How Will We Be Remembered?

By Susan Klein

“I thank my God every time I remember you.”

Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

Recently, I attended the funeral of a beloved childhood pastor of mine. I remember him as a big burly man with a booming voice. I also remember he had the all-encompassing hug of a huge teddy bear. He was my pastor when I went though my most turbulent teen years, and I will always be thankful for the unconditional love he displayed for me.

One of his greatest legacies in my life was teaching me about “faith.” He took a small group of us teens to a college for a week during the summer just to teach us what faith really looked like through impactful examples and exercises. I had never heard or seen such teachings, and they had a profound effect on my life.

Fast-forward to the funeral, now 40 years later. I was anticipating hearing many glorious stories about how he impacted others in their faith walks. This, sadly, was not the case. While some spoke of his generous service to the community, and others spoke of his great “motivational speeches” and his “optimism,” not one person spoke of the things I remembered: his great love and bold faith. It was like going to a funeral service for the Apostle Paul and hearing about what a good tent maker he was. Disheartened, I wanted to jump up from my seat and yell, “You’re all missing the true picture!” I wanted to share my own life-impacting memories with everyone, about how I would never know the Lord as my Savior if it were not for this man’s investing in my life.

It caused me to wonder what might have happened over the past 40 years that I hadn’t seen him. Had his faith waned? Did he become less bold in his proclamation of his Lord? Did worldly matters choke out his spiritual fervor? Or, were people possibly just oblivious to these qualities of his life? Were their hearts hardened to his teachings, only hearing the things they wanted to hear? I may never know the answers to these questions this side of heaven.

One question it has given me pause to consider, “How will I be remembered?” Will people comment on my faith or my clean house? Will they have seen the love of Christ lived out in my life or remember me as someone who lived for self?

How will you be remembered?

GOING DEEPER:

1. Which character traits of yours are most evident to others?

2. Are there areas where your light has dimmed, and needs refueling?

FURTHER READING:

Matthew 5:14-16; 1 Peter 2:12; Deuteronomy 6:6-9

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 and also co-leads a Community small group.

Happiness

By Lexi Ellis

But may the righteous be glad
    and rejoice before God;
    may they be happy and joyful.
 Psalm 68:3 (NIV)

It’s the subject of a popular song and the constant topic in articles and sermons that distinguish it from joy. Joy, mentioned a lot in the Bible, is about “true contentment that comes from the internal factors like our faith in the Lord.” (1) Happiness, mentioned much less in Scripture, is described as things like “fleeting” and dependent upon “temporal factors like circumstances.” (1)

Happiness seems to get a bad rap because there’s so much focus on its difference from joy. Google finishes for you when you start to type “the biblical difference between,” with 680,000 results. (2) This difference, though important, can result in exclusively elevating joy. The message seems to be: Ignore happiness..it’s just a byproduct of circumstances.

Recently, though, happiness grabbed my attention. It started with watching his TED talk and then listening to Shawn Achor speak at my husband’s work event. Achor researches Positive Psychology, a subset that studies proactive, healthy mind habits versus negative mental health. Incredibly fascinating. The brain scans…the studies…everything validated what Scriptures implies: Happiness is a choice.

Yet many of us ignore that choice by ignoring the actions, though simple, that are necessary to be happy. Based on studies and research, Achor listed five habits that led to higher levels of optimism…none of which are revolutionary nor complicated, all of which have clear biblical connections. There were two I wanted to look at particularly.

The first habit was to write down three specific things we’re grateful for. (3) Finding those three for that day (beyond the “thank you for my house, my food, my family”) is something we all do at Thanksgiving, but it’s an action that’s required daily to develop a heart of hospitability and thankfulness. Scripture says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

The second habit was to write a positive message (note, email or text) to someone who is in your support network. (3) Its importance is not new information, but in moving our focus off ourselves. Scripture says, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Despite the craziness that goes on, how easy it is to forget to intentionally schedule time to encourage others.

