Step In!
By Jen Wollner

“… ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”
Joshua 3:8b

The land that the Lord had promised the Israelites so many years earlier was just on the other side of the Jordan River. The problem? Getting across the river! It was spring and the river was overflowing its banks. I imagine that also meant it was deep and rushing quickly as it passed the Israelite camp. For three days they had, no doubt, seen and heard its strong current and had probably wondered how and when they would ever get across.

Then came the word from the Lord as recorded in Joshua 3:7-8, 13: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river…And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream with be cut off and stand up in a heap.’”

“What?! That’s impossible! I’m not stepping one foot in THAT raging river!” That’s what I would have wanted to say if I had been one of those priests! But, they didn’t respond like that at all. They simply broke camp and got ready to cross.

God had a plan…actually, a promised land. But in order for the Israelites to get there, they had to step into the unknown, the scary, the dangerous, and trust God to work out the impossible. They had to follow His direction and obey, one step at a time.

Sometimes the Lord calls us to put feet to our faith by moving us in a direction that we think is impossible. Most times in life we can’t see the whole plan that He has in store for us, or even more than one step ahead, but we need to choose to move forward anyway, letting our faith conquer our fear.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

So, what are you waiting for? Step in!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What’s God calling you to that’s causing you fear or uncertainty? Trust Him and move forward in the direction He is leading you.

FURTHER READING:
Exodus 14:15-31; Matthew 14:22-32

Jen and her husband are busily parenting three children between the ages of seven and three. Jen heads the Fresh Start ministry and is on the leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.

Mountain Climbing
By Jennie Pierce

“As it is, there are many parts, but one body…Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
1 Corinthians 12:20, 27

Refusing to let physical limitations get in their way, Erica Davis and Tara Butcher were determined to climb the more than 19,000-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro. Erica, a paraplegic, and Tara, a below-the-knee amputee, looked beyond what they didn’t have to what they did have with a good, solid support group. Their purpose? To benefit a non-profit organization, showing other handicapped people that there is no need to accept their limitations as a limitation. (1)

If anyone had legitimate excuses why they couldn’t climb even the smallest of mountains, let alone one of the biggest mountains in the world, these two girls certainly did! Taking six days to reach the summit, this group endured many difficulties including harsh weather, fatigue, hunger, and poor sleeping conditions. At times during the climb, they approached certain sections that were so rough, narrow and rocky that Erica could not fit her chair through certain passages. It was then that porters carried her through. (2) Six days later and completely exhausted, the team reached the summit, and Erica became the first female paraplegic to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

What a beautiful picture of how the Christian life was designed to be lived. We all have our limitations, in one form or another. What we do with those limitations is our choice. We can deny they exist, or accept that they do and seek out a rally team of friends to help on our life’s journey…even if it means swallowing our pride when we need to be carried.

Scripture reminds us that we each have our own unique set of strengths and gifts for the purpose of building and encouraging each other; and, that in our weakness, He is strong! The body of Christ is all about teamwork…a joint effort that finds us, in humility, serving and loving one another all the way to the finish line.

Friends, when we journey together, with our damaged spinal cords and missing legs, we can ultimately agree with a member of this Mt. Kilimanjaro team as he noted that, “Not many people really grasp what it takes to climb a mountain like that…you have to climb a mountain every day for 8-10 hours. Well, we did that. And driving away from the mountain yesterday, it was truly inspirational to see what we had accomplished.” (3)

GOING DEEPER:
1. What’s stopping you from admitting to a weakness and asking for help? Are you willing to go all the way with others who may require your help?

FURTHER READING:
1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12:5; Philippians 2; 2 Corinthians 12:9

(1) http://www.hmenews.com/blogwm/?p=591; http://www.kmir6.com/Global/story.asp?S=11834538;
(2) www.disabledandproductive.com
(3) http://theroof.tumblr.com

Jennie is a wife and mother of three. She is active in Oakwood’s musical worship ministry and works part-time for a chiropractor.

Secret-Keeping
By Susan Klein

“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Matthew 6:3-4

I listened to a lady on the radio this morning who called in to share the secret thing she had done for her husband. She was so excited about how her good deed had turned out that she just had to share it with someone. The radio announcers praised her for her thoughtfulness and complimented her on pulling off the surprise. While what she did was indeed kind, she received her reward from them: their praise. I started to wonder... “What kind of reward might she have missed out on from her heavenly Father?”

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus teaches about three things we should do “in secret”: giving, praying and fasting. He is encouraging benevolence and humility, while warning against ostentation and hypocrisy. He says that when we do these things visibly and intentionally for all to see, we will receive our just reward from them (verses 1-2). But, when we do them in secret, so that only our Father sees what we are doing, He will be the One to reward us. In essence, we are rewarded by the person whose praise we seek. So, that being true, could we be missing out on some heavenly rewarding by seeking earthly praises?

