summer.

At such an early hour, we ease into our conversation. It usually starts with a review of how we slept the night before, and later, what’s on the agenda for the day. This time is so ordinary. (We’re endlessly fascinated by the amount of poop our two little dogs are able to produce and how ill-behaved they are around others.) But in the middle of all of this very ordinary business, we also experience the extra-ordinary. 

This morning, with Father’s Day right around the corner, I prodded my usually matter-of-fact, non-introspective husband to dig deep into what he’s learned in his 20+ years of fatherhood. He doesn’t love it when I do this, but after some nagging gentle prodding, the wisdom started to flow.

Below is Tim’s top 10 list of the ordinary things that have reaped extraordinary blessing in his life as a Dad. May they bless you and your families this Father’s Day.

1. Date Your Kids

Everyone knows dating your wife is important, but do you date your kids? For years, Cara and I would alternate weeks and alternate kids on a weekly date night. Sometimes our date was as simple as running errands together, or other times it was extravagant as a movie night. But those weekly date nights gave us special insight into each child and what was going on in their little worlds. As they’ve gotten older, and their schedules have become more demanding, this has become more challenging. During busy seasons, when a “date night” is not in the cards for us, we still try to be intentional about getting some one-on-one conversations in with each child. 

2. Deal with Matters of the Heart in Discipline

It’s way easier and faster to punish kids for their behavior and never deal with the heart behind their actions. Every time discipline was (and is) required is a new opportunity to discuss the gospel with our kids. They sinned because they are sinners, and Jesus forgives because he’s our Savior. We all need more of Jesus and times of discipline are a bittersweet reminder that we never outgrow the gospel. It meets us right where we are, every time.  

3. Be More Patient 

I’m often amazed at how dumb kids can be. What did you think would happen when you threw that ball at the window, or stuck the pipe cleaner in the electrical outlet, or put the metal in the microwave? I can’t say I’m always good at finding the humor in these things at the moment. But as my kids get older (and I’m getting wiser), I’m learning to keep a lighter touch on those childhood inconveniences (and expenses).  

4. Love Them Intentionally, Even When They’re Annoying

The pre-teen/early-teen drama that happens in our home on a daily basis is exhausting. Everyday I hear new “fun facts” about Harry Potter, or some random YouTuber, that I don’t care about. But I try, I mean really try, to listen to what they care about. I sometimes don’t know whether to slap them (figuratively), or hug them (literally). If you have 11-14-year-olds in your home, you’ll probably understand. It goes so quickly, even when it goes so slowly. 

5. Let Them See You Struggle 

I’ve been self-employed most of my children’s lives, which has been both a challenge and a joy. It’s given me the opportunity to be more physically present, but it’s also meant some serious sacrifices have been made too. They haven’t had the kind of childhood where budgets weren’t a concern, or some corners didn’t need to be cut from time to time. But even in this, God has been gracious. They’ve learned to be grateful, and as a family, we’ve been able to rejoice together as God has graciously provided. What a great lesson to learn early on in life!

6. Move Heaven and Earth to be at Their Sports Games

Sports were a really important part of my childhood and our kids have each found their own athletic interests too. I’ve had more heart-to-heart, ‘life talks’ around the issues of sports than any other single thing. When their sports schedules come out, I enter their games into my calendar just like I would a work appointment. So much of what you learn in life comes from what you learn on the field or court. I want to be present and cheering them on for all those moments, win, lose or draw.

7. Become An Expert On Who They Are 

I love personality and work assessments. They give me insight into who would be a good hire. These are great tools for our kids too. I’ve learned how (and when) to criticize, and when to keep my mouth shut. Our four kids are all so different, and learning how to best connect with them has been a real game changer. (If you’re interested in learning more, for a small fee, the Kolbe Index offers a great assessment of how your child works. Myers-Briggs also has some helpful tools and assessments that are free.) 

8. Kiss Your Wife in Front of Your Kids  

One of the best parts of being a dad is making your kids squirm. Nothing gets a bigger reaction from my kids than showing love and affection for my wife in front of them. All kidding aside, I want to model what a loving husband should look like for my daughters and for my son. Today, they say “Ewww!” but someday they’ll get it and appreciate it. 

9. Keep the Main Things, the Main Things 

Some parents make grades and test scores the end all, be all. Of course, we want our kids to succeed and try hard, but in light of eternity those measurements don’t matter. What we care about is if they know and love Jesus Christ. If they do, then the conversation changes to doing our best, for God’s glory. An easy “A” says less about you than a hard-fought-for “C” when you’re overcoming obstacles. Keep the main things the main things, and Lord willing, they’ll grow up doing the same.

10. Protect Your Kids, Even When It’s Costly

Sometimes doing what’s best for your kids puts you at odds with other people you care about. Fathers are called to protect. In the most extreme cases it might be a life or death situation, or it might be removing toxic people from life. I wouldn’t have chosen the suffering that accompanied some of the decisions I had to make about protecting my kids. But I would choose to protect them at the expense of those relationships a million times over. It’s been one of the most defining things in my life as a father.

In Praise of All the Ordinary (& Imperfect) Fathers

Isn’t it amazing that God showed his heart toward us through the description of him as our Father? His heart of love for us is like an earthly father’s love for his children. And while our earthly fathers try and fail, our Heavenly Father loves us perfectly and completely. 

Being a dad is a huge job. The stakes are high and the culture in which we live isn’t friendly to strong male leadership in the home. Yet, this has always been God’s plan. He’s always intended for imperfect men to lead imperfectly and in dependence on him.   

I’m thankful for Tim, and my Dad, who’ve lovingly laid down their own lives, to love and serve us well. It’s their imperfections and their ordinary-ness that makes what God does with these acts of faith so extraordinary. 

Christian fathers, you are the bedrock of our homes and society, and you are extraordinary. We don’t sing your praises loudly and often enough. Thank you and Happy Father’s Day!

Cara Ray. In Praise of the Ordinary Fathers Making an Extraordinary Difference. June, 2021. Cara and Tim Ray.

https://cara-ray.com/in-praise-of-the-ordinary-fathers-making-an-extraordinary-difference/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=in-praise-of-the-ordinary-fathers-making-an-extraordinary-difference

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Las Cruces but have lived in the East Mountains for the majority of my life. The East Mountains will always be home to me.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

My father might say I was born to be an engineer and engineering has always been something that I enjoy. My job is a means to allow me to do the things I really enjoy doing.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

I was fortunate to grow up in a strong Christian home. I would have to say my earliest spiritual influence would be my parents.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I accepted Christ around the age of seven at a Billy Graham meeting at our church.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

God was so faithful to take me through my cancer treatment. I could see him working to provide for me physically, spiritually, and financially throughout my time at Mayo and recovery at home. It honestly changed my whole perspective on God and the way I live my life.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as a deacon?

It has been a blessing to finally find a way to serve the body using the talents and abilities that God has given me. It has taken me awhile to find a good way to serve and I am thankful for this opportunity. My biggest challenge has to be the sanctuary AC  - the battle rages on.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I really enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking, camping, or spending time at the lake.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Our family has always had a tradition of traveling as much as possible during the summertime. It has created some wonderful memories over the years.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Doing something outside like a hike or mountain bike ride. I also enjoy getting together with friends for a meal on the weekends.

What is the perfect meal?

I'm a meat and potatoes kind of guy. No need for much else.

Who or what never fails to make you laugh?

My family has a great sense of humor and we always have a lot of laughs.

We asked Marcy:

What is your favorite trait of Shannon's? 

Shannon never gives up and never complains, no matter how hard things get. 

What does Shannon do that can always make you smile? 

Shannon has a great sense of humor and there's hardly a day that goes by he doesn't lift my spirits. And I love watching him on the dance floor.

The “Problem of Suffering and Evil” (PoSE) has been used by skeptics as an argument against Theism since at least Epicurus in the 4^th century BC – and was most famously re-directed against Christianity by David Hume in the 1700s. It remains a major roadblock (and/or excuse) for self-professed Atheists and Agnostics – I’ve heard it countless times myself in many different forms.

The logical and {evidential} forms argue:

1. If God exists, He is all-good (omnibenevolent), all-powerful (omnipotent), and all-knowing (omniscient).
2. If He is all-good He would want to remove evil from the world.
3. If He is all-powerful He could remove evil from the world.
4. Suffering and evil exist in the world.
5. Therefore, God {most likely} doesn’t exist, or He is not all-good, not all-powerful, and/or not all-knowing.

If premises 1-4 are true, then the conclusion (5) must follow. Can you see how premise 2 is not true? Do you also see how accepting premise 4 implies the God exists, undermining the whole argument?

Even if you could successfully accomplish both of these, it is likely to help someone during a time of personal suffering – but at that point we can point to the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Christ to establish how God chose to deal with the evil in the world that results from sin. God doesn’t just conquer evil/suffering He conquers through evil/suffering to answer our all our questions not with an explanation, but with a person, and with a relationship. God chose to enter in to our suffering in the person of Jesus on the cross --  who died for you and for me when we didn’t deserve it.

Derek Rishmawy gives a gospel-centered defense against the PoSE:

1. If God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, we have good reason to believe both that He exists, and that He is unfathomably powerful.
2. Furthermore, if He is good enough to send His only-begotten Son to die on behalf of a sinful, rebellious world He loves, He is unfathomably good.
3. Next, if God is wise enough to use what is objectively the most horrifying, and initially apparently pointless, event in human history – the unjust murder of the Godman – for the salvation of the world, then it is entirely reasonable to trust He has a good enough reason for allowing the evil that He currently does.
4. Finally, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ promises that ultimately evil will be judged, removed, and made right. There is comfort and hope for the future.

If you’d like to improve your ability to contend for the Gospel without being contentious (Jude 3, 1 Peter 3:15), I’d love to hear from you!  I’m currently planning—but haven’t yet worked out the details—for an apologetics-oriented study group for high-school age and older starting in August or September of this year. 

Lukefeldner@pm.me.

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Washington DC, but we moved when I was 7 days old, and I haven’t been back, yet! I’ve lived in the East Mountains since I was about 7 years old, and definitely consider it home! 

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I am grateful that I was able to live my dream of being a stay-at-home mom. I think it is the most important job I could’ve had.  

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

Marv & Barb Procter were my youth leaders for many years. I still remember some specific lessons that Marv taught, and I am thankful for the time they invested in me, and in the lives of MANY others!

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I was baptized at MCC when I was 13, and rededicated myself at age 18 at a Christian Conference in Albuquerque. The speaker said something like, "If you have any doubts about your salvation, you can know here and now that you have accepted Christ as your Savior.”  

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

I listen to the ‘Proverbs of the day’ each morning. I love the nuggets of truth sprinkled throughout Proverbs! 

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

I can’t think of a ‘large’ prayer; but God often answers my ‘little’ prayers, such as ‘please take this thought away if it’s not something I should be concerned about’.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as a deacon?

I enjoy the admin side of serving as a deacon. The challenges are that often the various projects that come to us are outside of my skill set. And it’s difficult to juggle time management and various responsibilities. 

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I guess my favorite hobby is ‘puttering’ around the house doing whatever odd job needs to be done (or more truthfully what I FEEL like doing). In the summer I enjoy sitting outside, especially with our cat on my lap; or watering the trees and flowers. I usually listen to audiobooks while I’m puttering.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Christmas morning is my favorite time with our kids. We all have our cups of coffee and gather in the living room in our jammies and take turns opening gifts. We have been fortunate to have everyone home every Christmas, and I know that is not something to be taken for granted because they will soon begin their own families and traditions. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

See ‘puttering’ around the house above. We are fortunate to have a cabin near Questa, NM that Micah’s grandparents built in the early 1980’s. That is where we spend our vacations or long weekends.  We are also hoping to take our new-to-us camper on trips.

What is the perfect meal?

My favorite meal would include mashed potatoes and biscuits. 

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Watching Micah play with our dog Daisy provides our daily dose of laughter.

We asked Micah:

What is your favorite trait of Nicole's?

I love her gentle and kind spirit. She truly has a servant's heart for all of her friends and family.

What does Nicole do that can always make you smile? 

When Nicole starts to uncontrollably laugh, I can't help but start laughing also. It is contagious. She is the most consistent, positive bright spot in my life. 

Not even a minute passed before the words and melody of the worship song “Goodness of God” were in my heart. It’s a song I’ve come to love. A couple years ago, my brother sang that song as he walked through every room of the house he’d just moved into, a quiet expression of gratitude for God’s provision of a new home for him and his family. It’s a song I sang last year at the funeral of a children’s minister I had the honor of serving alongside for several years. “I have lived in the goodness of God.” It’s no surprise we think first of God’s blessings or that our gratitude wells up into song.

Goodness to the Undeserving
The longer I reflected, the larger the circle of God’s goodness grew. It’s good to exist. It’s good to be. Every breath we take testifies to the goodness of creation and the goodness of a Creator. And this fatherly benevolence flows to undeserving, often ungrateful creatures.

Jesus remarked on the Father’s goodness when he spoke of both righteous and unrighteous people enjoying sunshine and rain. Everyone on earth is a beneficiary of God’s goodness, whether they acknowledge him as the source of their blessings or not. God is so good that he sustains the breath of even the person who defies him. He grants life to men and women who deny his existence. He’s the fountain of all that’s good, the source of all life and love.

Compared to God’s magnificence, we’re mere ants, and yet God is good to us, small and weightless though we might be. It’s only because of his goodness that we have value and worth. We’re dust. We came from the ground and will return there. And yet, wonder of wonders, God is a dust-lover.

Goodness of Jesus
The Christian cannot long ponder God’s goodness before being drawn toward Galilee and to a hill outside Jerusalem. There we see Jesus, the eternal Word, who not only announces but embodies this goodness.

Many in our world find a measure of comfort or spiritual benefit in offering generic thanksgiving to a generic God. But it’s only when we look to Jesus that God’s goodness becomes like the sun: we can’t take in the brilliance, but it’s what gives light to everything else. The goodness we see in Jesus chases away the shadows of our sin.

When we read the Gospels, we see Jesus’s goodness on full display. There we see him tussling with the Pharisees, calling out the self-righteous, embracing those on the outside, showing compassion and love while making radical claims about his identity. Like Aslan, “he is not a tame lion, but he is good.”

The goodness of Jesus isn’t safe. He’s revolutionary in his words and deeds, a firebrand in his passion, a preacher of the kingdom coming, a prophet who warns us away from the path of destruction, a healer who restores people to wholeness, a storyteller whose tales delight and disturb, an agitator and annoyance to those most committed to the status quo, an exorcist whose presence causes demons to shriek and evil to flee, a wonder-worker whose miracles gives us a glimpse of the world the way God always intended it to be, a king whose crown is made of thorns and whose first throne is a cross. Everywhere we turn, we’re confounded and overcome by the undeniably fierce and ferocious goodness of Jesus Christ.

His is a goodness that startles us, a perfection we long for and shrink from. The more we gaze on Jesus, the more we see where we fall short, whatever in our lives requires repentance and restoration. And yet the more we gaze on him, the more we also see what God wants to make of us, the greater our hope in God’s promise to renew us and all the world.

Goodness Stored Up
The second-century bishop Melito of Sardis sought to capture the glory and goodness of Jesus:
Born as a Son,
led forth as a lamb,
sacrificed as a sheep,
buried as a man,
he rose from the dead as God,
for he was by nature God and man.
He is all things:
he judges, and so he is law;
he teaches, and so he is wisdom;
he saves, and so he is grace;
he is begotten, and so he is Son;
he suffers, and so he is sacrifice;
he is buried, and so he is man;
he rises again, and so he is God.
This is Jesus Christ,
to whom belongs glory for all ages.

“How great is your goodness,” the psalmist exclaims, “which you have stored up for those who fear you!” (Ps. 31:19). God is the fountain, the storehouse, the depository of all goodness; the cross is the key that unlocks the inexhaustible, boundless riches of his grace. His goodness is pursuing us, running after us like the father hot on the tracks of the prodigal son. And so, “With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God.”

The Gospel Coalition. Let's Talk About How Good God Is. April 2, 2024. Trevin Wax

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/talk-about-god-good/

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in California, but moved back to NM (my parents are originally from NM) before elementary school. Home is the East Mountains for sure.  

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I wanted to be a doctor or a veterinarian. I was majoring in Bio/Chem and was accepted into vet school. I changed my major at the very end to Accounting, with a minor in math and music. I'm not sure if it's still the dream but I love medicine and still have a science thinking mind. Maybe one day I can suture someone! 

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My mother has always been a believer and led us as kids to prayer and faithfully attending church. I was raised Catholic but attended non-denominational Christian youth groups in high school with one of my best friends. I would say that during those high school years I started learning more about Christ and accepting him into my life. 

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

This was in high school attending youth groups weekly with one of my best friends. I learned that there was more to being a believer than just attending church. I accepted Christ during one of the youth group camps. Later on as an adult, Matt and I were baptized at Mountain Christian Church prior to having our first child. 

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through him who gives me strength.  Living with hip issues and struggling with surgeries and healing, I lean on this verse all the time.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

Being a mother has been my special answer to prayer. We prayed for over three years before having Tori and then were also blessed by our two boys, Jack and Samuel.  

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as the church’s accountant?

I get to see so many blessings being the church’s accountant. I get to witness God’s provision through our membership and see the outcome to the ministries it provides for. The challenges are minimal but are normally based on me turning accounting into a language that can be easily followed by our highly mission-driven leaders and in a graceful manner. I have learned a lot about myself and that grace does not come easy when I have my professional hat on. I am a work in progress on my grace walk.  

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I love skiing! My parents taught me how to ski when I was 5 and I have been skiing ever since. The air is crisp and speeding down the hill is so refreshing. I would love to say I taught my husband, but taking him to the top of the mountain and hoping for the best is not really teaching. But I loved teaching my kids, who now out-ski me.  

What is your favorite family tradition?

Vacationing together is by far a tradition I love. We have been taking our family out since the kids were born, teaching them to live one adventure at a time. I would say that Christmas Eve service followed by seeing Christmas lights and visiting Old Town is a close second.  

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Going to Durango. I love the mountains there and enjoy having coffee on the deck, looking at how majestic the peaks are.  

What is the perfect meal?

Anything Matt smokes in the smoker plus BBQ sauce. So delish!

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Matt makes me laugh all the time. He has great Dad jokes and just sometimes purposely says something to make me smile.  

We asked Matt: 

What is your favorite trait of Angela's?

Angela's integrity is my favorite trait. She does not compromise when it comes to doing the right thing. 

What does Angela do that can always make you smile? 

It always makes me smile when she gets excited about an upcoming adventure.

Beyond the native dome huts and cacti-fenced yards that scatter along the roadside, the fields of corn are now as tall as a man. I suspect that the harvest is not far away. Passing through the villages, before many homes stand piles of wide, flat stones. Each is crowned with sacks of potatoes. The markets are open.

The land of Ethiopia is a nation of great beauty, and also great turmoil. On a teaching trip there last year, I had the privilege to meet with some of our missionary church planters. The nation has recently seen a northern tribe rise up against the government, and Islamist guerrilla groups are also active in some areas. Prolonged drought in the horn of Africa has left millions of people acutely in need. Please continue to pray for our gospel workers, and for the people of this dear land.

Ask for the Lord’s grace and power for Alebachew. He works his trade and builds relationships with people among the Afar tribes. He loves to share his testimony. Pray for Medina to grow in her new faith, and for God to lead Alebachew to more open hearts.

Pray for God’s continued provision for Epheson. He is in a very impoverished area, and the needs are large even for him and his family. Believers in this animistic region are sometimes threatened and even beaten from the time of their faith in Christ. But the Lord has brought many to Christ, and there have been many baptisms. Pray for the growing church there to have a safe place to worship, and for Epheson to grow in shepherding them well.

Tesfaye’s church was scattered by war. Pray for the Lord’s great wisdom for them, and for stable and rich relationships among the weary believers. Also that the Christian witness of Tesfaye, a security guard, a barber, and several women selling bread, would be fruitful and see many come to Christ. 

Ask for God’s power amid spiritual battle for Henoke. He has been persecuted many times - losing his place of rent; being beaten and hospitalized; being driven out of town. He shares the gospel in the markets, and has seen miracles that have brought others to salvation. For safety, he also does discipleship out in the bush, and meets with friends interested in the gospel in this way.

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Chattanooga, Tn. but have been in the East Mountains for 28 years. The MCC community is what I consider home. 

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I wanted to be an architect, but my favorite job to date has been mom. 

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home and receive a Christian education. If the church doors were open, we were there. My grandparents, Mama and Daddy Wilson, were a great spiritual influence because they loved and served the Lord more faithfully than anyone else I’ve known. 

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I remember “asking Jesus into my heart” when I was seven years old at a missions conference at our church. I really began to dedicate my life to the Lord in my early 20s. 

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Hebrews 12:1-2: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

I will forever be grateful for the way the Lord carried us through Shannon’s cancer treatment and healing.  

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving at the church?

I wear a few hats at Mountain Christian and I honestly love it all. I enjoy being able to see how God is working in so many ministries, and to be a part of it so I don’t miss out on anything! The challenge is knowing there is always more I could be doing.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I love to hike - especially with family and friends. We really got serious about it during COVID when we couldn’t go to many other places. I also love to travel, read, play pickleball and go out to dinner (is that a hobby?).

What is your favorite family tradition?

During the Christmas season we do something deliberately, just the four of us in our immediate family. Sometimes it’s the River of Lights and sometimes it’s going to dinner and a movie - but I love how we slow down and make time to enjoy being together in a very busy season. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

It usually includes hiking or pickleball and going out to eat with friends. 

What is the perfect meal?

Pizza or BBQ. I love both. 

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Shannon - he’s very witty and always knows how to lift my spirits. 

We asked Shannon: 

They are so ready for school to end. 

It’s almost as if they have been anticipating it from the start of last year, their yearlong school sentence will end and they will be FREE! Free to do as they want, no going to class, no homework or tests, no teachers or moms nagging them.   

However, if your household is anything like mine, it won’t be long, maybe the middle of June, before my younger ones will say, “I’m bored!” And so, the challenge becomes how we can guide them to spend their time wisely instead of allowing them to go the way of least resistance and turn to media and video games. I trust the Lord gives us all the foresight to both plan and prepare them for the use of their expendable time. 