Gratitude and encouragement...it sounds so simple. May we be people who choose intentional lives of happiness through investing in habits of being grateful and encouraging others.

Going Deeper:

1. What choices and adjustments do you need to make to choose happiness?

2. Which is easier - - gratitude or encouragement? Which is instinctively harder for you?

Further Reading:

Psalm 16:9 & 37:4; Philippians 2:4 & 4:4; Colossians 4:2

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

 (1) http://www.gotquestions.org/joy-happiness.html

(2) Google search

(3) Anchor, Shawn. “The Happiness Advantage.” Thrivent Peak Performers’ Conference. Chicago, May 13, 2014. 

Faithful God

By Brita Crouse

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20b (NLT)

What do you do when faced with a tough decision? Do you make pro/con lists? Consider possible scenarios? Talk to others who have gone through a similar thing? Or do you crawl under your covers? Worry and stress out over the unknown? Cry to your mom or a close friend?

I’m not always like this, but recently when faced with a difficult choice, I was leaning toward that latter group of options. I was so concerned about how this decision would impact my future that I began to worry about silly things, things I had no control over. Worrying so much that I was losing sleep and feeling sick, I was turning into a crazy person! But then, these words reminded me: “If God leads you to it, He will lead you through it.” (1)

That was the wakeup call I needed. For the past seven years, I have been taking all the necessary steps to fulfill my goal of becoming a licensed counselor. Now I am at the point where I have to choose where to attend graduate school, and it has not been an easy decision. But, for the past seven years, God has been placing this desire in my heart, renewing it and strengthening it with each opportunity He has given me. God has led me this far, He is not going to leave me in the midst of this stressful situation.

These lyrics from the song “Oceans” by Hillsong UNITED have also been a good reminder:

“Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me,

You’ve never failed and You won’t start now.” (2)

God has promised us in His Word He will be with us always, but even more than that, He fulfills this promise daily by never abandoning us, even when we turn from Him. This decision I am making has been covered in prayer and I am confident that God will continue to bless me and provide me with opportunities, no matter where I end up.

As a Christ-follower, if you are facing a difficult decision or a tough circumstance, take hope in the fact that you can call upon the name of the Lord, He will hear you, and He will be with you, even to the very end of the age.

GOING DEEPER:

1.   In what areas of your life are you facing a difficult decision? What are some steps you can take this week to create trust and dependence in your relationship with God?

2.   Listen to “Oceans” by Hillsong UNITED. What lyric sticks out to you most and why?

FURTHER READING:

2 Timothy 2:13; Hebrews 10:23

Brita recently graduated with her Master’s in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has called Oakwood her home church for the past eighteen years.

(1) Author unknown

(2) Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Lighthelm. Hillsong: United. 

No Asterisk

By Tracy Smith

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 (NIV)

A couple of months ago, we had someone speak to our staff, elders and other leaders at church regarding the Christian’s response to homosexuality, a topic that is ever-increasingly relevant to our church and our society today. [1]  

I wish I could share all the amazing things that this woman shared with us, but that would take more than the word count allowed here! I will  share a statement she made that profoundly affected me. I wrote it down to ponder later and many weeks later, I’m still thinking on it.  She said, “There is no asterisk to the gospel.”

She was speaking to us about a topic that can bring about many emotions and many opinions. There are sin struggles that seem to loom larger than others. There are sin struggles that sometimes are judged (or seem to be judged) harsher than others. Because of this, sometimes it seems that people do put an asterisk on the gospel.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” [emphasis mine] Whoever. No asterisk.

We have to be careful not to add - - or subtract - - from the gospel. This does not mean that sins are just brushed aside or minimalized. It does mean that we have to remember that all sin separates us from God and that God sacrificed his Son for all of us, not matter what the sin struggle.

I want to leave you with a final quote from that morning, “You do not have to change your theology to love well.”

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Is there a sin issue that you may have been putting an asterisk on? What can you do to change your thinking?

