love SCRIPTED BY

GOD, p. 22

The Face of Pain

finding God in suffering,

p. 30

learning in

unexpected

ways, p. 66

Give the gift of

hospitality our readers share

p. 10

SEPTEMBER&OCTOBERL2013

17

22 10

inthisissue

{open}

5 A word from Rae

6 Meet the Team

8 Mission Statement

relationship exchange

Cultivating the Sacred Gift of Friendship

10 Extending the Gift of Hospitality

14 Hold on for Change

& the Learning Curve!

22 Love…Scripted by God

SEPTEMBER&OCTOBERL2013

daughters of God Pursuing Deeper Intimacy with the Father

28 Rhema: Waiting with Hope

29 Pearl of Promise

30 The Face of Pain

38 The Long Way Around

46 I Trapped the Ball

3

30

21 pondering with Tina

50 featured blogger

53 life through Carmony’s lens

68 the team recommends

{close} 70 Comments &

Contact Info

life & style

Virtue in Everyday Living

37 Common Day Quotes

44 a Fresh Look at Modesty

48 Color Love: red!

legacy & impact

Living God's Heart for the World

54 Good Life Ministries: India

white spaces Creating Rest, Balance, and Room to Breathe

66 Learning in Unexpected

Ways

38

extras!

4

open

o·pen [oh-puhn]

vb.– to move from a shut or closed position so as to

admit passage.

w x

5

a word from rae

1

This summer found me traveling all over the place. In early August, I got to go home [TN Home] for almost a

week to see my family and friends from the Athens area. It was marvelous. One of the highlights of my sojourn

was my younger brother Zac’s fundraiser dinner—a little affair we did to

<-----help raise money for his trip to IGo this fall. It was an evening full of all

my favorite things: good friends, great food, laughter, lawn games, even

some fireworks to finish off the night. Everyone came early and partied late.

And gave GENEROUSLY to Zac’s cause. We had so much fun!

Then came the Hilty reunion—a renowned affair of my boyfriend Tim’s

family. It rolls around every two years and we rolled up to it on his new RED

[!!] Harley, along with a few of the others cousins, in the traditional

motorcycle ride to the reunion site. It was a very cool weekend in which I

got to meet dozens of Tim’s long lost relatives, learn awesome new games

like Kubb [a.k.a Viking Chess], canoe upriver, and

assist in a spectacular fireworks show as the

weekend grand finale. Tim and I made some

wonderful memories with his family and I was

invigorated by a weekend well-spent.

I have also added a few thousand miles to my

faithful little Celica doing Home Health. It has

been an interesting re-entry to the rigors of the

American medical system, but the fascinating

people I meet help compensate for the

mountains of rules and regulations! Maybe

sometime some of their stories will find their way

into Daughters of Promise. :]

This summer has also been a time of healing and

growth. As I enter Fall [which happens to be my

favorite season ever], I look back with satisfaction

that the events of this summer have shaped me.

Where in the past, I have rushed hurriedly from

one experience or relationship to the next, I am

learning to engage fully in each moment,

savoring every drop of its sweetness. Many

changes have occurred in the last 6 months, yet

recesses of rest have punctuated my time in the classroom. God is very good. His

love I know. There is healing and restoration in His presence.

Where has your summer taken you? What doors have opened? I am sure that for

as many as have swung wide, others have closed firmly behind. In navigating this

earthly life, I am blessed to know that Jesus leads. A good guide is one who shows

the way, who doesn’t just hand out maps and say, “Go get ‘em kid!” Our Lord

walks beside, searching out the best pasture for His sheep. As my friend Kristi Witmer

shares in her article [p.37], God sometimes leads us in unexpected and very painful

places. Yet, we experience His presence even there. What a testimony!

There are some wonderful articles in this issue, written by talented and godly

women with a beautiful message to share. I pray you are blessed!

Rae

RACHEL SCHROCK|VA

FOUNDER,

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rae’s unique life experiences and love for writing

inspired her form DOP in 2010. She loves Jesus

and longs for all women to experience healing

and freedom through an intimate friendship with

Him. She loves many things, but especially the

color red, jazz, good coffee, graphic design,

and her family. In her free time, she can be

found undertaking DIY projects, traveling the

world, or behind the lens of her beloved Canon.

One of her favorite places in the whole wide

world is Mae Sot Thailand, where she spent 6

wonderful months in 2011 and 2012. Above all,

she strives to experience the precious gift of life

with grace and gratitude.

BRITTANY

SHULT| SC STAFF WRITER

Brittany is a schoolteacher currently living in

the lovely state of South Carolina. She loves

teaching her 2nd-5th graders and learning

life lessons from them. Jesus is her Friend; she

is thankful for everything He has done for

her. She is excited about the plans that He

has for her. Some of her hobbies include

reading a good book and whipping up

some baked goods in the kitchen,

especially cupcakes! She will take a warm

sunshiney day and flip flops over cold dreary

winter days.

MARLENE

STOLTZFUS|PA STAFF WRITER

Marlene enjoys learning, living simply, and

using creativity to meet a new challenge.

She and her husband Kyle live in Guys Mills,

Pennsylvania with their seven month old

daughter Elia. They are a staff family at

Faith Builders Educational Programs.

Marlene is the compiler/author of the White

Spaces section of DOP.

Meet the team

7

CARMIE

SANCHEZ | VA

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Carmie joined the DOP team in

January 2013 as the official

photographer. Photography has

been one of her pursuits for

several years and more recently

she has acquired a love of sewing,

DIY, and hosting people in her little

trailer house. She is a newlywed of

October 27, 2012 and her

wonderful husband is Gerry. Next

to feeding him and being a

housekeeper, she enjoys reading

and spending time with family and

friends. Her expressive

photography captures the

essences of life and inspires many

to delight in the simple joy of

beauty.

guestphotographer

LISA STRUBHAR | VA

GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER

As a teen, Lisa loved art, reading and world travel.

She has been to at least 14 countries and has

friends from many she has never visited. Two years

ago, her family spent 8 months in Thailand.

Although she still enjoys the same things when she

has the time, her life is mostly full of serving her

wonderful husband (who is also the talented main

photographer at Darren Strubhar Photography)

and her three little ones. She is learning to find joy in

little things and fulfillment in being in the center of

God’s will. Most of the photography in this issue was

a joint project of Lisa and her husband. You can

find more of their work on their Facebook fan page:

Darren Strubhar Photography,

www.facebook.com/pages/Darren-Strubhar-

Photography.

8

WELOVE

food. liturgy. music. yellow things. the first

spring rain. good coffee. DIY projects.

empty notebooks. pursuing holiness.

sunshine. green grass. the color red. long

walks.

who

WEBELIEVE habit forms character. chevron is

overrated. planting things is good for

people. in God’s goodness. pumpkin spice

lattes are the best. in redeeming love.

Jesus is Enough.

9

WESTRIVETO live with integrity. read broadly.

contribute to Anabaptism. give thanks.

live simply. celebrate life. be centered in

God’s will. advocate for the poor and

needy.

WEBELIEVE habit forms character. chevron is

overrated. planting things is good for

people. in God’s goodness. pumpkin spice

lattes are the best. in redeeming love.

Jesus is Enough.

we are

Hospitality and Kindness are closely

related.

Last week, some friends and I got away for

a night to a beautifully restored, 2-room

stone cottage in the woods. The owner

keeps it for her children to stay in when

they come home. The place was spotless

when we got there. The bed sheets were

clean. Towels laid out. Fresh flowers were

on an old sideboard. She even insisted that

we drive her "gator" the short distance to

the cottage, but we took our own vehicle

instead. Turns out we ran out of gas right at

the cottage, and discovered this fact the

next morning. It was raining, but the lady

and her husband and hired hand came to

bail us out, gas can in hand. "I enjoy this so

much," she chuckled. "This is exactly

something I would do." We only "knew" our

hostess through my friend's husband, but

left feeling like we were part of her family.

Extending the Gift of Hospitality

11

She is humble, gracious, charming, and

kind... everything I want to be.

For overnight guests: anticipate the needs

of your guests while they are in your home.

A little fore-thought and preparation goes

a long way towards showing kindness. If it's

a cool evening, have blankets to snuggle

up in and offer them hot drink. If it's hot,

have a pitcher of lemonade in the fridge.

Always offer your guests a drink of water,

and if they've been traveling for a while,

ask them if they want something to eat.

Keep extra toiletries on hand in case

they've forgotten theirs. By far, the best

hospitality is cleanliness and neatness, but

small touches go a long way, too: a

midnight snack basket, fresh flowers on the

nightstand, crisp, line-dried sheets,

chocolates on their pillows, a classic

movie, books to read.

Some of you may not have a house of your

own, or if you do, it may not be suited to

entertaining. Don't let that stop you from

offering hospitality! Even if you cannot

welcome people into your home, there is a

sense in which you can welcome others

into your presence. Love others for who

they are without trying to change them to

be like you. We are all different, and this is

good. Listen to the things they say... really

listen. Look for ways to serve them, even if

it is in ways no one will ever see. In

fact, now is the time to learn hospitality,

because hospitality is really an attitude or

way of thinking, not just an "event". You

can also rarely show hospitality without

suffering some kind of self-denial. :)

A few more practical ways to show

hospitality: brush up on great conversation

starters. Always look out for people on the

fringes and seek to draw them in.

I have learned that reaching out to others

in hospitality is a wonderful way to look

past my needs and see how I can bless

others. I naturally want my house cleaned,

candles lit, fresh flowers on the table, and

my child smiling angelically before I offer

an invitation to "Come on over!" But while

all of these things are wonderful, I do think

12

true hospitality starts with a servant

attitude; less of me and more of you. That

being said, I love fresh flowers on my table

and lots of candles. I want people to feel

at home when they visit but I also want to

provide for needs I do see. When we have

guests spend the night, I try to have food in

their fridge and extra toothpaste and

shampoo in the bathroom. It’s those little

things that say, I care about you, you have

value, let me call you friend.

Being a hostess as a brand new wife can

be very intimidating and a little

overwhelming! Some of the things that I

have learned in the past 21 months of

marriage…

-Don’t feel pressure to have the perfect

house—nobody does. Things like keeping

your house smelling fresh and looking

clean goes a long way! If I’m in a rush and

have sudden company, something that

makes my house feel clean fast is to give

the bathroom and kitchen floor a once-

over. Add a candle burning and I feel

good to go!

-Meals don’t have to be extravagant.

Don’t get so stressed out over them that

you can’t even enjoy yourself! Food is food

and you can’t expect to become your

mom overnight. Plan well in advance and

keep notes on each meal you make. Try

out new recipes for just your husband

before you make them for your company.

-Watch out for your overnight guests’

individual needs. Some may like a fan, a

nightlight, or extra blankets. Don’t expect

them to be comfortable just because you

are! Along with that, show them where the

towels are…and how to use the shower if

necessary! (ours is a little complicated as

we learned one night from a guest!)

-Initiate positive conversation that makes

all guests feel comfortable. A good topic

breaks the ice and sets the tone for the rest

of the visit. Talk about their lives more than

yours. Along with that, don’t be too busy

that you can’t sit down and relax with your

guests. Dirty dishes can wait.

-Most of all, make your guests feel

welcome, loved, and important. Make

them want to return! Invite more than just

church friends over—it can be a neighbor,

a co-workers, or kids from your community.

