Review of John 3

The study of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus brought us to the question of: What is holding you back?

Whatever it is, now is the time to stop letting this keep you from living the life God wants for you.

Pray over what was on your paper and remember that you can turn it over to God and it is shredded. You can walk away and not let it hinder your Christian walk any longer.

A life of freedom, of new birth, of broken chains...is waiting for you if you would just believe.

Challenge: Reread John 3 and ask God what He desires for you.

As the Bible Turns...Samson

AS THE BIBLE TURNS…Was our hero simply a Strong Man who belonged in the circus or did his muscles truly show the strength of his love for God? Read on and find out! Brought to you by Write4Him!

Children’s Reflection – By Jeremiah Hughes
The Birth of Samson -- Judges 13

Everybody knows about the amazing feats of Samson. With the Lord’s help, Samson did some pretty amazing things throughout his life, but very few people notice that Samson had something pretty amazing happen before he was even born! An angel of the Lord appeared to Samson’s parents and told them that they would have a son and that he would be dedicated to God from his birth until his death. Samson was going to save the Lord’s people from the Philistines. Even before he was born, the Lord had a plan for Samson, and his life had a great purpose. Just like Samson, every child is dedicated to the Lord. Even if God doesn’t send an angel to explain things to our parents, He has a purpose and a plan for each and every one of us!

If you’re a child, talk with your mom and dad about what you think that plan might be (Hint: ask mom/dad what kinds of gifts and talents has God blessed you with). If you’re the parent, share with your child ways that God has shown you the purpose and plan for your life or talk about ways that you see God at work in your child’s life.
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Adult’s Reflection – By Jeremiah Hughes
The Birth of Samson -- Judges 13

The Lord does some pretty spectacular things! The story of Samson’s birth is a great example of His love and a great example of how He takes care of those who love Him. This story actually has very little to do with Samson, and without thinking about it, this story would be very easy to just glance through quickly in order to get to the feats of strength and long luxurious hair. As a result, not many people know the story of Samson’s birth. Not many people know that Samson was born to infertile parents. And not many people know that Samson’s birth was revealed to his parents by an angel of the Lord. So what does this have to do with us today? What can we gain from this story?

At the heart of this passage, the Lord provides for Manoah and his wife. He promises a son to a family that would never have been able to conceive on their own. Think about your life. How has the Lord provided for you in a way that you never would have expected? What miracles has He provided for you, both big and small?

And let’s not forget about the messenger. An angel of the Lord appears to break the news and to guide Manoah and his wife. While we don’t always have an angel talking to us face to face, the Lord does speak to us through others we meet. Think about those “angels” in your life. Who has helped you and guided you as you travel on your life journey? Like this entire passage, it is very easy to just glance over and forget those little miracles and angels in our lives. Take a moment to reflect and thank God for everything and everyone He brings into your life.

Fill Your Heart with Gratitude

Fill Your Heart With Gratitude
By Ruthann Schmudde
A Write4Him Author

Can you even imagine being so poor you don’t have anything? To be without your education, money, a roof over your head, food, furniture, clothes, fresh water, or medical care? Many people live that way; half of the planet, or 3 billion people, live on less than $2 a day.
We are so blessed and we often take our blessings for granted. God wants us to feel gratitude for the things that enrich our lives, not entitlement. Our money, our stuff and our abilities are gifts from God. Think about all that you have in your life and feel thankful for each one, from a hot cup of coffee to raising and educating your children. God has blessed us richly and wants us to be a blessing to others. He wants us to willingly and generously use our blessings for good. He trusts us to further his business here on earth. By being generous and willing to help whoever needs it, whenever we can, we will make a big difference in other peoples’ lives. We will get many treasures in heaven if we follow God’s plan. Luke 12:48 says, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted to much, much more will be asked.”

God will guide us as to how to use our resources. Ask him, and then listen.

Write4Him
Ruthann Schmudde

God's Dream, God's Team

God’s Dream, God’s Team
By Ruthann Schmudde

Everybody has a dream, even God. His dream involves all of us staying connected, being responsive and willing to let him work through us. There is no limit to the amount of miracles that can be performed if we give ourselves over to God’s will; God always dreams big!