As a family, we have always relied on VBSes (is this even pronounceable?) to give their mama a well-deserved break (oh, wait, did I say that out loud?). It was always a glorious time for her to be able to sit uninterrupted for a few hours, enjoying a cup of tea and simple breakfast, while our kiddos were at vacation bible school.

Of course, this outcome really is an additional benefit for what already has so many primary benefits.  Let me share a few.

First, though it is a parents’ primary calling to “train up their child in the way he should go”, the church is here to come alongside and help with this very endeavor - to assist the family in discipling their little ones in the life of Christ. I believe that VBS within the larger context of children’s ministry can play a part in aiding this discipling.

Second, through VBS, “we want to reflect our creative, inspiring, joy-giving God who made laughter and fun!” We want to create an environment where children develop lasting memories that help to connect them with biblical truths. Every activity in vacation bible school is planned so as to engage the kids using all of their senses. There’s singing, dancing, creating, playing and eating. It really is a five-day party where the central theme is God’s Word and specifically His plan for redemption. 

And finally, VBS is an intentional evangelistic opportunity. As described directly from this year’s curriculum: “Our primary goal has always been to bring glory to God by boldly and unashamedly proclaiming him to a strategic group - young people! From both a biblical and statistical point of view, young people are a big deal. They’re not only awesome - we love ‘em - but they’re also dearly cherished by our Lord and tend to be soft-hearted towards spiritual things. Researchers generally agree most people become Christians when they’re children, so it’s apparent this age group is a huge mission field!”

Will you help us this year again by inviting any and all elementary-aged kids that you know to this year’s VBS, The Great Jungle Journey? 

They will be forever grateful to you one day in the same way that I am grateful now to the white-haired lady who not only invited my siblings, cousins and I to VBS some 40 plus years ago, but picked us up every day in her station wagon to take us. Be that beloved “white-haired” lady to someone in our East Mountain community.

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Albuquerque, NM, but the Cedar Crest/Sandia Park/Tijeras area is home.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I was (and still am) generally uncertain. I was always inspired by businessmen who used their professional influence to spread the Kingdom, and strive to walk a similar path.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My parents and my grandmother.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I got to know who Christ was and what He did for me as a young person (can’t recall the exact age, but maybe around 5th grade, through my family and the mass of spiritual influence around me at church). But, it wasn’t until my teenage years that I really came to grips with what that meant for my life, and it became time to make my faith my own.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

1 Timothy 6:11-12 has provided me with encouragement many times in my life, and I have shared it with many others, hoping they find the same encouragement in these words that I do.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

I remember being uncertain about buying our home. A huge decision, and one we didn’t want to take lightly. We prayed for many months that if it was God’s will, he would lead us to the right one, and let it be simple. After many months of praying and feeling God telling us ‘not this one’, we found one we thought seemed too good to be true. With each passing day and each prayer, we asked God to help us say no if it wasn’t right. He kept the process simple for us, and it culminated in the Denver airport on the way home from a wedding. It was one day after we put an offer on the house (which we were very prepared for the sellers to reject). We had a layover of about an hour, and I was pacing the airport, fielding calls between work, our banker and our realtor, and talking to the Lord in between. I had just hung up with the banker and was anticipatorily pacing. After a minute of praying that the Lord would let us have an answer before we got on the plane, we got the call from our realtor saying our offer was accepted. Needless to say, we had a great flight home. His faithfulness to us was on display during these many months, and I routinely think back on that when I am frustrated, as a reminder that His timing is not mine, and His plan for me is infinitely better than my plan for me. 

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as a youth ministry leader?

Blessing: Every week, we finish our discussion groups with prayer, and we pray for each other. Scripture talks about childlike faith, but it’s on full display during prayer times. Our students’ optimism and trust in God’s ultimate control often encourages me; it’s a wonderful thing to hear a 12-year-old pray for something that’s causing me frustration, knowing fully that the Lord is faithful.

Challenge: Being present. It’s not uncommon to end up at youth group with a head full of other thoughts and concerns. I am learning to ‘be where my feet are’ when at youth group, and fully devote a few hours to loving our students like Christ would, but it’s a challenge for me. 

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

Fly fishing is my go-to in the summer, and snowboarding in the winter.  My grandpa took me fishing for the first time, and I immediately loved it.  Sid and Linda Barker took me snowboarding for the first (and probably second and third) time, and I am grateful that I got to learn it at a young age.  

What is your favorite family tradition?

The Birthday Breakfast. I won’t go into details, but suffice to say we get to see the Lord glorified on a day that would otherwise be very self-focused. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Being outside. Hiking, bonfires, volleyball, fishing, or simply working around the house - I feel at peace.

What is the perfect meal?

Any pasta that my wife makes. Maybe it’s the Italian heritage. Can’t beat a great pasta.

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Spending time with my brothers. I can’t recall an instance of significant time spent together that didn’t include a healthy dose of laughter.

We asked Kristine: 

What is your favorite trait of Eli's?

And yet, motherhood also brings struggles. Right now, sleepless nights and cranky teething can drain my joy. Maybe for you it’s chronic health issues, a pattern of rebellion, or something else altogether. In these moments, what we know to be beautiful purpose can sometimes feel like nothing more than painful endurance. What happened to our joy?

Though it doesn’t always seem like it, coming face to face with imperfect joy in our mothering is actually a blessing. It’s a reminder that abiding joy isn’t found in our calling as a mother. Rather, it’s found in our Savior.  Our children are sweet gifts from God that we delight in. Yet we cannot look to them, to ourselves, or to our circumstances for what only Christ can supply. If we do, we will find dry wells that leave us thirsty every time. Our Savior alone provides rivers of living water. 

Here are just a few glimpses at how He satisfies:

When we feel exhausted because of the constant needs of our children, we see Christ becoming a servant and pouring out His very life for us: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). “For we know love, because He laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16a). Jesus held nothing back to meet the need of our souls. We delight in His servanthood and love.

When we struggle over our inadequacy to be the perfect mom, we see Christ fulfilling the law: “Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). Jesus did what we can never do and imputes His righteousness to His children.  We rejoice in His perfection.

When we feel burdened by our sins of impatience, selfishness, and so on, we see Christ as our Sin-Bearer: “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24-25). Jesus endured the wrath of God on our behalf and frees us from slavery to sin. As we gaze in continued faith and repentance on Him, we are forgiven and enabled to live a life of sanctification. What beauty and freedom we find in His sacrifice!

No matter what we face in motherhood, abiding joy is born as we look to Christ. This joy will grow and deepen until one day it reaches its full maturity in the very presence of our Lord: “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Look up, dear mom, and rejoice!

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Albuquerque at the old St. Joseph’s Hospital and yes, it’s still home. Well, east of Albuquerque now. 

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I don’t have any memories of wanting to be anything specific, I always thought I’d be a mom. 

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

Probably my mother. She would pray with my sisters and I regularly. She made sure we were in church every Sunday and she was faithful to follow the requirements of the Catholic Church. My faith and relationship with God grew from that foundation.  

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

My relationship with Christ became my own when I was in high school. A friend would occasionally take me to Calvary Church. I was amazed at what I heard and realized this could actually be true. It made sense to me and gave me a desire to learn more, however, I rarely had transportation to get there. So later, when I could drive myself, I would go to the Wednesday evening study and despite lots of detours, my relationship continued to grow and is still growing. 

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

There are so many that I love but my mind comes to this verse because I will occasionally share it with my kids.  

“My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:20-27  

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?     

The Lord is so faithful to answer prayers but most recently when Paul stepped down, I thought it would be difficult to find another who did so much and was always patient and kind. I prayed for another co-worker that would be faithful, patient and kind and we got Cruz. What a blessing and answer to prayer.  

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as administrative assistant to the church?

I really enjoy working here at the church because I love the people and want to serve. This is where I feel God wants me to be right now. The challenge for me is trying to find extra time to do all the other things I fill my life with.   

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I do enjoy making places look nice, having things organized. I like going on camping trips with family/friends and I enjoy traveling in the states and abroad. I think I got these hobbies from my parents. Mom always made things nice and Dad always had an adventure planned.  

What is your favorite family tradition?

Christmas Eve and Good Friday dinner with my family. It’s always a special time together. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

I’m usually cleaning, organizing or doing laundry (I enjoy getting it done). If I can get a workout in, that is always good and I do occasionally enjoy time with friends…whether it’s a hike, lunch or shopping. 

What is the perfect meal?

One that someone else makes.  

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

My husband, Eddie. He’s got a very dry sense of humor but makes me smile or laugh hard often. 

We asked Eddie: 

This mission trip requires no money, has a short travel distance, is blessed by any amount of time God has granted in your schedule and offers an opportunity of experiencing pure joy in seeing God glorified!  

You will have the opportunity to share God’s love while feeding the hungry, sharing the workload with the weary, teaching practical lessons, using your skills and abilities and learning new ones. You will share in providing work from weed pulling, painting, cooking and cleaning, to hearing life stories, praying and fellowshipping with other believers, and learning of God’s work in the hearts of unbelievers. You will pray, laugh and cry and thank God for His provision and love. It is hard work, but people are worth it! Come see how God has gone ahead of us and is already at work in our community!

You will be working in a very secular environment that God has called this church body to serve. You will want prayer partners to support you and to pray with you for the wonderful people you will meet and the challenges they face.

You will be humbled and broken and rejuvenated and so very, very blessed.  

Are you excited? Are you willing to roll up your shirtsleeves and jump in to help? Are you willing to follow God’s leading and come join a few of your fellow church members to make a huge difference in the lives of many?  

If I’ve caught your attention and God is putting it on your heart to go on a mission trip, don’t pack your suitcase, just give me or one of my fellow mission workers a call. I will be happy to share a cup of coffee and clue you in on this great mission opportunity at A. Montoya Elementary School through Shine, an APS sanctioned school/church partnership meeting the various needs of individual schools citywide. Come see all that God has and can accomplish in this wonderful school through families, students and staff.  Contact us now!

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. My home has been Albuquerque for the last 34 years, except for a brief 3 year hiatus in San Antonio, TX.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

Early on I wanted to fly helicopters but soon after I became a believer I wanted to be a missionary. I’m living out my dream of working in full-time ministry.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My earliest spiritual example was my uncle Antonio. whose born again experience was proof that God was real.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

My earliest remembrance of being taught the Word was when a young teenage girl in my neighborhood in Mexico asked permission of my parents to teach a group of neighborhood kids the stories in the Bible. It continued with an older lady in southern NM who stopped by our home when she spotted a gaggle of kids and young teenagers playing in our front yard and asked permission to take us to VBS. He rescued me when alone in my home I heard a televangelist describe in the most vivid detail how Christ suffered on the cross for my sins. And He confirmed His call upon me as an 18 year old freshman at UNM when staff members with Campus Crusade stopped by my dorm to share the gospel with my best friend, and both he and I accepted Christ as our Savior.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

There are so many very specific prayers that He has answered. However the one that stands out the most is the one that I am currently living out now as a husband and father. He placed a desire early in my life to someday have a family and this very gift brings me tremendous pleasure.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge serving in your role at church?

The blessing is to be able to spend my “work” time helping wherever I may be needed. It is really freeing. 

The challenge is going against my natural tendency as an introvert so that I can be effective in communicating with people and involving them in the work of the church.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I need to develop some... Any suggestions? I will typically do whatever will lead to time spent with my family. It was simpler when my kids were younger and I could take them to the park, roughhouse with them and be playful. I need to find ways to be more physically active.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Christmas evening routine- dinner, watching The Nativity, and playing silly games past midnight. It seems like the later we stay up, the sillier and more gregarious we get. At some point the kids and I simply try to keep mama laughing hysterically nonstop until she cries.  

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

It starts by preparing a full breakfast for my family, running a few errands with Becca, a short nap, a simultaneous walk and football toss at UNM with Becca and the kids, and ends with dinner out and meaningful conversation in our living room.

What is the perfect meal?

Carnitas tacos with all the toppings, especially guacamole and my sister’s red chile salsa with a side of rice.

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

My kids, especially as they quote and act out their favorite funny movie scenes.  

Grayson: 

My name is Grayson and I am in 6th grade. I like to hunt, fish, shoot and play football. My parents are Chandler and Becca and I have a sister Bryce, along with two wonderful dogs and eight chickens.

I have been going to MCC for 11 years and it is a great church. I have been going to VBS for five years now and it is really fun. I also have helped set up the rooms to get ready for VBS.

I have never had a favorite theme but they were all great. I really like having games in the morning and a lesson.

I learned that God never leaves us and always forgives us. I have also invited friends to VBS. VBS is a great way to come closer to God and get new friendships.

Ava:

I’m Ava and I'm in third grade. My parents are Nathan and Shannon and my siblings are Cache and Hannah. We’ve been going to MCC since I was about two years old. I like hanging out with my cat for fun. 

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

Born in Beaver Dam, WI, grew up in Milwaukee, WI. East Mountains of New Mexico have been home since 2001.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I wanted to be an Engineer when I grew up --- but I’m pretty much over that now!

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My Dad (Pete) grew up in a loving Christian home himself but was born again in his late twenties when I was young. His early and consistent example has outweighed any other earthly influence in my life and walk.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

In retrospect, it seems like He was calling me all throughout middle school, high school, and college. However, I didn’t answer that call before a period of deep skepticism, introspection, and ultimately prayer and Bible study as a graduate student – the same year I married Melissa and moved to New Mexico from Wisconsin.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

1 Cor. 10:13 and Ephesians 2:8-10.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

My wife, Melissa, coming to faith and the adoption of our amazing children, Zoe Ellen (11) and Josiah Peter (7).

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as an elder?

I have spent more time in focused prayer over our body and its members since being called to serve as an Elder. While I recognize I should pray more than I do, every second spent in personal and corporate prayer for MCC has been a tremendous blessing to me personally, and I’m so appreciative of all the prayer warriors in our body. We are so incredibly blessed to be called His children!

I’ve made plenty of mistakes during my time in leadership, but the most challenging times have resulted from an increased awareness of the many pressures of the world that work to discourage the people of God and divide His church. Unity is worth fighting – and sacrificing – for.  We are family.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

Skiing: originally as an after-school program in 5^th grade in WI. Now it’s my favorite way to spend time with family and friends and to travel in the backcountry.

When there’s no snow: Mountain Biking --- how cool we can almost do that year-round in NM!

Reading Theology, Philosophy, and Apologetics: this stuff matters!

What is your favorite family tradition?

Thanksgiving meatballs after skiing powder at Wolf Creek.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Hiking or mountain biking the local trails with my family, having friends over for dinner and sitting around a fire at night.

What is the perfect meal?

Smoked brisket; greens; corn bread; mac-and-cheese with green chili and bacon; pumpkin, apple, and/or peach pie.

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Dan Cravens and the Babe Magnet (if you don’t know, you need to).

We asked Melissa: 

All of these kids live in Villa Margarita, all have similar brick and cement single room apartments that they live in with their whole families. Each has different situations, different challenges, and a different knowledge and relationship with God. The more-outgoing have grown up with Food for the Hungry as a part of their lives for the last 10 years. The more-timid have just started working with FH in the last few months. The difference is whether or not they know they are loved by God.

I have to admit that even though our family has been supporting kids through Food for the Hungry for 15 years, and we have written hundreds of letters, I forget them. It’s just a face on my refrigerator. It’s easy for me to give the excuse that I’m too busy to write now...I’ll do it next month. What could one little letter from me really do?

But after meeting them, seeing their faces, hearing their hopes and dreams, meeting their families, hugging them, seeing their smiles – I get it. They love getting mail (don’t we all!?). They love knowing that we are interested in what’s important to them. They keep those letters, those pictures. It is important.

But it wasn’t until I was talking with Marisa that I really got it. Marisa is the FH staff member who visits with and disciples the sponsor kids and their families in Villa Margarita. She said that she teaches the kids all the time that God loves each of them. But the kids can’t see God, and it can be hard to feel like he loves them when life is so hard. On the other hand, our letters are from people they can’t see, but they can hold the letter and read the words. They can know this “unseen person” does care about them and about their futures. Then Marisa blew my mind by saying, “Your letters are how these kids feel God’s love.”

WOW. Me? My letters? What a difference we can make in a kid’s life! Not only does sponsoring a child allow them and their family to be a part of the myriad of opportunities FH provides, but we get to be how they first understand God’s love! We get to be missionaries from our own kitchen tables!

So, I challenge you – let’s do it! Let’s be God’s love to them! Let’s show the kids in Villa Margarita that God loves them by being pen pals with a purpose! There will be child sponsorship packets available Sunday between services. I promise you, you won’t regret it, and it will impact both of your lives forever!

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Albuquerque but at the time lived on Mount Taylor until I was 4 years old. Then we moved to Edgewood and I have always thought of it as home.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I wanted to join the military and have a commercial construction company named JBC. I never figured out what JBC was an acronym for, at that time I didn't even know what an acronym was.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My parents were, mom was a prayer warrior and my dad was a creationist enthusiast. Both enjoyed reading and studying God's word.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I grew up in a Christian family. When I was seven I accepted Jesus into my heart with my mom, however, I didn't remember it. So, when I was 12 I felt like if the biggest and best decision in my life was putting my faith in Jesus then I should remember exactly when and where I was. At age 12 I surrendered my life to Jesus and never forgot it.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Proverbs 3:5-6. When my dad was dying from cancer I knew I needed a verse to cling to.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

My son Grayson was born 9 weeks early and the doctors said he may have a host of life-long issues. God saw to it, that was not the case! He is healthy, strong and lives a normal life.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as an elder?

Being entrusted to lead God's flock and lift up my brothers and sisters in prayer with the other elders weekly is a great blessing. The greatest challenge is guiding the body when the word is not explicit.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I enjoy target shooting, which my dad introduced me to, and hunting, which I didn't get into until I was an adult and a friend let me go with him. My other love is camping, which Becca and I have enjoyed since we got married. 

What is your favorite family tradition?

Christmas eve we all go to Santa Fe for the night to celebrate with Mexican food and a reading of the Christmas story. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Doing yard work around the house or going out to eat at a new place is always fun. 

What is the perfect meal?

Trying a new restaurant or going to one of our favorites with Becca and not being rushed. 

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Becca and the kids always crack me up when they're joking around. 

We asked Becca:

Was this a plan I labored to implement over time? Definitely not. This was the best type of plan, one in which the Lord gave small opportunities, one step at a time, which ultimately led to huge blessings. The Lord granted the blessing of allowing my kids to all join me in this service, which had provided blessing upon blessing for my family.

I’ve had the wonderful privilege of co-leading with Danny Mitchell, who has provided hours of teaching, advice, and mentorship to each of my kids in how to lead a congregation in worship. I am honored to have been able to share a team with Danny for the past 12 years.

Here are the some of the lessons I have learned along the way:

Serving in the music ministry has provided me community and friendship. If you want to feel connected to others at church, join a ministry and give your heart and soul to it. Few activities, if any, bind believers together like serving one’s local church in ministry. Small groups may form community; but serving wholeheartedly together forms deep relational ties forged by commitment, trust, and sacrifice.

Serving together with my children has been one of the absolute highlights of my life! We’ve all had to learn patience and humility with each other, along with the joy of creating music together. Whatever ministry you team up with — family, friends, co-workers, classmates — serving together will create unforgettable memories, forge strong bonds, and craft each one’s character through working together towards the goal of glorifying Christ in the endeavor.

One of my favorite parts of leading worship is getting to meditate on the lyrics over and over by preparing and practicing the songs. By the time we sing the songs on Sunday mornings, I am so encouraged and uplifted by the truths in the lyrics. The Word we sing about fills my heart with praise.

I look back on the last 18 years and see the hand of God’s faithfulness all over my life. He has graciously allowed me to be a part of the worship team and I consider being a part of this ministry one of the greatest privileges of my life. My heart overflows with thanksgiving to the elders of Mountain who have allowed my family and I to lead worship. I am incredibly grateful to my husband, Rob, who has graciously allowed me to lead worship twice a month and often on holidays for 18 years now.

I encourage you to find a ministry that resonates deep in your soul and then give your heart and soul to it. If you don’t know what ministry that might be, volunteer in small ways with a few. You may find that a certain ministry grips you. The journey will overwhelm you with so much grace.  The relationships will bind you together by the heart to other believers. Every time you serve and sacrifice, I promise you that the blessings you receive will far outweigh the sacrifice. Your heart will resonate, as does mine, “To God be the glory; great things He has done!”

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Arlington, Texas; however, New Mexico is home now.

What did you want to be when you grew up–and is that still a dream?

The first thing I wanted to be was a Dallas Cowboy, wow, has that changed! But I always think deep down I wanted to be a scientist, something I continue to pursue.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

Definitely my father. I was blessed to grow up in a Christian household.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I committed to Christ when I was in mid-school; however, I really made my faith my own when Penny and I married and moved to Tucson for grad school.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Romans 8:31-39: I still remember the first time I read this verse in a Father-Son study.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

Most recently it was His persistent encouragement for me to move into partial retirement.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as an elder?

The blessing is definitely the time that I am able to spend with the elders. The biggest challenge is just the feeling that there is always so much more that I could be doing.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

Anything outdoors, mountain biking, snow skiing, hiking, fly fishing, paddle boarding. These just naturally evolved when I moved to the West.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Simply eating a meal at the table as a family. This is increasingly appreciated as our family continues to grow (e.g., daughters-in-law and grandchild).

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

It is just the opposite of most people, I have to be active. Doesn’t matter too much what it is, I just have to be doing something. This often drives Penny crazy.

What is the perfect meal?

It is not so much what we eat; rather, it is about cooking the meal with Penny.

Who or what never fails to make you laugh?

That is easy, it is spending time with our life-long friends Greg and Kate. Somehow laughter is just a big part of our time together.

We asked Penny: 

What is your favorite trait about Vince: 

My favorite trait of Vince is his character. I married him for his character, and he’s never let me down!

What does Vince do that can always make you smile? 

Vince will take a daily walk with me behind the house! That always makes me smile! 

The trail is marked with a series of 2”x6” painted white rectangles on trees, rocks, roads and fence posts. There are around 160,000 of these “white blazes” along the course of the trail, often, but not always, arranged so that one can see the next one from the previous one. Sights of the side of the trail are marked with similar “blue blazes”, and can include camping locations, water sources or routes to a nearby town.  With a reasonable amount of care, a hiker will usually be able to keep from getting lost along the way, and if he strays, it is usually not a difficult task to go back to the last blaze and look for the way again.  Imagine going for four to six months relying on painted blazes to show your way, and having faith that the next one will be beyond the current one!