13

A Christlike spirit of servant hood and

humility goes a long way. Make your home

a place of rest, simple beauty, and most of

all, full of Jesus’ presence.

As I was thinking of hospitality in my life, I

thought of a few things:

-Numerous times in the last number of

years we have allowed guests to lodge

here over the night. People we had never

seen or known. But we felt secure and not

afraid. That is one of the blessings of the

Anabaptist community.

-When meal guests come, I try to have

thought of a seating arrangement for the

table so as to have folks care for, not just

say “find a seat!”

-I have tried to concentrate on the

fellowship more than making a fancy

meal. To care about guests and what is in

their life, not making a display to impress.

-Hospitality is also sharing food – a

casserole, dessert – taken to their house.

They can use it at their convenience. I like

to share extra food with my close-by family

also.

-Being sensitive to guests needs is also

important, even if their need is just a cup of

cold water at times, or a box of tissues

nearby. Perhaps a hug as they come and

go, so they leave feeling cared for. |

14

By Rae Schrock

15

16

Take a minute

to breathe.

Change

Change is an inevitable part of life. Not an

“if” but a “when”. For some, change is

welcomed—there is a thrill in moving from

one stage to the next. For others, changing

brands of toothpaste is enough to incite

anxiety. Wherever you fall on the

spectrum, there will come a point where

life throws a curveball that spins you out of

routine and challenges your patterns of

coping. Living as an adult in a fast-paced

society doesn’t often afford the luxury of

easing into the alterations. Waves of

change will hit and sweep us along, ready

or not. When it does, how will you react?

My life has been characterized by frequent

and significant changes. I have been

blessed to experience a wonderful variety

of job settings, cultures, and social groups.

Most of the time I enjoy the rapid

adjustments my life has brought, though

there are times I’ve been thrown so far out

of my comfort zone that running away

seemed like the best option. This past

spring I uprooted from my hometown of 18

years and moved north to VA. Settling into

a new community has been challenging

but also very revealing. I’m learning a lot

about myself and the patterns of coping I

have developed—some of them not so

healthy when applied to long-term social

and cultural transitions. I am still traveling

the learning curve and do not have the

edge on dealing effectively with change—

I am just a woman on a journey, excited to

share a few of the lessons I am learning.

Change is inevitable. But we can do it

bravely! Here are a few of the

practical lessons I am learning about how

to do that.

Change often

brings stress.

With new

routines and

new information comes extra emotional,

physical, and mental strain: we have to

work harder to keep up. Therefore, it is

essential to carve out time to take a break.

When I worked as a charge nurse on a

busy med-surg unit, the first hour of the shift

was always chaotic. Everyone needed

something and at times it was hard to stay

cool. Sometimes the stress didn’t let up. To

help myself re-orient and relax, I would

steal 5 minutes to slip out back and look at

the stars and breathe easy. It was a

window of refreshment that cleared my

mind and prepared me for the rest of the

night. It’s amazing what a 5-minute break

can do. Whether nurses, mothers, house

cleaners, or secretaries, we all experience

moments where stuff piles up and we get

that urge to panic. When this happens,

remember that the frenzy will pass! Instead

of caving in, carve out a period of white

space to do something relaxing, no matter

how brief or simple it may be. Intentionally

relax your muscles. Take a walk, journal,

pull on your favorite pajamas and take a

30 minute nap, steal away for 5 minutes

and deep breathe. You may feel that you

can’t spare the time, but in the end, you

17

Give yourself

time to grieve.

will face the transitions better having given

your mind a chance to decompress.

Anatole

France

said, “All

changes,

even the most longed for, have their

melancholy; for what we leave behind us is

a part of ourselves; we must die to one life

before we can enter another.” Change

inevitably moves us away from something

or someone dear; a part of life that was

significant to us. This is a loss and should be

grieved appropriately. In many ways, it is

necessary to do this before we can fully

move on. Working through the loss of what

is being left behind frees us to connect with

the new stage we are beginning.

Journaling or sharing with a friend are both

good ways to process change’s losses.

Don’t overdramatize or get stuck in this

process but do give yourself permission to

feel sad, cry, and wrestle with the new

norms being established. Talk to God a lot

during this time, and as you process,

continually re-orient to the perspective

that life is brief, yet we have a hope

through Christ for a day when all change

and loss will be past. For now, we must

move forward if we hope to grow.

Grieving what is left behind is a vital part of

maturing emotionally, spiritually, and

mentally. Big life changes, like moving

away from home, losing a loved one, or

entering a new profession require more

time and entail more loss. Give yourself

plenty of time to emotionally process these

changes so that you can move wholly on

to the next stage.

All changes

have their

melancholy;

for what we

leave behind

us is a part of

ourselves; we

must die to

one life before

we can enter another.

18

Call it like

it is.

Find a friend to

share with.

This has been one of

the most important

things I have learned

about change. To

“call it like it is” is to admit reality. Maybe

our tendency is to face change with a rosy

Pollyanna mentality that sounds nice but

fails to convince our hearts—or anyone

else—that “everything is great!” Don’t

elongate the process or frustrate yourself

by denying the realities of your situation.

Instead, be honest about its impact. It is

freeing to face the mirror and say, “This is

incredibly hard. Everything is not ok.” Be

realistic about what the change is going to

bring and how it makes you feel. Then gird

your loins and go face it. Things are not

going to “get better” or “be ok” until you

first admit that things may not be alright at

all. After I made the move to VA this spring,

it took me some time to admit that things

weren’t as rosy as I’d expected them to

be. There have been major challenges

that kicked me in the gut. But I’ve found

that recognizing specific areas of difficulty

helps me begin to address those issues. This

has been so freeing and is the catalyst for

real growth! Be honest with yourself in

change. Lay your cards on the table and

know what you have to work with. Call it

like it is.

When you

face

those big

learning

curves, it

is important to find someone to process

with. My big sister has played this role in my

life many times. Because she has walked

through many of the changes I am facing,

she can offer helpful input and a

compassionate listening ear. Her

perspectives are valuable to me because

they are based on experience and not

cliché platitudes. As you confront

uncomfortable changes, verbalize your

19

Enjoy the ride!

questions and feelings to others. Often,

simply talking out loud with a good friend

helps bring clarity. God made us to need

others, so don’t try to do wade through life

alone. Find a mentor who can offer

sensitivity, honesty, and advice and invite

her to share in your journey.

A few months

ago, some

friends and I strapped ourselves into a

gigantic roller coaster and began the

terrifying ascent to the top where we

would be plunged 305 feet toward earth

at speeds of over 70 mph. White-knuckled

hardly begins to describe the grip of my

fists on the lap bar as we neared the

moment when the bottom would fall out

and the dizzying drop would suck all the

breath from already-choking lungs. “Put

your hands up!” The others were saying.

“No!!” I screamed back, my hands locking

even tighter. Even securely lashed into a

seat designed for utmost safety, on a ride

that had safely carried thousands of others

before me, there was no way I was letting

go! Life is like this sometimes. Change pulls

us from what is familiar and into the

unknown. We feel out of control and we

know the big drop is going to be scary so

we hold on as tight as we can. Somehow

the bigness of God’s love and protection

doesn’t seem like enough to warrant the

release of my white-knuckle grip on the

situation.

Holding on for dear life on a rollercoaster

creates a false sense of security—what’s

going to happen on that 305 foot drop is

going to happen whether or not my hands

are glued to the seat. In the belly-dropping

changes of life, fighting for control may

give the same feeling of security. However,

in the long run, doing so actually keeps us

from experiencing the joy and abandon of

a life surrendered to Jesus. We are safe

with Him, even when it feels like everything

20

Remember

the purpose.

is spinning out of control. Relaxing in His

hand is hard, but possible, and brings true

rest. Don’t allow fear to distract you from

the beauty of what God has prepared for

you right now. He has something wonderful

to show you about Himself even in the

difficult changes.

Life, like the roller-coaster experience, is

better when you relax in the seat, throw

your arms in the air, and lean into the

adventure [ahem! a feat I did not achieve

on the death-defying Intimidator of terror].

As you face the unknown, trust in Jesus—it

will free you to enjoy aspects of your

journey you would miss otherwise. Notice

what is happening in the peripheral; you

may discover marvelous beauty. Once as I

complained about a stressful situation, my

boyfriend encouraged me in his to-the-

point way to remember that life is

beautiful. It was good advice for me in a

moment when I had let anxiety distract me

from the gifts God had prepared in that

unique situation. I encourage you to learn

with me to embrace the ride, confident

that God is in control. What a thrill of joy is

possible when we no longer have to be in

control, but can simply rest in His hand,

knowing that our end is secure.

What is the

ultimate

purpose of

change? The

Christian writer Sinclair Ferguson

summarizes it well: “Scripture speaks about

God working everything together ‘for the

good’ of those who love him (Rom. 8:28).

But what is this ‘good’? It consists of

believers being conformed (changed and

remade) to the image of Christ. Thus, all

the experiences of life are intended, under

the sovereign hand of God, to help us to

grow towards the great goal of the

Christian life—Christ-likeness.”

Whatever big or small transitions you find

yourself in, remember that they come to

you through the hands of our loving Father.

Look hard to see what Spirit-fruit He is

seeking to fashion in you. Embrace change

humbly as an instrument by which He is

revealing glimpses of His character and

molding your own to match. There is rest

and joy in such surrender.

My own journey continues and I have

much to learn. But I believe that change is

a healthy part of life, intended for our

growth. Without our willing participation in

the process, life becomes stagnant. My

personal challenge is to embrace change

with a heart of faith, believing that God

has plans in it—to change me and to

touch the world through me. I look forward

to experiencing the richness and joy that

comes from each new stage I encounter

and pray that you experience the same. |

Thus, all the

experiences of life

are intended, under

the sovereign hand

of God, to help us to

grow towards the

great goal of the

Christian life—

Christ-likeness.

21

There was once a

young woman who

liked to play Candy

Crush. She spent

much of her time and

energy trying to

calculate the right

combination of the

sweet confections so

that she could move

up to the next

level. Surely this time

will be different she'd

say as she started

each new round. On

and on she would

work trying different

strategies, calculating

her turns that slowly

ran out until she heard

the familiar music and

was defeated. This

game intended to

bring relaxation now

became a stressor

unto its' own

accord. Yet onwards,

she would play, the

familiar sound of the

divine crunch bringing

her another wave of

optimism that perhaps

this time would be

different; This time if

she worked hard

enough and did

exactly the right

moves then she would

conquer and be good

enough to move to

the next level, only to

struggle again.

Yay I say unto you,

such is life without

Christ and His

Mercy. Let Him who

have ears hear. |

with tina

Tina Newson is a licensed mental health counselor, having obtained her BS in social work from Florida International

University; an MA in Psychology from Trinity International University, and a Doctorate from the school of hard knocks.

She is a Certified Addiction professional and licensed mental health therapist. Tina has over 25 years of experience

working with addicts, mental health patients, the developmentally disabled, Geriatric patients, children, and grad

and undergrad students. She believes life is meant to be an adventure, lived with passion and flexibility and she

strives to live it as such. Tina loves book studies, sunsets [especially over FL beaches], the smell of coffee,

connecting with friends, and stepping out of her comfort zone for the sake of the adventure. Cystic Fibrosis has

been a channel through which God has given her glimpses of His sovereignty and taught her what it means to

embrace each moment as a gift. She is loved by many, mother of 2, wife of 1 and lives in Southeast TN.

