Summer 2020 by Just Between Us

E N C O U RA G I N G & E Q U I P P I N G W O M E N F O R A L I F E O F FA I T H Summer 2020

www.justbetweenus.org

Journaling as a Spiritual Practice

by Helen Cepero, pg 14

The Gift of Change

by Catriona Futter, pg 12

22 Hope in the Face of the Coronavirus 32 Evangelism in a Skeptical World

38 What Spiritual Clothes are You Wearing? 1

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36 How to Thrive and Grow This Summer

LIVE IN THE WORD AS YOU LIVE IN THE WORLD New Bible studies from Abingdon Women

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Welcome

We have a surprise for you with the fall issue in celebration of our 30th anniversary. Can’t wait for you to find out what it is!

from the Editor

A six-week, verse-by-verse study of Ephesians by Marian Jordan Ellis

A four-week exploration of the “one another” sayings by Amberly Neese

Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus

For His Glory: Living as God’s Masterpiece

The Belonging Project: Finding Your Tribe and Learning to Thrive

Participant Workbook | 9781501896286 | $16.99 Leader Guide | 9781501896309 | $14.99 DVD | 9781501896323 | $49.99

Participant Workbook | 9781501888687 | $16.99 Leader Guide | 9781501888700 | $14.99 DVD | 9781501888724 | $49.99

Participant workbook with leader helps | 9781501898754 | $16.99 DVD | 9781501898778 | $44.99

Abingdon Women Bible studies are available wherever books are sold. Excerpts and video samples available at AbingdonWomen.com. 2

years. God’s faithfulness to us has been nothing short of great. He has provided for every need, He has given us the strength for today, and He has given us bright hope for our tomorrows. Everything about this ministry has been showered with blessings galore, with ten thousand beside, in every direction we look. Thank you for making it possible all these years and for being on this journey with us, whether you’ve been a reader for decades or this is your very first issue. We’re so grateful you’ve joined us and for the privilege of coming into your heart and pointing you to the God who changest not and whose compassions they fail not! A God who is forever the same. As you open the pages of this issue, I hope you leave encouraged and filled with hope, especially in these uncertain times. Author Heather Hagstrom shares God’s faithfulness in her life as she battled cancer on page 22. Helen Cepero shows us how to journal to form our souls on page 14. What a great practice to prioritize for your summer growth to track God’s faithfulness in your life! And, Gail Goolsby gives us strength for these challenging coronovirus times on page 23. To celebrate God’s faithfulness, our team has put an empty jar in the office to collect notes when God shows His faithfulness to us. I challenge you to do the same this summer, and then at the end, empty the jar and celebrate all the ways God has been faithful. I guarantee you will be singing, “Great is Thy Faithfulness!” With love and joy,

Shelly Esser has been the editor of Just Between Us for the last 30 years.

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A six-week study of Jesus in the wilderness by Barb Roose

Thirty-four years ago, our college pastor with the big beautiful baritone voice belted out the famous hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” at our wedding. We were just young naive Jesus-followers out to change our world. I’m not sure either of us, in that moment, really understood the words of that great hymn—or the magnitude of what we were singing: Great is Thy faithfulness O God my Father There is no shadow of turning with Thee Thou changest not Thy compassions they fail not As Thou hast been Thou forever will be Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness Morning by morning new mercies I see And all I have needed Thy hand hath provided Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me Pardon for sin And a peace that endureth Thine own dear presence to cheer And to guide Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside We would soon find out in the years that followed, though, as we began to experience firsthand God’s faithfulness through every up and down in our lives. To date, His faithfulness has never ever wavered—not once! The same reality has been true for Just Between Us over the past 30

www.justbetweenus.org In celebration of our 30th anniversary, we will be giving you a peek into the past in each issue this year! Look for this logo.

Contents

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The Gift of Change Learning to grow in the midst of chaos.

by Helen Cepero

by Stephanie Rousselle

by Cheri Liefeld

Journaling as a Spiritual Practice Tracking God’s faithfulness in your life.

by Catriona Futter

You Can Be a Spiritual Midwife Learn how to become the spice of the gospel.

How to Grow Your Faith This Summer Make a bucket list and replenish your soul!

Cultivate a Garden of Gratitude E N C O U RA Summer 2020

QUIPPIN GING & E

H E O F FA I T FOR A LIF G WOMEN

org

etweenus. www.justb

as Journalingual a Spirit Practice

ro, pg 14 by Helen Cepe

of The Gift ge Chan

Futter, pg 12

2020

tual 38 What Spiri You Clothes are Wearing?

Step Out in Divine Style You can overhaul your mental and spiritual wardrobe by taking off the thoughts and emotions that don’t line up with God’s truth.

Available where books are sold

by Victoria D. Walker

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the Face 22 Hope in navirus of the Coro m in a 32 Evangelis d Skeptical Worl e and 36 How to Thriv er Grow This Summ

ER us S U M M just between

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by Catriona

FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS call toll-free 800-260-3342, or visit our website justbetweenus.org. From Canada call 262-786-6478.

With 101 entries on the beneﬁts of being thankful even in the hardest times, bestselling author Mary Kassian will help you prune any sour dispositions and weed out cares and troubles as you meditate on God's abiding presence.

www.justbetweenus.org

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Contents

CREDITS Founder/ Executive Editor Jill Briscoe

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Editor Shelly Esser General Manager Mary Perso

Assistant Editor Suzan Braun Web Director Mary Ann Prasser Editorial Assistants Aubrey Adams Carol Becwar Ann Cook Constance B. Fink Gayle Gengler Betty Hinds Cherry Hoffner Melinda Papador Jen Symmonds Danae Templeton Susan Vanselow

I N S P I R AT I O N Welcome Letter

Between You and Me Joni’s Corner

JBU Spotlight

Transparent Moments Bits & Pieces

Director of Mission Advancement/ Social Media Ashley Schmidt Subscriptions Rebecca Loesche Julie Matthews Mary Richards Lin Sebena Software Support Rebecca Loesche

Words of Wisdom Three decades of words from Jill Briscoe that have shaped our faith. compiled by Danae Templeton 30

Strength to Face the Coronavirus When we’re struggling with fear and anxiety, we need to keep our focus on Him.

Elbows on My Bed (Poem) The power of a mother’s faithfulness in prayer. Anonymous 35

Into the Silence Brooke Bateman is taking the gospel to the deaf community.

Becoming a Bethany House Your house can be a healing place of rest and faith for others.

by Shelly Esser 18

by Kellie LaFollette 24

by Heather Hagstrom 28

40 Chronic Hope Real Faith

The Homefront

The Deeper Life

It Is Well

Gift Your Ministries: Group subscriptions are now available at reduced rates. Encourage and inspire the women who make ministry happen at your church or other places of outreach or service to others. Energize their relationships, refresh their faith, and become equipped as a team for facing ministry challenges through JBU. For more information, call 800-260-3342 today! Just Between Us (ISSN 1069-3459) is published quarterly by Just Between Us, 777 South Barker Road, Brookfield, WI 53045-3701.

Periodical Postage Paid at Brookfield, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Just Between Us, 777 S. Barker Road, Brookfield, WI 53045. Just Between Us is a member publication of the Evangelical Press Association. Copyright ©2020 by Just Between Us. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

Mental Wholeness

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To order by phone, or for more information: call 800.260.3342. From Canada call 262.786.6478. Email: jbu@justbetweenus.org Website: www.justbetweenus.org

ENCOURAGEMENT

“One of the most basic lessons I learned from my mother was her sense of openness and honesty.”

Photographer Wayde Peronto/ Babboni Photography

Make all checks and money orders payable to: Just Between Us, Subscription Orders 777 S. Barker Road, Brookfield, WI 53045

by Gail Goolsby 22

Between You and Me

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Lessons I Learned from Mom My mother had asked us to call her Peggy from our early childhood days, perhaps anticipating the day she would lay aside her mother role for friendship’s garments. Peggy had been the first to know when we were expecting our first baby. Her beautiful dark brown eyes lit up with joy and excitement, and she immediately began making her own preparations for the event. She told me that she wanted to be called “Nana” instead of “Grandmother,” a name that conjured up, in her mind, too austere a picture, not the friend she was determined to be to our children, even as she had been to us. I will never forget bringing David home. I thought of a prayer that Peggy prayed every day: “Oh, God, make me a good mother!” I knelt by my bed, and I prayed the same prayer —adding, “like Peggy.” Most weekends in the summer, while we were living in England, Father traveled up to the nearby Lake District with friends to fish for salmon. Sometimes, he brought Mother and left her with me for the day. How I used to look forward to those special visits. As we chattered together, we would laugh all day as Peggy set the pace and made the humor, constantly poking fun at herself. We busied ourselves with diapers and cleaning and cooking and bed-making, keeping up an endless repartee of recollections. One of the most basic lessons I learned from my mother was her sense of openness and honesty. She could never bear to harbor anything and had to “have it out” as soon as possible. She always had to tell us what was on her mind and clear the air. My sister practiced a similar philosophy. For me, it was harder. Telling half the truth, resorting to a little white lie, or taking an “anything for peace” stance never seemed to do me any harm, but, whenever she could, Peggy pushed me into being truthful in my statements and actions. She encouraged me to put things right with people immediately. It took the Lord Jesus Christ to change me and begin to help me share my feelings and failings openly and honestly with people.

Peggy always respected my sister Shirley and me. She “trusted us twice”—a skill mothers should cultivate. To trust once requires not much more than most can give, but to trust again when trust has been broken requires another quality of confidence altogether. That needs a belief in the child, a determination to think the best, and a confidence in God’s intervention when everyone believes the worst. What marvelous trust God placed in us, I thought in awe. And what a risk He took! Fancy allowing us the chance to build eternal values into our children’s lives. God had given us the ability as parents to guide our own, and as far as Stuart and I were concerned, that meant guiding them into the way of Jesus. I realized it was this dimension that made a Christian mother different from just a mother. She had the grand ability to know God and make Him known to her child. Yes, I could teach our children the Eternal’s ways, I thought excitedly. But there has to be the training by example to go along with it, I mused—the do-as-I-do that I had seen in Peggy’s life, I could seek to emulate, and not just the do-as-I-say bit. What lessons have you learned from your mother? If your mother is still alive, send her a letter or a card telling her one lesson you learned from her example. And if you’ve lost your mother, thank God for all the lessons and gifts she gave you. Happy Mother’s Day!

Jill Briscoe is the Founder and Executive Editor of Just Between Us. She is also a popular author and speaker living in suburban Milwaukee, Wis., with her husband Stuart.

Ministry on the Go Tell someone you value them.

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Marketing Julie Santiago

ADVERTISING Ellie Dunn For more information call 856.582.0690 ext. 2# or email ellie@carldunn.com.

F E AT U R E S

Rainbows of Hope in a Cancer Storm Four ways to look for God’s faithfulness when it’s hard to see.

Renewals Manager Nancy Krull

Advisory Board Anita Carman Pam Farrel Judy Briscoe Golz Nancy Grisham Pam MacRae Elizabeth Murphy Jackie Oesch Stephanie Seefeldt

22 FA I T H C O N V E R S AT I O N S

Web Debbie Wicker

Art Director Kelly Perso

Circulation Manager Suzan Braun

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Joni’s Corner

30th Anniversary Spotlight

heart-to-heart with Joni Eareckson Tada

JBU is Reaching Three Generations of Women! Compiled by Suzan Braun

Email me! response@ joniandfriends.org

is beautiful beyond measure and every contemplation of His loveliness should drive us to our knees in wonder. And that is worshipping God in spirit! Heartfelt worship is our kneejerk response to raw, honest truth about God; worship provides the channel for the heart to respond to the beauty of that truth. “In your face” biblical truth about our Savior cannot help but ignite the heat of our emotions about Him. Don’t let your worship become stuffy and sequestered—that sort of indoor-approach to God can only produce praise that lacks true wonder and passion. Don’t allow your worship of God to decline to the performance of mere duty, choking out your childlike sense of astonishment at the Almighty. Jesus is ecstasy beyond compare, and you have capacities for joy which you can scarcely imagine. You are made to enjoy God, so open your eyes. Be awed and inspired by the glory of Christ Jesus. And then... hold on and be blown away as you worship Him. Joni Eareckson Tada, the founder of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, is an advocate for people with disabilities, providing Christ-centered programs for special-needs families through retreats. She has also delivered over 100,000 wheelchairs and Bibles to disabled people in developing nations. Her daily devotional, A Spectacle of Glory, contains fresh biblical insights from her battle with cancer and chronic pain. Joni also serves as general editor of the new Beyond Suffering Bible, a special edition published by Tyndale for those who suffer chronic conditions, and their caregivers. She and her husband, Ken, live in Calabasas, Calif.