The AT was for me a life-changing experience, drawing me closer to God, and enriching my life. I now spend a few months a year helping others achieve their hike goals, and simultaneously pointing out how God is and can be working in their lives. Hikers will say after hiking for months on the trail, “Wouldn’t it be nice if there were white blazes in life as well?”  The question can be the start of a wonderful conversation because, you see, there are: they are written in the love letter God wrote for us. Just as on the AT, we don’t get the whole picture at one time; we need to rely on the Bible for guidance step by step, day by day. And, we might take some detours off the path, but we can get back on again. It’s not a rigid structured life either: there are blue blazes in our lives that might lead to marriage, career decisions, or other important life choices. Always, however, we have the backbone of scripture to guide us. 

So, what are you using for your blazes? Do you rely on what the world paints on your path to determine your path, or do you look to the Word each and every day to know the next steps? As sure as the white blazes can take you 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine, the Bible can guide you on an even more amazing trip: to eternal life with One who loves you.

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born outside of Chicago, but Abq is home.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

At one point, early on, I wanted to be some kind of philosopher or amazing mathematician. Those kind of went together and those guys seemed really cool.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My earliest spiritual influence was going to mass. I also tried to read the Bible when I was in about 5th grade, but I didn't have any idea what I was doing, and that didn't last very long.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I first heard the gospel at a mid-school summer camp hosted by another church. I knew that I was a sinner and I came to understand that Christ is the only Savior.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Psalm 37 is a passage that I discovered for myself many years ago, and became one of the places that I've returned to most frequently. This word has often been the Lord's comfort to me in my distress, His peace to me in my confusion, His guidance for me in my searching, and His wisdom to me in my uncertainty.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

Most answered prayers in my life may seem small, rather than earth-shaking. Recently, the Lord gave specific medical guidance to a friend that was His clear work. He also gave a divine opportunity to see someone's eyes turned to the Lord.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge as serving as pastor?

One challenge of shepherding is that we (sheep) are almost always in-process, and we often don't see the resolution. One huge blessing is being close enough to people in our hurt to see the glory of overcoming faith and the grace of incomprehensible joy!

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I look forward to a good game of sand volleyball. In graduate school in NC, I fell into playing about 4-5 times a week one summer with a group of teaching assistants. I also enjoy strategy games - when I can find the time. Oh yeah, and I also enjoy getting beat at Uno or Old Maid or other simple card games by young girls in our home.

What is your favorite family tradition?

There are tons of family memories - by God's grace - but just being together to read, pray, and sing feels to me like something out of a dream.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

I would say reading .. but then sometimes I can't sit still long enough to make it happen. But, let's say reading.

What is the perfect meal?

Carne Adovada. I'm pretty certain that this is the meal for which Esau traded his birthright.  (I think that it says this in the Hebrew.)

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Molly. Typically it goes like this: I say something incorrectly or mix up my words. She finds this hilarious, and can't help but laugh at me. I fail at playing it cool and trying to play it off. Pretty soon we are both laughing at each other. It escalates. Eventually, sometimes we snort.

We asked Molly:

What is your favorite trait about Frank? 

I have a lot of favorite traits, so this is a hard question. However, the one that comes to mind immediately is that I love his humor and his wit. I also love his ability to think through issues from all sides.  

What does he do that can always make you smile? 

He makes me smile when he plays board games and sports with our kids both big and small, creating fellowship, relationship, and laughter. And, I love that he can still sing with flourish the early 1990's P.I.D. rap "Get You A Bible" listing the books in order! So fun! 

As a graduate student studying Physics in an environment overtly hostile to Christianity, God took me down my own path of discovering the bankruptcy of the default skeptical positions assumed in that culture.  Once I realized that theists and non-theists alike believed in “miracles” (what’s a bigger miracle than the Universe coming into existence out of nothing?) it gradually became clearer to me that God existed, and could therefore intervene if, when, and how, He wanted. Yet, before experimenting with prayer and ultimately placing my faith in the God of the Bible, I had to become convinced of the historical plausibility of the resurrection myself.

Do you know what I found? A remarkably high number of even non-Christian professional historians agree on dozens of historical facts that can be arranged into three broad categories: 1) The discovery of Jesus’ empty tomb by a group of his women followers. 2) The postmortem appearances to several individuals and groups. 3) The origin of the disciples’ belief in Jesus’ resurrection. The task of the historian is then to compare all the competing hypotheses according to certain criteria for the best explanation (see graphic inset).

Even the most skeptical non-Christian scholars acknowledge that the earliest Christian hypothesis proclaimed by Jesus’ disciples, skeptics like James, and persecutors like Saul, was that “God raised Jesus from the dead”. This fact can be established using only Paul’s universally accepted letters, one of which contains the most primitive Christian creed proclaiming the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:3-5), which is dated to within a couple of years and possibly even months of the crucifixion (see graphic timeline).  This allows no time for legendary development or corrupted oral tradition assumed by alternative hypotheses.  The resurrection hypothesis benefits from several early and independently attested eyewitness accounts supported by many biblical and extra-biblical sources that overshadow every alternative hypothesis (various “conspiracy theories”, the “apparent death” or “mythological” explanation, the “Hallucination hypothesis”, and combinations of these).

The resurrection hypothesis not only holds its own under rigorous historical analysis – it appears to be the best explanation of the established facts*.  It’s a remarkable fact that alternative hypotheses have less traction today than they did 50 years ago among academic scholars in the relevant fields. When put into the context of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, the resurrection hypothesis not only fits the historical data the best, it also vindicates Jesus’ claims about Himself, and gives us our only hope. For God “has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” –  Paul at the Aereopagus in Athens (Acts 17:31).

*for rigorous analysis of available historical data see any number of books, publications, and debates by Dr. Gary Habermas, Dr. Mike Licona, Dr. William Lane Craig, Dr. N.T. Wright among others.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/resurrection-jesus-christ/

A Lesson in Greek and Hebrew

You all know that the New Testament was first written in Greek, and the Old Testament was first written in Hebrew. Wherever the word "hosanna" occurs in the New Testament, do you know what the Greek word is? Right! It's "hosanna." All the English translators did was use English letters (h-o-s-a-n-n-a) to make the sound of a Greek word.

But if you look in a Greek dictionary to find what it means, you know what you find? You find that it is really not originally a Greek word after all. The men who wrote the New Testament in Greek did the same thing to a Hebrew word that our English translators did to the Greek word: they just used Greek letters to make the sound of a Hebrew phrase. I know this sounds sort of complicated. But it's really not. Our English word "hosanna" comes from a Greek word "hosanna" which comes from a Hebrew phrase hoshiya na.

And that Hebrew phrase is found one solitary place in the whole Old Testament, Psalm 118:25, where it means, "Save, please!" It is a cry to God for help. Like when somebody pushes you off the diving board before you can swim and you come up hollering: "Help, save me . . . Hoshiya na!"

A Shift in Meaning

But something happened to that phrase, hoshiya na. The meaning changed over the years. In the psalm it was immediately followed by the exclamation: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" The cry for help, hoshiya na, was answered almost before it came out of the psalmist's mouth. And over the centuries the phrase hoshiya na stopped being a cry for help in the ordinary language of the Jews. Instead it became a shout of hope and exultation. It used to mean, "Save, please!" But gradually, it came to mean, "Salvation! Salvation! Salvation has come!" It used to be what you would say when you fell off the diving board. But it came to be what you would say when you see the lifeguard coming to save you! It is the bubbling over of a heart that sees hope and joy and salvation on the way and can't keep it in.

So "Hosanna!" means, "Hooray for salvation! It's coming! It's here! Salvation! Salvation!"

And "Hosanna to the Son of David!" means, "The Son of David is our salvation! Hooray for the king! Salvation belongs to the king!"

And "Hosanna in the highest!" means, "Let all the angels in heaven join the song of praise. Salvation! Salvation! Let the highest heaven sing the song!"

Two Kinds of Hosannas

Picture a Super Bowl game, and (believe it or not) the Vikings are three points ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are on their own 35 and have no more time outs. There are two seconds remaining on the clock. The Vikings' fans are going wild. The Steelers line up, fake a pass to the receivers on the left sideline, and run a wide sweep around the right end, and the quarterback breaks into the open and heads down the right sideline—40 - 45 - 50 - 45. The only hope for the Vikings is Willie Teal, the safety, cutting a diagonal across the field. And out of the Vikings' grandstand come two kinds of hosannas, the old kind and the new kind. One part of the crowd is yelling: "Catch him! Catch him, Willie!" (That's the old hosanna.) The other part of the crowd is yelling, "You got him! You got him, Willie!" (That's the new hosanna.) The word moved from plea to praise; from cry to confidence.

So when we sing "Hosanna" now, let's make it very personal. Let's make it our praise and our confidence. The Son of David has come. He has saved us from guilt and fear and hopelessness. Salvation! Salvation belongs to our God and to the Son! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!

DesiringGod. Hosanna. March 27, 1983. John Piper

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/hosanna

I can certainly draw support from Scripture in encouraging you to become part of a small group. In Acts 2 we are told that the people who heard the gospel message from Peter and were then “cut to the heart” asked him what they should do. He responded to them by telling them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. Luke then describes how this group of three thousand new believers were led by the Holy Spirit to interact with one another, to fellowship with one another. It says of them, “they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” (Acts 2:46b-47) Consider this, three thousand new believers were somehow organized by the Holy Spirit into small groups that were accommodated in each other’s homes. 

Community groups are really this simple, they are a gathering of some of you all, for the benefit of all you all, to the praise of the God who is sovereign over all. Community groups are a vibrant expression of the interconnectedness of God’s people. They provide an opportunity for us to create a bond of Christian brotherhood in the sharing of trials, sufferings, joys, laughs, celebrations and, oh yea- there’s food. And did I mention that all of this is done under the canopy of God’s Word? God’s Word is the sustaining and overarching foundation of why we gather.  In some ways, He reveals Himself to us more completely as we hear other’s accounts of how He is working in us and through us. And then there’s accountability- community groups can offer an opportunity to be corrected in our errant thinking by others who are observing how we apply God’s Word to our every day life. 

There are many more benefits that come from being part of a community group, none are more obvious than being able to exercise the spiritual gifts of hospitality and teaching. And even just as important is the opportunity to pray for one another. My most recent personal experience attests to the great comfort and peace that God grants to us as His people are united in prayer on our behalf. 

As I recall the many ways in which I have recently seen God work through those of you involved in community groups, some stand out. I love the way you supported and gently comforted a dear mother who lost her son. It has been amazing to me to witness the move of the Holy Spirit in the life of a dear brother who trusted God to give him a heart of compassion for the homeless. Some of you have seen how this man’s, this couple’s persistent and patient obedience to our Lord have opened an opportunity for the gospel in the life of one of the least of these, one among the many homeless in our community.

And finally, community groups can provide the opportunity to become committed to the local body. William Boekstein makes the observation that “many churches have a number of guests or occasional visitors “orbiting” the church; they are considering landing but not sure if or how they can. Small groups can provide a way for those who are trying- or considering whether they would like to try- to break into the life of the church.” 

Whether you are “orbiting” or firmly planted, it is our hope that you connect with a group of like-minded individuals in our body that you can consistently live the Christian life with. Towards that end, we have a number of community groups and small group Bible studies that you can join.  Or maybe, you are at a point where you are sensing God’s direction to start a new small group.  If that is the case, we would love to help you get started. 

Why do women need to be engaged in community? Simple, because they need to be reminded that they are not alone. There is something so deeply nourishing to a woman's heart that comes from spending time with other women. Engaging in community takes a girl out of the lonely perspective of not measuring up and into the bountiful environment of encouragement, support, and accountability.

Why should women engage in worship? Quite frankly, we need to be reminded of whose we are and what better way to do that than to humbly bow ourselves before the King of Kings. When we worship the King of Kings, we realize that though we are nothing in and of ourselves, we are everything in the eyes of the King. Knowing every ugly detail about us, he still chose to go to pull us out of the pit and place a crown on our heads. Engaging in worship isn't a chore, it is a heart healing opportunity to reflect on the one who made us royalty and cast our crowns back at his feet in praise.

Jodi Hendricks explores these questions, and more. She is a wife, mother of four, native New Mexican, licensed Mental Health Counselor, Director of the Women’s Ministry at her church, and an avid motorcycle rider (amongst other things)!

Jodi will be joining us for Koinonia, a women’s retreat sponsored by Mountain Christian Church. We will worship with special guest Cassie Rogers of the Kipsies through song, take a look at Community through Jesus’ encounter with the Woman at the Well, and enjoy lunch together.

Make plans to join us Saturday, March 16, from 9 am-1 pm at Nature Pointe Events. Click here to RSVP. For more information contact Emily Gray (505-297-9178) or Lisa Lemelin (505-917-2999).

Side-by-Side Friendship

Couples who seek to behold and pursue something together cultivate side-by-side trust. This side-by-side posture is marriage as friendship.

Friendships form around a mutual beholding of a shared delight. When you discover another who shares your interest in something dear to you, you declare, “You too?! I thought I was the only one!” (C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves, 248). Your friendship may include many mutual pursuits or only just a few, but any side-by-side time fosters the kind of trust that comes from holding something in common beyond your relationship itself.

Many couples’ relationships initially form around something they pursued together. Perhaps you two met because of a love for music, or a shared academic interest, or a business venture. Often, however, the demands and trials of life act over time like a centrifugal force, pushing those once-shared pursuits to the periphery. I’m suggesting that, as much as you can, pursue interests held in common, whether old or new, in the regular rhythms of your life together.

Perhaps you host the annual fall festival in your backyard, or serve on the worship team together, or play Terraforming Mars with those other board-game fanatics. Whatever the common pursuit, invest in it together. And if you object that you do not share the same interests, then find one of your spouse’s interests that you can learn too. Sheldon loved literature; Davy excelled in music. Out of love for the other, they “became at home in both worlds” (A Severe Mercy, 38).

Finding Intimacy on the Way to God

Investing in side-by-side trust is essential because a “creeping separateness,” Sheldon and Davy rightly warn, is frequently a “killer of love” (37). And as they later discovered in their conversion, the greatest resistance to that centrifugal force is no mere common pursuit but the greatest pursuit: beholding God together. So even if shared hobbies and interests feel sparse, seek always to go in a Godward direction together. For Christian marriages are built not around mere eros or philia, but around a shared receiving and giving of agape love for God and one another. Therefore, together as a couple we must prize worshiping God at home and with God’s people.

The beautiful thing about these three postures for cultivating trust is their mutually reinforcing nature. You can’t grow in intimacy if you are not working to protect each other from temptation and sin, disappointment and burnout — or just simply protecting your own time together. The reverse is true as well. You can’t grow in your ability to help each other see your blind spots if you do not grow in face-to-face fellowship. And both face-to-face and back-to-back trust flourish in the consistency of a side-by-side friendship set on God.

DesiringGod. Marriage in Three Postures. January 31, 2023. Zach Howard

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/marriage-in-three-postures

Traditional marriage vows include the phrase “forsaking all others” as a promise of exclusivity “for as long as we both shall live.” In his book A Severe Mercy, Sheldon Vanauken includes an image that offers both a sober warning and a powerful insight into marriage, one my wife and I have benefitted from personally.

As unbelievers, Sheldon and his wife, Davy, so cherished their relationship that they did not want anyone or anything to come between their love for one another. They therefore committed to maintaining a “Shining Barrier” around their marriage to preserve the exclusivity of their love. They vowed to never have children, lest rambunctious little ones invade their shining barrier. Lest death break that barrier, they even promised to one day sail out to sea to sink their sailboat so they could die together. In retrospect, the converted Sheldon judiciously titles the section on their young, distorted commitment to one another’s vows “Pagan Love.” As Christians, we recognize in their marriage a sober warning: a relationship so devoted to itself excludes and replaces God.

Nevertheless, Sheldon and Davy’s commitment to radical exclusivity in their marriage highlights a powerful insight: marriages thrive on trust. Sheldon and Davy prized their “in-loveness” and feared broken trust would destroy it. They therefore sought to cultivate and encourage trust. My wife and I seek to do so too, while wary not to resort to Sheldon and Davy’s extreme exclusivity. We do so by pursuing one another in three distinct but overlapping modes: face-to-face intimacy, back-to-back partnership, and side-by-side friendship.

Face-to-Face Intimacy

Face-to-face trust grows when spouses seek to know and be known by one another. Such intimacy may happen on weekly date nights, or during prayer before bed, or on morning walks, or with playfulness around each other throughout the day. And, yes, in sexual foreplay and consummation too. We’re naive, though, to reduce intimacy to sex. For, as lovers come to know, sex is merely part of a much greater beauty. “To be in love, as to see beauty, is a kind of adoring that turns the lover away from self,” Sheldon observes (A Severe Mercy, 43). Thus, face-to-face intimacy is a beholding of the beloved — a looking up from self and away from the world to truly see another.

Beholding our beloved will look different in different seasons of marriage. In every season, though, intimacy is an opening up of yourself to your spouse emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This requires vulnerability from both of you. In fact, trust and vulnerability run parallel in intimacy. Thoughtfully and consistently sharing your joys and burdens, fears and successes, and then seeking to hear the same from your spouse, engenders the kind of trust out of which healthy marriages are made.

For many couples early in their relationship, emotional and physical intimacy may come easily. A gentle touch. A whispered word. A quick glance. Eros makes us eager to give ourselves heart, soul, mind, and body to our beloved. And in most marriages, you will quickly rack up more face time with your spouse than with anyone else. But it takes work to develop deeper and lasting intimacy.

In his song “World Traveler,” Andrew Peterson describes how his small-town younger self dreamed of traveling the world to discover “the great beyond.” He had “hardly seen a thing,” though, when he “gave a golden ring / To the one who gave her heart to me.” And he became a different kind of world traveler as “she opened the gate and took my hand / And led me into the mystic land / Where her galaxies swirl.” For deep and lasting trust to take root, we must travel each other’s souls with a kind of patient, unhurried attention that is willing to wonder and delight.

In beholding our spouse, we’re seeking to give and receive the true reward of face-to-face intimacy: being both genuinely known and truly loved. We will ultimately find this only in communion with God, and yet he ordains marriage as one picture that points to such a future heavenly reward (Ephesians 5:25–33). Such face-to-face trust, though, is fragile and requires a different kind of posture to guard and protect it.

Back-to-Back Partnership

When couples, knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses, seek to guard and protect each other, they develop a kind of back-to-back trust. We all have blind spots, besetting sins, and frailties that our spouse comes to know through the consistent face time of everyday life. And spouses can use those sight lines and their own unique strengths to protect each other. Sin crouches at the door (Genesis 4:7), Satan roars like a lion (1 Peter 5:8), and both seek to devour your marriage. Like two heroes with circling enemies, couples turn back-to-back, trusting the other to call out threats, shout encouragements, and celebrate even the small victories together.

Couples, of course, can partner back-to-back without an obvious enemy like sin or Satan. External pressures from difficult circumstances, a challenging boss, high expectations from extended family or friends can all create a setting where a couple needs to practice back-to-back partnership. The in-laws come into town, and their casual, make-it-up-as-we-go style disorients the wife’s thoughtful, well-planned itineraries. Her gift for planning is unwittingly ignored by the husband’s parents, and after day one with them she feels exposed and frustrated. She’s tempted to unload her frustration on him, and he’s tempted to shrug off her concerns as being oversensitive. Both spouses are tempted to start shooting at each other in the very moment they most need to care for the other, building mutual trust by standing back-to-back. In recognizing the urge to attack him, she can instead generously acknowledge the qualities worth praising in her in-laws — while he can initiate a frank conversation with his parents about following the plan for day two.

As we recognize and protect against threats to each other, we reap the fruit of stability and endurance. Back-to-back trust strengthens marriages to bear the heavy burdens we carry together in a fallen world. Yet the intimacy from face-to-face and the strength from back-to-back can both be undermined if we neglect another posture for cultivating trust.

Continue reading more with us next week....

desiringGod. Marriage in Three Postures. January 31, 2024. Zach Howard.

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/marriage-in-three-postures

3. Desire and Be Content

What about singles who deeply desire marriage? How can we endure seasons of discontentment? We need to clarify what we mean when we talk about contentment. Paul writes to the Philippians,

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. (Philippians 4:10–14)

First, you can be content in singleness while desiring to be married. Paul thanks the Philippians for assisting him while in prison. I don’t think Paul is telling the Philippians that he desires to stay in prison because he is content in all circumstances. Between being hungry or well fed, he prefers being fed (“It was kind of you to share my trouble”).

“You can desire marriage while still being content in seasons of singleness.”

Desire and contentment are two different realities. You can desire marriage while still being content in seasons of singleness. If you are single and desire to be married, then, don’t feel guilty about that desire. Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” Enjoy your singleness and look for a spouse!

Second, contentment sees the goodness of God in one’s circumstances, not detached from them. Do not try to find your ultimate satisfaction in the future fulfillment of a spouse. Find your satisfaction in Christ in your season of singleness. Our focus in singleness should not be primarily oriented toward the hope of future marriage. Our faithfulness in singleness is valuable because it honors Christ. As Sam Allberry says, “If marriage shows us the shape of the gospel, singleness shows us its sufficiency” (7 Myths About Singleness, 120).

Third, you can be content in singleness and still struggle with the difficulties that come with singleness. We intuitively understand this about marriage. Difficulties in marriage don’t necessarily mean discontentment in marriage (though it can certainly lead there). Christ can handle our delights and our disappointments. You can be honest about the difficulties of singleness while trusting Christ in “in any and every circumstance” (Philippians 4:12).

4. Devote Yourself to a Church Family

In Mark 10:29–31, Jesus says,

Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Jesus promises us a family worth a hundred times more than anything we may leave — now in this time. The family that Jesus promises is his church.

Here’s an excerpt from our church’s covenant:

We . . . promise to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to rejoice at each other’s happiness; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to restore one another through discipline; to be slow to take offense, but always ready to reconcile immediately in obedience to Jesus, the head of our church.

