We Gather Together

2012-01-18T23:04:00.001-05:00

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

View from the Pew...Why Our Upcoming Pitch-Ins Are Opportunities to Make our Body Fat

2011-10-23T21:44:00.004-04:00

Hubs and I have been at Calvary Chapel for 11 years now. We started attending when the church met at the old Boys and Girls Club and we could walk to church each week. We loved bringing our friends and introducing them to the *best* teaching in town:) After about a year, we were committed to the body, loved the teaching, but really hadn't connected with very many people. It felt...awkward. We considered Calvary our home church, but it felt more like a boarding house than a family.

Then, we were personally invited to a church pitch-in. I honestly don't remember who invited us, but I remember being invited. Someone made a point of finding us after church and asking us to come. They explained where and how the pitch in worked and made sure we knew we were welcome. That was a turning point for us. At the pitch in, we sat at a table with the Brinkerhoffs and Anglins and they made a point of getting to know us better, sharing their lives with us. The next week at worship, we had someone to share a row with and that was the start of falling in love with the people in our body.

This morning, I was looking around during the meet and greet portion of the service and realized that there are several new families in the body that I don't know. At all. I get so wrapped up in giving hugs to the sisters I know, saying hello to the families of our kids' friends, checking in with someone I have been praying for...but it's been awhile since I really tried to meet someone new.

Sisters, there are a LOT of new people to meet!

There are two upcoming pitch-ins and opportunities to fellowship with our body. The first event is October 31, Halloween night. There will be a bonfire, pitch-in and fellowship. The second event will be held November 13 right after worship service, celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the joining of Calvary Chapel and Christ's Fellowship. Both of these events are excellent opportunities to invite a new person, a new family to come and fellowship with us.

Actually, I want to challenge each of you to reach out in love to someone in the body, making a prayerful point of encouraging them to join us. This is a great way to *fatten* our body, to make us grow. It might be just the thing that makes someone feel like they belong, that our church is their church...and really, the church that Jesus asks us to be.

My first trip the the Midwest Pastors' Conference

2011-10-12T21:14:00.007-04:00

My family and I returned from the 2011 Midwest Pastors' Conference this afternoon, and while some of my thoughts are still fresh, I want to share my impressions with you all. First, I want to say that I am so, so glad we went! For years we've heard others in the body share their love and enthusiasm for this conference, but it seemed like we always had a little baby...and then another little baby and another and, well, you get the idea:) This year, we were blessed with the opportunity to attend the conference as a family and it truly was a blessing.

Second, the teaching was amazing. Ahhh-mazing! Truth? I have two favorite radio teachers: Bob Coy and Mike MacIntosh. I heard them both. Couple of times. So, so blessed, sisters! Though I kept leaning over and telling Susan Cole that they didn't look like I had imagined them in my mind:) Tom Stipe also taught and he was equally incredible. Someday (when I catch up on my sleep and have time to process all the ahh-mazing teaching), I'll post some thoughts about the teaching...or better yet, maybe some of you who were there can post your own thoughts!

Each session began with worship and it was...worshipful. Spirit-led. The most beautiful part for me was watching all these pastors and leaders and people from our own body relax into the Holy Spirit. To look around and see hands raised, unabashed adoration of Jesus...well, it's hard to describe. And sisters, we are so blessed because we get to experience that every Sunday, if we choose to.

There was time for fellowship, time for walking, time for praying...time for eating. And more time for eating:) The nicest part of our time at the conference was that we could choose to follow the schedule...or not. Tuesday after lunch, I was tired. So, I took a nap instead of going to the session. That nap was equally ahhh-mazing:) This morning, our little boy needed some "mama time," so we skipped rocks at the lake and played corn hole. Sometimes, little boys are the greatest teachers...

And I forgot to mention the scenery...gorgeous. This sweet little lake, surrounded by October's brilliant hues; wrap-around porches; swings; weeping willows; crunching leaves; cool, crisp mornings; foggy sunrises...the majesty of God's creation all around.

If you were able to attend the conference, then you have your own impressions, your own grateful thoughts about your experience there. If you weren't able to attend, I would encourage you to consider attending next year. You have a whole year to plan:) In a couple of weeks, the teachings from the conference will be available for download on the church's website. When it becomes available, I'll post a link here and let you know. I encourage you to take the time to listen to each teaching and share them with others. If you don't have a way to listen to the teachings in the mp3 format, let me know and I will get you a CD.

Sisters, our little fellowship of believers is being used in a mighty way...2 radio stations ministering all across West Central Indiana, our school, the Pastors' Conference, this blog...and many, many other ministries. Lift up our church and the many ministries the Lord has called us to...ask for protection, for vision, for discernment. Ask the Lord how He might use YOU in one or more of these areas!

God, we thank You for all the ways you are working in our lives. We praise You for this Pastors' Conference...for all the churches and families represented there. We ask for Your blessing, Your vision, Your wisdom. Pour out Your Holy Spirit on us, God. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Praying the Word 8.29.11

2011-08-29T15:40:00.004-04:00

God, we are needy. Desperate. Hungry. Tired. Dirty. Poor.

We need You. To meet our needs. To give us hope. To feed us. To revive us. To cleanse us. To give us the riches in Christ.

But more than that, we need You to show Yourself to us. Show us Your glory! Show us Your character, Your grace, Your mercy. Reveal Yourself to us, Oh God.

Show us Yours...Your hurting people, Your needy people, Your suffering people. Show us who we can touch, minister to, comfort, encourage.

Thank You, that You are a God Who saves. A God Who heals. A God Who loves. A God Who was...and is...and is to come. Thank You, God, oh, thank You!

Praying the Word 8.15.11

2011-08-15T11:15:00.000-04:00

Father, thank You for Your Word. For Your promises...that You keep them every.single.time. That Your Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Forgive us, Lord. Forgive us for not obeying Your Word. Forgive us for hearing You clearly and choosing to disobey. Forgive us for turning a deaf ear to Your patient instruction. Forgive our unwillingness. Help us to be doers of Your Word, and not hearers only. We need Your help to be obedient. We cannot obey without Your Spirit moving within us. Thank You for the lesson of the rich, young ruler. Help us to be willing to give all....everything we have...to You for Your glory, for Your purposes. Thank You for loving us....for loving us in ways that we can understand and see, and ways that we cannot begin to comprehend. Help us to live for You...In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Prayer--Are we committed to it?

2011-08-04T20:00:00.000-04:00

I recently had the urge to pray for the women of Calvary Chapel. I originally wanted to let these women know that they were being prayed for, so I quickly wrote a blog post wanting to share this. I discussed it with a woman in our body and she said we need to be committed to praying for the women of Calvary Chapel. This hit hard. Truth be told, I am not a committed praying person. I want to be but sometimes I forget and I let the world come in and take over. So how do I become committed to praying for the women of Calvary Chapel? I have to go to God. I have to ask God to give me the desire, the remembrance and the opportunities to lift up my sisters in Christ.

You know what? Even though I may fail there are women of Calvary Chapel who are committed to pray right now and the women of Crawfordsville Calvary Chapel are being prayed for. The specific needs, cares, and hurts may not be known, but you know what else? God knows them. And when God is asked to mend hearts, heal wounds, tend to the women of CCC, He knows exactly what to do, when to do it and where.

So, yes, you are being prayed for! I am being prayed for! That is huge. That is big. That is something to embrace. We are being lifted up to the Father, our Father who created us, who knew us before we were formed, who loves us. Who loves you.

That my friend, is something to rest in. Think about it. He loves you. He sees your hurt and your struggle. He sees it. He sees you. Trust that. Don't rely on your experiences with people - because people are human. They make mistakes. They forget to pray! They fumble and tumble through life. They are as human as you are. That helps me to know that whatever "stage" of life we are in, we are equals in the sight of the Lord and He gives us grace. He picks us up after we have faltered and gives us new mercies.

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23

So let's learn to be committed to prayer specifically for each other. Let's bring it to the Father who wants to hear from us and who rejoices in seeing us love one another.

~Nina

**If you feel led to pray, want to learn to pray, NEED to pray, please join us on Saturday mornings at the Women's Prayer Meeting. 10 AM in the sanctuary. Come and go as your schedule permits. Lord, teach us to pray...**

2 Corinthians 3:1-6...Notes from Pam Markey's Excellent Teaching

2011-08-02T10:44:00.006-04:00

2 Corinthians 3:1-6

1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit;[a] for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Last night, we were treated to the excellent teaching of Pam Markey. If you don't know Pam (and I really don't, other than the few times she's taught at Calvary over the last 10 years), she is a real joy to be around. Raised on the mission field (Africa, to be exact), she and her husband George served Calvary Chapel and the Crawfordsville community for several years before being called into the mission field. They and their nine children served (and still serve!) in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan until George's death a few years ago. Now, Pam serves as a teacher at the Bible college in Hungary.

We opened with worship and Pam launched into 2 Corinthians 3. We only got through the first six verses, but the teaching was so impacting! Pam rounded out each section of scripture with a series of questions and I've listed them, along with the corresponding scripture and my notes, for you to use in your own personal study and reflection.

Question #1: What were the Corinthians demanding from Paul? Do we begin again to commend ourselves?
Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? (v.1)
Personal Application: What do I feel is demanded of me to be involved in ministry?

Question #2: What does Paul cite as his credentials?
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. (v. 2-3)
Personal Application: What qualifies me to do the ministry I am called to? Who has qualified me? (see Colossians 1:12)

Questions #3: What would I like others to read in me as an epistle? (remember that "epistle" means "letter" or "missive," and can refer to a public or private directive or teaching...so 'others' can be a multitude of people or just one other person)

Question #4: How does Paul reassure the church of Corinth of their ability to minister?
And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (v. 4-6)
Personal Application: In what ways have I felt unfit, unworthy to be a minister of the Gospel? Have I acknowledged and identified that feeling? Fill in the blank: I can't minister because:___________.

My Notes:
My weaknesses are God's strengths.
Could my weakness be the very thing that ministers to another person's heart? Brings healing, restoration?
What do I have in my hand (think of Moses at the burning bush...he held a staff in his hand, a symbol of his failure)? Am I willing to give over whatever is in my hand (my weaknesses, my failures) to Jesus and let Him do mighty things with whatever is in my hand?

