By The Way Nov 13 ezine

November 2013 Vol. 9 Issue 34

By The Way Bethany Baptist Church Women’s Ministries Quarterly Newsletter

“I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6

A Word from the Chairwoman Joy Unseth

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Thanks Mom!” As a mom, those have to be some of my favorite words ever, especially when they are given not for some Herculean effort on my part, but for an ordinary, everyday occurrence, such as making dinner. Just when I begin to wonder if anyone really notices or appreciates the commonplace labors of my day, someone will throw out a quick “thanks”, and then I know, and it is so gratifying. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 encourages this activity for all of us who are in Christ: continual and ceaseless rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks to God, all the time no matter what. There is certainly no shortage of everyday gifts from God: a resplendent sunrise, a tree blazing with the glory of autumn foliage, the intricacy of a single leaf, food on the table, a warm house on a cold day, strength for the day’s tasks, God’s grace and mercy and forgiveness. In fact, these gifts are given so faithfully that it is easy to lose the wonder and awe and begin to take them for granted. But when we delight in His abundant gifts, and then thank Him, it chases away our discontent and brings the kind of peace that only God can give: the peace that allows us to trust Him even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 

November 2013

Volume 9 l Issue 34

Lessons From Fostering

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By The Way November 2013 Erika Childs Jaclyn Lewis Jill Phillips

A Secret Dream Which Has No Why

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Pursuing Biblical Friendship

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Abby Pfeiffer

Discipleship—The Gospel In a Nutshell

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Women’s Ministry Council 2013-14

Vision For Missions

14

Joy Unseth Chairwoman and Discipleship

Spilling Over

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Why We Go

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Kristi DeBacker MOPS Debbie Good Women Helping Women Karen Waibel

Regular Features

Showers Kelly Walenta

Book Review

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Hats of Hope . . . . . . . . . 9 Women Helping Women . 9 Cutting Corners . . . . . . 12

Events Ann Bryant Circle of Care Kendra Showalter Bible Studies

Lessons from

Fostering

What has God been teaching us through our foster care experience? We are really new to fostering, but I am already thankful for what God is faithfully and gently teaching us.

There are a few responses we hear from people when they find out we are fostering. I have thought and prayed about my reactions when I hear these words from others. Here are my current thoughts (and I reserve the right to allow God to change my mind and broaden my perspective at any time He chooses!).

1. “How will you ever give him up?”

Honestly, I have no idea! However, I am an adult. I should be able to deal with loss much better than a child should be able to deal with not having someone love and take care of him. Will it hurt to give up our little baby boy?

I am not naïve enough to think that my heart isn’t going to grieve deeply when he leaves.

It is true that many foster kids go back to a less than ideal biological family situation. This breaks my heart. Really. I ache for them. But it doesn’t mean that God has stepped off His throne for a second. He is still in control. I think of Hannah who willingly gave up her little Samuel to be raised by a terrible father figure, Eli the priest. And God not only spared Samuel from the temptation that Eli failed to protect his own sons from, He used Samuel over and over again his entire life.

It is a privilege to invest in children, for one day or for a lifetime. I pray that God will continue to give my family the grace, desire, and means to do just that. And I pray that God will give us the grace to never guard our

hearts against a child who needs to be loved and cared for.

This question has brought another reality to my little world of parenting. We are not only not in control of when our foster child leaves our home, we also have no control over how long our biological children will be with us.

God is in control, and He is good.

2. “That is such a hard and noble thing you are doing.”

Some days are harder than others. However, in my limited experience, life is just hard anyway. We foster. You work full-time at a thankless job. Someone else cares for her mother who has terminal cancer or her husband who is in chronic pain. And someone else doesn’t have enough money for dinner. Another struggles through daily and nightly loneliness. And yet another grieves over a wayward daughter or spouse.

I’m learning that life is not supposed to be easy. I have heard Pastor Joel say, “Hard is not bad; hard is just hard” The apostle Paul said that he “suffered the loss of all things … in order that I may gain Christ” (Phil 3:8).

He even wrote of sharing in Christ’s sufferings, becoming like him in his death (v10). Now that’s hard!

Noble? Nope. Not an ounce of nobleness in my house! If only you could see us every morning getting ready for school. My daughter always has meltdowns while trying to get the seams of her socks just right so they don't bother her toes. My son is likely to let the cat out of the house so I'll have to chase her. The baby is just normal, and needs to eat at exactly the same time we need to be heading out the door. This is us.

