The Finish Line

By Karen D’Amore

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?

Run in such a way to get the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:24 (NIV)

It’s become a familiar scenario at every race! In that final mile, as my lungs gasp for air, my legs buckle with weariness, and I wrestle with the temptation to quit the race…the moment I get a glimpse of the finish line, “something” compels me to dig deep, kick into high gear and sprint to the finish. Personally, I believe that “something” has to do with seeing the “light at the end of the tunnel.” In a race, the FINISH line serves as a marquee, denoting the conclusion of the race…advancing the runners to their awaiting prize. Every race has a prize, be it a t-shirt, a medal, a trophy, cash or the thrill of victory in the applause of the crowd.

Throughout Scripture, the believer’s life is likened to a long-distance race resembling a marathon. The Apostle Paul exhorts us to run with the resolve to win an eternal prize: the crown of life. When my friend Pam was diagnosed with terminal cancer, we spoke candidly about her eternal prize…the hope of heaven! Not knowing how many miles she had left in the race of life, she prayed for a marathon. A bucket list of final wishes spurred her to persevere, to stay in the race.

For eighteen months, Pam maintained a steady pace, running her cancer-hurdled course with grace and endurance. Once her body lost the ability to leap the increasing hurdles, she was diverted into hospice care. Knowing she was running her final mile, within a few days of hospice placement, she sprinted across her eternal finish line. As a metaphorical spectator, I’d like to believe that as Pam laid in that hospice bed…once she got a glimpse of her eternal FINISH line…and saw “THE LIGHT at the end of the tunnel,” the reflection of God’s shekinah glory compelled her to sprint to the finish.

With Scripture revealing “THE LIGHT at the end of our eternal  tunnel,” believers have an everlasting glimpse of The Finish Line!  “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away - -inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4: 16-17, NIV).

In the race of life, when hardships and hurdles obstruct the course, don’t quit!  Stay focused on THE LIGHT.  Persevere to the FINISH.  This is where your eternal prize awaits; a prize gloriously surpassing any medal or trophy this world has to offer!

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What prize are you running for?

FURTHER READING:

 2 Timothy 4:8; 2 Corinthians 5:2; Hebrews 12:1

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and a Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. 

The Terrible Typo

By Lexi Ellis

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness...”

Isaiah 43:19a (NLT)

I love being a part of the Fresh Start ministry. Part of my “job” is to format and edit devotionals. It’s a joy getting a “sneak peak” at how God works in our writers’ lives and then uses them to share it with others. But sometimes, I miss a typo or mess up the format. Often, it’s caught by another team member before the devo goes out, but sometimes it’s not.

Recently, I missed a letter. There was a word without a vowel and this teacher-by-profession didn’t see it. Man, I felt like kicking myself. I read the sent-out devo - - now too late to change it - - and just felt defeated. While a small mistake, it felt huge at the time. Critical thoughts flooded in: Are you serious? You’re clearly not qualified for this. How did you miss a mistake in the title…it’s bolded?!

Realizing this was heading in a dangerous direction, I imagined laying my mistake down at the Lord’s feet. God, help our readers be encouraged despite this typo. Help them sense Your Presence and continue to strive towards an active, ongoing and vibrant relationship with You. Help me depend on Your strength rather than my own ability and keep things in perspective.

Aren’t you thankful God has chosen to use imperfect people to do His perfect will? Scripture is filled with people who really messed up or had awful circumstances, but God used them when they chose to be obedient…in the midst of their mess. I think of Abraham and Sarah, Miriam, Gideon, David…all imperfect people whom God used in spite of their mess. We - - as believers - -  also get to be involved in His plan! While I am very aware of the mistakes I make, I realize God can use me when I trust and surrender to Him.

And despite our un-perfect-ness, God has gifted and wired us uniquely for our role in this plan. There are countless examples of this in Scripture, like when God put Aaron’s gift of communication or Deborah’s gift of leadership to good use. In the New Testament, Paul writes about the importance and diversity of spiritual gifts and how vital these gifts are to the Church (1 Corinthians 12). The strengths we possess are by no accident.

While I’d like all words to have vowels, I’m thankful for the reminder that God uses us - - despite the terrible typos and imperfections - - and that each of us is uniquely gifted.

GOING DEEPER:

1. What imperfections do you need to lay at the Lord’s feet?

2. How has God uniquely designed you for His Kingdom?

FURTHER READING:

1 Peter 4:10; Romans 12:6-8

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

My King

By Susan Klein

 

“Who is this king of glory? The Lord strong and mighty...”