2.  What does “you do not have to change your theology to love well” mean to you?

FURTHER READING:

Acts 13:38-43; Romans 10:9-10

Along with being a wife and mother to two teenage boys, Tracy is a ministry assistant at Oakwood and works with a great group of Junior High girls.

[1] Jill Rennick, Director of The Grace Place

All Things
By Peggy Kleckner

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28 (NIV)

All things, not some things…what an amazing concept! When I am delayed (all things), when I am disappointed (all things), when I am blessed (all things), when I am cheated (all things), when I am hurt (all things). On and on it goes. Only God can weave all things so intricately that the outcome is good. I may not see it soon…perhaps not even this side of heaven…but if He said it in His Word, I can count on it as truth. What an extraordinary comfort this truth can bring into a difficult day.

Truth is hard to hold onto when we are being battered by the winds of adversity. We must cling to it as a person shipwrecked in the ocean holds fast to anything that floats. Perhaps that is where the saying, “hope floats” comes from! Truth is the hope we as Christians cling to in our life storms.

John 14:6 reads (NIV), “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” Jesus spoke those words. He is the truth that we cling to in the midst of our life storms. We tether ourselves to Him and hold fast. He makes the way to the calmer waters. Too often we keep fighting, rather than resting in Him. He allows the storm, as well as the calm. He knows the purpose of each.

Is today a stormy day or a calm day for you? Look to Him in “all things.”

GOING DEEPER:
1. What storm are you trying to weather on your own? What “hope” are you clinging to?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 25; Luke 8:22-25

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.

Dark Spaces

By Carolyn Hulliberger

“Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds,

 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, 

not lacking anything.”

James 1:2-4 (NIV)

I have been in a really dark space lately. There are situations in my life right now that are overwhelming and coming from many different places. In the past few weeks, I’ve had thoughts I’ve never had, uttered sentences I’d never imagined, had conversations I never anticipated, been to places I hadn’t expected.

This devotional can’t offer any magic answers about coming out of that place because I’m still in it, and will likely be here for a while. Life is like that sometimes and it is exhausting. However, there are some things that I’m realizing are helping me. They are God-given gifts, placed in anticipation of my needs:

1.  Reminders of Scripture. I need to be reminded of God’s presence and care for me and those I love. These reminders come from many places, including my pastor’s weekly sermon, this daily Fresh Start devotional, my copy of Streams in the Desert  and in my Facebook newsfeed that posts some of the different ministries that I “like.” (1). Random bits of encouragement and wisdom are precious.

2. Prayer. Ultimately, there is nothing like a storm of crisis to ramp up your prayer life. As the verse above says, trials produce perseverance. I want my faith to be rock-hard strong. A tree that never has to withstand wind will topple over in the hurricane. I want to be able to stand straight.

3. My community of friends. William Arthur Ward said, “A friend is one with whom you are comfortable, to whom you are loyal, through whom you are blessed, and for whom you are grateful.” At our church, we talk about our community groups “doing life” together. This group, along with a few other individuals, is definitely doing that with me. Their encouragement and concern have been priceless.

So while the space that I currently inhabit feels pretty dark, I am not. My hope is in Christ. As John 1:5 (NIV) says about Jesus, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

GOING DEEPER:

1. What gifts have you received from God when you have faced trials?

2. Consider becoming part of group to “do life” with.

FURTHER READING:

James 1:12; Psalm 13:5

:  Along with caring for her family, Carolyn works as an insurance representative, serves in Oakwood Church as a Community Group leader and a High School home group leader.

(1) Some of the things I’ve liked on Facebook include including Ann Voskamp, Beth  

     Moore, Purpose Driven Life, or Proverbs 31 Ministries. 