If you think of, or see some situation that you would like to help change, ask God what he wants you to do. You’ll get an answer. Don’t worry that it seems too big for you to handle; God will provide resources and connections so that everything flows for the outcome he has in mind. We are on God’s team If we’re willing, his dream will be fulfilled, and together we can change the world!

Prayer: Dear God, please help us to remember to ask what your will is. It’s not the same as our own. Please let us open ourselves up so you can work through us in whatever way you see fit. Amen

Go with God

Go With God
By Ruthann Schmudde
A New Life Church Write4Him Author

The 60/60 is an exercise to remind us to think of God, talk to God, and be with God. God holds us safely in the hollow of his hand, nurturing and protecting us, forgiving and loving us. He thinks of us each and every second. We know that he has us, so other than this exercise, we don’t have to force ourselves to connect every hour on the hour.

But we need to learn to truly go with God. According to Soul Revolution, page 145, God needs our willingness to cause growth in us. That means we need to talk, pray and give thanks to him often and commit ourselves to a life that pleases him. We have to ask God to help us to give up thoughts and actions that don’t honor him and replace them with thoughts and actions that do. We have to love and accept ourselves and others, too. He will guide us if we ask him; we can pray for change to take place within us.

Becoming the person he wants us to be may a long, hard journey; none of us will do it all in one day. But he is there with us every step of the way.

PRAYER: Dear God, Please help me to always choose to be connected and committed to you. Reform me into the spiritual being that you intended, and help me to be open and willing to do what you ask.

Tapping the Line

Tapping the Line
By Jeremiah Hughes
A New Life Church Write4Him Author

The 60/60 experiment is far from an ordinary movement. It is an absolutely revolutionary idea that has enhanced my spiritual relationship with God and opened my eyes to His presence in everyday life. My communication with the Lord is at an all time high; I am speaking more freely and hearing more clearly. 60/60 has provided the framework for the Lord to construct a type of cell phone tower in my heart, or “prayer phone” tower, and my provider rings clearer than ever before! No dropped calls, no interference, unlimited minutes, free nights and weekends … the whole nine yards! Well, maybe eight and a half yards … I don’t exactly have text messaging. ;)

But, I digress. In order to help keep on track with 60/60, I have set my iPhone alarm to go off every hour, and the ringtone I selected is an old-fashioned doorbell. *DING DONG* … God’s at the door … *DING DONG* … God is calling … *DING DONG* … Time to talk to God. It is a great illustration for the 60/60 experiment. God is always at the door, always on the other line, always ready and waiting to talk with us. So I must admit, I have been feeling pretty proud of myself, what with my own personal “prayer phone” tower and all. How could this get any better?

Then, something amazing happened! Somebody tapped into my private line. Somebody else started using my “prayer phone” tower to talk with God. My own father started borrowing my phone line to communicate with God. Now, please don’t think that my father was previously a non-believer and that 60/60 has brought him to God. He is a religious man, baptized Christian, and prays before meals. He is an amazing father and loving husband. But he doesn’t have the greatest attendance record and only occasionally finds his way to church on Sunday. However, throughout this experiment, I would hear that familiar *DING DONG*, and my dad would say, “God is at the door. Tell him I said hi.” I thought nothing of it at first and played it off as him making a small joke. But as the little comments continued, I noticed that my father had started actively thinking about our Father, just as I was, on an hourly basis. How incredible is that?!

It really hit home when I was sitting at work, and a call was transferred in. I answered the phone like I always do, but this time my dad was on the other end. It was nothing out of the ordinary at first; we exchanged words about how our days had started and what we were doing. But after a few moments passed he said, “The reason I called was to let you know that I am going into an important meeting in a couple of hours. Next time God rings the doorbell, please ask him to be with me. It could be a really big sale.”

Wow!

At that precise moment I realized that my focus on the 60/60 experiment had started impacting those around me. Even though the foundation of my “prayer phone” tower was secured firmly in my heart, the signal was resonating in the hearts of those around me. Just like AT&T, or Verizon, or any other cellular phone provider, one tower has the ability to connect thousands of people together. Why can’t we be like that? Why can’t our signal reach out to everyone around us, connecting them to God and connecting them to other people?

As I reflect on the past three weeks, I remember others who may have tapped the line of my “prayer phone” tower. I remember those people who asked why my phone made the doorbell sound every hour, and those individuals to whom I have explained the experiment…coworkers, family members, friends. I remember those who I am attempting to help connect on an hourly basis, my 60/60 running partners. My only hope is that my tower’s signal has been strong enough in those moments, strong enough for all of them to connect with God on their own level and in their own way.