What does that sound like? It sounds like a marriage vow. Commitment to a church provides an explicit, mutual responsibility in a spiritual, familial relationship. For a Christian, then, a single life need not be a lonely life. The most practical ways you can practice undivided devotion to Christ will come through a love for his church (John 13:34–35).

Single, Not Lonely

Life in the local church enables me to serve in ways I can’t alone. I get to babysit children while their parents go on dates. I get to go out of my way to spend time with a shut-in that lives further away. I get to use my time to serve in ways that would be difficult for other members in the church. There is no selfish singleness in the kingdom of God. While married Christians expend most of their energy for their physical family, I get to expend most of my energy for my spiritual family.

Living with the local church also lets me depend on other Christians in times of need. A warm, homecooked meal is a phone call away. Church members who know me cry with me, challenge me, and encourage me as I pursue Christlikeness. It doesn’t mean they love me perfectly (I don’t love them perfectly either), but in this life, my church has been as precious to me as brothers, sisters, mother, father, or children.

Singleness has its fair share of joys, difficulties, and opportunities. But our faithfulness now displays our hope in future glory, when people will “neither marry nor [be] given in marriage” (Matthew 22:30), because we’ll see our Bridegroom face to face. And when we see him, we’ll know that the investment we made in this season was worth it.

desiringGod. Single but Not Lonely. January 28, 2023. John Lee.

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/single-but-not-lonely

That assessment, however, couldn’t be further from reality. And I say that as a still-single man who aspires to marry. All of us experience singleness. And even for those who do marry, more than half will be single again. God cares about our unmarried years. He desires all of us to make the most of them. So what steps can we take to steward these years well?

1. Define Your Gift

The apostle Paul makes an audacious claim. Whereas in Genesis 2 God observes, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18), Paul tells the unmarried and the widows that “it is good for them to remain single, as I am” (1 Corinthians 7:8). Paul, when looking at the new-covenant community, doesn’t see marriage-lessness as a curse, but as a gift. He says, “I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another” (1 Corinthians 7:7).

I’ve spoken to dear saints who desire marriage and do not have the life they expected. If that describes you, God has not abandoned you. You’re not stuck in a waiting room between celibacy and marriage. God desires his good, perfect, delightful will for you right now. James reminds us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17) — and Paul could certainly add, “even your singleness.”

2. Discern the Advantages

What about singleness makes it a gift? What does singleness offer that marriage doesn’t? If we cannot name the advantages that come with singleness, then despite our insistence that singleness is a gift, we don’t have much to offer to those who are living a single life.

Paul puts the advantages of singleness under the phrase “undivided devotion”:

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:32–35)

When I read those verses and reflect on the advantages of singleness, I see at least three.

FOCUS

In a world full of distraction, singleness enables us to focus on Jesus “without distraction.” This isn’t to say that we cannot honor Christ if we’re married — God desires married couples to love and serve each other for his glory (Ephesians 5:22–33). But singles can devote themselves to him with fewer disruptions from good but competing desires.

As singles, we’re able to be single-minded. We can focus on honoring our Lord without the complexities of a spouse and children. Quiet mornings with Bible reading and prayer. Ministering to others without being interrupted by naps and diaper-changes. Fellowship without a curfew. Decisions about the future oriented toward gospel good without weighing familial costs. Singleness allows for undivided focus.

FLEXIBILITY

“Let me check with my spouse” is probably the most frequent response to an invitation extended to a married member at my church. Singles are advantaged in not carrying the weight of accounting for another person. We can say yes more often.

“Singles can say yes more often.”

When a church member texts me at 11:30 p.m. asking to meet to read the Bible, I can say yes. When a family at the church needs emergency babysitting, I can say yes. When life presents risky, God-glorifying opportunities, I can say yes. Singles’ capacity allows us to flex for the sake of the kingdom.

FREEDOM

Paul states his desire for singles by saying, “I want you to be free from anxieties” (1 Corinthians 7:32). Freedom from the obligations of marriage enables singles to do what married people cannot. Whereas marriage is helped by stable routine and clear obligations, singleness provides mobility.

Valuing singleness doesn’t diminish the value or dignity of marriage. Paul wrote both 1 Corinthians 7 and Ephesians 5. He can exalt the value of marriage and express his preference for singleness. Singleness provides good opportunities that marriage does not.

Check back next week for Part 2....

desiringGod. Single but Not Lonely. January 28, 2023. John Lee.

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/single-but-not-lonely

I can’t reach the people in a Georgia suburb like the people in the Georgia suburbs can.

I can’t reach the neighbor in southeast London like the people in southeast London can.

You can’t reach the people in northern Michigan like I can.

Social media has deceived us into believing we can change the whole world by shouting louder, by posting more, by adding to the cacophony of voices and opinions already overwhelming us. While I do believe speaking up matters (when it is guided by the Holy Spirit, and not by anxiety, proving others wrong, or an ever-restless cancel culture) most of our witness and work for the gospel doesn’t happen online. It happens in real life.

I am far more changed across a table from a living, Christ-loving human than I am through a pixelated screen, and so are you. And so is your neighbor.

But that change isn’t exactly the end goal. The goal, of course, is for people to experience Christ. Why? Because God made them, and His making left an immovable mark upon their soul. People seek meaning and purpose and spirituality because that mark remains, seeking to draw them back to their Maker. There is an innate need for purpose, meaning, and knowing why life is the way it is. As Christians, we have a framework to answer these questions, and our experience of a loving and holy God should motivate us to share him in our world.

Outward change wrought in people around us, then, is not the goal. But it is a byproduct of exposure to Jesus. When you meet Jesus, when you understand His love and sacrifice and what it cost for Him to give us grace, you desire to grow. You desire to have that peace. You desire to find that purpose in the midst of chaos and hurt and pain. Those desires are God-given, and they are drawing us to His heart.

So what’s the job, as a Christian? Your job – based on Matthew 28:20, in Jesus’ own words – is to make disciples of the nations. That starts with the nation you’re in. And let’s narrow that down further: it starts with the state you’re in, the province you’re in, the city you’re in, and the street you’re on. Making disciples is as simple as living life alongside people as they experience profound joy and the deepest pain. And when that joy needs sharing or that loss threatens to crush them, Christ, in you, is there. Truth in grace is there.

I’m not saying we rush into someone’s pain with a Bible and a Romans-Road gospel tract. But the gospel is truly the good news. Jesus thought so. (If we don’t think Jesus was right on this – that he really isn’t enough, or he never intended to be, well, we have bigger problems to deal with theologically.) The problems may not be erased, the pain may not be lifted, but we can point to the God who grieves with humans, who carried their pain once, but not only once.

John Wesley said the mission of the Christian is to “do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.” That sounds like a lot of work. But Wesley isn’t saying, ‘Fill up your calendar to the max and work until you can’t see straight.’ Wesley is saying: “Listen to the Spirit’s leading. Who can you love? Who can you serve? What obedience can you choose? How can you follow Christ today?”

Because really, we only have today. And we are given grace – favor and strength – just for the good we’re called to in this span of time, in this nation we’re in, in this city, on this street. You can’t reach everyone. But you can reach the ones God has given you.

So will you do it?

Masonheimer, Phylicia. "Do All the Good You Can" 

https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/do-all-the-good-you-can-2/

  Last week at this time I was sitting with my 7 week old watching the snow starting to fall on the mountains from a hospital rocking chair.  Our family had been hit by a double whammy of sickness. We had just come home from a trip and had sick kids, no groceries, nights of no sleep, and our newborn had to be hospitialized for respiratory distress. 

  However, in all of this so many of you stepped in to pick up food, bring meals, check in on my kids, and PRAYED. What a sense of comfort during that time that I didn't have to worry about what my family was heating up for dinner or if my kids needed something you would be there in a second. It let me focus on the task of bringing my baby home from the hospital. 

  You texted prayers and prayed with me on the phone. Without a doubt, we felt your prayers and in 24 hours we went from the doctors walking me through what to expect if they had to quickly intubate her to low flow oxygen and talk of going home on oxygen. Six hours later from that we went home with no oxygen at all! It was a beautiful turn around and we are so grateful.

  Thank you all for the time spent in prayer. Thank you for dropping off food and meals. Thank you for the support you gave us and checking in. You made such a difference.

Tim and Breanna Penn

  Your shoeboxes are on their way! We took in a total of 280 boxes from MCC and the surrounding community. 107 of those were from our MCC body.  The boxes are now headed to the Denver Processing Center , the first stop in their journey to children around the world! 

  If you didn't get a chance to build a shoebox, you can still build one online until December 31st by clicking here.

  You can use the follow-your-box-tool by clicking here.

 Thank you to all volunteers whether you prayed over boxes, donated boxes, or volunteered your time!

O My God,
You fairest, greatest, first of all objects,
My heart admires, adores, loves You,
For my little vessel is as full as it can be,
And I would pour out all that fullness before You in ceaseless flow.
When I think upon and converse with You
Ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,
Ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,
Ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,
Crowding into every moment of happiness.
I bless You for the soul You have created,
For adorning it, for sanctifying it,
Though it is fixed in barren soil;
For the body You have given me,
For preserving its strength and vigor,
For providing senses to enjoy delights,
For the ease and freedom of limbs,
For hands, eyes, ears that do Your bidding;
For Your royal bounty providing my daily support,
For a full table and overflowing cup,
For appetite, taste, sweetness,
For social joys of relatives and friends,
For ability to serve others,
For a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,
For a mind to care for my fellow-men,
For opportunities of spreading happiness around,
For loved ones in the joys of heaven,
For my own expectation of seeing You clearly.
I love You above the powers of language to express,
For what You are to Your creatures.
Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.

Challies, Tim. "A Prayer and Praise for Thanksgiving. Tim Challies. October 12, 2008. https://www.challies.com/quotes/a-prayer-of-praise-and-thanksgiving/

Rest. It’s a difficult word, and I’ve failed to place and describe it in my life. There are many days when I turn from rest—in my heart and with my priorities. I’m ashamed, tired, and needy. And so, I cry out in repentance, Abba Father, forgive me, for many were the days I did not rest in you. I am weary, yet I seem to run away from your presence even though your arms are wide open. Please hear my plea and bring me to Christ’s peace, in whom I eagerly long for eternal rest. In his name, amen.

Resting Away from Christ

Beloved, can you relate to the following three major issues I’ve noticed each time I sought rest away from Christ?

1. A self-seeking stubbornness, keeping myself crushed and forsaken despite the work of Christ’s cross and leading me to conclude, from a bottomless pit, “I am but dust, and, therefore, I shall rest when I return to dust.”
2. A self-perceived, Christless worthlessness, where my past defines my present and the pressures I face convince me with the lie that “I do not deserve rest.”
3. A self-inflicted condemnation, deeming myself sentenced to lashes, expecting falsely that such punishment will ultimately fulfill a works-righteousness requirement because of the lie that “this is my penance, my cross.”

Oh, how arrogant and foolish I am—and, like you, I hurt too.

How do we rest in God’s rest in a burnout culture that demands every inch of our lives, 24/7? We have every opportunity to hear Christ first thing in the morning, but we deliberately turn away from him. Our phones, calendars, and sinful pursuits claim a higher priority, leaving only scraps for God.

How do we rest in God’s rest in a burnout culture that demands every inch of our lives, 24/7?

Brothers and sisters, this is not what God has created us for! We aren’t meant to live on the throne of our lives, demanding everything and clenching our fists against his love for us. We do not need to live as blind beggars, exhausting ourselves with work, sexual sins, or even seemingly innocent pleasures that won’t deliver what we need: rest and comfort in and through our God.

Without Christ, we walk toward a discouraging destination where we can only arrive tired and hopeless. And you know very well that sexual sins are waiting right around the corner to make that final kill as you sigh, exhausted, after your 14-hour shift.

But Our Days Don’t Have to End This Way . . .

Because we know who our Savior is, and he knows us too (John 15:15). He is Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).

In him, we find rest (Matt. 11:28–30), though we were once unrighteous (1 Cor. 6:11).

In him, we put off the old and put on the new self (Eph. 4:22–24), knowing that one day, mourning shall be no more (Rev. 21:4).

In him, we “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8), for God is not far but near to the brokenhearted, saving the crushed spirit (Ps. 34:18).

He has counted our misery and placed our tears in his bottle (Psalm 56:8). He gives “a new heart, and a new spirit” (Ez. 36:26).

And so, we can pray, “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him” (Ps. 62:5).

Resting in Christ

Oh, beloved, as the gospel roots and grounds you in the love of Christ (Eph. 3:17), remember that rest means valuing each day as its own portion. Our time with the Lord today matters; it has an eternal bearing. What we do in the here and now should be a response to a grace-paced life, a life that ultimately trusts our Father in heaven and cultivates a daily resting in him and not in the worries of this world. “For tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matt. 6:34b). That means you sometimes need to leave an unfinished task for tomorrow—that you will guard your hours with family and sleep—that you will say “no” to entertainment when you’ve set your priority to spend that moment with your Savior.

When long days deprive you of rest, when the tragedy of sexual sins leaves you undone, look to Christ.

Yes, we are dust, but our identity in this life remains ever secure in Christ. Let that inform and guide you particularly when resting seems impossible. Never lose sight of the reality that “as a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” Though our “days are like grass” and we are soon gone, “the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments” (Ps. 103:13–18). Remember, “you are not your own, for you were bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19–20).

When long days deprive you of rest, when the tragedy of sexual sins leaves you undone, look to Christ. Bear your cross (Luke 14:27). Repent. Like Job, who asked a valuable question to his wife amid her mockery and his suffering, ask yourself: “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10) Turn away from sin, beloved, and turn to Christ. Let the assurance of his rest lead you through the darkest of times. Remember, as Job did, that with life, “the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away.”

But don’t stop there. Even when grief tears your robes and shaves your head, persevere in worship with a heart that says, “Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Our Savior persevered—sweating drops of blood, enduring lashings, and breathing his last breath on the cross. Because he finished the race and kept the faith, his children will, too (2 Tim. 4:7). In him alone, we find rest—the faithful rest of our souls.

Prundente, Yohan Huh. When Sin and Unbelief Weary Me: Rest, Oh My Soul. Harvest USA. October 19th, 2023. https://harvestusa.org/when-sin-and-unbelief-weary-me-rest-oh-my-soul/

It is Hamas that has done this, a terrorist organization, and if there was a way to punish Hamas, and only Hamas for this, it would be ideal. But that would be like saying in World War II one should wage war only against the Nazis, not against the people of Germany, which included many who did not support the Nazi government, though there were, unfortunately, many who tolerated it. 

My heart breaks for innocent Israelis and innocent Palestinians, but for sure any chance of peace in the Middle East, at least in the near future, has been decimated by the horrific actions of Hamas against innocent men, women, and children. Gavin Ortlund writes, “There is some evil in this world, like what Hamas terrorists are doing, that is hard to account for apart from belief in supernatural evil (demons). God, protect the innocent and break the teeth of the wicked (Psalm 58:6).”

I have met genuine believers in Christ in Gaza and in Israel. Let’s pray for those Christians, and their influence on those around them. Pray that in the midst of tragedy—and the further tragedies that are almost certain to follow—hearts would be turned toward Jesus, who is not only King of Kings, but also the Prince of Peace. 

In his article “Rachel weeps for her children: Israel’s fight is our fight as well,” Al Mohler writes,

The cumulative shock, grief, and horror experienced in Israel over the last few days is unspeakable and incalculable. The anger is palpable and justified. The righteous wrath of Israel is now to be unleashed, and difficult days lie ahead. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Among the residents in Gaza are Christian believers, trapped in a war started by Hamas and now prosecuted by Israel. We pray for those Christians even as we pray for Israel. Some of these believers are also victims of Hamas and its ideology.

A brother in the U.K, Gavin Drake, has a written a helpful article on “What’s happening in Israel and Gaza, and how should Christians pray?” He explains some of the history of the Gaza strip, and writes:

There are two evil positions: one is to be so pro-Israeli that you want to see Palestinians crushed, the other is to be so pro-Palestinian that you want to see Israel destroyed. Peace will only come to the Holy Land when Israelis and Palestinians – Jews, Muslims and Christians – feel secure and live in justice.

…In Psalm 122, King David extols us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. That has never been more important.

Many people are thinking about prophecy right now and wondering if these events are a specific fulfillment of any particular biblical prophecies. Biblical scholar Chad Bird addresses, “Is Psalm 83 predicting events in Gaza and Israel?” and reminds us to be responsible with our treatment of the Scriptures.

We know for sure Jesus is going to return, and we long for His return, but we don’t know when it will happen. Sometimes it is obvious when biblical prophecies are being fulfilled, but often there is such out-of-context speculation that the same passages have been cited as being fulfilled dozens and dozens of times by different events. 

Click here to read more from Randy Alcorn of Eternal Perspectives Ministries

Alcorn, Randy "Pray for Israel and Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem" Eternal Perspective Ministries October 13th, 2023 https://www.epm.org/blog/2023/Oct/13/pray-israel-jerusalem

This is Great News indeed, however, have you ever wondered where
your boxes go from here, and what is the eternal impact?

Christians in receiving countries are trained and equipped to share the
Good News of Jesus Christ in a child-friendly way at outreach events
(over 70,000 events were held in 2022), where children receive a
surprise shoebox gift, along with The Greatest Gift booklet.

The booklet shares Scripture passages and the message of salvation,
that the Lord Jesus is God’s Greatest Gift. The booklet is used in 97
languages, with more translations in process.
In addition to the Greatest Gift booklet, children are invited to attend a
12-lesson discipleship program called The Greatest Journey, where
children learn to follow Jesus and tell others about him! At the
graduation ceremony, they receive a certificate and colorfully
illustrated New Testament in their own language. More than 17.4
million children have made a decision to accept Jesus as their Savior
during the course. Many are now praying and sharing their faith with
family and friends.

For more information about the Greatest Journey discipleship program,
visit: www.samaritanspurse.org/tgj
What can I do today to help support the mission of Operation
Christmas Child?

•  Collection week is November 13th – 20th . Please plan to pack at
  least one shoebox to be donated!
• Pray over the shoebox for the recipient child, that they will learn
  about Jesus Christ, make a decision to accept Jesus as their Savior,
  and that they will spread the Great News with friends and family! 
• Volunteer to work a two hour shift at MCC collecting boxes from
  our community during collection week. Sign up here to volunteer:
  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B4FAFA82BABFF2-
  44726319-mccoperation

“Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
Mark 10:14, ESV

Please reach out to Lisa Young Lemelin with any questions @ 505-917-2999.

Today we will look at what it means for an elder—and for every Christian—to be hospitable. We will also see why God elevates this trait to such high importance.

Paul tells Timothy, “an overseer must be…hospitable” (1 Timothy 3:2) and echoes this in his letter to Titus (Titus 1:8). The Greek word for “hospitable” (philoxenon) indicates a love for strangers. In the day before the Holiday Inn, Christians were expected to extend hospitality to other traveling believers or itinerant preachers. They were to feed them and to provide them a place to sleep apart from dirty, dangerous, and unsavory inns. The word is naturally expanded to include other forms of hospitality. But at heart, it indicates a willingness to invite others into your home for a short or extended stay.

Why is there such emphasis on this trait? Alexander Strauch explains by saying, “Hospitality is a concrete expression of Christian love and family life. It is an important biblical virtue. … Giving oneself to the care of God’s people means sharing one’s life and home with others. An open home is a sign of an open heart and a loving, sacrificial, serving spirit. A lack of hospitality is a sure sign of selfish, lifeless, loveless Christianity.” Hospitality is a tangible, outward display of godly character.

An open home displays Christian love but it also enables it. Hospitality creates opportunities for relationship, for discipleship, and for evangelism. It creates a natural context for modeling marriage, parenting, and a host of Christian virtues. While we are to teach others what the Bible says, we are also to demonstrate what it says, and we do that by inviting people into our homes and into our lives.

Is it only elders who are called to share their lives and their resources by opening their homes? No, this call goes to all Christians. While the Old Testament law places great emphasis on caring for and protecting the sojourner, this care for strangers is made even more explicit in the New Testament. Peter writes to all Christians when he says “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9) and Paul tells the whole congregation in Rome that they must “Seek to show hospitality” (Romans 12:13). The author of Hebrews says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). Paul instructed Timothy to extend the church’s benevolence to a widow if she “has shown hospitality” (1 Timothy 5:9–10). Jesus taught that we will be judged on the basis of our hospitality, for when we love and welcome others we in fact love and welcome him (Matthew 25:35–40).

Strauch concludes, “Hardly anything is more characteristic of Christian love than hospitality. Through the ministry of hospitality we share the things we value most: family, home, financial resources, food, privacy, and time. In other words, we share our lives.”

Self-Evaluation

So, how about you? Would others say that you are hospitable? Engage with these questions and be honest with yourself and with God:

• How many people from your church have you invited into your home for a meal? When was the last time someone stayed the night?
• Do others come to you when they need help, or do you give the impression that you don’t want to be bothered?
• Is your family intentional about welcoming others into your home, even if they are different from you or if they make you feel awkward and uncomfortable?
• Why do you fear welcoming others into your life and your home? What promises has God given you that you can cling to for hope, peace, and assurance?

Prayer Points

Take heart in the truth that the God of the weak and the outcast welcomes you—and pray to him for his help in these ways:

• I pray that you would fill me with your Spirit so that my life bears fruit through loving deeds for others.
• I pray that I would hold loosely to all that you have given me and to know that my home, my food, my time and everything else belong to you. Help me to be a faithful steward of all of them.
• I pray that you would give me boldness to welcome others as you have welcomed me.
• I pray that the motivation of my heart would be that, through loving others, I might express my love for Christ. Please give me great joy and freedom in hospitality.

Challies, Tim "The Character of The Christian: Hospitable" Challies February 11, 2016 https://www.challies.com/articles/the-character-of-the-christian-hospitable/

It’s understandable that many Christian and mainstream family audiences desire counterprogramming: movies that are high quality but also hopeful, thoughtful but also enjoyable; movies you don’t feel awkward about watching with Christian family and friends.

For discerning audiences looking for an edifying film to watch this fall, either at home or in the multiplex, here are seven ideas for your consideration. Not all the films on this list are appropriate for all ages, and most of them aren’t “faith-based” or even faith-adjacent. But they’re all entertaining, uplifting, and commendable.