Shout Without Screaming

By Lexi Cole Ellis

“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”

 2 Corinthians 2:15 (NIV)

It feels like there is little that one can say without evoking a debate based solely on emotion rather than facts. Just say, “Harambe” the gorilla, Target bathrooms, Republican nominee, Democratic nominee…the list goes on. When did BOTH sides become so sensitive that we cannot conduct a positive dialogue agreeing to disagree - - maybe even thankful for another perspective? When have BOTH sides become carriers of incomplete soundbites, filled with emotion and outrage, and not willing or able to distinguish the greater complexity of the issue(s)?

Don’t get me wrong: We need to be passionate. There ARE things we need to be fighting for. Yet I worry about our lack of compassion and complete disregard for any credibility the “other side” might have. Our “outrage” verges on over-exaggerating and alienating those whom we, as believers, are called to love. The result? We become incapable of recognizing that not everything is dogma; some opinions can be held with which others can simply disagree.

Recently, one of our pastors shared this point in a sermon that, as believers, we need to relearn how to “shout without screaming.” [1] I was immediately captivated by the phrase. It echoed a lot of what I was feeling.

How do we shout without screaming? Shouting is to “utter a loud call or cry, typically as an expression of strong emotion.” Screaming is to “cry something in a high-pitched, frenzied way” or to “urgently and vociferously call attention to one’s views or feelings, especially ones of anger or distress.” [2] Both communicate beliefs that matter deeply to us. Yet what makes the two words different is the tone that is used when expressing oneself. 

Jesus didn’t lack passion in His opinions, and He certainly critiqued ungodly behavior. But His tone was not frenzied or vociferous. He wasn’t known exclusively for His (necessary) outrage - - but also for His works of healing those with physical and spiritual needs. Additionally, throughout the New Testament, Paul repeatedly writes that the Church is to be known by its love for God and love for others.

It makes me wonder… How am I crying out about the things that I feel strongly about? What does my tone sound like in my conversations with others, in my workplace, or what I post on social media?  Am I shouting or am I screaming?

May we be known as those who shout without screaming.

GOING DEEPER:

1.      Take some time to be honest with yourself. In your interaction with others or on social media, are you shouting or screaming?

FURTHER READING:

Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 8:36-38; 1 Corinthians 11:26

Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have an adorable dog named Calvin. Lexi teaches sixth grade reading and writing, serves with Children’s Ministries and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.

[1] April 24, 2016:
Oakwood Church sermon: "Learning to Ride a Bike" Nate Stenholtz, Family Life Pastor. http://www.oakwoodnow.org/resources/messages.html

[2] Google dictionary: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=define:+screaming+

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=define:+shouting

Choosing the Better

By Susan Klein

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”

Hebrews 12:2a (NIV)

Two of the most beloved sisters in the Bible are Mary and Martha. Some have argued that Martha got a bad rap. Perhaps she was just a really hard worker, maintaining a home and a staff and trying to be the model hostess. What if Mary was actually somewhat of a slacker? (Like that younger sister who hides out in the bathroom for an hour when the table needs clearing and the dishes need to be washed.) We really don’t know for sure the circumstances leading up to this exchange between Martha and Jesus in Luke chapter 10. What we do know is that in this circumstance, “Mary has chosen what is better.”

I believe the “better” that Jesus references has everything to do with Himself.  It wasn’t that Mary was being an astute listener or model student of the Master, it was that she was choosing Him over “worry.” She chose Him over all the “distractions.” She chose Him over being “upset about many things.”  Martha’s choice to prepare and be hospitable was not a bad choice, but she was missing out on the “better” choice because she was focusing on herself.

How many times do we miss out because we don’t choose the better? Like Martha, we choose to compare, complain, and combust when things aren’t going the way we think they should. We choose to focus on ourselves and our circumstances. Mary wasn’t ignorant of the fact that Jesus was coming to dinner with an entourage in tow. She knew there was much to prepare for, yet she chose to drink of the Living Water rather than fret about what to feed them. She chose to trust in the Provider rather than worry if there were enough provisions for the group. She chose to sit and be still, rather than run around in a flurry of activity.