As we continue to celebrate Just Between Us’ 30th anniversary throughout the year, we have been reminded once again that our faithful God never stops working in the lives of women everywhere as He connects us through this ministry. The columnists who write for JBU play a significant role in these connections as they provide wonderful resources, professional expertise, spiritual enrichment, personal testimonies, and abundant encouragement throughout the pages of the magazine. In this issue, we are excited to share an incredible story with you that represents the beauty of how God binds our lives together. Be encouraged as our friend and JBU reader Teresa Griffin shares this account that spans three generations in her family and captures the essence of what God has done and continues to do through this ministry. And in this instance, He has done it through our readers connecting with two of our columnists. We all fell in love with Just Between Us magazine at first sight. It began with my daughter-in-law Angela when she received JBU as a gift from her church and soon after sent it as a birthday gift to me. I began cutting out articles and mailing them to family and friends. Eventually, I realized sending them gift subscriptions would save time and money! My daughter Lyssa was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but was unsure how to find the right

therapist. After reading several JBU columns written by professional counselor, Jenny Heckman, she noticed that Jenny’s office was not far from her home. She started seeing Jenny and has had wonderful results and been very encouraged by her relationship with her. Praise the Lord for using JBU to turn Lyssa’s life from ashes to beauty. My daughter-in-law Tancy mothers nine children; five are adopted. Wonderful articles in the magazine on adoption and training special-needs children have strengthened her heart for this life-long ministry. Tancy’s 16 year old daughter Chloe, my granddaughter, suffers excruciating pain from Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. Mom and Grandma introduced Chloe to Joni’s columns in JBU, and her books and ministry to the disabled. Joni certainly understands what it’s like being a teenager in physical and emotional agony as her own permanently disabling injury occurred when she was just 17. When they communicate by private message, Chloe has been greatly comforted and empowered. I also send JBU to my lifelong college friend, Cheryl. She sits by the bedside of her seriously ill husband and, in every note or call to me, mentions how JBU helps turn long, heart-bruising hours into peace. I am a retired health professional and have been a ministry wife for 50 years. Thank you, JBU, for blessing my family in so many sweet ways! Keep up the great work. As you can tell from reading my family’s story—what God is doing through JBU is reaching the next generations. ~Teresa Griffin

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Visit my site! joniandfriends.org

Worshipping God Face-On It was 1958. I was a restless, adventurous nine year old and I was on an ocean liner, sailing with my mother and grandmother to Bermuda. When we woke up the first morning somewhere off the coast of the Carolinas, the sky was cold and gray. I peered outside through the porthole and thought we’d be swamped by the churning, white-capped waves. A bitter wind and spitting rain kept most of the passengers indoors, sipping tea behind t he glassed-in deck. Or they chose to wander the ship’s galleries rather than brave a brisk walk on the promenade deck. My mother gathered my grandmother and me into the auditorium to watch a slide presentation about ocean currents and trade winds. Sitting in the dark, warm room and listening to the click-clicking of the projector progressing from one slide to the next, I became more restless. Why weren’t we out on the deck holding onto the railing with our faces to the wind and spray? Why learn about ocean currents inside a stuffy dark room? To me, it was like experiencing the ocean secondhand. Later, before the late-afternoon darkness descended on the waves, my mother conceded to my pleadings to take me outside. We stepped

through the double doors and waited for sea water to recede from the wet, wooden deck. The wind may have howled with salt spray dampening our faces, but Mom was as enthralled as I was with the sense of danger and adventure. For a few minutes we clasped onto the ship’s railing. We were awestruck by the storm and its fierce wind and majestic waves. For me, it was the highlight of the whole trip, even better than Bermuda. Our worship of God should be the same. We need to step outside of the ordinary and stand, face-on, into the bracing, raw truth of who God is. It will ignite a passionate response, such as the child who stands facing the storm, grasping the rail, hair flattened, and voice straining, “This is awesome!” It takes a prepared heart to experience that kind of worship. Too often we jump into worship without considering the condition of our hearts. We forget that “If I cherished sin in my heart, the LORD wou ld not have l istened ” (Ps. 66:18). What good are songs of worship and shouts of praise if we are clinging to bad habits, old grudges, or harmful attitudes? We enter worship with little preparation and even less thought. We should worship the Father “In the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). To worship in truth is to understand who the Truth is… Jesus in all His glory and splendor. When we “let his word dwell in us richly,” (Col. 3:16), we will gain an astounding vision of Christ that can’t help but stir our worship of Him. Let’s not settle for secondhand information about our Savior. Jesus

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Transparent Moments breakthrough insights with Anita Carman

Settle Your Critical Success Factor As I lead the ministry of Inspire Women into its 20th year, God led me to write a book titled, When Dreams Won’t Die—20 Years Later: Serving with the Same Passion. It captures seven key lessons I learned that helped me to lead with the same passion as when I first began. I pray the excerpt below will encourage you in a special way.

jump out of bed every morning. It keeps you going when you’re in a valley. It helps you settle the “why” question which is foundational to keep you going. Whenever you feel like you’re hesitant to launch, focus first on what you’ve decided to love. Love of God is essential, but often what drives us in addition to our love of God is something else that connects with our background. For me, it was my love for my mother. From the mother I could not save, God transformed my loss into a passion to help as many women as I could who still had the chance to make the right choices to finish well. When a woman from an abusive background is empowered to be a biblical counselor to reach at-risk youth, suicidal teens, or abused kids, I get to witness God’s grace in action. When a woman whose brother died of alcohol consumption is trained to be a substance abuse counselor, I see God turn pain into purpose. I am as energized today as when I first started because I have settled the “why” question. Helping women is a way I continue to remember and love my mother. Anita Carman is the Founder and President of Inspire Women, an organization that inspires women across ethnicities, denominations, and economic levels to discover God’s purpose. It also funds biblical resources and scholarships to train women for missions and ministry. She has an MBA and completed graduate level studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. Anita is the author of Transforming for a Purpose and A Daughter’s Destiny. She lives in Houston, Tex., with her husband. They have two sons.

for everyday faith and life

Invitation to Rest God rested on the seventh day. He wasn’t weary or depleted or in need of a vacation. I like to think He was teaching us by example to sit back, reflect, and appreciate His creation and our special relationship as His children. In the desert, He commanded the Israelites to set aside a specific day to rest in Him, relying and trusting in Him for everything. Jesus obeyed God’s command, setting aside time alone in prayer or with His disciples, even when He may have felt an urge to heal or feed or save one more person in a throng of needy followers. When I think how much greater was His calling than mine could ever be, I understand that “rest” is not a selfish act, but an opportunity to honor God and yield to His healing and renewing touch. Summer is a great time to break away from your busy schedule, enjoy time with loved ones, and reflect on God’s good creation. Listen to Jesus and follow His example. He’s inviting you to rest.

Words of Wisdom

Receiving verbal encouragement, from a friend or stranger, can cast rays of light onto even the darkest days. Those same words, presented in written form, can permeate the cloud cover on any day the recipient rereads what was once written.

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

Some ideas:

“This is our time on the history line of God. This is it. What will we do with the one deep exhale of God on this earth? For we are but a vapor and we have to make it count. We’re on. Direct us, Lord, and get us on our feet.”

• Write a letter to a friend. Include at least one encouraging Scripture. • Find a note card and write out one of the prayers the apostle Paul addressed to a group of people or person in the Bible. Think of someone in your life who could benefit from reading that specific prayer and mail the note card to them.

~Psalm 9:10

~Beth Moore

• Write a letter to someone in the ministry who has deeply impacted your life. Let that person know how the seed they have planted in your life continues to grow. • Encourage yourself! Write a list of 10 things you are thankful for today. Be as specific as you can. Excerpted from Unveiled: Writing prompts that reveal the heart of God by Heidi Kratzke (Creative Culture Media ©2011).Today: A Guided Journal to Genuine Joy wherever books are sold.

Write Us! Please send your short (250 words or less) snippets to: submissions@ justbetweenus.org.

~Carol Becwar

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Visit my site! inspirewomen.org

What surprised me was how I didn’t always care what God wanted because when the mission was hard, I didn’t want to do it. I was challenged by the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 13:8 (HCSB), “Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for languages, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.” I discovered quickly that when I hesitated in my mission, the root cause was my relationship with God. I found myself praying, “God, if you want this and I don’t want to do it, please help me to love You more.” Love that never fails must begin with God’s love for us which then inspires our loving Him back. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)! But do I love Him enough to do what He asks of me?

Or is there a limit to the cost I’m willing to pay? Did I really mean it when I told Him I would surrender all and use every success in my life to honor Him? After I settled that I truly wanted to love God with all my heart, mind, and soul, I quickly found another hurdle I had to get over. It was easier to love God than to love His people, especially those who were unkind or ungrateful. In making appeals on behalf of my sisters in Christ to invest in their potential, there were times I didn’t want to knock on one more door. That’s when I knew my problem was not getting the right brochure or creating the perfect presentation. My problem was my lack of love. God challenged me to think of how many doors I would knock on if I was appealing for my own child. If I needed food for my baby, would I say I needed to take a class before I could ask? I learned that my effectiveness increased when I could represent God’s daughters wholeheartedly as their spiritual mother. I found myself praying, “Father forgive me for the times I don’t love your daughters as much as you do or as much as you want me to. A mother does not need to take a course to learn how to appeal for her children. Help me to be a better spiritual mother. My heart isn’t right because I don’t love your daughters enough. That’s my root problem. Please help me to love them more.” Love is your critical success factor. It is the human element that, more than anything else, compels you to

Bits & Pieces

Writing to Encourage

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The Gift of Change Learning to grow in the midst of chaos.

What was the last major change you went through in your life? When I first wrote this article, I had no idea that our world would be in such an unprecedented season of change. Dramatic, rapid, distressing, stressful, and fear-inducing change as a result of combating COVID-19. Intentional self-reflection in times of change is more pertinent than ever. Worldwide, we are facing changes that are so sudden and so far-reaching that it is almost impossible to fully comprehend their speed and extent. Especially now as we find ourselves with more time to reflect than normal—how do we wrestle out all that God has for us? Transitions happen to all of us—job changes or loss of a career or failing health, relationship changes, children leaving the nest, or shifting or lost roles that we previously valued. And when we face such transitions, our priority can often be getting through it to the new season rather than being open to any growth within the transition process itself. But COVID-19 is teaching us that we do not even know what the new season will be like, let alone when any normalcy will return. Hindsight shows me that in times of transition in my own life, there was resistance in my heart rather than surrender. I would try to sort and manage the mess, suppress my emotions because they were too complex, and gain any kind of handle on the chaos of change simply to hold onto a sense of control. And in so doing, I missed God’s peace and gentle nudges towards growth.

Imagine if instead of resisting the unknowns and uncertainties of the change process, we accept it as a gift and sit in the middle of the chaos, paying attention to what God is doing. But how do we learn to do this? With grateful thanks to Margaret Silf and her book The Other Side of Chaos (Loyola Press, 2011), I have developed a process that allows us to coach ourselves through transitions to glean from them all that God has for us.

Begin with Self-Examination A good place to start when you are changing a job, moving from a beloved family home, or watching your children leave the nest is to ask what am I letting go of? An objective tangible change is taking place, but at a deeper level there are changes in security, identity, roles, and relationships. What does this change represent for you? Who have you been in the previous situation? Perhaps in your job you enjoyed a level of authority and influence that has been swept away as you face sudden unemployment. Changes imposed because of COVID-19 are stark and not of your choosing. And there is much of normal life that at present, we have to let go of. Note these and sit with them. As you explore deeper below the surface, consider who and what you are choosing to be defined by. It is easy to go into a new situation bringing with us all the mental baggage of who we were in the previous situation. In

Your Journey Is Creating a Legacy Every situation we live through teaches us something about ourselves. I have a dear friend who talks about her “suitcase of experiences.” What good can you see of yourself and your character that can go into your “suitcase”? When the pace of change is rapid and events are beyond our control, we can easily feel that we are unravelling. We react to events rather than stopping to notice what is going on, but paying attention in the midst is key. Remember you are creating a legacy with gifts from the past that you can learn from for the future. Take time each day to notice how you are feeling, and what those feelings are pointing to. We may not be able to change the events themselves, but we can change our response to them. When have you been through change before, what did you learn in that process? This is about being willing to step back from ourselves and observe without judging our own behavior and choices. Facing up to uncomfortable aspects of our character can be painful, but asking what we need to accept responsibility for is important. As we ask the Holy Spirit to show us what we need to face up to or let go of, much growth can occur. In the midst of a difficult transition, especially when our confidence and identity are taking a battering, or in times of uncertainty and fear, it can be easy to apportion blame externally, fueled by resentment, anger, or frustration. Take time to explore underneath these feelings because they are probably masking a much

deeper emotion. Give yourself time and grace to be honest and take ownership of this transition.

Fear and Loss Will Be Part of the Process If you are facing the loss of a career you loved, a precious relationship, a role that was central to your identity—these are painful losses. See and acknowledge them as such. Even with positive change, there can be a secure familiarity in what we know that can make us afraid to face what is to come. Talk through the layers of this with God. What are you most afraid of? Why? What does that fear expose? What do you need from God? As we leave behind the old and look to the new season, what are the positives that we are anticipating? Be open to new opportunities and rediscovered dreams. Imagine that you are already several years into your future new life/role and that you are thriving. What are you doing? What is different from now? What opportunities do you have? Start to live now in the fullness of that dream, making choices that align with that future and how you envision that future with God.