A Million Miles Away

This is a classic “overcoming great odds” inspirational tale, telling the true story of José Hernández, the first migrant farmworker to travel to space. It’s based on Hernández’s autobiography and celebrates the virtues of strong family, healthy marriage, education, and perseverance to achieve seemingly impossible goals. Directed by Alejandra Márquez Abella and starring the tremendously talented Michael Peña in the lead role, the film is a refreshing spotlight of Latino American culture and values. Grab some tissues and enjoy this wonderful film at home with your family. Rated PG. Watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

Based on Judy Blume’s 1970 youth novel, Kelly Fremon Craig’s new film adaptation was released earlier this year in theaters and is now available to rent online. Like the book, the movie explores the awkwardness of puberty and fraught dynamics of middle school life for preteen girls, yet it does so more tactfully than other coming-of-age films. For parents of preteen girls who might relate to the 11-year-old titular protagonist (played by Abby Ryder Fortson), this PG-13 movie could be good conversation fodder.

As its title indicates, the story also involves interesting spiritual elements, as Margaret (whose dad is Jewish and mom grew up Christian) seeks God in prayer often amid her everyday struggles. The film’s theology is muddled, to be sure, but it’s refreshing to see a child’s pursuit of God occupy such a central role in a mainstream movie. Rated PG-13. Available to rent. 

The Covenant 

Another film released earlier in 2023 (sadly missed by many audiences) is Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, now available to rent. Set during the Afghanistan War, the film examines the relationship between U.S. military personnel and the Afghan interpreters who risked their lives to help them. Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim shine as army sergeant John Kinley and interpreter Ahmed, and their cross-cultural brotherhood is the heart of the film.

As the title suggests, The Covenant examines the concept of committed relationships (in this case friendship) and the debts we owe when sacrifices are made on one side of the relationship. In telling a specific story of wartime camaraderie, the film offers good fodder for discussions of grace, guilt, and the gospel. Rated R for language and violence. Available to rent.

Dreamin’ Wild

This movie came and went in theaters this summer with little fanfare. But it’s one of my favorites of the year. Directed by Bill Pohlad (Love & Mercy) and starring Casey Affleck, the film tells the true story of brothers Donnie and Joe Emerson. They made a home-studio-recorded album (Dreamin’ Wild) in the late ’70s when they were teenagers, but it didn’t really find an audience until it was discovered by an antique record collector three decades later.

It’s a fascinating story of the ups and downs of a creative life but also of the gift of family and the ways we support each other in dreams that live, die, and live again. Affleck has never been better, and I particularly loved the scenes with his onscreen father, played by Beau Bridges. Rated PG. Available to rent on September 26. 

LOLA

The most artsy film on this list (and probably not everyone’s cup of tea), LOLA is nevertheless one of the most original (and enjoyable) films of 2023. The microbudget film cleverly combines elements of the “found footage,” sci-fi time-travel, and alternate history genres. It packs a lot of intriguing images and ideas into its short, 79-minute runtime. Without giving too much away, the film’s plot revolves around a pair of sisters in 1940s England who discover a way to intercept radio and TV transmissions from the future.

The film works on one level as an amusing WWII alternate-history spec fiction. But on a deeper level, it asks timely questions about the dangers of trifling with technologies for short-term gain without considering long-term consequences. It’s like a thought-provoking episode of Black Mirror but without the TV-MA explicit content. Available to rent. 

Ordinary Angels

Written and directed by Jon Gunn (screenwriter for Jesus Revolution and American Underdog), and produced by the Erwin Brothers (Jesus Revolution, I Can Only Imagine), Ordinary Angels is the latest example of the rising bar of quality coming out of the faith-based filmmaking community. The film stars Christian actor Alan Ritchson (Fast X, Reacher), who sometimes posts faith and apologetics videos on YouTube, as well as Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank.

Based on a true story, the inspirational movie follows a widowed father named Ed (Ritchson) who’s trying to find money to pay for medical treatments to save his critically ill young daughter. Swank plays a Good Samaritan, Sharon, who comes alongside Ed to help raise money. In less capable hands, the story might have turned into a saccharine Lifetime movie of the week. But Gunn and his talented cast bring a commendable nuance and artistry to the story, even as they allow its goodness to be uncomplicated. Rated PG. Theatrical release TBD.

Surprised by Oxford

I was a big fan of Carolyn Weber’s memoir, Surprised by Oxford, when I read it a decade ago. In addition to painting a beautiful portrait of Oxford and narrating a page-turner romance, Weber’s book recounts her Christian conversion story, which unfolded in a manner not unlike that of C. S. Lewis (hence the title’s nod to Surprised by Joy). It’s a brilliant book, full of drama, so the most surprising thing about Surprised by Oxford being adapted as a movie is that it took 10 years to happen.

The second most surprising thing? It’s a faith-friendly film that’s actually good. The film will be released in limited theaters later this month (check your local listings), and I hope it finds an audience so that more films like this are made. Not rated. Limited theatrical screenings begin September 27. 

McCracken, Brett 7 Edifying Films to Watch This Fall The Gospel Coalition September 14th, 2023 https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/7-edifying-films-fall-2023/

The contest for the hearts of our children is real, literal, and perpetually raging. The enemy does not sleep. He operates with Machiavellian brilliance. We must be intentional, relentless, and confident in our pursuit of Deuteronomy 11:19, “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Failing to indoctrinate our children in the truth of the gospel is antithetical to loving them.

Our adversary has a canny way of wrapping sin in pretty packages. What can be done, then, to convince children that God is more attractive than anything the world has to offer?

1. Immerse yourself in sound doctrine.

Before we parents and teachers teach truth, we’d better be sure we have it ourselves. Ligonier Ministries conducted a poll in which self-professed evangelicals were asked to rate on a Likert Scale their agreement or disagreement with fundamental Christian doctrines. The sobering results led the Ligonier pollsters to conclude,

Many self-professing evangelicals reject foundational evangelical beliefs. The survey results reveal that the biblical worldview of professing evangelicals is fragmenting. Though American evangelicalism arose in the twentieth century around strongly held theological convictions, many of today’s self-identified evangelicals no longer hold those beliefs.

In her book, Almost Christian, Kenda Creasy Dean challenged, “If teenagers lack an articulate faith, it may be because the faith we show them is too spineless to merit much in the way of conversation.” That stings, but the truth remains.

This generation is woefully ignorant of sound doctrine. How, then, can “spinelessness” be avoided? Assess your time management when it comes to prioritizing Christ. Make daily Bible reading a habit. Follow faithful teachers. Your phone can be an instrument of wasted time or a tool for learning sound doctrine! Read edifying works, and study alongside other strong believers. Heed Ephesians 5:15–17 and Psalm 90:12. If you want Christ to be your child’s first love, you must make him your own.

2. Make your joy in Christ visible to your children.

When my children were small, I made it a point to show them the resplendent and dazzling creativity of God. From a magnificent sunset to a lovely vista to a fascinating animal at the zoo, or simply a towering tree or pretty flower in our yard, I would quiz joyfully, “What is God?”, to which they’d shout the blithe reply, “A good artist!”

I wanted to make sure they recognized God’s handiwork and glorified him in his marvelous creativity, genius, and beauty. When God gives you reason to exult, share it with your kids! And don’t just do it from the mountaintop. Be sure to remind your children of God’s grace and glorify his goodness from the depth of the valleys, as well. Don’t waste a moment in showcasing our benevolent God in all circumstances. Your enthusiasm and love for Christ will make an impression on your children.

3. Present the gospel every day and in different ways.

In her talk at this year’s Gospel Coalition women’s conference, Kristie Anyabwile spoke of her grandmother, who faithfully took every opportunity to teach her about God — not through formal devotion times, or a curriculum or formula, but by simply and unwaveringly living out her convictions before her granddaughter and speaking the truth to her.

Children will not learn the gospel without hearing it. Not just on Sundays, but every day. Paul asks, in Romans 10:14, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

Don’t become complacent or succumb to the lie that your schedule is too tight to regularly share the gospel with your kids. When you’re driving them to soccer, tucking them into bed, walking through the mall, waiting in line at Chick-fil-A, be intentional in taking every opportunity to teach your children sound doctrine through the regular hearing of Scripture, catechisms, creeds, and doctrinally sound music. Take every moment with them captive to the teaching of Christ.

Children in the Christian Bubble

Some accuse Christians of keeping their children in a bubble, hidden away from reality and the world. But it is becoming increasingly clear that the so-called “Christian Bubble” is exactly where some children need to be. Not to keep them from the world, but to teach them to live as Christ-followers in the context of it. The bubble should be a strong community of believers who live and teach the absolute truth of their faith.

Only Jesus Christ has “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Only Jesus Christ can fulfill what we all long for. Only Jesus Christ can save our children from an eternity of separation from God. These are desperate times. We must never waver in our effort to teach our children that Christ is worth following, despite the lure and enticement of the world. It must begin and end with the gospel.

Schmucker, Leslie "Three Essentials for Christian Parenting" Desiring God July 19, 2018  https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/three-essentials-for-christian-parenting

This summer there were several transformative programs involving the young people. In Bolivia, a team from Juntos worked with Food for the Hungry to celebrate a community receiving water for the first time, visit and pray with many families in their homes, participate in an entrepreneurship showcase, and encourage several new business owners with visits and prayers. The team also spent time in La Paz and El Alto worshiping and praying with staff from Project Suma, an activity to lift women from oppressive and exploitive life conditions. The team came back with ideas they had developed during the trip that will be useful in ministry in Albuquerque.

In June Kids Club attracted over 90 children and young leaders to a week of learning about Jesus and finding meaning in a walk with God. There were over 40 kids who had not attended before. Several children who had never heard of Jesus or stepped foot in a church got to learn about His love. Two of the class leads were dads who grew up at Juntos and their kids are now here! They both took the week off of work to help out. Another dad (who married a former Juntos parcipant) was a much needed small group leader in the middle school boys class. A pool party at the end of the week was an opportunity to meet many other family members and parents.

There are a variety of programs at Juntos targeting children of all ages. Volunteers are always welcome and needed, either for a single activity or as part of ongoing ministry activities.

https://www.juntosabq.com/volunteers outlines volunteer roles;
https://www.juntosabq.com/programs has more detail about the scope of programs.

More information about Project Suma is available at https://www.projectsuma.org

For the next two years, my part-time job and our simple living arrangements made it possible for both of us to study God’s Word deeply, assess our hearts, wrestle with past trauma and fears, and learn to trust God in areas where we had previously kept him at arm’s length. We slowly moved toward each other, working through our wounds, and reconnecting where we had lost trust.

The 22-month discipleship program at Harvest USA helped me in several ways. Each week we learned to become more and more vulnerable with each other, sharing personal failings, past wounds, and current struggles and calling one another to live more obedient to God’s will. We built transparency and trust and prayed for each other knowing we were dependent on God’s strength in our battle with sin. We also encouraged each other to develop a support network at our churches, recognizing how important it was to have others help us when the program was over.

Amid it all, God did not abandon my wife and me. Even when I cried for help while still unwilling to change my behavior, he was patient with me. I was a wandering sheep, but he was a pursuing Shepherd (Ezek. 34:12; John 10:11; Ps. 119:176). I was stubborn and recalcitrant, and he remained unwavering in his fatherly discipline. I didn’t know it, but when things seemed darkest and hopeless, he was at work behind the scenes.

Similarly, despite the hurt and loneliness my wife felt due to my sin, she held onto the promise that God would be a faithful husband to her (Isa. 54:5). When she cried out to him in prayer, she found him to be a comforter (Isa. 51:3; 2 Cor. 1:3–4) and counselor (Ps. 16:7).

Only Christ Satisfies

C. S. Lewis was right. God loves us so much that he will use painful experiences, even pain itself, to awaken us from being overly content with our attachment to worldly ease and the comforts of this life. He takes us through such difficult times not to punish us, but to make us more like Jesus. It is not easy, but we learn to love him more through it.

To bring about the deep and lasting change in our lives, God didn’t just change our circumstances—he broke the power of reigning sin by dying on a cross.

Such trials and times of testing are evidence of God’s undying love for us. In them, he reveals to us the folly of thinking that the transitory pleasures of this world will satisfy.

But we also learn how far he is willing to go to show us that we will only be truly fulfilled and happy when we seek him first. To bring about the deep and lasting change in our lives, he didn’t just change our circumstances—he broke the power of reigning sin by dying on a cross. By doing so, he set us free indeed! As the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (6:22–23).

In all that time, I lived a double life—caught in a cycle of sin and shame, full of self-inflicted guilt, stuck in a rut that I thought was never going to end. But—praise the Lord! —God was working behind the scenes to bring something beautiful from it all.

The Poison of Hidden Sin

For 35 years, most people would have described me as a gregarious and friendly guy. My wife and I seemed to have a happy marriage. We were blessed with a big family. I had a good job. I was a homeschooling father, a leader in my church, lived in a nice home in a beautiful neighborhood, and was always quick with a funny story at social gatherings.

But what most people didn’t know was that I was fighting—and regularly losing—a battle with pornography.

I feared being exposed. I became good at lying to hide my activities. Protecting my secret became all encompassing, and after years of failure, it seemed impossible to overcome. I prayed time and again for forgiveness as well as for strength to win this battle over sin. But at other times I was apathetic, and placated my guilt by telling myself that my small personal sin wasn’t really hurting anyone.

I lived a double life—caught in a cycle of sin and shame, full of self-inflicted guilt, stuck in a rut that I thought was never going to end.

But that was an illusion. My sin wasn’t private. My family—and especially my wife—were affected by my “secret sin.” We kept up appearances of a well-ordered family life, but the reality was that our marriage was in trouble. Despite my wife’s many requests for us to get marriage counseling (which I deflected or ignored) we simply settled into a fairly soulless relationship.

God Steps In

Then, in a matter of months, God stepped in—in a way that was overwhelmingly confusing and disorienting, but which later became evident as his particular care for us. I lost my job, and less than a year later we had to radically downsize and move out of our spacious home of 17 years to a new city 300 miles away. Our new place was a compact church apartment, and my new job was the church custodian. I had been a busy traveling marketing manager, but now I opened and locked the church, mopped floors, changed light bulbs, scrubbed bathrooms, cut grass, trimmed hedges, shoveled snow, moved chairs and tables—and even dug graves!

We slowly began to realize that this devastating “subtraction” was God’s way of removing the things in my life that were holding me back from submitting myself more fully to his will. Up to that point, I had pretty much lost hope of changing the sinful patterns in my life. But in the heat of my sin, God didn’t let go of me. Instead, although I didn’t listen to his whispers and hardened my conscience to his shouts, he used this traumatic experience as a megaphone (as C. S. Lewis illustrates) to get my attention. We were isolated, basically starting over, and shaken to the core—but it provided a merciful opportunity to reassess our priorities and to hear the Lord’s voice anew.

My faith was weak, and I feared taking the biblical steps I needed to break free from pornography. But through it all, my wife never stopped praying and asking God to break through my stubborn heart. In hindsight, I can see how he heard my wife’s prayers and took pity despite my weak faith.

We were isolated, basically starting over, and shaken to the core—but it provided a merciful opportunity to reassess our priorities and to hear the Lord’s voice anew.

In an amazing series of providences, my wife met Ellen Dykas, the director of Harvest USA’s women’s ministry. And because their ministry offices were just a few miles away from our new apartment, they began meeting together so my wife could understand her own struggles (which mostly stemmed from the fallout of my sexual brokenness). As my wife shared with me about what she was learning, I finally took her advice, visited Harvest USA, and joined one of their discipleship support groups for men.

Barr, Jim "It Was the Worst of Times, It Was the Best of Times"Harvest Ministries USA  https://harvestusa.org/it-was-the-worst-of-times-it-was-the-best-of-times/   August 31, 2023

While my team and I were there, a large festival took place. This festival is celebrated throughout the Muslim world and involves three days of celebration during which everything closes, even grocery stores. In the days leading up to the festival, families will buy a sheep, then on the morning of the first day they slaughter the sheep in the street and eat specific portions of it each day. We had been prepared that things slowed down a lot during the festival and that we probably wouldn’t have any opportunities to meet new people. So, during the first morning we decided to walk around our neighborhood and lift it up to Father and ask Him for opportunities.

Walking through a large plaza, we noticed one of the many cafes was open, so we decided to stop in for coffee. While there, a gentleman sat down next to me, and I immediately felt I had to talk to him. I asked if he spoke English, which he did, and was able to spend the next two hours talking to him about my story, the Main Thing, and sharing stories from the Book.

The second day, we again were out walking and lifting up our city. The streets were entirely empty except for us, so I asked Father that He would provide an opportunity to be used today. As soon as I finished, I heard Mark talking with someone behind me. An older gentleman had joined us at some point and was engaging us in English. After a few minutes he invited us to his home for tea. When we arrived at his home, his son (who was my age) arrived at the same time. While we were relaxing in the salon (think living room), the father left, and we began sharing the Main Thing with the son. Partway through sharing the father returned, listened to us while we finished, and then began to talk about Islam and how Jesus couldn’t be both human and God.

After some time listening to him and asking questions about Islam, he again left to go to mosque, leaving us with his son. We then got to have tea and lunch with the son and hear a bit about his life. The last several years he has been away from home at university and hasn’t been practicing Islam for a while now, though his father doesn’t know. He told us he is “studying other religions to figure out which one is true before dedicating his life to one of them.” This blew us away and we were able to spend the time with him explaining the Main Thing in great detail, sharing our personal stories, and even some stories from the Book. He was very receptive though he said he wasn’t ready to follow Father just yet, so we encouraged him to keep learning and to read the Book.

The time during the festival was really impactful to me. We went into that time thinking we wouldn’t get to do much and Father vividly reminded us that He is in total control and can use us wherever and whenever despite the circumstance we can’t see past.

Let me introduce you to my family. Becca and I recently celebrated our 25 th anniversary. She has been homeschooling our four children from the beginning, Ethan, Christian, Stephen and Isabela, recently graduating our two oldest. We enjoy a good road trip, 26 states visited so far with a desire to make it to all 50 eventually. Everyone has an opinion about the best pizza around. We haven’t yet found any better than Dion’s, even better than NY style from Joe’s in Times Square!

I was born in Juarez, Mexico and immigrated to Anthony, NM at a very young age. It is not a cliché that this land offers immigrants like me tremendous opportunities that are not available in Mexico. I am certainly glad that it was here that I first came to understand the Good News and became the first in my immediate family to be saved by God’s grace. He has since saved both my parents and sisters and so has transformed our family.

I moved to Albuquerque to attend UNM and it was there that I came to understand more fully what it meant to walk in God’s grace. It was also there that I met Frank and Molly as fellow students involved with Campus Crusade for Christ, currently CRU. I loved the work CRU did for young students like us and so I decided to join the ministry upon my graduation. It was a pleasure to serve in that capacity for some years before God led me in a different path soon after I married the love of my life. She and I have since built a life dedicated to the raising of our now maturing family. It has been everything you can expect, beautiful, difficult, challenging, rewarding, filled with trials and joys- much like yours I suspect.

Through it all and in it all God has proven Himself faithful. Professionally, I have spent the bulk of my career serving in the retail and food service industry as general manager, director and district manager for the past 20 and some years. Again, through it all God has shown Himself faithful to provide both for our needs and opportunities to simply tell others who He is. I now find myself before you, thankful to be part of this local body to experience with you a life lived together in pursuit of God’s conforming us into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. I look forward to meeting you, serving you and serving alongside you. Thank you.

Most importantly, much prayer – for yourself, your family, church, and community – all dealing
with these issues to one degree or another. Become a prayerful listener and a listening prayer.
(Psalm 32:7-8, 143:8)

Let us become more of a community where none of us is too poor that we have nothing to give, and none of us is too rich that we have nothing to receive. Let us have our eyes open to the needs around us and learn to know the joy of serving others, as unto Christ. (Colossians 3:23)

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)

“Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (Romans 12:9-21)

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor to build him up.” (Romans 15:1-2)

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11-14)

Be aware, listen, pray, serve with joy. Be blessed as you give. (Acts 20:35) Be compelled by Christ’s love to no longer live for yourself but for Him who died for us and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

“We live in a lonely world now because we are disconnected, and we are disconnected because of an excessive emphasis on the word “I.” Roger Scruton writes that the world we live in is an intolerable din of “I this” and “I that,” with a loss of any wholesome sense of “we.” (The Wounds of Beauty by Margarita Mooney Suarez p.148)

Get your kids involved in a “serving” project and pray together for those you serve. It is exciting seeing God do His work of transformation, especially when you get to play a little part in the process.

Keep close to Jesus. Keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) We have been created to walk with Him, our Lord Jesus, Immanuel, through this life, then through the river of death into the Celestial City to be with Him forever. Across the years of our brokenness, God is stitching a story of redemption. He is faithful! And He will do it! (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

The US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has declared loneliness an epidemic.
60% of Americans struggle with loneliness and isolation - 36% chronically. Lack of social
connectedness is a problem that has been growing over the past 100 years, but especially so since the arrival of the cell phone, and then came Covid. This problem has had a devastating
effect on our health -both physical and mental. Those chronically experiencing loneliness have a
29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, a 50% increased risk of
dementia, and more than 60% increased risk of premature death, plus depression and anxiety,
addiction, and type 2 diabetes (CDC.gov/emotional wellbeing)

“We are all looking for that place where we belong unconditionally. This kind of belonging is impossible without authenticity and vulnerability – two super nutrients for community.” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 23, 2023)

God knows all of this. He made us this way – in His image, with a need for and a love of relationship. Before the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit created man, they had communion together; a perfect relationship of loving and serving one another – with great joy. The Word of life – eternal life – chose to make a way for us broken, wounded, sinful humans to have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ through the cross (1 John 1). His name is “Immanuel, which means God with us.” (Matthew 1:23) “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:9-12)

Chris and I have been blessed to be in the “community of believers” since we were married. Our brothers and sisters in Christ have helped us go through many trials, as we all share in the sufferings of this broken world. From financial trials, to serious physical challenges, to heartbreaks and disappointments, we have experienced God’s faithfulness and provision for us,
often through the gifts and ministries of our community group.

These dear brothers and sisters in Christ have prayed for us, provided accountability, helped us raise our girls with their eyes on Jesus, and now encourage us in our last laps to finish the race well.

