February 2018
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“Your 2 Cents” – Advice on Marriage Page 9
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by Leslie Greenetz My husband and I just celebrated 40 years together! From this vantage point, it seems like it flew by in a wink. It’s not until I chat with younger people about their marriages that I remember the adjustments and lessons we had to go through to get to where we are now. A non-negotiable commitment is the first thing you need to last the decades. Yes, we pledge our vows in marital bliss on our wedding day- till death do us part, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer... and it feels like the wind is in our sails and it can’t get any better than this! The wedding is the pinnacle of months of preparation, making plans together, dreaming of the future together,
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sacrificing and anticipating together. Then reality sets in. All the dreams of what I thought married life would be like were so different than what I was experiencing. Those feelings of working together planning our little nest, imagining never being apart again were replaced with him going to work every day! Gone. All. Day. Then coming home tired and wanting space and not ready for my onslaught of conversation and my urgent need to connect. Rapture was replaced by rejection. I had to swallow my disappointment and remember who I used to be before the flurry of wedding planning, honeymoon fun and nest
Dave & Leslie Greenetz Married 40 years. Assemb. James Gallagher Legislative Update
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Continue on page 8 Victim Shares Gospel With Serial Molester
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THE AMBASSADOR ?The Ambassador is a free, monthly publication promoting unity and revival among the local Yuba-Sutter area Bible-believing churches. ?The Ambassador has a circulation of 5,500 - 7,500 and is distributed in local churches and businesses in the community. ?The purpose of The Ambassador is to pursue the great commission of Christ by making disciples and to encourage, inform, challenge and connect the local body of Christ. ?We believe in the inspiration and authority of the Bible as the written word of God. We believe that God exists as One, in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ?We believe that the atoning work of Christ (His death) on the cross and His resurrection is the ONLY means of salvation and the only way to Eternal Life in Heaven. ?We welcome editorial content from anyone wishing to promote the mission of The Ambassador. All articles and advertisement content is subject to the approval of the editor. Views expressed in The Ambassador do not necessarily reflect those of our sponsors or advertisers
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If You Teach A Man To Fish
by April James I know that I am loved though I may not always act like it. I am betrothed to my best friend, the King of kings. I am dearly loved by my Father; I lack for nothing. He provides for me well with all good things, yet I don’t always show appreciation. I am in a privileged group but sometimes cast my eyes elsewhere and desire what my Father says is not good for me. As I take my eyes off Papa I wonder why they are not good; they look appealing. As I scoot closer to the fence to get a better glimpse, my foot slips and I cross the line. I begin to be drawn further in by what my eyes behold. The desire to partake grows; I reason that just this once it won’t hurt me to try this one little thing and then I’ll go back; it’s just on the other side of the fire. I can reach it without getting burned…or so I thought! Those who seemed so caring, who once compelled me to join them now laugh and sneer at me; their masks came off - my eyes are opened. I see the traps they set about me. Lured in, I’m now trapped by the wrong desires of my flesh that I did not resist or turn away from. My beautiful robes now tattered and soiled, regret fills me as tears of sorrow role down my cheeks. I cry in desperation and fear; despair begins to set in. I long for home not knowing how to
return and fearing even if I did I would be rejected and considered unworthy of my Father and Betroths love. In the dark of night, I begin to see a light. I hear a familiar voice, my Betrothed, my Savior, is calling my name. I want to respond but I am ashamed, voices around me say “He won’t want you back when He learns what you’ve done”. So, I remain silent. The light grows brighter – the voice stronger. He has found me in the mire; With His face full of love and compassion as He looks at me, I weep. The voices flee from His presence; He reaches out His hand. Taking mine, He lifts me out of the mess I have gotten myself in. He places his robe on me in exchange for my filthy one. I experience complete forgiveness and a grace I’ve never known. Reconciled - I collapse into His loving embrace. Have I lived an exemplary life since He rescued me? I wish! Yet, as the years pass, I have known no greater love. Our relationship grows more intimate; my desire for my Father’s ways grow deeper. The Lord’s extravagant love for me, and you, makes all other love stories in history pale in comparison, and no other will last for eternity. This Valentines - who has your heart?
