Wait for IT! / Dawn Richter

Dawn Richter

Teacher at the Christian School, Bus Ministry, and Jr Church

Liberty Baptist Church

Fircrest, WA

Waiting is probably one of the most difficult things for a person to do. We go to restaurants, order food and wait 15-20 minutes for our food to be ready. And sometimes we sit there watching those who came after us get their food before us. We sit there starring at these people and we are filled with hanger! Let's be real we've all been there. We even plan exciting vacations and say "oh I can't wait for my vacation!" while we count down the days, hours and seconds until it arrives. We've spent time sitting in the waiting room of hospitals anxiously hoping for some news from the doctor. In these situations there is always something that we try to do to keep ourselves occupied. At a restaurant we'll order an appetizer or fellowship with those who are with us . And when we have been stuck in the waiting room we try to make time go faster by watching tv. But the most difficult waiting period is when God tell us to wait.
Nearly two years ago I went through a very difficult personal trial. It was a time in my life that all the plans I had made and thought were going to come to pass completely crumbled at my feet. God took me and placed me in a spiritual waiting room. During this time, one of the hardest things for me was to see others getting what I had longed for. And to be honest I still struggle with it. I have had to sit and watch people around me, and even sometimes those younger than me, get what I have been praying for myself. Though this was not easy  I've learned how to wait on God. There are four principles that I use from Psalm 37:3-5,7 that have helped me.
1. TRUST  <confidence placed in a person by making that person the nominal owner of property.>   in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt fed."
  I have learned to place my problems into God's hands and let him take over. God can handle any situation better than I can. Trusting in my own ability will only lead to stress anxiety.  (Proverbs 4:5-6) We must rely on Him.

2.DELIGHT <take great pleasure in, no other need of fulfillment thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
  God should always be our source of strength. Often when going through difficult times people will find someone or something that will make them feel better about their situation. People seek fulfillment in sports, music, tv and even other people. True fulfillment comes from having a deep relationship with God not man. Man does and will continue to fail us everyday but God never will.  (Duet 31:6)

3.COMMIT  < send, entrust, or consign, in particular, deliver, give, hand over,>   thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."   Entrusting God with our future can be difficult, because we want things to happen the way we imagine them to and in our time. But when we hand over our hopes and dreams to God, we can trust that he will have a way better outcome than we could have ever imagined. (Prov 3:5, Isaiah 55:8-9)

4. REST   <be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position.>   in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass."
This last one can be the most difficult. Sometimes God brings us to a place in our life that we don't understand why we are in this situation. We have done everything right, we have given our plans to God and trusted him to bring it to pass. Yet when it comes to resting and waiting we have a difficult time with this one I know I do. We see those around us who are getting their dreams fulfilled and we become discouraged. God tells us we must not fret because of these people. Just to wait patiently.

Through waiting on God comes many blessings. He never promises it will be easy but he does promise he will supply us with the strength needed. (Psalm 27:14, Isaiah 40:31)  Two years ago I would have never thought I would be where I am today. My visions for my life were completely different. But that's just it they were MY visions MY goals. I had to learn to give them over to God and to trust Him with the results. Although I am still in the spiritual waiting room with some things, God has been blessing me with many different opportunities. Had my goals and dreams come to pass I probably would have never had these opportunities. Gods ways are better than we can ever imagine. Waiting for God to bring it to pass won't be easy but it will always be worth it!

Unpacking For Our Trip / Mrs Stephanie Shipman

Mrs Stephanie Shipman

Pastors's Wife

Fairview Baptist Church

Kansas City, KS

Unpacking For Our Trip


Have you ever packed for a trip and when you arrived at your destination you realized that you had over packed?  My motto is usually: “Better to be over prepared than not prepared at all.” However, some things are better left behind. Sadly, many of us pack unneeded items each day! We are carrying all these extra things that we don’t need. The Bible says:

Hebrews 12:1 “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth  so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

Our race is our Christian Life. Every day we are striving to become more of what God wants us to be and a lot of times we fail because of the weights and sin in our lives. I like to call them excess baggage and they weigh us down.  For our trip through life we need to unpack so that we can become the Christian that our Heavenly Father wants us to be. Some things that we need to unpack are listed in Scripture: 

Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

The first thing we need to unpack is:

BITTERNESS

James 3:11 says, “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”

If you are carrying around bitterness (grudge or hatred) you can’t be sweet and be the example that Christ would want you to be.