Create Your Community Trying to negotiate your way through this alone is very hard! We all need “raving fans”—people who believe in us and can help sustain us. People who will allow us to grieve when we need to, yet will inspire us to take action if our grief starts to turn into self-pity. Precious sisters who will call out the best in us. Seek out one or two people like this. One day you can be that person for them. In times of transition, we can either drift through it and waste opportunities for growth, or resist the pain and lack of control often associated with change with flailing arms and gritted teeth. Imagine, instead, choosing to intentionally invest in ourselves in the process, with hearts surrendered to God and His timing. Because, what we do is less important than who we are becoming. We can learn much about who we are becoming when we are intentional about the transition process and trust God to see us through and see the gift it is. Catriona Futter is a Christian life coach and speaker who is passionate about equipping people to discover and live out their unique, God-given identity and purpose. She runs her own business Equip for Life Coaching, offering individual coaching, team coaching, and speaking. She lives in Glasgow, Scotland, with her husband and two teenage daughters. She blogs at http://equipforlifecoaching.com/blog/.

Imagine if instead of resisting the unknowns and uncertainties of the change process, we accept it as a gift and sit in the middle of the chaos, paying attention to what God is doing.

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by Catriona Futter

my old situation, who did I know myself to be and what was I believing about myself? Are there negative beliefs that I can now choose to let go of? For instance, perhaps your previous job was highly stressful with mismatched skills and expectations. You have picked up a wrong belief that you are a failure. Identifying this and replacing it with God’s truth allows you to move into your new situation with greater freedom and confidence. When the whole of normal life has been stripped away, as in our present circumstances, what does that leave? How do I practice gratitude? What becomes more important than ever and how do I intentionally value that? Even if the situation you are leaving is difficult and painful— an awful job situation, a breakup, or loss of a dream—there will be good things to acknowledge too. Sometimes we are so desperate to move on into what we believe will be better that we don’t stop to notice what is good in what has gone before.

journaling as a Spiritual Practice Tracking God’s faithfulness in your life. by Helen Cepero

Writing in your journal as a spiritual practice is really about naming where you are in the present. It is in the now that we are called to follow God. To stand fully in the present is the reason we look at the past for understanding. It is also the reason we look forward in faith to what we cannot yet fully see. The present always stands between memory and hope. This is the vantage point from which you understand the past and look forward into God’s future for you. Jeremiah 6:16 reads: “This is what the LORD says: / ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; / ask for the ancient paths, / ask where the good way is, and walk in it, / and you will find rest for your souls.’” A personal compass can be an invaluable tool for such personal navigation in our own lives, especially when we find ourselves in uncharted territory.

my personal compass

Open your journal to a new page. Draw a large circle and divide it into four quadrants representing the four directions: south and north, east and west. In the center draw a smaller circle, and leave this space open.

looking to the south

Begin by pointing your journal compass to the south. This is the direction of the sunny exposure—the direction of creativity, imagination, spontaneity, and play. Ask yourself: Where do I feel my creativity being called forth? What do I really long to do or be? How do I nurture myself? What are the hobbies I’m passionate about? Standing at the crossroads is not quite as easy as it might appear on the surface. To stand in the present moment, we need to remember what Moses instructed the Israelites when they left Egypt: “Watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart

as long as you live” (Deut. 4:9). But memory itself can be a powerful force, pulling us backward as well. We must also heed the instruction of the prophet Isaiah to the exiles: “Forget the former things; / do not dwell on the past. / See, I am doing a new thing” (Is. 43:18-19). In a similar way, biblical teaching urges us onward, leaning us forward from the crossroads of the present into God’s future.

looking to the east

Take a look in the easterly direction on your personal compass. This is the direction of the dawn, the rising sun. It is the perspective of new beginnings. Ask yourself: What am I being asked to take hold of in a new way? Where am I being called to embrace something? What areas in my life need change or transformation? When we stand at the crossroads, we are not attached only to the past or to future possibilities. We need to detach ourselves from all the things around us that promise false security or numb our awareness of the present. We need to let go of all those things that make us feel worthy in our own eyes or the eyes of those around us. Whatever we become attached to can stand in the way of being able to choose God and respond to God’s Spirit stirring within us and around us.

looking to the west

Take a look toward the west on your personal compass. This is the direction of the setting sun. It is the perspective that shows where there are endings and where we need to let go. Ask yourself: What (or perhaps who) needs to be released and let go? What beliefs or attitudes or patterns do I need to die to? Where is deep healing needed? Often the eastern and the western directions on our personal compass are intimately related. We may not be able to receive a new beginning and give it the attention it needs to grow and flourish until we let go of something else.

tool for personal navigation in our own lives, especially when we find ourselves in uncharted territory.

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A personal compass can be an invaluable

One way we remain available to God’s Spirit is to receive this day, this moment, this season, these people in our lives and the life we are given in Christ. I will be the first to admit that it is easier for me to see them as limitations. The limitations I see are my own as well as those of the people around me. Seeing these givens as limitations can make me feel frustrated and angry at myself and others. But if these givens are seen as gifts, then the choice remains with me. Will I let these gifts move me toward God or away from God? Seeing circumstances as gifts rather than givens changes the way we look at even difficult realities. I met Caroline while I was working as a medical social worker, shortly after she was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. She remarked to me that upon hearing her diagnosis, many people around her began to refer to her in the past tense, “as if I were already dead,” she said. “The funny thing is that I have never felt more alive in my whole life. I don’t want to miss anything. It is as if all of my living was simply for this moment.” She was able to receive the time after her diagnosis as a gift. As you look at the past and ponder the future, what difference might it make if you choose to see the givens of your life as gifts rather than limitations? Might you find that you are available to yourself and to God in a new way? Making a conscious choice to live with Jesus rather than live for Jesus is another way of being available to God’s Spirit in the present. When we live for God rather than with God, it is easy for us to move ahead on our own steam only to find ourselves resentful or frustrated, exhausted or burned out. Living with God means following His lead rather than leading out; it means letting God’s love instead of our own effort fuel our actions. Living with God means staying close to the Word, keeping up the practice of prayer, and living in Christian community. When we live for God, we might well move forward in self-righteousness, but when we follow God and live with Him, we will find ourselves on holy ground, moving in a natural way of humility and listening and love.

looking at the center

Take a look at the empty space at the center of your personal compass. What might it mean for you to commit all of the directions of your life to God’s love? Are you able to say yes to living with God in your heart and mind and body? Our willingness to be with God—in our prayers, in our actions, in our leisure, in our relationships, in our commitments—will lead us in the good way along the path with Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself offers the invitation: “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matt. 11:29-30).

Has suffering ever left you feeling isolated and emotionally wrung out? God offers us many companions in Scripture and invites us into a community of believers who can walk with us. Journey in these pages with Wendy Alsup through her story of suffering, and more importantly, with the God who walks with us in the wilderness.

Our willingness to be with God...will lead

us in the good way along the path with Jesus Christ.

NEW BOOK

from Bestselling Author

The northerly direction is really the key to any compass. It gives the perspective that is needed to keep the other three directions aligned and the compass user on course. On clear nights, the North Star remains a navigational tool for smaller boats. On your personal compass, the north represents the guiding light. These are the stabilizing forces that name where we are and point us to the true destination. Take a moment now to look at all four quadrants of your personal compass. Can you allow God to love you just as you are right now? By accepting God’s love for us, we fall in love with Him, and only then do we have the fuel we need to obey. With our eyes wide open to God’s goodness, our wonder returns, our gratitude is rehabilitated and our soul can find

WENDY ALSUP

“This book is saturated with insight into Scripture, presenting meaty truths that make a difference, helping to make sense of and bring peace and rest in the midst of the lowest days and the hardest things.” shop ivpress.com

NANCY GUTHRIE, author and Bible teacher 17

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looking to the north

a place of rest in the present. What might it be like for us to simply sit down and rest in God’s presence at the crossroads of this present moment? Can we surrender enough to relax and enjoy God’s love?

faith conversations

Spend a few minutes with Brooke Bateman and her sunny disposition and optimistic outlook on life shines through.

Into the Silence Brooke Bateman is reaching the deaf with the gospel.

PHOTO CREDIT: WAYDE PERONTO

JBU: How did you come to Christ? Brooke: I was 20 years old when I was given a women’s study Bible. For the first time in my life, I was really seeking God and praying to Him. I always thought God was a far-off God even though I believed in Him and believed that He loved me. I didn’t know that He desired a personal relationship with me. That’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about Bible translation. The Bible changed my life!

JBU: What was it like to grow up in a home with deaf parents? Brooke: I was able to get away with a lot! I could play music as loud as I wanted and listen to any kind of music I wanted. Seriously, though, it was very isolating in many ways. I didn’t have someone to talk to and have deep conversations with. I had a difficult time learning how to communicate well especially when it came to my feelings, who I am, and how I felt about certain situations. I was never given the skills to identify those things or talk them through, so it was something I had to learn to do as an adult. On many levels, I was very lonely at times. 19

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by Shelly Esser

Her smile and eyes light up the room as she talks passionately about the unique assignment God has called her to. She will be the first to tell you that’s how she’s been wired from the time she was a little girl, and it has served her well as she’s grown up in a home that is foreign to most people—a hearing child with deaf parents. Despite the many challenges, Brooke describes her parent’s deafness as a gift. Brooke had to grow up fast—maybe too fast— many times acting as her parents’ interpreter as they’ve navigated life in a hearing world. She’s had to interpret for her mom on the phone or for doctor’s appointments, or at the grocery store. This has meant often taking on responsibilities that most kids growing up didn’t have to. But Brooke sees it as an asset. She has witnessed firsthand a culture and language that most people never see. She’s grown up “bilingual” learning sign language as a baby and has had to navigate two very different cultures—the hearing and non-hearing worlds. She’s seemed to do it seamlessly and from the start God had a plan for her unique upbringing and insight into the deaf community. He has used it to fit the puzzle pieces of her life together leading her to leave everything behind to step into the silence and minister to the deaf overseas. In February, Brooke packed her suitcase to head to Oradea, Romania, where she started serving in Bible Translation and Global Sign Language with Wycliffe Bible Translators. There, she is learning the culture and language and doing translation work to embark on the calling she almost missed, but was right under her nose. Originally, it was Brooke’s plan to work with traumatized women, something she was already doing in her church. But one day, a single statistic stopped her in her tracks and changed all that: only two percent of deaf people have been introduced to the gospel primarily because no sign

language has a complete Bible translation. And at least 95 percent of the over 400 sign languages around the world have no Bible translation. Language and cultural barriers along with the fact that the deaf are a scattered population have left them as the largest unreached people group worldwide. “It broke my heart,” Brooke said, getting emotional. “Imagine not having a Bible in your translation? The fact that there are people in the world who have no Scripture in their heart language is hard for me to grasp. We have so much.” This reality was especially hard for Brooke because she has family members who don’t know Christ. Brooke’s eyes were opened to what was in front of her all along: God was not only calling her to reach the deaf, but to be involved in translating His Word so they could have their own Bible translation like the hearing do—like she does. Who better to devote her life to this work than Brooke? She already understands the culture, she has been signing since she was nine months old, and her love for the deaf community is personal. JBU had the joy of sitting down with Brooke to talk about her unique experience straddling two cultures and her heart for taking the gospel to the deaf community.

faith conversations

JBU: When did you realize that your family was different from other families? Brooke: Honestly, I’ve always accepted my life the way it was, and I never felt weird about it, even though I mentioned it was isolating. There were still a lot of beautiful things that I experienced.

JBU: Do you have a favorite memory from your childhood—one of those beautiful things? Brooke: Growing up with deaf parents introduced me to what we call “Deaf Standard Time.” Typically, the deaf culture is late to events, but then they stay way after it’s time to go home. They’re still talking under the streetlights trying to take advantage of the time. It’s a luxury to be able to talk to other people who know their language and who are like them, because most of the time they are isolated and unable to communicate with those around them. Deaf people are really intuitive. In fact, my mom was so intuitive there were times, especially when I was little, that I thought, “I think she can hear!” I tried to trick her and make a sound or call her name, and when she didn’t respond, I knew she really was deaf.

JBU: How did you navigate the deaf world and the hearing world? Brooke: Overall, I think I did it well. I don’t remember having a lot of struggles; it was just the life that I was given and I didn’t know anything different. I know there are other CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults) who have struggled with it, but many actually thrive.

JBU: Were you ever angry at God that your parents were deaf? Brooke: Honestly, no. I have even asked my mom if she could hear, would she want to, especially now that there are Cochlear implants. Her answer, along with most deaf people, is no. She was born that way. It’s the only thing she knows, so she doesn’t really want to change it. Her answer helped me be at peace. I’ve always thought it’s a gift to be deaf; it’s how God made my parents. The deaf community has its own unique culture and language, which makes it very fun and special in its own way.

JBU: What have you learned from your parents that has inspired you in your faith? Brooke: I’ve seen my parents overcome so much adversity, not that they do it perfectly, but they keep going. My mom never complained. She still tries to learn more and grow. She worked so hard to navigate living in a hearing world with hearing people. All of that inspires me as I live the Christian life to persevere in my own challenges.