by Christy Boals www.GraceFilledPurpose.com “I’m sorry, but the forecast is calling for pouring rain all weekend.” My thirteen-year-old fisherman did not take the cancelling of his camping/fishing trip well. He had spent two days preparing already, sorting fishing gear and carefully finding and counting worms to make sure he had enough. He was basically ready for two weeks of back country survival, (the canceled trip was for two days at a local lake.) I hate to see my children disappointed. I know life has so many disappointments in store for them. In the grand scheme of things, a canceled fishing trip is nothing; however, it was everything to my son this day. In the future, I will not always be able to make things better for my children when life is hard, but for now, I try to find ways to soften the blows. I am also queen of, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. No lemons? Well, we’ll find something else.” Sometimes, my children are so loudly bemoaning their change of plans, it is hard to get them to calm down a moment so I can think of an alternative solution. I try to remind them that I am there for them even as they are sad. Occasionally though, when my own plans are disrupted, I can throw a fit every bit as intense as my children. It might
look different, but believe me it’s not pretty. When I calm down for a minute, I remember, just as my children can hand their disappointments to me, I can bring mine to God. He is our good Father who hates to see us sad. Sometimes He has to say no to something we really thought we wanted, but He is always there to hold us when our plans are upset. And when He reveals His ultimate plan in the situation, it is always better than the one we thought we wanted. Unlike me, God is never surprised at things being canceled. My plan “B” was His plan “A,” and He had planned on us having lemonade all along. So, on this day, I loaded up my son and took him for a quick fishing trip before it started to rain. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
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• • •
of making sure correct change was given his customers when he worked as a store clerk in New Salem, Illinois? The story goes that whenever he realized he had shortchanged a customer by a few pennies, he would close the shop and deliver the correct change-regardless of how far he had to walk. George Washington was honest as a servant leader. The story is told that one cold, winter night Washington stepped out of his tent to take a walk. In his long coat, and with his collar turned up, no one could recognize him as the commander of the Continental Army. Washington came across a group of soldiers under the command of a corporal who was out to
• • •
show he was in charge. “Push harder!” the corporal yelled as the men pushed logs to form a rampart. Washington joined the struggling men and pushed until the last the log finally fell into place. Washington asked the corporal, “Why didn’t you help your men with the heavy lifting?” He said, “Can’t you see I’m a corporal?” Washington replied, “I see.” Then he opened his coat to reveal his uniform. “I’m the Commander-inchief,” Washington said. “The next time you have a log too heavy for your men to lift, send for me!” The Lord Jesus had an honesty that couldn’t be shaken by traps His enemies set for Him. Remember the time Jesus was asked if it was right to pay taxes to Caesar? If He said yes, the Jews would
reject him, and if He said no there would be grounds for His crucifixion. Using a Roman coin as an object lesson, Jesus asked His audience, “Whose picture is on this?” “Caesar’s,” the crowd responded. “Then give Caesar what is his, and God what is His,” Jesus instructed (Luke 20:20-26). So where are we on the honesty meter? Do we excuse ourselves because everyone tells little white lies or doesn’t put their dollar in the basket for the soda? Do we give a false impression of ourselves as being too good to serve? Do we use wisdom in meeting arguments with truthful tact? The wisest man, Solomon, said it well in Proverbs 12:19. “Truthful lips endure forever.” Let’s measure well on the honesty meter.
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by Paula McBride Esperanza and I entered the small store-front that serves as the church for an enthusiastic Spanish-speaking congregation. (She’s the Spanish speaker; I’m there to learn.) Esperanza headed for a young man nearby and handed him a one-dollar bill. I tried to follow the conversation as best I could. They talked about the delicious meal that is served after the church service. The food is free, but the drinks are one dollar. It seems Esperanza took a soda some weeks earlier when she didn’t have any money, and was now paying for it. The gracious young man tried to brush her off by saying the payment didn’t matter, but to Esperanza, it did. She was insistent that she not owe anything; she must pay for what she used. I was humbled and convicted by Esperanza’s act of honesty, and challenged to be aware when it’s so easy to take without thinking, especially when it’s just a donation basket at the end of the table. The month of February is a good month to tune up our honesty meters as we celebrate the birthdays of two admirable men, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. We know Lincoln was nick-named Honest Abe. Did you know that name was first given him because of his habit
The Honesty Meter
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Ongoing Events SUNDAY AWANA CLUB Sundays 5:30-7:00 pm. Check in is at 5:15 pm. Grace Baptist Church - 1980 S. Walton Ave. (Bogue & Walton) Awana is an amazing children’s program for ages 3-grade 6. Our club runs from September to May. Come join anytime. Kids memorize Scripture, play games and learn lots! Call 530673-6847 for information.
MONDAY KNIT & CROCHET WOMENS FELLOWSHIP Mondays 10:00 a.m. - Noon First Baptist Church - 1777 8th Ave. - Olivehurst Practice your yarn craft or learn a new one with us. Knifty Knitters are welcome. Bring your own project or work on a charity item that we donate to those in need in the community. Email yarncraftersforchrist@hotmail.com for info. CELEBRATE RECOVERY Mondays 6:30p.m.-8:30p.m. We are a Christ-Centered recovery group that provides a safe place to share your struggles,experiences, victories, and hopes with others who are also going through to Christ Centered recovery. For more info call 530.755.4149. Follow us on Facebook @ Celebrate Recovery Crossroads Community Church