By Beth Slabaugh

23

SC

RIP

TED

BY

24

Picture this scene with me…there is a

beautiful young lady, enraptured in the

love of her Lord, faithfully active in His

service. She loves what she is doing, but

deep inside, there is an ache of longing; a

longing to belong to someone, to be a

part of something greater than her own

‘adventure’. She lives with joy, content

with the life God has given her and daily

surrenders her ache to Him.

One day God says to a young man:

“Awake, Adam!” And the dance of

romance begins. (Proverbs 30:18-19)

We, as women have all shed tears over a

beautiful love story. It is our hearts

speaking…awaking desires placed there

by our Creator Himself. God is the Author

of the Greatest Love Story and the Author

of every beautiful love story since. Every

story scripted by the Author of Romance

gives us a tiny, tangible picture of His

Greater Story.

God created men to display His strength,

to bear His honor. A man bearing the

image of Christ commands respect. He

protects, he provides, and he is a warrior.

God created women to display His glory,

His beauty. A woman at rest, secure in

who she is in Christ, reveals the gentle,

nurturing aspect of Christ’s image.

The complete picture of Christ is found in

the Oneness of marriage. (This is not to say

that as a single you are not complete. We

all need to find our completeness first in

Christ.)

As John and Stasi Eldredge write in

Captivating, “Femininity is what arouses his

masculinity. His strength is what makes a

woman yearn to be beautiful…It’s that

simple, that mysterious, and that incredibly

profound. The beauty of a woman is what

arouses the strength of a man.” (154)

My own personal journey of allowing God

to script my love story began as a little girl.

From very young, I dreamed of being

involved in overseas missions, but alongside

of my beloved man. I longed to be the

help meet and to be a mother as well. As

the years stretched on and I sought God’s

leading in my life, He gave me many

Experience the

of a Godwritten

25

opportunities for serving and growing. I

was loving life! However, many times the

ache of longing brought me to my knees

as I surrendered my desires to the Lord. At

times I felt that God spoke the verses to

me…”Ask, and it shall be given you...” So, I

asked, and I waited…and I pursued my

Lord, and threw myself into serving Him!

The day came when my Dad shared with

me about a phone call he received from a

certain young man desiring courtship.

When he said his name, my heart leapt

with joy as peace flooded me. We had

met in Thailand at the Institute for Global

Opportunities. Lavon was the men’s dean

and having watched his leadership the

previous year, I knew that he was the man

that I wanted to follow. I did take time to

pray and to seek counsel, but that steady

peace and joy never left me and thus

began our together story!

You as a woman are created with a

beautiful treasure that is to be guarded

carefully and unwrapped with care. The

journey of courtship is a time where trust is

built. This foundation of trust is built to last a

lifetime. The way that your man pursues

and helps guard your treasure during

courtship are keys to how he will continue

to treasure you for a lifetime.

Dear daughters of God, how will you guard

the treasure of your heart and body,

allowing the rose to blossom ever so slowly

during courtship? We’ve all heard the

term: “play hard to get”. I don’t agree with

that term, but something of the

principle in it. There is something very

beautiful and attractive about the mystery

of a woman that draws a man and keeps

him attracted. This mystery is a piece of

how the woman reflects the character of

God. If a woman loses her mystery, she

has lost something very beautiful indeed.

Your heart and who you are as a woman is

a mystery. Don’t give it all away at one

time!

Allow your prince to pursue the treasure of

26

your heart. First, there will be a spiritual

connection. As sons and daughters of

God, your spirits will connect and be

drawn together in worship. Enjoy this

phase and then allow the soul connection

to happen gradually as he leads. You will

learn each other’s likes and dislikes,

hobbies, spiritual gifts, unique

personalities and love languages. Over

time, your stories will come out and you will

give bits and pieces of your heart.

Savor this time and delight in each step!

Save sharing the deepest parts of who you

are for the level of commitment you have

with each other. Lastly is physical

connection which is in perspective of the

level of commitment. Whether you as a

couple choose a hands off relationship or

to have appropriate physical touch, the

key is to guard your heart with all diligence

and have wide open communication with

your parents, mentors, and each other.

Boundaries in place are the key to a

healthy relationship.

Keep this in perspective always: Pleasing

Christ and having NO REGRETS!

Some keys in our relationship that helped

me to guard my heart and allow the

blossom of love to open slowly.

#1: Keeping Christ as our Center. (pursuing

relationship with Christ as individuals and

together).

#2: Parental blessing and communication.

Even if you haven’t had the most open,

caring relationship with your Father, this is a

time when you can show respect to your

Dad in being open with him. You need

your father’s counsel in this transition

period. It’s a good place to start practicing

in being able to respect and honor your

future husband! If your Dad has your heart,

Every story scripted by the

Author of romance

27

of His Greater Story. gives us a tangible picture

you are very blessed indeed and he is still

your protector until the day that you

commit your heart fully to your husband

and your Dad gives you away.

#3: Staying accountable. If you don’t

have a mentor, choose a mature, Godly

married woman with whom you can

openly share your heart and be free to ask

questions. It all feels so new and it is new

for you! But, many have walked the road

before us and have valuable insights to

share. One thing we did was to choose a

couple who we observed to have a

beautiful, healthy marriage, and asked

them to mentor us as a couple. This was

very helpful and healthy in guiding our

relationship. They helped us with

communication by asking insightful

questions about our relationship and about

topics that we hadn’t know when the right

time was to discuss them.

Be the initiator sometimes! Men are to be

the initiators but some spontaneity in a

relationship is a way that you can bless

him. Send him a card, make a surprise visit,

or call him at an unexpected time. Be

creative!

Save the special things for when they will

be the most precious…there is no rush! For

us, it was waiting till after engagement to

say “I Love You!” and to hold hands. We

waited till after our “I Do’s” for our 1st kiss

and real hug. Waiting to talk about the

most intimate things until within the

sacredness of marriage. Every story is

different…you as a couple need to choose

these things…but in today’s world of quick,

“do what feel’s good” mentality, I ask you

to carefully contemplate your choices!

Love is sacred…beautiful…a gift from

above. When you view everything along

the journey as a gift from your 1st Lover,

and delight in the treasure of today, you

won’t want to rush tomorrow’s treasures. A

quote by Amy Carmichael, one of my

heroes: “It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill

the desires which He creates…” May God

grant each one of you a beautiful, love

story scripted by Himself! |

About the Author

I am Beth Slabaugh, pictured

with the love of my life, Lavon.

He is my best friend and

teaches me daily about what

true love is all about. I have a

learner’s heart and desire to grow in my love

relationship with Jesus Christ and His call on my

life to be my husband’s help meet. I love Jesus,

Lavon, children, and people in general! The

people of Mae Sot, Thailand have especially

stolen pieces of my heart. I feel deeply when

people are hurting, especially children. My life

goal is to be a joy-giver and invite others to trust

in the One who first loved us! Some material

things that are touches of God’s love to me are

butterflies, flowing water, flowers, sunsets, and

piano music. Oh, and I like coffee shops,

especially in Thailand.

28

I was wrestling long and hard with the effects

of death. And not only death, but the wheel of

ways people attempt to make peace with it.

Especially grueling to me are the platitudes

about God knowing best and us being at total

peace with what happened as though it isn’t

holy to feel that death is invasive and part of

the fall. Yet how can the cruelty of death be

reconciled with the fact that, because of

Jesus, death is no longer hopeless, horrible

finality?

Against the backdrop of grief and turmoil, I

took an assigned day of solitude. Part of the

assignment was to read Romans 8. I sat in the

library of Allegheny College, tearfully feeling

God meet me and my questions through Paul’s

words. I have always found this chapter

profound, but this was the first time that I read

it in regards to addressing death.

In this chapter, Paul opens with a larger

perspective of death: more fearful than

physical death is the law of sin and death

which controls those who are carnally minded

(vv. 1, 6). He builds increasing contrast

between those in whom the Spirit or

flesh/sin/carnality dwell. Then, Paul slowly

infuses the harsh reality of life with the hope

Jesus brings for those in whom

God’s Spirits dwells. To summarize and

paraphrase this section: the same Spirit who

raised Christ from the dead will quicken your

mortal bodies. It’s the Spirit of adoption by

which we become sons of God. Paul then

masterfully delves into the tension between

hope through the partial redemption that

Jesus brought to death and agony of deferred

full redemption. At that time, it felt as though

this was release to feel the wrongness and

unnaturalness of death. “For we know that the

whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain

together until now. And not only they, but

ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the

Spirit, even we ourselves groan within

ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the

redemption of our body (vv. 22-34).”

So if there are no complete answers yet,

instead the waiting like the pain of childbirth,

what keeps us going? The rest of the chapter

talks about hope, love, and the physical,

tangible testimony of God’s love by giving His

Son for humanity.

This chapter is too packed and interwoven to

write in full here. Read it sometime. It has

helped me to embrace the honesty and

confusion of only partially seeing and

experiencing now while waiting with hope that

one day I and all creation will fully know

redemption. |

By Marlene Stoltzfus

29

See what kind of love the Father has given

to us, that we should be called children of

God; and so we are. The reason why the

world does not know us is that it did not know

him. Beloved, we are God's children now,

and what we will be has not yet appeared;

but we know that when he appears we shall

be like him, because we shall see him as he is. [I Jn. 3:1, 2]

Pearl of Promise

30

By Kristi Witmer

31

Face

of Pain

in the

32

It was a crisp, sunshiny November day in

the Colorado countryside where our family

eagerly awaited my brother’s wedding. It

began with quiet moments with God and

chatter with the family in the small living

room of the downstairs apartment where

we were staying. We ate a yummy

breakfast, cooked by my mother, and

made plans for the day. It was happy and

innocent and full of excited anticipation

for the week ahead of us.

“Seek to please me above all else. As you

journey through today, there will be many

choice-points along your way….” read the

devotional for that day (taken from Sarah

Young’s, Jesus Calling).

Jesus, help me to live this way today. Help

me to continually choose You at each

point I come to.

“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I

use it for finishing the work assigned me by

the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others

the Good News about the wonderful

grace of God.” These were the words I

highlighted that very morning in my Bible. I

sat there pondering the heaviness of those

words, the passion with which they were

stated.

Then we set out across the Colorado

countryside, the three of us in our van—

Mom, my brother and I—to make the

fifteen-minute drive into town to meet up

with Dad and brother.

Little did I know how much that fifteen-

minute drive would completely change my

life and the direction I thought I was

headed in this journey.

I do not remember most of the drive, and

the details of the events that followed are

recorded as a large blank spot in my

memory, with faint glimpses of medics,

anguish, and tears. For that drive cruelly

brought an end to my mother’s life as our

minivan met the metal of a vehicle larger

than itself, crushing the bones and heart of

her body.

As the day went on and I tried to wrap my

injured brain around what had happened,

the only question I did not ask more than

once was where my beautiful mother was.

My mother had died. This information was

far too big, the pain too immense, for even

a struggling memory to forget.

And just like that, in a matter of several

seconds, I was thrust into a lifelong journey

I did not ask for. I had no choice in it; I

would not choose it if I could. It is a journey

of tears, of raw grief and continual pain. It

is a journey of learning, at age 20, how to

live again; a journey of finding God in the

broken places; of walking into deep dark

“Seek to please me above all else. As you

journey through today, there will be many

choice-points along your way…”

33

valleys and crevices in order to discover

the light and life of God.