Just a house full of chaos with me running around trying to find car keys and my phone.

Is fostering noble? Even my righteous deeds are as filthy rags (just like yours, by the way). So I know that no matter how desperately I want my motives and my

actions to be pure, they are not. Praise the Lord that He is faithful and still continues to work in spite of this fact!

3. “Those kids will ruin your biological kids.”

Most people phrase this a little nicer, but that is the gist of what they mean. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ve prayed for foster kids who won’t introduce worldly things into my family. How hypocritical of me. “Yes, Lord, I’ll obey your command to care for the fatherless, but can you just give us the really good kids, please?” I am so thankful God doesn’t have the same requirements of “good kids only” for entering into His family.

We cannot use our biological children as an excuse to not care for others. I learned that from Pastor Daniel on the God-Centered Christian blog. He wrote, “The danger comes when I set my heart’s ultimate affection not upon God but upon the five other individuals who make up my immediate family.”

So have we actually made a difference? We are only caring for a newborn. It doesn’t take a genius to prepare a bottle or change a diaper.

Probably living in our house is not going to have any impact on his life. But isn’t that just like God? We choose to obey Him thinking we will make a grand difference in the lives of children and bless them, and instead He makes a grand difference in us and blesses us.

One of the best surprises of our fostering experience so far is Bethany. I love our church!

I love how you have cared for our sweet foster child through meals and babysitting, clothes and support. You have been a great example of James 1:27 – “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”  Ginger Burke and her husband Joe have been members at Bethany for about seven years. They currently have three precious kids and more blessings than they can count.

A Secret Dream Which Has No Why

My secret place—I’ll take you there, Beneath the branch. It’s quiet there.

Our hearts will beat in rhythmic song As wren and cricket sing along.

We’ll share a wink, a laugh, a sigh, A secret dream which has no why; And when the shadows touch our eyes, We’ll know the joy of no goodbyes…

Beneath The Branch The why questions of life I ask less frequently now, or at least if I do ask I can proceed with grace even without a settled answer. I have come to understand that there is often no earthly rationale as to why something is happening. The mysterious aspects of life are simply that—mysterious—and to continue to ask Why? Why? Why? is to waste my trust.

With childlike dependence, I must allow God to exercise His divine prerogative over whether He chooses to offer an explanation or not.

Since God created us with vivid imaginations, hopefully tethered by His Spirit as we mature, we are able to dream in wild and wonderful ways. With the poetic words of invitation above, please come with me into the deep woods of our imaginations. Let us sit in breathless wonder beneath the branch of a sprawling oak as I share one of my mysterious, unexplainable whys.

For about 25 years I have had the pipe dream that someday, somewhere, somehow one of my children’s stories would be published. On three different occasions I investigated the process of publication only to feel discouraged and defeated before I even tried. Amazingly, I was quite content to just allow my dream to remain a dream.

But then…last year on a Saturday morning in late October, a Bradley student, who is employed where I exercise, said, “What are you going to do this afternoon?”

“I have written a Christmas story for our granddaughter,” I replied “and I plan to find some clip art to illustrate it.” Katy responded without hesitation, “You need to meet my mom.

She is a gifted artist and she needs a project.”

Lisa and I met for coffee on Halloween afternoon. After she listened to my story and I looked at her portfolio, the unexpected happened. This talented woman, who loves the Lord, said, “I have always dreamed of illustrating a children’s story. Let’s collaborate on Little Twig.” We sealed our intent with a tear-stained prayer, acknowledging our divinely designed meeting, and looked at one another and said, “Unbelievable!”

I left the coffee shop that afternoon with the fresh reminder that a delay does not necessarily mean a denial. We hear it frequently that God’s timing is perfect, and yet I was perplexed as to why now. My secret dream had resurfaced with unexpected confirmation and I was experiencing a personal Grandma Moses moment from God. Lisa and I have worked diligently this past year to make Little Twig a worthy reflection of

God’s grace and an expression of our gratitude for the unique ways He created each of us. I have been awed by the blending of our gifts as weaknesses in one have been covered by strengths in the other. I have also been humbled, stretched and taught. I know what it feels like to be critiqued. I have known moments of raw discouragement. I have known the frustration of trying to find the “perfect” word or the arrangement of words in rhythmic cadence. And I have gained an in-depth appreciation for the term professional and what it means to be one. There were four—two editors, one author and one artist—who offered their insights, wisdom, guidance, and encouragement, and the only compensation they desired was to help us fulfill our dream.