TUESDAY CHRISTIAN BUSINESS ALLIANCE First Tuesday of Every Month, Noon - 1:00 p.m. The Bride Church - 1321 Peach Tree Ln, YC Join us for a time of fellowship, prayer & encouragement. All are welcome! FREE KARATE CLASSES Tuesday 6:00 pm - FREE karate classes taught from a Christian perspective. First Baptist Church - 1777 8th Ave. - Olivehurst, 530-701-5131 for info, Pastor Miguel. CRAFTSMEN FOR CHRIST Meets every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Bride Church - 1321 Peach Tree Lane, YC Men’s fellowship around the word and worship. All in the Body of Christ welcome! SAMARITAN VILLAGE MONTHLY MEETING The 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:30p.m. This meeting is open to all who are interested in helping with an orphanage in Tanzania. For info call Victor Savage at 671-2219. FRIENDS FOR SURVIVAL SUICIDE LOSS SUPPORT GROUP 4th Tuesday of the month, 6:30 PM - 715 King Ave., (off Clark Ave.) Yuba City_ Support for people who lost loved ones to suicide. Contact person, Becky Reimers (530) 454-7698, ffs.ysc@gmail.com PRAYER FOR THE NATION - Every Tuesday Evening @ 7PM Embassy of Heaven Campus - Church of Glad Tidings- Bldg 200 1179 Eager Road, Yuba City Info: Stephanie Steele 530-870-6906 www.churchofgladtidings.com Join us as we intercede for our region and our nation
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WEDNESDAY AWANA Wednesday 5:45-7:45 p.m. during school year Evangelical Free Church - 3785 Olive Hwy. Oroville Awana is a boys & girls club consisting of small group time, games, large group time. For information please call 533-6866. LIFE @ HOPE POINT Wednesday @ 6:30 pm for kids, 7:00 p.m. for adults Hope Point Nazarene - 600 N. George Washington Blvd, YC Join us for Life@Hope Point - groups for Nursery through High School ages and classes for adults Parenting, How to Study your Bible, more so contact the church office at 671-1130 for more details. TUESDAY
SATURDAY
BETHESDA HEALING WELL - Saturday, February 17th at 10AM Embassy of Heaven Campus - Bldg 200 - 1179 Eager Road, YC You are invited to come and receive special prayer for divine healing or prophetic guidance. Our prayer teams will pray with you for your needs. For more info.,Ed Han 209-298-6102
multiple days of the week WOMENS CLOTHES CLOSET Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 8:00 a.m. - Noon Twin Cities Rescue Mission- 940 14th Street, Marysville We now have a womens clothes closet at the mission! It is free and available to everyone. We accept donations Monday - Sunday of women’s men’s, and children’s clothing! CROSSROADS CLOTHES CLOSET Open Mon - Fri 10am - 4pm -Shop at our - FREE Clothes given away! Crossroads Community Church, YC PRAYER VIGIL FOR LIFE! Yuba-Sutter Right to Life is hosting peaceful, prayerful vigils in front of the Yuba City Planned Parenthood. All you need to participate is one hour and the desire to pray for LIFE. Please contact Heather Pugh at 751-9349 for date and time if you are interested.
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Special Events
SUPERBOWL BASH February 4th - 3:30PM Doors open at 3PM Embassy of Heaven Campus Church of Glad Tidings 1179 Eager Rd., Yuba City Info: 530-671-3160 Come and watch the game on the BIG screens Bring your own food and drink. FUN for the whole family! TIJO THOMAS Supernatural Encounter 2018 FEB 9 - 11 Friday 7pm, Saturday 7pm, Sunday 10am Embassy of Heaven Campus Church of Glad Tidings - Bldg 200 1179 Eager Road, Yuba City Info: 530-671-3160 www.churchofgladtidings.com Tijo is recognized as a remarkably gifted teacher of the Word of God, with an extraordinary act in the gifts of the Spirit.
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SHE MATTERS GIRLS CONFERENCE 2018 6-12th grade Girls Conference Fri Feb 9th 5:30pm - Sat 10th 1:00pm Hope Point Church of the Nazarene, 600 N. George Washington Blvd, YC “True sisterhood isn’t a clique, it’s a team.” We are daughters of the king, sisters in Christ, and we are in this together! We are proud to announce the following team for the conference: Tara Armstrong, Founder of She Shifts Culture, Malia Seavey from Bethel School of Worship, Hannah Payne, CoStar of the Netflix original “13 Reasons Why”, and our very own newly elected female Mayor, Preet Didbal. Mark your calendars for February 9th (5:30-8:30pm) & 10th (9am-1pm). This event costs $35 per person online or $45 at the door. The price includes all meals & a t-shirt. Meals provided by Clark Avenue Coffee, Sunflower Market, and Hope Point Nazarene Church. You can register & pay at www.hopepointnaz.org/ shematters today! Kindergarten Roundup: Free Kindergarten Readiness Night Open to the Community Faith Christian Elementary School 2620 Colusa Hwy, YC Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6:30-7:30pm You may be asking: “How do I know if my child is ready for kindergarten? What factors contribute to my child’s readiness? How can I help my child prepare?” We’ve rounded up great resources for YOU! Come receive expert tips and a free Kindergarten Readiness Tool Kit. fcs-k12.org
Prayer Calendar for February 2018 1-Feb Pray for race relation in our nation 2-Feb War-torn nations- pray for peace and protection especially for civilians 3-Feb Military, All armed forces & their families. 4-Feb Local Ministry Outreach group going to help the Houston Hurricane victims 5-Feb Missing Teens & children- pray for protection and found safe 6-Feb Middle East - For the peace of Jerusalem 7-Feb Children and Children’s Ministries 8-Feb Homeless/Poor - Twin Cities Rescue Mission, A Hand Up, Salvation Army, REST 9-Feb A Woman’s Friend - Unborn children/Pregnant Women 10-Feb Orphan children- Samaritan Village (see p. 3) and other orphanages 11-Feb Christian Businesses-Ambassador Sponsors & others. 12-Feb Missionaries -Fruit, Provision 13-Feb Singles, Single Parents, Divorce healing 14-Feb Valentine’s Day- pray for marriages and for love to be God’s way! 15-Feb First Responders-Police, Firefighters, EMT, TIP 16-Feb Pray for dads to be Godly leaders in their home and give thanks for those who are! 17-Feb Hollywood- May God to touch influential people 18-Feb Sex Trafficking - pray for victims 19-Feb President’s Day -President Trump- God’s Wisdom in decisions & communication 20-Feb Addicted, Rehab ministries- Feather River Mens Center, Joshua House, Celebrate Recovery 21-Feb Seniors and Elderly- pray for support and protection from heat 22-Feb Global Persecution-Safety/Courage of Believers 23-Feb Teen Depression, Suicide 24-Feb Local officials and community leaders 25-Feb State lawmakers- Pray for Assemblyman James Gallagher and others who represent us 26-Feb Local Pastors and their families 27-Feb Adoptive families & birth moms 28-Feb Struggling Women- Pray for Lydia’s House, Twin Rivers Crisis Center, Casa Esperanza
