One Step at a Time
By Sarah Walker

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV)

God doesn’t run from pain and suffering. His desire is for healing and for peace, but that doesn’t mean that He will go out of His way to ensure we avoid the pain, suffering or hard times in our lives. If we fight Him, we may find ourselves in an even harder position - - fighting both God and our circumstances. But if we let Him, He will use the hardship to refine us, to purify us, to sanctify us…to make us more like Jesus.

On His journey to the cross, Jesus saw the path ahead and went straight through the pain, the betrayals, the suffering, the humiliation, the death. And then He rose from the dead! He redeemed all mankind so that we now have a way to God!

                                   

How many times in our own lives are we asked to go through trials before the victory? The sickness before the new birth. The isolation and loneliness before a true friendship or a spouse. The tears before the joy.

We are not asked to cheerfully look forward to these times - - just look at Jesus in the garden before His arrest, sweating drops of blood. We are, though, asked to submit to God’s will…whether we see the end prize or not. Will we trust Him even in that moment? And then, when He’s proven His faithfulness, will we remember and commemorate those trials for the lasting fruit created through them? [1]

We don’t need to race through the hardships, skipping and laughing along the way. No, we are meant to entrust ourselves to God. Let Him lead…and then move forward…one step at a time. God is faithful. He will provide.

GOING DEEPER:

1.      In which circumstances has God asked you to trust Him fully? What does taking one step at a time with Him mean for you today?

2.      What lasting fruit have you seen from past trials in your life? Make a list and thank God for His faithfulness.

FURTHER READING:

Isaiah 55:8-9, Joshua 4:5-7

Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. She and Scott co-lead a summer/winter neighborhood small group.

[1] Luke 22:42-44

Spiritual Safari

By Elin Henderson

“Search me oh God and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and LEAD me in the way everlasting.”  

Psalms 139:23-24 (NKJV)

When we hear the word “safari,” it usually conjures up visions of elephants and lions swarming around a group of pith-helmeted tourists dressed in khaki with binoculars or expensive cameras stuck to their heads. Actually, the word “safari” is a Swahili word just meaning “journey or trip.” No pith helmets, cameras or wild animals needed. It’s a means of getting somewhere and actually going there. We recently took a long safari from Mozambique down through Zimbabwe, Botswana and finally into South Africa. As a family, it was an incredible time of seeing God’s awesome creation, but the safari went well beyond that for me. 

God had a spiritual safari planned for me that far surpassed the physical safari I had planned. He led me to some frightful places that I would have rather never visited as He revealed the wildness of my heart. He exposed areas that need a little (or a lot) of rehabilitation. And by the power of His Spirit, He began a gracious work of rebuilding and renewing. He gave me glimpses of how I am fearfully and wonderfully made and how He delights to use me (the crazy and all) for His glory. It was a safari of highs and lows, but as my faithful Guide, He never left my side…walking hand-in-hand with me, leading, protecting and caring for me along the way. 

Sometimes as we venture off on a safari, God has a lot more in store for us than we ever expected! Your next safari could just be another typical one, or you could be in for a real surprise when God turns it into a spiritual safari unlike anything you have ever experienced before. Just hold on to your pith helmets and keep those binoculars at the ready for the amazing things that He will reveal to you, work in you, and through you! 

           

GOING DEEPER:    

1.What are some spiritual safaris that God has taken you on? Can you recall the lessons learned? What were you like before you went on that “safari” and then after you returned? How does that encourage you? 

2. Next time you are out for coffee with a friend, make this a topic of discussion and exchange “spiritual safari” experiences. 

FURTHER READING:

Romans 12:2; Psalms 51:10; Isaiah 40:31

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 seventeen-year-old Callie and fourteen-year-old Elias. 

Today

By Peggy Kleckner

“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24 (NIV)

Today is a new day: a one-of-a-kind. There will never be another one like it. It is unique, and it is a gift from our sovereign God.

Have you declared this verse over your day? I know that you, like me, have probably already weighed your new day out on your own scale. You have viewed it from your own perspective. If it is raining and that doesn’t fit into your idea of a “good” day, you have labeled the rain “bad” and perhaps the day “bad,” as well. If you feel prepared, it is “good” day. If you feel weak, it is “bad.” Have you considered that these are your  labels?

“This is the day the Lord has made.”  These words alone should encourage us. We know the One who made this day! We can, and should, make the choice to actually plan on rejoicing and being glad in this day. I must choose to look for Him in my day.

I love that the verse says “we.” This reminds me to enter my day with Jesus…as well as with others.

If I am going to choose to rejoice, where do I start? Where do you look when you are in chaos?  How can you see when the days seem overwhelming? Start by asking God Himself to open your eyes.  Even if you have to come to Him with a bad attitude, open your mouth and ask Him to open your eyes to the smallest glimmers of His goodness in this day. Next, start watching and praising.