Psalm 24:8a (NIV)

 

The late Reverend S. M. Lockridge was not only a Baptist preacher, but also held doctorates and honorary degrees from a host of colleges, was a well-sought after public speaker, and was passionately engaged in the civil rights movement. He delivered his messages at crusades, revivals and conferences around the world. His “most listened to” message is a six-and-a-half minute description of Jesus Christ as his King. Whenever I need a good spiritual boost, I refresh myself with these power-packed words. (If you’ve never heard this message, you must take a few minutes to listen to it here.)

 

In today’s casual society, I fear we sometimes misplace His crown on the back shelf of our closets and forget the royal perspective of who Jesus really is. Even our Christian music more often refers to Him as exclusively a “friend” than a king. We go to Him as our Savior, our Defender and our Comforter in times of need, all of which Scripture verifies He truly is. But, how often do we intentionally think of Him as our reigning King? In the United States of America, where we’ve never experienced a government ruled by a king, it’s hard to truly comprehend “kingship”  and all of its implications.

 

The Collins English Dictionary defines “kingship” in two ways: the position or authority of a king, or the skill or practice of ruling as a king. Scripture says Jesus is (present tense):

1) the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16),

2) the King of Israel (John 1:49),

3) the eternal, immortal and invisible King (1 Timothy 1:17),

4) the King of righteousness (Isaiah 32:1),

5) the King of glory (Psalm 24:7-8),

6) the King of the ages (Revelation 15:3).

 

Jesus is our ruling King, and we have been granted the privilege of being His royal heirs. Though He will come back to rule over the earth one day, He is already reigning over us at this very moment, sitting at the right hand of God who has established His kingship. Other earthly kings and rulers may try to take His place of honor, but they will be made a footstool for His feet (Hebrews 10:12-13). King Jesus is the only One to whom every knee shall one day bow.

 

Is Jesus your king?

 

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Reflect on Jesus’ kingship. Set aside some time regularly to worship Him as your King.

2.  To cement this concept even further, try adding the title “King” before the name “Jesus” every time you read it in Scripture.

 

FURTHER READING:

Daniel 7:14; Revelation 1:4b-7, 17:13-14

 

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.

Don’t Look Back!
By Carolyn Hulliberger

“…Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop…”
Genesis 19:17 (NIV)

Lot’s wife is a little-known but tragic figure in the Bible. One dark night, she found herself caught in the crossfire of sin and redemption. The wife of Abraham’s nephew, she and her family lived in the wicked city of Sodom. God was angry with the city’s depravity and had vowed to destroy it. That was the bad news. The good news was that her family received a warning of the destruction to come by God’s representative. His specific instructions were: “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere…or you will be swept away!”

Can you imagine the fear? She is told to uproot her whole family with no time and no planning. Sodom was home…she had lived there many years; her daughters were engaged to men from this city…there were weddings to plan! But Sodom was the original “sin city” and God had had enough. How blessed Lot’s wife was to receive a reprieve from the judgment that God was handing down.

Lot’s wife did as instructed…to a point. She fled with her husband and two daughters, leaving before dawn and reaching a small town just as sulfur rained down on Sodom. She was safe! Then she did what she had been told NOT to do. Clinging to the past, she looked back at the city. And she became a pillar of salt.

It would be easy to point to Lot’s wife and judge her. But haven’t we all been stuck in a desperate place between needing to focus only on moving forward to where God wants to take us, and the overwhelming desire to go back to the familiar...even when it’s bad for us? Maybe your “Sodom” is an addiction, an unhealthy relationship, or moral compromises. This story illustrates that in those places we mustn’t turn back. All ties have to be severed. We can only be saved from the place of ruin by putting one step in front of the other to get away from it…and never looking back.

In Philippians chapter 3, the apostle Paul tells us the way we are supposed to take: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (NIV). Lot’s wife missed out on the prize of freedom when she chose to remember what was behind her. Let’s not make the same mistake ourselves.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you find yourself in a personal “Sodom” place? Resolve today to move away from it and toward what God has in mind for you. Pray for strength and seek help, counsel and accountability.

FURTHER READING:
Genesis 19:1-29; Luke 9:62

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

Your Password Will Expire in Five Days

By Lisa Boyer

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called
children of God! And that is what we are!”

1 John 3:1a (NIV)

I don’t know about you, but I have a LOT of passwords. In fact, I have six different passwords at work alone, and for security reasons, one of those passwords has to be changed every three months. I hate getting the “your password will expire in five days” message because it’s so hard to think of a new password that means enough to me to remember it.