WILLIAM HOON GARDENING
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INSPIRATION
building. Who was I? Why did I feel so incomplete now? Then I remembered that before all this I was a complete person with a deep and sustaining love for God. That primary relationship with Him was vital, alive and satisfying. So, what happened? My focus had changed, and I had forgotten that my first love was still there. That revelation changed everything for me (and my sweet husband who was relieved I was willing to take my claws out and quit sucking the life out of him). I realized that Jesus is my ultimate knight in shining armor. My worth, my happiness, my eternity is tied up with him. My husband is my companion in life. Together we are better and more fully equipped to do what we are meant to do for the glory of God. When I deliberately gave my husband space, found out what his idea of a peaceful home looked like, I adjusted my behavior. I made an effort to discover the things that really made him happy and tried to do those things. A lot. He appreciates a clean, tidy house and a delicious meal when he gets home. I was raised by wolves and scarcely had a clue what all that meant. But I made the effort and learned to discipline myself. I learned to put things away, to keep the laundry done and put away, to cook the things he likes, to make the bed every day. Simple
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things that really only take a few minutes a day but things that mean so much to him. And he did the same. He wanted to show his appreciation for my efforts by doing the things that made me happy. Making
coffee in the morning, taking care of all the bills, fanning my flames of creativity. It became a cycle of trying to out-bless each other. Not a bad cycle! Our biggest arguments are about who is luckiest, him or me. Another big choice in our marriage was to realize each other’s strengths and weaknesses and choose to accept that some things are not going to change. I will always see the big picture and he will always see the details. I will always have piles, he will always have files. I write about happy marriages and he will balance the checkbook. We are both independent, busy and creative people. That’s how God made
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us. But we are actually so much better together. His gift of providing frees me up to pour myself into what I need to do. When we were raising our kids, I was able to stay home with them and be their primary teacher and role model. Not everyone can do that, but how grateful I am for that. We lived very close-to-thebone and I learned to be frugal. The kids wore hand-me-downs, we scrimped and saved for every little thing. We checked out toys from the children’s home society, went to the park and the library and spent very little money so I could be home. He
rode his bike to work so I could have the car. It was a sacrifice, but we are both so glad we were able to literally train our teenagers before they were five, and it paid off big. Because he loves and trusts me, my husband gives me a long leash. He’s a
homebody, a morning person, a newswatcher. I want to see the world, stay up till 2 am with projects, talk to people, produce plays and murals and plan trips to paint. Yes, we are opposites in many ways. But we’ve learned to make it work for us. I go on mission trips and art getaways and he stays home and remodels the kitchen. Win-Win! And the best part of going away is coming home again to my favorite person. Laughing together, finding common interests, keeping commitments together... these things are what last after the kids are grown and gone. We like playing games and watching movies and taking walks. We like having dinner together (which is a dying tradition these days!) We like going to church together, hosting people in our home, and visiting our kids. Things have changed through the years as we and our circumstances have changed. We love and trust each other and enjoy being together but are okay being apart for a season too. There’s a great security after so many years together. We can forgive the flabby bodies, thinning hair and wrinkles because we both have them now. And it’s nice to have someone to grow old with.
Related Story on p. 9
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COMMUNITY
“Marriage is teaching us more than just getting, through tough times and reveling in the incredible joys! It keeps bringing us to closer walk with God. Differences that come up, cause us to reflect on our own possible responses to those differences: fear, selfishness, pride, control? Be willing to say “I’m wrong.” Sharing our lives together is a privilege not to be taken lightly – and, oh yes – lived out with a healthy dose of “hugs & laughter.”
Bill & Kay Jens 47 years married
“We’ve been married for over 40 years. We attribute our persistence in loving each other to being a three-fold cord. Jesus is married to us and we are married to Him. He has been our anchor when the seas have been rough and increased our joy when our way has been smooth. We keep romance alive with date nights, flowers and special surprises. We spend time doing things we enjoy together and serving others together. We do our best to put each other first. We’ve tried to live up to something one of our pastors said, “Marriage is not a 50-50 proposition; it’s a 100-100 proposition.”