Luke 6:45 “ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good: and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

Next:

WRATH

Wrath is violent anger.

Proverbs 27:3-4a says, “A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty: but a fool’s wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous...”

And Thirdly:

ANGER

A violent passion of the mind excited by a real or supposed injury; usually accompanied with a
propensity to take vengeance, or to obtain satisfaction from the offending party.

Ecc 7:9 says, “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.”

These 2 pieces of baggage go hand in hand and the Bible says that we are fools if we carry them around.


Next we need to rid our luggage of:

CLAMOUR

Means to utter or proclaim insistently and noisily

Col 4:6 “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

That verse pretty much says it! Don’t be a brawling woman!

Lastly:

EVIL SPEAKING (blasphemy)

An indignity offered to God by words or writing; reproachful, contemptuous or irreverent words uttered impiously against Jehovah. 

The Bible says in Psalms 34:13, “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.”


So—  we have all of this baggage for our trip ( for our daily lives)... How can we face each day and go through life with all of this in our way? Let’s pretend each one of these is in a heavy suitcase. Now, try going through doorways and getting into your car carrying all of this baggage everywhere you go. That would be hard, Right? Just trying to manage a purse, diaper bag, & my church Bible bag are enough for me. Each day we must go to the “Check-IN” lane and leave our baggage. Our daily “Check In” is our personal time with the Lord. It is here, that we leave them with Christ and allow Him to be in control of our life. Christ says in Matthew that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Once you check-in, HE takes away that excess baggage and gives you a boarding pass. The boarding pass is light - it is the Fruit of the Spirit. THE FRUIT which posses all of these qualities: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. 

You see, these qualities will help you along the way face the struggles of each day! Drop off the weights that are pulling you down and you will see a difference in the way you handle life. Most importantly others will see you running your race with patience and grace.

What are you waiting for …  get UNPACKING!

To Know Him / Mrs Ann Berry

Mrs Ann Berry

Involved in:

Children's Church, Nursery, Choir,

Special Music, & Master Clubs

Lighthouse Baptist Church

Lehighton, PA

To Know Him

This year in my Bible reading I have been challenged not only to read the Bible to get something for myself, but to also learn something about my God. Often times Christians, like myself, get in a rut and just read the Bible to get “something” for the day. Yet, we do not stop and learn something about the One who wrote it for us. It is easy for those who grew up in Sunday school, attended Christian camps, and Bible College to have a “head knowledge” of God and not a “heart knowledge”. In the past, there have been many times, when God has not been as “real” to me as He had been before. Mainly, because of my busy life and full schedule, He had become a part of the motions. I was not getting to actually “know” Him more and more everyday. Sure my Bible reading was done for the day, but only to study for a Bible lesson. Of course, I spent time in prayer while going down my list of prayer requests, while in the back of my mind I had thoughts of tasks I needed to accomplish. 

It was in the fall season of last year when God allowed me to slow down and focus on Him. My husband and I found out we were expecting our first child. For nine weeks, I carried our baby, until we lost it. I was most devastated, but was reminded to reflect on God and focus on His goodness in every situation. I read the Bible searching for God, wanting His comfort and found it. Since then, He has blessed us with another miracle. We are expecting our baby girl on Sept 10th of this year. 

Something utterly amazing about God is that He wants a personal, real, close relationship with me! When He saved me it did not end there. Here are a few things that I have learned and found to be personally true about my God in the past year. 

He is gracious. He gives more than I deserve. Its makes me count my blessings and continue to remind me to be thankful. 

He is faithful. No matter what trials have come, His faithfulness is comforting. He is always there, even in the darkest of times. Though the storms come, He sees the rainbow. 

He is love. He gave the greatest example of love, by dying for me. It challenges me to share and show His love to my fellow Christians and unsaved people I come in contact with everyday. 

He provides. He knows me and takes care of me. Although, I may not have every material thing I want, He constantly provides for my needs and gives extra. 

“Be still and know that I am God.” It is easier said than done. It is definitely something I am working on everyday. 