Thus, on Tuesday, October 15, 2013, with Little Twig in our hands, we thanked God for bringing us together and for His gracious, surprising ways.

The message of Little Twig, though subtle, is profound: Unexpected calamity can result in unexpected transformation. Fear can be overcome by trust, dependence, and choosing not to give up. Our growth and our worth are not found on the outside but are molded inside our hearts. The wonder of God’s creation is our beckoning playground. And…”Christmas is coming with star-studded bliss…”

Recently after reading Little Twig, a friend remarked, “The Christmas message of hope is presented in such a non-threatening way that I think my atheist son-in-law may begin to understand his need. I hope he reads this book to his sons until it falls apart.”

In the context of my growth in Christ, this simple, uncommon Christmas tale has reminded me of a few essential truths found in God’s Word: When Little Twig chooses not to struggle alone, he knows where he must lean for strength. His defenselessness represents my vulnerability and daily need to depend upon Christ in all of life’s circumstances. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 Fearful, Little Twig needs someone to remind him of

the futility of fear and so do I. 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 Rescued Little Twig recognizes that his real worth resides inside and not in his external growth and appearance. When I feel the tug of the world, I pray for the grace to embrace this truth. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. I Samuel 16:7b And last of all, hope-filled Little Twig is loved by a friend who “dreams of sweet adventures that will never, ever end.” And because Jesus has called me His friend, I can live with the expectation of sweet, eternal adventures in His presence. I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15b In closing I want to share a few words from Wendell Berry’s novel Jayber Crow that express the essence of what I have experienced this past year. Nearly everything that has happened to me has happened by surprise. All the important things have happened by surprise.

And whatever has been happening usually has already happened before I have had time to expect it. The world doesn’t stop because you are in love or in mourning or in need of time to think. And so when I thought I was in my story or in charge of it, I really have been only on the edge of it. Is this because we are in an eternal story that is happening partly in time?

As we anticipate the coming celebration of Christ’s birth, may we recognize, just as Little Twig experienced, that our noble worth comes from announcing that the Light of Hope has come. He alone is the Great, Eternal Story.  Sandy Miller is Holly Miller's mom and a "permanent guest" at Bethany. Before retiring two years ago, two of the greatest joys of her career were reading stories to all the precious special students at Jamieson School and organizing nature-related activities for her classroom. Find out more about her pipe dream book at www.beneaththebranch.com Artwork by Lisa Garber, Illustrator of Little Twig.

Book Review: Non-Fiction The Heart’s Journey Author: Jen Stephens Review By: Jeanette Akright Oh the joys of finding a new author! After perusing the many, many books available, I decided on this one. A book of heartbreak and love, tears and giggles.

We find Kate and her young daughter, Madeline, on the verge of returning to Kate’s hometown. After losing, Ryan, their husband and father in a fatal car accident, Kate decided that returning home to her family would be best for both of them. They can start a new life and have the support of their extended family, including Grandpa Clayton, the patriarch of the family. Nathan, Ryan’s brother, sends them off with thoughts of moving to the same small town of Harvest Bay to be near them and to win Kate’s heart. But Adam, an old classmate of Kate’s, also has the same thoughts.

All in all, it sounds like the same fiction books we have read over and over but this one has a bit of a different slant. The author has done a wonderful job of weaving the Gospel into the story. She uses scripture to help the characters through each of their struggles. I will admit it is a predictable story but one that I enjoyed simply because of the added scripture that showed the characters their need for Christ. It allowed me to examine my own heart and for that I am thankful. 

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HOPE Work Nights The third Tuesday of each month from 6-9pm in Room 815 at church.

Hats of Hope produces hats for cancer patients.

No December Meeting Tuesday, January 21 Tuesday, February 18

Use your gifts and talents in sewing and knitting, or simply to cut fabric and make fabric flowers.

Yarn and materials are available if you desire to make hats at home.

For more information, contact Holly Miller: Phone: 648-1693 Email: hlm112770@aol.com

Women Helping Women seeks to share the hope of the Gospel with those experiencing miscarriage, still birth, and early infant death.

Join us for a Work Night to help prepare the products we offer to hurting parents.

Special skills are not needed. We cut material, tie ribbon, and iron gowns.

Work Nights are held on the third Monday of each month in Room 815 at church.