George and Cheri Shaw 41 yrs married
“Well, how in the world can we explain how we did it. We could use a familiar phrase and say "God did it" or we could say, it was true grit, and we simply prevailed all these years. Or we could give God the glory for keeping us together and praise His Name. The reality is that it was a combination of all the above. Godly friendships, being a part of bible-teaching churches and children that love the Lord and follow Him, along with a spouse that loves the Lord and is willing to submit to His will. All these served to give us strength and the willingness to trust Him for the future and strength to live through the rough times, and there were some of those for sure!”
Bill and Sonja Lindholm 55+ Years Married
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Love should be a tree whose roots are deep in the earth, but whose branches extend into Heaven.
HELP SAVE LIVES IN YUBA CITY! You can protect mothers and children by joining this worldwide mobilization! Through prayer and fasting, peaceful vigils and community outreach, 40 Days for Life has inspired 750,000 volunteers! With God’s help, here are the proven results in 21 coordinated campaigns: • • •
13,998 babies saved from abortion 170 abortion workers converted 90 abortion centers closed
Here’s how to take part:
• Prayer location: Come pray with us at the public sidewalk in front of the Yuba City Planned Parenthood, 430 N. Palora Ave, Yuba City • Prayer hours: 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday • Local contact: Call JC Carpenter at 530-844-7379 for more information. Sign up to pray for life at our website:
40DaysForlife.com/Yuba-City The Ambassador
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LIFE MATTERS presented by Yuba-Sutter Right To Life New Study: Women Say Their Abortion Was Not Liberating LifeNews.com A new study of post-abortive women across the United States found that women suffer from long-term negative emotions after aborting their unborn babies. The research was based on an anonymous online survey of 987 women who contacted a crisis pregnancy center for post-abortion care. The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons published the study in its Winter 2017 edition. Led by Dr. Priscilla Coleman, a professor at Bowling Green State University, the researchers asked women about the “most significant positive and negative aspects” of their abortions. “… their responses were far from simple, echoing themes that are not reflective of contemporary feminist rhetoric,” the researchers wrote. “Women generally did not speak of empowerment, the ability to control their reproductive destinies, liberation from abusive partners, the need for abortion in order to be competitive in the workplace, etc. “To the contrary, … many women expressed no personal benefits of the experience. Scores of others reported spiritual growth, involvement in pro-life
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efforts, and reaching out to other women who were considering the procedure or had obtained an abortion.” Generally, women reported good psychological health prior to their first abortion. Afterward, however, a significant number of women sought professional mental health services (67.5 percent compared to 13 percent prior to the abortion), and used prescription drugs for their psychological health (51 percent compared to 6.6 percent prior). Many women also faced strong societal pressure to abort their unborn babies, even though many said they remained unsure about their abortion up through the day of the procedure. According to the study, “58.3% of the women reported aborting to make others happy, 73.8% disagreed that their decision to abort was entirely free from even subtle pressure from others to abort, 28.4% aborted out of fear of losing their partner if they did not abort.” When asked about the most significant positives of their abortion, 31.6 percent of women said there were none, and another 22 percent did not answer the question. The most significant negative reported was that they took a life/loss of a life or
lives, at 23.7 percent. Others reported depression, guilt, self-hatred, addictions, self-destructive behaviors, anxiety and suicidal thoughts/tendencies. “At the extreme, 49 women voiced a lack of desire to continue living based on the reality of their choice and the heartache that ensued,” the researchers wrote. “The vast majority of women did not cite only one or two negative outcomes, but instead described a complex constellation of adverse consequences, often centered on the life lost.” When asked about positive aspects of their abortions, many women said the “excruciating pain” that they went through gave them a desire to help
other women make better choices for themselves and their unborn babies. They fulfilled this by volunteering at pregnancy centers and pro-life groups, sharing their abortion stories publicly and helping other post-abortive women heal. The study was published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 22 Number 4 Winter 2017 113. From Yuba-Sutter Right to Life: Help mothers choose life for their babies! Stand with us during the Spring 40 Days for Life Campaign February 14, 2018 through March 25, 2018! Sign up on line at 40daysforlife.com/local-campaigns/ yuba-city/ or email mm@guthchangaris. com. You’ll be glad you did!
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COMMUNITY
Legislative Update from Assemblyman James Gallagher 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:13-14 (KJV) As Christians, we have a responsibility to protect our most vulnerable, and perhaps there is no more vulnerable group today, than the unborn. Meanwhile, Democrats in Sacramento continue to push laws designed to promote and favor the abortion industry to the detriment of the unborn and women’s health. In more recent years, for example, they passed a law that would allow abortion clinics to get around the building codes usually required for health facilities. This year, Senate Bill (SB) 320 seeks to require student health centers on CSU and UC campuses to provide abortion by medication. Female students would have abortion pills made available to them at all CSU and UC campuses even when there might not be adequate oversight and supervision by an appropriate health care provider. This latest plot to employ our college campuses as a mouthpiece for pro-abortion advocates is exactly what we can expect from a desperate industry
backed by their Democratic patrons. This same bill was halted last year over California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) concerns about safety, cost, and liability. The author, Senator Connie Leyva, wants college campus staff to dispense free medication abortions to students in an effort to provide what she claims to be a stressfree and safe process for an abortion. Senator Leyva defends this bill as a way to increase access and make it easier for students forced to go off campus. Women who are less than 10 weeks pregnant would be able to obtain the medication, a two-pill dosage of mifepristone and misoprostol, from a doctor, creating a response similar to an early miscarriage. There is also a known reversal medication that can stop the abortion for those women who may change their mind, but that would of course not be provided under this bill. This state cannot and should not sanction a program that potentially sacrifices the health of our young women and the life of the unborn child simply to appease the abortion industry and manufacturers of these drugs. Not only is this bill exploiting vulnerable young women and their decision, it also seeks to use our college campuses to
James Gallagher spread a falsehood that this process will create ease for students. This bill neglects to address the physical impact suffered by the patient. Patients that have used this method have testified of severe pain and discomfort, coupled by the many serious unpredictable side effects. Additionally, the bill creates future liabilities. All 23 CSU and 11 UC campuses would be put at greater risk if there are emergency situations involving women taking these drugs and there are not adequate medical professionals to respond. I will be voting against this bill when it comes before me in the Assembly and I encourage readers to help spread the word and advocate against yet another measure to promote the abortion industry at the expense of women’s health.