-Ann Berry

Leave it all to Jesus / Mrs Vicky Mutchler

Mrs Vicky Mutchler

Pastor's Wife

Grand View Baptist Church

Beavercreek, OR

Leave it all to Jesus

 All of us  want Jesus to take care of our health, our families, and everything else that has to do with our day to day lives on this earth. But do we also want Jesus to take care of the things that really matter most of all?  Do we weigh in the balance of eternal value all that we do?  There is one desperate need that you and I will always have : forgiveness. Just look back over this past week and see how desperate that need is. How many times did we use our minds, our mouths and our hands to please and honor God?  How many times did we fail? Now there’s a problem far greater than paying  bills, a change in the weather or getting rid of the flu.  And yes, Jesus has the solution for it—his mercy and forgiveness. Jesus is there to receive you and me and to give us his best miracle for this life and the next one. The same Jesus,  who so miraculously fed the thousands with so little... says to every troubled and burdened soul:  “...I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. “John 6:35 

Everything comes from God. If we aren’t thinking we tell our children that milk comes from cows...rain comes from clouds and flowers come from seeds. Actually...they all come from God.

I remember when I was a child and we would go to my grand parents home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. At that time my grand father was not a Christian and he would be so angry when my dad would ask the blessing on the food. He would “in no uncertain terms” explain that he was the one that should be thanked for the food, because he was the one that provided it by working hard….not GOD!

So does the fact that we’re fed, clothed, and housed better than any other nation on earth, the fact that seeds planted in our soil turn into wheat and corn and garden vegetables, the fact the sun shines on us each day and the clouds open up letting rain come down, the fact that what a kid at McDonalds makes is more than the annual salary of half the men on this planet. But best of all, coming from Jesus is his unending forgiveness for our sins, his wise and loving guidance in every detail of our lives, his strength and comfort for every rough day of our lives, and his taking us someday to live forever with him in the joys and glories of heaven. That’s what Jesus’ miracle of feeding over 5,000 souls with a little boy’s lunch says to us this day. That is why, for those other days still to be given to us you and I really can leave it all to Jesus.

 

I Choose to be a Christian / Ms Stephanie Roloson

Ms Stephanie Roloson

Involved in ...  Choir, Nursery, King's Kids,

and is getting ready to start a program for girls called Daughters of the King.

Moorhead Baptist Church

Moorhead, MN

I choose to be a Christian
I will follow Christ
Carry the cross that leads to life
I will be true, stand for my convictions
Whatever others do
I choose to be a Christian.

I’ve lived my whole life as a Christian. My dad was still attending Hyles-Anderson College when I was born. So, I grew up in the bus ministry. When I was seven years old, God called my dad to pastor MBC here in Minnesota. I’ve seen the heartache the joy, the smiles, the tears, the hurt, and the love. I’ve grown up a Christian.

But at some point, that had to change. It had to go from “I’ve grown up this way” to “I choose this way.” But like many kids from Christian homes, it took me awhile to figure out what I was choosing.

I was 14 years old when a teen girl in our church asked me why I wore skirts and always dressed modestly. I don’t remember what my answer was, but I do know I felt like it was not at all adequate. I was 16 years old when the girls in our church started talking about some wicked movie series. They asked me why I didn’t watch it. I was in college when I was questioned why I had never worn a pair of pants. I was at my work place when I was asked why I wore a skirt, go to church, never cursed, or did not touch the opposite gender. What was my reasoning? Sure, they were standards and convictions with which I had been raised. But were these my own standards and convictions?

I know that I wanted to live the Christian life, but it was not till the middle of my freshman year that I chose to live this life. I had lived too long in my parent’s shadow and under their Christianity.

I choose to wear skirts and dress modestly. I choose to make church a priority in my work schedule. I choose to remain pure with my dealings with the opposite gender. I choose to go soul winning. I choose to allow God to direct my steps. I choose to honor my parents by following in their footsteps.

Now, I don’t choose this blindly. I choose this life knowing that each of these standards and convictions are all there to help me strive to be more Christ-like… more like a Christian. I believe that these standards and convictions help me separate from the world. I have learned that as a Christian, I may be the only Bible the unsaved read. What are they reading?

Proverbs 22:28 says, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” My parents gave me a wonderful childhood with standards and convictions that have stood the test. They never forced me to make these decisions. They guided, directed, and then left the decision up to me. I choose to be a Christian.