*Offer my weakness as a GLAD sacrifice...to be burned up. Receive what God offers in exchange.*

2011-07-30T22:19:00.004-04:00

I am enjoying the rare treat of some quiet time around the house these days. My oldest girls have been busy with some fun summer camps and all (yes ALL) the kids went to VBS every night this past week. I nearly fainted when I found out I was going to have 2.5 free hours every night:)

All this extra quiet time has really helped me get into a better routine with my Bible study. Sometime that's all it takes, doesn't it? Some extra quiet, an unexpected respite or break...sometimes that's the perfect opportunity to start over, start fresh. I wanted to share with you some of the things God has been using to make my quiet time amazing...not because I think you need to do it this, of course. Just as encouragement, sisters:)

First, though I know Dave says, "Get up early in the morning and wait on the Lord," and I mean no disrespect whatsoever in this comment...with a house full of little people, there's a limit to how *early* I'm willing to get up:) I do spend a few minutes in prayer and try to listen to the radio as I'm getting the kitchen squared away for the day, but I save my real study time for a time of day when I will have the best chance of success. This last week, it was after I dropped off the kids at VBS. This coming week, it will probably be late mornings. When school starts, it will be during the kids mandatory reading time.

Second, I've been on this kick of wanting to understand Biblical principles better. Things like "holiness," "purity," "righteousness." A great way to view every reference the Bible makes on topics like these is to go to Bible Gateway and search. Be sure to choose the version of the Bible you most often use for your personal study. What I find is that reading through one search generally leads to another and another. I keep a note pad handy to jot down any particular scripture that stands out to me.

Third, I really like to listen to quiet praise music while I'm studying. If it's distracting to you, skip this. A great way to listen to praise music is to create a playlist on a free music site like this one. I choose 6-8 songs that repeat over and over and I try to stick to soothing, quieter songs. Right now, I'm on a Kari Jobe and Sherrie Youngward kick:)

Lastly, I've asked God for accountability in my study time. Thankfully, my husband is willing to check in with me through the week and ask me what I'm learning in the Word. He lets me ask the same of him. I could also ask another sister in the Lord to keep me accountable and pray for me. Knowing that someone is going to ask me what I've been studying has encouraged me to stay with it.

Sisters, what are ways God is encouraging you in your pursuit of Him, in your study of the Word?

~Jen

Linky Love

2011-07-26T22:08:00.000-04:00

2 Timothy 3:16-17

¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

My kids and I have been memorizing this verse this week. I must confess, I am the absolute WORST when it comes to scripture memorization! My kids are amazing at it...in fact, they know all the books of the Bible and put me to shame when we race to find scripture. Pretty sad, huh? Anyway, the material we've been using suggests that we approach scripture memory in a variety of ways. Day 1, we make up hand motions; day 2, we draw a picture; day 3, we write the verse three times...and so on. I'm finding that hand motions are my friend when it comes to scripture memory:) If Pastor Dave ever teaches one of the verses I know motions to, I'm going to have to sit on my hands!

I think it's important that we find whatever way works best for us to learn the Word of God. Maybe you learn best by listening to podcasts. Maybe curling up in an easy chair with your Bible works for you. Maybe you need to take notes while you're studying. Maybe (like me!) you need hand motions to really, really "get it."

Or maybe you don't know what works best for you. Maybe...and it's okay if this is true for you...maybe you aren't really studying the Word right now. Maybe you want to, but you aren't sure how to get started. Or maybe you've started in the past, but haven't found a way that works for you consistently. If any of this is ringing a bell, if the Holy Spirit is giving you a nudge right now, I want to encourage you! You can be a student of the Word of God. In fact, God made you unique and beautiful and knows exactly how to teach you.

Below is a list I like to call "Linky Love." These are links to websites and web tools that I know to be helpful in our pursuit to know God's Word and apply it to our lives. It isn't an exhaustive list, so please, if you are aware of other helpful sites--let me know! Not only do I want to share them here, but they would be personally encouraging to me as well.

Remember, these are all helpful tools, but the most important pieces in growing in our study and understanding of God's Word are a humble heart and teachable spirit. May the Lord bless you as you grow in the knowledge of His grace...

Jen

Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/
Study Light: http://www.studylight.org/
Blue Letter Bible: http://www.blueletterbible.org/
Amazing Bible: http://www.amazingbible.org/
Bible Study Tools: http://www.biblestudytools.
The Active Word (Bob Coy): http://www.activeword.org/
Thru The Word with J. Vernon McGee: http://www.thruthebible.org/site/c.irLMKXPGLsF/b.4104119/k.949F/Welcome_to_Thru_the_Bible_RadioThe_Bible_Study_Program_Taught_by_Dr_J_Vernon_McGee.htm
The Word for Today (Chuck Smith): http://www.twft.com/
Moody Bible Institue Radio: http://www.moodyradio.org/

Anybody Out There??

2011-07-26T17:22:00.000-04:00

Hello? Yoo-hoo? Anybody still reading?

Well, of course not, seeing as I haven't really posted anything new since, oh say FEBRUARY! That's some hiatus, huh?

It wasn't intentional, but sometimes lengthy breaks are good. Quiet is good for revival and that's just exactly what's going on here at "We Gather Together." I'm really excited about the direction of this little space. In addition to telling our "God stories," we're now going to be offering posts that emphasize more teaching. Right now, it will just be me sharing whatever I'm studying and how the Lord is speaking to my heart through the Word. As we travel on, I'm hoping more and more of our sisters in the Lord will offer their own reflections on the Word and how God is teaching each of them. If you like to write, if you feel led to share what you are learning in the Word...this is an open invitation to share! I'm not looking for great spelling and grammar and perfect prose...just hearts open to the Lord and solid Biblical truth we can share with one another.

So, ready, set, off we go on the adventure! I'm looking forward to our journeys together!

Jen

Love Never Fails

2011-02-18T05:00:00.002-05:00

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails;
1 Corinthians 13:1-8a

Listen to Sherrie Youngward sing this scripture here: http://www.blueletterbible.org/hymns/hymn.cfm?MusicID=3

"I failed, Mommy?" she said, her eyes filling with big tears. I swallowed hard and remembered how many times I had stared at her paper, my teacher hat on, my parent hat being twisted in my hands, willing the answers to be right, wanting to find a way to justify giving her a passing grade. I rubbed her shoulders silently and stared at the paper with her. Her first real failure at something that she was entirely capable of excelling at. My heart ached for her.

"Yes," I said quietly. She wiped her eyes and looked at me...lost. She didn't know what to do with failure. She had no frame of reference. I wrapped my arms around her and gently showed her that she had not followed the instructions given...that her answers were right, with different directions. I couldn't give her grace...we had gone over and over the directions in class and she had forgotten or ignored those instructions. So, she failed. As her teacher, I knew I was justified and required to give her the failing mark. As her mother, I felt that the grade was somehow a reflection of my mothering skills, my influence.

There is an ache in the heart of the failing follower. Where do I turn? How do I find my way back? It's easy to fail, easier still to feel helpless to change. Difficult to claw our way out of the pits of self-pity, denial, shame, guilt. We struggle to do something, show proof of our willingness to be right, to do right, to do good, to be good.

All but love will fail.

Our efforts, our righteousness, our works, our gifts...all of this fails. But love does not. And not any sort of love, but the love of Christ. This extravagant love...

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:12-13

The kind of love that lays it all down, lays down one's life. This love does not fail.

And so we must cling tight to this love. Wrestle with it. Let it wear us down, out. Change us from the inside out. Cleanse us and purify us with fire. Love doesn't fail.

And the whys of the failure are there...did we ignore, dismiss, cast off instruction? Have we become calloused to the call of love? Have we built stone walls around our hearts in place of His walls of fire? But the whys are less important than the how...how do we return to our first love?

We confess our need. We cry out to the Living God for mercy. We receive the Love that laid down His life for us. We marvel in the value He places on our hearts. We trust in His forgiveness. We walk forward with Him in Love...and we lay down our own lives for that Love. Love never fails.

So I pray with her and we ask to start over. She knows she cannot undo the mistakes. She knows of the consequences. But she also knows she is loved. I lay down my fears of failure as her mother and pick up hope and carry it with us. Failure doesn't have to define us. We are redeemed.

Thank You, God. Thank You for making a way for failing me to learn to love. Thank You for showing me how to truly love another. Thank You that you redeem my failures. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Beauty For Ashes

2011-02-02T22:00:00.000-05:00

by: Nina Cunningham
"Straight up?" "Yes straight up - tell me straight up..."

"Ok, it's like this: Christians aren't perfect."

I see a luna moth, attracted to the light, fluttering, flying up and down, trying to reach the light. She's tired and frustrated. Could it be she's not trying hard enough?

Luna is tethered. She is tethered to a stake pounded deep within the earth. It's a nuisance and the rope is thick and strong...

As an artist, I tend to think in visuals. The already transformed luna moth, is me. The light is Christ. The stake is my past and the rope...well, the rope is me not trusting in the Lord.

Sometimes I wonder who's will is stronger? My will not to trust God, or His Will? Well, it's not a matter of the strength of our wills because we all know the ONE who created us, His Will, will be done. He can very easily change the situation, or take the situation away...but He doesn't. He waits patiently, a light, shining, waiting for that one day, when we will untie that rope.

I was asked to lead worship at the Calvary Chapel's women's luncheon and one of the songs I chose was called Beauty for Ashes (Shane and Shane). The song is based on Isaiah 61:3 “...and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”

I felt as thought there could be others beside myself struggling with "holding on" to what was, and in doing so, not completely trusting in God. As Christians, we don't like to admit that we can struggle with trust. When we are in Christ, we are new creatures, so why would we have a hard time trusting in the One who gives us this new life? 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Is it the simple fact that we don't see the meaning of His words as they truly, deeply mean? Do we really understand that we are new creatures? Do we really understand that He replaces the ashes of our mourning with beauty? With Him?