I think it’s safe to say that most of us have a bit of a Martha side. We have our to-do lists that need to get done, and that’s okay. But when they don’t get done or distractions come in, can we choose to seek Jesus over worry? When our neighbor’s life looks to be going better than ours, can we choose to thank Jesus for what we’ve been blessed with over choosing to compare? When someone is being ugly to us, can we choose to ask Jesus to love that person through us?

In every circumstance, there are choices. Will you choose the better?

GOING DEEPER:

1. Choose to start your morning with Jesus, asking Him to prepare your to-do list.

2. Consider all your options before choosing.

FURTHER READING:

Matthew 6:25; 2Corinthians 4:17-18, Galatians 6:4

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 and also co-leads an on-site small group.

That Day in June

By Lisa Boyer

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, 

that we should be called children of God….”

1 John 3:1a (NIV)

There’s this holiday in June that excites some people more than others…Father’s Day. We all have different views of Father’s Day and our view usually has something to do with, well, our fathers. But not all fathers deserve a Hallmark Card on Father’s Day.

For me, Father’s Day itself isn’t all that bad, but the days leading up to it can be just awful. The TV and radio ads tend to be more than I can bear. I know there are fathers that are as wonderful as those ads make fathers out to be (I’ve had the privilege to meet some of them), but unfortunately, they sometimes seem to be more the exception than the norm. So by midweek before Father’s Day, after I’ve heard ad after ad proclaiming how wonderful and deserving fathers are, I am ready to scream, “Not everyone has THAT kind of father!!!”

But this year, I have a plan to keep myself out of anger management classes…and it’s a reminder we all need, whether we grew up with a Hallmark Card father or not.

I am going to honor my Father this year. Yes, that’s right, my Father…my heavenly Father. I don’t deserve a Father like Him, but He adopted me anyway. Before I even knew that I needed Him, He made a way for our relationship through Jesus’ death on the cross. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God….”

I love how this describes our relationship to Him:

“…the place of sonship…an unspeakable privilege, obtained by grace, through regeneration, and adoption. In this relation of nearness and privilege to the Father in the kingdom of His Son, believers are ‘sons of God’…. It is a relation, not of nature, but of grace.” [1]

Perhaps my Father’s Day anger management issue indicates that the little girl inside of me has never outgrown her desire to have a father who loves and cares for her. But God is and has been that kind of father to me and this year I will honor Him! He is enough…He is more than enough and more than I could have hoped for.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  If you don’t have God as your heavenly Father, will you begin that relationship today through Jesus?

2.  Today would be a wonderful day to express your appreciation to your heavenly Father for what He’s done for you.

FURTHER READING:

John 1:12-13; Ephesians 2:8; Colossians 1:13

Lisa has been married to Ted for 24 years and they have two sons in college. Lisa serves in Quest 56 on Sunday mornings at Oakwood.

[1] “God the Father” by James Orr http://topicalbible.org/f/father.htm

All Things
By Peggy Kleckner

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28 (NIV)

All things, not some things…what an amazing concept! When I am delayed (all things), when I am disappointed (all things), when I am blessed (all things), when I am cheated (all things), when I am hurt (all things). On and on it goes. Only God can weave all things so intricately that the outcome is good. I may not see it soon…perhaps not even this side of heaven…but if He said it in His Word, I can count on it as truth. What an extraordinary comfort this truth can bring into a difficult day.

Truth is hard to hold onto when we are being battered by the winds of adversity. We must cling to it as a person shipwrecked in the ocean holds fast to anything that floats. Perhaps that is where the saying, “hope floats” comes from! Truth is the hope we as Christians cling to in our life storms.

John 14:6 reads (NIV), “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” Jesus spoke those words. He is the truth that we cling to in the midst of our life storms. We tether ourselves to Him and hold fast. He makes the way to the calmer waters. Too often we keep fighting, rather than resting in Him. He allows the storm, as well as the calm. He knows the purpose of each.

Is today a stormy day or a calm day for you? Look to Him in “all things.”

