Thursday, April 30, 2015

Fear of Failing
By Lexi Cole Ellis

The Lord is my light and my salvation - - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - - of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1 (NIV)

This year has been really healthy for me professionally. As I looked back at previous years of teaching, I realized I often spent time considering other instructional strategies to try, but was hesitant about implementing them because of a fear of failing. My over-thinking and the fear of what others would think held me back in incorporating new strategies for my students.

This changed through a positive encounter with my new administrator. As I shared ideas I wanted to try, I was shocked at her excitement. She encouraged me to keep taking risks and that it would be okay if it didn’t work perfectly every time.

In an environment where teachers are under continual pressure to be perfect, this permission to try new instructional formats to best help my students was incredibly freeing. I began incorporating techniques, meeting with other teachers, and working on multiple taskforces for new district proposals on what individualized, personalized learning can realistically look like in different kind of classrooms. Is each thing I try perfection? Not at all. But I’ve seen incredible results across the board in my students. This freedom and support has energized my teaching in a healthy way, replacing my fear of failing and of my inadequacies. I now have this sign[1] by my desk: 

I recently heard Matthew West’s song, “Day One,” on the radio.

“I wish I wasn't wishing anymore
Wish I could remember that nobody's keeping score
I'm tired of throwing pennies in a well
I gotta do something
Here goes nothin'

It's day one of the rest of my life.” [2]

I began to realize my fear of failing wasn’t exclusive to my teaching. As I work to be in the Word and improve my prayer life, this “day one” mentality has become applicable and easier to live out. As I look at Scripture, I see stories of those willing to take risks for the Lord. Imagine what could happen if I was willing to take risks for His Kingdom, to be in the Word and in prayer, so I could discern what God’s direction was and be bold in my faith.[3] I will not let the fear of failing prevent me from living out my calling. It’s day one...have you rejected the fear of failing?

GOING DEEPER:
1. What do you need to do to so the fear of failing doesn’t consume you?
2. Take time to listen to Matthew West’s song “Day One” today. (Click HERE to listen to it.)

FURTHER READING:

[3] Our small group just finished Max Lucado’s book /study “Fearless” and the book elaborated on this as well.

Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have an adorable puppy named Calvin. She teaches sixth grade at Silver Lake Intermediate School. She serves with Children’s Ministries and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Do It Gladly
By Brita Crouse

“God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”

Nervously, I sat staring at the blank email open on my computer screen. The empty page was waiting for me to fill it with words, but I began to second-guess myself that I was doing the right thing. My fingers began to type, but my mind began to race with thoughts discouraging me from sending this email.

I was writing a classmate to share exciting news: some research we found was able to help students at another university become better informed on a certain psychological diagnosis. I was writing to encourage her.  But yet, I couldn’t shake the thoughts that were telling me this was just going to be another email added to the dozens we as students receive daily, that what I had to say could wait, or wasn’t even important enough for her to know.

Maybe this scenario seems silly, but maybe you have been there before too. You are presented with the opportunity to encourage and bless someone, but that opportunity is missed because of thoughts that cause you to doubt. Thoughts like, Oh, they already know or How will they respond? or What if it makes me seem weird?

In the verses above, you can see how Paul is urging us to use our God-given abilities, whether that be teaching, encouraging or showing kindness. Not only are we told to use these talents, we are also told to “speak out,” “serve…well,” “do a good job,” “do it,” “share…generously,” “take the responsibility seriously,” and “do it gladly.”

Reading through these verses has caused me to take these instructions more seriously. How could I not?! This school semester I have set out to challenge myself: to say kind thoughts or encouraging words freely. Why keep them to myself?

God has given each of us certain abilities. Let us show His love by using them to bless others.

I did end up sending that email. And I ended up doing it gladly!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Think of someone you know who could use some encouragement and kindness this week. Challenge yourself to bless them specifically. Do it gladly!