Like our dear neighbor and friend (and our daughters’ 3 rd grandmother), Mrs. Wright, would say when asked if she was lonely (because she lived alone and never went anywhere): “Lonely? I am never alone. Jesus is with me all day and all night. And we have an on-going conversation that never ends.” If you want to hear some testimonies about God’s faithfulness in times of despair and loneliness, ask William and Dolores Jiron, Joan Tallant, Kara Schug, or ask me more about Mrs. Wright. You will be lifted up by God’s goodness. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

So, what do we do, as the church, brothers and sisters in Christ?

I ended the summer reading through the Psalms and Proverbs.  As I drank in the wisdom of these two books, certain passages in particular have encouraged and directed my hopes for my children as they head back to school.  These verses have shaped my prayers and given words to the longings of my heart. As my children spend less time in my presence, I am thankful that I can bring all my concerns and cares before the Lord in prayer.

Lord, I pray that my children would understand their need for Jesus and rejoice in the good news of the Gospel. Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death (Psalms 68:19-20).

Lord, I pray that my children will love learning; that their hearts would seek to understand the world you have created.  The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly (Proverbs 15:14).

I pray that as they learn about your world, they would behold the majesty of your glory. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. (Psalm 19:1)

Lord, I pray that you would surround them with friends who make wise choices and encourage their faith.  Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20).

I pray that their teachers would be wise and gentle.  The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit (Proverbs 15:2,4).

Lord, I pray that they would work with diligence and put forth their best efforts. The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied (Proverbs 13:4).

I pray that they would be thoughtful with their words and respectful in their replies. The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things (Proverbs 15:28). 

I pray that you would free them from the pressure of trying to be like everyone else by instilling in them the confidence to know that they are uniquely made by you.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well (Psalms 139:14).

I pray that they would receive correction well.  The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence (Proverbs 15:31-32).

I pray that they would share their faith with others.  They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom (Psalm 145: 11-12).

I pray that when they do what is wrong, they would bear consequences that lead them to repentance.  I pray that when they do what is right, you would bless their obedience that they may learn to love your ways. The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his way (Proverbs 14:14).

I pray that your Word would be on their hearts and in their minds as they learn. Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD (Proverbs 16:20).

I pray that they would be kind to others.  Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21)

I pray that you would give them the grace of self-control. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls (Proverbs 25:28).

Lord, I pray that your grace would rest upon my children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! (Psalms 90:17)

I pray that you would protect them from all evil.  I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life (Psalm 121:1-2,7).

More than anything else, may their lives glorify you. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever (Psalm 86:12).

O Lord, hear our prayers!  Amen.

Kruger, Melissa "A Back to School Prayer" THe Gospel Coalition. August 2016

Over 750,000 international students will attend U.S. universities this year. They too will experience separation from friends and family, but they will also have the added challenge of navigating a different culture and language.  Fortunately, International Students Incorporated (ISI) is there to help them get settled at over 900 university campuses across the US.

MCC teams with the local ISI chapter serving the University of New Mexico.  It is part of our strategy for accomplishing cross-cultural missions right here in our own community. Working with ISI we are able to expose international students to the Gospel as well as disciple those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord.  Many of these students return home to influential careers as well as the opportunity to have influence for the Gospel.  In effect, we are training missionaries at our university campuses. In Albuquerque alone, ISI serves over 350 students a semester!

With ISI we have a unique opportunity to do cross-cultural ministry. If you are looking for a new opportunity to serve there are a lot of different ways to get involved with ISI. Below are a few examples:

1. Sign up to provide food in January or August and/or help serve the food at UNM.
2. Donate unwanted furniture and/or help students take furniture to their new apartments.
3. Volunteer to host a student for a short-term homestay. This involves picking the student up at the airport and then housing them for a day or two until they can move into their apartment.
4. Become a Friendship Partner where you meet monthly with an international student and do fun things with them to help them acclimate to New Mexico.
5. Help with a home study group or help teach English classes.

If you are interested in helping or want more information contact Vince Tidwell at (505)413-2647.

  This trip we have about 55 leaders in Class #3.  My room is predominantly a younger group of leaders, and this is my first time with the Oromifa language group.

  The last two days I have been so blessed to really connect with these men.  A few of them are already young pastors.  All of them are obvious leaders.  And their joy in learning how to study has been evident.  Partnering and sharing the teaching with Pastor Raata has also been a sheer pleasure.  

• Daniel has the voice of a 23-year old James Earl Jones.  When he reads Scripture, he booms!  And he is serious about the Word.  He was the first to present, and established a strong model.  Since then, he has jumped on every insight, is quick on observations, and has all the right questions!  I have no idea what the Lord will do with this man, but I am very excited for eternity to hear the stories.
• Degefa is quieter, but his eagerness shines through.  He anticipates well, and loves to learn.  Always cheerful, he serves in the same spirit, too.  He was carrying chairs after lunch to clean up, and then came to me as I sat holding my empty plate, to honor me by taking it away.
• Ifa has been a surprise.  Arriving two days late, I was wrong to think that he might have less interest.  Instead, he caught up, worked hard on his passage, and helped us go further in our study because of his work.
• Kassahun struggles a bit more in finding his way around in his Bible.  But man, when he gets something, the passion bridges the language gap!  I know that he is a powerful influence wherever he ministers, and he was clearly listening well this week!
• Getahun never stops thinking.  Quietly confident, he is engaged on every question.  His comport is that of a steady guide.  I think he has to be one of the men who learned the most in the course.  Partly because of all of his correct observations, and partly because of his incorrect ones.  Though the latter were fewer to be sure.
• Yai is lithe, respectful, and happily animated when he talks.  He worked hard at one of the most difficult passages we had.  And he was hilariously honest when he had no idea about something. 

  Tomorrow will be our last teaching with these men.  I am very excited for the presentations and our last lessons.  It has been an intensive week.  I am impressed that these men will sit for long hours every day, and then spring up to praise God when He reveals something new to us!  Wrestling in the Word together has been sweet.

Adhan: the Muslim call to prayer.  

  I lie here in the wee hours of breaking light, musing on this oppressive drone of the empty call.  It arrogates itself to command the faithful, demanding that they worship.  They are under duress to seek their god.  The call does not fear their ire; unwelcome intrusion breaking their peaceful slumber.  It thinks it is king.  But the call is empty in its power, and they obey it to find no hope.

  I slept well under my makeshift mosquito-netting tent.  But now I must take a brisk shower.  There is one mosquito still somewhere in the room.  I have taken out 4 of them.  The shower will end without incident, and I will leave the room later in the morning with that last one still buzzing about somewhere.  But I believe that I have escaped unpierced.  We will call it a draw.  I am happy with the arrangement, and the Lord has given mercies.

  Tesfaye comes to fetch me.  Coffee & scrambled eggs rouse me at Time’ Cafe’.  The coffee is piping hot - small and potent.  It is a rich invitation to the day. A monkey climbs the wall beside our table and perches, turning his head inquisitively.  None of the cafe guests give him much notice, and he goes on his way.

  As we eat and drink and talk, a good-sized group of locals is walking together up the street, moving slowly and deliberately.  A funeral procession.  The hearse is clearly identifiable, even though I know none of the culture.  The people are quietly respectful.  Even the cafe turns off the music until they pass.  One pocket of three well-dressed young men, near the rear, is on their phones as they proceed along.  I wonder where the casket resident is now, and I pray for this group.

  We leave out for Adama in a Toyota truck, driven by Tesfaye’s friend whom & which he has procured for the day.  Driving is often an adventure in other cultures.  And Ethiopia is no exception.  We slow behind a large truck, then swing out into oncoming lanes to pass.  Immediately, there is a goat in the middle of the road.  It has found something interesting to eat.  We slow briefly, and then swing out further into oncoming traffic.  I fear that the goat may perish.  I am also mildly concerned for us.  We pass within inches of its head.  No one in the car is moved in the least.  Neither is the goat.

  Not an hour later, passing through Shashemane, the opposite traffic thickens, and slows.  Happy singing greets the ear.  It is coming from this approaching cavalcade.  Rows of men, brightly dressed, rising on horseback, chanting in sing-song harmony!  They bounce in their saddles with joy.  They are followed by grinning and waving revelers in their bajaj’s (A bajaj is the 3-wheel motorcycle transports that are everywhere) and then there is one white stretch SUV.  A wedding!  

  The Lord has blessed us truly this morning.  We have seen both sides.....

  Join us this Sunday for an introduction and update on our four Ethiopian missionary church planters!

Why was this VBS special? The first reason is the theme/curriculum. It was all about following Jesus on our ‘Journey of Faith’. Daily themes used memorable action phrases to encourage the kids on their journey:

• DO what Jesus says.
• BELIEVE who Jesus is.
• LOVE who Jesus loves.
• SHARE what Jesus has done.
• GO where Jesus leads.
  
  

These themes/phrases were easy to learn and remember. In a typical VBS week, the attendees learn the songs and dance moves, singing and dancing their way through the next few weeks, and may remember a few key items from the lessons. This week – they have memorable, quotable, action steps to follow. They have something to DO.

Second reason this week was special – Each of these action phrases focuses on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. Specifically, what He said and did. Read them to yourself. In order to DO any of these actions, kids have to seek information from the Bible, God’s truth, His Word! How do you LOVE who Jesus loves? Go to His Word and learn about who He loves. Read about examples of Jesus loving others and why. They have something to LEARN.

Third reason this week was special: the kids have flesh and blood examples to follow. They saw 87 people Doing, Believing, Loving, Sharing and Going all week. They got to witness what it looks like for imperfect people, who have trusted Jesus, to put these actions into practice all around them. They were able to learn about the Apostle Paul being a missionary, and then walk along side, learn from, and ask questions to folks who are in the mission field RIGHT NOW! The kids saw that there is not one way to serve, to GO, to DO, to LOVE, but the learned that there are at least 87 ways. They have examples to FOLLOW, who point them at JESUS!

We serve an Awesome God, and He has used you to do MIGHTY work through this VBS!

The first is an excerpt from John Ryland’s sermon at the funeral of his friend Andrew Fuller. Their friendship, he said, had

never met with one minute’s interruption by any one unkind word or thought, of which I have any knowledge. I never had a friend who was so willing to stand by me, even in such services as most others would wish to decline; yet I never had a friend who would more faithfully, freely, and affectionately give me warning or reproof, if ever it appeared necessary; or whom I could more readily and freely, and without the least apprehension of giving offence, tell of any fault which I imagined I could see in him. And this I think is the best friendship in the world. For no man is faultless; and true friendship will not be blind to the failings of those we love best; but will rather show itself in an anxious concern to prevent the least appearance of evil in them, or whatever might occasion their good intentions to be misrepresented. After having lost long ago the venerable Newton and the first Robert Hall, who were the counsellors of my youth; after losing the affectionate Pearce, and the humble and prudent Sutcliff, two other founders of our Mission, this most faithful and judicious friend is also taken from me, and never will my loss be repaired upon earth!

And then, a bit later in the book, is another neat little quote, this one from Robert Hall Jr., who makes some interesting remarks on the nature and benefits of friendship.

He who has made the acquisition of a judicious and sympathizing friend, may be said to have doubled his mental resources: by associating an equal, perhaps a superior mind, with his own, he has provided the means of strengthening his reason, of perfecting his counsels, of discerning and correcting his errors. He can have recourse at all times to the judgement and assistance of one, who with the same power of discernment with himself, comes to the decision of a question with a mind neither harassed with the perplexities, nor heated with the passions, which so frequently obscure the perception of our true interests. Next to the immediate guidance of God by his Spirit, the counsel and encouragement of virtuous and enlightened friends afford the most powerful aid, in the encounter of temptation and in the career of duty.

Perhaps these quotes, or the whole book should you read it, will help you pursue Christian friendships and better appreciate the ones you already have…

Challies, Tim. "The Best Friendship in the World" Challies, January 23, 2022,

https://www.challies.com/quotes/the-best-friendship-in-the-world/

If you haven't signed up kids and would still like to do so please click here.

We pray our VBS is an opportunity to show kids that God loves them very much and a way to bless the kids and families in our church and community.  Here's to a safe and fun VBS 2023!

So, to choose life is to chose Jesus. He is the way – the only way (Acts 4:12). He is the truth, the spirit of truth, who will guide us into all truth (John 16:13). And He is the life (1 John 5:11-12) – “…and this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
The enemy, the devil, a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth (John 8:44) is the “thief, who comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). He is busy, knowing his time is short (Revelation 12:10-12), convincing many that “self” is of prime importance and will bring most pleasure and human acclaim. He has confused tolerance with love, acceptance of everything with true kindness and mercy.

The enemy, who comes as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14), offers many alternative paths to those on their way to the celestial city (Pilgrim’s Progress). He tries to get us alone, distracted, and totally self-focused. He has used cell phones, pandemics, family breakdown, entertainment, self-help gurus, whatever appeals to your flesh, to lead us away from hope,
from community, from abundant life.

So, this is a call to Christian parents to do the Deuteronomy 6 thing! Talk to your children as you sit around the table, drive to their soccer game, hike the trails. Talk about God’s faithfulness, all He has done in creation, salvation, redemption. Remind them of His faithfulness seen in your life and theirs. Build that “altar of remembrance”. And talk about the issues they will need to be
prepared to face in our culture today – truth, deception, hopelessness, feelings of “not belonging”, abortion, transgenderism, social media influence, etc. (age appropriately).

Pray together for your family and friends, community and country. “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God. He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.” (Deuteronomy 7:9) “Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.” (Deuteronomy 6:13-14) Talk about these gods of the “peoples around you” who need hope. Pray that they will find life in Jesus. Pray for revival in our land, because our hearts have become proud and we have forgotten the LORD our God. (Deuteronomy 8:14)

Teach your children to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid of the enemies around us, for the LORD our God goes with us, He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8) Pray for tender and caring hearts, who see the brokenness in those so affected by abortion, broken marriages, materialism, financial worries, political strife, physical and emotional health
issues, etc. And pray for opportunity to serve the broken, knowing that God has set before us life and death, blessings and curses.

Now, choose life, so that you and your children may live, and that you may love your God, listen to His voice and hold fast to Him. For the LORD is your life. (Deuteronomy 30:9-20)

“Hold fast to Him”, because you are in for an adventure as you walk life’s journey with Jesus, the God of the universe. “For the LORD your God is God of gods, Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” (Deuteronomy
10:17, 18)

In Isaiah 40, our LORD is talking to those who hope in the LORD (vs 30-31).

Get ready to fly!

It is always tricky to know how the Christians should or shouldn’t celebrate patriotic holidays. Certainly, some churches blend church and state in such a way that the kingdom of God morphs into a doctrinally-thin, spiritually nebulous civil religion. But even with this dangers, there are a number of good reasons why Christians should give thanks for Memorial Day.

1. Being a soldier is not a sub-Christian activity. In Luke 3, John the Baptist warns the people to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. The crowds respond favorably to his message and ask him, “What then shall we do?” John tells the rich man to share his tunics, the tax collectors to collect only what belongs to them, and the soldiers to stop their extortion. If ever there was a time to tell the soldiers that true repentance meant resigning from the army, surely this was the time. And yet, John does not tell them that they must give up soldier-work to bear fruit, only that they need to be honest soldiers. The Centurion is even held up by Jesus as the best example of faith he’s seen in Israel (Luke 7:9). Military service, when executed with integrity and in the Spirit of God, is a suitable vocation for the people of God.

2. The life of a soldier can demonstrate the highest Christian virtues. While it’s true that our movies sometimes go too far in glamorizing war, this is only the case because there have been many heroics acts in the history of war suitable for our admiration. Soldiers in battle are called on to show courage, daring, service, shrewdness, endurance, hard work, faith, and obedience. These virtues fall into the “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just” category that deserve our praise (Philippians 4:8).

3. Military service is one of the most common metaphors in the New Testament to describe the Christian life. We are to fight the good fight, put on the armor of God, and serve as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. When we remember the sacrifice, single-minded dedication, and discipline involved in the life of a soldier, we are calling to mind what we are supposed to be like as Christians in service to Christ.

4. Love of country can be a good thing. As Christians we have dual citizenship. Our first and ultimate allegiance must always be to Christ whose heavenly dwelling is our eternal home. But we are also citizens of an earthly country. We will stand before God not as individuals wiped clean of all earthly nationality, but as people with distinct languages, cultural affinities, and homelands. It is not wrong to love our distinct language, culture, or nationality. Whenever I’m at a ball game I still get choked up during the singing of the National Anthem. I think this is good. Love for God does not mean we love nothing else on earth, but rather that we learn to love the things on earth in the right way and with the right proportions and priorities. Love of country is a good thing, and it is right to honor those who defend the principles that make our country good.

5. I believe the facts of history will demonstrate that on the whole, the United States military has been a force for good in the world. Obviously, as a military power, we have blundered at times, both individually and corporately. But on the whole, the men and women of our armed services have fought and are fighting for causes that promote freedom, defend the rights of human beings, and reject tyranny. War is still hell and a tragic result of the fall. Praise God for his promise to one day end all human conflict. But in a world where people are evil by nature and leaders are not always reasonable and countries do not always have good intentions, war is sometimes the way to peace-at least the best peace we can hope for between peoples and nations this side of heaven.

So thank God for a day to remember God’s common grace to America and his special grace in enlisting us, poor weak soldiers that we are, in service to Christ our Captain and conquering King.

DeYoung, Kevin. "Why Christians Should Give Thanks for Memorial Day" The Gospel Coalition. May 27, 2019. 

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/christians-give-thanks-memorial-day/

Here are a few messages from the Youth-

"Thank you for your teachings and encouragment in the Word. I will be forever thankful."

"Thanks for being a great youth leader - it means a lot!"

"Thank you for being a solid youth minister. Good luck in your journey and trust in God. I will be praying for you."

"Thank you so much for leading the youth group and teaching all of us the Word of God. I pray that God blesses you in your next step in life."

"Thank you so much for everything you have done in my life and all the amazing hunting trips we have been on. I hope you know how much this time with you means to everyone."

"I've only been here a short while, but you've been such an a amazing youth leader. You've left such a good impression and I hope everything goes well for you."

"Thanks for the inspiring lessons."

"The Lord used you in my life to draw me closer to Him through your teaching and example. Stand firm in your faith."

"We really appreciate the time and effort you put into each of us."

"I will miss your personality and jokes!"

"I truly admire your relationship with Christ and I hope to be bold like you, for Jesus."

You can click here to read a blog post from Canyon on his heart for youth ministry. It's not good-bye, it's see you later!

When I became a mom, I delivered our firstborn the day before Mother’s Day. The entire staff of doctors and nurses rejoiced, and my food tray came with a rose on it. It felt like the whole world was celebrating with me.

When Mother’s Day Hurts

But Mother’s Day isn’t a celebration for all. It’s excruciating for many: my friend who lost a child this year, another friend who’s celebrating her last Mother’s Day with her dying mom, my friends who would love to be mothers but aren’t, my friends who’ve had abusive moms, my friends whose adult children are estranged. These situations are extremely difficult, and Mother’s Day can serve to only intensify the pain.

How, then, should we treat Mother’s Day? Churches, pastors, friends, and families struggle with this question every year. Do we ignore those hurting and go on celebrating? Do we suppress the celebration in hopes of lessening the pain around us? It might help to ask a deeper question: Should we be surprised that such intense joy and sorrow are wrapped up in motherhood?

It wouldn’t surprise us if we knew our story.

Motherhood in the Metanarrative

God’s first recorded words to Adam and Eve implied motherhood: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28). Motherhood was part of Eden, and it should have been an experience of pure joy. 

But after the couple sinned, God pronounced the consequences of their rebellion. To Eve he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children” (Gen. 3:16). This pain goes beyond the physical pain of childbirth—it includes everything painful about childbearing and motherhood: miscarriage, infertility, SIDS, abortion, rebellious children . . . the list could go on and on.

But we don’t stop reading at Genesis 3:16—the story continues. Four verse later we read, “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living” (Gen. 3:20). In spite of the curse, life would come, and redemption would come through life. The first thing that happens after Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden is a birth—God’s mercy in the midst of his curse.

Eventually, Christ himself would come, “born of woman,” to bring salvation to his people and break the curse (Gal. 4:4; cf. Gen. 3:15). Until the final redemption of all things, however, the effects of the curse are still with us. Motherhood continues to be a mixture of great joy and tremendous pain. We live in a time that requires us to mourn over all that is broken and, at the same time, rejoice over what is good and right.

On this Mother’s Day, weep for yourself and for those you love who mourn over infertility, miscarriages, abortions, wayward children, and other consequences of the curse. At the same time, rejoice for everything good and right in motherhood that shines as a testimony to God’s goodness, mercy, and redemption. Celebrate life, extol the praiseworthy deeds of the moms around you, and praise God that he will one day, finally and fully, set everything to rights and wipe every tear from our eyes.

Doctor, Courtney. "Let Joy and Sadness Mingle This Mother's Day" The Gospel Coalition May 13, 2017  https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/let-joy-and-sadness-mingle-this-mothers-day/

Vacation Bible School will be here before you know it! And we can't do it without you! There are so many ways you can be involved and bless this ministry.  If you have an hour or a day here and there or even just want to make a donation, the lending hand is our lifeblood.  

VBS Job Descriptions

Bible Storyteller – A master teacher and communicator; tell the Bible story during Opening segment in a creative, attention-gripping way.

 Coffee Corner Helper – Visit with parents over coffee and treats after they drop their children off at VBS; can volunteer one or two days or every day.

Closing Ceremony Reception – Host or help with the Closing Reception – set up, make drinks, clean up, etc.

Cookie Baker – Bake a batch or two of cookies for the Closing Reception.

Crafts Helper – Assist children with pre-planned craft projects.

Daily Clean up - Tidy up after VBS each day to prepare for the next day! Empty trash, wipe bathrooms, restock paper products, etc.

Dance Team – learn the choreography and dance during Opening and Closing each day of VBS, and at Closing ‘Ceremony’

Games – Help to prepare for and lead groups of elementary age kids in fun physical activities and discussions. You can expect lots of hard work, fun, and high-fives.

Guest Teacher – Prepare for and teach a pre-planned lesson one day during VBS; a great way for men to participate in VBS

Handy-Man / Construction – Be available for any handy man projects that may come up (building of props, painting, climbing ladders, etc)

Nurse - Provide basic first aid for scraped knees, etc that happen during VBS

Photographer / Slideshow – Take pictures throughout the week; Create a slideshow to show at the Closing “Ceremony”.

