Shaken Not Disturbed

By Elin Henderson

 “He only is my rock, and my salvation; my fortress, I shall NOT be greatly shaken.”

Psalms 62:6 (ESV, emphasis added)

To coin a phrase from our good friend in Her Majesty’s Secret Service*, sometimes life feels a little “shaken and  stirred” up. While Dr. No and Goldfinger may not be our greatest foes, we aren’t lacking for enemies in this world. These powers that be (without and within) can leave us feeling shaken to the core and stir up plenty of fear and anxiety in our souls.

Paul knew a little about being shaken and stirred. In 2 Corinthians 11:22-28, we see a few of the shakings he went through…beaten, lost at sea, stoned, left as dead, rejected. Yet, he remained firm, not disturbed,  in spite of trying circumstances and people.

Yes, life shakes us up sometimes. It might be a sudden diagnosis at the doctor’s office, the loss of a loved one, a pink slip from the boss, a betrayal by someone you cared for deeply. Whether the shaking is physical, emotional or spiritual, it can leave us reeling.

Paul shares with us a few of his spiritual secrets for remaining shaken but not disturbed in 2 Corinthians 4:7-12. When life is tossing us around, stirring us up, shaking us to the core, we have a ROCK, a steady, undisturbed peace that we can run to. His presence at our right hand is working life out through us and promises peace and stability in the midst of the shaking storm.

Paul also knew that sometimes the shaking and stirring is meant to prepare us to be poured out for another. In Philippians 2:17, Paul reminds the Philippian believers that, yes, he has been shaken and stirred, but all for a purpose: to be poured out for their sakes.

So whether you are being shaken in order to grow you in your faith and stability in Christ, or for the sake of being poured out for another, we have a hope that allows us to endure un-disturbed.

             

GOING DEEPER:

1. Can you think of any other individuals in the Bible who were shaken but not disturbed? (David, Elijah…)

2. What were their spiritual “secrets”?

FURTHER READING:

Psalms 16:8; Acts 2:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:2

*James Bond!

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. 

Early Spiritual Training

By Susan Klein

“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

Parenting isn’t for sissies. Anyone who has ever reared children will quickly attest to that. A great deal of passion, pain and perseverance go into raising our kiddos. Engage any parent in conversation and they will have tales to verify this. And they’ll likely share their best parenting tips (if you’re so inclined to inquire). Yet we all know that there are no cookie-cutter children; thus, no “one-size-fits-all” parenting manuals.

So how can we all make a lasting impact on our children, grandkids or any “littles” in our care? King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live on this earth, spoke the above verse. Ask someone for their interpretation and you may get several well-intentioned responses. One may advocate making sure that your children go to Sunday School, or maybe you should enroll them in a Christian school. Another may advise teaching them to be morally upright and obey established rules. Most will agree that the burden lies with us in actively sharing God’s truths with these dear ones. So what might that tangibly look like?

Let me share an example from a young mom I recently had the pleasure of speaking with. She had her very young daughter in a stroller at a craft show. As they visited a booth filled with prints and signs that contained mostly words, her daughter became somewhat animated. After they exited the booth, she kept pointing back to it and making little sounds as if she wanted to return. Her mother thought that odd, seeing as how her daughter didn’t know the woman, and there were no toys to entice her. After they got home, she had her on the changing table and noticed her pointing to the print on the wall, making the same little sounds as before. It was a framed Bible verse.

Each of her children had a verse dedicated to them and hanging in their room. She realized that the woman had the exact same verse on a print in her booth. This mom had spent much time reciting the verse with her daughter over and over, pointing to the words as she spoke them. Even though she could not yet speak the words, this little one visually recognized those very same words on a print in the booth that day. The training in her tiny heart had already begun.

Even in the smallest of children, God’s Word is alive, active and useful for training.

GOING DEEPER:

1.Whose young life might you have an impact on?

2. Will you commit to some spiritual training, as God permits opportunities?

FURTHER READING:

Deuteronomy 6:5-9; Proverbs 6:20-23; 1 Timothy 4:7-9

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 an on-site small group.

Valuable
By Sarah Walker

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.
1 John 3:1a (ESV)

God tells me in His Word that I am valuable to Him. He tells me that I am cherished. He tells me that He made me. That I am made in His image, and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. He tells me that He has placed his Spirit inside of me. That I am a temple, a dwelling place, for the Holy Spirit. He tells me that my beauty comes from within, from where He resides and transforms. He tells me that my beauty cannot be wiped off or washed away at the end of the day. That my value is not found in what other people say or believe about me. He tells me that I am His daughter, broken and sinful. He tells me that I am His daughter, repentant and weeping. He tells me that I am His daughter, redeemed and restored.