I wish I could say that walking this journey

of pain has brought about more clarity

and answers to my questions of life. I wish

that for the next ten paragraphs I could

write a ten-step list of “How to Handle Pain

and Grief.” Unfortunately, that is not how it

is, and I do not expect it ever will be that

way. In fact, the longer it goes, the more

questions it seems I have.

Why God? What were You thinking? What

could Your purpose be in this? Are You sure

this is the journey You meant for us to walk?

Because, You know, You are God, so

maybe You could just go back and redo

that detail.

Yet, amid my many questions, I can know

for sure Who God has been to me in it all

and how He is leading me on this journey

of much falling down, of struggling to get

up, and of remembering Who the Strong

One is and who I am to Him. It is a journey

of believing truth, preaching it to myself

when I cannot believe it, and worshipping

God in it all.

“Truth” and “worship” are two words that

have become incredibly real to me. They

are two “lifelines”, I guess you could say, to

which I cling, and are intertwined in so

much of life. Focusing on truth leads my

heart to worship. Worshiping Christ for who

He is and all He has done for me, reminds

me of what I have experienced in the past

and know to be true.

I have come to realize just how much

Satan attacks truth and my worship in

desperation to draw me away from Jesus.

He combats truth with lies and shoots

down worship with ingratitude and despair.

When things do not make sense, and my

It is a journey of

believing

truth, preaching it to myself

when I cannot believe it, and

worshipping

God in it all.

34

This is Who God is to me.

Daily, hourly, moment by

moment, He grasps my flailing

hand in His and gives me what I

need to live each day.

35

mind tries to sort through all the pieces and

put them together in a logical way that fits

my understanding, I find the need to run to

the truth of God’s word and claim the

promises for myself; continually reminding

myself of truth, preaching it to myself.

Ocean waves and ripples would be a

pretty good description for life right now

and it amazes me how easy it is to sing

praises and trust God’s strength when I feel

strong. Yet, the Christian life has very little

to do with my emotions and how I feel,

and everything to do with the One who

gives me life and every breath I breathe.

What about the times when I am incredibly

weak and the feelings are far from praise?

Or when looking at my future is like looking

at a death-sentence because life seems so

daunting and I feel so weak that it is hard

to believe I could possibly step forward

and still survive? There are meals to cook, a

large house to clean, and appointments to

remember. Not to mention the deeper

things such as decisions to make, family to

care for, grief to process, and no mother to

help me do this! How can I begin to dream

about the future when I barely feel the

strength to process the here and now?

Well-meaning friends quote verses,

encouraging me to simply cast my burdens

on the Lord, and He will take them, and I

will feel so much better. What if I do not

even have the strength to cast my

burdens? Who says that what is right for this

journey is to fix the problem and be freed

from the pain? What if the power of what

God has to show me is only found in

walking this journey, step by agonizing

step?

Think truth, Kristi.

God reminds me Who He is: In Psalm 37:23,

David says that “The steps of a man are

established by the Lord and He delights in

his way. When He falls, He will not be hurled

headlong because the LORD is the one

Who holds His hand.” I get the picture of a

father and his child walking along a rutted,

dirty path. The child tries his best to step

over the big ruts and potholes, but often

catches his foot and nearly falls. Yet,

because the father is grasping the child’s

outstretched hand, strongly, gently, lifting

him over the potholes, the small one is not

thrown head over heels into the ditch. His

hand is tightly grasping the hand of his

father’s; the weight of his body is fully

dependent on the strength of his father’s

arm.

This is Who God is to me. Daily, hourly,

moment by moment, He grasps my flailing

hand in His and gives me what I need to

live each day. When I do not have the

strength to cast my burdens on Him, He

comes beside me, girds me up, and helps

me to carry the load. It is in my weakness

that His power is perfected.

As I surround myself with truth, my focus is

shifted off of all that does not make sense

and on to Jesus, Who is Truth, Who is Love,

and Who is so intimately involved in the

details of my life. He delights in my way (Ps.

37:23), and even though my journey looks

different from what I ever would have

imagined, He still has not forsaken me.

Even though my life sometimes feels rather

devastated and totaled, His plans are still

to prosper, and are still for good and not

for evil (Jer. 29:11). Even though the sting of

death feels so strong, God is still stronger,

the victory is still His.

36

Knowing these truths helps me to stand up

with Job and sing “the Lord giveth and the

Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the

Lord.” The only place where the deepest

needs of our hearts will be met is in the

place of worship before God. It is a

worship that is not found according to my

circumstances and surroundings, but by

being loved and surrounded by a God

who is in control and who is worthy of every

breath I breathe. |

About the Author

I live with my family in the big city of Los Angeles, California. God continues to show me

how much He loves me and each person He created. Therefore, I love being

anywhere that includes rubbing shoulders with others and making relationships with

people--particularly those who don't know Him or His love yet. Currently, I am getting

ready to begin my first year of nursing school--a dream come true, and something I

hope to use to help those around me and glorify God! In my spare time I love making

music, reading, writing, or being outdoors! I'm simply a follower of Jesus, continually

learning about what it really means to walk in His steps and be a true disciple of His.

37

{the

qual

ity o

f bei

ng th

ankf

ul}

Whatever you do work

heartily, as for the lord

and not for men, knowing

that from the Lord you will

receive the inheritance as

your reward. You are

serving the Lord Christ.

Col. 3:23-24

It’s when I get lost I the day’s

details, or so caught up in

worries about what might be,

that I miss the beauty of

what is.

Karina Kenison

{to a

ccep

t will

ingl

y}

In the sweetness of

friendship let there be

laughter and sharing of

pleasures. For in the dew

of little things the heart

finds its morning and is

refreshed. Khalil Gibran

Oh ordinary day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me not pass you by in quest of some

rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me grateful while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall fall

upon my knees, or bury my face in the pillo1, or lie among the sick, or raise my hands to the sky and

want, more than all the world, your return. Mary Jean Iron

embracingtheordinaryday

“What day is it?” asked Pooh.

“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.

“My favorite day.” Said Pooh.

Write it on

your heart

that every

day is the

best day in

the year.

Ralph Waldo

Emerson

38

The

Long

Way

By

Rae

Sch

rock

39

Has it ever felt like God is taking you on a

detour? Perhaps you were headed full-

steam toward a goal, when suddenly, out

of nowhere, everything changed. Detours

in life happen all the time, some relatively

minor—like having to adjust one’s schedule

for a last-minute appointment. Others are

catastrophic.

We organize our lives with certain goals

and expectations in mind. Our plans and

moves are chosen based on what we

want or expect to happen next. It can be

quite a shock, then, when we suddenly

experience the de-railing of our plans.

Sometimes the easy road we had mapped

out suddenly turns into a hazardous

pathway adding many more miles to the

journey: a loved one dies suddenly. A

precious child walks away from God. You

face financial crisis. A marriage that stood

for years is torn apart by unfaithfulness.

Serious illness sets in suddenly. Events like

these shake our world. We feel helpless,

frightened and maybe even abandoned,

like a little girl who is lost in a terrifying world

of uncertainty and change.

How do we make sense of the detours that

take us far from our dreams? Does God

know what He is doing? You and I have

both asked this question as we experience

the disappointments of this life. I know the

heartache of abrupt loss and unfulfilled

dreams and have wondered many times if

God really does know what He is doing.

Last year, a very special phrase in Exodus

helped me to get a better glimpse of why

God sometimes does lead us the “long

way around”. Perhaps it will encourage

you as it has me.

h making

sense of

life’s hard

detours.

40

In Exodus 13, we are told that when

Pharaoh finally relented and released the

Israelites, God did not lead them out

through the way of the Philistines, even

though it would have been the fastest

route. Instead, He took them through the

desert—a detour. I had never noticed this

detail but it leaped up at me. Why

wouldn’t God take the Israelites on the

fastest route, through Philistine territory? It

would have trimmed hundreds of miles off

their trek to Canaan—wasn’t the goal to

just get there after all those generations of

slavery? Why take the long way?

In the middle of verse 17, we read why.

God took His children the long way around

“lest the people change their minds when

they see war and return to Egypt.”

This simple explanation hit me with eye-

opening force, bringing simultaneous

comfort and clarity: God knew exactly

what His children would face if they

crossed into barbaric Philistine territory and

He knew that they would not be able to

handle it! It would terrify and destroy them.

The people who had lived in bondage for

so long had no strength to face the horrors

of war; they were weak and vulnerable.

They needed time to grow strong in their

faith and experience God as their

Defender. They had to go through the

desert.

The more I ponder this small detail from the

Exodus story, the more I am convinced it

was mercy that caused the Lord to lead

His children the long way around. It was His

protection and kindness that took them

the way that would build in them a deep

tenacity, patience, and faith.

My perspective of the seemingly senseless

detours I have experienced has also

changed. Think with me of some of those

you have faced—like when the perfect job

fell through; the doors closed to the ministry

you were certain God was leading you

into; the need you have prayed about for

months has not yet been met; the longings

for marriage remain unfulfilled. Could it be

that the when the Lord takes us a way we

don’t expect, it is, in some sovereign way,

His mercy? Oh how painful the detours can

be; how they test our patience! And yet,

maybe, just maybe, they are extended by

the loving hand of a Gracious Father who

knows just what we need and what our

faith can stand. He knows our frailties and

vulnerabilities and how to develop resilient

faith within us. Can we dare to believe that

the detours we face are tokens of His love,

weaving into us tenacity and rest as we

come to trust Him for all our needs? I

believe they are. Our loving Father does

not take us through the desert to punish us

or take away the things we long for. No, He

moves us into the paths of righteousness,

for His own name’s sake; the way that will

fashion us into a purer reflection of Christ

Himself. There is deep joy, even mingled in

the pain of the desert-journey.

When God calls us to the desert, He does

not send us out alone. He journeys with us!

Of the Israelites, Scripture tells us, “God led

them through the way of the desert.”

God led them. What an amazing reality!

We often mistakenly think of the Israelites

as wandering in the desert. In fact, this

terminology is used only twice in the

Exodus account. The rest of the time, the

Scriptures record that “God led” His

41

people. He did not leave them to stumble

blindly through the desert.

He didn’t occasionally step in to nudge

them in the direction of Canaan. No, the

Lord guided them with a visible presence

that went with them constantly. As you

face your own wilderness journeys, take

comfort in knowing that His presence

enfolds you too. If you are called to the

desert, one thing that will never waver is

that God is leading you. There is a purpose

in your detours and He walks with you, His

presence bringing an inner cooling and

warming as you tread the difficult places.

He may lead

you away from

your dreams

for a season,

but only that He

may fulfill them

more fully in the

. end

42

Taking the long

way around was

necessary to

remove Egypt

from their hearts

and carve out a

place for Canaan.

God’s presence in the Israelite camp

provided literal respite from the brutalities

of the desert—cooling shade during the

day, and protective warmth at night. For

us, His shade and warming is spiritual—a

soul-respite from the trial. I especially love

the idea of the Lord being our shade—a

description of God found multiple times in

the Psalms. How close does a friend have

to stand to block the glare of the sun?

Right by our side! The feelings of rest,

comfort, and peace we experience in

difficult times are the “shade” of our loving

Father, who is walking at our side. Often His

shade comes in very tangible ways, for

even the most tedious trials are

punctuated by moments of relief—an

unexpected word of encouragement, a

breakthrough in the struggle, a moment of

unrestrained laughter.