Instead we can be stagnant, stuck, tethered to a past life of sin. We may be ashamed of our past to the point that we actually deny the freedom that Christ provides! When we allow ourselves to be tethered to the past, we are not allowing Christ to change us. We are making a choice not to trust in Him.

So He waits patiently for us to come to Him, so that He may replace the ashes (no more mourning) and become our beauty. He is our Great Physician and our Counselor. He heals - and will make us free if we just untie that rope.

Fast forward - a new visual - this time no luna but a "heart tethered to the Truth." I heard these very words on a Christian radio pod cast this past week. It's no coincidence that the very word tethered was used giving me this new visual. So what is the Truth? The Truth is Christ and He makes us free. John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Teed Commentary: If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you are already living today in a spiritual “Year of Jubilee.” You have been set free from bondage; your spiritual debt to the Lord has been paid; you are living in “the acceptable year of the Lord.” Instead of the ashes of mourning, you have a crown on your head; for He has made you a king (Revelation 1:6). You have been anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and you wear a garment of righteousness (Isaiah 61:3, 10).

God promises restoration. When we trust in Him we give Him glory. We no longer rely on ourselves but Him and a renewal will follow. Praise be to God who showers new mercies each day upon the children who often refuse to take His hand. He restores them so that they may fulfill their purpose to bear witness to the One that frees the captive.The One who saves.

*********
Lyrics for Beauty for Ashes
Shane & Shane
(Click here to listen)

beauty for ashes
a garment of praise for my heaviness
beauty for ashes
take this heart of stone and make it Yours, Yours

i delight myself in the Richest of Fair
trading all that i've had for all that is better
a garment of praise for my heaviness
You are the greatest taste
You're the richest of fair

The Domino in My Purse

2011-01-28T14:13:00.004-05:00

by Diamond Deacon
First let me explain the title to my story. I am a kindergarten teacher. Over the course of the day I pick up many things that are out of place. These things go in my pocket to be put away later. Sometimes they end up at home with me. This particular day, I found a domino in my pocket. I put it in my purse to return to school and proceeded to forget about it until this morning. I have seen it in my purse often over the last few months, but I never remembered to return it to my classroom.

This poor domino has been alone in my purse for months. It has been unused-- you may go so far to say it’s been ineffective. After all, what good is a single domino? If I mix it with other dominoes, it can provide fun game time for friends or family. They can be used in a kindergarten classroom to teach counting and addition. They can be used by children to make towers and elaborate patterns to topple. I remember a time when the kids would stand dominoes across the gym at recess just to watch them topple when their teacher arrived. It was a huge deal to the kids and they would work together toward a common goal. These recess days were a joy to watch.

The topic of Christian isolation seems to keep coming up in my Bible studies. Saturday morning, the comment “Isolation is a tool of the enemy” was one of the first statements I heard in my study. I had been talking to loved ones about isolation and how we can’t hide ourselves from the world. I knew isolation could be detrimental to our walk, but I hadn’t gone so far as to think of it as a tool of the enemy. Yet, it makes sense. Like the isolated domino in my purse, we are of no use for Christ’s kingdom if we isolate ourselves.

As Christians we are to be a light to this dark world. We are to walk our walk with Christ in full view of believers and non-believers. Believers need to be visible to each other so we can glorify our Lord and we can fellowship with one another. We need to be available to help our brothers and sisters in need. We need to be available to offer praise to the One in Whom all blessings are shared. Christians should be filled with joy and should be a joy to watch as we go about our day. We need to be a light to non-believers as we are commissioned to introduce others to Christ so they may enjoy eternity in Heaven with us. Eternity for non-believers is partly dependent upon our willingness to draw them to Christ.

When we isolate ourselves, we are robbing the very people we profess to care about as Christians. Sometimes isolation may be necessary. I remember a time when I was leaning so heavily on my Lord to get me through each day, that I did isolate myself. I was going through dark times and was clinging to my Father’s hands to survive. This was a trial that shook me to my very core and I knew that to get through it meant that I could rely only on my God and nobody else. However, these times are meant to be short-lived and as we come out of them, we need to share how God’s merciful grace was the only way we could find our way out of the trial. These times of isolation should be the exception, not the rule. The testimony that arises from these times of isolation should be shared as a witness to draw others to the One who healed our hearts and brought us out of isolation.

We may find ourselves isolated just because it’s easier than facing the world. It’s safer. If we isolate ourselves, we can’t get hurt. We can’t fall into temptation. We don’t put ourselves in a position to be influenced by others. We don’t have share our testimony. It’s during these times that we really need to remember all that Christ faced for us. He faced scorn and a shameful death on the cross so that we can be free and yet we choose to honor this sacrifice by hiding ourselves. Isolation not only hurts us, it grieves Christ deeply. Can you imagine how He grieves when He sees his beloved turning away from others who desperately need to hear our testimony and know of our love for Christ?

Whatever the reason for our isolation, it’s time we surrender that reason to the One who loves us more than His own life. We need our light to shine for Him. We need our light to shine for other believers. Most importantly, we need our light to shine in a non-believing world. It’s the second thing that Christ commanded of us, love one another as ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) How can we love one another if we isolate ourselves from those we are to love? I know for me personally, He is speaking to my heart about sharing more of myself. I’m not sure where this will lead me, but I just pray, “Lord, Your Will be done.”

As for my lonely domino that I have stared at as I write this, I intend to return him to the domino bin tomorrow. I know he will be much more effective with the others and he will be used as he was intended….just like we will be once we leave the protective cocoon of isolation. Praise You, Lord Jesus, for loving us. Now I pray that we love one another as You command.

January Women's Luncheon--Pam Markey

2011-01-13T11:19:00.000-05:00

I wanted to write you all a quick note about this coming Saturday's Womens Luncheon. It starts at 11am at the church and Pam Markey will be teaching us on "TheTale of Two Women". I am excited that she has decided to come and share with us separately from her time that she will be sharing about missions.

Pam is a dear friend to me and nearly a 2nd mother to me! I have known her for over 30 years. Pam is currently serving the Lord at Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe in Hungary. She is the head of the missions training at the college. Her experiences as a missionary kid in Zimbabwe, Africa from the age of 7 as well as her years of ministry here in Crawfordsville as a pastor's wife and then 15 years of ministry in Ukraine have allotted her wisdom from the Lord and discernment regarding marriage, children, women's ministry, and missions.

We encourage you to come and fellowship with other sisters in the Lord and glean from the Lord through Pam's teaching. It will be a wonderful time of food, fellowship, worship, and teaching! If you know you are coming please send me a quick reply if possible. It is not necessary to reply, of course, but we are just trying to get a general head count for food.

If you need childcare, please reply or call me (366-4617) with the number of kids you will have.

I hope to see you all there and I am excited as to what the Lord has
in store for us! May the Lord bless you this week!

In Him-

Cindy Ellingwood

Bio for Pam Markey:
Pam spent the years of her life from age 7 to 17 on the mission field with her parents in Zimbabwe, Africa.
At 17 she returned to the States to attend college. She enrolled in Kentucky Christian College, then in 1970 she graduated from Indiana University with majors in zoology and allied health sciences.

After graduating she married George Markey, who became the pastor of the first Calvary Chapel in the Midwest before they moved to the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine as missionaries in 1992 with their eight children.

In 1999 they adopted their ninth child. During the fourteen years that they spent in Ukraine, the church that they planted in Kyiv resulted in many daughter and granddaughter churches being planted in other cities of Ukraine.

In 2006 they moved to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, a Muslim country in Central Asia that was also part of the former Soviet Union, to do church planting work.

George was taken ill in Bishkek in January 2007 and went to be with the Lord in February. Pam is currently on staff at the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Vajta, Hungary.

Here is a link to an interview with Pam:
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hischannel.com%2FBackQ%2F2000%2F2509%2F.php&h=7126dm96KEsq14XVtVZk7ltFiCw

Women's Brunch

2011-01-05T23:15:00.002-05:00

Women's Brunch - Saturday, January 15th, 11am at Calvary Chapel.
Pam Markey to share.
Please join us in fellowship and praise!

Faux Paw

2010-12-04T20:54:00.000-05:00

It was a blustery winter evening. Snow was falling and blowing, landing and skittering across the road. In the cozy warmth of my car the frigid wonderland was a sight to behold. Music was blaring from the console. Andy Williams was singing "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." I was singing along, caught up in an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia and childlike euphoria. "Santa Claus is Coming To Town." "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." "Silent Night." "Joy to the World." "Do you Hear What I Hear?" The songs like the memories roll around in my heart and my head. I am overwhelmed with the love of Christ. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" brings a tear to my eye as memories of Christmas past swirl like the snow hitting and bouncing off my car.
As I turn into a parking lot to wait on a friend, I am overwhelmed for a moment, choked up on emotion of the loved ones I have lost and the past joy of Christmas shared. Throwing off the melancholy I reach over and pat the head of the stuffed reindeer sitting in the passenger seat beside me. Decorating my car is a tradition started by a family motto: IF IT DOESN'T MOVE DECORATE IT! The car not moving at the time was another way for me to carry the joy of Christmas with me wherever I went. While the true Spirit is carried in my heart, the outward decorations declare and reaffirm the joy I feel.

As I pull into a parking space the music swells ....."I'm dreaming of a White Christmas just like the ones I used to know"......I can't help it-- the music takes wing in my heart and I throw out my arms and begin to add my voice to Bing's. Bing and I are singing so sweetly (okay Bing is singing sweetly)......I reached out to grasp hold of the only other object in the car.......Yes I grabbed hold of the reindeer's paw and sang out as if I was pulling him into my merry madness. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a car pull in beside me. My eyes glanced over in time to see two women sitting there looking at me. At first they looked stunned and then much to my horror they burst out laughing. Not just a tee hee but a full force "I'll never forget this moment" kind of laugh. I let go of the paw rather quickly and began to sink low in the seat. Bing was mocking me now as I felt the lower part of steering wheel begin to leave an indentation in my chin.