Brooke: I have been able to see a side that many don’t understand. While I did deaf ministry and I enjoyed interpreting at church, I resisted the idea of doing deaf missions. But once I found out that the largest unreached people group in the world is the deaf community, it was as if God opened my eyes to the obvious. It made sense. Missions agencies are finally working to meet the need. It’s considered the final frontier; they have identified the deaf to be the last people to be reached. I was slow to catch on even though I grew

JBU: Is it necessary to know sign language to reach out to the deaf?

JBU: How have you seen God on the move in the deaf community?

Brooke: No. This is a misconception. You can give a friendly smile and try to communicate through gesturing. Take the time to do some research and learn about the deaf so you can enter into their world.

Brooke: He’s awakening hearts to who He is. I see a hunger for people to know Him and to study the Word, especially globally. That’s why getting translations into their languages is so important.

JBU: What are some of the challenges of reaching this group?

JBU: How can the church minister to the deaf?

Brooke: There are deaf people in every corner of the world, it’s not like they are all located in one specific area. But, it’s amazing to finally see this talked about and many organizations have risen up to meet the need.

JBU: What are some misconceptions the hearing community has about the deaf community? Brooke: The biggest one is they believe reading is the answer. That if only the deaf could read and understand the Bible, their spiritual eyes would be opened.

JBU: Why isn’t it that simple and why do they need their own Bible translations? Brooke: Written languages are vastly different from sign languages or spoken language. Spoken and written languages, such as English, are often a second language for deaf people. So it’s difficult to read and understand the Bible in spoken and written languages. They might be able to understand certain concepts, but they won’t be able to understand it fully. Deaf people want, and need, God’s Word in a language that they can see and understand, in their first and heart language— sign language. A deaf missionary put it so well: “Sign language is how we process things, we do things and understand ourselves, and understand God. If we can receive the Word of God in sign language— our heart language—the barriers come down and the message goes straight to our heart through the Spirit and the Word comes alive. It’s vivid and real. If God’s Word is not signed to the deaf by a person or by a video, the deaf will never have access to God’s Word.”

JBU: How can someone get to know a deaf person? Brooke: A lot of people are afraid to approach a deaf person because they don’t know what to do. I would encourage people to press through that feeling and get to know the person. Deaf people are quite fascinating and funny and it’s worth getting to know them even if you can learn just a few basic signs. Or you could write on a piece of paper as a way to communicate or even draw a picture. Brooke: I know many churches who have a deaf ministry, but it’s a subset of the church. The deaf should be part of the church. What really makes a difference is “seeing” the deaf when they’re in church. Coming up and saying hello, looking them in the eyes makes them feel welcome and valued. That someone took the time to get beyond the initial awkwardness. To just see them as any other regular person. Over the years, I have interpreted in churches where no one has come to talk to the deaf Sunday after Sunday. It’s heart-wrenching. I’m talking years. There was a man at church that I met who moved me to tears. We were signing back and forth. I asked him how he knew sign language. He said that he had worked with a deaf man for 35 years. He just retired and thought it’s time for me to learn sign language so he’s doing that and meets with his deaf friend. He finally got it. That’s not easy, yet he did it for one person. That makes a huge difference.

JBU: What is being done today to get the first deaf translation of the Bible? Brooke: There are teams in place now here in the U.S.—deaf missions organizations—that are working on the American Sign Language version. They have a goal to complete that by October 2020. They’re working on the video sign language translation. The deaf Bible will be on video and there will be a free App and website. There are also teams around the world now who are working on translations of the Bible and it’s actually deaf translators who know the language and culture and are taking ownership for their translation work with the support of trained people. Many agencies are partnering together like never before because they see the need to reach the deaf and they’ll do it faster if they work together. It’s a beautiful picture of the Body of Christ.

JBU: How can we become deaf to God in our lives? Brooke: When we start desiring things that are less than what God wants for our lives we can lose our sense of hearing His voice. It’s our sinful nature that gets in the way and keeps us listening to every other voice but His. We have to daily combat the other voices by turning our ears and heart to God’s Word and desire for our lives. We can trust that what He wants for our lives is always for our good.

JBU: What has driven you to leave everything behind to reach the deaf? Brooke: It’s God. I wrestled with it at first, but then I realized it’s not about me or my abilities; it’s about looking to God every day and having that close relationship with Him. He is leading me. God uses the “least of these.” Then remembering He is the One who is going to do the work. I’m just going because He has asked me to, and I’m listening to His voice.

JBU: Is there a particular verse of Scripture that has been meaningful to you? Brooke: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). That is key as I set out. It’s in my weakness that He is stronger. And I’m really weak. I’m learning that in my weakness, His strength is the equivalent. The weaker I am, the stronger He is and I have always wrestled with understanding what that means. The more I step out to do the things I can’t do, the more I rely on Him and He does it!

JBU: How would you encourage women who are wrestling with stepping out in some big area of faith? Brooke: I am not anyone special. I am a broken person, only used because Christ is in me. I’m able to go and serve Him as a field worker, but each of us gets to serve Him wherever He sends us. You are loved, you are valued, and God is calling you to serve Him in some way, whether it’s your neighbor or someone at church or maybe overseas like me. The greatest lesson I have learned over the years is that it doesn’t matter what I do for God—it’s just knowing Him and walking closely with Him that matters. God has a plan for you today, and He wants you to walk hand-in-hand with Him as He leads. What an adventure! Shelly Esser has been the editor of Just Between Us for the last 30 years. She and her husband have four adult daughters and two sons in law. She lives in Menomonee Falls, Wis.

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JBU: How has God used this part of your story to give you a passion for the deaf community?

up with it. I wasn’t listening! God used the huge need and my familiarity with the deaf culture to eventually direct me to His plan. He has given me the desire and joy to be involved in bringing the gospel to the deaf. I went to a mission’s conference four years ago, and I made it my goal to visit every table asking what they were doing to reach the deaf. Almost everyone said, “I don’t know; I’ve never thought of that before.” It was a further piece of the puzzle of God directing me, but I still didn’t know where I fit in because there weren’t many working with the deaf.

STRENGTH TO FACE THE CORONAVIRUS

The coronavirus now joins the list of difficulties that often batter our lives. Problems regarding money, marriage, children, work, unemployment, injury, and legal issues can hit with no more notice than a hurricane or life-threatening fever. How come we’re always surprised? Jesus Himself told us we would have trouble in this world (John 16:33). We can do our best to prepare and guard ourselves and possessions against disasters, but we cannot escape the eventual personal experience of pain and catastrophe, so what should our response be? Curse the circumstances? Strike back at the people involved with the tragedy? Lose all hope and motivation to carry on? Shake our fist toward heaven? Too many times, we are tempted to trust in our own efforts, best plans, talents, and material resources—even the people in our lives—so hard times make no sense and force us into a sad state of anxiety, shock, and paralysis. It’s so easy to build wisely from a human standpoint, but what is understandable or preventable about a hurricane or coronavirus or stock market crash or terrorist attack? Using this type of human created strategy is like building on sand, open to shifting and uncontrollable elements. There’s a better way. We can trust in the sovereignty of God and love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. While the misfortune and adversity is no less difficult to walk through, it does not strike at the very foundation of our lives. We know God has a plan and purpose and no storm or virus can ever take away our hope and promise of heaven.

When we’re struggling with fear and anxiety, we need to keep our focus on Him. by Gail Goolsby

• We say, “I can’t do this! I am too weak, too feeble!” God replies, “Yes, your strength will fail you. Take my strength which is unlimited” (1 Chron. 16:11). • We say, “I don’t think I can believe in a God who allows this trouble! I am fickle. I have doubts.” God says, “I am the beginning and the end. I know all that has happened and will happen to you, but my plans will work toward your good” (Rom. 8:28). • We say, “One day I am able to trust, but the next day, I am afraid! I am floundering!” God says, “I am a rock. Lean on me, not your own assessments and understandings of the circumstances” (Prov. 3:5-6). • We say, “I am losing the ability to stand through this trial. I am falling into despair!” God says, “I will raise you up and hold you firmly. There is an anchor behind this veil and sunny skies ahead” (Heb. 6:19).

KNOW GOD HAS A PLAN AND PURPOSE AND NO STORM OR VIRUS CAN EVER TAKE AWAY OUR HOPE AND PROMISE OF HEAVEN.

OUR BEST DEFENSE IN THE STORMS Three times in the New Testament (Matt 8:23-27; Mark 4:37-41; Luke 8:23-25) the Scripture writers detailed the story about Jesus sleeping through a storm while in a boat with the disciples. They became afraid and woke Him to ask for His help from the threatening waves. He spoke to the wind and water and commanded them to be still. The forces of nature obeyed. The disciples exchanged one terror for another. Who is this man? When misfortune hits us, our best response is to call out to Jesus, the One who came close, took human form and experienced our frail, fleshly lives. When we’re struggling with fear and anxiety, we need to recall exactly who He is, what He has already accomplished in His death and resurrection, and what He has promised to those who call upon His name. Storms and sickness will come, but He is right in the wind and rain—and coronavirus—with us. Watch what He does on your behalf. Gail Goolsby holds master’s degrees in professional counseling and educational leadership. She has over 25 years of educational experience as a teacher, school counselor, and principal, including the K-12 American school in Afghanistan. Her book Unveiled Truth: Lessons I Learned Leading the International School of Kabul details the experience with challenging applications for all readers. As a counselor and ICF certified life coach, Gail believes there is support and encouragement in God’s Word to help us all learn to live well. Gail and her pastor-husband have been married 41 years and have three grown children, two sons-in-law, and four granddaughters. They live in south central Kansas.

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GOD’S ANSWERS IN THE STORM

• We say, “I am a victim of things out of my control. Where is my freedom to choose my future?” God says, “Your life surrendered to Me, to My love and care is true freedom from the worries and evil of this world. I have your best in mind, even when things look bleak” (1 Pet. 2:16). • We say, “I cannot forgive the things that happened to me, what people did to me! How can I trust You, God or anyone?” God says, “I sent my only Son to pay for the many wrongs you have done and will do, and to offer you a place in My family, My eternity. If you can accept My forgiveness for everything you have thought or done against my perfect, righteous ways, how can you not forgive others? I will help you” (Matt. 6:15). • We say, “There is no future for me, only fear and failure. There is no hope for me.” God says, “I have given you all you need for future hope in My Son and in My Word. Let me teach you about your true worth in My eyes” (Jer. 29:11).

We stepped off to the side on the olive-green carpet while others were bustling about clearing dishes. She held me close in a lingering embrace, whispering six simple words, “You have a Bethany House here.” Deep in my soul, I experienced a holy, encouraging mantle cross between us. Speaker and author Jill Briscoe was visiting Oregon as our church’s keynote speaker on Mother’s Day weekend. As a part of the events I hosted a luncheon in my home for Jill and the women church leaders. Jill’s itinerary was tight. Before I had a moment to ask any clarifying questions, they whisked her away to the next commitment on her busy schedule. I wanted to run after her and ask, “What does that mean?” Her schedule and my injuries kept me rooted to the olive-green carpet as she slipped out the front door.

The Search for Bethany

Eager to gain an understanding of what it meant to have a Bethany House, I spent several months researching every biblical reference to Bethany and the concept of a Bethany House. Bethany was a tiny, but significant village two miles southeast of Jerusalem. Hidden in the shadows of the Mount of Olives, its secluded location offered residents rest within groves of palm and fig trees. In the mountain stillness, a few dozen families cared for the sick and for “untouchable” people, those cast out of their families and society. In the journey to understand Bethany better, I was surprised to discover some of the most well-known stories of Jesus’ ministry all happened in Bethany: • Jesus stayed with His friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany when traveling (Matt. 21; Luke 10). • Jesus wept in Bethany (John 11:35). • Jesus raised His friend, Lazarus, from the dead in Bethany (John 11). • Jesus received His “burial anointing” from Mary at the home of Simon the leper in Bethany (John 12; Matt. 26; Mark 14). • Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday from Bethany (Mark 11; Luke 19). • After His resurrection, Jesus offered His disciples their final blessing in Bethany (Luke 24). • Jesus will return one day to Bethany (Zech. 14; Acts 1).

Bethany House By simply opening the door to your home, you can become a sanctuary for others. by Kellie LaFollette

My Bethany House

For over 20 years, I taught elementary school. I loved teaching and my students. When the doctors made the call that ended my teaching career, I went home to a mountain of unknowns. Just as leprosy confined many to Bethany, radiation burns to my eyes confine most of my life within the walls of my home. I had one simple prayer, “Lord, can I keep this house and somehow use it for Your kingdom?” As my ability to participate in life outside my home decreased, my desire to welcome people into my home increased. Desperate to stay connected to my church family, I offered to host a Bible study from home. Are you familiar with the swirly mix of emotions of being both nervous and excited at the same time? My stomach turned flips from nerves; my heart was full of hopeful anticipation. To prepare, I studied the Scriptures, vacuumed the house, set up the heavy wooden chairs, placed a welcome sign on the front door, and made tea. Everything was prepared and ready. I kept checking the clock eager to welcome the first guest. In all the preparation, it never occurred to me there might be another plan. The set time came and went. The door never opened. No one showed up. Not one person. Week after week I repeated the preparations. Week after week no one came. I began wondering if I would be alone the rest of my days. In the pain of shrinking hope, a friend offered a different perspective. Her tone was gentle and wise. “Don’t you see, Kellie? Jesus just wants time alone with you before you minister to others.” Her encouragement reframed my shattered heart. She helped me see this time as a sacred gift I hadn’t recognized.