So, how strong is your signal? I am willing to bet it is a lot stronger than you might realize. You may not even recognize it, but one simple little explanation of what you are doing on an hourly basis could very easily have a world of impact on that one individual. Your diligence and commitment to 60/60 could be the inspiration one person needs to continue their own growth. Keep up the good work! Continue building your very own “prayer phone” tower with the Lord. Strengthen that signal in prayer with God. You never know who might be tapping in!

“Pray continually; Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-19).

-Jeremiah Hughes
jeremiah@hughescollections.com
Please feel free to contact me with any comments or questions.

Speak with Love

Speak With Love
By Ruthann Schmudde, a New Life Church Write4Him author

Just as sometimes we have trouble communicating with God, we also have trouble communicating with humans. Our words give a message, but so does our tone of voice and our facial expression.

Like John Burke says in Soul Revolution, we need to respond relationally (p. 116). So we can choose soft words and a gentle tone of voice instead of harsh ones. If we let people be who they are without trying to control them, if we don’t have to “win” an argument, if we let God’s words be our words, communicating gets much easier and our relationships become joyful.

Prayer: Dear God, Please help us to communicate love and respect in all of our relationships, to you, God, and every person we meet. Give us the right words in each situation, and let us hear the message in return. Help us write these words on our hearts, “We love because Jesus first loved us.” (I John 4:19) and live them out in real life.

LG2: The Quantity of LG Squared

ByJeremiah Hughes
A New Life Church Write4Him Author

In math, this equation can be broken down into many variations due to the associative property of mathematics. This property allows us to write one equation several different ways. Using my example equation above, the associative property lets three totally different translations mean the exact same thing. (LG)2 = L2 x G2 = (L x G) x (L x G). I am even going to take it a step further by removing the multiplication signs. (LG)2 = L2G2 = (LG)(LG). You might be thinking, “Wow, what a nerd!” or “What does this have to do with 60/60?” The first is an accurate statement and the latter, a great question. Hang tight and I will explain.

The second week of 60/60 for me was rather difficult. Not difficult in the sense that I forgot a couple of hours, and not difficult in the fact that I was lost for words or didn’t know what to say to God. It was difficult for me because this week was the first week of my life that I have ever been labeled as … unemployed. I, like so many other people in this great nation, was unemployed. Working in the lumber industry isn’t the most comfortable of places right now as the housing market is tanking worse than Britney Spears’ career during the “hair cut” era. But this is where I started working right out of college, and thus far, it has been a profitable and prosperous marriage.

However, for my company, as well as numerous other companies around the world, steps are being taken to stave off complete bankruptcy and the closing of doors. In my case, this manifested itself in “rolling lay-offs.” Hours cut, income slashed, bank account leaking, and yet the bills remain constant. And I started thinking to myself, “Why is this happening to me,” and, “what am I going to do?” I was angry, and while I know that there are thousands upon thousands of others just like me, I started to feel alone and lost.

I will be honest. I am not terribly proud of my first few prayers this week. I was angry, not necessarily angry at God, but we always seem to take out our aggression on the ones we love. So I fought with everything that was going on, and I guess I fought with God a little bit too. But after two days of internal struggle and misery, it occurred to me. What I was doing was trying to blame others for my plight. I was blaming the economy, blaming my company, and I was looking at the whole situation from the perspective of “poor me.” Not only was this not healthy mentally, but it was not healthy spiritually.

Now, here is where the math lesson comes in …
(LG)2 means something more to me than just a math equation with a couple of letters and a fancy little 2. (LG)2 … or (LG)(LG) … in my life, stands for “Let go. Let God.” I realized that I had internalized all of my struggles and refused to do anything more than complain. I had refused to “let go” of my problems, refused to “let God” take over. So I opened my heart and mind, allowed the Lord in, allowed him to break down the walls of anger and self-pity, and allowed him to take the reins of my heart and lead me where HE wanted. To “let go” is not to try to change or blame others, it is “letting God” make the most out of me and my situation.