He tells me all these things…

Yet, do I believe Him? Or do I just repeat these truths on the surface without allowing them to sink in, to penetrate, to go deep? Do I truly believe that when I confess my sins to Him and repent, that He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse me? [1] What if I took God at His Word, and truly believed Him, and then lived my life as though everything He tells me is true? What would I do differently? What would I perceive differently?

Perhaps I would learn to value myself the way He values me, not selling myself so easily to anyone who flatters me or shows a desire to be around me. Perhaps I would risk more for Him, believing that He is all I need and that my life is hidden with Jesus in God. [2] Perhaps I would begin to view other people as having that same intrinsic value and treat them as lovingly as my Heavenly Father does. Perhaps I would stop submitting to these old chains and learn to value things the way God does.

Oh, to believe God and catch His heart for what He determines to be truly of value!

GOING DEEPER:

1.    If you truly believe that God says you are valuable, is there anything you would do differently?

2.    If you truly believe that God says other people are just as valuable, is there anything you would do differently?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 139:14, Genesis 1:27, 1 Corinthians 3:16

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.

[1] 1 John 1:9
[2] Colossians 3:3

The Highest Form of Flattery

By Stephanie LaCasse

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV)

“DJ, what are you doing?” I asked my seven-year-old. He was walking directly behind me as I scurried around one morning, even reaching his hand up, mimicking motions of buttering a waffle. “I'm learning how to be a parent like you!” he exclaimed. “And I’m doing everything that you do, Mom.” This interaction stayed with me all day. He was doing what I was doing, following my steps.

When I was little, I used to watch my mom while she baked. Toward the end, she would scrape the spatula over the running mixer beaters to clean them off, saying, “Don't do this. The spatula could get stuck in the beaters.” Want to take a guess how I clean off my spatula now that I'm a grown-up with kids of my own? I use this example not to criticize my mother, but to emphasize that as children, we watched our parents in order to know how to act, along with how and what to say.

In the verse above, Paul is reminding the church in Ephesus to follow Christ's example of sacrifice. We are to give up ourselves for Him just as Christ gave Himself up out of love for us. If we want to go through Jesus' motions and do everything that He did, what does that look like when His life took Him to the cross?

Here’s the kind of "walk in the way of love" that Paul was speaking of: a sacrificial way of living and loving. Jesus told his disciples, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." In the very next verse He said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:12-13).

I long to be a Christ-like example for my children, and I am thankful that I can look to Christ as to how I need to live. Yes, Christ is perfect and I am not, but we are to strive for holiness. Scripture says, “…be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).

So how do we follow Christ's example? When we spend time with others, we naturally become like them. Spending time in God's Word allows us the opportunity to become more like Him. We were, after all, made in His image…made to follow in His steps.

GOING DEEPER:

1.    Who or what are you looking to for guidance?

2.    Who is watching you? What lessons are you teaching?

FURTHER READING:

John 10:14-16

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.

Focus

By Tracy Smith

 

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

It is so easy, as women, to have our focus in the wrong direction. The world bombards us with images of all we should or shouldn’t be, and many times the messages oppose each other. It’s impossible to figure out which message to listen to, and more impossible to live up to the expectations. Then we see that woman that has what we want. Jealousy sets in and we think, “I want to be like her.” I cannot tell you the number of times I wished I was the more “prim and proper” sort who did more listening than talking and when she did talk, used a quiet, reserved voice. Those who know me are chuckling as they try to imagine that scenario - - it’s just not me.

 

While reading the magazine Just Between Us, I came across a couple of truths that I have been unable to get out of my mind. “Getting a New View of You,” was an interview with Andrea Stephens, founder of a ministry called B.A.B.E.™ that reaches out to “teen girls to help them see themselves as God sees them - - beautiful, accepted, blessed and eternally significant. She teaches them they are created on purpose and for a purpose.” [1]   Wait a minute - - God created me the way I am -- loud talking, not prim and proper personality and all? I’ve been learning this lesson slowly over the past five years as God has been using various people and events to show me that He created me a certain way for a reason, and that I should embrace that and thank Him for it.

 

Then, Andrea was asked:

 

“JBU: It is so easy to compare ourselves with other women. How do we keep from being envious of others?