Where have you seen His provision in your day? Look past the one answer you are continuing to look for and actively look for all of the other ways that He is providing, and praise Him for those. Where have you seen His kindness displayed? Perhaps in a sales clerk, in a woman at work, in your spouse? Who has displayed His patience? What or who reveals His caring nature to you? What remembrance from your past helps to stir up hope in this day?

You may need a friend to help you “see” Him in your darkest days. Let someone in to help. I am sure that God has placed people in your life who are willing to walk with you.

What instruction, what encouragement, what is it that God is trying to help you see in this gift of today?

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What circumstance has you so consumed that you are missing God’s goodness in this day?

2.  Can you declare God’s goodness even when you cannot see Him or feel His nearness?

FURTHER READING:

Lamentations 3:24-25; Phil 4:6-7; Ephesians 3:16-19

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.

Hello, My Name Is…

By Tracy Smith

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—.”

John 1:12 (NIV)

There is song by Matthew West that really resonates with me. It is called “Hello, My Name Is.”  It starts,

Hello, my name is regret
I'm pretty sure we have met
Every single day of your life
I'm the whisper inside
That won't let you forget.

Hello, my name is defeat
I know you recognize me.
Just when you think you can win,
I'll drag you right back down again
'Til you've lost all belief [1]

Oh, how we can focus on all the things we feel we have failed at or the personality traits that make us feel “less than.” Focusing on the negative like this can make us feel defeated and ashamed.

The song goes on to say,

These are the voices, these are the lies
And I have believed them, for the very last time

Hello, my name is child of the one true King
I've been saved, I've been changed, and I have been set free
"Amazing Grace" is the song I sing
Hello, my name is child of the one true King [1]

Child of the one true King! Let that sink in. If you have put your faith in the Lord, you can claim this! Whenever the voices and the lies start up in your mind, remember they are lies and not from God (John 8:44).

Sometimes, we define ourselves by the sins we’ve committed. We identify ourselves with the things we once struggled or continually struggle with. We need to remember we are not defined by what we’ve done but who we are - - a child of the one true KING!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Watch the video for the song by Matthew West. (http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=0F9EB1NU) Is there a negative name tag you see that you particularly identify with?
2. Will you commit to reminding yourself, “I am a child of the one true King” when you start believing the lies?

FURTHER READING:

Galatians 3:26; Romans 8:17

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

[1] West, Matthew. “Hello My Name Is.” Into the Light, Sparrow Records, 2012.

Because He Does

By Sarah Walker

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)

I longed for something tangible that would objectively represent the inner turmoil I was feeling.

 

I was a teenager desperately hurting inside. The temptation was more than I could bear on my own. I longed for something tangible that would objectively represent the inner turmoil I was feeling. The temptation to physically cut myself was real. That temptation was thick, almost tangible in its oppressiveness. I sat crouched on the bathroom floor, arms wrapped around myself as though holding me together.

I achingly cried, “Jesus, help me!”

“Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit...You are not your own,

you were bought with a price.”  (1)

The verse resonated through my being, striking my soul: a reminder of the truth found in the Bible...dangling there as a life raft for me to grab and cling to with every fiber of my being. In my extreme desperation, I grabbed on and repeated the phrases over and over again until the urge subsided.

This was not the first, nor would it be my last encounter with this deep temptation. But each time, Jesus was right there with me, in the very center and depth of my struggles and temptation. It is only because of His power and persistence that I can say today that I have walked through that temptation. I don’t have scars on my wrists today because my Savior does. It is because of His proven faithfulness that I can say, “God is faithful.”

I can trust Jesus no matter what comes my way. While He is fully God, Jesus walked this earth as one of us. He understands our pain, our temptations and our struggles. He has wept, and He has laughed. He has been tempted. He has been there. And yet, He remained obedient to the will of the Father.

He fully understands what it is to be tempted and then to turn away from that temptation. Since our God came to earth as a human, He can empathize with us. He can and will come alongside us... showing us the way forward through whatever temptation or trial comes our way.  If we but trust him, He is faithful.

GOING DEEPER:

1.      How has Jesus revealed His faithfulness to you? Share that with someone today.

2.      If you need to, apply that truth forward to whatever temptations and trials you are facing today.

FURTHER READING:

1 Corinthians 10:13, Psalm 138:7-8

Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. She and Scott co-lead a summer/winter neighborhood small group.

 

(1) 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Heir of ALL Things

By Susan Klein

 “…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he also made the universe.”

Hebrews 1:2 (NIV)

When a person dies, he generally leaves his estate to an heir or heirs. He typically drafts a will, oftentimes well in advance, bequeathing his possessions to a named beneficiary. Upon his death, the beneficiary eventually receives the possessions that remain.