And you know what happened? My week started looking up. I was able to see all of the positives in my life much clearer than before. It may not have been an ideal situation, being laid off and all, but I had a roof over my head, meals on the table, and an amazing wife and daughter with whom I was able to spend an entire week. Plus, I know that God will take care of me and lead me where I am needed most. It is not his plot to leave me wandering about without purpose. He will provide for me and ensure that I take everything in life and make the most out of it. To “let go” is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to “let God” guide each day as it comes.

Now, let’s not forget about the Associative Property of Mathematics! As I illustrated, this property lets three totally different translations mean the exact same thing. I propose that we take and create an Associative Property of Prayer. No matter how you choose to say it, no matter what combination of words you string together to express your thoughts and prayers, each “translation” means the same thing to God. Don’t be afraid to open up and let the Lord in. Don’t be afraid that you might not know exactly what to say, or how to say it. If it is on your heart, and you take the time to reflect with the Lord, he will understand what you are trying to say. Don’t be afraid. Give it a shot. Open up to the Lord.

Do yourself a favor and (LG)2!!
-Jeremiah Hughes
jeremiah@hughescollections.com
Please feel free to contact me with any thoughts, comments or questions.

Soul Food

I borrowed today's title from my family devotional book proposal I just finished this morning. It's on my brain, but it fits today's post well, I think.

Yesterday was food pantry day at church. After serving a steadily increasing number of families last fall (in the 60's), we actually dipped during the holidays only to shoot up to 70+ in January. 84 families received groceries this week. We expect that our numbers will continue to climb.

But what's more amazing to me than the statistics are the transformations that take place at food pantry. No doubt about it...the gym is filled with tired faces, anxious faces, faces tight with pain or worry. But our volunteer interviewers greet each client by name with a smile and a touch of the hand, and that seems to make a difference. Yesterday Yolanda's prayers for her recipients made several cry, not out of frustration but because of the love that was being shown for them. Not just our New Life Church love, but God's love. That moves me to tears.

And I watched as volunteer Cindy pulled guest Patricia out of line to help her translate because our Spanish-speaking clientele is growing faster than we can find bilingual volunteers. Patricia, whose eyes crinkle up when she smiles (and she always shares her smiles) and who has been a regular recipient since we opened, took a seat next to Cindy, sat her toddler on her lap, and became part of a team. As I continued to seat guests at their table, I watched her grow in confidence. She's been a recipient. She knows how it feels to be on the other side of the interview, and she knows our process. She seemed genuinely pleased (not bothered) that Cindy had asked her to help and stayed long past the time she would have normally left with the promise to help next time, too.

And I experienced God's goodness when I approached Katrina, a newer pantry recipient whose English I knew was excellent. I had just seen a woman come through the registration line wrapped only in a blanket (on a miserable, cold, rainy day). Her face looked like the rain had drenched her spirit, too. I knew we had coats set aside, and I desperately wanted to get that woman a coat before the supply ran out. However, my Spanish is marginal at best, so I pulled Katrina aside and asked her to translate my request.

She quickly agreed, responding, "Do you know who I talk to about volunteering here? You guys seem like you need help, and I'd like to help." I put her to work right away, getting my blanket guest a coat, as well as a little grandma who'd just arrived from Mexico with no Chicago-winter gear at all. Katrina will also be joining our ministry team. Who knew? God knew...
"Ask and it will be given to you. Search and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you...How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7, 11b)

To me, this is all soul food...God's Word feeds his faithful. His faithful live out those words and are equipped and encouraged to serve up a little soul food to the world. It's a good thing, a God thing.

And the blanket lady's face, when she took her spot at the interview table wearing her new coat and carrying a new purse filled with goodies (thanks to the Women's Ministry outreach), was absolutely radiant, an ear to ear grin that said, "I know I am loved." Who knew? God knew!
Amen.

Love the One You're With Women's Retreat

For more information on the Love the One You're With Women's Retreat led by New Life's Christine Bierma and Rachel Gilmore Feb. 13-14, please visit www.writerrae.com/feb_retreat.html

Announcing...The Baby Jesus

Youth Devotion for the First Weekend in Advent -- November 29 & 30
By Rachel Gilmore

No doubt, before you were born, your parents told people that you were coming. They told their parents. They told your aunts and uncles. They told their friends and neighbors. They told their co-workers. Basically, they told anyone who would listen that you were coming!