Bethany is our radical hospitality, illustrating love your neighbor.

Life in and around example of what it means to

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Becoming a

Knowing Jesus’ heart for the “least of these,” it isn’t surprising that Bethany became His home away from home. There, Jesus experienced love, rest, and refreshment without the press of the crowds. No wonder this tiny town is where He raised the dead, shared hope, offered peace, and bestowed blessings (John 11, 12; Mark 14; Matt. 26). Life in and around Bethany is our example of radical hospitality, illustrating what it means to love your neighbor, even the unlovable ones.

Months later when the next session of Bible study opened, I offered to host a Bible study in my home again. I admit my â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;? was shaky. This time, though, the door opened, and women came in.Â Over 10 years later, they are still coming. God, in His kindness, has provided even further opportunities to open my home. Now, Bible studies, community groups, special prayer times,Â and even a luncheon for Jill Briscoe happen. Perhaps most important, my home is a welcoming place for neighbors who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t yet know Jesus. The most honored guest, invited into each gathering, is the Holy Spirit. We ask for His presence and guidance. He is always welcome here. With 24-hour eye pain and extreme light sensitivity, welcoming people into my home takes special care. Though I live in rainy Oregon, I still need specialized blinds on the windows to filter out the brightness. Newcomers, unfamiliar with my story, politely hold questions as they adjust to less physical light. Yet as we venture into prayer, conversation, and Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word, the true light of the world eclipses the lack of physical light. Your circumstances are likely different from mine, but still full of your own real and unique obstacles. Invite Jesus into your space. Allow Him to work out the challenges that seem insurmountable. Remember, Bethany was not a perfect place. It was hidden from view and full of outcasts. Each of our lives can feel like that, too. When you open the door to your heart and invite God in, significant kingdom work can happen wherever you are just like it did in Bethany.

Your Bethany House

Kellie LaFollette spends her days sharing Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word, praying, and encouraging others. She lives in Mt. Hood in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. You can contact her at: kellielafollette.com.

Ministry on the Go Stop and pray with a friend in need. 26

With the coronavirus pandemic, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve not only been hit with a health scare, but discouraging and heartbreaking news everywhere we look. And it has taken a huge toll on our emotional well-being. First Thessalonians 5:11 says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Therefore encourage one another...â&#x20AC;? If ever there is a time for encouragement itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now. Here are some ways you can encourage those in your circle of influence: â&#x20AC;˘ Mister Rodgers said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.â&#x20AC;? The community helpers are all around us. Send a batch of cards regularly to your local hospitals, health care centers, and nursing homes to encourage the doctors, nurses, CNAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, emergency paramedics, and to the police department. These helpers need our encouragement daily and many, long after the disaster has passed, will be battling PTSD.

God refuge strength Psalm 46:1

â&#x20AC;˘ When you see an encouraging Scripture or post online, share it. It only takes a few seconds to click a button and encourage a whole lot of people in your life. â&#x20AC;˘ Call three people every day just to say youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thinking of them and praying for them. We need to be intentional about our communication now because we are all starving for personal contact and care. â&#x20AC;˘ You only need to visit the grocery store to see the stress on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faces. While social distancing has become a norm for now, we can still encourage others by our simple smiles and hellos. Let people know they are seen; look them in the eyes. A look or smile is not contagious. We can spread a whole lot of hope to others simply through our eyes and smiles. â&#x20AC;˘ Find and send humor. Proverbs 17:22 says, Ă&#x201E; joyful heart is good medicine.â&#x20AC;? Boy do we need good medicine right nowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and space to just laugh. Social media is almost bursting with laugh-out-loud humor. We need this kind of relief in these serious times. My favorites are the ones that have really defined this crisis: toilet paper. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you need 14 rolls of toilet paper for a 14-day quarantine, you probably should have seen your doctor long before COVID-19.â&#x20AC;? ~Shelly Esser

Create Childhood Memories That Will Make a Lasting Impact Are your children and grandchildren scattered across the country? Are they right down the street? No matter where they are, if you long for more time, more fun, and more memories with the ones you love, Cousin Camp is the answer! Full of specific, doable ideas and hilarious stories, this book contains everything you need to cultivate faith in your family. Close-knit family bonds donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen by accident. Start creating yours today! Discover more at SusanAlexanderYates.com/cousincamp

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Jill Briscoe reminds us, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your mission field is right where you are, between your own two feet.â&#x20AC;? Bethany is a concept that extends far beyond her whispered words, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have a Bethany House here.â&#x20AC;? Bethany of the Bible was a small community where the outcasts lived as Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beloved.Â Our â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bethanyâ&#x20AC;? is wherever our feet are, both inside and outside of our homes. My feet are most often planted on the olive-green carpet of my home, but Bethany is more a matter of the heart than of a particular location. Do you carry a sense of Bethany wherever your two feet are? That space doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be a house. The Holy Spirit is in you and moves with you. Together you can share the heart of Bethany with family, friends, visitors, and the marginalizedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; wherever you are. A Bethany heart seeks to serve and care for others in the name and love of Jesus.

weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in this

Encouragement Prompts

strength I needed on past mission trips to several dangerous countries. He protected me every time and in every circumstance. Why would this be any different? So I began to think of this radiation journey as a mission trip to share God’s faithful character with others. As I came to my radiation treatments each day, I was greeted with Phil. 4:13 on the wall of the waiting room. Through God-given spiritual strength, I began to reach out to others who were also going through radiation treatments. Even though my physical strength became weaker after each treatment, and I suffered tremendous pain towards the end of my treatments, His strength sustained me. In my weakness, God was strong, enabling me to finish all 28 treatments.

Rainbows of Hope in a Cancer Storm

God is faithful in His comfort.

God’s faithfulness in difficult times leads to a deeper trust. by Heather Hagstrom

As a brilliant partial double rainbow appeared in the sky against a backdrop of dark clouds, I looked in awe from my car. In that moment, God impressed on my heart that He would be faithful to me in an upcoming storm. One week later the doctor told me, “I have bad news. You have cancer.” Immediately, all my hope seemed to shatter. But in the midst of some of the darkest times of my life, Bible verses were scattered throughout the cancer center where I received my treatment like spiritual rainbows reminding me of God’s faithfulness. Those words gave me hope. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’” declares the LORD, ‘“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jer. 29:11). When I walked into the hospital for my hysterectomy surgery to remove the endometrial cancer, fear and the loss of having my own children gripped my heart. But in my sorrow, God was ever-present. There on the wall of the waiting room were the words from Jer. 29:11. God reminded me of His faithfulness to His promises. Even though I didn’t understand why I had to experience the loss of a dream for having my own family, I began to trust God’s plans for me displayed in this promise. God showed me

God is faithful with His presence. “Do not be afraid, for I am with you” (Is. 43:5). The night before I learned I would need cancer treatments, Jer. 32:27 came to mind: “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” The next morning, I learned that the cancer had spread to a lymph node and I would need six months of 34 cancer treatments, which consisted of both chemotherapy and radiation. I knew that I could not finish all 34 cancer treatments in my own strength. I would lose my beautiful long brown hair and endure the possibility of losing all feeling in my hands and feet. Now, the cancer storm became too large for me to handle. When the nurse gave me a tour of the chemotherapy infusion center, I gasped in fear as I saw people who were bald lying lethargically in reclining chairs as they received their chemotherapy through IV tubes. Again, God’s Word was there. Isaiah 43:5a was painted on the wall above the exit door. God

used it to remind me that He would be faithful with His constant presence throughout all 34 of my cancer treatments. I would not be alone!

God is faithful in His character. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13). After finishing three sessions of chemotherapy, I walked into the cancer center wearing a soft pink hat covering my bald head. I would begin my first of 28 sessions of daily radiation. Moments before I met with my doctor, I heard an encouraging Christian song on the TV in the waiting room that focused me on trusting Him, even in difficult times. The song reminded me of God’s faithful character and encouraged me that I could trust Him even more. The radiologist got me settled into a sterile room, “Welcome to radiationland,” he said. He explained to me the serious and lasting side effects that could occur as a result of my treatments. A time when I experienced God’s faithfulness suddenly flooded my thoughts. There had been so many times when God gave me the

Heather Hagstrom is a member of the Heart of America Christian Writer’s Network. She is a cancer survivor and actively involved in her church. She is also a teacher of students with visual impairments. She lives in Overland Park, Kan.

Ministry on the Go Make eye contact with the bagger at the checkout line and thank them.

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God is faithful to His promises.

that His plans for my life are larger than what I can physically see and are bigger than my dreams. I was also reminded of the strong desire I’ve had since I was a young child to help with foster care and adoption. No matter what happens in my life, my future is held securely by the God who created the entire universe and who gives us His faithful promises.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves received from God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). I finally began my last three chemotherapy sessions, spaced three weeks apart. Every time I went to the cancer center for my chemotherapy, Bible verses on the wall reminded me of God’s faithfulness even in the storm. This time 2 Cor. 1:3-4 helped me focus on my heavenly comfort. It came at a time when I really needed it just as I lost my hair for the second time and received shots with painful side effects to boost my immune system. I began comforting others receiving chemo treatments like I was with the same comfort I received from God. Instead of dreading each treatment and blood test, I began to look forward to going to the cancer center. There were hurting people all around me who needed encouragement and hope. I was able to leave cancer devotionals to encourage the patients there. Even though the fatigue and weakness made it possible for me to only stand for a few minutes at a time, God’s faithfulness was so evident through His promises, with His presence, in His character, and in His comfort. At the beginning of my journey, when I saw the partial double rainbow, a trust in God welled up in my heart even though I didn’t know what storm I would be facing. A year after I received my cancer diagnosis, a brilliant full double rainbow filled the sky against a backdrop of clouds just when my new short curly brown hair blew in the breeze. I saw the rainbow again while in remission from my cancer. What a visual heavenly gift to symbolize God’s faithfulness to me throughout my cancer storm. Recognizing God’s faithfulness to us in our storms helps us trust Him more deeply. As we trust God more, His joy, peace, and hope overflow in us so we can become rainbows of hope to others in their storms.

Words of Wisdom from Jill Briscoe Three decades of words that have shaped our faith. Compiled by Danae Templeton Thirty years ago, Jill Briscoe started Just Between Us. She has written for each subsequent issue of the magazine, sharing wise words on topics like worry, faith, prayer, servanthood, and trusting God when life gets hard. Jill’s words remain poignant and applicable through the decades. Enjoy this collection of quotes from her articles over the years.

“There will be good times and bad times, lukewarm times and spiritually hot times. There will be blossoms, leaves, and fruit and sometimes just bare branches, but the promise of God is to be present in our hearts in every stage. He is the life of our life cycles and helps us to complete them to His glory.”

“Whatever our temperament or inclination to worship, we all need to make a daily choice to meet Him. If we do, we will go out to serve with His blessing resting on our service, His peace in our hearts, His joy on our lips.”

“God’s strength will match any responsibility, however overwhelming it may seem.”

Summer 1997

January-February 1991

Winter 1997

Winter 2005

“Whatever the whatever, and whenever the whenever, God is God enough.”

“You don’t even have to get up off your knees to make a difference in someone else’s life!”

Summer 2003

Summer 2005

Winter 2014

“We need to die to the nonsense of controlling our own lives and ministry, in fact, our own anything—our own schedules, time, money, status, and the trappings of self-importance. Jesus left everything behind Him. All His things. Do we have our “things” in perspective? Cultivating a spirit of humility will help us keep ourselves the ‘right size’ in our thinking.” Spring 2011

“You can be tired in the work of the Lord or tired of the work of the Lord—and there is a big difference. Being tired in it is a given in this lost and hurting world. There are too few hands to the pump, but that’s a good sort of tired.”

“Women were first at His birth, last at His cross, first to see Jesus after He rose from the dead, and first to tell of His resurrection. It is my joy to tell women all over the world that there is a place at His side for them. He calls and equips us women for service—as in His day, so in ours.”

Summer 2006

Fall 2009

“All sin is ‘big’ sin. There is no sin too big for God to forgive. And there is life after sin.” Fall 2008

Spring 2003

“One lesson I have learned is that ‘spiritual gifts don’t age!’ Spiritual gifts, a heart for the lost, and a spirit of service are the stuff of eternal things and never grow old! We grow old, but passion for Jesus never need age—it’s a choice you know!” Spring 2015

“In the end, it has been faith that has chased my fears away! Faith in a God big enough and near enough and powerful enough to teach me how to trust and not be afraid.”

Summer 2017

“The antidote to greed is generosity.”

“We are not serving people or even companies or institutions; we are serving God. If we do our work with this mindset, He can energize us and turn our daily grind into something glorious.”