But “uncertainties” can change this equation. What if the deceased forgot to draft a will? Or what if the named heir is dead? What if there are no remaining relatives to receive the property? Then the state (or probate court) typically decides what is best to do with the remaining possessions.

This is what happened to the music icon Prince. He died “intestate,” with an amassed fortune that he neglected to specify to whom it should be left. His money and possessions now lie in the fate of someone else, and it could get ugly for those who are fighting for what they feel rightfully belongs to them. A simple will or trust could have set things right.

Fortunately for us, God drafted a will. He appointed His Son heir of all things. ALL, including each of us. The earth and everything on it belongs to Him. We are His and His alone. We will not have to be held up in a probate court where others can try to claim us. We are bequeathed to His Son. Even though His Son died a physical death, no one else has the authority or right to claim us. And the really great news: He is alive and is coming back to take possession of what is rightfully His!

I don’t know about you, but when life’s uncertainties come banging relentlessly on my door, I find great peace in this fact. Nothing and no one can snatch me away from the One who is Heir of ALL things. No matter how ugly conditions and circumstances get in this present world, no matter what I may lose or suffer through in life…my Beneficiary has claimed me. I am secure, right this moment, and forevermore!

An added benefit?  We who are His will be with  Him when He returns to claim everything else that belongs to Him. Take deep comfort in that truth!

GOING DEEPER:

1. What “uncertainties” may be causing you to lack a sense of security and peace?

2. Without letting circumstances get in the way, are you willing to cling to the “certainties” you know to be true?

FURTHER READING:

Hebrews 2:8, 6:17-20; John 10: 27-30; Psalm 16:10-11

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 small group.

The Valley of Decision

By Elin Henderson

“For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.”

Joel 3:14b (NKJV)

How much of our lives are spent in valleys? Yes, we do experience the mountaintops from time to time, but most of our daily living takes place in the valleys below. If there were FVMs (frequent valley miles) available, I would be able to take a trip anywhere in the world. Valleys tend to be places of darkness, of the unknown, of despair and even death.

But I think the valley that I most often find myself wandering aimlessly in is the Valley of Decision. How do I move forward in my ministry/work? What will I do about my kids’ education? How do I deal with aging parents? Work, family, friends, church, life…they are what fill our valleys of decision.

                                        

David in the Old Testament spent a lot of time in the valleys. As a shepherd, he knew that the mountaintops were great places for viewing the horizons and paths. But the grass, water and protection were actually found in the valleys below. How many long, dark and cold nights did he longingly await the dawn of a new day to bring light and warmth to the valley below?

Like the prophet Joel while he was in the valley, David needn’t fear because the day of the LORD was near. God’s redemption of the situation…His guidance…His direction…His hand of comfort…were all there and available. [1]

So the next time you find yourself racking up miles in the dark Valley of Decision, remember that the day of the LORD is near and soon the dawn will come, dissipating the darkness and making the paths clear. The valley itself may not have changed. But our ability to see what lies before us will become clearer as we walk closely with our Shepherd Savior and rely on the heavenly illumination of His new day.  

GOING DEEPER:    

1.      Are you experiencing a Valley of Decision right now?

2.      How does knowing that the “…day of the LORD is near…” bring encouragement and hope?

FURTHER READING:

Psalms 23:4; Psalms 112:4; Proverbs 3:5-6

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 seventeen-year-old Callie and fourteen-year-old Elias.

             

[1] Book of Joel

Eden: Past and Future

By Carolyn Hulliberger

“He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth...”

Isaiah 25:8 (NIV)

Imagine the scene: Adam, newly created by God, enjoying perfect community and conversation with the Creator, naming the rest of creation (Genesis 2:19). “Adam, what would you like to name this one?  Cow? Sounds nice. I like how I made the eyes on this one…very gentle. Let me show you how she needs to be milked. That will be part of your job. Oh, what about this one? Hawk, you say? I love how majestic he looks in the air.Then there’s this little guy…Bunny? I’m especially fond of his softness. We’ve got another one, right next to the one you called Lion…Lamb? That sounds perfect. This one will need to have its coat cut back. I’ll show you how we’re going to do that. Let’s take a look at the fish next…”

Fast forward to Genesis 3. Eve and Adam have disobeyed God. Their eyes are opened to their nakedness (v. 7) and they sew fig leaves together to cover themselves. My mind’s eye sees them as franticly gathering leaves, helplessly trying hide their nakedness from God, but more importantly…their shame.