Upcoming Work Nights: No December Work Night Monday, January 20 7-9pm Monday, February 17 7-9pm For more information about Women Helping Women, contact Nicole Pepper.

Phone: (309) 683-1181 Email: npepper11@hotmail.com

In a Nutshell

Discipleship “Theirs was not a rash decision to just follow some guy they had never seen before.”

You’ve probably never heard of Dr. John T. Dorrance, but have almost certainly used the product he invented. In 1897 Dorrance, a young chemist, went to work for Joseph Campbell and Co., and that same year developed a method to condense soup. The invention was so wildly successful that Campbell’s quickly became a household name, and Dorrance went from earning $7.50 a week to amassing an estate worth $128 million at his death in 1930. For over 100 years, Americans have enjoyed the convenience of opening a can, adding water, and heating the mixture for a quick and relatively nutritious lunch. Dorrance’s story illustrates the benefits of condensing, or boiling things down to their basic components without compromising on essentials.

Certain verses in the Bible convey the entire Gospel in one verse, giving us “the Gospel in a nutshell.” The first that comes to mind, of course, is John 3:16, a staple on football fan posters for decades. Another is Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If you explain the key words of that single verse to someone, he or she will hear the fundamentals of the Gospel.

This can be a great tool if you are having lunch or coffee with a friend, and have an opportunity to share “just one verse” that means a lot to you. One of my favorite “condensed” verses contains the basic Gospel and discipleship elements all rolled into one. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark 1:17 Only 13 words, the first five contain the Gospel. Jesus is speaking in this verse to Simon and Andrew, fishermen who were at that moment casting their fishing net into the Sea of Galilee. He doesn’t check with them to make sure they are following the Law, He doesn’t come demanding any prerequisites on their part. He simply asks them to come, smelly, coarse and unkempt as they must have been, and follow Him. Isn’t that just exactly what He does with us? We can’t even try to clean ourselves up, make ourselves more presentable to Him. We come in our brokenness because it is impossible to measure up without the gift of His grace and His righteousness that He gives us through His work on the cross. Jesus does give one requirement though: they must follow Him. They must make a huge commitment, and it will profoundly affect the entire course of their lives.

They must be willing to leave their old life behind, and begin a whole new one. Jesus makes no promises here as to their personal comfort or safety, but He does ask them to trust Him so completely that they will follow Him wherever He leads. They surrender their autonomy, their livelihood, and their entire lives to Him. They didn’t know a lot about Jesus at this point, but we know from earlier encounters

that they were convinced He was the Messiah. Theirs was not a rash decision to just follow some guy they had never seen before. They were convinced He was God in the flesh, and worth following at any cost.

That’s the Gospel.

The last eight words of the verse are Jesus’ call to discipleship, or what He will bring about in them if they do indeed follow Him. Following Him has certain ramifications, including the basic purpose of their lives. There would be a seismic shift in their priorities. Before, their lives revolved around catching fish. Now their lives would be centered on Christ, and on reaching people for Him. They were called to give up their self-sufficiency and their self-rule. Their whole identity would change from Andrew and Simon, ordinary fishermen, to Andrew and Peter, followers of Christ and fishers of men. They would now be consumed with learning from Jesus, following in His footsteps, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others by seeking them out and inviting them to come and see who Jesus is. In our lives, He may not ask us to leave behind our day job, like He did Andrew and Peter. But being a fisher of men is something He calls us to do wherever we are, and as a fundamental part of who we are. In Him we have a new identity: follower of Christ and ambassador for Him. That’s discipleship.  Joy Unseth is a follower of Christ and ambassador for Him. Her day job is wife and mom, where she frequently condenses quantities of paper into neat and tidy piles, and occasionally makes Campbell’s soup.

Warning: this bio will only make sense if you read the article first!

Cutting Corners

Beautifying Your Home On a Budget We just bought a new home. It was a long, crazy, exhausting process; but God carried us through and led us to our dream home in the country. For now, the boxes are unpacked and we are mostly settled in. The next step is decorating, which is a task I find overwhelming.

Why? Because the world tells us our homes have to be picture perfect! However, I often find a lot of their decorating ideas to just be a waste of time and money and more things I would have to clean. Here is a fun little fact, Forbes estimates that over $65.2 BILLION was spend on home decor in 2012. I wish I were joking.