The ladies still laughing exited their car as I began to readjust my position and my attitude-- after all I was going to have to enter the same restaurant they were now sitting in. "Grow up!" I kept telling myself...."Grow up!" But then it struck me as funny and laughing so hard I could hardly contain myself I reached over and hit a button and Bing began singing "White Christmas" once again. Still waiting for my friend, I began to sing-- just not quite as exuberantly as before. I was still a little intimidated by my unfortunate "faux paw," but I don't think Bing or the reindeer (Rudy) noticed.

As I sit here telling you my story, I am realizing yet again the wonder of Christmas. It is a time of remembering the joyful, the silly and the serious moments of love that we have shared. Let us be blessings wherever we go. Let us stop and remember the birth of the baby Jesus. Jesus, the Savior of the world made Himself vulnerable for you and me. I am awed by the knowledge that Emmanuel is with us. May God Bless each of you. May this Christmas reveal to you the wonder of the first Christmas Gift. May you feel the blessing of His love and may your memories of this Christmas bring you joy everlasting........

Love in Christ,
Cindy Billings

Share Your Christmas Memories and Traditions!

2010-12-02T18:24:00.003-05:00

We ate dinner by candlelight tonight. I'm not exactly sure how this tradition started for us, but each year, as many nights as we can do so, we light candles and eat our dinner around our dining room table. We have other traditions, too, but this one feels so special to us and our children. I love their anticipation and eagerness to share in these special meal times and I know we are making memories they will carry with them through their lifetimes.

Let's share together our Christmas memories and traditions, sisters. I'm inviting you to share special stories, recipes, memories, and the like that we can post here. You can e-mail me your thoughts at: wegather2gether(at)gmail.com and I'll post them as they come in. I'll post a few of mine to get the ball rolling....I hope you will all join in on the fun!

~Jen

The Prayer Box
I borrowed this idea from Rachel Hassler (thank you, Rachel!) and it has become a beloved tradition in our home. In fact, this year, we were sort of late getting the box out and getting it filled and our girls were almost heart-broken over it!
Each Christmas, we make a list of people--family, friends, neighbors, classmates, teachers, co-workers, missionaries...whoever God lays on our hearts. Each name is written on a slip of paper and placed inside a special box. Each night at dinner, we pull out 2-3 names and take turns sharing what we think is special about this person or how they have blessed us over the past year and then we pray for those inidividuals.
It's so fun to see which names are drawn out together and how God interweaves our lives with one another. And every year, more and more names are added to the box, making it more and more meaningful.

Holiday Mix
This is a recipe from my aunt. She made this for me when I was in college and shipped a boxful to my dorm. Everyone on my hall LOVED it and I've made it every Christmas since. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have:)

10 oz Mini Pretzels
5 C Cheerios
5 C Corn Chex
2 C Salted Peanuts
1 lb Plain M&Ms
2, 12 oz pkgs. Vanilla Baking Chips
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

Combine first five ingredients in very large bowl (VERY LARGE!), Microwave vanilla chips and oil on high for 2 minutes. Stir. Microwave 20-30 seconds more, stirring again. Microwave additional 20-30 seconds until smooth. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Spread onto sheets of wax paper and let dry. Break into chunks and store in air-tight containers.
*I like to package mine in festive holiday bags with twist-ties and keep a basket of these around for quick gifts. Our old mailman was a big fan:)*

Others May, You Cannot

2010-11-07T16:08:00.007-05:00

G. D. Watson, 1845-1924, was a Wesleyan Methodist Minister and Evangelist based in Los Angeles, California. His Evangelistic campaigns took him to England, the West Indies, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Korea. He also wrote several books. This article was originally published in pamphlet form.

If God has called you to be really like Jesus, He will draw you to a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires,and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such things, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely a helpless dependence on him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unforeseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants you to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. he may let others do a work for Him and the get the credit of it, but He will make you toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He may let others get the credit for the work which you have done, and this make your reward ten times greater when Jesus comes.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seemed distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own.

He may not explain to you a thousand things which will puzzle your reason in His dealings with you. But if you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and bestow upon you many blessings which will come only to those who are in the inner circle.

Settle it forever, then, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.

This treasure was shared by our speaker, Vi Goodrich, at the Women's Retreat, November 5-6.

Women's Retreat Reminder - this Weekend!

2010-11-03T13:25:00.002-04:00

Looking forward to what God has for us all as we gather in worship, fellowship, praise and rest. May we all reflect the love or Christ by loving our sisters.

God bless you!

Singing Servant--View from the Pew

2010-10-03T15:45:00.004-04:00

I know, I know...we don't have pews, but "View from the Padded Chair" just doesn't have the same ring to it:) I'm guessing I won't always have something to share about my Sunday morning worship experience--and hey, I'd love for someone else to share if the Holy Spirit moves!--but, when I do feel so led, I plan to share with you all. Blessings to you all!

~Jen

We were late to worship this morning. I could blame it on a number of things, but it wouldn't change the outcome. We roared down the gravel driveway at 9:58 AM and rushed into church. I dropped off the girls while Charlie settled our boy into his class. By the time we reached the sanctuary, everyone was already seated and on song #2--we were officially tardy and there was no hope of finding seats unnoticed. Charlie was asked to help serve communion, so he had to linger in the back. I tried to quietly scope out two seats that wouldn't be terribly disruptive to climb into...no luck. Every seat I noticed was land-locked, so-to-speak, so I hung in the back for a moment. Thankfully, a few of the men broke out extra chairs and formed new rows for the half dozen of us who had arrived late. I sat down and began to enjoy worship.

Usually when we sit near the back, worship feels a little quieter because there are fewer people singing behind us. This morning, it was different. The back of the sanctuary was lined with a dozen or so men waiting to serve communion. There were singing beautifully, filling in the typically quiet space. I appreciated their offering and how it rounded out my own personal worship experience.

Later in the day I started thinking again about those men and their singing. I started thinking about how they had been asked to serve, were waiting to serve, wanting to serve...and while they waited, they worshipped. It wasn't distracting, didn't draw attention away from the Lord, but they sang to the One they were about to serve. It made me think about my own servanthood: Do I sing as I serve?

It's a good question for me, personally. I have come to understand that I have the gift of helps. I like to be helpful, meet needs, be available. But do I worship as I serve? When I am waiting to give, meet needs, help--do I sing to the One I am about to serve?

I don't think that I always do that. But I want to. I want to remember to worship and offer praise before and as I am serving. I want to remember that serving is less important than the One I serve.

This will help:

Make a joyful shout to the Lord all ye land

Serve the Lord with gladness, come before His presence with singing.

I know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His gates with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100

Steps of Faith--Part 2

2010-09-18T22:26:00.002-04:00

Agapefest 2010 – I so wanted to participate in the cardboard testimonies. The front would have stated, “twice divorced” while the back stated, “Jesus’ bride forever.” The problem was not embarrassment, time constraints, or any other excuse, the reality was that I still didn’t see myself as Jesus’ bride. I struggle to believe that I am His Bride, despite His promises that I am His beloved.

Twice divorced….such a shameful phrase. I hate it, I really do. It was devastating the first time. The second divorce came after my salvation. Equally devastating, it had the added element of letting God down…of willfully sinning…of being a failure, not once, but twice. My first marriage was to my high school sweetheart and six years later, we divorced. My second marriage came later and I believed it would last forever.

This marriage was difficult at best. Bailey came along quickly after we married and I used to say that it was a good thing she did, otherwise I would have left him immediately. We both brought baggage to the marriage that hampered our relationship. Our personalities clashed frequently and we fought over our roles in the marriage. My 50/50 marriage didn’t exist and I didn’t hesitate to complain about it. For five years, we struggled. We were ready to call it quits when I started attending Calvary and was saved. After my salvation we decided not to divorce. Then along came my Bible studies and the infamous, Excellent Wife study. This study opened my eyes to my role as a godly wife and I realized how far short I fell from being a godly wife and fulfilling my role in our household.

After this study, the marriage became tolerable. I knew I couldn’t change my husband, but I could change my behavior and my reactions. It was a step of faith because I had no promise that he would change. I had to trust God and lean on His promises. As I shared in my previous entry, after 9/11 I made a major life change and quit my job. This brought about many changes in my marriage, mostly good. I was able to be an attentive wife and for the first time, I really felt that I was being the godly wife that I was created to be for my husband. We still struggled and some of my prayers were answered when Mark started to come to church with me. For the first time, I truly believed that my marriage was going to improve. I knew if Mark started walking with the Lord, we would strengthen our marriage together. I was hopeful and this was a wonderful feeling after so many years of discord.

Unfortunately, as we all know, Satan hates us and he knew my marriage was changing for the better. The attacks began and soon Mark was no longer attending church. All that we had gained became lost again. Life was challenging at best and we were on a slippery slope since some things had happened at Mark’s job to cause him great anguish. He became an angry man at the injustices that were happening to him. This anger was hidden to the public but very visible at home. Our marriage had become volatile again and I was helpless to change anything and he certainly didn’t want to hear about God’s plan for his life. I tried to follow my teachings from the Excellent Wife and I turned to God’s Word for help. While a part of me wanted to escape, I knew I was to stay with him. Everyone that I counseled with said I would know if I was to leave…God would give me a sign. No signs came. I just kept stepping in faith. Eventually, his anger exploded when he was let go at his job. If you knew Mark, you knew how much he valued his career and you can imagine his despair. His career was his identity and his number one priority in life. He became more lost than ever before.

Life became unbearable, yet God still said to stay. Eventually Mark was offered a job out of state and this became the breaking point for me. Mark was very distant by this time and our marriage was in name only, as it had been for years. I knew I couldn’t leave so I sought godly advice again. I believed that this out of state journey was not part of God’s plan for my life. Mark left us for the new job. He worked for three months and was let go at this job as well. As awful as this time was for us, I must say that God was amazing. He strengthened me throughout my marriage and at this time, I was clinging to Him for dear life. I saw God’s work in our lives and I saw continual evidence of God trying to draw Mark to Him. It was beautiful to watch, yet incredibly sad as Mark continued walking away from Him. Eventually, God led me to confront Mark to seek outside help for our marriage. Before I could get my words out, he asked for a divorce. As he walked out the door that night, I felt God’s peace unlike any time before in my life. I had kept 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 close to my heart during the difficult days and when he left I believed I had followed God’s will and now verse 15 had come to pass. (1 Cor 7:15 says “But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.”)