God still sees them, and knows that the perfect communion He created and enjoyed, has been shattered. His creation will now experience pain, destruction and death. He sees the shame, and knows the fig leaves will not hold up. So “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). Here Scripture records the first death. Visualize, “Adam, I need you to bring me Lamb. I will help you with your nakedness. This is how you will cover yourselves.” And the precious pet is sacrificed to cover their shame, while they look on. In the background, Hawk swoops down to take Bunny, and Cheetah takes down Gazelle.

The world became broken. And I want to weep for what was lost.

Thankfully, God’s story is not finished, and someday Eden will once again be restored for those who follow Him:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).

And I want to cheer for what will be found again.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Spend time imagining yourself in Eden and what communion with God will be like.

FURTHER READING:

Isaiah 65:17-25

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

“High Road” or Higher Ground?

By Susan Klein

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)

Flipping through the channels one night, I stopped at an unfamiliar sitcom. Two women were sitting in a coffee shop. I listened as one woman relived a conflict she recently had with her sister to the other woman at the table. The other woman implored, “She REALLY said that?!! What did you say to her? I would have given her a piece of my mind!” The first woman responded, “Oh, trust me, I wanted to. But, I’m going to take ‘the high road,’ and not say anything at all. That will show her who the bigger person is!”

A commercial break gave me time to ponder this scenario. Was she really taking “the high road”? Just by speaking about the incident with an uninvolved party, wasn’t she really trying to rally the troops in her corner and justify her position? Couldn’t it, in fact, be considered gossiping? And, would “saying nothing at all” really help to resolve the conflict or restore the relationship? More likely, it would just be a form of avoidance, or even payback. Not exactly the high road. I flipped to the cooking channel.

I think sometimes the defining lines of “taking the high road” and “going to higher ground” can be somewhat blurry: one being mistaken for the other. In the above scenario, the high road was a road of self-elevation, saying, “Look at me, I’m being so much better than she!” Had the woman conveyed instead, “I’m going to choose to overlook her offense, forget all about it, and love her anyway,” she’d be moving to higher ground. She’d be honoring God, as well as showing love to the other person.

The “higher ground” is the place where God is. It is where we go to seek Him, and learn to model His grace and mercy. It is asking Him, “Lord, how can I respond rightly in this situation to bring glory and honor to you?” Or, “What is the response that will most help the other person involved?” It is often a place of self-sacrificing, and never a place of self-exalting. It is definitely a place of great mercy and love, never one of revenge or retribution. It is most certainly a place of restoration.

Next time we are inclined to “take the high road” in a situation, let’s be sure it’s the road that leads to “higher ground.”

GOING DEEPER:

1. What is your typical response in a conflict?

2. What positive steps can you take to move toward a godly response in conflict?

FURTHER READING:

John 13:34; Romans 15:5-7; Colossians 3:12-14

Susan is married to Mark, and co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor to young women, and is a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work through conflict.

Overwhelmed by Obedience

by Stephanie LaCasse

“Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’”

Luke 5:5 (NIV)

Have you ever felt God pulling at your heart? Have you felt Him telling you to turn the car around, or to go back and talk to that person He wants you to talk to? Have you ever said no to that pull? It usually goes like this for me:

Stephanie, I need you to give your neighbor the new Bible you just got for Christmas.

But God…she won’t read it anyway. It’ll just sit there. 

Stephanie, my beloved, your job is to obey.  What happens after you obey is not your concern but mine…

I know many of you have children and have experienced their negotiating. “But Mom… I don’t need to shower. But Mom… I’ll only play for a little bit, and then I’ll get off the computer… But Mom… I promise that this time, it’ll be different!” Oh, how often we do this with God, as well. He asks us to be His children and obey…and instead we try to negotiate with him?!  But He gently and lovingly reminds us to obey.

And so it was with Simon Peter. He explains, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.” But! Then Peter states that he will obey simply because Jesus told him to do so. Suddenly, the fishermen’s empty nets became so heavy with fish that their nets were breaking! Oh, the abundance of reward when Simon Peter chose to just be obedient! [1]

We all have a million excuses for not doing as the Lord asks. There are distractions today that they didn’t have to deal with in Jesus’ day, but excuses have been around since Adam and Eve. Jesus doesn’t want our excuses; He wants our obedience. This is easy to forget.

Next time you hear God tugging on your heart…don’t negotiate or explain. Just say, Yes, Lord.

And then watch what God does.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Do you feel God tugging at your heart? Do you need to respond in obedience?

2. In obedience, what is something you can do to lovingly encourage a brother or sister in Christ?

FURTHER READING:

1 Kings 3:14; Psalm 128:1; 2 John 1:6

Stephanie is a mom of three young sons and wife to Dave, who is currently in seminary preparing for chaplaincy in the US Army. In her spare time, she’s employed at a law firm.

[1] Luke 5:5-7