Make Today Amazing! / Mrs Paula Seavey

Mrs Paula Seavey

Ladies Singing Group / Plays Piano / Ladies Soulwinning

Victory Baptist Church

Winthrop, ME

How to Make Today Amazing 

Psalms 9:10 “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”


 Over the past several months, specifically February to now, my trust in God in some ways has been tested and tried again and again. However, I never stopped trusting in the Lord I just decided that I would “Make today amazing” by trusting in Him more. 

 On May 9th, our thoughts were confirmed, I have cancer and that it was possibly stage 3 or more. (May I say, up to this point in my life I had, had no health issues and didn’t even realize when I went to the doctor how serious this would be.)  Needless to say, we were devastated by it all and we immediately sought the counsel and advice of our pastor and his wife. That evening and the days to follow were full of questions, overwhelming thoughts, fear and dread. We started scheduling what seemed to be more appointments than we could possibly make. Then came the many trips to Boston, Massachusetts. 

 So how could I apply “Make today amazing” with Scripture? What could I do that would help us get through this “bump” in the road? One evening, I sat down with my Bible in hand and started looking up verse after verse. It was hard to choose only a few verses to use because I have so many marked especially on trusting in the Lord. So, I hope in some small way, what I believe the Lord lead me to use, will be a blessing and help to you. 

1. “Make today amazing” by seeing the Lord is good. Psalms 34:8 “O taste and see that the LORD is good….” Realize that no matter what you are going through God is good. He doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle. It really doesn’t matter what you are going through taste and see that the Lord is good, that he alone wants to guide you, comfort you and be there with you through the journey.  GOD IS GOOD!!  2. Another way I chose to “Make today amazing” is by something my pastors wife, Jennie Walter, reminded me of, Mrs. Marlene Evans use to say. Have some of your favorite things – So I incorporated that into making my day amazing by:  a. Using my favorite mug for hot chocolate (I’m NOT a coffee drinker)  b. Sitting in my favorite seat to read my Bible or another book. c. Playing my favorite music. I love good uplifting, encouraging old time gospel music and hymns.  d. One I can’t do as much right now eating a favorite food. (Chemo has messed with the way and what I can eat)  e. Go and do something that is a favorite fun thing to do, SHOPPING!! :D  So, if you are down, having a rough day, or just simply want to make the day “Amazing” do a few of your favorite things.  3. “Make today amazing” by trusting in the Lord! 
a. Psalms 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” As I mentioned in the beginning, my trust in the Lord was tested: but I never stopped trusting in the Lord. If for no other reason, He’s my salvation, he gave his life for me! Therefore no matter how hard the day, because of chemo: no matter how tired I may be, because of the cancer, I can trust in the Lord that He knows my future. I can trust in Him because this didn’t take Him by surprise or shock Him. My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow. I need to be trusting in him to guide me, trusting in him to take care of me. So no matter what you are facing, trust in the Lord. I can trust Him to do what’s best for me with this cancer, you can trust in Him as well.  b. Psalms 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” In my heart I can rejoice in the fact that I have a loving Saviour who helps me, and I can sing praises of His love. One of my favorite songs since I was child is: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…. Even in this child’s song we are being taught, the Bible tells us that Jesus loves us! Have a song that touches your heart and sing it when you are having a good day, as well as when the days are rough.  c. Psalms 31:14 “But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.” God knows my tomorrows! Trust Him to take you through. You know, The Lord is there in the valley and He’s there on the mountain top.  d. Psalms 34:4 “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Part of making today amazing is not fearing what the day may hold. Fear isn’t of God and if we seek after him, stay in His word, allow Him to guide us He’ll deliver us from our fears. I’ve had a few “fears” about all this, BUT the Lord gave me peace and now I’m able to face each new step of my journey.  4. “Make today amazing” by continuing to serve the Lord. Though we have been given news that is awful to us. We didn’t stop serving. We have continued to serve God and continued to feed on his word. We are seeing God’s hand in how my health is going, in our lives and in our family. We are allowing God to work through this time of our lives. Don’t quit on God because you feel your life is falling apart, when in reality your life may be coming together in God’s plan for your life.  Joshua 24:15 “And if it seem evil unto you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

In closing, I have Psalms 139 as one of my go to chapters during trials or hardships. I won’t go into detail but back in 2007 my pastor at that time, Jeff Owens, was helping us adjust from part of the ministry into another. I went to him for Counsel, he lead me to Psalms 139. I highly recommend you read this chapter. I read it all the time, not just at hard times; but God in his infinite mercy knew this would be a chapter to get me through several situations that otherwise
could have been devastating. In several situations and now here in May of 2017 I once again found myself going to this chapter and getting strength and encouragement from God’s Word.  