Once, when I got the dreaded “your password will expire in five days” message, I decided to try something different: an abbreviation of a phrase from a song. It was my favorite song at the time, so I thought I would easily remember it. But the next morning, I sat at my keyboard struggling to remember my password once again. I remembered what song I had been thinking of, but had to remember what words I used and whether I used the whole word or just the first letter of the word, etc.

As it turned out, my new password was the hardest password to remember ever! It was really frustrating until I came up with a phrase to clue me in to what my password was. Each morning, I would sit at my keyboard and quietly say to myself, “Hello, child of the One True King,” concentrating on each word as I typed the password I had coded out of that phrase. Saying that phrase made me smile every single morning!

About a month later, I noticed that my attitude was changing at work and realized it was because of my new password! Concentrating on those words “hello, child of the One True King” was reminding me that I wasn’t just a child of the One True King at church and at home, I was a child of the One True King at work, as well. Each morning, I was being reminded by my password of His love for me as His child. My Father - - God - - was in charge and I could trust Him, even at work.

Three months passed and “your password will expire in five days” appeared on my computer once again. I was sad to think of how much I was going to miss that password... but then my new favorite song came to mind and I knew that a password about God’s great grace was going to be a wonderful way to start my mornings!

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Is it time to add a new positive phrase to your morning routine?

FURTHER READING:

Philippians 4:8; Proverbs 4:23

Lisa is married to Ted and they have two sons in college. Lisa serves as an event photographer at Oakwood and wherever else she is needed.  

A Lesson in Re-Membering

By Brita Crouse

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.”

Lamentations 3:21-22 (NIV)

It’s a cold November morning. The sun has yet to make an appearance and all signs of life are quiet except for the few, like me, out on the road. I drive faster than I should, but I’m realizing how precious time is. I arrive and walk into a somber house, finding family members sleeping, curled up closely to a great man in his final moments.

So I assume the role of watchman and I savor the stillness and let them rest. I write and I try to be thankful. I pause and watch him, monitor his breathing - - in and out and in and…out and in and out - - acknowledging he is now only a sliver of who I know him to be. I write until my ink-stained hand is sore and my eyes grow tired. I finish with: I am thankful for the ability to hold onto hope. And the heaviness of it all weighs on me. So I switch rooms, blackest coffee in hand, and open the Word, craving its healing.

“I am the [wo]man who has seen affliction…He pierced my heart…He has filled me with bitter herbs…My soul is downcast within me.” [1]

The words of the lamenter reverberate within.

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” [2, emphasis added]

I have hope?

God’s breathed Word says so.

“This fallen world never stops dis-membering who we are. We’re all breaking a bit more every day…And there, even as we ache, is the gentle whisper of God. With the quiet urging to give thanks anyways…But why in the world give thanks?…Because we remember how He blesses, loves us, when we recollect His goodness to us, we heal - - we re-member. In the remembering to give thanks, our broken places are re-membered - - made whole. When we re-member all His blessings, we re-member all our fractures, and in giving thanks in the assembly it’s our very souls that re-assemble.” [3]

Sometimes it hurts and life dis-members us, breaks us down.

But there is joy in giving thanks, in having hope… in the re-membering.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  How are you re-membering and giving thanks despite your circumstances?

FURTHER READING:

James 1:2-4; Romans 8:18-24

Brita recently moved back to her home state of Wisconsin where she works as an Elementary School Counselor. She and her family have attended Oakwood for 20 years.

[1] Lamentations 3:1, 13, 15, 20

[2] Lamentations 3:21-23

[3] Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011) 172.

When Victory Walked out the Door

By Elin Henderson

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our LORD.”

 1 Corinthians 15:57(NIV, emphasis added)

Can you remember a day when victory walked out the door? The people you were counting on let you down. The money you desperately needed never came in. The armies you had built up were slowly demolished and there you were left standing, alone. “Impossible” just got ramped up to a new level!

Did you find yourself chasing after the defectors, begging them to return? Filling the gaps with whatever resources you could dig up? Barring the door so they couldn’t escape? We find many ways to try and make up the difference between our current difficulty and what we consider “victory.”

Yet, God is always challenging us and finding creative ways to get rid of the human element, in order to show us a better way to victory. This “letting go” of our human resources, our well-made plans, our “victory” stash is never easy, is it? Whether we are the widow with the last bit of oil and Elijah asks for some bread (1 Kings 17:8-16), or Gideon when God pares down his army of tens of thousands to mere hundreds (Judges 7:1-7), God has His ways of bringing us to the end of ourselves and our well-planned resources. It appears that victory is walking out the door, but God is waiting to bring in a better, more incredibly victorious plan!