“Pray however you can, whenever you can, wherever you can. Pray in the morning and pray in the evening. Pray through the night. Pray in the kitchen and pray in the car. Pray in the chaos and pray in the order. Pray in the high points and pray at the low points. Pray when you can and pray when you can’t. Prayer is your lifeline!” Fall 1994

Fall 2012 31

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Winter 2001

“Kindness is the active part of patience. Patience is being good and kindness is doing good. The helpful thing about doing good is that you don’t have to wait till you feel like doing good to do it. Try doing it when you don’t feel like it.”

“Once round Jericho. You are allowed to wake up and march once around your problem, worrying about it as much as you like—once! Then you are forbidden to worry any more till the next day. Once round Jericho!”

“In every big decision there will always be the unacceptable to accept, the unavoidable to tackle, and further unexpected decisions will have to be made. Humility, godly input, a willingness to regroup, and seeking answers from God in His Word and prayer will find you guided by the Holy Spirit day-by-day and moment-to-moment.”

You Can Be a

Spiritual Midwife

Learn how to be the spice of the gospel.

Author Tim Keller recently said, “Bad evangelism says: I’m right, you’re wrong, and I’d love to tell you about it.” Sharing Christ is a right you earn through genuine love. I grew up fiercely atheist, Stephen Hawking was my hero. Religion was a man-made crutch for the weak. I was strong and capable, very much in control of my life, and I certainly didn’t need anyone’s help, thank you very much. But God. I came to the U.S. as a 16-year-old foreign exchange student from France. My American host parents lovingly embraced me into their family and, as it happened, also shared what mattered most in their lives: Jesus Christ. They didn’t pretend to have it all together. Their marriage and parenting weren’t perfect. But when they messed up, they also reconciled with grace, without shame. This atmosphere was refreshingly different from my own highly-dysfunctional family. Little by little, their genuine love, care, and grace earned them my trust and my listening ear.

Lovingly Share Truth As I listened, I quickly realized that Jesus’ resurrection was the foundation beneath my American parents’ faith. Easter morning became my battleground. The more I sought to debunk that myth, the more I found myself accumulating mounting evidence for the historical truth of the Resurrection—until the intellectual tension turned into a spiritual crisis for this stubborn French atheist. (You will find ten resurrection facts on pg. 34.) As you ponder them, ask yourself two deeply personal questions: • Does the Resurrection lead me to ever-growing worship and delight in the glory of God? • How can I express these facts in genuine love with the unbelievers around me? By God’s grace, intellectual integrity accompanied my 16-year-old arrogance: if Jesus had truly resurrected, then I owed Him my life in worshipful surrender—much to my dismay. I was a control freak: no one had any right to interfere with my life. But Jesus’ resurrection gave Him the right to do just that. I was out of options. Reluctantly, I struck a martyr’s pose and surrendered, expecting gloom and hardship—the most reluctant convert ever. This was almost 30 years ago, and I’ve never looked back. Joy and peace unexpectedly invaded this resistant heart and have remained through the hills and valleys of life with my precious Lord. Jesus is increasingly becoming the absolute delight of my life. I surrender every day in joyful, giddy awe that He would choose to woo me to Himself.

Live a Vibrant Faith The second secret lays the foundation: the world desperately needs your own vibrant faith and personal intimacy with the living God. Infuse God’s presence as a tea bag flavoring the hot water of your life. Let Him speak truth and love into every nook and cranny of your identity and life. When I focus on making Jesus my all-in-all, He serendipitously gives me opportunities to shine for Him and, much to my relief, He orchestrates the conversation. Because I daily train my ear to discern the whisper of His still, small voice, this earthen vessel is ready to share Him when unexpected encounters come. Immerse yourself in His presence. Study Scripture with a passion—whether you feel like it or not. If you don’t have that passion, ask Him for grace to love Scripture. Mark my words—He will deliver. Surround yourself with godly content: a Jesus-centric church, Bible studies, and podcasts. And worship. Worship with music, with the Psalms and at every opportunity: commuting, housekeeping, cooking, morning routines, exercise times, gardening—all are opportunities to crank up the volume and worship through music. Finally, find someone in whom you see Jesus: watch and learn from them. Let them role-model Jesus to you. And consider asking them to mentor you. The truth of the Resurrection led my mind to Christ; my American parents’ unwavering love and acceptance led my heart to Him. Both are equally necessary, mind and heart transformation by the power of the gospel. My American parents listened. They took my questions seriously. They never forced me to attend church, though they clearly expressed it was their preference. They gave me room to choose. They never pressured me. Most of all, they trusted in the Spirit’s wooing. They humbly and boldly accepted the role to become spiritual midwives alongside the Holy Spirit’s work in me. It takes the Holy Spirit to win a stone-cold heart to Christ. It takes a courageous believer to assist as

midwife in this spiritual birth. The French word for midwife is sage-femme, which literally means “wise woman.” You see, wisdom is knowledge that is rightly applied. As spiritual midwives, we apply our intimate knowledge of God—who He is, and what He has done—to trust that He is ushering in spiritual birth. That is why our own vibrant intimacy with Him is utterly crucial.

Pray Lastly, pray. We learn to trust God through prayer. Pray throughout the spiritual birth process. My American parents ushered me into the throne room through their prayers long before I even knew they were praying for me. The battle to win the soul of your unbelieving friend or family member will be won on your knees. Don’t pray to try to convince God of their need: He is more convinced than you are already. As you bring your friend in prayer to the throne room, you will find God at work in you, conforming your heart to His, and training you to listen to His still, small voice. Your time spent in the presence of God will equip you to speak the Word in season. As you seek to grow in intimacy and holiness, you will exude Christ more—effortlessly. Your time in the secret place will make you a more powerful kingdom magnet to reach your unbelieving friend for Christ. Prayer is a thundering roller-coaster. Prayer will unleash the Spirit to court a dead heart to life through surrender to the Life-Giver. In the process, we will find ourselves falling in love deeper with our breathtaking Savior, as we remember what He has done for us and as we witness His hand at work through us to reach another precious one. There you have it. As resurrection-believing, kingdom-magnet midwives, our role is threefold. We lovingly share truth; we seek to ever grow in intimacy and knowledge of our Lord; and we pray—incessantly, faithfully. That, my friend, is how one becomes the salt of the world, or, as I like to say, the spice of the gospel. Stephanie Rousselle is a writer, speaker, podcaster, and a director of women’s ministry. She is known for her podcast Gospel Spice with a focus on tasting the flavor of the gospel. She is married and has two children and is currently living in the U.S. You can find her blog and videos at Stephanie-roussell.com.

It takes a courageous believer to assist as midwife in this spiritual birth.

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by Stephanie Rousselle

The crazy part is, He invites us to change lives alongside Him. That’s where our stories catch purpose: for His glory, and our delight! First Peter 3:15 challenges us to describe our hope and faith to unbelievers when asked. That’s how we partner with God to change lives. Dare to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth—the spice of the gospel. The question is, how? I’ve just given you the first of three secrets to share the gospel: lovingly share truth.

10 Telltale Resurrection Facts 1. 1 The Easter Sunday whispers started in Jerusalem itself. To invent a story, the storytellers steer away from actual places and people. Legends are born overseas. True stories are told locally. Jerusalem grounds the Resurrection in space. 2. The Resurrection rumors started spreading 2 immediately. To disguise a lie as truth, you must wait patiently until people have forgotten or died, so they won’t contradict you. Myths don’t have a beginning. Truth has a time stamp. The early claims ground the Resurrection in time. 3. The authorities simply needed to produce Jesus’ 3 decomposing body to squash the early faith, yet they struggled to explain its absence. The empty tomb grounds the Resurrection in eternity. 4. Devout, monotheistic Jews were first to proclaim the 4 Resurrection. Since inception and by design, Judaism has always been the unlikely ground to nurture another religion. Moreover, early believers changed worship from Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath) to Sunday. Such a radical embrace of Christ is a mammoth cultural shift backed by solid evidence. 5. Biblical scholars indicate each of the twelve 5

apostles died alone. Don’t miss this. Each died alone, publicly, under tremendous pressure to recant. It takes profound certainty to die alone for your faith, and nobody dies alone for a lie they helped create.

6. The Transfiguration hadn’t been enough. Peter 6

Recommended Reading Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell 34

resurrected Christ gloriously interrupted him (see 1 Cor. 15:14, Luke 24, Matt. 28, and Mark 16). This intellectual prodigy unequivocally surrendered, penned thirteen epistles, launched the church, and died for his faith. Paul squarely placed the entire weight of Christianity on the truth-claim of the Resurrection. 8. The disciples didn’t seek to cultivate their own glory: 8 instead of portraying them as superheroes, the gospels embarrassingly highlight their shortcomings too prominently for comfort! They tell the truth, regardless of how poorly it reflects on them. 9. Fiction writers would have avoided inconsistencies; 9 yet at times, gospel authors almost seem to contradict each other. Even today, court judges are wary of collusion in near-identical witness accounts. Small discrepancies increase reliability: eyewitnesses describe the same events through the lens of their own experience. 10. The first Resurrection witnesses were women. 10 Women! The disciples wouldn’t have purposefully chosen such a primary source in a culture that denied women court witness status and valued them as glorified cattle. They wouldn’t have revealed that they were huddled in despair on Sunday morning while the women believed, unless it was true. Their unwavering commitment to truth led to the culturally shocking inclusion of women as primary witnesses, because that’s how it happened.

~Stephanie Rousselle

Elbows ON MY BED I was but a youth and thoughtless, As all youth are apt to be, Though I had a Christian mother, Who had taught me carefully.

She made my room her altar, A place of secret prayer, And there she took her burden And left it in His care.

With her God she held her fortress, And though not a word she said, My stubborn heart was broken By those imprints on my bed.

But there came a time when pleasures Of the world came to allure, And I no more sought the guidance Of her love so good and pure.

And morning, noon, and evening By that humble bedside low, She sought the aid of Him, who Best can understand a mother’s woe.

Long the conflict raged within me, Sin against my mother’s prayer. Sin must yield, for Mother never, While she daily met Him there.

But Mother would not yield her boy To Satan’s sinful sway, And though I spurned her counsel She knew a better way.

And I went my way unheeding, Careless of the life I led, Until one day I noticed Prints of elbows on my bed.

Mother-love and God-love Are a combination rare, And ones that can’t be beaten When sealed in earnest prayer.

No more she tried to caution Of ways she knew were vain, And though I guessed her heartache I could not know its pain.

Then I knew that she had been there, Praying for her wayward boy, Who for the love of worldly pleasure Would her peace of mind destroy.

And so at last the fight was won, And I to Christ was led, And Mother’s prayers were answered By her elbows on my bed.

While I wrestled with my conscience, Mother wrestled still in prayer, Till that little room seemed hallowed Because so oft she met Him there.

~Anonymous

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glimpsed the glory of Christ beneath the veil of human flesh, and yet subsequently denied Him (see Matt. 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9; compare with Matt. 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22). It took the Resurrection to take Peter from unbelieving denial to fearless martyrdom.

7. Paul ruthlessly persecuted Christians until the 7

MAKE A SUMMER PLAYLIST Create a playlist of worship songs and find a place to sing your heart out. Listen during your quiet times, in your car, or when you work out. Music soothes our weary hearts. There is power in praising the Lord through worship, and we feel the Holy Spirit’s presence moving as we listen. Let the words of your favorite worship songs penetrate your soul. Worship allows us to pour out our hearts to God.

PLAN CREATIVE QUIET TIME DATES Pursue God this summer by taking in the beauty around you. Ken Gire said, “We reach for God in many ways. Through our pictures and our prayers. Through our writing and our worship. And through them, He reaches us.” Make a date with yourself each week to visit an art gallery, walk outside, or take a painting class. Thank God for His creation and praise Him for the beauty you see. God created us, and we grow close to Him when we celebrate His creation.

GATHER FRIENDS TO BIBLE JOURNAL

HOW TO GROW YOUR FAITH THIS

Summer

by Cheri Liefeld

JOIN A SUMMER SMALL GROUP We all long for community. Summer is a great time to try a new Bible study or join a small group. Being part of a small group encourages us to continue to seek God while making new friends. It provides accountability and offers us the connection with others our souls crave. If your church doesn’t offer summer groups, look at other churches in your area, or join an online group.

TRY A NEW SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE There are many ways to engage with God. Add a new spiritual discipline to your summer routine. Practice a day of Sabbath each week during the summer or try to fast one day or meal a week. Try new methods of prayer like breathing prayer where you breathe in and exhale a simple prayer like “Lord Jesus have mercy” or “Thank You, Lord.” Read a book on spiritual disciplines and try some of them out over the summer.

the Bible each day, take a verse and write it in your journal each morning. It will bring the words to life, and we are more likely to retain and remember what we write. You can read through a book like Philippians and write out several verses each day. Record your takeaways and end with a short prayer asking God for wisdom. This summer be intentional, pursue God, and create space for rest and renewal. You can trust the promise of Ps. 107:9 (ESV), “For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” What will be on your summer bucket list? Share your list and encourage others to join you in strengthening your faith this summer. Cheri Liefeld is the small groups director at Eastside Christian Church in Orange, Calif. She is passionate about gathering people, often around the table, and inspiring women to pursue their calling. Additionally, she is the aunt to two nephews and a niece. She blogs at AdventuresInTheKitchen and Cheriliefeld.com.