While many of our actions will undoubtedly be noticed by others, that should not be the driving force or motive of our good deeds. 1 Samuel 16:7b says, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God knows our motives and our thoughts like no one else does! He knows when we are giving, or helping, or praying to seek His glory, or when we are doing it for the praises of men.

A comforting fact is that He even knows when we are overlooked, forgotten or taken for granted in our kindness to others. He really doesn’t miss a thing! And these are the times, the times when we are not acknowledged or when our good deeds go unnoticed, that He can choose to really reward us! And His rewards are incomparable to any earthly prize!

Let’s check our actions at the door and try a little secret-keeping!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Which, if any, of your actions might be prompted by your desire to be recognized by others?
2. How can you safeguard yourself against becoming like the hypocrites Jesus speaks of in these verses in Matthew?

FURTHER READING:
Matthew 6:5-6, 16-21; Colossians 3:23-24

Susan is a wife and mother of two. She is the Coordinator of Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and one of its teachers.

Lost
By Peggy Kleckner

“Be still and know that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10a

When you are lost, the best plan to follow is to be still, stop walking and wait to be found. Spiritually the answer is the same. When we are still, God finds us and He draws us up into His lap to comfort us, to take away our fears and to bandage our wounded places.

Henri Nouwen, a Catholic theologian, writes, “Can I accept that I am worth looking for?”(1) Some days, we really struggle to answer that question with a “yes.” To be still is to believe that someone will search for you, to trust someone else to be doing the work of rescuing you. Our stillness says to God, “Yes, please come for me.”

When we choose to still our hearts in the midst of our trials, we invite God to meet with us. We affirm again that we trust Him and are willing to surrender to His will. Stillness is not a “do nothing” mentality. It is a moment of surrender. It is the waiting to meet with the God of all creation. It is the pause, before the most beautiful music. Truly “knowing” that He is God comes from being still and waiting for Him.

I once was lost, but now am found!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What situation in your life has you feeling “lost”? Is your spirit still running? Are you willing to tell your spirit to sit down and be still?

FURTHER READING:
Proverbs 3:5-6; Zephaniah 3:17; Isaiah 40:28-31, 41:10

(1) © 1992. The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen, published by Doubleday

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - two sons and two stepsons. She is the Co-coordinator of Oakwood’s Wednesday p.m. Bible Study.

Out-of-the-Box Prayers
By Pamela Blattner

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.”
Matthew 6:7

My little granddaughter is a total drama queen, but very sensitive and innocent, too. When she prays, she is genuine and worth listening to. She tenderly cares for her cousin, fish, friends and dog. The other evening, we asked if she would pray at dinner for our family and blessing over our food. The simplicity of her prayer as she scrunched her nose and tightly shut her eyes, brought conviction to my heart.

Several years back, I was mentoring an adolescent boy in a local school setting. He was very sensitive to poverty, crime and abuse. I asked him to pray for the children in his neighborhood. The young man said, “God, make my mothers, aunties, and brothers stop fighting. Tell them it hurts their kids.” The prayer that was uttered out of brokenness pierced my heart. I found out later that he had also called out to God for things that personally affected him…fatherlessness, loneliness, and fear…prayers from deep in his heart. Some of us would think the prayers we heard were a little “raw,” but they were “real.”

Just recently, a group of kids were “real” in their prayers about our current events: “Jesus, I pray that you will be a comforter to all the people in Haiti that have lost everything in the earthquake.” “Lord I pray that through any disaster that may happen you would receive glory. I pray Psalm 91 protection for all the relief workers and missionaries in Haiti.”

One of my friends just told me that her son came home upset from school one day because a teacher wouldn’t pray for his request. He said, “I wanted to pray about the dogs in the shelter, but he said we should pray for personal things. Why couldn’t we pray about the dogs, Mom?”

Many times, the prayers of children seem out-of-the-box to us. They are motivated to pray about the things that touch their hearts…friends, family, teachers, even pets. We often smile at the innocence of their prayers; some of which aren’t even spiritual. But, they pray naturally…the way prayer should be.

They might be out-of-the-box prayers, but they go straight to the heart of God.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Take a moment and pray out-of-the-box to Jesus today. Be real with Him about what is on your mind.

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 66:20

Pam and her husband Richard have two adult children and two grandchildren. She serves Oakwood through its Family Care Ministries.

Passing the “Buck”
By Karen D’Amore

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
Hebrews 3:13a

My eyes following hoof prints in the rapidly melting snow, I feel his presence but I cannot see him. The eight-point buck lurks somewhere on my land, camouflaged by the perpetual beige brush. He has become my friend of sorts, faithfully appearing when my encouragement tank needs filling. Today, my tank is empty, but as I search longingly for the buck, he continues to elude me.