It is in the faith-filled surrender, which willingly lets go when all of your being is screaming to hang on tighter, that we find true victory. So, keep the doors open. If people desert you, your resources dry up or your plans fall apart, don’t lose heart. Let them go, resting in the fact that God will use that same door to usher in a victory unlike one you have ever seen.

           

GOING DEEPER:                                                       

1. Are you facing any difficulties right now?

2. What can you do to keep reminding yourself to keep the door of your heart open for God’s plans?

FURTHER READING:

Genesis 50:20; 1Samuel 12:16; Psalms 44:3

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. 

Unbridled Passion

By Susan Klein

“Do not put out the Spirit’s fire”

1Thessalonians 5:19 (NIV)

I just finished reading, Kisses From Katie [1]. If you’re not familiar, it’s a book about an astounding young woman who walks away from her affluent American life to submit to God’s calling: ministering to the destitute in Uganda. Why would a senior class president and homecoming queen, with a steady boyfriend, college plans secured, and her whole future ahead of her, give it all up to live in poverty and be a mother and mentor to hundreds of orphans on a different continent? Unbridled passion!

                                                                                                                      

God first ignited the spark in Katie’s life as a high school senior while on a short-term mission trip. As she loved on those dear orphans, many who were starving and suffering from failing health and horrific living conditions, God continued to kindle the small flame within her heart. On her second visit, the initial spark fanned into a flame, which quickly ignited into an all-consuming fire.

It burned so deep within her soul that she could literally think of nothing other than caring for and sharing the love of Jesus with these dear little ones. Returning to her home in the states once again (she had promised her parents she’d come back after one year to attend college), Katie’s passionate fire for those children could not be contained as she longed to be with them. She knew her passion was from God, and that it must be allowed to burn brightly for His ultimate purpose.

Katie writes, “I realize that since I have chosen an unusual path it is easier for outsiders to look at my life and come to the conclusion that it is something extraordinary. That I am courageous. That I am strong. That I am special. But I am just a plain girl from Tennessee. Broken in many ways, sinful, and inadequate. Common and simple with nothing special about me. Nothing special except I chose to say ‘yes.’ ‘Yes’ to the things God asks of me and ‘yes’ to the people He places in front of me. You can too.”

Katie returned to Uganda fueled by the intense passion to serve, and to love and to mother amidst seemingly impossible circumstances. She writes, “Every morning, as I wake up with some impossible task in front of me, I know that God will meet it with impossible strength and love.” He who calls, not only equips, but also gives us the passion to serve with our whole hearts.

GOING DEEPER:

1) What flames of passion might God be kindling in your heart?

FURTHER READING:

James 1:27; 2 Corinthians 4:6-7; 1 John 3:16-18

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.

[1] Kisses From Katie, Howard Books/Simon and Schuster, Inc., 2011, by Katie Davis

(https://amazima.org/about-us)

The Two Companions
By Sarah Walker

Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV)

Imagine with me that there are two friends or companions in your life.

The first companion has a reputation of being untrustworthy. You have caught him lying red-handed in the past, but sometimes you choose to go along with his lies. He is known to make great predictions about future events.  But in your experience with him his predictions rarely, if ever, come to pass. He will always be there for you - - but is notorious for his lack of comfort and support. Whenever you go on an adventure with him, he will often leave you hanging right at a critical juncture. Rarely, if ever, does he provide a meaningful solution for the resulting situation his adventure leaves you in.

The second companion, on the other hand, is trustworthy and will tell you the truth in a kind way…even when it hurts. He is always there for you when you need him, but he isn’t pushy and often will wait until you ask him for help. This companion sometimes will ask you to go along with him on a crazy adventure. Whenever you agree to it, you are always provided for and looked after, even if you are personally challenged in the process. In fact, sometimes he takes you by the hand and makes you face the first companion and tell him what you really think of all his antics. It isn’t always easy, but when all is said and done, you never regret heeding his advice.

Friends, if you are anything like me, you all too often find yourself keeping company with fear, the first companion. Fear constantly predicts the worst, yet we somehow keep giving him another chance the next time he comes knocking at our door. It doesn’t matter how often our fears have let us down, we seem to have a never-ending reserve of trust and second chances for him. But we often give up on hope in the Holy Spirit, the second companion, when his timing or methods are different than our own.