Prayer Team – Pray for VBS specific requests leading up to and during VBS.

Preschool / Nursery - Love on and care for the little ones of our Volunteers

Registration – Welcome families Monday morning; sign kids in, hand out name tags, etc

Snacks – Prepare and serve snacks to the kids and volunteers each day

Supply List Coordinator - Gather lists from VBS leaders (snacks, crafts, etc) to share with the MCC Communication Coordinator to share with the congregation. Keep track of supplies as they are received and distribute to Department Coordinators.

Team Leader – Lead a set group of children throughout the week, building relationships with them (this position is best for those who can help every day) We need leaders and helpers.

Tech Team – Works together to provide audio, video, and computer graphics support

Work Day Director– Plan for and collect needed materials for our Work Day Wednesdays.

Work Day Helper – Wednesdays, 9:00 – noon; working on whatever needs to be done; come when you can for however long you can!

Wherever – I’m willing to help wherever you need me!

Marcio woke up one morning asking himself, “Why not just get water to these people?” It had been a troubling problem for decades but maybe now was the time to make some big changes. Marcio presented this huge idea to his staff, and they looked at him dubiously. He replied with, “If God wants it done, He will do it.” And do it He did!

Marcio was able to connect with several other international non-profits whose goal is to supply access to fresh water, such as Water for People. When they presented their case, and significant international funding, to the local water authorities, God made things happen!

By the end of 2021, one- thousand Bolivian families had gone from carrying buckets many kilometers to a dirty hole in the ground to now having clean water piped to a storage tank that 2-4 families shared. This tank would allow for continuous sanitary water access in their new indoor-plumed kitchen sink and toilet! Now washing hands, regular bathing, and clean drinking water were a reality!

Not only was Marcio’s team able to work alongside the families as they prepared the ditches for the pipes to be laid, but they also were able to share about Jesus’s Living Water with them. Just as clean water was supplying health to their bodies, Jesus could satisfy their souls. Many families were connected with local churches and the gospel continued to spread! Marcio even had communities come and ask if they could help their neighboring towns get water too!

God had one more surprise in store for Marcio. In early 2023, he was asked to come speak to the United Nations in New York City about their program – Bolivia con Agua. The success of the program had been making international waves, and the UN wanted to hear about it and apply the method in other developing nations. So in March 2023, Marcio was able to not only present the methods and impact of Bolivia con Agua, but also speak the gospel to the UN as he shared the most impactful aspect of the program – spiritual and life change! God was using this idea to share the message to the ends ofthe earth!

Marcio continues to be amazed at how God has used this crazy idea to impact so many lives – 6,000 families by the end of 2023. As he looks ahead, he continues to believe, “If God wants it done, He will do it.”

Note: MCC has already partnered with 150+ families in Villa Margarita, Bolivia, to receive fresh water via this program!

I am writing to you to express my appreciation for love, support, and prayers for my recent trip to Ecuador. During my time in Ecuador I spent my time with my team in Sucua, Ecuador about 160 miles southeast of the capital Quito. In Sucua, we worked for a Christian high school helping add classrooms to the school. It was 6 days of digging water trenches, moving rocks, and mixing concrete. It was early mornings and we finished our days with late nights in a circle sharing testimonies and discussing how the Lord is moving in Ecuador.

During this week I was able to see just how big the God we worship is and that he is the same God in Ecuador as He is in Cedar Crest and Wheaton, IL. I had many conversations with students about the love God has for His people and that we are never too far from His grace.

I saw a lot of similarities to this trip as I experienced in my trips to Bolivia with MCC. It is a people that value family above all else and seek strong community. This trip was a great reminder that the people I surround myself with are worth more than gold and to continue to pray that God will soften my heart toward His people as I continue to strive to serve Him in all I do.

Thank you again for your support and prayers.
Dakota Powell

“It is finished.” John 19:30 (NIV)

Lord Jesus, we feel conflicted about calling the day of your crucifixion, “good.” That there had to be a day when you would take the judgment for our sin is not good at all. But that you would freely, fully, and gladly give yourself for us on the cross, is never-to-be-surpassed goodness. It is quintessential, unparalleled “good.”

From your heart and cross, came these two impassioned cries. “Father forgive them” (Luke 23:34) and “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). The first required the second. The second secured the first. Together, they humble our hearts, silence our words, and fuel our worship.

And then there’s the third this-changes-everything cry. “It is finished.” There’s nothing more to be done, concerning our salvation. Once and for all, perfectly and fully, we have been reconciled to God. The Just died for the unjust, the Beautiful One for the broken ones, the Lamb of God for the rebels from God. We praise, bless, and adore you, Lord Jesus.

A million-years-plus into our life in the new heaven and new earth, we will still be filled with childlike wonder and ceaseless gratitude for the gospel. Because you were fully forsaken, we are forever forgiven. Because you exhausted God’s judgment against our great unrighteousness, we now live by the gift of your perfect righteousness. Because you love us so extravagantly, we can love each other with kindness and hope.

We bow our heads in awe, raise our hands in praise, and surrender our lives with joy. So very Amen we pray, in your all-glorious, all-grace-full name, Lord Jesus.

Smith, Scotty. The "Goodness" of Good Friday. The Gospel Coalition. April 19th, 2019.  https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/scotty-smith/goodness-good-friday/

• Thank you so much for all that you do for us at A. Montoya. We love the Adirondack chairs in the library and garden. Thanks also for the yummy goodies you bring for us.
• Many thanks for all you do. I especially appreciate the prayers and treats throughout the year! 
• I greatly appreciate the blessing that you are to our community!
•  Shine you are asum! (awesome)
•  Shine I luve you!
•  You’re the beast! (best)
• Thank you Shine for helping our school shine and all your hard work.
• Thanks to Shine they made my life better.
• Thank you for helping our school. You guys just made our school a more magical place.
• Thank you Shine for donating money and food. I hope you still have money. Thank you again!
• Thank you for helping our school.
• God bless you all and I hope God provides all your guys' needs. It was a big blessing to me and my kids and we are very grateful. Thanks!
• Just wanted to thank you again! What a blessing you have been! When I get to heaven I’m gonna look for you and we can jump up and down with JOY for the greatest gift of all JESUS!!!
• I am beyond thankful for all you guys have done for me and my family, words can't express! You all were so very friendly and welcoming, such amazing families. You truly are angels. God bless you all and blessings to all of you and your families.
• I am beyond grateful! This has been a very stressful and trying year for us. God bless you all.
• I'm overwhelmed! I can't believe what I received. I'm in tears. I've been feeling so overwhelmed and so hopeless at times and this is such a blessing. Thank you so very much. I can never explain how much all of this means to us. You and Shine are our Santa Claus this year.
  
  

As a Shine volunteer you are sowing seeds of the gospel in everything you do. Every small act of support is a seed that God can use to change their lives forever. You make an impact!

In Christ,
Marcy Bryant, Felisa Palfery, Davinia Rizzo, Frank Malizzo, Melissa Feldner, Chris Willadsen, Kari Christian – MCC Shine Core Team

“ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:15-16

Philippians 3:10 “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of
sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.”

Philippians 3:10 has been my “life verse” for almost 40 years. Early on, my focus was on the “knowing Christ.” That was my heart’s desire. But, as the MS progressed, I knew I needed “His resurrection power” to proceed on in weakness. Then as I began to know my Lord better, learning how to keep myself in His love (Jude 21), God put a desire within me to participate in
the fellowship of His sufferings. Christ’s love was compelling me to live no longer for myself, but for Him who died for me and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

This began the great adventure of doing the Romans 12:1-2 thing – in view of (because of) God’s mercy, offering my body, a jar of clay filled with the treasure of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:7), as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is our spiritual worship. So, I do not lose heart. Though outwardly I am wasting away, yet inwardly I am being renewed day by day.
(2Corinthians 4:16) I pray every day for an eternal perspective, with my eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter (or finisher) of my faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

March is Disability Awareness Month and that's a good time to remember God’s promises. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) Colossians 3:1-4 calls us "to set our hearts and minds on things above, because we died, and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God." There could be no safer place, as we follow our Lord in triumphal procession, spreading everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

I have told many of you that I think I am “the most spoiled rotten handicapped person in America.” Have you seen my “transformer car” with a wheelchair folded up on the roof? And my power chair I have at home? And my wonderful husband, who does the shopping and gardening and caring for the “Willadsen Funny Farm”? Things I used to be able to do! Yes, I am
over abundantly blessed! And grateful! I have learned that “gratitude is the on-ramp to joy.”

I want to share the following note my sister received yesterday from Ani Boghigian, a young Christian woman in Syria, who has lived through war, persecution, and earthquake. She has an eternal perspective, finding her strength and joy in her Lord, not in her circumstances.

People say, “These young people are unable to have a life, are unable to enjoy their youth.” I want to tell them, “Do not pity us. We are growing in courage, we are grasping the different realities of life, and we are gaining the will power by facing these struggles. Pity the young people who live in very comfortable circumstances, who have not experienced the loss of their loved ones, who have not fled their homes, who have not experienced losing their treasures. Therefore, they have not learned dealing with the big and small troubles of life.

They used to accuse us young people saying we were weak. But now we are so strong that we can smile every day. They used to say we didn’t appreciate anything. But now we even appreciate the comforts of a good night’s sleep. They used to say we lacked faith. But now our only hope is in God. The war strengthened our hearts, but the pandemic and the earthquake did not harden them.”
Ani Boghigian, Aleppo, March 2023

Joni Earickson Tada, one of my heroes, says “The weaker I am, the harder I lean on Jesus. The harder I lean on Jesus, the stronger I know He is.” So, find your strength in Jesus. It will always be enough! (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

Jorge Alvarez who directs AMFA does not forget these people. Jorge has been working in this jungle for over 20 years meeting two fundamental needs of these people—clean water and Christ. MCC has teamed with Jorge to sponsor the installation of one or two water wells per year. This past year a sponsored well was drilled in Nuevo Panailll serving a community of 459 souls. While in the community hygiene training, kids camps, movie night and the well dedication were all used as opportunities to share God’s word.

The engagement does not end with freshwater. Rather, MCC is also working to seed churches in the jungle. We are sponsoring Edgar, Fernando and their families to minister to villages where wells were drilled. We are supporting Edgar, Fernando and their wives to attend a Bible Seminary focused on equipping indigenous pastors. Edgar, Fernando and their entire families travel from their homes deep in the jungle to Pucallpa three times each year to attend Seminary. This involves a difficult 200-mile trip by boat and bus. Although their education was suspended by the Pandemic they are back on track and have finished about 1.5 years of their three-year program. We hear that they are very good students and are very eager for the Gospel. When they are not at school they are back home putting their new skills to practice. MCC has also helped in the construction of church buildings for the new pastors.

The remoteness of these jungle villages makes it difficult for churches and pastors. Toward this need MCC is sponsoring Pastor Victor to travel around to these isolated churches to encourage, teach and reinvigorate the body. Pastor Victor will travel tens of miles by boat and foot to visit these communities every month. Alternatively, Pastor Victor will organize revivals and workshops where pastors and Christians alike will gather to study and worship together.

The most exciting part of my boat trips in the jungle is to see how the villagers come running to the riverbank waving their hands and shouting Jorge or Victor. This is highly uncommon as the Indians rarely trust the Peruvians. But through Jorge and Victor’s hard work and dedication they have earned the Indian’s trust and more importantly they are putting their faith in God.

You can play a part in this ministry by praying for Jorge, Victor, Edgar, Fernando, their families and the whole AMFA team. You can also help support the ministry through designated gifts. Finally, cards or notes (in Spanish) are always welcome.

She has her line of ABC’s of Easter cards that have a Scripture and a small definition on the back of the card.  It can be an additional way of telling the Resurrection story at the breakfast table or during reading time.  They can be kept in a basket or bowl so it’s easy to grab and read through.

Another fun resource she has available is her Road to Redemption coloring sheet. Cards give a daily Scripture reference and a timeline of key events in Easter week. Kids can follow along and color the huge 6ft by 3ft  sheet that corresponds with the events being read.

I hope you find small ways to fill the Redemption season with joy and beauty.  We have so much to celebrate!

It's a familiar story to all of us yet how many of us actually take it to heart and fully grasp the meaning of it? Samaritans were the bitterest of enemies with the Jews. Yet, there along the Jericho road, it was a Samaritan who sacrificed personal safety, to show great deeds of mercy towards a bitter enemy and someone of a different race. Christ points to the parable of the Good Samaritan in answering the question, What must I do to inherit eternal life? 

Tim Keller summarizes the parable in his book, Ministries of Mercy - Along the Jericho Road. He states that in this parable, the Lord directly attacks the complacency of comfortably religious people who protect themselves from the needs of others. After all, it was the priest and the Levite who passed by the injured Jewish person. 

Christ calls us to love God and love our neighbor. The parable of the Good Samaritan clearly defines our neighbor as anyone at all--acquaintance, friend, next door neighbor, stranger or enemy. Scripture does provide us with some sense of priority in this matter with our first obligation being to family. However, it is clear from the parable of the Good Samaritan that we are to show mercy to all. Each of us individually can only do so much (after all, millions across the globe are suffering from hunger) and if you are like me, it's easy to become overwhelmed.

However, together as believers we have great power through the Holy Spirit to make a difference in the mission of mercy. We are all along the Jericho road surrounded by those in need whether in our backyard or across the globe. While we are saved only by God's grace,  in the name of Christ, we can all serve and glorify his name through our works of mercy.

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around, does it make a sound?

You’ve heard that one, no doubt.  But here’s another question like it, that’s even more important.

What if God spoke, but there was no one around to hear it?  Or, what if He spoke, but that was so long ago and today no one can hear what He said?

If you’re a believer, you would answer, “That’s why we have the Bible.”

And therein is our question.

            How do I know that the Bible I hold today, is a faithful representation of what God spoke thousands of years ago?

Today, we do not possess even a single original scroll of any of the writings of Scripture.  Not even a scrap. 

Should we despair?

No, not at all.  Remember that the writings, as they were originally received, were seen as being from God.  And so, they were cared for and guarded; they were copied and they were distributed. 

So today, we have thousands and thousands of very, very, very close copies.  And we can compare this body of manuscripts (copies) against those of any other ancient writing, to see how confident we should be about its preservation.  If we do that, we will find that the manuscript evidence for Scripture is many times more voluminous, and many times closer in time to the original writing, than any other document from antiquity.  We can be very confident that the original words of Scripture have been preserved with profound accuracy.

Books are written on this topic, but here is an excellent short resource.  This article does a solid job in a very brief space.  It has some of the relevant data points, and a couple of graphics that are very helpful.  Skip over the first few lines, though - which were an ad for a separate book that was released a few years ago.

Our church also did a message some time back that gives more information on this topic.  Click here to listen to “From God to Us - Part II”, from February of 2012.

Finally, if you would like an easily-accessible deep-dive into this fascinating topic, there is a great seminar coming soon to the Abq area.  Check out https://www.signupforms.com/registrations/31631

May the Lord continue to enrich your love for His Word, and deepen your confidence in His faithfulness.

In Christ our great Savior,

Frank

There were several criteria that were used to help make this determination of making a book 'canonized'.  Of course, the church prayed, and sought the Lord’s help in this process.  But they didn’t merely rely on their subjective, Spirit-led understanding alone.  Below is an example of four objective criteria, which helped them to determine what God’s authority had spoken, versus what was merely ‘a nice letter’, or maybe even a false one.

• Apostolicity - To be included in what we now call the New Testament, the letter had to either be written by an apostle, or have come through the authority of an apostle.  Why was this necessary?  Well, because the Lord Jesus personally chose His apostles, gave them authority, and commissioned them to teach in His name (Mk. 3:13-19, Mt. 10:1-8).

• Universality - That means the writing enjoyed early, widespread, and continual acceptance by the church, from the time of the first believers.

• Veracity - This meant that the writing was consistent with the truth and the revelation of both the Old Testament, and also with the other apostolic writings. 

• Antiquity - Finally, the writing had to pass the test of antiquity.  This criteria ensured that the writing was in circulation during the lifetimes of the apostles.  It helped to ensure that the teaching was known by the apostles and overlapped with those who witnessed and first believed in Christ.

Because of its importance, entire books are written about this topic! If you would like a little more explanation and encouragement on this, you can click here to check out the message from February of 2012, “From God to Us - Part II”.

Also, if you would like an easily-accessible deep-dive into this fascinating topic, there is a great seminar coming soon to Albuquerque at Desert Springs Church.  Check out https://www.signupforms.com/registrations/31631 for more information.

May the Lord continue to enrich your love for His Word, and deepen your confidence in His revelation.

In Christ our great Savior,

Frank

"No one can hate you as much as they hated Christ.

No one will ever be mistreated as unfairly as was our Lord.

He was stricken, smitten and afflicted. He was despised and rejected by men—his own creatures. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering, like one from whom me hide their faces. He was despised and we esteemed him not. When reviled, Jesus did not revile in return. He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. When he rode in on that donkey on Palm Sunday, he did so knowing that he would bear the punishment to bring us peace and that by his wounds we would be healed.

In other words, he showed his great love for us in this: that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

So we will not know what love is like unless we know Jesus.

The world will not know what love is truly like until it sees it in Christ. Everything else is a pale imitation, maybe even a deceptive imitation. Christ is our substitute and our example. And with Christ as our example, our command is this: we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. This is why love is so much more difficult than the bumper stickers make it out to be. It requires so much more than a general sentiment of good will. It is so much deeper and better than unconditional affirmation.

What does unconditional affirmation require of you by way of sacrifice? Nothing. All it requires is a wave of the hand–“Whatever you do, I’m fine. However you live, that’s fine.” The problem with unconditional affirmation is not that it is too lavishly loving, but that it is not nearly loving enough. When God tells us to love our brothers he means more than saying, “I’m okay. You’re okay. Whatever you do is fine and I don’t judge.” To really love your brother is to lay down your life for him. It requires you to die to yourself, which may mean a sacrifice of your time, a sacrifice of your reputation, and a sacrifice of your comfort. Unconditional affirmation only asks that you sacrifice your principles.

Love is harder than we think. Of course we love our kids and grandkids and those who treat us well. We love nice people. But Jesus says even the pagans do this. That’s not hard. People love people who love them. But will we keep on loving when it means bearing burdens we would rather not be bothered with? Will we love when the people we love do not love us in return? Will we lay down our lives for those who are unlovely, undeserving, ungrateful?

Isn’t that what Christ did for us? When we were unlovely and undeserving and ungrateful, Christ died for us. He loved us not because we were holy, but so that we might be holy. His love was self-sacrificing, sin-atoning, and life-transforming.

He loves us with a love that the world does not understand. And it is so much better than unconditional affirmation."

DeYoung, Kevin

"What is Love?"

The Gospel Coalition

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/what-is-love/

October 20th, 2015

 “My Brother’s Keeper” is a 4-week long parent-led Bible study for siblings.  There is a parent guide and every child gets a book. You can customize your order and get the book based on age range.  Everyone from toddlers to teens gets an age-appropriate book. Using examples of 10 biblical siblings, through the study you will cover God’s plan for families, envy, jealousy, selfishness, love, service, and forgiveness.  There is time to work and answer questions independently and sections to do together. It has a breakdown of how to resolve conflict and steps to take when you have wronged someone or been wronged. 

There are plenty of rough days in our all-girl household ranging from toddler to teen. Ultimately, I know as the mother of my home all I can do is plant the seeds. Seeds based in biblical truth and not commercial one day only holidays. Whether or not we use this study or a different one or none at all, I am striving to point their hearts to discipleship. A great place to start is the walls of our own home. 

  I have been asked that, or heard comments about that question, a number of times over the years. So, finding a good Bible translation is important. But translating between languages is not as simplistic as we might think. Our brother Sergio Albonico shares an example that makes the point well:

  “Many of you will remember our dear friend Dalma Piper from Costa Rica.  She was an amazing chef and one expression she often used was, “Que rico gallo pinto!”  If we were to do a literal translation of this expression it would read, “What a rich painted rooster!” When in fact the contemporary meaning amongst the locals in Costa Rica is something more like, “How tasty this rice and beans dish is!” 

  Translation is not simplistic. In the English-speaking world, though, we have an embarrassing wealth of good options when it comes to the Bible. There are a number of solid, faithful translations to choose from. Each has its own slight strengths and weaknesses. It is very helpful for us to know a bit about those, in choosing what translation we use.

  One key idea to grasp is that each version has a translational philosophy. This is not something that eggheaded experts concocted to complicate the Bible. This is merely a by-product of trying to be consistent. When there is a passage like Sergio’s example above, should we translate the literal words, word-for-word; or should we translate the idea, and then express that in words that are as close as possible to the original where we can? There are obvious advantages and disadvantages to each.

  For study of the Bible, there is an advantage in having a more word-for-word literal translation. Since each word is inspired by God, anything less than this may at times gloss over (or even obscure) connections and nuances that the Author has intended. For this reason, I would highly recommend the New American Standard (NASB) or the English Standard Version (ESV).

  For general comprehension of the Bible, there can be an advantage to having a more idea-for-idea translation. The New International Version (NIV) is a good choice here. While it might not capture some phrases as well, it can be easier to read while still being faithful. Other translations can also be very useful. The King James (KJV), the New King James (NKJV), and the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) each have their own advantages.

  Today it is very easy to refer to multiple translations with a single click. Sites like blueletterbible.org will do this for you quickly, once you are comfortable navigating them. Also, a good Study Bible - with notes to go along with each passage - can very quickly answer questions and clarify issues as you read. Choose a trusted editor or publisher, and your Study Bible will give you confidence in embracing passages that you’ve never read before.

  God does His work in us through His Word. It is where we meet Him, see Him, hear Him, and are transformed by Him. May you find Him rich, as you commune with Him in His Word today.

“The law of the LORD is perfect,
restoring the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;

the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes ...”
~ Ps. 19:7-8

  God has answered this question many times in my life. My relationship with God is always deepened as I see that His faithfulness does not just cover my tiny corner of the world and my small life. I also believe we are better partners in the Gospel with those living in difficult places when we have walked where they walk. I love the logo for missions at Mountain Christian, “Bring Change, Be changed.” I have always come away changed. 