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IN THE NEWS
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YOUNG WOMAN SHARES GOSPEL DURING VICTIM IMPACT HEARING FOR USA GYMNASTICS DOCTOR by Scott Slayton Contributor to ChristianHeadlines.com Some The victim impact statements ended in the trial of former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar today. For his acts of criminal sexual conduct, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina sentenced him to between 40 and 175 years in prison, telling him, “It is my honor and privilege to sentence you.” Judge Aquilina opened the courtroom to any of Nassar’s victims who wanted to address him and over 150 victims took the opportunity to do so during the almost weeklong hearing. Nassar objected to the statements and accused Judge Aquilina of overseeing a “media circus,” but the Judge replied, “Spending four or five days listening to them is significantly minor, considering the hours of pleasure you had at their expense and ruining their lives.” Rachael Denhollander, the first victim to speak out about Nassar’s abuse, spoke last at the hearing. Denhollander, an attorney and mother of three, spoke on behalf of all of the victims as she asked Judge Aquilina to consider one important question as she handed down her sentence, “How much is a little girl worth? How much is a young woman worth?” She chronicled the delight Nassar took
in grooming his victims and how he showed no remorse for his actions. She said Nassar found, “sexual satisfaction in our suffering.” Then she addressed the Judge again, saying, “the sentence you hand down you can communicate to all these little girls and to every predator to every little girl or young woman who is watching how much a little girl is worth.” Denhollander addressed Nassar directly, reminding him of the times he brought a Bible to the initial hearings. “If you have read the Bible you carry, you know the definition of sacrificial love portrayed is of God himself loving so sacrificially that he gave up everything to pay a penalty for the sin he did not commit. By his grace, I, too, choose to love this way.”
She continued, encouraging Nassar to recognize his need for repentance. “Larry, if you have read the Bible you carry, you know forgiveness does not come from doing good things, as if good deeds can erase what you have done. It comes from repentance which requires facing and acknowledging the truth about what you have done in all of its utter depravity and horror without mitigation, without excuse, without acting as if good deeds can erase what you have seen this courtroom today.” Then Denhollander made a clear Gospel appeal to her accuser, encouraging him to recognize the depth of his sin and pointing him to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. “The Bible you speak carries a final judgment where all of God’s wrath
and eternal terror is poured out on men like you. Should you ever reach the point of truly facing what you have done, the guilt will be crushing. And that is what makes the gospel of Christ so sweet. Because it extends grace and hope and mercy where none should be found. And it will be there for you. I pray you experience the soul crushing weight of guilt so you may someday experience true repentance and true forgiveness from God, which you need far more than forgiveness from me -- though I extend that to you as well.” Denhollander closed with a direct appeal to the Judge, asking her to impose the maximum sentence under the law, “because everything is what these survivors are worth.”
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FROM THE ARCHIVES...
A Peek At My Bookshelf Book Reviews - “Songs in the Key of Solomon” by John & Anita Renfroe by Deena Peterson As we enter February (can you believe we’re already two months into 2008??), our thoughts always seem to turn to love and romance. So the perfect book review is “Songs in the Key of Solomon” by John and Anita (yes, the comedienne!) Renfroe. Subtitled “in the Word...and in the Mood”, this devotional book is designed around the Song of Solomon, most likely one of the least read books in the Bible. Built around the concept that we are mind, body and spirit, the Renfroes have created one of the most unique concepts in couples devotional books I’ve ever read. It also carries the theme of music throughout the book, with sections labeled “overture”, “interlude one” and “interlude two”. Written with Anita’s trademark humor and wit, this book reaches out to men and women and can add spark to the marriage relationship. With titles such as “Naked and Unashamed”, “A Little Flirting Goes a Long Way”, and “The Love SAT”, John and Anita reach out to both newly marrieds and those with years of marital bliss (or experience!). The Renfroes are
committed believers in Christ as well as committed to one another in marriage, and they know that a little jump start never hurt anyone. Some of the devotionals are specifically structured around a particular activity that merely encourages communication; some of them take a bit more work and creativity. But all of them are centered on God’s Word. Each devotional opens with an activity to give you the “rhythm” of the session, then quickly follows with a portion of Scripture that applies to the thought presented. Some passages are from Song of Solomon; some are from other passages. The bulk of the Scripture comes from that little read/little preached book. Each devotional also includes “what
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we hear”, a commentary on the passage, followed by “what do you hear?” which gives questions for husband and wife to respond to. Then the Renfroes close the session with “extended play”, a suggested activity that allows time to apply the passage to your relationship in fun and creative ways. Keep in mind this book is for married couples. Some of
the activities are rather “romantic and intimate”, which can be intense and personal. This would be an excellent gift for your wife or your husband. “Songs in the Key of Solomon” would also be a great wedding gift, wrapped up with some of the items used in the activities described in the book. This unique devotional is playful and serious...romantic and practical...and perfect for both husbands AND wives. So, if you want to bless your sweetheart this month and add a little momentum to your marriage, pick up a copy of “Songs in the Key of Solomon” at Crosspointe Christian Books, located on Plumas Street in Yuba City!