Now, don’t get me wrong … I’m not saying that I won’t decorate my house. I’m just saying that I’m not going to follow the world’s way; I am going to strive to follow God’s way. And I

want my home to be a sanctuary for our family and friends. I want my decorating to be filled with the memories and blessings that God has granted me, not just a bunch of expensive pretty stuff. And I want to be a good steward with the monies God has given us, not wasteful or extravagant. How am I going to do this? Let me explain...

1. For Now, I’m Not Doing Anything: I am forcing myself to wait until January to begin.

Why? Because I don’t want to jump into a project that I can’t finish with the holidays right around the corner. And I also don’t want to rush into doing something just for the sake of doing something, just to re-do it a year from now because I don’t like it. I will be using this time to research and plan, as I

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don’t want to waste our precious time or money!

Cleaning , Organizing and Re-using: Quite often the best way to decorate your home is just to declutter and clean it! Once you par down your belongings and/or rearrange, you might re-discover you love what you already have! Have this be your first step, I know it is mine!

Prioritizing Projects: For us, we want to use our home to exercise hospitality. So high on our priority list is to finish off our fourth bedroom and to get a bigger dining room table. Someday I would love new living room furniture, but what we have is comfortable enough and provides ample space for people to sit. The fact that the furniture doesn’t match is minor and vain (as I keep reminding my Type A personality!) And we will not take on debt to do these projects. If we don’t have the cash on hand, we’ll postpone them.

DIY: Lucky for me, my husband is quite handy. Or at least willing to give a project a try (and we have handy friends to bail us out when we need help or a special tool!).

The savings add up quickly when you do the project yourself. Thankful for YouTube and various websites for the many step-bystep tutorials they provide.

If You Can’t DIY Right Now, Don’t Buy the Materials for the “Future”: I still regret buying $50.00 worth of fabric to make drapes for our old house, which I never got around to doing. The fabric is still sitting in a drawer. Yes, I might still use the fabric “someday,” but as far as I’m concerned I might as well have stuffed that money in a drawer for the past five years. This is my warning to any and all Pinterest or houserenovation projects!

Paint is Your Friend: A fresh coat of paint can really make a statement. Of course, this tip is coming from a girl who has never

painted a room in her life. But I plan to in my new house! Honest! This tip applies to old furniture, too. Yeah, I haven’t done that either. I’m really giving away how much I avoid decorating, aren’t I?!

7. Surround Yourself with What YOU Love: For me, that is photos of my family and friends, pictures my kids have drawn, scripture, and lovely things from people who love me. Quite often, we don’t need more “stuff,” we just need shelves and frames to display what we already have.

Keep it simple, folks!

8. Set a Budget and Stick to It: Thrift stores, garage sales, and flea markets are my friend! Or getting creative and repurposing what I already have. All these methods are very eco-friendly, too. My goal is always to spend as little as possible. It is a fun game, you should try it!

9. Pace Yourself: Pick one room to focus on.

Do one project a week. Expect interruptions (a.k.a. kids). Be realistic. And remember, these are things that really aren’t worth getting stressed over. After all, it is just stuff.

10. Be Content and Thankful: We already have so much compared to most of the world. Do not disdain the wonderful home God has provided you just because it won’t be featured in Better Homes and Gardens.

And let us not compare ourselves to what others have or don’t have. Keep our eyes on Jesus and let His love fill our hearts and homes! Our homes can be an embassy of Christ’s Kingdom. Let’s use them for His Glory!  Elise Haroldson grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and is so excited to enjoy some country living with her family here in Illinois just south of Trivoli! She has enjoyed 8 years of wedded bliss with her husband Steve and they have three dirt-loving boys – Treyven (6), Kolben (4), and Brycen (10 months).

Vision For

Missions

For the third year in a row a short-term mission team from Bethany Fellowship of Churches has visited Hogar de Vida (Home of Life) Orphanage in Guatemala.

The orphanage is home to 28 children aged 2 to 18 years. The goal of our trip in August was to encourage and come alongside the long-term missionaries who serve there, to love on the children and staff at the orphanage, and to give hygiene and Gospel presentations at nearby village schools. Our group of 15 people included 7 adults and 8 youth.

demonstrations and used a soccer ball with the Gospel colors to present the Gospel.

After a long delayed flight to Miami and a 24 hour layover there, we arrived in Guatemala City late Sunday night. But because the ride up the mountain was so bumpy and treacherous, we had to wait until the early morning light of Monday morning for the 6 hour drive. Will we ever get to Hogar de Vida? What a drive!