John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin, but he also announced that Jesus was coming. John was a strange kind of guy, but he knew he was on a mission from God. That mission was to tell God’s people that Jesus was coming. So John walked around in the desert in wearing animal skins for clothes and eating locusts and honey. And over and over again to anyone who would listen he said, "Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight paths for him!" (Mark 1:3)

People came out to the desert to see this odd man, but they also listened to his voice. To help these people prepare for Jesus, John baptized them in the Jordan River. "I will baptize you with water," John said, "but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (John 1:8)

John’s voice was loud and clear. People who listened to John got the message. Jesus was coming. This Jesus would save them from their sin. What an awesome birth announcement!

As you prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth this Christmas, think about John’s voice saying, "Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight paths for Him!" What is one way you can make your path straight (make God-honoring choices) this Christmas? Who is one person you can tell that Jesus saves us from our sins when we accept him as our Savior? Make your voice loud and clear like John’s and celebrate the Good News of Jesus!

Verses to reflect on this week:
Malachi 3:1-5 and John 1:29-34

Our Savior, Our Friend

Advent Devotion for Nov. 29-30, 2008
By Ruthann Schmudde


Malachi 3:1
“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Christmas is coming, and we will celebrate the birth of that very special baby, Jesus. We tend to think of Christmas as a once-a-year event. When it comes, we fill our minds with all kinds of stuff, what presents to buy and how to pay for them, what food to prepare and what parties we’ll go to. We get stressed so badly that sometimes we wish Christmas wouldn’t come at all! Besides that, many of us have lost at least one loved one, and our hearts are heavy with sadness.

It was always God’s plan to send us a Savior. Throughout the Old Testament God foretold that the Lord the people were seeking would come. When Jesus was born, an angel appeared to shepherds telling them that a Savior had been born, who was Christ the Lord. John the Baptist knew Jesus was the Savior because he saw the Holy Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him.

Jesus, our Savior, became an incredible messenger, teaching about God, love and sin. Later, He was crucified in order to wipe our sins away. If we believe He is our Savior and have a relationship with Him, we will have eternal life in heaven.

What a wonderful gift He’s given us! It is laid before us every minute of every day; it isn’t a once-a-year event. Besides having eternal life after we die, we get to talk to Him any time at all, sharing our joy or sadness. We can ask for His help and He will freely give it. He loves us more than we can understand. When you’re feeling sad because a loved one has passed on, talk to Jesus. When there are so many things to get done, ask Him to guide you. There is no friend like Him.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus, for coming to us and for dying for our sins. Thank you for loving us unconditionally. Help us to be filled with joy knowing you are always with us, not just on Christmas morning, and that one day we will be with you in heaven.

The best book I've read...3 times

I've been reading/studying this book for the past 6 months, first alone, now with my sista-friends and my small group. Each time I go through it I feel like I learn something new. Mostly, because the first time I read through this simple book I was quite sure that although I understood the words, the truths were evading me. It's a book that has shaken the foundation of my faith yet, has not contradicted a single belief I hold.

Lately, I've been reading about "The Tyranny of the Favor Line" The invisible line that tells us whether or not we've met enough of someone's expectations to merit their approval. And how, most of our lives we live knowing that this favor line exists in our relationships with other people...and how we assume that God has a favor line as well. The problem is that we never know where it lies. When everything is pleasant we don't think about the favor line much but when things start to encroach on our lives we begin to wonder how God feels about us. Does He love me? Have I offended Him?

One of the questions the author asks is, "How many of you think you pray enough? Read the Bible enough?" How much is "enough?" The tyranny of the favor line is unrelenting because it never allows us to be certain about how God feels about us. And when we are trying to compensate God for his mercy eventually we become aware that our efforts are futile because it's impossible and it leaves us guessing whether he loves me or he loves me not.

I'd love to write out the entire book but I will leave you with one of thoughts that have consumed me for the last few days, "The key to God's favor doesn't rest on what I give to God but what he has already given to me."

Let me encourage you to order this book off of Amazon and use it for your daily study. It's wonderfully challenging...and will open your eyes to discover a Savior you've never known before but who was always there. It's a great read...if anyone's looking for one.

On Connecting

As I've moved through different phases of my life, I've repeatedly felt God's call to be a catalyst for him. Sometimes it's to bring about change in a static situation. Sometimes it's just to start making connections for people. It's not always been pleasant or easy, but it's been work I've felt God has asked me to do. So I've tried to be faithful to that calling (but, if I'm honest, not always succeeding).