FURTHER READING:

Brita is currently working toward her Master’s in Counseling at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has called Oakwood her home church for the past seventeen years.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

EXTREME Impossibilities!
By Elin Henderson 

“For with God, nothing will be impossible!”
Luke 1:37 (NKJV)

We have all heard of extreme  sports. People go to all lengths to prove their might, speed, even foolishness at times. And, if you are like me, you really enjoy watching Extreme Makeover, where they do miraculous wonders and change someone’s complete appearance. But, you know, God delights in extreme impossibilities!

In I Kings 18:20-40, we find poor Elijah doing battle with the prophets of Baal. They have set up a “test” for their gods to see who is the most powerful. What is interesting in this story is that God wasn’t satisfied in proving Himself in just an “impossibility” - -raining fire down from heaven to burn up the offering. Instead, He told Elijah to pour water on the sacrifice, soaking it completely, not once, not twice, but three times! Like the fire wasn’t enough, he added layers to the impossibility.

There are multiple examples throughout Scripture: God weeded Gideon’s army down from hundreds of thousands to a measly 300 to defeat an impossibly large army. Jesus waited until Lazarus was dead for three days before raising him. Do you see a pattern? I do! God loves the impossible, but really delights in the extreme impossibilities.

When I was in Mozambique, I found myself asking God for the impossible and even the extreme impossible a lot. Not only was I trying to learn a virtually impossible, unwritten language, but I got to live with the constant stresses that life brings: a solid week of rain which results in moldy clothes, centipedes crawling into bed with me…all sorts of added “buckets of water” being poured on top of an already impossible task. And then, lest I forget, I was reminded of the more impossible task at hand of seeing the lives of hundreds of thousands of “resistant” peoples brought from darkness into light. Yes, the task before us was, and is, pretty extreme…extremely impossible! Yet, in the end, the God of extreme impossibilities will be victorious!

So, next time you feel like “it can’t get any worse!” and it does, just think of it as another bucket of water onto the quest for the impossible. When your day meets obstacle after obstacle and your goals seem totally unattainable, remember, God delights to show Himself strong on our behalf, going above and beyond what we could ask or think. Not only will the outcome be amazing, but it will be totally His doing! In those extreme impossibilities in Scripture, was there any way, humanly speaking, that victory could have been achieved? I don’t think so! God delights in the work He does and He specializes in Extreme Impossibilities!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What seemingly impossible task or situation is God asking of you? Give it to Him and expect His extreme provision!

FURTHER READING:
Judges 7; John 11:1-44

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa.  Elin is mother to fourteen-year-old Callie and twelve-year-old Elias.

Monday, April 27, 2015

The Designer’s Wardrobe
By Vernette Kureck

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”

After a long cold winter, it is time to open up the closet, clean out the drawers, and get ready for spring.  I sort through my clothes and determine what is too old or too small or too out of date. Some articles of clothing have fond memories attached to them. Some are just fun to wear. But because of my lifestyle, most are just everyday regular women’s casual wear. So, how should I dress? I felt led to check out the Word.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity.” How do you fold that in a drawer or drape it on a hanger?! Strength is the quality of being able to withstand the application of force without yielding or breaking. That sounds like a physical workout, but in reality, it is both physical and spiritual exercise resulting in a steady composure. Dignity is a manner of serenity; a state of honor and worthiness. That sounds like I hold a high rank or position. Well, I am  the daughter of THE King! So, how should I dress?

Colossians 3:12-14(NIV) says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” In other words, demonstrate pity for the suffering or distress of another with the desire to help, while being modest and humble. Be gentle, considerate, goodhearted, mild and amiable. Be this way while also being capable of awaiting results with tranquility and uncomplaining endurance. Cease to blame and grant pardon to those who have offended you. Cover yourself with God’s love and experience harmony and mutual understanding.

So, this is how I should dress. The beauty of this Holy Spirit-designed wardrobe is it never gets too old, outgrown or out-of-date. And it is perfect for every occasion, dress or casual. Yes, it’s a good time to evaluate just what I have been wearing and ask the Holy Spirit to do His spring cleaning…and to make sure His designer wardrobe is never packed in a drawer or draped on a hanger. 