Andrea: It takes concerted effort. Someone else’s looks, talents, or personality is not better or worse than ours - - just different. When we start thinking wewish we had someone else’s thick hair or winsome ways or ability to be organized, that is the time to stop and thank God for giving those things to her. Then ask Him to bless her. This helps guard our heart from jealousy.” [1]

 

Wow! That just spoke to me and is something I have not heard before. In order to not be jealous, pray for the person and thank God for giving her those things and ask God to bless her. Amazing insight!

 

Taking the focus off of ourselves and putting it onto God and what He has done for someone else is a wonderful concept I cannot wait to try!

 

 

GOING DEEPER

1. If there is someone you know whom you have jealous feelings toward, will you take the time to do what Andrea suggests and pray for her?

2. Think about something you do not like about yourself and think about how God could use that for Him.

 

 

FURTHER READING

Psalm 139:1; Romans 12:4-8; Isaiah 64:8

 

[1] Fink, Constance B. “Getting a New View of You.” Just Between Us Summer 2012: 18-21. Print

 

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.

Count It All Joy?

By Susan Klein

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials”

James 1:2 (NKJV)

Yesterday was not a good day. Not only did I not have joy, I felt like I was in a pit of deep despair. Comfort was just not on the horizon, no matter what I tried. I prayed; I read Scripture; I phoned a friend… Nothing diminished the despair. Then the above verse popped into my head.

Count it all joy. This verse has always confounded me. There are just some times when one simply cannot be joyful. I weary of the guilt that plagues me for not wearing my happy face and spreading good cheer when I’m feeling surrounded by trials or grief.

Today is a better day. I am thinking more clearly. I understand that this verse is not telling us to be “happy.” Happiness is circumstantial and temporal. We can’t be happy and sad at the same time. It is also not telling us to “choose joy,” as some would believe. True joy comes from above, not from our circumstances or anything we do. It is given to us by our Lord. [1] So what exactly is this perplexing verse trying to communicate?

I did a little digging into my Greek study Bible. Here is what I discovered. As I broke apart each word for its contextual definition, then put them all back together it sounded something like this: “My brothers, lead on, moving forward, thoroughly rejoicing when you are surrounded by all kinds of adversity or provocation.”  

Okay…That sounds a little more doable. First of all, when I am despairing, I can choose to keep my focus forward - - not backward or even on my present circumstances. Secondly, I can sing a praise song or recite a Psalm. Lastly, I can ask Him to provide me with His joy…which may even result from my rejoicing in Him. [2]

To reiterate, I don’t have to “feel” joyful about my circumstances nor do I have to “choose” to behave joyfully when I’m sad. Rather, I just have to rejoice/take joy in the Lord and let Him provide me with His joy.

I’m grateful for this clearer picture of “count it all joy.” Next time I’m in a hard place, I won’t falsely don a happy face or try to convince myself to “choose” joy. Instead, I’ll sing a praise song or read back a Psalm to the Giver of joy, and let Him be the One to provide it.

GOING DEEPER:

1. How might you be struggling with happiness vs. joy?

2. What steps can you take to “count it all joy” the next time you are in a trial?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 16:11; John 15:9-11, 16:24

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.

[1] John 17:13

[2] Psalm 30:11-12

Weak
By Sarah Walker

But he [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9a (ESV)

When I am weak then I am strong…

When I am weak, that’s when I let go of control and say… God I can’t handle this anymore. I need You to step in and use Your strength and Your power for this situation. That’s how I become strong in my weakness.

That’s how I let go of my grasp of whatever it is and say… God, please do Your work in this. Take control of it. I don’t know the way to go. I don’t know the path to take. But You do. And I am going to trust You. That’s when I see His power.

I see His strength at work in my life when I say… God, I don’t have the control within myself to reign in my anger. I don’t have that power in myself. The sin is too strong for me. But You do. You have that power. Would You work Your power in my life?

What is it for you? What weakness of yours seems to consistently rise to the surface? Is it anger? That tends to be my sin in this season of life. Is it impatience? Pornography? An addiction? Jealousy? Pride? What is it for you? Is there something that you are too ashamed of, too afraid of, to speak out loud? Would you turn it over to Jesus, confess it to another person and then go wherever God leads?

When you are weak…

When you acknowledge your weakness to God and to others, confessing your shortcomings to others in a safe and trustworthy relationship, God can be glorified. Don’t hide your sin. That way when you see your life changed, you can ascribe the glory to God, and when others see the change in you, the credit will go to God. His glory, and His power, can be on display when your sin or weakness is fully submitted to Him.