As you walk, look for evidences of the

Lord’s presence. In my own life, the Spirit-

shade has often come in the form of

beauty; lovely things bring joy and serenity

to the difficulties. This past year, moving to

Virginia brought many unexpected

changes and my heart has craved to

touch beauty. Often, I escape to the

outdoors, meandering long through the

woods and fields, steeping my soul in the

colors and sounds and smells of nature.

I’ve found that creating beauty also brings

rest—painting, planting flowers, writing, or

playing my guitar are all things that calm

my heart and refresh me before I return to

the hard things that need to be done.

Realize that God’s shade takes different

forms, but be diligent to search for it. The

respite found in His presence will

strengthen you for long days of hiking.

43

h

Finally, remember that your story is still

being written. We have the advantage of

knowing the Israelites’ story, beginning to

end and it gives us hope. We can see how

their journey led to incredible spiritual

awakening, miracles and redemption. Had

they taken the “way that was near”, some

of the most dynamic revelations of God’s

character would be missing from history.

Even more meaningful to our journeys

today is the realization that Canaan was

not just a place where the Israelites’

journey ended. It was a place the Lord

wanted to infuse in His people

along the way. Taking the long

way around was necessary to

gently remove Egypt from their

hearts and carve out a place for

Canaan. God’s purpose is the

same for us today.

We sojourn without the benefit of knowing

how the details of this earthly journey will

unfold. But we do know that the end is

secure—and the Promised Land is in sight!

Walking with God through the desert, our

hearts fill with a yearning for deeper

intimacy with Him. The things of earth grow

dim, and the anticipation of the eternal

grows strong, filling in the spaces the desert

has carved out within us. Though you may

not see it all now, the desert is softening

you and removing the bondage of self-

preservation, pride, and doubt from your

heart. In its place, Jesus is kneading in

humility, surrender, and patience. Lay

down fear and rest in His kind hand. He

may lead you away from your dreams for

a season, but only that He may fulfill them

more fully in the end and at the appointed

time, you will emerge from the desert

strong in Christ.

We all have to walk hard roads

sometimes—maybe roads so difficult that

we feel we will not make it

through. But hold on to Jesus

and don’t waver your gaze from

Him. The long way around is not

a senseless detour, but a time of

drawing deeper into His arms.

What Spirit-fruit is the Lord

weaving into you through your

trial? Follow Him with eyes wide open for

the miracles He is doing every day within

your heart. Your faith will grow as you

glimpse His power and provision. Keep

hiking, sisters. The desert is hard and often

painful, but it does not last forever. Jesus

walks with you and is leading you away

from your Egypt that He may carve out a

place within you large enough to contain

all the glory of Canaan. |

44

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE MODEST? IS IT JUST AN ISSUE OF DRESS OR IS THERE

MORE TO THE STORY? CAN A WOMAN BE CLOTHED APPROPRIATELY BUT PORTRAY

AN IMMODEST HEART? READ AS BRITTANY SHARES PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND

SPIRITUAL WISDOM FOR CLOTHING MORE THAN JUST OUR BODIES, BUT ALSO OUR

LIVES WITH BEAUTY, FEMININITY, AND GODLINESS.

MODESTY. It’s a concept that invokes

many different reactions and at times,

confusion. Just what exactly is modesty? Is

it making sure every square of inch of skin is

covered? Does it mean buying baggy,

ugly clothes lest, heaven forbid, some

curves are visible?

While at times these particular aspects

may factor into our lives, they are not the

complete story. As women of God, we

should desire to cover ourselves outwardly

for several reasons. First and foremost, our

bodies are the temple of God. Putting our

bodies on display for the world to see

cheapens the holiness of how God

designed us. He created us to be the

dwelling place of His Spirit and our hearts

to be His throne room. Dressing in a chaste

manner brings beauty to that temple.

Secondly, choosing to dress modestly

protects our brothers in Christ. There are

plenty of examples of blatant immodesty in

the world. Our men should not have to

struggle because a sister in Christ chose to

clothe herself in a sensual manner.

Thirdly, choosing a modest wardrobe is just

plain lady-like! There is something special

about a woman who dresses in a genteel

fashion. People appreciate feminine

modesty much more then we may realize.

One time I met someone at the grocery

store who commented on my skirt and

expressed how they appreciated the way I

dressed.

Now, I can already hear some of you say,

“But wait a minute! Men just need to pull

their minds out of the gutter and get over

it. I want to dress the way I want to.” Trust

me, I understand where you’re coming

45

from. Once upon a time I felt somewhat

resentful that the subject of modesty

landed solely on the women’s shoulders

and that it was our fault if a man stumbled.

After all, we can’t please everyone. We

might as well wear a box so that

everything is hidden.

My outlook on modesty has changed as I

have gotten older and hopefully have

gained some wisdom. Yes, we as women

should do what we can to present our

outward parts as modestly as possible for

the reasons already listed. However, I have

learned that modesty is not just an issue of

covering our bodies, but also protecting

our actions and words. A woman may be

covered on the outside, but attention-

seeking actions and cynical words do not

convey modesty to the people around her.

We should guard our actions and protect

our speech.

I realize that God has blessed some of you

with personalities that tend to lean towards

a more boisterous, fun-loving perspective.

There is nothing wrong with that. God

created you that way for a reason. You

don’t have to force yourself to be a meek,

quiet woman because doing that simply

will not work. It was not how you were

designed. Rather than trying to be

someone you are not, try instead to

temper your actions. If you know that you

can be somewhat noisy in a group of

people, simply be aware of that fact and

do what you can to control it. Loud,

rambunctious conversation, while having

its place in some situations, should not be

the norm for a modest woman.

I have a strong personality that loves

sarcastic humor and I’m not afraid to dish it

out to people. However, I realize that

while having that particular characteristic

is not a bad thing, it can be immodest if I

am not careful. There is a time and place

for that type of joking, and I am learning to

temper it to the right situation.

Because modesty is a heart issue, we need

to be aware of how our words sound to

others. Negative emotions we feel inside

very often manifests itself in ugly words. A

modest woman is careful with how she

expresses herself. Harsh criticisms and

gossip are not attractive and lady-like to

anyone.

In case I haven’t made myself clear,

modesty is not only about our outward

46

It was the last play of an important game.

Down by three points, the game was on the

line. Number twenty four was to catch a pass

in the end zone. There was a long throw and a

diving catch. The ref signaled ‘touchdown!’

The bench was running onto the field. The

stands were emptying. The team was running

to celebrate with number twenty four.

In baseball and football the way a ball is

‘caught’ is critically important. It can happen

two ways: if the player gets to the ball in time

and gets his hand under the ball and the ball

does not contact the ground, the ball is

‘caught’. If the player gets to the ball at the

very instant the ball contacts the ground, the

ball is ‘trapped’. A trap is not a legal catch.

Many times it is nearly impossible for the ref to

tell if the ball was caught or trapped.

Twenty four, however, was walking over to the

ref. “I trapped the ball”, twenty four told the ref.

The ref changed the call. The points came of

the scoreboard. The other team won the

game. The stunned fans took only a moment to

react. The jubilant side grew silent and sullen.

The bench and bleachers on the other side of

the field erupted in victory celebration.

Twenty four walked to his team mates and

fans. Fear gripped his heart. What had he

done?

appearance, but also the way we

conduct ourselves. Some of us have

personalities that are hard to tame. Just

because we may live life a little bit more

loudly then the more sedate ladies does

not mean that we can’t be modest. God

created us with our special characteristics

for a reason. Don’t squash your natural

ability to make everybody laugh just

because it may not be lady-like. Learn to

temper it, to be aware of how it may

affect those around you.

Let’s take joy in being women and dress for

the honor and glory of the King, not for the

people around us. Let’s strive to present

our unique personalities in ways that point

back to the One who sits in our throne

room. |

Frank Reed, friend, teacher, and

mentor, calls us to a life of integrity.

I TRAPPED THE BALL

47

What will honesty

cost you? What is

the price of

honesty? Can you

live with

yourself?

Can you face God?

The ref had called the play. They had won

the game. He was the hero. The

cheerleaders, the team, the fans….He was

a hero.

No more. No more hero. No one would

have ever known. No one would have

needed to know. From hero to scoundrel.

The stands were quiet. The locker room –

more quiet. The long ride home on the

team bus – painful. What had he done? He

had a life to live. He had a moment to

relive. He did not have time to decide. The

truth had to be told now. NOW! Tomorrow

would be too late.

He had made a choice – a choice

between loyalty and integrity. Loyalty to

the team or integrity to doing what was

right. Doing what was right, no matter the

cost. He had a life to live.

Every morning when he looked in the

mirror, he would know. At every

reminiscence of the “play” that won the

game for his whole lifetime, he would

know. When his children heard the story he

would know. On his dying day, he would

know.

Loyalty or integrity? Which will it be for

you? Why must life be so hard?

The ref must make the call.

You must live with

yourself. If you are

honest and the ref does not change the

call, you have done what you could. You

will know you did what was right.

What is most valuable to you? Winning or

integrity? Can you live with yourself?

Volleyball – the ball was in and the ref was

not looking and made a bad call. What do

you do? What about your personal life? Is

a moment’s indiscretion worth the

damage it will do? A moment of fun at the

expense of someone else? An opportunity

to make money for your company…An

opportunity to cover up the truth at your

church. No one would ever know.

What will honesty cost you? What is the

price of honesty? Can you live with

yourself? Can you face God?

NO ONE WOULD EVER KNOW.

BUT YOU.

48

{RED}

49

SIMPLE RED ACCENTS

Roses arranged in a vase

A throw blanket on the couch

Red covered cookbooks stacked

on the kitchen counter

A bowl of fresh apples

Paint the front door red

An area rug

Red

is a vibrant, energetic color that

grabs our attention. As one of the

more emotionally acute colors in the spectrum, red is

known to incrase blood pressure and helps spur the

adrenal glands, thus encouraging strength and

stamina. It is commonly associated with emotions such

as anger, passion, and love; however it can also be the

color of courage and strength.

Excess exposure to this color can produce stress and perhaps

frustration; therefore use red sparingly when doing interior decorating.

Use it as an accent color instead of making it the focal point. Throw

some energy into your life by using one of these simple décor ideas:

Eating red fruits and veggies can help

boost our systems by providing powerful

antioxidants. Cherries, whether

fresh or dried, are great source of

fiber because of their skin. They

also provide Vitamin C and

Potassium. Tomatoes are

heart healthy as they also

provide Vitamin C and Potassium.

Grapefruits are a

good source of

pectim, which can

help lower cholesterol.

When choosing

grapefruit, go with pink or

red, as these varieties have

higher levels of lycopene. Lycopene can help reduce

the risk of various cancers as well as heart disease.

Red, whether light or dark, adds zest to ordinary

color palettes. Perk up your day with something red and

see if it doesn’t make things seem just a little more

energetic!

Meet Shari featured

blogger

About Shari Zook

“I don’t have much to post on this page, because most of what I say about myself is

probably propaganda and you should think before you swallow. Some is purposely slanted;

some is innocently biased; none of it is documented. I am not wise enough to see myself

accurately.

Here are the most basic facts I can think of.

My name is Shari Zook.