WRITE THE WORD

Ministry on the Go

If we’re honest, sometimes reading the Bible feels flat, so we struggle with the discipline of daily reading. Instead of reading

Send a card of encouragement.

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Make a bucket list and replenish your soul!

Do you make a summer bucket list? Every year we create all kinds of lists for our goals and dreams for the summer. How about creating a summer faith bucket list? This time of year brings a different rhythm to our lives. School is out, kids are home, and often Bible study is on break. Consequently, we can so easily forget to spend time with God when our schedules change. Imagine how your spiritual life would look 90 days from now if you intentionally focused on growing in your faith. Before the summer starts, set a few goals and lean into new ways to grow your faith. Being in the Bible and spending time talking and listening to God feeds our souls. Our days go smoother and our relationships grow stronger when we soak in God’s Word. There have been years where I dreaded summer and struggled to not feel like I was missing out as I scrolled through my Facebook feed. It felt like I was the only one not on a fabulous vacation. By fixating on what we are missing out on, we miss the moments God has for us. We find rest and renewal when we seek out time with God. Jeremiah 31:25 says, “For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish” (ESV). Here are a few ways to intentionally grow your faith this summer:

Bible journaling is a creative way to study the Bible. Don’t worry, anyone can Bible journal. Last summer, I gathered a group of friends for a summer Bible journaling group. We wanted to explore God’s Word in a new way. I printed out free coloring journal sheets found with a quick Google search, and we watched short YouTube tutorials to get us started. We selected verses and each of us talked about what they meant to us. We intentionally meditated on the words we were journaling. Focusing on each word helps you memorize the verse and the simple act of coloring in the letters can be so soothing to our souls. Engaging in new ways of focusing on the Word allows us to see things in new ways. Pick your favorite verse and give it a try.

PURSUE GOD THIS SUMMER BY TAKING IN THE BEAUTY AROUND YOU...GOD CREATED US, AND WE GROW CLOSE TO HIM WHEN WE CELEBRATE HIS CREATION.

Consider the valuable mental real estate that noxious emotions like regret and shame may occupy. I’ve struggled considerably with these two “garments.” They used to feel like an old, familiar, comfy pair of jeans. It was so easy to slip them on. The discomfort in ruminating and replaying the various bumps and detours in my life only kept me wrapped up in personal defeat, inertia, fear, and bitterness. My thoughts became self-focused and self-limiting. My emotions and my actions followed suit. Over time and with God’s help, I elected to overhaul my mental and spiritual wardrobe, making a conscious effort to take off every thought and emotion that didn’t line up with God’s truth. Today, I don’t make any room for enemy lies, selfpity, or unforgiveness in my mind, much less give them a spot on the shelf in my closet. Our brains are neuroplastic. Scientific research proves that our thoughts chemically influence the gray matter in our head. We must be intentional, repetitive, disciplined, and increasingly discerning about our thought life in order to create lasting change in our minds. However, we have the power and ability to take off the old “clothes” that bind us and put on the new.

WHAT TO PUT ON

STEP OUT IN DIVINE STYLE Putting on your mental and spiritual wardrobe.

Clothes. Some days I just don’t know what to wear! Seems like I prefer some other season’s apparel over the typical attire for the time of year I’m in. And aren’t there rules about wearing white? How long can I wear flip-flops? Getting dressed each day can be quite overwhelming! I feel so much better when I’m intentional about what I am going to wear each day to work instead of trying to throw something together at the last minute. When I’m savvy, I lay out all my garments the night before. Believe it or not, choosing our thoughts is very similar to selecting which clothes to wear. We elect what to “put on” each day. Indeed, we may find our lives a bit less stressful when we plan what we will wear spiritually each day. If it takes effort to 38

clad ourselves literally each day, then how much more effort is required in a spiritual sense?

WHAT TO TAKE OFF Although we are free to choose our thoughts and attitudes, if we’re hasty and unintentional, we may grab a negative emotion or mindset that we’re used to and seems to fit without resistance. We throw it on without even thinking. Sometimes I impulsively cling to the first thoughts that pop into my mind, creating a domino effect of toxic thinking, assumptions, and conclusions: Oh, she didn’t wave back at me. I must have offended her last night. What did I say? I’ll just avoid her whenever I can.

DIVINE STYLE Our refurbished spiritual wardrobe is not seasonal and doesn’t wear out—it’s always in style and meant to be worn daily. God’s truth is both a one-size-fits-all garb, and tailor-fit for each of us. Operating daily with a renewed mind becomes increasingly comfortable the more we exercise this Christian right and responsibility. The more we discern our thoughts, mindsets, and attitudes by habit, the quicker we resist those toxic ones and buckle ourselves instead into the ones that reflect God’s truth. Lest we forget, this wardrobe is pricey, the most expensive clothing in our spiritual wardrobe. Christ took all the sin and filthy garments of this world onto His body, so that we might be saved and wear garments of purest white. That awareness alone ought to melt our hearts and spur us on in our desire to take thoughts captive and walk according to the Spirit. In gratitude for this divine gift, we accept full responsibility to elect what to ponder. Choosing thoughts and attitudes vetted against the truth of God’s Word is really the least we can do. What’s more, when we intentionally choose wisely, we look positively stunning. When we peer into the dressing room mirror, we see the beautiful, powerful, radiant, and love-giving image of our Creator! We step out in divine style that’s always in vogue.

STRENGTH AND DIGNITY ARE HER CLOTHING, AND SHE SMILES AT THE FUTURE. (Prov. 31:25, NASB)

Victoria D. Walker has led women’s groups and served as a life coach. Through her writing, podcasts, and blogs, she helps others “put feet on their faith.” She has four adult children and two grandchildren. Victoria lives in Midway, Ky.

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by Victoria D. Walker

The Bible tells us what we should put on emotionally and spiritually. We must learn to resist adhering to what feels comfortable and familiar and elect to rewire our thoughts to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Intentionally dwelling on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and praiseworthy takes effort (Phil. 4:8). With God’s help, of course, we are charged to renew our minds (Rom. 12:2), which promotes transformation and growth. This mental endeavor takes great effort. Showing intention about what to “wear” requires repetitive action and discipline on our parts. It takes time but the reward is huge! What should we be “wearing” as Christians? We can put on: • a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Col. 3:12) • the full armor of God (Eph. 6:11) • the armor of light (Rom. 13:12) • the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 13:14) • the new self (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10) According to the Blue Letter Bible, the admonishment to “put on” in the above references means to “sink into clothing.” Have you ever told someone, “Let that sink in a bit”? Our words and thoughts evoke penetrable change. When a notion “sinks in,” we really understand it, and it influences our mindset. Somehow, our thoughts, our hearts, and our minds become fully immersed, absorbed by, cloaked, and covered with what we meditate on and think about the most. We get to choose. When we take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, we dress ourselves to walk in truth and love. What a beautiful picture it is to “put on” Christ, to really know Him, and to be completely immersed into all of who He is.

If we’re so completely absorbed with Christ, when squeezed, He will come out. This means we hold our tongue in humility, kindly give someone else our spot in line even when rushed, or we patiently let them go first. It means that when overlooked, in gentleness, we release our right to get what we deserve. It means we make it our goal to listen compassionately instead of thinking of how to respond. We no longer take offense when our friend forgets to invite us to her party or when someone criticizes our work. Wearing these spiritual articles of clothing equip us to walk in strength to face battles. We dress for inclement weather entering each day fully armed with God’s armor of light and ready to declare God’s truth over our lives and situations. We leave regret, shame, worry, fear, and self-pity in the donation pile and head back to the enemy’s territory.

encouragement / chronic

hope

real faith / encouragement

When’s Enough Enough?

When It Hurts to Go to Church

by Adriana Hayes

Visit my sites! chronichopeblog. wordpress.com or madebyadri.com

by Terri Foster

immediate comfort of normalcy, knowing that this short-term sacrifice would lead to a home better suited for their needs and growth. They haven’t been alone in feeling impatient through this process. Through the story of Job, the Holy Spirit has whispered softly but firmly that my own impatience is rooted in pride. In spite of enduring 23 surgeries and an endless onslaught of neurological complications, I had never felt like God had allowed an “unfair” amount of suffering into my life. In my mind, Job and I have never had a lot in common. In the rare occasion that I did find myself flipping to it’s pages, I was usually overwhelmed with uncertainty, questions, and misinterpretations. However, recently, God has allowed suffering into my life that seems too heavy to carry. I’ve felt Job’s words echoing my own. What our family has experienced is unfair and unjust and I walk around with an unyielding sadness pressing down on me. I’ve questioned God’s sovereignty and His love for me, in spite of everything He has brought me safely through. I’m facing the demons of depression that I thought I had won the war against. I have finally voiced out loud to God, “The suffering that you expect me to endure is unfair! Haven’t I been through enough? I shouldn’t have to experience any more pain. What kind of God delights in seeing His children in constant pain and is willing to sacrifice them for His kingdom’s cause?”

(Silence) “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble” (Job 2:10)? “What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil” (Job 3:25-26). In the study of Job from She Reads Truth ministries, Lisa Harper says this: “In the economy of God, Job’s suffering was an honor, a privilege. Our Creator and Redeemer handpicked Job for the honorable position of carrying the weight of pain. While God is not the author of evil (Ps. 5:4), He did choose Job with the foreknowledge that he would carry suffering well, because even our pain is a great conduit for God’s glory.” Jesus makes it clear during His ministry leading up to His death that choosing to follow Him will not be fair. It won’t protect us from pain. Often, it puts us directly in the line of Satan’s fire. (Job 1:8). That’s not an easy pill to swallow. It takes humility to acknowledge that God owes us nothing. It takes faith to continue on believing that everything waits for us in eternity. If you’re tempted, like me, to question the length of time that God is allowing acute suffering in your life, I challenge you to view it through a lens of humility. It’s not a comfortable place to sit, but it’s necessary to renew the strength we need to pick up our cross and follow Him.

Terri Foster is a freelance writer. She has been published by Focus on the Family, HomeLife, and Today’s Christian Woman. She loves teaching 3-year-olds about Jesus at Forest Hill Church in Fort Mill, SC, and co-leads a couples’ discipleship group with her husband, Rob.

Moving boxes piled around us, my husband and I sat down in the kitchen of our new home. “Where do we even start?” I said. “Order pizza,” my husband Rob replied. My hungry, overwhelmed self never loved him more. We waited for delivery, slurping down soda, talking about things we wanted to explore in our new community. Newly-found excitement nearly made me forget my weariness until he mentioned a topic I’d hoped to avoid. “So where should we go to church tomorrow?” he said. Now I’m a Church Girl. I’ve gone to church since forever and not just because you’re supposed to. I found Jesus and the rest of my best friends at church. Experienced joy worshipping in church. Received fulfillment serving through church. So why was I scrambling for excuses? That’s when I realized the damage done by our last church still had my heart in pieces. Everything in me wanted to avoid enduring anything like that again. Maybe you can relate. Unfortunately, church wounding is all too common. Perhaps at your most vulnerable moment no one came to help. Maybe church leadership failed, or gossip and petty arguments led to disillusionment. When a church—or church members—betray us, it’s unexpected and upsetting. Despite my reluctance and mixed emotions, we ventured into a new church that Sunday. Five years later,

Despite my reluctance and mixed emotions, we ventured into a new church that Sunday. Five years later, it’s grounded us in our new community, led to meaningful relationships, and grown us in our faith. it’s grounded us in our new community, led to meaningful relationships, and grown us in our faith. Here’s what helped me process my pain to re-engage: 1. Jesus Kept Going. Think your church has problems? The church of Jesus’ day was way off track, with flawed, ineffective leadership. Yet over and over He went to synagogues and taught. He healed there. And He confronted the problems He encountered. But He never abandoned going to assembled faith communities or instructed His disciples to. 2. It’s God’s Design. Jesus equates believers to sheep, the gathering of believers to a flock. Lone sheep are easy pickings for enemy attack. We’re created for connection. So, when we feel lost, beaten down,

injured, or grieved, isolation only keeps us from the light and hope God offers. 3. It Needs to Be Real Not Virtual. Technology makes it easy to connect with churches online, which can be helpful. But it’s not a substitute for genuine human contact, relationship building, and involvement. No church is perfect, because it’s made of sinful people still needing transformation—including you and me! There’s a church that’s right for you. Don’t give up—you’ll find it. Until the Lord returns, it’s my job to remain faithful, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).

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Adriana Hayes is a freelance illustrator, professor, writer, and speaker who finds joy in helping others discover how God can bring “chronic hope” into their lives. She lives in Southeastern, Wis., with her husband, Chris, and three daughters.