My load is heavy…my strength depleted. Lord, are You with me? Pleading…I really need to feel Your presence…Lord?? Morning would come much too quickly with the task of the new day…beyond my capacity. Jesus, I need You to carry me! Jesus, are You with me?

Muted darkness hung on the shoulders of dusk. A flicker of white draws me to the window. Standing before me, the majestic buck, his white-patched tail twitches like a beckoning wave. His gentle eyes lure my heart with warming assurance. I am encouraged…of course, Jesus is with me! Only an intimate God would provide for me in such a personal way. For me, the buck is the perfect vessel of encouragement. And God often brings the buck into my presence, in those pivotal moments of darkness and silence, as if to shout “I am with you.”

As Christ-followers, we are called to “pass the Buck!” We are to “encourage the exhausted and strengthen the feeble” (Isaiah 35:3 NASB). But it isn’t just the exhausted that need our encouragement. According to today’s Scripture, encouragement should be extended daily to protect against the deception of sin. Satan uses exhaustion and our weakened state to divert our focus and desensitize us to the entrapments of sin. Encouragement points our focus to God, spurring us towards love and good deeds. Encouragers become an extension of God’s strong arms…easing the heaviness of pain and warming the chill of loneliness.

How can we be vessels of encouragement? A phone call says, “I’m listening to you!” A written note says, “I’m thinking of you!” A visit says, “I’m here for you!” A gift says, “I’m with you even though I’m not present with you!” Regardless of what we do, let’s do something to ensure that the “Buck” doesn’t stop here!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you in need of encouragement? Ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you in a real and personal way.
2. How can you be an encourager to those around you?

FURTHER READING:
Philippians 2:1-4; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1Thessalonians 5:11

Married to Dan, Karen is a retired police officer and a licensed Nail Technician. She is the administrator for Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study, and is a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator.

What I Believed
By Lisa Boyer

“…. and we are taking every thought captive

to the obedience of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5b

“Taking every thought captive” was a phrase I’d heard so many times and I had avoided a lot of thoughts because of that verse. But recently I’ve become more careful about EVERY thought. Just one little thought can cause so much trouble…

I’d had an uncomfortable conversation with someone…there wasn’t anything wrong with what was said and I shouldn’t have taken how she said it the way I did, but nonetheless, it resulted in a series of thoughts. The first was, “She’s just having a bad day.” But, in the end I concluded, “I bring out the worst in her.” It was obviously true because if I hadn’t…she wouldn’t have…so it was all my fault.

I developed a game plan. Because I bring out the worst in her, it would be best if I avoided contact with her. Knowing I couldn’t avoid her completely, when I did see her I would just keep it professional. She was very dear to me and I was heartbroken in having to make this decision. But I sincerely wanted what was best for her and bringing out the worst in someone is never what’s best for them. So it was settled. I would do what I had to do.

Two weeks later, when I saw her standing across the room, I took a deep breath and reviewed the plan: Avoid contact or just keep it professional. Yet something on the inside didn’t feel right. It wasn’t the sadness over the situation; something else wasn’t right. Then I heard it, a quiet voice saying, “It’s not true. You don’t bring out the worst in her.” Immediately I recognized that Voice. It was God speaking truth to my heart. The truth was simple: I don’t bring out the worst in her. In fact, there was more evidence that I bring out the best in her than evidence of anything else. As truth filled my mind, tears of thanksgiving filled my eyes.

After eliminating all evidence of tears, I approached her nervously, not sure how she remembered our last conversation. I was greeted with a heartwarming smile!

…it began as just a simple thought that I hadn’t taken captive and it could have destroyed a valuable relationship.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What thoughts have you let wander in your mind that you need to take captive? Will you do that now?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 139:23, 34; Philippians 4:8

Lisa is a wife and mother of two. She is a co-leader for a Junior High girls' small group.

It’s divine DYNAMITE!
By Elin Henderson

“…strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power…”
Colossians 1:11a (NKJV)

Who of us couldn’t use a little more explosive power in our lives? Sign me up! Don’t you wish you could spiritually blast your way out of some things? Wouldn’t it be great if we had a cache of divine dynamite ready for our use? “I have this huge wall in front of me, Lord, hand me another stick of divine dynamite please!”

Well, wouldn’t you know that the word that Paul used here in Colossians to tell us about the power available to us is none less than “dunamis.” “Dunamis” is the Greek root word for “dynamite.”(1) Dynamite in and of itself, though, is not powerful unless lit. It has the potential for extreme power, but unless put into action, it is just a stick! So, potentially the “might” Paul is speaking of here is a stick of divine dynamite available 24/7 for our use.

How much power are we talking about? Enough to bring down my wall of problems? The answer to that is found in the second part of Colossians 1:11a. The question is how much power does He have? The word “power” here is from the Greek word “kratos,” meaning “dominion and might.”(1) His dominion and might is incomprehensible for us and that is the source for our stick of divine dynamite!