GOING DEEPER:
1. What are you wearing that identifies you as a daughter of the King? We are all works in progress so pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal what you need to cast off and what you need to put on.

FURTHER READING:

Vernette and her husband Ken have been married 46 years. Their two married sons have blessed them with eight grandchildren.

Friday, April 24, 2015

The Hole in the Night
By Jeannine Sawall

So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down and, if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”

God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes, he calls us gently in the night to talk. If we heard the Lord’s voice calling to us tonight, what would we do? Would we think it was the Lord’s voice calling to us personally, or would we think it was that beef burrito we ate for supper?!

I have a friend who had to ask himself that question. He found himself waking up routinely in the middle of the night. Instead of grumbling about lost sleep, or tossing and turning, he thought it must be the Lord waking him and decided to make use of this time to share his heart through email to fill what he calls “the hole in the night.” Soon, the thoughts and musings he shared with friends and family grew from a dozen email addresses to over 200. He blesses us with truths and thoughts to ponder, challenging us to live a deeper, freer, less “religious” faith. He inspires us to be about the work of Jesus, not just quoting  Jesus. He encourages us to be about God’s work on the “waiting room” side of eternity.

What has endeared this “old geezer,” as he fondly calls himself, to so many is his honesty about his relationship with the Lord. He readily admits that some things are a mystery. He prompts us to hear the Lord’s quiet voice in the midst of this loud world because the more we listen, the more we’ll hear Him speak. He dares us to seek the Lord in the midst of every circumstance. And he shows us that the Lord works in mysterious ways…who’d have thought an 87-year-old widower would have an email following of over 200 and growing, just because he couldn’t sleep through the night? How many of us might have just popped an Excedrin P.M. and called it a night?! When God gives us an opportunity to do His work, it will lead to a crisis of faith and action. We might question if it really is God; however, when God sees us listening with an attitude of obedience toward opportunity, He blesses that work because it brings glory to His name. I encourage you to listen for His voice calling to you in your day…or night...today.

GOING DEEPER:
1. In the midst of the loud world, what are you doing to be able to hear the Lord’s quiet voice calling to you?
2. How might you be missing an opportunity to bring glory to the Lord in your day or night?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 46:10; John 16:13


Jeannine is a wife and mother of four active boys. She works in the property management business. Jeannine serves in the Oakwood Cafe and is actively involved in ministry to those walking through grief.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Greater
By Lexi Cole Ellis

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
1 John 4:4 (NIV)

Three years ago, I had the opportunity to lead a workshop for our women’s retreat on the subject of comparisons. As I prepared, I dug into societal implications of comparing and how they hinder our oneness with God. What started as comparisons with physical appearance soon turned into a realization that we are drowning in comparisons in every facet and role. I just want to be prettier. I just want to be more like _________; she has it all together. I just want to be the best teacher. I wish I was a better ministry leader like _________. I long to be a better mom. ________ really is a better wife than I.   

Whether appearance or performance, these constant, detrimental comparisons often mean we are comparing ourselves to an unknown, unattainable ideal. We don’t know what “better” looks or feels like; we just know it’s not us. This results in never really accomplishing our standard of perfection.

As I struggle with rejecting self-deprecating, life-sucking comparisons in my own life, I’ve come to appreciate the comparisons in life that are  life-giving. There’s incredible hope, peace and a release of guilt that comes with surrendering our thoughts of unhealthy comparisons over to the God who knows and is greater.