I am married to a handsome and compelling man named Ryan. (See? The bias comes out

already. But what I say is true nonetheless!) Here on my blog he goes by The Boss, or Not the

Boss, depending on the month.

We have three beloved, infuriating children: Aarick (7), Regan (5), and Kelly (2).

We love Jesus.

We live in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and attend Meadville Mennonite Chapel.”

Click to visit Shari’s blog: http://shari.zooks.us

51

Did you know that I can hear what

plants are saying?

This is one reason why I hate

weeding (besides the fact that it is

hard work): it feels cruel and unfair. I

hate the sight of all those babies

gasping and shriveling in the sun.

When I prune I have to steel myself

against the protest. Once when

Ryan chopped off a big wild

grapevine, the sight of that gaping,

dripping stump was dreadful to me,

like someone bleeding.

The other day I was out in my garden

picking green beans. As I

pulled the long straight pods, I was

sure (quite sure) I heard the plants

sighing with relief.

Left alone, the beans would turn fat

and woody, aging idly, sapping

strength, corking the usefulness and

life span of the plant. Removed, they

cleared the way for fresh energy to

surge into the blossoms and new

beans coming on. The plant found it

was still young. Productivity endured.

They were delighted to give; I was

delighted to receive.

I thought to myself—this is how I

should think of good deeds.

Be kindly affectioned one to another

with brotherly love… not slothful in

business; fervent in spirit; serving the

Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in

tribulation; continuing instant in

prayer; distributing to the necessity

of saints; given to hospitality.

(Romans 12:10-13)

Sometimes I get exhausted with my

works, as though I have to produce

enough of them to stretch around to

the needs of all. Instead, I should be

Green Beans and &

Posted on July 30, 2013

52

producing them because that is

what I do—fueled by internal design,

not external pressure. I am a bean

plant. I make beans. And when

someone comes along and picks

them to enjoy, I can release them

with a sigh of relief.

Whew. Thanks for taking that. I

needed to cook a good meal for

someone.

Ahh. Lovely. Thanks for giving me an

opportunity to

babysit. I’ve

been growing

that one quite

a while.

Mmmmm. It

feels good to

stop in and visit

you. I hope you

are feeling

better soon…

Thank you for

letting me throw you a party! Now I

can start cooking up the next one.

If you’re feeling useless and stuffed

up, clear out some of the overripe

projects, the things you’ve been

meaning to do for others for a long

time—or you’ll soon find you have

stopped concocting the fresh.

And a little nontraditional advice, if I

may–

Don’t get too bogged down

examining your motives: you usually

have several. If you can get them

about 80% pure, just go with it,

trusting to Jesus to iron out the rest.

“Am I just doing it to make myself

look good?” is not the end of the

road you may think. For women who

claim to be devoted to God should

make themselves attractive by the

good things they do. (I Timothy 2:10

NLT.)

For women

who claim to

be devoted to

God should

make

themselves

attractive by

the good

things they

do. For women

who claim to

be devoted to God should make

themselves attractive by the good

things they do. For women who

claim to be devoted to God

should make themselves

attractive by the good things

they do.

*****

What do you think?

Among the Rocks

BY ROBERT BROWNING

Oh, good gigantic smile o’ the brown old earth,

This autumn morning! How he sets his bones

To bask i’ the sun, and thrusts out knees and feet

For the ripple to run over in its mirth;

Listening the while, where on the heap of stones

The white breast of the sea-lark twitters sweet.

That is the doctrine, simple, ancient, true;

Such is life’s trial, as old earth smiles and knows.

If you loved only what were worth your love,

Love were clear gain, and wholly well for you:

Make the low nature better by your throes!

Give earth yourself, go up for gain above!

Fall life through

Carmony’s lens

55

Good Life Ministries is located in

Hyderbad, India, and began in 2000

with a simple gift of $20.00, given to Sam

Gunti who is a native of India. With this

gift, Sam began a ministry formed from a

love for Jesus and a passion to reach

out to the un-reached of India! Today,

Sam and his wife, Becca, and their 3

children, continue to reach out with the

love of Jesus to the people of this needy

country. Here, Becca Gunti shares their

heart of ministry, as well as stories of

individuals they have met along the

way, and ways that you too can

become involved in the important work

in India!

Good

Life MINISTRIES

Hyderbad, India

56

As it is very tough to get into some

of the villages that are so closed to the

Gospel and with our love for children; we

felt the Lord calling us to reach out to the

children of India by starting little kids clubs

(using a coloring book which taught them

about cleanliness and later about Jesus).

Often, these clubs began under a tree or in

someone’s front or back yard or even

sitting on a rock or tree stump somewhere

in the village. The kids would love to come

and see what Sam has to share and the

parents were curious as well...but they

would stand far off at first...and little by little

get closer and closer; then they would tell

their children to come and tell Sam to

come and pray in their house for them. This

was a BIG sign that the parents were

interested to know more about Jesus!

Praise the Lord, through Kids Clubs, Good

Life Ministries has been able to start 11

churches in the different villages!

The Lord has expanded our ministry to

include many more avenues of outreach

such as:

1. Good Life Clubs

2. Good Life Schools

3. Sponsorship Program (Feeding Program)

4. Training Center (Computers, English,

Driving School)

5. Youth Ministry

6. VBS

7. Church Planting

8. Evangelistic/Revival Meetings

9. Christmas Gifts

10. Medical/Eye Camps

11. Bore Wells

12. Sewing

13. Jesus Films

14. Relief Work

15. Training Mission Workers (Good Life

Club Leaders)

16. Bible Correspondence Course

It is beyond the scope of this paper to tell

you about every aspect of the ministry, but

here are a few highlights of our work here

in India:

GLM Computer/English Training

Center Many youth who come to our Training Center

for the services we offer have a desire and

want to learn all they can to be able to earn

an income and support themselves and their

families.

57

As Sam was working in different villages,

parents and young people themselves would

ask Sam if he knew of a place where they

could take a class on computers as many jobs

require computer knowledge. Many wanted to

go somewhere but could not afford it. As Sam

realized the great interest among young

people for this kind of training he started

wondering how he could meet this need and

at the same time use it as a tool for sharing the

Gospel.

Some friends from the states offered to give a

laptop to the ministry. Sam had a thought: he

asked if they could give two desk-top

computers instead to help the youth to learn

computers. These dear friends surprised Sam

and not only gave two desktop computers but

four. Sam started out with these four computers

right in his home in 2005 and as friends told

their friends of a place where they could take

computer classes free, the need grew for more

space and more computers. Starting out we

thought we could reach around 40 young

people a year but within the past 8 years the

Lord has blessed us with over 6,000 people

coming through the doors of our Training

Center.

Presently we offer two classes, one in the

morning and one in the afternoon. We

average 60-80 students each day.

Sam initially meets with each of the students

before a new group begins classes to learn

what he can about them and how he could

best minister to them and share the Gospel.

This is different from what most students are

used to as in India as teachers do not normally

befriend them. As he shows an interest in their

lives Sam is able to speak into their hearts. Sam

requires each new group of students to attend

at least two extra classes where he will share

the Gospel message in a creative way. The

6000 or more young people who have come

through our doors in the past nine years

represent around 45 different villages coming

from various backgrounds and castes. To some

young people who are very closed to the

Gospel, this has been a way of breaking down

those barriers. Some who have come have not

only been able to find a good job but have

also “tasted and seen that the Lord is good”

and have given their lives to Him. Some have

begun attending Bible Studies.

Teaching young people Computer and English

classes has also been a source of protection

for us from the local government and leaders

58

in our community who may oppose us sharing

the Gospel. They see and appreciate our effort

of helping those in our community.

GLM Schools and Feeding Program--

Slum School

Our slum school began from our work among

the poor people in a slum area under a bridge

in the city. We initially began a Kids Club there

and as we would take our coloring books

called “Good Life Guides” into the slum we

would teach the children about personal

hygiene. We also taught them about how they

could be clean with Jesus in their hearts. Most

children who live in slums do not go to school.

They either help their parents picking up trash,

watching their younger siblings or find some

way to make a little bit of money. As we were

going into the slum on a daily basis and saw

their needs and the difference it would make

in their lives by giving them an education we

decided to start a school in the slum in 2004.

The original slum area where we first started

ministering to these children 9 years ago was

destroyed without warning in 2005. The people

were told to leave in a very short time. The new

school building we had built was knocked over

along with any other homes that were not

moved in the allotted time. The government

moved the people to a building to stay in but it

turned out to be very inadequate for the

amount of people. They did not bring them the

food they promised either. The parents called

us asking for help. That was the beginning of

our Feeding Program.

The children had been without food for a

whole day and night. The parents called us

asking for help since their children were so

hungry and they had nothing to give them. We

knew they also had not been getting

adequate nutrition in the past and so we went

quickly to a restaurant and took them some

little rice cakes and decided to continue

giving them one good meal a day at school

from that day onwards. Oh, how the children

look forward to getting a nice warm meal!

Time passed and the government did not

relocate the people as they had promised. We

eventually helped them find an area outside of

the city where they could again set up their

community of around one hundred families.

Good Life Ministries, with the help of friends,

then built another school near them in 2006

which is now known as the Slum School. (This is

also the same school onto which we built our

Boarding School in 2010.)

The present location of the Slum School has

turned out to be a blessing as it is not directly in

the slums. It is easier to teach the children

about cleanliness when there is easy access to

water. Ministering among the parents has

been difficult but we have been encouraged

by the commitments that some of the children

have made. We are also encouraged by the

different stories we hear sometimes from the

parents and sometimes from the teachers of

the children who have made changes. For

example there was one young boy who used

to pick up trash and keep all his money plus

take as much from his mommy as possible.

After coming to school, he learned about

helping his parents and helping other people

and sharing what he has with others; he then

would take the meager amount that he would

Approximately

25,000 children have

been reached

through Kids Clubs

& VBS.

59

get from his trash and bring it to his

mommy…she was shocked and wondered

what had made her son change.

We have 120 students at the Slum School. We

will be adding more students as we find the

sponsors to support these children in giving

them an education and also the opportunity

to learn about Jesus!

GLM Sandpit/Boarding School

Our school in the Sandpit began with a group

of parents who were believers and wanted to

learn to read so they could read the Bible.

When we started our school in this area in 2005

we had parents at first learning alongside of

their children. Another reason for starting the

school is that the Sandpit was located in a very

rural area, way back off the main road; the

government did not provide schooling for the

children. Knowing the importance of

education for these dear ones, we started a

school and were also excited that their parents

learned the alphabet so they could read the

Bible! We had a School/Church in the Sandpit

for five years. In June of 2009 the Sandpit

where the s worked was destroyed. The

parents needed to leave and move on to find

work elsewhere. Without much besides their

few meager belongings, they did not know

where they would need to go to find work;

what would happen with their children as they

would most likely not have a school where

they are going; what about their children’s

future? They trusted Sam to come to him and

ask if he could take their children in and care

60

for them helping them to continue their

education. Twenty three children came to live

at the Slum School. For almost a year the

children slept in the classrooms... moving the

desks out each evening and putting them

back in time for class the next day. We were

blessed with the resources to build a Boarding

School for these children and in December of

2010 the children were able to move into their

new home.