It was a roller coaster ride until leaving paved roads and then a bumpy winding unsettling ride to the top of the mountain and required bracing yourself between the seats to avoid being thrown around the bus.

I saw that kids are kids regardless of the culture. There is an international kid language spoken with hotdogs, candy and games! It is the same in Guatemala as the U.S. and I suspect the world over.

It was evident that every culture, no matter how we may romanticize it in our minds, suffers the effects of sin and is in need of Christ. What a privilege to be able to have a continuing ongoing relationship with an orphanage that truly understands and teaches the Gospel!

What a blessing it was to meet and get to know the children and young people at the orphanage! Several of the young people in our group had studied Spanish for several years and were able to communicate quite well with the young children and their language skills also enabled them to talk with the older high school age kids.

Two of the mornings our group set off in the back of pickup trucks to visit schools in other villages where we washed and styled the girl’s hair, sending them off with colorful hairbands and barrettes, and we washed and cut the boys hair. We also presented hygiene

While our goal was to go and encourage the people we interacted with in Guatemala, we were the ones who were encouraged and blessed. I was amazed by the beauty of His creation in a wholly different part of the world. The beautiful mountains rose against the blue sky and drew my gaze upward. I was reminded to “look up” and see His beauty and fix my eyes upon Him.

God is always bigger, deeper, fuller and greater than we know. This mission trip expanded and deepened my view of God and I can see why Pastor Ritch encourages everyone at Bethany to go on a mission trip. When are you going on one?  Karen Sanderson has been happily married to Jerry for 27 years. She has three children: Zach (24) and Jordan (22) who have both left the nest and Tori (13) who is still at home. She loves to curl up with a cup of hot tea and a good documentary and her favorite day of the week is Thursday because she gets to spend it with Jerry.

Bethany Fellowship of Churches 2014 Women’s Conference

Spilling Over January 17-18, 2014

Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. John 15:4 I don’t know if you’ve had the opportunity lately to be so caught up by the Holy Spirit moving in your life that He brings you to your feet, jumping up and down with your open hands raised up to your Father in worship, but I have.

I have had three recent, unique experiences all while attending Christian Women Conferences. The first gave me a clear picture of how blessed I am to be at Bethany where God’s Word is taught clearly, where each Sunday I get solid applications for freshness in my life to take into my week of worship and study of His Word. The second involved a sweet time with women who had devoted their lives to discipleship admit that they are sinners just like me.

Sinners with a Savior! Finally, the most recent offered a quick push by the Holy Spirit and instruction to take hold of my calling and jump into it.

I would say that I am in awe of God. I know my God is an awe-giver, awesome in power, might and love with abundant grace and mercy over me. (Psalm 145:6) I know He has a calling on my life to live out loud as an example of His grace (Galatians 1:15). I know He has plans for me and even trials for me which have been perfectly crafted for me. (Jeremiah 29:11) I tell you truly that if you are a child of God, one who has proclaimed the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, your redeemer, He has a calling upon your life too. (Romans 11:29) This January the women of the Bethany Fellowship of Churches and their guests have the opportunity to come together to take hold of the Scriptures explaining the characteristics of a disciple. A woman disciple!

We at Bethany are beyond blessed to have so many biblically sound learning

opportunities within our churches. We have the Gospel Institute, Bible studies, Adult Bible Communities, small groups, mom’s groups, single’s groups, ministries in which we serve alongside other believers. We also, and please don’t miss this, have incredibly gifted pastors who shepherd us week in and week out with solid preaching and application.

I have to ask you, with all of this training, instruction and guidance, are you spilling it out? Are you seeking the calling the Lord has on your life? If you are, praise and glory to His name! If not, if you’ve just been a clay pot filling up, it’s time, sister, to spill out!

During this special weekend in January, we want to come together as women of all ages and stages of life. We want to worship together, grow in fellowship, encourage one another, and get ready for 2014 with a mighty word and work from Christ on our lives. It’s not a time for you to be comfortable, it’s a time for you to gain a clear focus on how God wants to use you, and then with an immediate mindset, take off and do the thing you’re called to do.

Each of us in Christ is a new creation in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We are called to disciple those God places in our path. As a community of Christ, we are unstoppable by His power, His spirit. It’s time in 2014 to take on your role, step out of your comfort zone, raise your empty hands and jump for joy and serve Christ.

Mark it down…Friday, January 17 6:00 to 9:00pm and Saturday, January 18 8:00am to 2:00pm. Invite your neighbors, girlfriends, fellow students and get ready to have your light relit!