Chris Tomlin’s song, “Our God,” is filled with comparisons words…the good kind. He identifies God as greater, stronger and higher than any other. Recently, as I listened to this song on the radio, singing along with the familiar chorus, I realized that it felt incomplete. For me, I felt God speaking to me, adding to the comparisons. I grabbed my phone and started using the speaking function as I spoke what His Spirit was saying:

Our God is greater… {than my circumstance.}
Our God is stronger… {than my fear.}
God, you are higher than any other…{insecurities I have.}
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God! [1]

The single best and healthiest comparison is that God is bigger and stronger. As we go through storms and struggles, may we cling to the truth that He is higher than all…and that praising Him means working through and rejecting the unhealthy comparisons we mentally entertain. May we be children of God who actively pursue His healthy comparisons.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Spend time with the Lord. How is His Spirit adding onto the lyrics for you today?  Fill in the blanks: “Our God is greater than ________.”
2. Take time to listen to the song, “Our God” today. (Click HERE to listen to it.)

FURTHER READING:


Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have an adorable puppy named Calvin. She teaches sixth grade at Silver Lake Intermediate School. She serves with Children’s Ministries and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

God’s Other Book
By Susan Klein

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - - His eternal power and divine nature - - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…”

Like many others, I have read through the entire Bible, cover to cover. I used to believe that everything I needed to know and all the answers to life’s questions were in this Book. I discovered I was wrong. Some things can’t be learned from the written word and some questions simply have no answers this side of heaven. Might I deduce that God’s Book is incomplete? Perhaps. Faith wouldn’t necessarily have a place in our lives if all the answers were in black and white. However, I believe the Creator has given us a second source from which to glean valuable truths. It is what my friend affectionately calls: “God’s Other Book.”

Look around you. Were you reading it while you gazed at the evening sun disappearing from the horizon as the sky turned brilliant with color? You didn’t fear it was gone forever because the Author assured you it would return the next morning. And, when those crocuses and tulips popped up from the snow-covered ground, did they make your heart dance with joyful anticipation of spring and new life? This is God’s Other Book. In fact, you read it on a daily basis. There are lessons you’ve learned, pictures of God’s character you’ve seen, and answers to questions you’ve found in its pages. It’s a book that has brought you great comfort and hope as you’ve seen it, felt it, and experienced it.

Consider the Monarch butterfly, just one of over one million species of animals you’ll find in this book. A tiny, fragile creature that can be crushed with the slightest of pressure, yet has the incredible strength to fly over 2,000 miles to overwinter in a very specific high elevation forest in Mexico. Its offspring instinctively know to fly north again, often returning to their place of origin, to find the food they need to survive. [1] What do you read about strength and endurance here? How does it speak to you of God’s character, His design, and His provision? What joy does it bring you to watch the fluttering of its magnificently colored wings?

Spend some intentional time in God’s other Book. Don’t walk blindly past it, don’t skim quickly over it. Immerse yourself in it. See what He has for you amongst its pages!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Take time this week to be still before God’s creation. Ask Him to speak to your heart through what you see. Listen for His voice. Offer Him your worship.

FURTHER READING:


Susan is married to Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. She is a member of the Peace Team at Oakwood.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Open the Windows of Heaven
By Elin Henderson

“So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, ‘Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?’”
2 Kings 7:2 (NKJV)

What do you think? Are there really windows in heaven where God peers down on the earth below and pours out His love and resources? I don’t know whether they are avenues for us to see little glimpses of this amazing God we serve, or avenues for Him to pour forth His love and resources, but I am thankful for the word picture this verse provides.

Sometimes though, like in this story in 2 Kings 6 & 7, the windows of heaven only swing open when we come to the end of ourselves and our human resources. Samaria is under siege by the Syrians, hopeless and helpless. Then, the prophet Elisha comes along and says to the main officer in Samaria, “Tomorrow your salvation will come!” Obviously the officer on duty questions the validity of this statement and incredulously says (basically), “God will have to open the windows of heaven to do this, there is no other way!” Elisha then responds with, “You better bet He will!”

Sure enough, the Lord sends out four lepers and the entire Syrian army flees. The windows of heaven swing open and the people of Samaria not only get a little glimpse of the power and might of the God of Israel, but also experienced His wonderful provision. They went from the brink of starvation to having abundance!