The next season of my life was difficult but not nearly as difficult as living in a bad marriage. God’s presence was felt and He continually blessed me throughout this season. The peace in our home was a breath of fresh air and God met our needs constantly. Life was filled with lessons of God’s provision. The most important thing for me was knowing that I honored God’s Will. While the outcome was not what I had been praying for, at least I had the peace of knowing that I honored Him.

So now we fast forward to life today. I so appreciated Claudia’s blog entry about singleness. Singleness is hard in today’s society. For me, it’s especially difficult. After living in a difficult marriage that lacked intimacy for many years, I long to be loved, appreciated, and cherished. This is my Achilles heel and I need God’s strength to live the life that He wants me to live. In the secular world, all things go. Sex is for the taking and there is no condemnation. I don’t have to commit, to be honest, I don’t even have to know him…I can live by the Nike slogan, ‘Just do it.’ Yet, the Bible tells us no. This seems fine to me for teenagers, and as a matter of fact, it is what I tell my daughter. However, I am a middle aged adult for crying out loud! How on earth can God expect ME to wait until marriage? Yet, the Bible is clear. So now I face dating in a world where anything goes, yet I am supposed to say no. If I truly believe that I am Jesus’ bride, waiting should not be an issue. Hence my reason for not being able to offer a cardboard testimony. In a moment of selfishness, I didn’t say no and in an instant, I became the worst of sinners and I let down my faithful God. After all He has done for me, I fell headlong into sin. After all of my steps in faith and blessings for that faith, I didn’t believe God and His Word that says He is all I need.

God is good and all He required from me for this sin was repentance. He has forgiven me, but it is much harder for me to forgive myself. While I know my sins are cast as far as the east is to the west, I know my weakness. I pray continually for His strength because I need Him. Without His Strength, I will sin again and I do not want to disappoint my God. I desire to be His spotless bride and believe that I am who God says I am. Now I must step out in faith again, deny myself, pick up my cross and follow Jesus. I don’t know what this journey will look like in the dating world, but I trust my God and know that He will guide my path. I pray that I walk worthy of my Lord. It is my prayer that next year, I can not only carry my cardboard testimony but I can believe it. I cling to His promises because I know I cannot complete this journey without Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

p.s. I do want to be clear that I bear no dishonor or malice toward Mark. He is Bailey’s father and it is my prayer that he finds his way to Jesus. I ask that you pray for him as well.

Praise Report and Retreat Reminder

2010-09-07T23:06:00.001-04:00

I'm going to break in here and offer some praise to God for all that this little corner of the Internet is becoming. Last Sunday, I was catching up with a friend after the service and I overheard two women that I don't know exchange comments about the blog and about how one particular entry had really impacted them and helped them not feel so alone.

Wow. That's just exactly what I had in mind when this all got started.

Then, last week I started receiving posts from women whom I never even thought to ask to write anything, and their pieces are extraordinary.

And that was just never even on my radar. Amazing. Beautiful.

Because I have the privilege of perspective, I can see that God is beginning a work in our body. He is knitting us together, sisters. It is a beautiful sight to see.

If you are reading this, I want to ask you to pray for this ministry and for the developing women's ministry in our body. As women, we're under a lot of pressure (I can hear your "Amen's"!) and it can be very difficult to make the time to get to know each other on a personal and spiritual level. I hope the blog is helping with some of that--at the very least, exposing the fact that we're all a lot more alike than different. Our common denominator is Christ, and though God is creative in His design of us, we all share the same experiences of grace touching our hearts.

Most of you should know that we have a Women's Retreat coming up November 5th-6th. Heidi has posted a couple of times about this here and here. Sisters, pray for this retreat and pray about attending this retreat. We need to get away with our Jesus. We do. We need direction, purpose, healing...quiet (I hear those 'Amen's' again!) He has carved out this time for you. He has something to teach you, love to give to you. And the added bonus will be spending time with each other!

If you would like more information about the retreat or have any questions, please leave a comment here or e-mail me at: wegather2gether(at)gmail.com

Blessings to you and yours!
~Jen Henze

Steps of Faith

2010-08-28T19:05:00.003-04:00

I’m Diamond Deacon, mother to Kyle and Bailey. I’ve lived in Crawfordsville all of my life. I’ve attended Calvary Chapel for over 11 years now. It doesn’t seem possible! My childhood was simple and filled with good memories. We didn’t attend church for most of my childhood and the few years that I did attend church, I was taught to fear God as well as some other beliefs that I now know were false teachings. As you will read, my salvation day is when I really started living. I enjoy participating in Bible studies and fellowship with my sisters in Christ.
Currently I teach kindergarten at Hose Elementary School. Kyle is 25 and lives in Lafayette. Bailey is a sophomore at CHS. My children are the joys of my life and I thank God for them continually. In my spare time, I am the carpool mom as I am crazy enough to love being around the teens in my daughter’s life. I’m enjoying this season of my life as I open myself to new experiences, new friends, and new hobbies.

April 18, 1999 – the first day of the rest of my life.

Pastor Dave was teaching in Malachi and God grabbed my heart and I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. My life was in the pit and I finally looked up. My husband and I were planning to divorce and after receiving my salvation, I went home and asked him to reconsider. The plans were put on hold and my walk with the Lord began. Life sailed along and while things weren’t great, I was happy with Jesus. I kept my focus on Him and some changes started happening.
Our jobs were very consuming and they took quite a toll on our family. I had promised Mark that I would continue working after Bailey was born. After 9/11, I spent considerable time re-evaluating my life. I had a restlessness that I didn’t understand. A year later a situation developed in my job that required me to disregard my moral values. After that particularly ugly day, I was crying out to my Lord that I could no longer work there and I distinctly heard the words, “Why don’t you trust Mark?” Our marriage was still rocky and I knew I couldn’t quit as he had always wanted me to work. After more prayer, I took a step of faith and went home and bared my soul to Mark about the job, my desire to be a better wife and mother, and the toll that disregarding my values would take on me personally. Much to my surprise, Mark said that he trusted me and if quitting was the only answer, he agreed. I have never felt as vulnerable as when I chose to follow God’s leading at that time.

Our home environment changed dramatically at this time. My marriage started to improve which was the answer to many prayers. I was closer to my children, although my son (who was a high school senior) was not so happy that his mother could keep up with his whereabouts now:) For the next year, I thought about what I should do in life. I tried different jobs to see what I would like. I also volunteered at Bailey’s school. Eventually, I began working in the school as a playground supervisor. This led to a job as a teacher’s aide. Then the first seeds were planted as I was asked why I didn’t go back to school to become a teacher. At first I just laughed this off. I was 39 years old and was not going to a campus everyday to be with those teeny boppers! I’d be paying my student loans with my social security check! God and I had several arguments over the next year as this idea just did not make sense to me. I remember crying out to Him and saying I would only go to college if I could do it from home as I still needed to work and would not go to campus for classes. Lo’ and behold, someone told me about the WED (Woods External Degree) program at St. Mary of the Woods. I literally could do all of my work from home and I only needed to go to campus at the beginning of each semester. The best news was that St. Mary’s was recognized as an excellent school for teacher candidates so God ended any arguments that I may try to get out of this step of faith.

Age 40 and beginning college, there were times when I really wondered what God was thinking and this was one of them. I had no idea how I would accomplish college on top of everything else in my life. It was during this journey that Satan really began his attack. My husband wasn’t walking with the Lord during this time and our marriage was rocky again. I find it intriguing that the same verses that we are studying now were the verses that I kept in my mind during these times. I knew I had to finish this race and I had to continually remind myself of Eph. 6:12:

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this age.

It wasn’t Mark that I was battling, but instead my marriage was filled with spiritual warfare. I was clinging to Jesus during these times while Mark was walking further and further away. It was frightening to watch as Satan shot arrow after arrow at Mark until ultimately, he chose to end our marriage. I still had one year of college left and one semester of this year would include student teaching. I would have to quit my job and totally rely on God for everything. I needed God to help the kids and I through this divorce. I needed God to help me finish school. I needed God to help provide financial resources during this time. I needed God’s strength as I was empty, just plain empty. During this time I was walking in faith every step of my journey. I was clinging tightly to His promise to me in Jeremiah 29:11:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a hope and a future.

I love taking the time to re-read my journals during this trying time, God proved himself over and over in my life. Simply put, He carried me.

On May 2, 2009, God and I received our diploma. It was a triumphant moment because we reached the goal that He set for me five long years ago. Now it was time to find a job. St. Mary’s has a seminar for teachers to help them in their job search. There were several superintendents from various schools and they told us point blank, “Elementary teachers are a dime a dozen and there just are not openings. Because of the large candidate pool, if there are openings, the schools can pick the cream of the crop so you better be able to stand out.” Driving home, I had a choice. I could believe Jeremiah 29 or I could get discouraged. I chose God. I knew He would provide. After praying and waiting a couple of months, I was offered a job.

Last year brought blessings beyond measure and more joy than I ever thought possible. Bailey and I have adjusted to our new life. She’s been able to witness blessing after blessing as God provides for us. We have felt peace in our home that wasn’t always there. I enjoyed teaching more than I could imagine. The best part of my teaching experience was sharing God with my kids. My kids knew how important God was in my life and they knew I prayed for them daily. The schools offer a moment of silence before the pledge. My students honored this moment because I made it clear that I was using my moment to pray for them. When they shared issues in their life, they would ask me to pray. They would bring their Bibles to read during silent reading. They would read their Bibles at night for their reading assignment. When they would write about their reading, I would respond with encouragement and share my thoughts on the scriptures they were reading. God was invited into my classroom and He was there every day.