How then do we activate or light our stick of divine dynamite? Isaiah 30:15 says, “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” So it isn’t through striving and fighting, but in resting! As we depend on Him and rest in His dynamic strength and might, He works His power on our behalf. Now that’s DYNAMITE!!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What walls are standing before you that could use some blasting?
2. What can you do to remind yourself of your ample cache of divine dynamite?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 46:10; Ephesians 1:18-19

(1) Strong’s Dictionary found on www.e-sword.net

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to ten-year-old Callie and seven-year-old Elias.

Quit Quarreling!
By Susan Klein

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.”
2 Timothy 2:23-24

Like most recent new believers, when I personally received Christ’s gift of salvation, I couldn’t wait to talk about my faith with others! I loved learning from those who were more mature in their Christian walk, and I was also passionate about sharing what I believed with those who didn’t know Jesus.

In those earlier years, I worked third shift as a nurse. Whenever we had a lull or a down-time, I would go to the break room with a co-worker/friend of mine and we’d talk about the new things God was showing each of us. Every night, I was filled with anticipation over where our conversations would take us next!

Then, one night, the unthinkable happened! My co-worker shared something she had learned that I had never heard of before. In fact, I wasn’t too sure I agreed with this teaching and felt compelled to voice my opposition. We amiably agreed to do some further study on our own and come back later to share what we discovered. The next night we resumed our conversation, both armed with Scripture to back our opinions. This time, it didn’t end quite as amiably. Each of us felt we were in the right and had to defend our position on the matter. Day after day, we’d each go home to try to find more verses (ammunition) to try and prove the other wrong! Soon, I no longer looked forward to our breaks together because our “sharing” time had become “quarreling” time, and all in the name of Scripture!

I quickly found myself dreading going to work, and even avoided my co-worker once there, just to escape the ensuing quarrel that would eventually rear its ugly head. Our sorry behavior was not setting a very good example for those around us. During my digging one evening before work, God took me to the above verse. He showed me, ever-so-clearly, that His Word was not meant to be a divisive sword among believers, and that His servants must not engage in quarreling. We must learn to lovingly disagree with each other so the evil one cannot gain a foothold in our lives, and so that we might be a light to those who are watching.

I apologized to my co-worker, sharing with her what God had revealed to me. We made a pact to never quarrel over our differences again, but to show love and respect to each other even when we disagreed.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What do you do when you find yourself disagreeing with someone over God’s Word?

FURTHER READING:
Titus 3:9

Susan is a wife and mother of two. She is the Coordinator of Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and one of its teachers.

Shelter from the Storm

By Jen Wollner

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and they are safe.”
Proverbs 18:10

My seven-year-old son, Clayton, has always been afraid of storms. Flashing lightning, crashing thunder and pounding rain literally make him tremble and weep. Recently, we had several days of thunderstorms in a row. We were all on edge and my husband and I were getting used to one kid or another running to us or crying during the night as the various sounds echoed around our home. One morning, when it was already light out, the rain woke me up and soon thereafter I saw a huge flash of lightning. The thunder followed immediately behind it and shook the whole house. I cringed and braced myself for what I knew I’d hear next…frantic feet running down the hall to my room! I waited…and waited…but, no one came. No feet. No crying. No panicked calls for Mommy and Daddy.

Hmmm…that’s strange, I thought. There’s no way none of them heard that, especially Clayton. Is it possible that he slept through it?!

As I lay in bed, my mind turned to other things and soon I drifted back to sleep. Not too long later, Clayton came into our room and jumped in bed with us, just as he does most mornings. He seemed particularly excited and pleased with himself, though, and the first thing out of his mouth was, “Mom, did you hear that loud thunder?” “Yeah, did you hear it, too?” I asked him with much shock. “Yep!” he said. “And I was really scared at first, but then I remembered that God was with me and I wasn’t scared anymore!” Well, there’s nothing that gives me more joy then when my children trust in the Lord and look to Him to fill their needs. And, I was overwhelmed with gratitude that God would so quickly and supernaturally meet that need. What a promise-keeping God!

We all struggle with fears and worries, don’t we? Maybe it’s a health issue. Maybe it’s a financial dilemma. Maybe it’s a difficult relationship. Or, maybe it’s something more tangible like spiders, heights or, like my son, severe weather. Whatever it is, it fills us with panic and all we can think about is getting away…being rescued…finding shelter.

The Lord is that place. He’s the place of security when the storms of life crash down on us. He’s a strong tower when everything is falling apart around us. He is our Rock, our Fortress, our Deliverer.

Run to Him…

GOING DEEPER:
1. What causes you to tremble? From what do you need protection? Seek the Lord and expect Him save you and fill you with courage!