GOING DEEPER:
1. What storm are you trying to weather on your own? What “hope” are you clinging to?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 25; Luke 8:22-25

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.

Creative God

By Brita Crouse

 

"O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures."

Psalm 104:24 (NLT)

 

Some days, God's creativity just astounds me. I was thinking about how creative our God is one day as I sat at my desk writing a devotional, when, within a few seconds, I saw five or six different types of animals scamper or fly across my backyard. The view from my bedroom is one of my favorites in our whole house because I have a front row seat to God's amazing creation.

 

My room faces the east, with the sun waking me up with some of its first rays of the day. From my windows, I can see a small creek, a pond, and a farm field. Because I live in such a rural setting, we see an abundance of wildlife: beavers, bunnies, coyotes, deer, geese, cranes, ducks, frogs, toads, snakes, mice, robins, cardinals, and about a dozen other types of birds throughout the year. I am also witness to the planting and harvesting process, as I watch the farmers work their fields through the spring, summer and fall months. I am privy to God's thoughtfulness and see His creativity every day, right in my own backyard, but rarely do I take time to notice and thank Him for it.

 

This world is teeming with products of God's artistic hand. We can see His creativity in the blooming flowers, in the ever-changing weather, in the complexity of a blade of grass, in the variety of colors we see daily. Yet, often we are so bogged down by tragedies and difficulties of this world that we forget the beauty and uniqueness and complexity of every person, plant and animal.

 

I love the spring and summer seasons because it means we have the chance to watch life and growth happen for the first time all year. Seeing the flowers bloom and trees bud and animals roam freely is a good reminder of our oh-so-creative God. It is such a privilege to be surrounded by the beauty of His creation!

 

Our God is the Creator of all things living. Take a moment to stop and thank Him for this amazing, colorful and creative world and the opportunity we have to be a part of it.

 

GOING DEEPER:

1.   Keep track of the creativity you see in God's creation this week. Take time to thank Him for it!

2.  How can you take more time to notice and be appreciative of God and His creativity?

 

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 104

 

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.

For Such a Time as This By Susan Klein "And who knoweth whether thou art come to the  kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14b (KJV)   Esther knew. What she knew was that if she entered the King's inner court without being summoned, the punishment was death, even though she was the queen. But her uncle, Mordecai, reminded her that God may have placed her, a simple Jewish girl, in the place of royalty "for such a time as this." This was a time to plead with her king to save her own people from death and destruction. What Esther didn't know was how God would work through this situation. Yet, she obediently sought Him in prayer and fasting, and decided to risk death if it gave her people a chance to live. We, like Esther, are not placed here on this earth for ourselves. God is a God of order and has placed each of us here for a purpose. For some, like Esther, His purpose may be to take us from a simple life to do something incredible, like saving a nation. For others, like a widow putting her only coin in an offering plate, it may be to let our lives be a shining example of faith and obedience to those around us. We may never know how our lives have touched others this side of heaven. But, we do know that we are here to touch lives! God gives us opportunities to act on our faith. He orchestrated the opportunity that He gave to Esther. Hers was a difficult choice to make, one that could have cost her life. But she prayerfully chose obedience, which strengthened her faith and drew her closer to her God. Not many of us experience life and death choices, but we all have choices to make in each opportunity that God presents. Sometimes God may call you to share your faith with someone who is struggling. Or, perhaps He is calling you to take a stand for what is right in the midst of injustice. Embrace those opportunities to stand up or speak up! Show your God that you are willing to demonstrate your love for and commitment to Him by being obedient. His kingdom may be advanced through your life and your actions! Like Esther, your obedience will bring glory and honor to Him, and will draw you ever closer to the One who created you and called you to His purpose! And who knows whether you have come into your circumstance for such a time as this! GOING DEEPER: 1. What opportunities are presenting themselves to you that require action? 2. Do others see for whom you are living your life? FURTHER READING: Romans 9:16-17; Ephesians 1:11-12   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 and also co-leads an on-site small group.