At the same time though, don’t own your sin and make it who you are. Don’t say, “That’s just who I am, and I will always be this way.” Don’t make excuses for it. Hold it out as the weakness or the sin that it is…So that you can see God move. So that you can see the power of Jesus at work in your life. And so that others can see God at work in your life.

GOING DEEPER:
What is it for you? What is your weakness? Turn it over to Jesus, and let His power shine through you.

FURTHER READING:
1 John 1:8-9, Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 32:1-5

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.

Trusting Enough

By Elin Henderson

“But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust Me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land’...”

 Numbers 20:12 (NLT, emphasis added)

This was indeed a sad day for Moses and Aaron. After all they had been through, leading this group of wayward Israelites through a tiresome wilderness for years on end, right at the end, they fail. God had instructed Moses to speak to the rock here in Numbers 20 and water would come out. Moses allowed frustration and anger towards the people to cloud his vision. Instead of trusting God with not only the water, but also the wayward hearts of the Israelites, he lashed out and disobeyed the Lord. This was Moses, mind you! The “friend of God”! The one who had seen God perform miracle after miracle. He had walked with God and received the Ten Commandments straight from God Himself! What happened?

Before we start judging poor Moses too harshly, we need to look no further then within our own hearts to find his likeness! How often our trust, like Moses’, isn’t enough. God is big, but is He THAT  big?? We may have walked with Him for many years and experienced His deliverance time and time again, seen His miraculous works in our lives and the lives of others, but working day in and day out with “God’s people,” we become frustrated and lose sight of Him! It becomes easier to lash out than to trust that God will not only work in the SITUATION, but also in the HEARTS of those people we are working with!   

Sometimes the consequences of such decisions can be pretty serious. Moses lost out on entering the Promised Land. For us, it could be the loss of an opportunity to speak into someone’s life or a chance to share the gospel with someone.

Oh, God, keep us from the lie of believing that You are not enough! Keep us ever aware of our inadequacy, and even more aware of YOUR adequacy to deal with not only challenging circumstances, but also challenging people. May we trust enough!

           

GOING DEEPER:                                                       

1.     Are you facing any challenging circumstances and people right now? How can you trust God to be enough in this?

2.    What safeguards can you set up in your heart and mind that, when triggered, help you realize that your trust is faltering?

FURTHER READING:

Proverbs 3:5; Psalms 46:10; Isaiah 30:15b

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters with Ethnos 360 in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to seventeen-year-old Callie and fifteen-year-old Elias.

Forgetfulness

By Susan Klein

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

James 1:22 (NIV)

When reaching middle age, forgetfulness can become quite the companion. While everyone experiences mild episodes, prolonged forgetfulness can lead one to thoughts of dementia or Alzheimer’s. Though in most cases, the more likely culprits are lack of sleep, stress or illness.

Forgetting where your keys are or why you walked into a room is not as alarming as possibly forgetting who you are or what you look like. I read a recent news article about a mother of eleven children who was involved in a tragic car accident. The memories of her most recent two years, which included having a baby, were lost. Looking at her infant, she did not recognize her face. Her husband had to show the woman multiple photos of her holding the baby to prove that she was indeed her daughter. How devastating to not remember your own child’s face! (1)

Such is the thought captured in in the book of James. He is writing to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations. Under apparent persecution, they’ve forgotten some very important things they’ve learned. He exhorts, “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:23-24).

To paraphrase, “God has entrusted you with His very important truths. He has equipped you with His Holy Spirit to make these truths come alive so that they might always live within you and be a part of you. But you have chosen to walk as though you don’t remember them, thus as if not remembering what you look like (in Christ).”

How often do we forget what we look like? Might we be forgetting that we are holy and set apart for God’s great purpose; that we are washed clean and white as snow in His eyes? Do we remember that we are clothed with Christ, or adorned in garments of salvation and arrayed in robes of righteousness? How often do the tragedies and trials of life inflict us with an acute memory loss, not only of what we look like but of how we are to be living? (Galatians 3:27; Isaiah 61:10)

Let us never (tragically) forget in whose image we are created, or what we really look like.