 We all need to remember to praise God; to remember as verse 14 of this chapter says, to praise him, to remember He made us. How? Fearfully and wonderfully. We all can do this and remember to “Make today amazing” through Scripture and by other ways. 

 What are you facing today? Is it ministry related? Is it a family situation? Maybe you, your spouse, or a loved one has been given news that will affect the whole family health wise. God wants you and I to have good days. Yes, we’ll all have those days where we’re in the valley-but we’ll also have those mountain top days. If you and I simply focus on God’s Word, pray, trust in Him, and lean on God, you’ll be amazed at how “Amazing” your day will and can be. 

“Make today Amazing!”

 

But if not... / Ms Adri Ludwick

Ms Adri Ludwick

Pianist / Sunday School Teacher - FBC Hammond, IN

Teacher - Hyles Anderson College

"But if not..."

I have loved the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego since I first heard it as a little girl in Sunday School class. It's found in Daniel 3, & that chapter paints such a descriptive story for us of 3 friends who so powerfully stood for Christ against all odds, and as a result saw God come through for them in a big way! It's such an awesome display of God's power, and it never gets old reading how Jesus showed up to be with them & save them out of the fiery furnace. 

  

A little over 2 years ago, I heard a lesson from Johanna McCroskey on 3 little words, buried right in the middle of that story, that have been life-changing for me. Johanna was one of my dearest friends, a 24-year old wife & mother of an adorable baby girl, & at the time she taught, battling her 3rd fight with cancer. I co-teach an adult ladies Sunday school class, and we asked Jo to be a guest speaker for us in February of 2015. Even though she was incredibly ill, she graciously agreed, and the lesson she taught that day, both vocally & through the power of a life that lives what it teaches, is something I will never forget.

Jo taught from Daniel 3:17 & 18: "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." She pulled out the 3 little words, "But if not..." & taught a lesson about completely trusting God that had most of us in tears.

Looking at this story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, it's obvious that they had such strength and so much determination to stay true to their God. But in the midst of their strength & belief, they wanted to affirm to everyone present, that even if God didn't work it all out the way they thought He would or should, they still wouldn't back down or betray their God. "But if not..." I find this to be one of the most true & humbling examples of faith in the whole Bible. These men were boldly entering a fiery furnace, proclaiming to the world that their God would save them; but yet willing to sacrifice their lives if He didn't. "But if not..."  As humans, we can't see the whole picture. Our mortal minds will never completely understand the what or why of everything that comes into our life. But, we do get to choose how we handle the "fiery furnaces" that God brings into our lives. 

Jo never chose to believe she was dying. She had seen God work miracles before. He had healed her of cancer two other times, and she knew with all her heart that God would give her another miracle. She lived & believed that way, and her faith was convicting & powerful.  A little over a month after she taught our class, just days short of her 25th birthday, Jesus chose to take Johanna home to heaven. "But if not..." 

His ways are always right. He is always good. There's a peace that comes with the knowledge that we can completely rest in His care no matter what the outcome. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego walked out of a fiery furnace completely whole & unharmed. But, the Apostle Paul spent months in a jail cell, and then was beheaded for being a Christian. Both for the glory of God & the furtherance of the Gospel.

Life rarely goes the way we expect it to or think that it should. If it were up to us, bad things would never happen to good people. Life wouldn't hurt. There would be no tears. Why do you think we all love fairy tales so much? :) But God has every minute detail of our life orchestrated for our good & to bring Him the most glory. I wrote a song called "I Still Believe" not long after Jo died. The chorus says: "I still believe your way is right; I still trust in Your plan. I still believe in miracles, though I don't understand. I still believe You know what's best; I'll follow where you lead. So with all the pieces of my broken heart, I still believe." Whatever "fiery furnace" we're facing, whatever heartache is causing intense pain, we can trust in the goodness of an always kind Father. "But if not..."