It is often when we too are in desperate straits that we finally look to Him and realize He is sitting there with His hand on the shutters, ready to throw open the windows of heaven, show us Himself and provide in abundance for our needs. In Malachi 3:10b we are reminded that it isn’t a trickle or a token provision, but a pouring so great that “there will not be room enough to receive it.” May we always keep our eyes looking heavenward, waiting the moment when the shutters swing back and love pours down!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Have you ever had any glimpses into the windows of heaven? How has the Lord shown Himself strong on your behalf and provided in miraculous ways for you…and who have you told?
2. I love the old song He Giveth More Grace. One of its verses says, “When we have exhausted our store of endurance, When our strength has failed ere the day is half done, When we reach the end of our hoarded resources, Our Father’s full giving is only begun.” What does that mean to you today?

FURTHER READING:
Philippians 4:19; Acts 2:17

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa.  Elin is mother to Callie and Elias.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Hemmed In
By Lisa Boyer

“You hem me in - - behind and before.”

While praying for a friend of mine, one Bible verse kept coming to mind… “You hem me in - - behind and before.” That verse had me so convinced of God’s goodness, I was literally excited about how God was going to protect her in the midst of her situation. I just knew that everything was going to be all right, even if it didn’t appear to be all right; God was in complete control... my friend was “hemmed in” no matter what. First chance I got, I shared the good news of that verse with her!

A few weeks later, I was pouring my heart out to this same friend about a potentially life-changing health situation I was facing. The situation threatened to overwhelm me, but my friend so sweetly reminded me that I was “hemmed in.” In the midst of my circumstances, I hadn’t thought to apply that verse to myself. But she was right…I was “hemmed in” by the same loving God who hems her in!!! And it’s not dependent on what’s happening. Just because negative circumstances come into our lives, it doesn’t mean we are no longer “hemmed in.” We are always “hemmed in,” no matter how the situation looks from the outside; God is in complete control at all times.

I was so thankful that God had sent her to remind me, but He didn’t stop there…He illustrated it for me, as well!

I was driving home on a two-lane highway when debris began flying into my lane from under an oncoming semi. I immediately slowed down and began pulling off the road, but avoiding the flying debris was impossible. Both the car in front of me and behind me also pulled over. We all got out to inspect the damage. The car in front had a huge gouge in his now-flat front tire. The front grille of the car behind me had been split into two by flying debris. My car was...well, fine. God had hemmed me in - - behind and before...and on the sides!

The first thought that came into my head was that if God could protect me during such a minor incident, He could easily have protected me from the health situation I was facing, but He hadn’t. He chose to allow it into my life. Knowing that before this situation reached me, it had gone through my loving God’s approval process filled me with peace. He hadn’t protected me from  it, but I have no doubt that He’ll protect me during it!

GOING DEEPER:
1. If the circumstances of life have caused you to forget that you are “hemmed in,” will you spend some time today with your loving God and let Him remind you?

FURTHER READING:
Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 34:7; 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

Lisa has been married to Ted for over 20 years and they have two teenage sons. Lisa administers Fresh Start’s Facebook and blog and serves in Quest 56 on Sunday mornings at Oakwood.

Friday, April 17, 2015

A Beautiful Mess
By Peggy Kleckner

“Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This ‘letter’ is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.”

It was a Sunday morning. I was feeling frustrated yet again. I felt disorderly on the inside and my home felt cluttered and disorganized. I was familiar with this feeling of inadequacy and burdened by it, but unsure what to do with it. Meanwhile, I plunked myself down in front of my bowl of cereal and started to flip through the Sunday coupons. Suddenly I wanted to burst out laughing and knew that God was saying to me exactly what my husband lovingly tells me often, “Lighten up, woman!”

There in the ad, in a lovely script font were the words “A beautiful mess.” An artist had collected the dust from ten homes that was swept up with a cleaning product and arranged it into those words written across a wood floor. [1] 

So, can God take the dust of my life, as well as the lives around me, and arrange them as a letter of love on the floor of this world? I would bow down and say “yes,” He most certainly can.