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 18:2; Psalm 91; Isaiah 41:10-14

Jen and her husband are busily parenting three children between the ages of seven and three. Jen heads the Fresh Start ministry and is on the leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.

True Success
By Jennie Pierce

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”
Philippians 3:8

Gus* had no choice when he was summoned to the front of his church by his family and friends. After all, it is the tradition of this small, rural church community in northern Wisconsin to honor birthdays in this way. And turning eighty certainly was reason enough to celebrate.

Being given eighty cents, to represent each year of his life, Gus plopped the coins in a metal church-shaped bank while the congregation counted aloud. Upon reaching the number eighty, applause broke out to honor a man who had been blessed with these years of life. After receiving verbal and physical accolades, Gus humbly approached the microphone. With tears in his eyes and a reflective heart, he summed up the whole of his life for which he was most grateful.

Simply, Gus mentioned two things: He was very thankful for a wonderful church body of which he had been a part most of his years. He was the most grateful, however, for the salvation he has in Jesus Christ, as a result of God’s unfailing love for him. After his brief, few minutes of fame, Gus quietly took his seat.

Eighty years is a long time. No doubt, Gus has probably accomplished many great things that he could have duly noted. And, certainly, an eighty-year-old man should have every right to brag! But, he didn’t. His perspective was much altered from the world’s perspective. He has realized that fame, accomplishments, gain of money and other feats do not matter in the grand scheme of life. He has established his final conclusion, like wise King Solomon, that true success is fearing God and obeying His commandments; or, like the Apostle Paul, who realized that titles, status, or even lineage mean absolutely nothing in comparison to knowing Jesus Christ and becoming more and more like Him.

When Gus exits this earth some day, he will probably not be remembered for some earth-shattering invention, prize possession, or other evidences of an earthly “successful” life. However, when he meets Jesus face-to-face, no doubt he will hear those words of eternal value as Jesus smiles at him and proclaims, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”…for that is true success!

GOING DEEPER:
1. In what earthly areas are you trying to succeed? Do you give more time, thought and energy to those than you do to knowing, loving and becoming more like Christ?
2. How do you want people to most remember you?

FURTHER READING:
Ecclesiastes 12:13; Philippians 3; Matthew 6:19-21

*name has been changed to maintain anonymity.

Jennie is a wife and mother of three. She is active in Oakwood’s musical worship ministry and works part-time for a chiropractor.

The God Who Sees
By Carolyn Hulliberger

“…You are the God who sees me…”
Genesis 16:13

Imagine a young, unmarried, pregnant woman with no home, no family, and no future. She has no education, no means of providing for the child she carries. She has been used and abandoned emotionally by the child’s father, treated harshly by his family. Seeing no other options, she runs away. The future is bleak…there is no one to help…what will become of her?

When all appears hopeless, an angel of the LORD comes to her. He speaks to her…the unwed mother…the homeless wanderer. He has specific instructions from God himself. She is to name her son “God hears.” God will make her descendents too numerous to count. He has a plan for HER! Her response, in what I imagine to be an astonished whisper, is, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” She has not been abandoned….she has been seen by a God who cares deeply about her and her unborn child. And while the angel instructs her to return to her child’s father, she is no longer alone.

This is no “Movie of the Week.” It is the story of Hagar, an Egyptian slave and the mother of Abraham’s first son, Ishmael. The culture of the Old Testament book of Genesis allowed masters to keep slaves, to treat the slaves as they wished, and for female slaves to bear children in place of their master’s wives. On the ladder of society, these female slaves were the bottom rung. They were given no rights, no freedoms, no opinions. Surely God would not take notice of one such as this.

Have you ever felt like God doesn’t notice what’s going on in your life? That you couldn’t be important to Him? “Hagar’s God is the One who numbers the hairs on our heads and who knows our circumstances, past, present, and future.” (1) In our places of desolation, God is intimately aware of our hurts, our troubles, our sorrows. His care for us is personal, intimate and individual. The psalmist writes, “I lift up my eyes to the hills…where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth…The LORD will keep you from all harm…he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” Psalm 121: 1-2, 7-8.

Know today that God sees you, He cares about you, and you are never alone.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you feeling weak in the face of today’s challenges? Pray for strength to keep your eyes fixed on the One who sees you.
2. How have you experienced God’s watchful care?

FURTHER READING:
2 Chronicles 16:9; Proverbs 15:3

(1) © 2004. Praying the Names of God, Ann Spangler, page 27.

Along with caring for her husband, two children and the dog, Carolyn is an Office Representative for State Farm Insurance, serves as a small group leader for Wednesday p.m. Bible study, and is the treasurer for Women’s Ministries.