Finding Freedom in God’s Perfect Peace If you would like to experience the peace and transformed life that God can provide through Jesus Christ and you are willing to commit your life to the only one who can truly set you free from your sin, you can pray to the Lord right now and ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Because of what His Son, Jesus, did by dying on the cross, your sins will not be held against you by God anymore. You can experience freedom for the rest of your life on earth and then have a life in Heaven with God for eternity. God’s part of the deal is already done. Your part is to confess your sins, repent (or change your ways) and believe that He is Lord. If your life is out of control, let Him take over control. For help, questions, or more information, contact us at The Ambassador or any of the churches listed on page 3.
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Bible QUIZ 1.
What was the name of the blind beggar at the gate of Jericho?
12.
What was the name of a female judge and her companion?
2.
Was Goliath a Philistine or an Egyptian?
13.
What happened first? Appointment of Matthew as an apostle
3.
What was Jacob’s brother called?
or the appearance of the Holy Spirit?
4.
What happened first? The exodus of Egypt or the “fall of
14.
What was the goddess in Ephesus called who was worshipped
Jericho”?
the most?
5.
15.
What was Priscilla’s husband called; which job did he have?
Pharaoh?
16.
What was the name of the first tool maker in the bible?
6.
Is Horeb the name of a town or a mountain?
17.
What did Jacob call the place where he fought with God?
7.
Where did a jailer find his faith?
18.
How many chapters does the book Jeremiah have? How many
8.
What were the two sons of Zebedee called?
verses does the letter of Judas have?
9.
Which book reports on the missionary travels of Paul?
19.
What is written in Romans 1:20-21a?
10.
What was Jacob’s eldest son called?
20.
Who is Peter’s first letter addressed to?
11.
What were the names of Abraham’s brothers?
How many years of famine did Joseph prophesy to the
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The Christian Business Alliance would like to invite you to our midweek meeting. Rich Fellowship, Powerful Prayer, Refreshing Presence of God! We meet at the Bride Church the first Tuesday of the month from noon – 1pm. Current members: A-1 Carpet Cleaning - (530) 673-3634 - www.a-1clean.com Rachel Aleman - Century 21- 530-813-2253 Ron Brasier - A Hand Up Ministry - (530) 671-1360 Marty Brown - KCYC-LP FM - (530) 674-5296 Kathleen Caldwell - Caldwells Custom Countertops - (530) 695-2112 Fred Cox - Richard's Tree Service - (530) 673-7993 JC Carpenter Rita Collins LaDonna Curteman - Band Together for Christ - ladonna.curteman@gmail.com Chuck David Stephen Elliot- Ad Lucem Tax Services - (530) 329-8685 Dennis & Connie Gabel - Operation Christmas Child - (530) 695-1495 John Gaiser - Gaiser Pets - (530) 751-8155 John Guth - Guth & Changaris, A Prof Law Corp - (530) 674-9841 Seth Halpern - Ambassador Newspaper - editor@ambassadornewspaper.com Kurt Hilbers - Hilbers Inc - www.hilbersinc.com David Hobbs Painting - Cont. Lic#880562 (530)742-2428 David Holycross - Holycross Memorial - (530) 751-7000 Bill Jens - Yuba Sutter Healthy Marriage Project - (530) 671-6069 Janet Johnson Dave Kugelman - Proforma by Kug - (530) 742-2423 Bill & Sonja Lindholm- RVOC - (530) 329-8361 Clay Maynard - Consultant - (530) 790-6611 Maria Paras Michael Schubarth- Church of Glad Tidings- 530-363-5752 Roger Shadd - Shadd Janitorial Supply - (530) 673-0083 Wynette Sills - CaliforniasForLife.org. - (916) 955-1577 Robert Stark - Retired Auditor/Controller - stark@otnusa.com Dwayne Tanabe - Taylor Accountancy Corp - dktanabe@yahoo.com Jenine Tanabe - Jenine L. Tanabe, MD Dematology - (530) 743-0301
Featured members:
Dave Kugelman - (530) 742-2423
For weekly reminders, updates, or to join email editor@ambassadornewspaper.com
The Ambassador Ministry
would like to thank the following people for their Individual Sponsorship
Rich & Joan Hackney Marty Brown Tom Harris Warren & Lucy Campbell Allen Halpern Rita Collins LaDonna Curteman April James Chuck David Sue Kochi Dennis & Connie Gabel Clay Maynard Bob Gilbert
John Nicholls Carrie Pederson Mimi Robarge Jeff Royce Mike Sherman Robert E. Stark
God Bless Each Of You For Your Support Of This Ministry And Our Community •••
If you would be interested in supporting The Ambassador as an Individual Sponsor ($20/month) please contact Seth Halpern at: editor@ambassadornewspaper.com or call 530-933-1385 or visit us online at www.ambassadornewspaper.com