So there I sat, bowed down in worship to the one, true God who can make all things possible. Who can take all of my messes and somehow arrange them for good. I was cheered on by those three words hidden in the open of a public ad for me on a day when I needed them.

Oh, but that was not the end. I shared those words with a woman at church who went away encouraged and giggling. Then on Monday I shared them with the women I work with. Today, I share them with you.

God can take our messiness. He is not repulsed by it, any more than we are repulsed by our own child smiling behind a face full of cake frosting from the cake we baked for them.

It is us who try to hide, thinking that we have to have it all together before we can be loved, before we can be used by God. Oh, how wrong we are.

God sent Jesus right into the middle of our messiness to say, “I love you” while we were yet sinners….perfection amidst imperfection.

GOING DEEPER:
1.  What mess do you need to willingly hand over to God?
2.  Do you, in the depth of your heart, truly believe that God can create beauty from ashes?

FURTHER READING:

[1] You can see the ad “being made” at www.ocedar.com/beautifulmess

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

A Personal Note From God
By Karen D’Amore

“For God does speak - - now one way, now another...”
Job 33:14a (NIV)

While studying Bill Hybels’ “The Power of a Whisper,” multiple ladies re-counted stories of when they’d heard the whisper of God. A newer believer, Sierra, who’d been wrestling with some disheartening circumstances, interrupted the discussion proclaiming, “I don’t get it! How do you hear God whisper/speak?” I don’t recall the specific responses from the ladies in our group; however, I do remember feeling a “nudge” to pray that God would meet Sierra in a personal way.

When we met the following week, Sierra had forgotten her Bible at home. Seeing the stack of church Bibles in our room, she asked to borrow one. As we circled around the room reading assigned passages of Scripture, a piece of paper fell out of the Bible Sierra had borrowed. Overcome with emotion she began reading the note dated December 8, 2013: 

"I pray that the God of all comfort would comfort you today. Lord Jesus put Your arms around this person as they go about their day. Bless them & bless those around them. Use them to further Your Kingdom. ‘When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.’ (Psalm 94:19) *Take this paper with you as a reminder.”

“This is exactly what I needed,” Sierra declared. Recalling her question from the previous week, Sierra, as well as our entire group, was greatly encouraged as we witnessed God speak to her through a personal note.

Examining the handwritten note, I recognized that it had been written and placed in that Bible fifteen months earlier. As I pondered the number of times that Bible had been used by multiple people over the course of those months, I was amazed it had remained undetected. I wholeheartedly believe that our all-powerful, Sovereign God had reserved it for Sierra to discover. Now that is a personal God!

Our creative and personal God is not limited to one form of communication. He speaks through His Word, His Son’s life, prayer, creation/nature, people, music, the Holy Spirit, circumstances…and even a personal note! God is eager to communicate with His children. Do you yearn to hear from Him? Are you listening?

God has penned a personal invitation to each of us: “You will seek Me and find Me…when you seek Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV). “Call to Me and I will answer you…” (Jeremiah 33: 3a, NIV). 

Shhhhhhh…..can you hear His whisper?

GOING DEEPER:
1. Is there something hindering you from hearing God’s voice?
2. The depth of your relationship with God determines the depth of your experiences with Him. Are you willing to take that relationship deeper?

FURTHER READING:

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. She’s on the Oakwood Women’s Ministry Special Events planning team.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Drudgery to Joy
By Susan Klein

“O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.”

Have you ever had one of those tasks that you absolutely dreaded doing, yet there was just no getting out of it? I used to feel that way about making the tedious drive to pick up my daughter from college for breaks. I don’t mind being the passenger  on long journeys because I can read or accomplish something along the way, but being the driver,  all one can do is drive. It can feel like such a waste of time.

Plugging in some music on one of my recent trips, I began to sing along with Nicole C. Mullin.