Yet last night I was reminded about how rewarding this God-work can be. My husband and I have been trying to start a new small group here at church for the better part of a year. After attending a small group leaders conference together last winter and talking with our small group pastor at church, we decided to take the plunge. But after much planning and expectant hoping, nobody jumped at our invitation to join us. Hmmm...

So we regrouped and re-visioned and looked to the fall, praying that we would find the people who needed to be connected. Six months later, it sure feels like God has answered that prayer. Our fledgling group has had three meetings now and seems to be getting in sync with the rhythm of group life, slowly beginning to open up and share bits and pieces of our lives and our walks with God.

But last night was our first Family Fun Night, something Dave and I really wanted to build into our small group time because we want to help our kids get connected at church, too. My daughter, in particular, is having a hard time fitting in, and I desperately want to be a catalyst for her and ease her loneliness. Last night, though, something clicked. I know because I happened to be in the kitchen when she came bounding in at the end of the evening to ask another member's daughter if she would "please, please come to Big House (youth group) tomorrow because they're doing this scavenger hunt thing and she doesn't know anyone and please, please, please could she come and do it with her so she doesn't have to go alone."

Wow! I knew what it took for my daughter to make that request, and I could see in the other girl's eyes that she was pleased to be asked because I think she, too, has felt a little out of the middle school loop. The other mom also happened to be in the kitchen, and our eyes met across the room as we smiled. I'm pretty sure we both offered up a silent prayer: "Thank you, God, for this group and these girls and your presence here tonight. Amen. Let it be!"

Before we even had friends to join us, my husband and I named our small group the Mission:Possible group, building on New Life Church's Mission statement which is to connect people to one another and God for their new life in Christ. I am encouraged that our group appears aptly named and is faithfully seeking to live out that mission one step at a time. God is good, all the time! Amen. Let it be!

Go Ahead, Love yourself

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Mark 12: 31

We try to show others our love and caring ways. However, there’s one person that often doesn’t get to feel your love and care, and that person is you. Did you know God wants us to love ourselves? Not a self-centered, self-absorbed love where everything is about you, but an unconditional love with true acceptance of ourselves, the way God loves us. Each of us is a unique masterpiece made by God.

We often hear negative self-talk; that’s the voice in your head that puts you down. We wouldn’t say the things we hear in our own mind to others; it would hurt their feelings terribly. But to ourselves, we might say, “You sure are stupid,” or “Look how fat you are,” or maybe, “You aren’t worth the space you take up.” Unfortunately, we might have heard these things from people that had great influence on us, like parents or teachers, and the negative seed is planted.

God doesn’t ever think negative things about us! He loves us just as we are right now, even when we make mistakes.

Let’s consciously plan to replace negative talk with positive, uplifting words. How about saying, “God loves me,” or “I am a unique masterpiece made by God,” or, “Jesus died for ME.”

When we can truly love ourselves, it will be much easier to spread that love to others.

by Ruthann Schmudde

Not to Us

This past Sunday in church we had the opportunity to honor an 18-year-old member who just completed Marine boot camp at Fort Pendleton. His family has been at New Life since it started 12 years ago; his mom is on staff. Josh talked about his grueling training and how he learned about the value of teamwork and that your team is only as strong as its weakest link. He told of soldiers struggling to make it through the 54-mile final hike and said that if a fellow soldier went down, those around him picked up his 80-pound pack and added it to his own load while others helped the fallen one get up and keep going. The motto is "we're all in this together"...like that sappy High School Musical song says. Trite, but true.

But what struck me most in what Josh said was his comment that going to church on base was the thing that connected him most to home. Worshipping with 1,000 young men and women in a military auditorium would be quite a different experience from his home church, yet it gave him comfort. It gave him strength.

All I could think of, though, was what a self-centered attitude I had at his age. A lifelong church kid like Josh, when I left home for the first time to go to college, I purposely refused to find a church in my new home town because "It just wouldn't be the same." And again, a few years later when my husband and I were married and living in the western suburbs, we returned on rare occasions to our "home" church but didn't bother to find a new church up where we lived because we "knew" it wouldn't be like the one we grew up in. Holy cow! I'm just so thankful that God is patient and merciful and forgiving because I see so clearly now how I needed a major attitude adjustment. Going to church was not about God, it was mainly about me.