And He Walks With Me
By Pamela Blattner

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.”
Galatians 5:16-17

Recently, God allowed me to go through a season of loss in my life. It was difficult. My father unexpectedly died of heart failure, and within a few months, my cousin Sandy died of anorexia. I had just shared my hope and faith in Jesus with another cousin, and then he died suddenly. My mom’s health failed shortly after. One of my children and her family came to live with us for two years, as did my mother. My kids lost the house they were remodeling in Oconomowoc; and mom had several hospitalizations and is now in a nursing home.

In Philippians 3:10, the apostle Paul said that his goal in life was to know the Lord and the fellowship of His sufferings. Honestly, I don’t know if I like that. I pray that I may enjoy His sweet fellowship, but when it comes right down to it and He lets me fellowship with Him in a few of His sufferings, I whine and carry on.

But God is in the transforming and reorganizing business. He convicts us and nudges us in our spirit until we make a decision, through an act of our will, and then He transforms us to His likeness. Paul tells us, the only way to keep from feeding our ego and making sure that it’s not all about us is to “walk by the Spirit.” When we live in the Spirit we find that it’s incompatible with living in our flesh. We’re never free from sinning until we get to heaven, but for now, we have a life in which the evil one’s power is stripped and the Holy Spirit Himself urges us to walk with Him and helps us to follow Him.

Beth Moore, in her book Breaking Free, Day By Day, states, “Life involves change, change involves loss. Loss involves death of one kind or another. But every time we suffer loss, we encounter an opportunity for the loss to bring gain for Jesus’ sake by allowing His life to be revealed in us.” (1)

Are you waiting to break free from bondage and walk in loveliness and submission to the Lord? He’ll be there for you. He is faithful and, most of all, He loves you. Keep your eyes directed toward Him. Be centered in Jesus.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What difficult life circumstance do you find yourself in today? How can you “walk in the Spirit” and allow this trial to grow and mature you?

FURTHER READING:
Deuteronomy 23:14; Isaiah 44:1–5; John 6:63; 1 John 1:5–7

(1) © 2007. Beth Moore, B & H Publishing Group, page 146.

Pam and her husband Richard have two adult children and two grandchildren. She serves Oakwood through its Family Care Ministries.

Bad Day
By Lisa Boyer

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power at work within us”
Ephesians 3:20

We’ve all had them, bad days. But I knew this day was going to be bad before it even arrived.

It was one of those days that was just loaded with the weight of the world, like someone’s very life depended on what I was going to do and say and how I was going to say it. It was certainly destined for a disaster of some sort. There were simply too many things that could go wrong for the day to go right. So, I put on my “gotta do what I gotta do” face and headed into the day.

At the end of that day, someone asked me how it went. I quickly responded with “well it couldn’t have gone any worse,” and then I proceeded to share the details with her. As I reviewed each detail, I was suddenly aware of how it could have gone worse, so much worse.

I had spent a lot of time in prayer about that day, before and during it, and my expectation was that God would give me the grace to survive it. What happened was so much more than survival! God was in the little things, the details, each and every one of them. God had indeed heard my prayer and answered, beyond what I could have asked or hoped for. The reality was, as bad as that day was, it really couldn’t have turned out any better.

A few days after later, I was reading my Bible and came across John 1:16: “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” That was my bad day, filled with one blessing after another. Yes, it was still difficult and I really wish I hadn’t had to experience it, but oh, the joy in recognizing that I was given one blessing after another in the midst of it!!!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Have you been disappointed that God didn’t prevent an incident in your life or rescue you from it? Is it possible that your disappointment caused you to miss the blessings He did provide during that time?
2. When you pray, what are you expecting God to do? Rescue you, help you survive, or walk with you?

FURTHER READING:
1 Peter 3:12-15b

Lisa is a wife and mother of two. She is a co-leader for a Junior High girls’ small group.

What Trips Your Trigger?
By Susan Klein

“He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.”
Exodus 2:11b

“He” was Moses. He was raised in opulence by the pharaoh’s daughter, though he was born of a Hebrew peasant woman. His roots, tightly entwined around his heart, would not allow him to bear the injustice he witnessed inflicted against his own people. An Egyptian task-master, beating a Hebrew man, tripped his trigger and died at the hands of Moses. God later used that fire within him to lead the Israelites out of bondage.

Another man, raised in the deep south of the United States, felt a similar pull as he watched the oppression of his own people. His passion ignited his efforts toward racial equality that eventually cost him his life. He was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

She was just an average geography teacher in an underprivileged country. Her route to school each morning took her past homeless men and women who were literally dying in the streets. One day, the fire within her was ignited and she could stand it no longer! She rallied the forces of a few friends and started a ministry to care for these poor and rejected souls. She was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. You may know her as Mother Teresa.

So, what trips your trigger? Maybe your righteous indignation stems from seeing babies aborted or children abused. Perhaps your fire is ignited when you hear about adults who’ve never learned to read or people living on the streets. Or is your trigger tripped when you see the spiritually lost and perishing? As your fire is flamed, does it spur you on toward action?