“When I behold the beauty
Of Your many wonders
And I'm captivated by
Your majesty
Oh my soul rings out
a sacred hallelujah
Back to the source
From whence it came.”

As I began to take notice of the beautiful countryside dotted with farms, the drudgery started to fade.

“And when I'm searching
For the face of the Invisible
When I reach to hold the hand that formed my being
All a sudden everything that
Is within me blesses your name
Again and again.”

Soon, my focus turned from the task at hand to the joyful praising of my Creator.

“When I am overwhelmed by
All that is around me
And the tears
That flood my heart
Run down my face
I'll remember that
Your heart and
Soul was broken
And even in pain
You’re worthy of praise.”

The rest of the song was sung through tears of gratefulness! While it’s easy to get bogged down by life and overwhelmed by the evil in the world, we are spared so much of the pain and sorrow that Jesus Himself has endured, and must still feel in His heart as He looks upon the evil that continues today. How blessed we are to know that, while we were in our most sinful state, Christ died for us. He bore our punishment. No gift can match what He gave, but our praises can surely be music to His ear.

“Crying Holy is the
Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb
Who was Slain
To Receive our
Greatest Adoration
Jesus Son of God
Is His Name.” (1)

I will never view long solitary drives with drudgery again. They’ve quickly become some of the sweetest times of undistracted praise for my Savior.

You know that task you are dreading…

GOING DEEPER:
1. How can you incorporate praise into your everyday life?
2. Find time to listen to “Holy Captivated” today. (Click HERE to listen to it.)

FURTHER READING:

(1) Nicole C. Mullen, Holy Captivated, 2011, Maranatha! Music

Susan is married to Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. She is a member of the Peace Team at Oakwood.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

A Light in the Darkness 
By Jen Wollner

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
 Isaiah 41:10 (NASB)

The fear was overwhelming. The more I thought about my upcoming mission trip, the more anxious I became. My mind reeled with “what ifs” and parked itself in a dark place. All I could think about was the difficult trial ahead. All I could see was pain and suffering. I wondered if what God was asking me to do was really worth the sacrifice…worth the heartache and tears that I knew were eminent.

As I lay in bed, my thoughts spinning, I struggled to push past the fear, instead forcing myself to remember the truth in His Word. With great effort, I attempted to recite Isaiah 41:10 over and over, pushing out the anxiety. I couldn’t even remember every word of the verse, but managed to repeat the key words as best I could. As I chose to focus on truth, a sliver of light peered in the darkness. As I chose to believe God and His promises, the light shone stronger and stronger in my heart and mind until, eventually, darkness and fear were overpowered by truth and peace.

It’s so easy to spiral down into the depths of terror and despair. Our minds are powerful and often get the best of us. One thought turns into another and pretty soon we’re in a pit of anxiety, unable to get ourselves out. Although it’s a challenging choice, the best way to combat our worries is with the truth of God’s Word. It is alive and active and has the divine power to demolish strongholds…even those that have driven our minds to unhealthy places. As we focus on truth, believing God instead of lies, He strengthens and upholds us. As we concentrate on His Word, it pierces our heart and soul. And a light begins to seep into our darkness, illuminating the power and love of our God.

My future circumstances are still unknown. I am sure to face some very difficult moments. But right now I’m choosing to focus on the goodness of the Lord and His provision. I’m taking God at His Word and letting Him consume my thoughts… “Do not fear, for I am with you...I am your God.”

GOING DEEPER:
1. What life circumstance has you anxious and upset?
2. Memorize Isaiah 41:10 and recite it to yourself when your fears threaten to overtake you…and let the light of His Word shine in the darkness!

FURTHER READING:
Hebrews 4:12; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5; Romans 8:28; Psalm 4:8

Jen and her husband are busily parenting three elementary-aged children. She serves on the leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.