As we know, Satan is always waiting to attack. The ‘severe recession’ has affected all of us. Education was impacted greatly when the governor cut funding to the schools. I received my Reduction in Force (RIF) letter in March. I was at another crossroad: would I step out in faith and believe that God would provide or would I succumb to the fear, discouragement, and frustration that grips those affected by the economic situation? I went home and read my journals again. God had brought me through so many trials, why wouldn’t I trust him yet again? Would I hold onto His promise in Jeremiah 29? I chose God. This allowed me the most teachable God moment that I was able to share with my own children, my students, and my peers. I trusted that God would provide and all I wanted to do was shine for Him through this trial. Job or no job, I would shine for Him. I chose to tell my students so they would hear the news from me. We all cried on the day that I told them. They were so sweet as they asked what they could do. They were plotting letter campaigns and phone calls to save my job. As we gathered around, I asked them to do one thing and only one thing for me. I asked them to pray. We talked about how God was in control and they knew my beliefs on prayer.

For the next couple of months, we went on with business as usual. I loved teaching even more and just knew that God would provide. In the middle of May, I received a phone call from our superintendent. She had a kindergarten position available for me. I was ecstatic! I just love when God brings those blessings to us that cause us to drop to our knees. I can picture Him smiling down upon us as we cry for joy. I couldn’t wait for Monday so I could tell my kids. On Monday morning I reminded them of my request for prayer. Some of them shared that they were still praying and several had parents praying as well. I was thrilled to give God the glory that He was due for our answered prayers. It was a wonderful God moment and one I will not forget. I only hope that all of my kids will remember it as well. I want them to know that they have a Father in Heaven that loves them and looks to answer their prayers always.

Pastor Dave teaches that God will lead our paths if we let Him. He will direct our path step by step and we just need to take each step in faith. He doesn’t show us the entire journey since most of us would turn and high tail it the other way. I know if I had seen the 5 year college journey when I left my job, I would not have taken the first step. I would have thought about the cost of college and decided to stay at my job and take one class at a time so they would pay the tuition. I would never have had the courage to quit and start college as an act of faith. By taking one step at a time, I have seen my journey filled with blessings beyond measure. I could never in my wildest dreams believe that life could be wonderful, fun, and surpass even my crazy imagination. God just required me to take that one step so my journey could begin….I’m sure He is doing the same with you.

Will you step out in faith?

God's Revelation of Love

2010-08-26T07:15:00.001-04:00

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Hello, for all those who don’t know me, my name is Claudia Hurt. I am 29 years old and I am single. I am blessed to be one of seven children and have been blessed with a mother and father who have showed me unconditional love no matter what. Growing up, I knew I could always go to them with whatever I was struggling with and they would be there for me, not judging me but comforting me. I was raised going to Calvary Chapel from an early age, and I even gave my life to the Lord then. However, as they say, “life happens”! Now I have been back seven years, after recommitting my life at the age of 23.

When I was in high school, I had this recurring dream that I would be married at the age of 23, that I would be walking down the aisle to my “husband,” who was standing inside a gazebo dressed in a white tux. I could never see his face, and all the white chairs were empty of people, but I knew it was my wedding day and I was walking up the aisle to “him.” Well, needless to say, 23 came and went, and still I remained single. Looking back on it, I realize that it was a pretty hard time for me. Everything seemed to be going right in my life except for this one aspect.

On my knees one day, I cried out to Jesus and asked Him why I had this dream for so long. He showed me that I had been married that year. When I had dreamed about walking up that aisle, I had been walking up to “Him”; when I had made my commitment, I had been making it to “Him”! I pledged my life to Him, to honor Him, to cherish Him for the rest of my life. It was one of my “aha” moments—a revelation! I have been so blessed and amazed by our God!

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:11-13
See, my perspective was off, and I had been thinking only in the physical realm. I was thinking earthly, when God showed me the bigger picture—the eternal picture that He had and still has for me. What a comfort that was for me then and now!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5
This personal revelation has made me see the bigger picture. I am truly a blessed individual! I have a merciful Savior, a Comforter, and a Friend! Now more than ever, I rest in Him and have a peace that surpasses all understanding.
“Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.” Proverbs 3:17-18

Embracing the Perfect One

2010-08-21T21:48:00.002-04:00

I am Alyssa Powell and I am married to my high school sweetheart, Shane (whom I chased from the fourth grade on). We have two amazing and fun children, Ethan (6) and Emily (4). Shane and I have lived in Crawfordsville our entire lives with the exception of four years when we both attended Hanover College. We followed Dave and Angie to Calvary Chapel and are honored to say we've been here for nearly 20 years.

I am fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom and I have the opportunity to home-school Ethan. I love Beth Moore bible studies and being a part of my Thursday Women's Bible Study. When I have time, I enjoy scrapbooking, reading fiction and a watching a good chick-flick. I LOVE football and I am a HUGE Colts fan. Sadly, I am addicted to diet coke and am radio's "1070 the Fan". I might also be addicted to Swedish Fish and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups . . .

If you watch any television at all, you're bound to see a commercial for depression. Whenever I see one of those commercials my heart stops because I feel like they're describing me.

You see, I battle depression.

It's not something I have shared with very many people because I have been afraid of what others would think. Actually, it wasn't until this past year that I could even admit it to myself. As a Christian, I have felt ashamed that I couldn't study, pray or fast myself out of feeling depressed. After all, if I was a strong enough Christian I wouldn't feel the way I do, right?

Just over a year ago my husband confronted me in the most loving way possible. He revealed to me that my masquerading wasn't fooling anyone. My family was suffering - my husband felt unloved and undesired, my children felt like I would rather be anywhere than at home taking care of them. A couple of my dearest friends suggested that I might be depressed and encouraged me to seek help. They saw me striving and working, praying and fasting, hoping somehow to work my way out of the rut I was in. Unfortunately no matter what I did, I was stuck.

To make a long story short, about a year ago I found myself in the office of a Christian counselor. Afraid and ashamed, I answered a series of general questions and then we began to "talk". After a few minutes she stood up and reached for a book from her bookshelf. She handed it to me and asked me to read it before my next session. I read the book and at the end of the book there was a quiz. I took the quiz and it revealed I had obsessive compulsive tendencies. During my next few sessions we talked a lot about these tendencies and how they were affecting my life.

For me, the obsessive compulsive tendencies were a means to being the perfect person, perfect mother, perfect wife and perfect Christian. I would obsess over every (and I do mean every) part of my life striving to be perfect. At night I would lay awake replaying conversations I had with friends, worried that I said the wrong thing, afraid that they might have misinterpreted what I meant, ashamed that I had somehow misrepresented our Lord. My thought life was like a hurricane - out of control, wild and unpredictable. As a result, my life was a constant disappointment and I felt like I never measured up. No wonder I was depressed.

During one particular counseling session I was going on and on about some situation and obsessing over how I handled it and complaining about what a failure I was. I remember saying "I should have" probably a dozen times. The counselor gently asked me, "Who's telling you that - because it certainly isn't the Lord". I quickly and arrogantly retorted "I am"!

And therein was the problem - me. I had an unrealistic, unbiblical and unhealthy expectation for my life. I wanted to be perfect and my pride had convinced me that if I tried hard enough, I could be.

C.S. Lewis says that "Pride is a spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment or even common sense." My pride kept me from getting the help I desperately needed and kept me from enjoying rich, abundant life in Christ. Praise God for a loving husband and amazing friends who loved me too much to watch me destroy myself and everything I hold dearly! This past year has been a journey of loosening the grips of perfectionism in order to embrace the Perfect One.

It sounds silly to say, but my counselor reminded me that there was only One perfect person - Jesus. His goal is not for me to be perfect. Every time I put my desire to be perfect above His desire for my life, I put myself on the throne that belongs to Christ alone. In my counseling sessions, we began to study and pour over scriptures that were already familiar to me but took on new significance. Scriptures like Romans 12:2 " . . . be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." I had to choose to replace what I thought about myself with what God's word says about me, to replace my ideas about pleasing Him with what He says pleases Him. I had to confront the truth that my righteousness was as filthy rags and no matter how hard I try, I can never earn His love or approval. He loves me for no other reason than that I am His.

Sweet friends, I want to leave you with an excerpt written by Sarah Young from Jesus Calling:

"I want you to experience the riches of your salvation: the joy of being loved constantly and unconditionally. You make a practice of judging yourself, based on how you look or behave or feel. If you like what you see in the mirror, you feel a bit more worthy of My Love. When things are going smoothly and your performance seems adequate, you find it easier to believe you are My beloved child. When you feel down, you tend to look inward so you can correct whatever is wrong. Instead of trying to fix yourself, fix your gaze on Me, the Lover of your soul. Rather than using your energy to judge yourself, redirect it to praising Me. Remember that I see you clothed in My righteousness, radiant in My perfect love."

In Christ's Perfect Love,
Alyssa

(Though I don't like to make a habit of publicly commenting about what is contributed here, I do want to share that depression really does hurt. It is wounding and can devastate even the Christian life. If you struggle with depression or need to connect with someone who cares, please contact me, Alyssa, Angie Keesee or another strong woman in the Lord. There is no reason to suffer in silence. God really, truly can break the bonds of depression and set you free! As Alyssa mentioned above, there are resources available in our own community--word-based, Christian help. And we want to pray for you, too. ~Jen)

For The Love Of My Sisters

2010-08-15T08:25:00.008-04:00

(I errantly first published that Vi Goodrich is from Harvest Chapel, when she is in fact from Horizon Christian Fellowship, Indianapolis. Sorry for any confusion!)

For the Love of My Sisters
John 13:34
Calvary Chapel Women’s Retreat
November 5th and 6th
Hanging Rock Christian Assembly

I want to share with you something that God has been laying on my heart for many months. Several months ago, I was feeling overwhelmed and sad after losing a good friend who had battled breast cancer for four years. Her funeral was amazing and completely Spirit led ~ her life and death were a testimony of her incredible faith in God and how she placed all of her trust in Him ~ even if that meant dying. I was able to worship and grieve at the funeral and for several weeks before and after Gayle passed away with some of my amazing sisters in Christ from our previous church in Lafayette. We shared a bond that began, for me, many years ago after attending a women’s retreat when I was new to the church. I had a desire to get to know some of the women and families. It was during the retreat that I met a lot of women who wanted to know me and my family, too. God was faithful and He gave me the desire of my heart to have a family-like bond with other families in our church. I attended and helped plan retreats in the following years and saw God doing amazing things for the women, individually and collectively!