Registration for this event begins in December. Keep your eye out for tickets and invitations.

Watch what God can do!  Kelly Walenta, Women’s Ministry Council Events Chairwoman

Why We Go

Why Do We Go?

The Assignment: Staff a camp for MK/TCKs in the Czech Republic providing cabin counselors, crafts, lifeguard, camp nurse, recreation, worship, teachers, etc.

MK/TCK: missionary kid/third culture kid- children who accompany their parents into another culture or society.

They build relationships to all cultures, but they have no ownership of any of them.

Czech Republic: a country in Eastern Europe, part of the EU.

Short-Term Missions

The Bethany Fellowship of Churches accepted the call!

For the past three years, our church has been involved in helping staff a summer camp for MK/TCK's near Prague, in the Czech Republic. The International Church of Prague, the largest evangelical church in the Czech Republic, with an average attendance of 150-200, sponsors the camp. It is open to the youth of their church, other third culture kids, and missionary kids from the Czech Republic and surrounding countries.

You may be wondering, why staff a camp so far from Peoria for a bunch of kids who, for the most part, have heard the Gospel and the majority have responded in obedience to the Holy Spirit's call of salvation in their lives? Let me try to answer that question, at least in part.

The Czech Republic was under

Marla Laugherty communist rule from WWII until 1989, and atheism was the official policy of the government. Since 1989, there has been religious freedom, but there seems to be a great indifference to the gospel. Missionaries do not have an easy road. Effects of communism are still evident, trust is hard to come by, the language difficult, and spiritual eyes often seem blind. There are many cultural differences, and they are a long way from home. I have limited knowledge here, but the missionaries I have known accept this as part of God's call on their lives, not a reason to complain.

One area of great concern for missionaries, no matter where they serve, is their children. It is not easy being an MK/TCK. These kids have had some great experiences and unique opportunities. But they face challenges that most of our kids don't. Some of these kids are the only believers in their entire school. Some are the only kids in their church. Some are the only musicians in their church. Some only see relatives every few years. Some have siblings in boarding school that they only see on holidays. Change is constant. People come and go, and it is easy to keep relationships at arm’s length.

The International church of Prague (ICP) ministers to a large number of expatriates, and know firsthand of some of the challenges MK/TCKs experience. They desire to minister to

these kids, and one way is SUMMER CAMP! The church cannot adequately staff and run the camp on its own, and so has had help from different churches here in the States. As time has gone by, ICP has seen great value in having the same church come year after year.

This continuity has given opportunity for lasting friendships and the ability to invest in their lives not just during camp, but throughout the year.

The campers range between ages 8-18. Most are fluent in English, and can speak or understand at least one other language. It seems that the majority are musical, and that the older kids usually help in someway in their parent's work.

We were struck with the kindness displayed to each other, especially the older kids to the younger.

Some have traveled to amazing places, and then you realize that in Europe everything is close. The campground facilities were built during communist rule. (If you are old enough think "Hogan's Heroes.")

The campers cabin have no electricity, staffers do!

There are common showers and toilets in the main building. The food is traditional Czech, but over our years the owner of the camp has made an effort to have some food that is familiar to our taste. For example, ham foam, which was on the menu the first year, hasn't been seen since, and this year, their version of cocoa puffs made more than one appearance with cold milk instead of warm at

breakfast. The older campers never seem to sleep. Toads, field mice, and flying stinging insects also love camp. The lake used for swimming is a strange color, and stories abound about all the rashes you get if you swim in it. Crafts are important, and parachute cord bracelets are the thing to make. Worship time is sweet, and the teaching, shared between ICP and our church, has been excellent.

It has been our joy to be a part of this work.

To meet and build friendships with the campers. To bring a little bit of home to them. To listen to where they are, to pray with them, to laugh and play together, to encourage them in their walk with The Lord. To glorify God together.

To meet their parents and learn what they do. Their work is so varied: one ministers to the gypsies, one is a college professor, one translates Desiring God literature into Czech and another in international business. Their gratitude abounds for our church coming and ministering to their kids. To see how God is working in Europe. To see how God is working in the world. To have bonds of friendship, all because of Christ. It has encouraged me, and stretched me beyond my little corner of the world. These are the reasons we go. ď ¤

By The Way

Bethany Baptist Church Women’s Ministries 7422 N. Heinz Lane Edwards, IL 61528