Yet "In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). Fortunately, God led us back to our home church, first as volunteers with the junior high youth, which led me to become the Director of Christian Education for 5 years. And, what I've come to understand over the past twenty years, is that going to church is most definitely not about me. It's about God and about coming together with the family of God (the good, the bad and the ugly) to worship Him and give thanks for our blessings, to ask forgiveness for our wrongs, to seek mercy and justice for the persecuted and strength and healing for the weak. And, it's most definitely NOT about what songs we'll be singing or what the sermon topic is that week or who we'll chat with or what petty little human dramas are playing out under the surface. The coolest thing, though, is that it doesn't matter where you go to church. God is the same God here in Chicago as He is in California as He is in Afghanistan or Ethiopia or India or Germany or Peru. The Christian church is God's home and He is present when God's people choose to glorify Him, no matter which house you enter.

Chris Tomlin captures this wisdom beautifully in his song Not to Us when he says, "The cross before me, the world behind / No turning back, raise the banner high / It's not for us, it's all for you. / Not to us, but to your name be the glory."

Not to us, God, but to your name be the glory. Amen. And thank you, God, for Josh.

Mission Trip to Cedar Rapids, Day 7

Hi all,

It was a great trip for the entire team. We had a great time getting to know one another better, sharing in the work of restoring homes and hope to victims of the flood, and spreading the love of Jesus to those we met along the way. We are tired and happy. Sad to leave yet happy to be back home. Thanks for your prayers and support we needed it and we felt it. We all sensed God’s presence in what we were doing and trust that fruit will come in His time.

Our last day did not go as planned, but it was ok. We worked on house #7 and hoped to move to house #8 after lunch. However, the owner at house #8 did not have the right inspections in place for us go there. So we ran out of work. Hands On Disaster Response did a great job all week keeping work in front of us so we could keep working a full capacity but in the end, they ran out of work for us by noon today. While it was disappointed and we would have happily worked longer, we were glad to head home earlier to get back to our families.

So for the final installment of photos for this trip, I thought I would show some work photos but also some photos that remind us why we went there in the first place. People in the flood area in Cedar Rapids face incredible hurdles to put their lives back together again. We were glad to play a part in that restoration.

Once again thank you for your support and prayers. And to my crew – You were great and it was an honor to serve Jesus with you!

Rog

(Submitted by Pastor Roger Visker)

1 – Len working with Kris – another long term volunteer working with HODR
2 – Home in the “Time Check” District – note the high water marks along the porch roof and at the top of the windows
3 – Debris on the curb – city comes by to pick it all up regularly
4 – Sign – Mold Remediation – one of the dangers of flood damage that is costly to clean up

Mission Trip to Cedar Rapids, Day 6

Hi All,

First of all, to all of you who could not open last nights email because the files were too big, I apologize. I forgot to resize them. I will do better tonight. If any of you want last nights email, I can resize them and resend them if you let me know.

Well, we finished the 2nd to the last day of being here in Cedar Rapids . It was a beautiful fall day that was so enjoyable to be part of. We worked hard to finish up the work on house #5. It was a bonus to meet the owner – Garland Grooms. His son and daughter in law lived in the house with their family. It is a home that was built in 1896 and one that he and completely remodeled with his own two hands when he bought it in the 1980’s. The oversized woodwork and hand crafted stair rails were incredible. It was clear that he had great pride in the house that was now a shell of what it had been. He also said that the house had never been flooded in its 100 year plus history. Garland is now retired and unable to do the work for himself so he is very thankful that we could be there to do our part.

Dave and Dean spent most of the day installing basement windows in house #3 that we had worked on earlier this week. It was a difficult job but they got it done and done well. Also, Todd joined the mucking and gutting crew and tore apart 3 flood damaged houses. Todd really enjoyed destroying the damaged areas and getting it ready to be rebuilt. Finally, we all ended up at house #6 doing the wall boarding there. It was a little tense for a while because the inspector came out and thought we were trying to cover up problems and not work according to the code. However, our team leaders Nathan and Jeremy were able to explain what we were doing and we got the green light to continue the work. So we have finished about 50% of the house and will go back and finish it in the morning. Our hope is to be able to work on a 7th house before we pack up and head home tomorrow night.