I began wondering and praying about the women at Calvary ~ I wondered if there were other women who, like me, desired to find sisters in Christ within our body. Were there other women who wanted to connect on a deeper level than just a quick “Hi!” as they flew in and out of church on Sunday morning?

The Lord swiftly began speaking to my heart. I was driving to Indianapolis on a beautiful early morning in May and was listening to Sidewalk Prophets singing, “Change This Heart” and I became overwhelmed with the Spirit tugging at me about offering a retreat for the women at Calvary. I prayed over this for several weeks and shared it with a few friends, who encouraged me to talk it over with Dave and Angie. When I brought the idea to them, they were completely on board and agreed that it would bless many women in the church.

So….I am thrilled and honored that the Lord would allow me to invite you to come to a retreat on November 5th and 6th, at Hanging Rock near Rockport! The retreat will begin Friday evening including an overnight stay, and continue through Saturday, ending that evening. Our speaker will be Vi Goodrich, wifr of Bill Goodrich, senior pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship in Indianapolis and she will be speaking on John 13:34. We are planning for amazing worship, teaching, time alone with the Lord, and time together to meet and get to know our fellow sisters at Calvary Chapel. Anyone can attend, so pray about bringing someone. I would love to fill all 88 spots available!

There will be more details very soon! For now, if you have any questions, you can ask myself, Alyssa Powell, Cindy Ellingwood, Jen Henze, Joanie Menard, or Jeannie Stevens.

I am praying that the Lord will speak to you and lead you to this special event in November with us!

In Christ's Love,

Heidi Myers

August Update

2010-08-11T22:19:00.000-04:00

Hello! Just a quick note to thank all of you for your encouraging e-mails and kind words. I am so blessed at the amount of traffic on this site! I hope you are finding it encouraging and inspiring in your own relationship with Christ.

Quickly, I want to again encourage you to make comments on the posts you are reading. It ministers to the writer as well as other readers for you to share. Plus, we get to know each other better!

Coming soon will be more information about the upcoming Women's Retreat, November 5-6, 2010. If you haven't already marked this on your calendar, please do so! I am so excited about how God is developing this special time to get away with Him and with each other. Heidi will be posting more information about the theme for the retreat in a day or two so be sure to check back soon. There is also a tab at the top you can always click on to find info etc.

As always, if you have something you would like to share in this space, something to contribute, please contact me. You don't have to be an accomplished writer to share--just willing to share what God is doing in your life!

Blessings to you all...
~Jen

World Cup, Carrefour and World Missions

2010-08-03T18:17:00.005-04:00

If you haven't had the privilege to meet Emily Denny, you are in for a treat! Emily spent the summer serving with OMS in Spain and returned just a few days ago. My husband and I have had the exceptional privilege to get to know her (and her sweet dog, Sophie!) better through our Friday night Bible study. Her heart is devoted to the Lord and His love radiates from her. During the school year, she teaches English at Northridge Middle School and has passion for reaching her students. Below, she shares just one of the many ways she encountered God this summer...

~Jen

I had finally found it. A Spain soccer t-shirt complete with the new star on it to show that Spain had won its first World Cup Championship. Not only did it have the star, but it was also reasonably priced. I had no idea when I first landed in Spain that I would end up a fan of Spain’s soccer team, but it was hard not to get caught up in the excitement as a nation normally divided by regional differences came together to cheer for their team. Little did I know that purchasing that t-shirt would open up an unexpected opportunity.

A few days later, I decided to wear my new shirt. I was helping Sylvia, the OMS missionary, get ready to have a Christian music group come over to her house for dinner after their concert. We went to Carrefour, the European version of Wal-Mart, and bought groceries. On our way out, a Spaniard heard us talking in English and stopped us to ask about my shirt. He was surprised but pleased to see an American supporting Spain. We talked about the team for a little bit and about Fernando Torres, the player whose name was on my shirt. Sylvia then invited him to the concert, and he said that he might be able to attend.

I have no idea if this man went to the concert or not, but I have prayed for him several times since that meeting. I certainly didn’t buy the t-shirt thinking that it might be a tool for evangelism in Spain, yet my wearing it opened up the opportunity to meet someone and to invite him to hear the good news about Jesus Christ.

As Christians, we never know when our choices and actions could have an eternal impact. A trip to the grocery store and buying a t-shirt are everyday activities that we do without ever considering what might happen. Yet those everyday actions could be the means to bringing someone to hear about Jesus Christ.

Being a missionary isn’t necessarily about preaching on the streets or handing out tracks or talking to people you’ve never met before. Being a missionary is living your life each moment as an example of the gospel. Being a missionary is trusting God to bring people to you that He wants you to meet. Being a missionary is the sum of a life lived for God in all areas: work, home, spare time, and everything in between.

God has placed us in certain places for a reason. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a foreign country or in your hometown. We are all to be missionaries of God’s love to a world that desperately needs Him. The mission field is just outside our doors, and God daily gives us the tools to reach those around us, even if that tool is an ordinary item like a Spain soccer t-shirt.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Finding My Way Home--Heidi Myers

2010-07-25T05:00:00.023-04:00

I am Heidi Myers ~ Wife to Brian for 10 years ~ mommy to Madeline, Nathan, and Griffin.
I have loved Jesus my whole life…I was saved in 7th grade….chose to really live for Him 4 years ago!
In my daily life, I take care of my husband and 3 spirited children! I love cooking and cleaning ~ I have a passion for taking photos ~ I love to sing and worship ~ I enjoy walking and riding my bike ~ I love to read novels ~I am also a social worker and work part time outside the home. Although we both grew up in Crawfordsville, we moved here from West Lafayette 2 years ago when Brian’s job brought us back. We love attending Calvary Chapel and desire to get to know everyone there!

Ten years ago, Pastor Dave married Brian and I at a park in Lafayette. Brian and I had been attending Calvary before we married, but then decided that we needed to find a church home in Lafayette, where we lived. We found a wonderful church and lived in Lafayette and West Lafayette until two years ago, when Brian was offered a job in Crawfordsville as an estimator/general manager for Gould Body and Paint.

When Brian and I first moved back to Crawfordsville, naturally, we did some
"church-shopping!" We visited a few other churches that we liked and had some of the characteristics that were important to us and that we wanted our church to have. Once we visited Calvary, though, we couldn’t leave! It was clear this was where the Lord wanted us to worship.

We loved the church in Lafayette that we had attended for several years and even considered driving there every Sunday, but I had a nudging that we were supposed to be part of a body here, in Crawfordsville. I decided that I would search for the same kind of church and worship-style as our previous church, which I guess would be natural. I found that if one church had the same music style, it didn’t have the same great pastor. Or if one church had lots of outgoing, inviting people, it lacked the Bible teaching we wanted for our children. All along, the Lord was convicting me to see the new and different, and not the old and the same. He showed me that His Holy Spirit was very present at Calvary Chapel and that He wanted us here!

Proverbs 3: 5,6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
It was a difficult process to leave a church and join a new one. For me, this has been the hardest part of moving home. The sisterhood that I shared with many women at our previous church still exists and it’s hard not to continue that part of my life ~ worshipping, learning, and growing together. The Lord is teaching me to lean on him and to be content with what he has for me. I know He wants me to trust Him.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation ~ Whom shall I fear?” Psalm 27:1
I have felt the Spirit really moving here in the hearts of the people, especially in the last few months! When we first moved here, I felt like I was in a dry and weary land ~ now, I feel that I am drinking His living water ~ my children are being poured into by blessed teachers ~ We are getting to know the body of believers that we worship with and I am finding some new sisters in Christ ~I feel that we walk away each Sunday overflowing with the love of Christ extended through Pastor Dave.

I am excited about what He has planned for me and my family at Calvary!

Navigation

2010-07-22T21:57:00.000-04:00

Well, the blog has been live for less than a week and already, we've had 122 visitors...though, between Nina and I checking and re-checking for errors and odds and ends, it's probably a little less than that:) If you've been having trouble making comments, I'm working on a solution to that and hope to have that fixed in the next day or two.

If you are new to the world of blogging and still trying to find your way around, let me start by saying that I am so honored that you are here! The general idea of this blog is for us to grow in our relationship with Christ and with each other...to build community and fellowship. We're all busy, right? It's hard to get together and get to know one another. This blog is a simple tool to help build community and encourage each other in our daily walks with God.

Second, I want to highlight some things you're going to want to check out. At the top of this site is a series of tabs marking different "pages." Each page is something unique...a welcome letter, what we (Calvary Chapel) believe, information about the upcoming Women's Retreat, a daily scripture and prayer written by our very own Cindy Billings, how to come into a relationship with Jesus, and a page about those who are contributing to the content of this site. I'll try to alert you when we make updates to those pages, but be sure to check those out regularly.

Third, you'll notice a box to the right labelled "Blog Archive." This is a simple system that keeps each post (like this one) categorized. If you think you've missed a few things, you can click on each month for a list of correlating posts. Or, if you like one particular post and can't remember where it is, you can search through the archives.

Fourth, though I know we have had some technical difficulties with folks leaving comments, leaving those comments is really the heart and soul of this blog. It's how we'll get to know each other. So, while it's nice to stop in and read what is being shared, don't stop by anonymously--let us get to know you, too. That's why we're doing this!

Fifth, did you check out the VBS slide show?!? Look how many of our sisters shared the love of Jesus with our kiddos! It really was an awesome week and I was personally blessed to get to know many women on a deeper level.

Lastly, would you keep this ministry covered in prayer? The Lord is working mightily in the hearts of many women, I believe. Drawing us closer, making us one in Him. He wants to do a work with us and we need to lift this opportunity to the Lord. I would love to hear from anyone who might want to share what God is doing in her heart right now. You don't have to be a professional writer to share...just be willing to share God's love!

Again, thanks for your encouragement (and patience!) as we work out the kinks. May the Lord bless each of you with His love, His grace, His mercy, and His peace...