Having the children living at the Boarding

School has been an opportunity to allow those

children who do not come from Christian

homes to see what it is like to live in that

atmosphere and to have a time of prayer and

sharing with them. It is also an opportunity to

be able to give them a more structured

setting. Here we can also encourage and

teach them to respond in right ways. We have

been encouraged with how we have seen

them thrive in this environment. We have also

seen an improvement in their grades as a result

of the structured learning time. We now have

60 students at the Boarding School. It costs

$25.00/month for a day student and

$40.00/month for a student staying at the

Boarding School.

GLM Vacation Bible Schools

Initially we began Vacation Bible School as a

ministry to come alongside and encourage

churches and other ministries. Although we still

do occasionally help churches or ministries that

ask us our main target is the unreached

children.

We have found children to be great

“evangelists” as they come one day/year and

having enjoyed VBS they bring their friends the

next day/year. Festivals in India are times of

great celebration and fun. In the States it

would be likened to children going to camp

for a week. Lots of fun! That is how children

here view VBS! Christian parents are glad to

have their children going somewhere to learn

Biblical truths. Other parents who hear good

things are going to be taught are excited to

send their children. Children from Christian

families are also excited to be able to bring

their Hindu friends. Our smallest VBS is around

30 children and our largest reached over 7,500

in January 2013.

VBS has been a way to encourage children to

love the Lord and make decisions to live for

Him. As many pastors have not had a lot of

training in knowing how to minister to children

and do not have a lot of resources available to

them the time of VBS is an encouragement to

them as they observe VBS and even take part

in teacher training sessions. Sam sometimes

gives them resources to be able to use with

their children after we've left. It is an

encouragement to the pastors just to know

they are not alone. It has been our privilege to

be able to train 50-100 volunteers (youth), from

different areas, to know how to minister to

children. It has been encouraging to us to see

them continue to carry on that vision by

ministering to children after we leave. We've

had a young man who has joined our team

ministering through Kids Club in our area. Some

One child’s testimony:

My Name is Kavitha. I am in the 8th grade. I

have been to VBS several times. My family

beat me the first time I went to VBS. I loved

hearing the stories and singing the songs so I

went back. This year I made a commitment to

follow Jesus Christ. Since then my hardship has

increased at home. My brother takes my Bible

away from me when I read it and my dad

keeps me from going to church. He tells my

friends I have work to do and cannot come. I

keep remembering what Jesus did on the cross

for me; how much pain he bore for my sins. I

am happy to suffer for Jesus because He

suffered for me! I am so thankful that God used

GLM VBS to save me! I am so happy with Jesus

in my life. I want my Dad, Mom and brother to

have this same happiness!

Please pray for children, like Kavitha, who

suffer for the commitments they have made to

follow Jesus at VBS and Good Life Clubs.

61

of the young people who have volunteered

have also since then been to our Youth Center

joining in Bible Studies or taking part in our

Computer/English Center.

Here it is so hot and so we need to be sure to

have ample supply of water or some kind of

drink. We usually also give out a snack or meal.

Many times children come without having

eaten breakfast. We sometimes cook a meal

for the children because they come from a

distance in the extreme heat of the summer

and without nourishment they become sick.

The Lord has blessed VBS with rapid growth, it

started in 2007 with 800 kids, 1500 kids in 2008,

2250 in 2009, 3000 in 2010, 4000 in 2011, 6000 in

2012 and around 7600 in 2013.

GLM Kid's Club

For Kid's Club we like to target non-Christian

areas where there is not an established church

and not any Christian presence that we know

of. We start out Kid's Club using Good Life

Guides to teach the children cleanliness and

make parallels to our lives spiritually. Our youth

boys (Young men who are being mentored

through our Youth Center) help out with the

Kid's Clubs passing on the things they have

learned. Kid's Clubs can be challenging as we

start out because the children are generally

unruly and undisciplined but over time they

learn to be respectful. We have found Kid's

Club very effective in gaining the confidence

of their parents as they see the good things we

are teaching their children. Many times when

we have Kid's Club it is held somewhere right in

the middle of the village. The parents come

and gather around the edge of the circle of

children to see what we are doing. As they

listen seeds of truth are planted in their hearts

as well. Over the years GLM has reached into 8

slums 16 villages with Kids Clubs. We currently

have 8 Kids Clubs where we go every week

and share with the children.

The children who come to our Kid's Club come

to our VBS as well bringing their friends with

them. (Just recently in 2013 we have started 18

new Kids Clubs).

GLM Church Planting

Our goal for church planting is to go into areas

where there are no Christians, churches or

ministry working presently. As these villages are

usually closed to the Gospel we build their trust

and a relationship with them by holding

Medical/Eye Camps in their village, boring

wells and through Kid's Clubs. A church was

started in the Stone Quarry as a result of our

Kid's Club and School there.

Presently we are meeting in eleven villages

where churches have been started through

Kids Clubs. We have 3 full time and one part

time worker going out and ministering in these

villages. Sam tries to visit each village at least

once a month to encourage the believers

there.

Because the believers are first generation

Christians they usually have a lot of questions

about why they should or should not do

certain things. There are many traditions that

they have that are not necessarily wrong but

they want to make sure they do them in a

godly way. For example: when a baby is

named at six months or later normally a priest

or grandparent would name the child. Since

they are now Christians they come to the

pastor wanting him to name the child- giving

him/her a Bible name.

GLM Medical/Eye Camps

In 2004 we started Medical/Eye Camps as a

way to go into rural villages that were closed

to the Gospel. As villagers see that we care

about them as individuals they are willing to

open their hearts to us and the message we

bring.

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Sometimes the leaders of the villages are more

opposed to us than the people. It has already

happened that the day we go into a village

that a leader who is opposed to us will be sick.

After coming to us for help and getting better

he will be our best spokesperson having

gained a different outlook about who we are

and what we are doing.

We normally begin our medical camp with

prayer, dedicating all that we are doing to the

Lord and giving Him the credit for whatever

takes place. That in itself is then a testimony to

the people that anything that takes place is

from the Lord. As needs are met among the

people their hearts are softened. In this way

we are able to begin Kid's Clubs in the villages

opening the door to the possibility of

eventually starting a church within that village.

In many different ways people are helped and

encouraged through Medical/Eye Camps.

To date we have been able to reach into

approximately 150 villages with the Gospel

through Medical Camps.

GLM Bore Wells

In India there is a scarcity of water and people

need to carry any water they use for long

distances if there is not a well nearby. If a well is

not giving much water it affects the whole

village because everyone is dependent on it

for water. Bore Wells are similar to Medical/Eye

Camps in that as we meet the need for water

people out of gratefulness are open to

listening to the Message we bring.

When we go into a village to begin digging a

well we will pray asking the Lord to provide the

water for us. When the people see the

abundance of water, they remember that we

asked the Lord for it, and recognize that it is

the Lord who has provided.

In one large village where we drilled a well

there were a number of wells the government

had drilled. In time the government wells dried

up. It has been a testimony to the people of

the Lord's faithfulness as the well we drilled has

continued to supply the much needed water.

“Although access to drinking water has

improved, the World Bank estimates that 21%

of communicable diseases in India are related

to unsafe water. In India, diarrhea alone

causes more than 1,600 deaths daily—the

same as if eight 200-person jumbo-jets crashed

to the ground each day.” (water.org) You can

see that the need for good, clean water is very

much a necessity.

At this time more than 50 villages have access

to wells that we have drilled bringing water to

30,000 people.

GLM Sewing Centers

We started Sewing Centers in 2006 as we

realized the young girls within our Kids Clubs

would not be coming much longer. What

could we do for them that would benefit them

in the future? That would help to better their

lives and give them a brighter future?

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In many villages parents and husbands do not

allow their daughters or wives to leave or

venture far from their homes. Without the

ability to go far they usually don't have the

opportunity to learn a trade or even have a

job.

With Sewing Centers the young ladies could

learn the trade within their village. It is a trade

they could learn at home and then also work

out of their homes.

Knowing how to sew not only helps a young

lady bring in a little income for her family

before she is married but also afterwards.

Because of the dowry system in India, if a

potential husband knows his bride-to-be can

sew he may ask less dowry from her family

knowing that after they are married she will be

able to bring in a little income for them.

As young ladies are helped and learn how to

sew they in turn encourage their younger

siblings to come to our Kid's Clubs.

GLM Jesus Film Ministry

We have found the Jesus Film to be a very

effective tool in sharing the Gospel and has

touched many lives. As many people do not

know much about Christianity other than that

they believe it is a foreign religion; showing the

Jesus Film helps them to learn the truth about

who Jesus is and why He came.

Sometimes there is opposition; as in one village

where three Hindu leaders insisted that Sam go

to the police station for forcing his religion on

their villagers. Even though Sam had the young

men take down the equipment they still

insisted that he go. Ironically the men had no

vehicle to take him in and so insisted that Sam

drive them there. As they went the men asked

questions about Christianity in a rude, mocking

way. At the police station, there happened to

be a Muslim policeman among the

predominant Hindu staff. He told the men that

because Sam had willingly taken down his

Raju’s Story

Raju sat very still; looking down as words flowed

all around him. The kind, funny man had come

again. Raju liked this man; he made Raju laugh.

He made him forget. Forget that he looked

different. Forget that he had a gap in his upper

jaw and a lip that was big and out-turned

showing teeth and gums that were badly

deformed. Forget that children made fun of him

for looking different, for talking funny and for not

being able to keep food from running out his

nose when he ate. He liked to forget. He peeked

up at the man who was talking intently to his

father and mother. The man made him feel safe,

like he belonged, like he was no different from

any of the other children, like he was special.

Raju turned his eyes to his mother as he realized

she was crying. “I am so happy you will do this for

my son! I thank you so much! She said lifting her

folded hands to her face and bowing her head

slightly as a sign of gratefulness and respect. Her

heart ached for her son whenever she knew he

was hurting from some thoughtless word that

had been directed at him. She had been deeply

disappointed when as a baby he had had a free

surgery to correct his cleft palate only to have it

come apart months later. She sensed Raju’s big

brown eyes looking at her questioningly.

“Raju, Mr. Sam, will take you to a special Dr. and

he will fix your lip! You will look like other

children!” she exclaimed happily. Even though

there was much pain and discomfort that little

Raju had to go through for some time with the

different surgeries; he now is so happy and he

looks beautiful!

Raju will always have a scar but it is a good

reminder of how God showed His love to him

through using people like you to reach out and

make it possible for him to have surgeries to fix his

cleft pallet!

There are many hurting children in India…much

by harsh words that are directed toward them!

Please pray that they will lean on Jesus and feel

His loving arms around them and Trust in Him!

64

equipment to show the film he was not forcing

it on them. As the other police talked with the

leaders, the Muslim policeman took Sam aside

into another office telling him that he was free

to go they were not going to charge him with

anything. He could leave out the back door.

As Sam went to leave he felt bad as it was late

in the evening and if he left without the men it

would take them awhile to walk back to the

village. Sam offered them a ride. The Muslim

policeman thought he was crazy. The men

rode quietly all the way back and Sam took

the opportunity to share his faith with them.

Get involved with Good Life

Ministries:

1. through our sponsorship program for the

children at our Slum/Boarding School.

With $25/month you can make it possible

to send a child to school and receive a

nice warm meal a day.

Ruthnamma’s Story

In 2003, someone gave Sam $20 to go to remote villages to share the Gospel. He faced some difficult

times. One of the villages Sam traveled two hours to was called Rumkanpally. It was way back off the main

beaten path. He would go evenings when school was out. There was a lot of wickedness in this village,

NOBODY wanted Sam to come and convert their people to Christianity.