O ur fami ly has b e en going through the process of selling our home. Somehow, I have the knack of always moving when I have a child who is two years old. You could call it a talent, but I wouldn’t go quite that far. When we moved into our current home 10 years ago, I unpacked the last box and promptly proclaimed to Chris that he could “bury me in the backyard,” because I was never going to go through the moving process again! Yet here we are, with a “For Sale” sign in our front yard, preparing for a move that only God could have convinced my heart to participate in. Thanks to HGTV and social media, the standards for listing a home are drastically different (read that as unattainable) than they were 10 years ago. Essentially, you want to make your home appear as if no one lives in it, so that people can imagine living in it. It really is quite backwards. I made quick work of boxing up toys and knickknacks, all while the girls were at school so they couldn’t object or pull things out of trash bags. I did everything humanly possible to keep them out of the house with the exception of sleeping. In one act of desperation, we went to DSW, and I let them try on every pair of high heels that they wanted. While they embraced some of these activities, they soon grew impatient with my firm stance on not letting them “live their normal lives and take out their stuff.” As their mom and also as an adult who understands the buying and selling process of a home, I was able to see beyond their need for the

encouragement / the

homefront

Shine—That He May Be Glorified

by Pam Farrel

by Melva L. Henderson

“Let’s meet up for coffee and conversation.” We offer this invitation to friends, to work colleagues, to those we want to network with or mentor us. Why not invite your mate to a marriage meetup? We have seen the power of being proactive in marriage. After celebrating 40 years of marriage, we often get asked: “How do you two get along so well? How do you decide who does what in your home and workplace? You two carry so much responsibility in the church, community, ministry, and family—how do you do it all and still find time for each other and your children?”

God wants to make an example out of you. Through you, He desires to put Himself on display. He wants every people group on earth to know that He is good, and He alone is God. When we consider the children of Israel and the land God designated as theirs, it’s interesting to note that Israel was located on the Mediterranean Sea, where other nations would import and export their goods. God was strategic in where He placed Israel because it was to be a light to the world, displaying the goodness and greatness of God. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3, KJV). When God blessed Abram, He did so because His ultimate desire was to bless all the families of the earth. Abraham couldn’t keep the blessing to Himself. God wanted His love and provision to be extended not only to Abraham’s descendants, but ultimately to every people group on earth. Ephesians 2:6 tells us when God raised Jesus from the dead, He raised us and seated us together with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. There was no individualized resurrection. When He came up, we came up. Like Jesus, God wants oth-

Pam Farrel is a bestselling author of 45 books including coauthoring Discovering Hope in the Psalms: A Creative Bible Study Experience. She has been happily married for 40 years and enjoys traveling. Pam and her husband, Bill, live on a houseboat in Oxnard, Calif.

Visit my site! Love-Wise.com

We have been meeting weekly to try to get and stay on the same page for nearly all 40 years of our marriage! There are many reasons we meet for these weekly strategy sessions and why we recommend them. These meetups can help you: • Gain insights into how your spouse likes to live and love • Have productive conversations that minimize conflict, lower stress, and raise the enjoyment level of your love and life • Boost productivity so you each get more done at work, home, or ministry • Navigate family, parenting, and marriage responsibilities in a way that each person knows what is expected of them and is thanked and appreciated for their contributions • Prote c t t he abi l it y to have a long-lasting lifetime of love

Give words of encouragement and affirmation during your meetup, and reward all that hard work by planning some romance. Are those a few of the desires on your hearts too? Then it’s time for a marriage meetup! Doing these weekly meetings have helped us and other couples enjoy seeing these commands and promises of God come to fruition in our own marriages: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1). “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone” (Eccl. 4:9-11).

How to Do a Marriage Meetup

Plan to meet once a week in a comfortable private setting, usually with coffee, tea, or a snack. Come prepared with questions you each want to discuss: people who need an appointment(s) on your calendars, tasks that need to be accomplished, purchases you would like to budget

in, family and work responsibilities, and decisions that need to be made. You may want to bring your personal planners or cell phones, so you have at your fingertips the answers to questions that might come up. Our goal is to live out Rom. 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” We look forward to our meetups because they provide valuable clarity and confidence to live out the calling God has planned for us, but we also pray for each other and our marriage. Spend a little time talking about the deeper truths of life and how God’s Word has positively impacted your life in the last week. Give words of encouragement and affirmation during your meetup, and reward all that hard work by planning some romance. We often tell others the why of our marriage meetup: To pull together, so this stressful world doesn’t pull us apart. Antoine de Saint-Exupery summarizes it best: “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”

Melva L. Henderson is an author and speaker. Additionally, she is the founder of The Milwaukee Give, a humanitarian outreach, and co-founder of World Outreach and Bible Training Center, Inc. Melva is wife to pastor Ervin L. Henderson, mother of five, and grandmother of two. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Visit my sites! Melvahenderson.org, worldoutreachbtc.org

ers to benefit from our resurrected life, those from every nation, tribe, and tongue. One of the most powerful truths I recently heard quoted is, “The gospel—the good news came to me because it was on its way to someone else.” How true this is! God’s plan is to move the good news of His grace to you to get it through you. We are living examples, models to the world of our living God. We are to share what He has done in our lives, telling our stories of His mercy and grace that exemplify His goodness. Let’s put God on display in such a way that His light and love organically flows from within. Allow God, who knows every culture and understands ever y language, to move through you to make life better for someone who may be nothing like you. Is your life really making a difference, or are you too consumed with yourself ? Do you realize that right where you are, you have the potential to make someone else’s life better? Do you understand that God has equipped you with everything you need so you can leave your mark on the world? You don’t need money, you don’t need a pulpit, you don’t need a church building. All you need is to allow Jesus to

All you need is to allow Jesus to shine through you before the world around you. shine through you before the world around you. Allow your light to shine in ways that will impact people you may never even meet while on the earth. Let’s shine our light so that others can see our good works (not our religious antics) and glorify our Father. “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16).

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Have a Marriage Meetup

Why Do a Marriage Meetup?

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the deeper life/ encouragement

encouragement / it

is well

Bii and Pam Faael

Enriching and Encouraging

...with My Age by Elizabeth Murphy

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Visit my site! espeaks.net

Deepening Your Prayer Life

17th Century Nun’s Prayer Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from the craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast stores of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but then Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the talks of others’ pains, but help me to endure with patience. I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksuredness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I might be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint— some of them are so hard to live with—but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Amen.

fades, my spiritual muscle memory kicks in and knows to surrender quickly in the face of suffering and trust the control of the Creator. There is more to stress about and yet there is less stress at this stage of life after years and years of learning to trust God in His unchanging faithfulness over and over and over again. Prayer is dearer to me because I’ve learned that is where the power is. And, I am learning it is much more important to talk to God about my loved ones than it is to talk to my loved ones about God.

He will draw them to Himself at the proper time of His choosing. I have very little to offer other than a steady example and a commitment to keep them ever before Him. Author Elisabeth Elliot had some wise words to share on aging borrowed from an unknown author (see prayer above). They recently showed up on my Facebook feed as I was starting to write this column. As God hears my heart and answers them in the ways that are best, I am confident it will be well with my age.

Are you desiring a deeper prayer life…do you want to reignite your passion? Discover how can become one of the greatest adventures of your life—and practical help that will lead you to the heart of God.

prayer

Best Selling Authors of over 50 books & international speakers www.Love-Wise.com

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JBU 2020 Women’s Conference

Celebrating God’s Faithfulness

With Jill Briscoe, Elizabeth Murphy & Stephanie Seefeldt hosted by

magazine and ministry

October 13-15, 2020

Forest Springs Camp and Conference Center Westboro | WI Register at www.justbetweenus.org/conference

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Elizabeth Murphy has been a soughtafter speaker for the last 15 years. She serves on several non-profit boards, teaches Bible studies, and is an author and regular columnist for JBU. She and her husband, Mike, have four sons and three granddaughters. They live in Brookfield, Wis.

Psalm 71:18 says, “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.” The Bible tells us aging is inevitable, but unlike our culture which tells us things don’t go well as we age, God sees aging differently. He will not forsake us, give up on us, or stop using us, and has given us the responsibility to make Him known and speak of Him to the generations coming up behind us. As I look my 60th birthday in the eye, I find this exciting. I’ll avoid the gray part as long as seems reasonable (leaving my options open on this one!), but the older part has so much to offer. When it comes to life and ministry, we don’t have to age out, we can age in. What older women have to offer is “lived” experience, not just life experience. Life experience can be borrowed as part of the stories and lessons of others, but lived experience means we have actually lived through some things—good things and often very hard things. Lived lessons have the weight of personal experience and offer the comfort of hope fulfilled rather than promised hope which is further away and harder to see. I do wish I had the younger, firmer muscles of the young woman I once was but as my arms wobble and my legs feel weaker, I am so grateful to have the kind of muscles that don’t show until the heavy lifting of hardship is required. Practice has strengthened the muscles that help when disappointment and sorrow make life feel like a burden too big to carry. As my mental memory

Relationships

N e w Book f ro m J u s t B et ween Us

encouragement / mental

wholeness

Navigating Friendship Challenges by Michelle Nietert

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Visit my site! michelleneitert.com

school or daycare pickup, introduce yourself and try to get to know them. Ask to exchange numbers so you can make plans to grab a coffee in the near future. If she’s the busy mom or extreme introvert whose friendship card is full, continue this process until you succeed. I’m committed to reach out at least three times to someone because I value them. I may have to send a couple texts before I find someone who’s free. Make time for a night out. Ask your husband or find a babysitter so you can schedule a night out once a week to catch up with a girlfriend. Churches often offer free childcare for women’s events and Bible studies. These are great opportunities to meet new people. Don’t give up. “As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good” (2 Thess. 3:13, NLT). We were designed by God to be in community. I have yet to meet a client who when making friendship a priority, didn’t succeed. Q: I’m devastated. How could my friend walk away from our friendship? A: My least favorite part of being a junior high counselor was the daily need for me to address girl drama before it escalated. As women, we want to believe that we left these days far behind, but every once in a while, we feel like that lonely girl whose BFF has a new one or feels left out no matter how hard she tries. A recent client came to me in tears, “We did everything together.

How could she just walk away without any kind of warning?” I felt her pain. Now, she wanted to learn if she was the unhealthy person her friend accused her of and, if so, how she could change and maybe reclaim the friendship, or be a better friend in the future. Many of us have experienced this kind of rejection. If you find yourself constantly struggling in relationships, it may be time to take a hard look in the mirror. We need to remember, however, that God provides for us the most secure relationship we could ever imagine as we find our identity and security in His love. This frees us to create relationships that reflect His ways of balancing truth and grace instead of our human nature. As we looked more closely at my client’s friend’s friendship history, she had a pattern of over bonding and controlling. If you examine your heart after a friendship break like this and you own what you could have done differently and take responsibility like my client did, sometimes in the end it’s for the best to move on. Although it’s tempting, you don’t have to make your friend the bad one as the friendship ends. Sometimes God has new plans for both of you like He did with Paul and Barnabas. Maybe you are being called to go your separate ways in peace so you can leave space for new spheres of influence and opportunities. That’s okay too.

ARE YOU FADING, WORN DOWN, AND BURNED OUT? Anita Carman, founder of Inspire Women, shares 7 ways to serve with the same passion as when you first began. An essential read for any leader of a church, nonprofit, business, or mission. SPECIAL DEALS! Commemorative Price: $20 5-Book Bundle: $15 each book Get your hardcover book today at inspirewomen.org For discounted bulk orders, call 713-521-1400 or email anita@inspirewomen.org

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Michelle Nietert has been a professional counselor for 20 years and owns a counseling center in the Dallas area. Previously, she served as a crisis counselor for a large school district. Michelle’s goal is to provide practical biblical solutions for you by answering your questions regarding mental health.

Q: How can I make and keep friendships in the midst of life’s busyness? A: Life transitions can often leave us feeling lonely with little support leaving us to social media and channel surfing for our downtime activities. What we’re really craving is authentic connection. As a professional counselor, I sit across from a lot of women who are struggling to find and maintain time for their friends. I start by letting them know that they are not alone and this theme of busyness and disconnectedness is one I often hear from working and stay-at-home women alike. Here are some steps you can take today to find the friend time you crave and need. Reach out to an old friend. I remember in Girl Scouts singing, “Make new friends but keep the old.” Proverbs 18:24 (GNT) says, “Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than a brother.” Why don’t you consider calling an old friend and pick up where you left off? There are many creative ways to build time into your schedule once you do. My sister and I call each other when she’s on her way to Jazzercise and I’m headed to the gym to share our current celebrations and struggles as well as our intentions for our day. We generally spend only a few minutes, but the almost daily connection keeps us connected and accountable. Look for new friends. Whether it’s the other moms shivering on a soccer field or the one you often see at

INVESTING IN WOMEN LEADERS FOR 20 YEARS

“Personal struggles make us feel disqualified from serving God … saying, ‘There’s no way God will ever use you.’ Wendy’s wise, biblically sound teaching will help you think differently. Step into your calling more confidently with a reassuring voice of Truth.” Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries

t a h W r e v o c Di s o D n a C d o G Hidden Potential helps readers who feel weighed down with fears realize that God sees their struggle and He considers them worthy to do what He is calling them to do—not despite their weaknesses, but because of them. As Wendy Pope writes, just as God used Moses in the middle of his doubt, fear, and shame, God can use each of His children to reveal His solid truth, amazing power, and beautiful grace.

Wendy Pope is a speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries which reaches over 1 million readers each day. She is the author of Wait and See, and Yes, No, and Maybe. She teaches thousands of women worldwide online

just between us S U M M E R 2 0 2 0

through the One Year Chronological Bible.

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