~Jen

LifeLine--Nina Cunningham

2010-07-18T16:01:00.016-04:00

Nina Cunningham is a graphic artist at a local screen printing company. She is also a fine artist and is involved in a local art gallery in Crawfordsville. She and her husband, Matt, have been married for almost 2 years. Nina and Matt are on our "worship team." Below is a story about one of her paintings titled "LifeLine." See how God uses situations and gifts to produce awareness, healing and encouragement.

Last year, I was involved in a "cardboard skit" at the Agape Praise Fest. This skit is a group testimonial which involves writing something you have been delivered from on one side of a piece of cardboard and writing on the other side how you were delivered. On my particular piece of cardboard, written in magic marker, was the word "ABORTION" in capital letters. On the other side - three words - "I AM FORGIVEN". I was asked to be a part of this skit again at church the next day...

I was absolutely terrified...

I regarded church as my family and wondered if I was ready to reveal this to them. The skit during the festival was much easier to participate in as the crowd was made up of mostly strangers. The church setting hit home. Still, I knew I had to go through with it to obey God and to potentially encourage someone else.

Encouraging someone would be worth the shame that I felt when I held up my cardboard. Holding up this cardboard should have allowed me to feel victory, but yet, I still felt shame and I know now that was not of God. The shame came from me not trusting the fact that God has truly forgiven me! The shame was to man's reaction to my confession. There should have been no shame - because God has taken that shame and nailed it to the cross. He was with me, holding my arms, holding my cardboard, giving me strength...and He would have to once again hold my arms on Sunday morning.

Sunday morning came and after the skit was over, a few women told me that they also had gone through abortions. One woman in particular had never told anyone about it until that moment. God allowed this woman to free herself from her secret by telling another woman! These women were now aware that they were not alone! Not only was it important for them to know that they were not alone in their sin, but that they are never alone if they are in Christ.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)...For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Since the cardboard testimony skit, God has repeatedly brought the subject of abortion up in my life. As a Christian, I am to minister to others, but I also need to allow God to heal the sorrows of my life before Christ. It is a process of discovering that through Christ I can be free from the chains of my past. When we come to Christ, He begins this process of showing us how to become whole, how to change. Yes, I have suffered consequences from my sins, but my sins have been forgiven.

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)

I am continually learning what the fullness of this forgiveness means… To truly be free!

As an artist, through the gifts of creativity God is showing me how He is restoring my life. I have never been one to simply "paint a pretty picture." Since coming to Christ, I have tried to create with intention - to somehow use my art for healing and allow God to work through me to help others. I am also learning how to worship through the process of creating my artwork, as well as sending a message through the final piece.

A year ago, I created a piece of art titled "LifeLine". I did not know when I started creating this piece, what the finished artwork would be. That is always exciting - to create having a simple idea and then having it explode before me. And, what I see is that God had an intention all along. He knew what the final piece would be. He knows what we will be in our finality, as well. It's up to us to allow Him to use us in the process of creating His masterpiece - us.

God is the master artist. He created all things new and with full intention of its final purpose. As an artist, it is challenging to be in a world that is very postmodern - meaning “my intention/truth may not be your intention/truth.” “We may all be the product of a giant’s dream”...and so on. This type of thinking for an artist is one that allows the viewer to dictate what their art is and what it means to the point that the viewer "tells" the story rather than the artist who created it. As a Christian however, I understand that there is an absolute truth, but absolute truth has no place in this postmodern world and that is the caveat. I know the Creator has a specific reason and definition in mind. The viewer can disagree if they want, but it will still be fact. It will still be the truth. Why it was created and what it means can only come from the creator - the creator of a painting or the ultimate Creator of all.

Descriptive elements within the painting "LifeLine:"

The Heart is a stylized representation of a fleshly heart.
(Ezekiel 36:26) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
God can take away the hurt and the walls we put up when we keep a sin like abortion locked inside. What is the function of a heart? It controls physical life, pumping life-saving blood - without it we can't survive physically.

Spiritually however, the heart is deceitful!
(Jeremiah 17:9) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
During this time of hiding what we have done, we can listen to our deceitful hearts telling us that no one will understand, God could never forgive this sin, I feel so ashamed, I can never tell another...

But it tells us in the Bible that our heart can be changed and it can be made new!
(2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. We can now begin a new life in Christ Jesus who does not condemn.
(Romans 8:1) There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…

The plastic babies represent life and aborted babies.

The plastic flowers as well as the abstractly painted flowers which are intermixed with the babies cover over and hide the ugliness of abortion with the prettiness of falsely promoting the "rights of the mother."

Band-Aids represent themselves. Society has covered over this hurt by changing the very definition of the act of abortion by simply making this a choice rather than show what it truly is - the taking of a human life. A tiny Band-Aid can not mend the hurt of abortion - only Christ can.

There are smashed soda cans which represent a throw away society. Aborted babies thrown away, discarded.

The color or lack of color creates a mundane feeling. Muted colors of browns and creams, the only colors being the flowers and the red cord.

The words "Viable Existence" reside within the heart. The definition: capable of living, growing, developing, working and existing.

The word Life is scattered across the painting. We ask: What is Life? When does it begin? The world view differs from the Christian view, but then again some Christians argue this point. So what does God say about Life?

(Jeremiah 1:5) “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...(Psalm 139:13,16) "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb...your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

The painting LifeLine contains a truth, it is an ugly truth - that abortion is sin. But, it is also a painting of redemption. The red cord literally represents a life-line to save. It can be viewed as an umbilical cord which gives life sustaining nourishment to a baby in the womb. It can be the rope attached to a floatation device thrown to one who is drowning. Or, it can be Christ who is the scarlet thread woven throughout the Bible reaching across the entirety of our sin. Christ, the One who gives life and the One who saves those who are dying.

WE ARE FORGIVEN…

Welcome!!!

2010-07-11T11:00:00.001-04:00

"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25

Welcome to We Gather Together! I am so excited to be a part of this aspect of Women's Ministry at Calvary Chapel. It is our desire that this blog will help draw and knit us together as a body of believing women, in order to encourage and edify each other and glorify our Lord, Jesus Christ.

So many exciting things are happening for women at Calvary! Bible studies, ministry opportunities, a women's retreat, praise gatherings...it is truly awesome to see the Lord reviving our hearts, even in these times of economic and social uncertainty.

Maybe you're here reading because you're just curious about what a "church blog" would look like. Maybe you're looking for fellowship. Maybe you're new to the body at Calvary Chapel and want to connect with other women. This is a great place to start!

Feel free to share this web address with others in the body. That's what it's here for! Comments are certainly welcome, but don't forget to make that personal connection with each of our writers and reach into each others' lives. Please keep this blog as well as the other aspects of women's ministry in prayer as the coming weeks and months unfold. Exciting things are on the horizon!

~Jen Henze

Emily Denny--Missionary to Spain!

2010-07-10T20:09:00.002-04:00

Emily Denny is a middle school English teacher at Northridge Middle School. She is currently serving as a missionary in Spain with One Mission Society for the summer. Below is a brief description of what she is doing as well as important ways you can pray for her through the summer. We’ll continue to update you as the summer progresses of what Emily is doing as well as ways you can continue to prayerfully support her work.
~Jen

Being a teacher gives me a great opportunity to serve the Lord through ministering to the students in my classroom. With all of the challenges and rewards, I love being a teacher. Not only does being a teacher give me the chance to minister to students during the school year, it also opens up my summers for ministry. The past several years, I have been able to use my summer vacations for various ministries. I have been able to work with inner-city youth with Wheeler Mission, to be a counselor for my church’s youth camp, and to serve in various aspects of the ministry of Bambi Lake Retreat Center.

During June and July of this year, the Lord has opened up an opportunity for me to use my love of camping ministry and of teaching English in a cross-cultural setting. Through One Mission Society (OMS), I will be serving in Spain this summer. My time will be split among various cities and activities, including helping a children’s choir as they make of tour of Madrid, Granada, and Motril. I will also be teaching English in Madrid as well as assisting at a youth camp near Guadalajara.

As with any ministry, it is vital to have a group of people to support it through prayer. Some aspects of the trip that I am in need of prayer include...

Maintaining daily time in Bible study and prayer

Traveling to and from Spain in addition to traveling within the country
A smooth transition to a new culture and then a smooth transition to returning home
Increasing dependence on the Holy Spirit for boldness to communicate to the Spanish people about Jesus Christ
Building relationships with the people I meet, including my mentor, Sylvia, and the host family that the Lord will place me in
Opportunities to be an encouragement to the missionaries currently on the field in Spain
Softening of the hearts of people in Spain to receive the gospel

I have been extremely blessed by the support that I received from my church, my family, and my friends. Knowing that I have many people praying for me helps me to enter into this new ministry with hope, courage, and strength. I can only praise God for what He is doing and for the people He has placed in my life. Nothing else in this world can ever come close to the joy of knowing Jesus Christ. Whether in times of difficulty or times of joy, we can stand firm in the knowledge of His love for us. It is my hope that I will continue to learn the depths of this truth as I step into a new country, culture, and ministry.

We Gather Together

View from the Pew...Why Our Upcoming Pitch-Ins Are Opportunities to Make our Body *Fat*

My first trip the the Midwest Pastors' Conference

Praying the Word 8.29.11

Praying the Word 8.15.11

Prayer--Are we committed to it?

2 Corinthians 3:1-6...Notes from Pam Markey's Excellent Teaching

Linky Love

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Anybody Out There??

Love Never Fails

Beauty For Ashes

The Domino in My Purse

January Women's Luncheon--Pam Markey

Women's Brunch

Faux Paw

Share Your Christmas Memories and Traditions!

Others May, You Cannot

Women's Retreat Reminder - this Weekend!

Singing Servant--View from the Pew

Steps of Faith--Part 2

Praise Report and Retreat Reminder

Steps of Faith

God's Revelation of Love

Embracing the Perfect One

For The Love Of My Sisters

August Update

World Cup, Carrefour and World Missions

Finding My Way Home--Heidi Myers

Navigation

LifeLine--Nina Cunningham

Welcome!!!

Emily Denny--Missionary to Spain!

View from the Pew...Why Our Upcoming Pitch-Ins Are Opportunities to Make our Body Fat