  I first went to South Asia (SA) in college and I fell in love with so many things about the country I was in. What really took a hold in my heart though was the open worship of false gods and the darkness that prevailed. During this time I realized how inadequate I was for the work that needed to be done. I turned to the only place I could - I began to pray. I had learned about prayer walking during previous mission trips and every time I went I saw some answered prayers and more insight into needs. Prayer walking is just praying as you are present in the world. It’s easy to turn your thoughts towards prayer when you do not understand the local language. As you begin practicing prayer God opens your eyes to strongholds, struggles, needs and ways He is working. 

  Pastor Frank’s sermon last Sunday reminded me of the power of prayer for our partners in the gospel. As we are able to look in their faces and understand the environment they are living and working in, God moves us to pray. We can pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ that their “love may mature in the real knowledge of God.” We can lift up to the true God the false gods and the barriers that hinder this real knowledge.  

  I see God’s hand guiding what felt like a pretty rushed trip in 2019. When we were invited to participate in a huge VBS in SA our small team took a few short months to plan and fundraise. This trip laid the foundation for MCC’s partnership with GOH. We visited several Hope Centers and met many partners in the gospel. Through this we adopted Shahabhad Hope Center and were able support the work done there even through some pretty crazy times of the pandemic. Looking back and seeing that 2020 changed so much and really cut off the possibility of travel, it is even more beautiful that God put all the pieces together so easily for our team to travel to SA. Being able to pray for specific friends and the Hope Center that we support in SA has been such a blessing. 

  Please be praying for the team that will travel this fall to South Asia. Please pray for their families and all the details surrounding the preparation to go. The country we will be traveling to is becoming increasingly hostile to the gospel. Please pray for open doors. Pray for encouragement for our partners, some of whom have been forced out of their homes by angry mobs and threatened by the police. Pray for Ravi as he travels extensively leading teams and encouraging GOH workers. Pray for his family as they are not together during these trips. If you took notes from Pastor Frank’s sermon please pray Philippians 1:9-11 for our faithful partners in the gospel working in a country where they are the minority (less than 2% Christian). 

Nicole’s family found MCC through the daycare that was that meeting at MCC in the early 1980’s, and has attended MCC since about 1983. Micah’s family started attending MCC when they moved to the East Mountains in 1991. They have served MCC through a variety of ministries over the years: leading the middle school youth group, teaching preschool, participating in Bible Studies and Fellowship Groups, serving on the Safety/Security team, and helping to lead Vacation Bible School.

The Barkers have three children who were raised at MCC. Tristan is 21 and serving in the Army at Fort Campbell, KY. Emily is 17 and homeschooling her Senior year, and Katie is a 15-year-old sophomore at East Mountain High School.

Micah is in his 24th year as a deputy with Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Dept and currently patrols the East Mountain area. Nicole has transitioned from a home-school mom and works part time at Kefauver CPA.

In their off time, Micah enjoys hiking and mountain biking. Nicole enjoys sitting in the sun and reading when not puttering around the house working on odd jobs.

They are looking forward to serving you on the Deacon Council!

*Photo credit - Mosey Photography

ISI ministers to our local international students at UNM in a wide variety of ways. Just this past January over 350 students were blessed through airport pickups, temporary homestays, free lunches, free furniture, and apartment finding help. An additional 350 students were served in August. There have been between 50 and 60 international students participating in Home Group studies. Many more students participated in sponsored hikes/sight-seeing/social activities, English as a second language classes, and Friendship Partners. During the Spring and Fall Breaks approximately 30 students traveled to Colorado and the Grand Canyon, respectively, taking part in the Discovery Bible Study Series while experiencing new parts of the US. These efforts saw two women make professions of faith, one from Japan and another from Brazil, and an Iranian man come to faith. There are several more students that are at various levels of exploring faith in Jesus.

MCC has been an important part of the ISI ministry in this past year. We provided meals in January and August. We invited students to our Christmas Eve service and an Old Town Luminaria tour. We collected several trailer loads of furniture from MCC donors and helped on numerous occasions to deliver furniture to students. We have provided short-term home stays and developed deep relations with students as Friendship Partners. We were also able to make financial donations to support ministry planning and the Fall Break trip.
With ISI we have a unique opportunity to do cross-cultural ministry right in our
backyard. If you are looking for a new opportunity to serve there are a lot of
different ways to get involved with ISI. Below are a few examples:

1. Sign up to provide food in January or August and/or help serve the food at UNM.
2. Donate unwanted furniture and/or help students take furniture to their new apartments.
3. Volunteer to host a student for a short-term homestay. This involves picking the student up at the airport and then housing them for a day or two until they can move into their apartment.
4. Become a Friendship Partner where you meet monthly with an international student and do fun things with them to help them acclimate to New Mexico.

If you are interested in helping or want more information contact Vince Tidwell at
(505)413-2647.

1 John 4:19

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only
Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
Will not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

During these weeks of Advent we have talked of Peace, Joy, Hope and now - Love. The only way I know how to talk about love is through Scripture. This is where I first found love and learned that I could love.

I Corinthians 13:4-7 describes love. “Love is patient; love is kind; and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek it’s own; is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness’ but rejoices with the truth; bears all things; believes all things, hopes all things; endures all things.” Verse 13 says “But now faith, hope, love abide these three;but the greatest of these is love.”

God’s love for us and how we can show our love for Him is repeated and taught throughout Scripture. In fact, we are commanded to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, King of Kings, came as a baby in the humblest of surroundings, to grow into manhood, to walk among us, teach us, love us. He then would walk willingly to the cross as the perfect sacrifice, loaded with all our sin and shame to die on a cross, to rise from death and sit beside His Father in Heaven….all to give us eternal life with Him. We have been given a precious gift.

“…this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. The steadfast
love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an
end; they are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:21-23

Rejoice, brothers and sisters, in this peace, joy, hope and love
we share with each other.

  Months of saying what I thought people wanted to hear had left me empty. I had quit drinking so why was everything so much worse than I thought it should be? I was exhausted. Where was this “higher power” I kept hearing about in AA meetings? Why wasn’t it working?

  I met a man who had a calmness about him that I had tried to attain through every means I could think of. He told me I could get better. I didn’t believe him, but I so desperately wanted to. I worked with him on the 12 steps of AA and things were good, until they weren’t. I was sober, but I just couldn’t let go of what I thought I needed.

  After several frustrating months I met another great man. We had dinner together and he told me Jesus loved me. I choked back tears and unbelief. I wanted it to be true, but how could it? I was a despicable person, nothing like the man sitting across from me. He told me of Jesus’s death and resurrection, and what it meant for a guy like me. Something inside me knew this is what I had been seeking my whole life. This is what was intended to fill the emptiness I felt for as long as I could remember. When we parted ways that evening, he gave me a Bible and said he loved me. I did not understand.

  I started attending the church where he Pastors, and I was immediately surrounded by something new. People were asking me how I was doing, and they waited to hear my answer. This was not obligatory small talk, it was genuine. The church needed help in an area that I had a bit of knowledge about, and despite some of my more stubborn character defects, I had fun. It felt strange to do something and not expect anything in return. What I did get in return cannot be expressed in words. It is a gift that I will carry in my heart for the rest of my life.

  As time went on, I was finding myself more interested in the message than the neat stuff I got to play with. I wanted more of Him. I wanted to do more. I wanted to use what I had been through to do good. I was seeing old relationships miraculously being rebuilt, much deeper than I had ever imagined they could be. I was letting go of guilt and shame I had carried my whole life. I felt like I had a purpose. I found myself believing Jesus loved me. I was letting go of what I thought I needed and finding rest in His love.

  I was baptized in that church. Through His transforming grace and mercy, I have been taught what love really means. I have been given a new life of purpose. I have been led to a place where I feel safe, welcome, and I don’t have to be anything but myself. The Lord has opened my eyes and my heart. Thank you, Jesus, that I have hope and can say with confidence, praise God, I had lost it all!

  Joy is often associated with the Christmas holiday season. Joy is mentioned/infused in Christmas songs, movies and cards. It is expected to be part of the season; it is just there. Except when it is not.

  I took a few minutes this morning to look for joy in my life, in my day. As I ate breakfast, Mindy and Jubilee joined me at the table. They wanted to spend a few minutes with me before I left for work. Shortly, Jubilee’s hand became caught between slats in the chair and tears ensued. Once she was freed, she climbed into Mindy’s lap for a comforting, all-is-right-in-the-world hug. Mindy’s smile radiated joy in that moment.

  There is joy to be had in the small moments that bring us pleasure and happiness, for ourselves and others. And we are to rejoice in those moments. But there is more to it, a larger reason to celebrate. Why is joy celebrated at Christmas time? Should Christmas be a more joyous time than the rest of the year?

  The joy at Christmas is wrapped up in the Gospel, beginning with what we deserve, followed by God’s promise, and the answer to that promise in the birth of a child. Our joy is found in knowing that despite our sin, our selfishness, our deserved separation from our loving Creator, He wants to be reconciled. This season’s joy is in the birth of His Son, who paved the way back for us; our joy lies in knowing how the story ends, with eternity in His presence.

  Like the shepherds in Luke 2, the birth of Christ is joyous news! More than being joyful, we are called to share that joy with others, to share the Good News that the Messiah has come to rescue us from the penalty of sin.

  You might be thinking. “Hold on, Paul!” “It is hard to be joyful or even share joy right now. I am alone, or money is tight, or I have to work on Christmas.” Those are all valid reasons to struggle at this time of year. God reminds us in Psalm 30:5 of the temporary struggles of this life and the eternity of His love for us.

For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

A shout of joy comes in the morning! I would encourage you to look around, today and this month, and seek where the Lord is at work. Seek opportunities to find and share joy. If you are alone, are there others who might also be alone that would be blessed to celebrate Christmas with you? If money is tight, how can you bring joy into the lives of others at no cost? There is value in time and attention. If you have to work on Christmas, how can the Holy Spirit shine through you, sharing the joy of Christ with those you come in contact with that day?

  It can often feel like our hands are caught in the slats of life, but we have the One who can offer us comfort, reassurance, and joy. We can climb onto His lap for peace. When He was born a baby, the story to eternal joy started. Resurrection Day completes our joy.

  Today, we can remember that while the challenges of life can hurt us in different ways, He is there, ready to bring us to joy. Share your joyful moments in the comments below. Merry Christmas!

In the summer of 1993, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham received a call from a man in England asking if he’d be willing to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in war-torn Bosnia. Franklin agreed, figuring Christmas was months away. He forgot about his promise until he received a call close to Thanksgiving asking about the gifts. With help from others, 28,000 shoebox gifts made their way to the Balkans that Christmas. Through these gifts it was communicated to children and their families, for the first time for most, what the angel said to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” - Luke 2:10.

Every year since, Samaritan’s Purse has collected shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for children around the world. The boxes serve as a tangible expression of God’s love, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, God’s Greatest Gift. Since 1993, more than 198 million children in more than 170 countries and territories have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox.

Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach 11 million children in 2022. And, this year the project will collect its 200-millionth shoebox!

Mountain Christian Church has supported the mission of Operation Christmas Child for many years. We support the mission in a few ways. First, we pack and donate boxes as a congregation. In 2021 we collected 137 boxes. Our 2022 goal is to collect 150 boxes. We are well on our way to this goal! Another way we support the mission is to serve as the East Mountain drop-off location. When an individual or church goes online to find the nearest drop-off location, MCC is listed as the site for all those in the East Mountain. This is a great opportunity for fellowship and to witness to our community. New this year, during Sunday School we had our grade school children write personal letters to the recipient children. These letters will be distributed in boxes collected by our congregation, letting the children know that they are loved by others and are being prayed for. 

If you haven’t yet packed your shoe box gift(s), do so today! MCC is collecting boxes through Monday, November 21^st. 

“Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” - Mark 10:14

  Thank you to our youth leaders!  You give up evenings for youth group and time during the week to plan lessons, meet with students, pray for wisdom, and give counsel.  You invest time and love into these kids facing a lot of challenges and changes. Thank you for setting an example and your support in their life when they need it.  Thank you for praying and caring about our youth. 

  Thank you, Sunday school teachers and Preschool/ Nursery caregivers! Thank you for your time spent going over lessons and crafts for our kids. Thank you for loving on our children even when they have an off day, or they want a parent, or when they are rowdy. Even when the class is noisy you bring calm and the love of Christ to these children. Thank you for Sunday mornings rushing to hold a crying baby or helping two toddlers who want the same toy.  Thank you for praying over them, investing the Word of God into their lives, and demonstrating the love of the Savior.

  Thank you, Missions team!  You love those who are in need locally and around the world.  Your heart for spreading the gospel is an example to us all.  Thank you for all the time spent as a liaison between our church and the ministries that we serve.  Thank you for encouraging fundraisers, dinners, fellowships, and for helping us to have a heart as big as God’s heart for the world. 

  Thank you to our ministry leaders and Bible study leaders!  You touch the lives of everyone around you.  You organize and volunteer. You listen and pray.  You bring meals and offer friendship.  You are the listening ear when some are hurting and struggling. 

  And lastly, thank you Deacons. We couldn’t tie our shoes without you! You preserve the unity of our body through countless ministries of service. You mobilize us to come alongside one another. By your wisdom and through the Spirit’s leading you help make our house a home. We are grateful to our newest members of the Deacon Council for their willingness to serve and we would also like to thank those who are rolling off the Council.  They served additional time due to the pandemic and it was an especially trying time to serve.  Thank you for your steadfastness during the past couple of years.

  "I was blessed to help get AMFA started almost 20 year ago, assisting with funding, training and advice. Since this time AMFA has installed about 500 wells in the Amazon Jungle of Peru. When I periodically return to Peru it is so encouraging to see well handles worn by use and families carrying on the daily activities around the wells. But far more satisfying is knowing that we are seeding new churches, training new pastors and creating a support network for these fledgling bodies of Christ. We are truly bringing living water (John 7:38) to these forgotten people." – Vince Tidwell, contact for AMFA Water Wells in Peru

  "Von and I are the FH Bolivia contact points because we are passionate about serving the less fortunate and sharing Christ around the world! We particularly love FH Boliva as we have made personal connections with the staff in the Sucre during our 3 trips there, and admire the personal and purposeful way they do missions. We love meeting with our sponsored children to affirm that they are special in God's sight and worth traveling thousands of miles for! Even before moving to NM, we had served in Bolivia with other mission organizations - apparently God wants us in Bolivia!"  - Von and Elisa Trullinger, contacts for Food For the Hungry, Bolivia

"For over 15 years, Juntos has been engaging children and young adults in Albuquerque to both show them how much God loves them, and to help them to develop leadership skills and identify God's purpose in their lives.  As a volunteer with them, I'm blessed to see eager minds excited to improve their academic skills as well as hear about Jesus and His purpose for them.  Since many children go on to be in leadership positions within Juntos, I feel the same kind of joy I felt as a parent seeing my children mature and reach out into the world to serve.  Juntos breaks chains that might have held these children into a life without the hope of Jesus, and I love helping break chains." – Jim Arzigian, contact for Juntos

"Our family is drawn to International Students, Inc. because we love to connect with people from all over the world...but we can't always afford a plane ticket! These key points from an ISI pamphlet we found in the foyer at MCC were enough to get our attention: 

• America hosts over 850,000 international students and scholars from over 200 countries.
• These students represent the brightest and most influential people from their countries. They will return home to excel in business, military, science and education.
• The majority of these students come from the least evangelized countries in the world.
• As Christians, they can return home to be influential missionaries in their own countries.

In 2017 we reached out to the local ISI ministry representative, Joan Lasche, and she invited us to a simple and helpful orientation session at UNM's campus. We now receive regular email updates on the ways we can get involved. Here are just a few of the varied opportunities that come up regularly: 

• Donate furniture or food. ISI hosts numerous Welcome Lunches each semester at which international students attending UNM are invited to enjoy a meal and pick out household items free of charge. 

• Pick up a student from the airport. Can't you just imagine what a blessing this could be to a young person arriving in Albuquerque for the first time? 
• Host a student in your home. Let someone stay with you for a few nights, or open your home to students excited to experience a traditional American holiday. 
• Make a friend! Come converse with students polishing their English, lead an outing to a fun local destination, or look over ISI's list of students who would like to be matched with a friendship partner. 

Each time we serve through this ministry, we are blessed by the experience!"  - Jake and Emily Gray

Reformation Day celebrates the significant religious reforms of the church, started by Martin Luther. Luther was a German monk who realized that the church practices of paying for indulgences for forgiveness was un-biblical and that Christ had already paid the debt for our sins. He stirred debate by posting his 95 theses on the door of Wittenberg Castle Church on the eve of All Saint’s Day.  His theses and the invention of the Gutenberg printing press spurred what would become the Protestant Reformation. Despite every flawed historical person, the culmination of Luther’s 95 theses and his translation of the New Testament into German enabled the common person to read the Bible.  What a gift in church history to read the Word of God for yourself!

The Reformers would correct doctrine and teachings of the church which were not in line with the Bible. They developed what is known as the Five Solas. Sola is Latin for alone. It was paramount that the church once again stand upon the sufficiency of grace, the sufficiency of Christ, the sufficiency of Scripture, etc.  The Five Solas are:

Sola Gratia

(Saved by Grace Alone)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9

Sola Fide

(Faith Alone)

For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. – Romans 3:28

Solus Christus

(Christ Alone)

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus – 1 Timothy 2:5

Sola Scriptura

(Scripture Alone)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness – 2 Timothy 3:16

Soli Deo Gloria

(Glory to God Alone)

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. – Romans 11:36

  Some ideas for celebration could include more reading on Luther, and other reformers such as John Knox or John Calvin and a mini-dig into church history.  You could sit down to a candlelit meal of German Renaissance food with meat, and potato salad, cheese, vegetables, bread and fresh cider. Have children dress up in Renaissance era costumes and eat gummy worms for Luther’s “Diet of Worms” (his assembly in the German city of Worms, in which he refused to recant his beliefs and was declared a heretic.) A printing press craft would be a fun project or you can click here for a free coloring page of the Five Solas. However you choose to celebrate, I hope you find joy and reason to rejoice this autumn season.

As we take time to pray for our pastor we also want to give him a word of encouragement!  Sometimes Sunday mornings and other times fly by too fast and we don't always get the chance to say what is on our heart. So our congregation has gotten together to write Frank notes of appreciation for his truth-filled messages and for his love and kindness. Here are just a handful of things that have been said-

"I can think of several ways I’ve seen you model goodness, kindness, devotion, loyalty, lovingkindness, mercy, and faithfulness – a reflection (even if a dim one) of our Father’s incomparable covenant lovingkindness towards us.  I’m especially grateful for the way you faithfully minister the Word to us in your preaching, discipling, and leadership behavior."

"I appreciate your passion for God's Word. I love your humble, teachable spirit. Your corny, wry sense of humor is also lovable, and is almost as corny and wry as my own. Your compassion for others inspires me."

"I personally have benefited from our constant interactions--As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another (Pr 27:17)--I am a far better disciple of Christ because of you."

"Praise You for his humbleness and steadfastness. He nourishes, guides, and protects us through the wisdom You give him to speak Your Word in truth."

"We love and appreciate you and your pastoral excellence and leadership and Mountain Christian Church."

"We are so blessed by your faithful and steadfast love for our church body. Your Bible-centered preaching has encourages our family in several ways and it has challenged and enhanced our personal walk and time with the Lord."

"You serve our body in so many ways- it's hard to thank you for all of them!"

"Thank you, Frank, for trustworthy support through various trials over the years."

"Thank you for real leadership in our community of Believers; it is both refreshing and appreciated!"

1. Pray for Your Pastor’s Daily Heart-Connect with Jesus

The single most decisive factor in your pastor’s life and ministry is his personal Jesus-time. Just as the epicenter of Jesus’ ministry was His daily time with His Father.

A pastor faces two dangers here. That his time in the Word will become more head than heart, more informational than transformational. Second, Bible study can drift from being about his soul to being about his sermon. And, “devotions” can become more about being with a book than being with a person.

2. Pray for Your Pastor’s Priorities

So many demands and expectations. It's so easy for a pastor to be driven by the urgent while neglecting the important. It’s a constant battle to sort out the needs of the people, the needs of your family, the needs of your soul. Neglecting of any of these can ultimately spell disaster.

3. Pray for Your Pastor's Protection from Enemy Attack

Jesus told Peter that Satan desired to sift him as wheat. He could say that to any shepherd of God’s people. It was in a passage Peter wrote to “elders” that he warned, “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 ). Of course. Bring down the shepherd and it’s open season on the sheep.

4. Pray for a Pastor's Marriage and Kids

If the enemy can’t get to the pastor, he’ll work on dividing, detouring, and destroying his family. There’s nothing like conflicted or collapsing family relationships to rob a pastor of his strength, his credibility, even his ministry.

5. Pray for “Fresh Manna” to feed God’s People

Not recycled sermons or passionless preaching. Pray that each time your pastor teaches or preaches, he will have something that has come from God’s heart, through your pastor’s heart—and straight to the hearts of the people. Something he can be excited about! God’s Word is “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12). The preaching of it should be, too.

6. Pray for That Life-Changing Combination of Courage and Compassion

Courage to clearly proclaim what God says as the final word on any subject. With so many believers being increasingly shaped by their culture more than their Christianity, it takes pastoral courage to stand firmly on God’s Word...at a time when it’s getting more and more lonely to do so.

7. Pray for Encouragement

Pray for your pastor to get the encouragement he needs—and too often lacks. Those who deal with pastors all the time consistently report a crisis of discouragement. Constant criticism. Failure feelings. Disappointed dreams. Lack of visible results. Lack of appreciation and gratitude.

- Hutchcraft, Ron. (2022, October 04) "7 Powerful Prayers for Pastor Appreciation Month" https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/powerful-prayers-for-pastor-appreciation-month.html

  Scott and I are very excited about serving in the wood ministry for MCC.  We have been married for 21 years and have three kids, 17, 14, and 11 – homeschooling each of them since kindergarten (Julie is the real teacher in “we”).  Scott has worked for Sandia National Labs for 14 years – 12 years in CA and 2 years in NM.  We really enjoy living in the East Mountains, love to hike, the boys mountain bike, and the girls love playing games together.