2012 Women's Retreat!

Our next women's retreat is scheduled for May 4th and 5th and will be at Camp Camby, Camby Indiana. Cost will be $45 for early registration thru April 8th and $50 after April 8th thru April 22.

This year our speaker will be Cyndi Ballmaier. She is the wife of pastor Phil Ballmaier of Calvary Chapel Elk Grove near Chicago. Cyndi is the director of Fragrant Life for Women, a ministry of Calvary Chapel Elk grove Village. She is the host of the Calvary Chapel Midwest pastor's Wives Retreat each year as well as other women's ministry events. Cyndi has a passion for women's ministry and desires to encourage women to walk close to Jesus and to love Him with their whole heart, soul, mind and strength.

Our theme this year is "Your face, LORD, I will seek" Psalm 27:8. Cyndi has chosen this scripture to share with us. We are looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us during this retreat.

The women's dorm offers 50 bunk beds with central bathroom/showers. There is also a motel available with 5 rooms. Each room can sleep 4 comfortably - offering 2 queen beds.

There are registration forms available with a detailed schedule at the church.

If anyone is interested in providing a scholarship for someone to attend, please contact Cindy Ellingwood.

His eye is on the sparrow

I painted a backdrop for the last window display at Chapel Books last year. The theme of this window was taken from the hymn "His eye is on the sparrow".

I have done many windows before and considered this a ministry. When the bookstore closed due to roof damage, there was/is the potential that this ministry, this season for me has ended. Change is on the horizon.

Yes things change...

We don't function so well with change, not in our flesh anyway, but in Christ, change is constant. We are constantly changing into a restored, sanctified human being. That type of change we like but there are some changes we don't like so much - change of job, physical changes, getting older, changes in emotions, in the family, in our health...

…in our ministry.

But that is how He restores us. It isn't always how we think it should be.

Know this friend, God is constant - He never changes and He never stops loving us. We may not know the future but we do know of His love and He watches over us. 

His eye is on the sparrow:

Why should I feel discouraged, Why should the shadows come, Why should my heart feel lonely And long for Heav'n and home, When Jesus is my portion? A constant Friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches over me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me. I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free, His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me (He watches me) His eye is on the sparrow And I know he watches (I know he watches) (I know he watches me) "Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear, And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path He leadeth But one step I may see: His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me. Whenever I am tempted, Whenever clouds arise, When songs give place to sighing, When hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, From care He sets me free: His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He cares for me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He cares for me. So I say to you, dear woman reading this, know  you are loved and God's loving, caring eyes are on you. That is something to sing about.  ~Nina