I believe God ignites a holy passion within us that motivates us to do the good works He has called us to do. Sometimes, that igniting comes in the form of righteous anger! When we act upon those feelings in a positive way, one that helps or benefits others, it brings glory to God and sets an example for all who observe. Laws have been changed over tripped triggers regarding child safety. Help-agencies have been established across the globe due to the righteous indignation of men and women who can’t stand to sit by and watch poverty-stricken people starve and die.

Perhaps your passion is helping children learn to read. Consider tutoring at a local school or help-agency, such as The Salvation Army. Or, maybe you can’t bear the thought of people going without food. Help out at a food pantry, organize a food drive, or make a meal for someone.

First, discover your passion. Then ask your Father why He ignited it, and what He wants you to do about it!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What hurts your heart or spurs passion in your soul?
2. What might you do to act upon it?

FURTHER READING:
Hebrews 13:16; Matthew 25:34-40

Susan is a wife and mother of two. She is the Coordinator of Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and one of its teachers.

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
By Elin Henderson

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible…All things were created through Him and for Him.”
Colossians 1:16 (NKJV)

Does your life ever feel out of control? Maybe better to ask…does your life ever feel “in control”? Mine seldom does! Sometimes it seems as though life is simply zipping by like telephone poles while you are driving down the freeway. Or in my case, palm trees by the dirt roads, if you ever pick up enough speed! We clutch for a sense of control, but it elusively escapes us. So, I ask myself, “Is this good, bad or indifferent?”

I say it is good! Why? Feeling out of control is never good to us from a human perspective. In fact, we hate it! Generally speaking, we do anything possible to keep ourselves free from the feeling of being out of control. But, it is helpful in that it reminds us that we, in our humanness, can produce nothing but chaos and frustration, but God, in His Divineness, produces nothing but peace and order! We were never meant to retain control, but rather render our control to Him, recognizing that He is best suited to handle it.

So, whether it is part of the physical, spiritual or emotional realm, or whether it is made up of time or matter, all aspects of our lives are in His capable and creative hands. As our Creator and Sustainer, He’s got the whole world in His hands!

Call it silly or strange, but I remember things best through song. So, when I am feeling stressed about things, I find it helpful to create a new verse to the children’s song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” to remind myself who is really in control of the situation. My version goes a little something like this:

“He’s got my irritating neighbors in His hands
He’s got my crazy language study in His hands
He’s got my feeble attempts at homeschooling in His hands
He’s got the whole world in His hands!”

GOING DEEPER:
1. What would your version of this song look like? What craziness in your life do you need to remember is in His hands?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 102:25

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to nine-year-old Callie and seven-year-old Elias.

Dying to Self
By Karen D’Amore

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”
Luke 9:23-24

Dying to self…a crucified life…every attitude, desire, decision and circumstance filtered through the cross. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). As Christ-followers, it is our choice to “die to self,” allowing His life to flow through us. We must value God above ALL else; placing His hands in front of everything. Self-centeredness diminishes, as our lives increase in God-centeredness. And as we obediently follow Christ, that crucified life glorifies Him. With our cross on our back, we experience His voice, presence, power and love, as never before.

“When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don’t sting or hurt with the oversight, but your heart is happy being counted to suffer for Christ, that is……Dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence, that is……Dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, and any annoyance; when you can stand face-to-face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did, that is……Dying to self.

When you are content with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God, that is……Dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, that is……Dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in desperate circumstances, that is……Dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than you and can humbly submit, inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, that is……Dying to self.”

--Anonymous (1)

Daily we must choose to “take up our cross.’’ As we begin each day, let us examine our heart and ask…Am I dead yet?

GOING DEEPER:
1. What things in your life are hindering you from 100% surrender?
2. What selfish behaviors, attitudes or desires need to be nailed to the cross?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 116:15; John 3:30, 12:24-26

(1)Poem taken from CBN.com

Married to husband Dan, Karen is a retired police officer. She is the administrator for Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and a volunteer at the Wildlife In Need Center.

My Life in Garments
By Elizabeth Cole

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”
Isaiah 30:21

Please don’t show me a pile of fabric, zippers, or a seam ripper any time soon! My daughters are in a musical revue, and seemingly every spare minute of mine these past two weeks has been spent at the fabric store or at my sewing machine. Understand: I’m not a master seamstress; just okay enough for costumes that convey the “idea” from a distance!

Due to my sorely limited abilities, I’ve found the instructions that accompany each pattern to be invaluable. Since I simply have no “sewing intuition” of my own, it’s imperative that I follow those instructions explicitly...and with a whole lot of trust. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. When I questioned why I needed to do something right away, and it seemed that it ought to be done later…I was wrong. I realized at the point of “later” that it would’ve been significantly more difficult. So plan to put the elastic at the wrists before you attach the sleeve to anything else!