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EDITORIAL UTOPIA by Jon Skillman When I hear the word utopia, it conjures up visions of a euphoric existence in a perfect world. A world in which donuts generate weight loss, chocolate milkshakes cure everything from the vapors to the collywobbles, and the only exercise machine is the TV remote. In my utopia, gay only means being happy, pronouns are absolute and a snowflake is something I try to catch on my tongue. Utopia to me is where political correctness is wrong, human trafficking refers to public transportation and #me too means, I too have been saved. In his book, “Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven,” Dr. David Jerimiah touches on the subject of utopia, its illusiveness and whether it ever be obtained here on earth. The closest we have ever come to utopia was when God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Everything was going swimmingly until a fork-tongued snake in the grass played upon man’s ego and freewill to turn their eyes away from God and onto themselves…Poof! Utopia lost! (The word “man” used in this article is the all-inclusive term meaning human or mankind and should not be construed as sexist. This disclaimer would not be needed in a utopian society). Anyway, through the ages man has attempted to achieve utopia through isms. You know, isms such as Marxism, Communism, Socialism, Capitalism and
Humanism. Utopia is defined as: “Any visionary system of political or social perfection.” Unfortunately, isms look great in theory but not so much in practice. And therein lies the rub, isms depend on the righteousness of man but, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” Romans 10:3. Regrettably, isms are atheistic in nature and are therefore unencumbered by the truth. The truth is they have oppressed, impoverished and slaughtered untold millions while those in power realized only a semblance of their utopian dream. But Ecclesiastes tells us that all such endeavors are meaningless and a chasing after the wind and verse 12: 13 states, “...Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” I guess this means utopia cannot be attained by imperfect men in a broken world…no matter how many isms we may throw at it. The word utopia was coined by Thomas More in 1516 and was the title of his novel about an imaginary island and a fictional society. More created the word utopia by combining two Greek words that translate as, “No place.” How prophetic is that? But I know there is an actual place that surpasses the dream of Utopia. It is not of this earth and not dependent on man’s righteousness but of God’s. I know one day I will be going there, but in the meantime…please pass the donuts.
The Ambassador accepts opinions and editorials (oped’s) as long as they are well-written and less than 450 words. Op-ed’s will be published purely at the discretion of the editor. If you would like to submit your op-ed, please email it (written in MS Word) to editor@ambassadornewspaper.com. The deadline for submission is the 15th of the month for the next issue.
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Lunch with a Stranger A few weeks ago, my wife and I were in Roseville and stopped for dinner. It was a place where you order up front. We found a table, put our jackets on the chair and then ordered. As I was getting ready to pay, I saw a man about my age sitting at my table. Did he not notice our jackets? There were plenty of other tables. I wondered what I was going to do. Would it be more rude to ask him if he saw our jackets or do we just pick them up and go to another table? Awkward! Well, we did neither. Instead we had a weird dinner with a stranger. We began to make general conversation and then it seemed to be non-stop. He seemed like a nice guy. I would like to report that we prayed with him to receive Christ, but honestly, the topic didn’t come up. I tried thinking of places to interject something “Christian” but it didn’t fit. Well, we were all done and left without ever knowing each other’s names. It got me to thinking. Shouldn’t that happen more. Why are we (why am I) so protective of my own space and time that I wouldn’t want to accommodate another human being. It certainly an opportunity to meet and possibly talk about things that really matter. But it’s not the cultural norm. So, after thinking about it a while and finding ourselves at the newly open El Pollo Loco and waiting for a while, I struck up a conversation with someone
Seth Halpern - Editor
else waiting. I found out that he is from the same town back east and we excitedly shared stories of our past. He was alone and after asking my wife, I invited him to join us. Again, I prayed for an opportunity to share, and actually did bring up the Lord. I could see that it made him uncomfortable, so I backed off. However, I felt a little less awkward this time and it was a chance to “extend our circle” a little bit. Why don’t we take some time to notice others and bring them (even for a moment) into our lives. I believe God is pleased when we do that and wants us to do it more often. It is a very uncommon experience but maybe I’ll meet you in a restaurant and you’ll invite me to your table and we’ll get to know each other a bit! Oh, and feel free to pick up the tab!
Continued From Pg 16 - “Bible Quiz Answers” 1. Bartimaeus 2. Philistine 3. Esau 4. Exodus 5. Seven 6. A mountain 7. Philippi 8. Sons of Thunder 9. The Acts of the Apostles 10. Reuben 11. Nahor, Haran 12. Deborah, Barak 13. Appointment of Matthew as an apostle 14. Diana 15. Aquila, tent maker 16. Tubal-Cain/Gen 4:22 17. Peniel / Gen 32:30 18. 52, 25 19. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, 20. Various churches in Asia Minor
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