My plan is to send one more email late tomorrow night to inform you all on our progress on the last day of work. We have been greatly blessed by our time here. And it is our hope that the idea of “getting dusty” with Jesus has new meaning that helps us all grow closer to Him.

Rog

(Submitted by Pastor Roger Visker)

Here are the pictures:
1– Group Photo as we started work today
2 – Rog and Garland Grooms owner of home #6
3 – Rob worked with us again today. We really appreciate his abilities and his willingness to work with us as a team
4 – Todd busy with the mucking and gutting

Mission Trip to Cedar Rapids, Day 5

Hi All

Wednesday is the “official” day off for Hands On Disaster Response, but as you will see, we worked. Actually most of us worked a half day and a couple – Larry and Laurie Groenewold worked a full day. We started on an old farm house today and got it about 75% done by 12:30. We decided to take some time and go to the Art Museum in Cedar Rapids to look at their photo exhibit about the flood. The flood happened around June 10 and the photos were the work of local photographers who worked for the newspaper. The museum itself was flooded during the flood but was now open and operating. There was a lingering smell in the museum, but otherwise it seemed to be all cleaned up again. The photos were spectacular and gave us a good sense of the magnitude of the flood and the damage that resulted. Also, there were photos of the losses that people suffered and some of the initial cleanups that happened that were difficult to comprehend but were there in photos for us to see and begin to understand. We were glad we went. And since it was our day off, we went out to eat and to watch the Cubs play. Sorry about the Cubs, but the food was great and we enjoyed our evening. You will also notice that we have another Laurie on the crew today. One of the other volunteers who has done mostly taping and mudding wanted to learn how to put up wallboard. So we took her along and enjoyed teaching her and getting to know her. I think she thought we are ok, but I know we enjoyed having her along. We are on the down side of this trip and it looks like we will be working through Friday and heading home right after we are done that day. There is so much more to be done, and so many people who are still in shock from this disaster that it almost seems a shame to have to leave. But we are trusting that our work here has helped some and that they are the ones who needed us to help them as we did. We know that God is charge and that he will bless our service as is needed. Continue to pray for us that we are kept safe, healthy, and are able to work well. We look forward to seeing you all soon. Thanks again for your emails and prayers we really appreciate them.

Rog

(Submitted by Pastor Roger Visker)

Here are the photos for the day:

1--Our mystery man making a guest appearance at house #2 – Yes this is Dave with is hillbilly hat and hair on.

2 – Dean finishing a cut out on a window
3 – Len teaching Laurie #2 all about the art of wall boarding
4 – Yvonne in action with the screw gun – note that her fingernails are painted to match her work outfit….

Mission Trip to Cedar Rapids, Day 4

Hi All

Well, we had a very productive day today. We got to go back to house #2 because the inspections were completed and we could go back and do the wall boarding. So we broke up into 3 teams of 3 to do the wall boarding and then one person to do some odd and ends in preparation for wall boarding. It was great, we all worked hard and finished the whole house in one day. So it went from a house that you could see through with all the studs visible to completely covered and looking like there were real rooms in the home. In addition, Dave Decker was sent off to do 3 or 4 carpentry jobs that were more technical than we could do, but that Dave was well equipped to do. We started at 8 and finished at 5:30PM. Everyone went home tired and happy. We also got to talk with Lisa the home owner….rather Yvonne spent time with her. She told us how she just had a panic attack yesterday when she was trying to help a friend muck out their home. It reminded us that the lives of many people were drastically altered and for us to be able to listen to them talk about it for a few minutes is a good thing. God certainly had us there today to give her an opportunity to process this loss and move forward. It was a blessing to be a part of the process today.

From the photos, you will see that we have a satellite church here too….This little church was about 2 blocks away from the work site and it too has been damaged by the flood.

We are missing you all, but we are glad we are here to do this. Keep praying for us and we hope to see you all soon.


Here are the Pictures for the day:

1 – Yvonne and Lisa talking. Lisa is the home owner of house #2

2 – Laurie with her new best friend – the cordless power drill – she worked it all day
3 – Our new satellite church in Cedar Rapids – just another part of the service project….haha
4– Ken – The father of the home owner – a great guy and a great help today

Blessings

Rog

(submitted by Pastor Roger Visker)