Let me challenge you today to pay attention to which companion you are keeping company with.

GOING DEEPER:
Which companion will you choose to serve and trust?

FURTHER READING:
2 Timothy 1:7, 1 John 4:18

Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. She and Scott are involved in a small group focused on prayer.

Peace Robbers

By Karen D’Amore

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

 Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 14:27 (NIV)

Tucked on a secluded parcel in the tranquil Kettle Moraine Forest is a retreat center called the Shalom (peace) House. Because of its location on Shalom Drive, the name fits perfectly with its intended purpose: a place for peace and quiet reflection. Recently, ten co-workers and I spent a weekend at the Shalom House on a work retreat. While a door with a broken lock made several of the women uneasy, the rest of the house fit our retreat needs perfectly. And a chair propped against the un-securable door… served as a peace-restoring appeasement!

On the final night of our retreat, three of the women snuck outside to play a prank on several others who were up late. Pandemonium broke out as the pranksters banged violently on the windows near the un-securable door, and the others feared there was a dangerous intruder lurking outside. As I was awakened by the blood-curdling screams of the frightened women, the police were already on route when the pranksters were discovered. Even after realizing there was never any real danger, and nothing  to fear, the frightened women succumbed to a sleepless night, overpowered by fear. Needless to say, the Shalom House had been completely robbed of its peace…over nothing!

Processing the details of the peace-robbing incident illuminated paralleling spiritual truths. Satan, a relentless prankster, delights in luring us into submission to fear. By victoriously distracting us from the truth, and entrapping us with his lies, our enemy seeks to render us powerless - - thinking that God can’t  intervene on our behalf. As believers, when we acknowledge who we are in Christ, we have the assurance that we have nothing  to fear!  “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.” [1]

Scripture proclaims “…in this world you will have trouble…but… He has overcome the world.” [2]  Such “troubles” have resulted in sleepless nights…when I’ve chosen fear over faith. God used the Shalom House experience to awaken revelations, spurring safeguards to protect my heart against Satan’s distracting and deceptive pranks.

Christ-followers beware…a peace-robbing prankster lurks outside the door to our hearts and minds. Let’s choose to rest in the Truth of the Peace-Giver who resides within us!

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” [3]

Remember…fear believes the robber and faith believes the Father!

You have nothing to fear!

GOING DEEPER:

1. What peace-robbers distract you from the Truth?

FURTHER READING:

Romans 15:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and as an instructor in the Cosmetology Department at WCTC. Karen also serves on the Welcoming Team at Oakwood.

[1] Colossians 3:15a, NLT

[2] John 16:33

[3] Psalm 4:8

Grasping The Significance of “The Body”

By Susan Klein

“This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

1 Corinthians 11:24b (NIV)

Jesus is God. This is a profound mystery to the human mind. I’ve heard people try to explain the Trinity using various analogies, but if we’re to be truly honest with ourselves, it is something we can only begin to grasp by faith alone. I believe God intended it that way.

One aspect of this mystery is “Christ in bodily form.” Was He all of God in His human body, or only a portion of God? (I’ll let you wrestle with that one.) What color His skin was or how tall He was are insignificant. What is  significant, however, is that He, being perfectly God, chose to walk the earth in an imperfect human body, just like ours. And, as stated in the above verse, He did it for us.

He says, “This is my body, which is for you…” He could easily have expounded on that by stating:

“This is my physical body, which is for your little faith, so that you can actually see me and touch me and know that I really do exist.”

“This is my imperfect body, which will experience physical suffering so that I may experience all that you feel and cry with you in your pain.”

“This is my body, which was created with hands to hug, and hold, and help, and serve, and lead… so that you might see that your bodies were also created to do these things.”

“This is my physical body, which will not just take on the sins of every person who ever lives in a figurative sense, but will literally bear the punishment of beatings and suffering and persecution on your behalf.”

“This is my body. I didn’t need a body, but I was given one, for you.”

This passage occurred as Jesus was speaking to His disciples while He broke bread with them on the night in which He was betrayed, because He was present in bodily form. He is telling them to remain in the habit of breaking bread together, remembering His broken body in all of its significance.

What are you doing in remembrance of His body, which was for you?

GOING DEEPER:

1. Take some time to sit and ponder what Jesus’ physical body means to you personally.

2. Talk to Him, and share your gratefulness for this special gift!

FURTHER READING:

John 11:33-36; Mark 6:39-43; Luke 22:63-65

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.