Sam would hold Kids Club under a tree, sitting on a stump, and as he did the people would gather around.

A certain lady would catch his attention each time. She would stand in back and stare; her devilish eyes

would make you want to run. Sam found out that she was the witch doctor for the village. When going into

the village Sam and the team felt a heaviness and a darkness. The people were very superstitious. The

village was hard to reach… when there were Hindu festivals the Christian had to go in before they started

and wait until the festivities ended or they would be harmed.

Sam went in one day to do a Kids Club; while he was sharing a man from the village who didn’t like him

sharing with the children came to him and began cursing Sam and his family. Sam tried to ignore him but it

was hard as he even spit at him. Within the same week the man that cursed him became very sick and

died. Sam wasn’t sure how the people would take it- would they think he had caused it by coming into

their village and sharing about Jesus? The people didn’t take it that way though- they believed that the

Christians’ God was angry at the man because he had cursed Sam. They came to respect and were

willing to listen to what Sam shared. He no longer had the opposition that he had had before.

This lady who had stood at a distance glaring at Sam- the Lord worked in her life and was able to break

the chains of darkness in her life. Now she is one of the main Christian ladies in the village. We still do not

have a church in her village but for the last 9 years Ruthamma has allowed us to hold church in her home

every Sunday and Kids Club during the week. She is always so happy to do what she can even though she

has had trouble with her health. She has a strong faith in Jesus and we believe that because of that faith

God has healed her and blessed her family.

Sam was also able to help the daughter and wife of the man who died. He bought school books and sent

her to school. The mother was delighted with the help and would accept the gifts of God’s love when Sam

would visit her village. The daughter has grown up so much… she is now in the 9th grade. At Christmas last

year, at a Christmas program that we held in the village, she was there and sitting in the front row, listening

intently with a big smile on her face. It made her so happy to be able to come forward and help Sam with

the object lessons he was doing as well as cut the Christmas cake in celebration of the birth of Jesus!

Sam has many memories of how difficult it was when he first tried to share the Gospel in Rukanpally, but

now… we praise the Lord for the believers and young people who were once in Kids Club but are now

growing into beautiful testimonies for the Lord. Please pray with us for these believers and especially the

youth that they would be able to stand strong even in the face of opposition and persecution from their

family and friends!

65

2. with $40/month you can provide a child

to go to school and have room and board

and 3 warm meals a day!

3. for VBS; you can help to provide the

means for a child to come to VBS for 4

days for $4.

4. we are also training young men and

woman to be effective Kids Club leaders

and if you would like to be involved in

giving to these teachers (we normally have

a 3 day training) trained and equiped to

go

Volunteer Options

-come and teach our children here at our

house as well as get involved in ministry a

bit

- help equip Good Life Club (Kids club)

leaders. For a gift of any amount you can

help these young men and women who

have a desire and passion to get involved

and share Jesus with the children in their

villages.

- fundraisers for specific needs or helping to

raise funds for ongoing work of GLM

-come and visit on a short term mission

trip...it will open their eyes and give them

things to think about and open their hearts

to what God wants them to do in the

future.

-help with designing of different things that

we may need for newsletters/cds etc.

-help with banquets, programs, etc when

we come to the states or other times.

Find out more at: www.glmindia.org

or contact us

at glmindia@gmail.com to sign up

for our newsletter or learn more

about the ministry.

You can also visit Youtube and look

up Sam Gunti Good Life Ministries to

find videos about the ministry and

work!

Our U.S. address is:

Good Life Ministries:

P.O. Box 382

Plain City, OH. 43064

About the Author:

My name is Rebecca Gunti. I grew up in Plain City Ohio on a farm along with 5 sisters! We lived on a dairy

farm and learned to live a very disciplined life of work and also some times of fun and enjoyment. I went

to Shekinah Christian School...After graduating I taught first grade in Indiana for a year before heading off

to India to see what Sam's country was like.

I married Sam Gunti, from Hyderabad, India in July of 1996. He had went to Rosedale Bible School and graduated with a diploma in

Christian Ministries. We moved to India to start the work God called us to in Sept. of 1998 along with Sonya Gunti (our daughter). We

now have 3 beautiful children (gifts from the Lord)...Sonya - 16yrs; Jason - 14 yrs; and Judson-8yrs. We have been living in India now

for close to 15yrs.

My hobbies are to sit down and read a good book, play games with our children, share with people the exciting things the Lord is

doing and has done! I love the Lord and am so thankful for what He has done in my life and I want to share Him with those around

me in any way I can.

Our vision is to continue reaching out to the lost and hurting here in India! There is such a ripe harvest of souls searching for TRUTH!

If one of us can put a thousand to flight then 2 of us can send a legion fleeing. Deuteronomy 32:30

66

It all started a month or two ago.

I have a fetish for food products that can

be made at home. At the top of the list is

yogurt; I love maintaining an abundant

supply for my family. While poking around

online, I came across fermented foods

besides yogurt that could also be made at

home. Great, I thought; yogurt’s good for

you as a means of probiotics so this stuff

probably is too. Kombucha, a tea based

drink, most intrigued me. So I got a starter

culture (a slightly frightening white disc

called a mushroom, mother, or scoby) and

made my first batch. It was pretty good.

Only afterward did I realize the drink is

controversial. It is touted by some

natural/alternative medicine camps as the

wonder elixir to cure cancer, kill toxins, and

generally give a chance at a long and

healthy life. But that’s not the only

controversy. Apparently, there’s concern

over how much alcoholic content results

from the fermentation process. It’s

generally agreed that the levels are too

low to classify as an alcoholic beverage.

However, the potential for alcoholic

content increases significantly if kombucha

is put through a second ferment by adding

white spaces

{learning in unexpected ways}

By Marlene Stoltzfus

67

fruit juice and leaving at room temperature

for a day or two.

Did I mention that I added fruit juice and

went on a trip, leaving the brew at room

temperature for four days? Yeah. Oops.

You mean that pleasant carbonation was,

um, not just carbonation?

By this point, I felt thoroughly dumb that I

had stumbled so unwittingly into this

experiment. I mean, what kind of stay-at-

home mom welcomes her husband back

from work with a glass of homemade

bubbly? And I have questions about the

natural medicine movement. Making a

celebrated preventative drink made me

feel like I was going hook, line, and sinker

for everything connected to it.

It was a big deal to me. I felt that I had to

Draw Conclusions, as though making

kombucha also meant making a

statement. Later, I realized it’s hard for me

to let experimentation be just that: an

experiment. It’s easy for me to gaze

microscopically before I leap. Instead, I

want to live with an open hand in a way

that invites attempts and experimentation.

But to live that way also invites the

experience of failure, because sometimes

attempts are flops.

Fast forward a few weeks. Now we’re on

the hunt for a dining room set, of which

I’ve been at the helm. I’ve been working

through hundreds of listings on Craigslist in

three nearby areas. After gobs of calls

and emails, we drive two hours to

Pittsburgh to look at a set. We buy it, bring

it home….and I don’t like it. There’s a list of

strikes against it in quality and preference,

now that I’m away from pressured decision

making in front of the owners.

Experimentation, huh? This was a pretty

expensive experiment. It feels like a failure

on a number of levels.

There’s also a growing list of gardening

disappointments. I planned on broccoli for

a fall crop. Apparently, nobody has heard

of such a thing, so there are no plants

available and now it’s too late to plant

seeds. The tomatoes, which I grew from

seed and babied against the local blight,

went from loaded green lushness to

skeletal deadness by late blight within 48

hours. We planted winter squash too late

to get a crop before frost, and we’re

barely going to get summer squash for the

same reason.

So there they are, my steady visitors lately:

experimentation, failure, and

disappointment. I’ve been frustrated by

the lack of fresh energy that new

discoveries give. Make that pleasant new

discoveries; there have been discoveries,

but I haven’t exactly been in love with

them. I’ve spun my wheels, getting

nowhere or even backward.

So I realized that my idea of learning has

needed to enlarge. I expect learning to

happen in predictable ways. I expect it to

be exciting new ventures, to feel good,

and make my life better almost

immediately. I’ve forgotten that learning

happens sometimes in unexpected ways. I

have forgotten the hard work of learning

when it isn’t pleasant and the payback

comes in a gradual, long-term way. After

all, success is about being changed in the

image of Christ, not the list which we have

perfectly achieved.

I’d say it was worth brewing a cup of

kombucha to find that perspective. |

the team

Carmie Recommends… I have found that being intentional is a must when it comes to my time with God. While it’s easy to have good intentions, it’s another thing to carry out those intentions. There are many other things that happen during our day that we do intentionally…spending time in the Word should be one of them as well. When I intentionally take the time to read and meditate on God’s word, my days feels more complete and I feel more ready to face the different tasks ahead of me. Being married and having a household to run, it can be a challenge to not let thoughts of all I have to do that day or that week take away from the quiet time that gives me so much needed strength for each day. If it helps you to be more intentional, add “quiet time” to your daily to-list list. While spending time with God is not something to be viewed as just another task to check off our list, writing it down and making it a part of your daily routine may help you actually carry out your good intentions. Having a specific study plan can also help keep your intentions on track. I have found that reading through a specific devotional book along with my Bible helps me stay more focused. Keeping a notebook and pen on hand to job down thoughts that come to mind as you study solidifies the truths that you are reading.

/time in the secret place/

69

Marlene Recommends… Having a steady devotional time has always been difficult for me. About a year ago, I realized that I put a lot of pressure on myself to have some kind of emotional experience or breakthrough during my devotional times. If I approached, say, my husband with the same intensity of expectation, I would also avoid spending time with him. So I’ve learned to be OK with the normal times and even off times with God, just like normal ebb and flow of a human relationship.

I’ve also found it’s good to try different things in different seasons of life. Right now, I can focus best at night, reading Scripture while I put my little girl to sleep, enjoying the inner order I feel from almost everything in its rightful place. Sometimes you have to revamp your routine to find something that works better.

Rae Recommends… I am a night-owl and concentrate better at night, so I like to spend my quiet times with God in the evening. Lately my life has been extra busy and it seems like I never have enough time to get everything done. Times like these, I value my alone time with God extra-much—it is sweet and calming to pull away from the daily demands and steep my heart in the promises of Scripture and one-on-one time with God. I have also learned to relieve myself of the feeling of “duty” when it comes to my devotions. Rather than just putting in time, I strive to come to Jesus with a heart of love rather than guilt. Quality time with God isn’t just something to check off the to-do list; when it starts feeling that way, I look for creative ways to refresh my intimate times with Him: journaling prayers; long walks enjoying the beauty of creation; playing worship songs on the guitar or piano. Sometimes, just escaping to a quiet room for 10 minutes is a spiritual oasis. When I come to Him in quietness, with an open heart, eager to meet Him, I find comfort and strength for the other tasks ahead of me.

Brittany Recommends… I have to admit, my devotional time is not always what it should be. However, I am trying to be more disciplined in setting aside time in my day to spend with Jesus. Something that I have started doing more often is making use of the Strong’s concordance on my phone. At times as I read through Scripture, I’ll find a word that doesn’t always make sense to me. Taking the time to look up various words has been a huge blessing, one that I didn’t realize I was missing out on. Some verses that I’ve always known have taken on new meaning for me because I have a better understanding of what the author was trying to say.

70

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[klohz]

vb. - to bring the parts or edges together.

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