Monday, April 13, 2015

All-Consuming Fire
By Brita Crouse

[Trials] have come so that your faith - - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

I went to college in the-middle-of-nowhere Indiana, literally surrounded by cornfields. There wasn’t much available to students as far as entertainment, so most of the time, we had to make our own fun. In the springtime, one thing we always looked forward to was the annual Prairie Burn. My school owns a small, nearby prairie that is used by the Environmental Science department for research and observation. Every year, the department sets the prairie ablaze and students gather to watch the flames consume this small plot of land.

Why does the prairie have to be set on fire every year? The answer may seem a little counterintuitive: It is so re-growth can happen. There is something about fire that produces rich soil, allowing for healthy plants to grow abundantly. Fire also controls the spread of harmful or invasive plants within the prairie. Basically, fire is necessary in maintaining a healthy ecosystem and a thriving prairie.

I was listening to the song “All-Consuming Fire” by the band Jesus Culture and thought, “I am just like that blazing prairie.” I was experiencing a huge transition phase in life, and it had been a big trial. I felt as though I was sitting in the hottest part of the fire. I think we can all relate to this “prairie feeling,” though. We have all had times where we can’t see through the smoke and flames to know which way is up.

But, there is hope! Fire may consume us at times, but every time we face a trial, we are made stronger through the process. Those “invasive plants” in our lives are burned up and we are made ready to have our faith grow. Gold is put through fire to make it pure and free of any blemishes. We are put through fire for the same reason. Going through fire may be hot and uncomfortable, but the end far outweighs the means. Seasons of trial only bring us closer to God, and create a dependence on Him that could not come from any other process.

Because of fire, our faith is strengthened and refined, and that is reason enough to be grateful for those times we feel like the Prairie Burn.

GOING DEEPER:
1.  How are you being refined through the fire?
2.  Listen to “All-Consuming Fire” by Jesus Culture (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beWTuiQiK1E). Make this your prayer today.

FURTHER READING:

Brita is currently working toward her Master’s in Counseling at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has called Oakwood her home church for the past seventeen years.

Friday, April 10, 2015


What’s Your Disability?
by Becci Terrill

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
Romans 3:23 (NIV)

“What’s your disability?” the man behind the table asked. His query caught me off guard. My disability? Hmm… I’d never thought about that before.

The question haunted me. I was attending a conference to learn how to minister to people with disabilities, but had been challenged about my own disabilities instead.

The word “disability,” in simplest form, means not able to do something. We all have things we are not able to do. One disability we all share is sin. Because of sin, none are able to attain heaven on our own because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Each of us is broken.

Thankfully, God did not leave us in this state of disability! In Romans 5:8 it says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And John 3:16 says, “…whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Jesus makes us whole.

That doesn’t mean that disabilities disappear. Physical, mental and emotional difficulties are not the result of a cruel God, but rather a loving Father who has a plan and a purpose for each of us.

In John 9, Jesus is confronted with a man who was born blind and asked who had sinned to cause his disability - - the man or his parents. Jesus responds that this man was created with a disability so that God could be glorified in him.

God wants to use our brokenness for His glory!

Dr. Charles Ware said, “The cross is where disabilities and opportunities meet.”  Because we are His children, God wants to use our disabilities and brokenness to bring glory to Him. When I am discouraged because I am “not able” to do something, the Spirit gently reminds me of verses like:

  • 2 Corinthians 12:10: “for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (NIV)
  • Matthew 19:26: “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (NIV)
  • Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (NIV)
We are God’s masterpiece.

It’s easy to dwell on my brokenness and disabilities instead of focusing on God and the work that He wants to do in and through me. Yes, I am broken and disabled, but I am also His beloved child, a masterpiece, with good works to do before He calls me home. (Ephesians 2:10)

May each of us delight in this truth!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What’s your disability? How might God use this to glorify Him?
2. Consider reading Joni, an autobiography by Joni Eareckson Tada. Her life with disabilities will inspire you!

FURTHER READING:

Becci Terrill is a wife and mom to two adult daughters. She is the Children’s Ministry Director at Oakwood Church.