GOING DEEPER:

1. When you look in the mirror, what (or whose) reflection do you see?

2. Take some time to remember, to celebrate, and give thanks for what you look like and who you are.

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 103:2-4; Deuteronomy 4:9; Hebrews 13:16

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)   http://www.people.com/article/mom-loses-memory-child-after-truck-crash

{Not} Responsible

By Lexi Cole Ellis

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election.”

 2 Peter 1:10a (NIV)

I was stuck…driving on a one-lane road behind a huge commercial truck filled to the brim with small rocks. I slowed down to what felt like a crawl.  In an attempt to avoid the occasional spray of rocks flying out, I left a significant amount of space between the truck and myself. Even with the distance, I listened to the tink of small pebbles hitting my windshield. I couldn’t help but laugh at the irony that stared me right in the face.  On the back of the truck, it read… 

Later that week, I saw a similar sign as I entered the car wash.  If their machinery happens to malfunction, they’re not responsible for any damage that’s caused to your car either.

I wish I could walk around with a “not responsible” sign for life. Warning! Not responsible for that “less-than-ideal” tone of voice or attitude that was unnecessarily harsh with my kids. Sorry! Not responsible for the hurt feelings that are a result of my selfishness with my husband. Stay back! Not responsible for the broken hearts or wounded spirits because of my actions with my friend.

But the truth remains, we are  responsible for our actions. We are accountable to the areas or spheres where we’ve been called into leadership. I am  responsible for how I treat others because, as a Believer, I am called to let my life be a light. Scripture is pretty clear that it’s not just our words that matter…God also sees the condition of our heart; our attitude matters.

Believers don’t get a “not responsible” sign that allows us to flee from responsibility. We are called to not only invest in relationships - - but to also monitor and own up when we mess up. Life is complicated and not without conflict. But rather than claim it’s not our fault and leave, we are called to enter into the mess.

Thankfully, none of the pebbles actually cracked my windshield that day. But I am also thankful for the reminder that real life - - a life that pursues holiness and community - - is one that rejects the easier idea of putting up a “not responsible” sign.

GOING DEEPER:

1.    Take some time to examine the different areas of your life. Are there relationships or situations where you’re attempting to post the “not responsible” sign? What needs to change?

FURTHER READING:

Colossians 3:23-24; Romans 14:10-12

Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have an adorable dog named Calvin and are expecting their first child in June 2018. She teaches sixth grade Reading & Writing, serves with Children’s Ministries, and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.

Which Mom Will I Be?

By Carolyn Hulliberger

“So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.”

1 Samuel 1:28 (NIV)

Motherhood is emotionally complicated.  No matter how a family is formed, the bond between mother and child is strong; at times exhilarating, as well as heart-wrenching. Moms want the best for their kids. But determining what is “best” is the source of endless conjecture and debate. Because what you or I feel is best may not line up with our child’s point of view or, more importantly, God’s plan for their life.

In the book of Matthew, we see the mother of two of Jesus’ disciples - - James and John - - kneel down before Jesus and ask a favor on behalf of her grown sons.  “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom” (Matthew 20:21).

Um….can we say, “Helicopter Mom”?

The book of 1 Samuel gives us a different example…Hannah. After years of infertility and struggle, pouring her heart out to God in desperation for a child, her prayers are finally answered. In response, she gives her child (Samuel) back to God and voluntarily places him in the service of the priests at the age of 3. 

I. Can’t. Even. Imagine.

I’m not saying that we should drop our preschoolers off at our pastor’s doorstep. But there is a greater lesson for us. In today’s suburban mom world, we are in pursuit of the optimal outcome for our children. We are tempted to control everything for our kids. There is endless debate about the best school districts, colleges, activities and careers. I’ve even read articles about Human Resource officers being contacted by the mothers of recent college graduates wanting the employer to just “tweak” their job offers!

What if we stepped back from that?

What Hannah gloriously did was TRUST HER GOD WITH HER CHILD. I think Hannah understood God’s character when He promised Joshua, “I will never leave you…” (Joshua  1:5) or told Moses, “My Presence will go with you” (Exodus 33:14). He would do the same for her - - and for Samuel. She embraced God’s blessing upon His people and applied it to her son: that the LORD would truly bless Samuel, keep Samuel, make His face shine on Samuel, and give Samuel peace (based on Numbers 6:24-26).

Hannah made the character and words of God real and relevant for herself and her son. I can’t think of a better gift for my children or myself: To do my utmost in setting a similar example and choosing to TRUST MY GOD WITH MY CHILDREN.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Where do you need to trust God more with your children?

FURTHER READING:

Proverbs 3:5-6

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