2. When I wanted to go ahead and “take care of” a step sooner than it was stated in the instructions…I was wrong. Several key elements needed to be in place before it could possibly come together successfully. Case in point: don’t sew the shoulders of a vest until after it’s been turned right side out.

3. When I read the instructions, looked at the picture a dozen times, and concluded the pattern designer had made a huge illogical mistake…I was wrong. Only upon actually doing it, did I realize the brilliance of the step. Still can’t explain that one…but it totally worked.

To the background hum of my sewing machine, I’ve been tutored this week by the Master Designer. He’s given me His instructions through His Word, the Bible; His Spirit lays out the steps for me and guides me to which necessary step is next; He has a finished product He’s looking to create and lovingly invites me into the process.

My job? Just follow His instructions. No freelancing needed, no trusting my own self-generated “intuition.” Those result in the spiritual equivalent of my creative attempts last night to enhance a bodice…yeah, the one that’s now deposited in the trash! Replaced by…of course, the one the pattern maker gave.

In trust, I lift my scissors this morning to the Master Designer!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Reflect on a time you decided to “freelance” and run your own life. How did it turn out?
2. Where are you tempted to do the same currently? What will you do about it?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 139:5-16; Romans 8:28

Elizabeth is a wife, mother to three daughters, and Director of Women’s Ministries at Oakwood Church.

Then Comes Joy!
By Peggy Kleckner

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2

As the temperature began to rise, I saw the snow melting away. I was amazed at the speed at which it left. I was excited as I began to see the grass beneath. My heart remembers spring. I was thinking of blooming yellow daffodils and tiny crocuses. My mind pondered the birds that sing, the green that would take over, the buds on trees! Ah yes, my heart was set on spring. However, as I watched the snow melt away, I began to see all that it had been hiding. The filth beneath was now exposed. You see, I own a dog. That’s right! “You know what” was now visible….yuck! It was going to take some work to clean away the filth before I could enjoy the look of flowers, much less the fragrance of them!

How like our spiritual lives. Our hearts are cold and frozen over until we meet Jesus. As we spend time with Him, He begins to melt away some of our frozen places. We are suddenly confronted with the filth that was invisible to us without the light of His love. We want to run from the work of clearing away the old stuff that we have hidden for so long, but what of the “joy set before us”? What of the promise of new growth? He has planted the seeds in us for the fruit of the Spirit. How can those seeds grow and be enjoyed if we don’t clear away the waste left over from our yesterdays?

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter (finisher) of our faith. He has known of the filth all along. Don’t run, stay and be transformed. Spring will surely bloom!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Which revealed things have you been refusing to acknowledge? Are you willing to admit to their existence and ask Him to help you clear them away?

FURTHER READING:
Galatians 5:22-23; Hebrews 12:11; Galatians 5:22-23

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - two sons and two stepsons. She is the Co-coordinator of Oakwood’s Wednesday p.m. Bible Study.

He is Risen!
Matthew 28:1-10 (NKJV)

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

GOING DEEPER:
1. What a sight the angel must have been as He appeared at the tomb. And what a message he came to deliver! Jesus is risen…just as He said He would! What joy! What elation! What celebration! It had finally been accomplished…death was conquered once and for all. How do you respond in your heart at the truth that because Jesus died and rose again, you can live forever in Heaven with Him? Do you believe the news? Have you received the gift of eternal life?
2. Each Gospel account is more exciting and insightful than the next as it describes Jesus’ resurrection, appearances and interactions with His disciples and His ascension into Heaven. What key points do you take away from each of them?

FURTHER READING:
Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20-21

Final Words from the Cross
Excerpts from all four Gospel accounts

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

“…he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’” (John 19:26-27)

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34)

“I am thirsty.” (John 19:28)

“It is finished.” (John 19:30)

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46)

GOING DEEPER:
1. Meditate on each of these statements made by Jesus in His final hours. What insights do you gain about Him? What do His last words tell you about who He is and what His character is like? What do they say about the “work” of the cross?
2. Each of the four gospel accounts of Jesus’ death on the cross adds another dimension to this precious story. Read them thoroughly in order to gain a more complete picture of the amazing events of that day.

Betrayed and Arrested
John 18:2-11 (ESV)

So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there (to the garden) with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?"

They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.

When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.

So he asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go." This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"

GOING DEEPER:
1. Isn’t it amazing that when Jesus proclaimed Himself, all those who had come to seize Him fell to the ground? Just the sound of His voice and His declaration of being “I AM” was powerful enough to knock them all off their feet. The very name of Jesus is something to be reckoned with, that’s for sure! What emotions does the name of Jesus evoke in you? What words come to your mind when you hear that name? What power have you experienced in the name of Christ?
2. Read the verses below to gain insight into the other gospel accounts of Jesus’ arrest. What additional information is found in these passages?

FURTHER READING:
Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53