Sit Still my Daughter Spring 2023

r e t h Sit Still my Daug

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Spring 2023

learning to be still in a noisy world

Beautiful Struggle

there is purpose in difficulty

Returning to Our First Love I didn't want just anybody!

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Founder & Creative Director Sarah Schurman

Editorial Team Caroline Fike

Graphic Designers Jeri Stunkard Sarah Schurman

Cover Photo Adobe Stock

Media Sources Adobe Stock Pexels Pixabay

Our mission is to help women discover who they are in Christ and the difference we can make when we simply allow God to work within us. This requires that we have a relationship with Him and we nurture our relationship by seeking Him, and we seek Him in the quiet place.

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From her desk Courage is often associated with action, a bold move or heroic deed that transforms the pages of history or at least makes for an incredible family story.

While this seems like the only way to truly define courage it is not necessarily the case. Sometimes there is courage in standing still, to choose not to act but instead to wait. We see this in the first mention of the word “still”, as it pertains to the idea of standing, when Moses told the people of Israel in Exodus 14:13 “ … Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”

They were in a difficult situation, trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh's army. They wanted to panic but Moses had a different suggestion, he told them to simply stand still. This action required a large amount of courage as it was entirely contrary to the natural response to danger. Their fight or flight reaction was in full swing yet Moses asked them to lay it aside, to

summon the courage needed to stand still.

There is a key ingredient mentioned in this verse, something that all of us must have in order to have a similar courageous response. Moses told them to stand still and see. See what? The salvation of the Lord, to watch as the great I Am fought for them. Trust is the prerequisite to standing still. Moses could confidently request this request of Israel because he trusted in the Lord’s ability to protect His own.

This is a beautiful reminder for us as we encounter problems and trials that have us fearfully looking for the nearest exit. It is not easy to counter our human nature which is why our decision to stand still is a courageous one but this courage is supplied by our trust in the One who loves us. Our God is good and His plans for us are always for our good. Even though the situation may be difficult as it was for Israel, the more we know our God the greater our ability will be to do as Moses did. To stand still with confidence in who stands before us. May we be women who dwell in the quiet place so that we may grow in knowledge about the One who goes before us––a knowledge that will provide us the courage to stand still and look for His salvation.

Sarah Schurman Editor

Inspiration

Table of

10 A Life of Words

Her life can be summarized in four words. How would people sum up your life?

40 Renewing Our First Love This new believer's passion for Jesus did so much to encourage the hearts of this missionary family as their congregation.

24 I Didn't Want Just Anybody

In frustration she asked God to send her anybody but quickly took it back becasue she knew that she really didn't want just anybody.

100 A Passion for Prayer Over the years she realized just how important structure was to her prayer life and this caused her to develope a system that has now blessed so many.

110 It Began with Prayer

Even though she grew up in a town of only 3,500, she still found ways to get into trouble until she came to know the Lord.

68 Beautiful Struggle Sometimes we fail to see past someone's struggle or even our own and see that something beautiful can come from it.

In the Home 34 Meal Prep

Want to save time by prepping meals but don't know where to start? Let Robin help.

Contents

Of Interest

62 Mind and Soul

Read a few tips that can help your well-being.

80 ReHope

They wanted to provide a safe haven for victims from human trafficking and built it on a 17 acre farm.

94 5 Steps to Goal Setting God's Way Goals are a great thing but sometimes it can be hard to know how to set them or pick the right ones.

For the Moms 84 Reminders for Mom Being a mom isn't easy and it can be hard to just do the next thing which is why it is so comforting to know it is okay to take a breath or two.

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The Birds that Taught a Lesson

by Elaine Knotts

Spring time is such a glorious time of the year.

The flowers are blooming, the grass is green, Nature is waking up from the winter freeze.

Something that catches my eyes Are the baby birds in the birdhouse outside.

Mama and papa bird work so hard to make sure they are fed, I bet they are glad when they are ready for bed.

Then as they start growing, inquisitive they start to be.

Each day they want to poke their heads out a little further wanting to be free.

Except when they get too anxious and out they fall, A predator might come along, and end it all.

That reminds me of us sometimes, as we try to get ahead of God, We inch our way through areas that could lead us astray.

The enemy would love to see us fall, so victory in Jesus we will not have.

But God sometimes clips our wings, to keep us closer to Him. I’d rather have that than letting the enemy in.

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A life of words

by Sarah Schurman

How would people

summarize your life?

She watched the flames of the campfires glow in the distance, wishing she was near enough to feel their warmth but that wish was in vain. Her seven days of exiled quarantine were not over. This was the consequence for her behavior, for words spoken out of foolish pride. How did she get here? How did she go from leading Israel in a song of deliverance to a weeklong outcast? It is a story that unfolds in four scenes that can be condensed to one word each. A total of four words that create the sum total of her life.

the river and even though there is no indication that she asked her daughter to keep watch, that is exactly what she did.

And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. Exodus 2:4

The word wit means to know; this older sister wanted to know what would happen to her sibling. She knew what was at stake and why her mother had done this to him; maybe she even understood the measure of Scene one: Courage faith her mother was displaying in God and she wanted to see the outcome. We could say that her curiosity Our first scene provides us with an initial introducallowed her to witness God’s faithfulness to those tion to her, though nameless; she is merely recorded as that put their trust in Him. As she watched from the the sister of Moses. shadows, observing the actions of a compassionate Princess, this older sister took a step of courage and Her mother Jochebed has placed her little brother by approached this royal woman. She didn’t let her status

12 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 as a Hebrew slave girl deter her from speaking her mind, a characteristic that proved to have its pros and cons, as we will observe in her later life. But her bold action of recommending a Hebrew nurse for the Princess resulted in a son being restored to the family. It could also be argued that her courageous act provided Jochebed the opportunity she needed to instill God’s word into the heart of her young son before he would enter a life in a pagan palace.

This young girl had the courage to act, to move past whatever fears she may have possessed, in order to seize a God given opportunity. How many times do we miss out on an opportunity because we are afraid to move, even when an opportunity presented itself and the Holy Spirit was tugging on our heart? We can exhibit the same courage as this young slave girl because we serve the same God. He is still in control and He is still working on our behalf but to make a difference we have to first act, to display the courage

to move at the necessary moment just like Miriam.

Scene two: Encourager As we move into the second scene, we learn her name Miriam, along with her title, prophetess. One other point worth mentioning is her age and marital status; Miriam is somewhere between 88 to 92 and not married. When she was watching her baby brother the Bible called her a maiden, making her anywhere from age 8 to 12 or even 14. Moses remained in Egypt 40 years then stayed with his father in law Jethro for another 40 years. This makes Moses about 80 when he returns to Egypt and Miriam definitely over 85.

There is significance in this because, though some single women think that they can do nothing great for God if they are not married, Miriam’s life proves just the opposite.

God did use her and even gave her the title of Proph-

This young girl had the courage to act, to move past whatever fears she may have possessed, in order to seize a God given opportunity.

Spring 2023 | Sit still my daughter 13 etess in His Word, a term used in the sense of uttering words directed by the Spirit of God. This is what she does as Israel finishes crossing the Red Sea. As Moses is leading the people in praise to the Lord Jehovah, Miriam seizes a timbrel and leads the women in responding with praise to Him. In Exodus 15 verse 21 we read her words And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Exodus 15:21 Miriam, once again unafraid to speak out, lifted up her aged voice in praise. She becomes an encourager. She does not miss the chance to praise God in song and encourage others to do the same. Is this true in our life? When we are with others do we say positive things or do we waste time grumbling and complaining? Praise rarely comes naturally to humans but it should be present in the life of every believer. Our God is worthy of praise every day, for His provision, for His goodness, for His love, mercy, compassion, kindness, the list is endless. Perhaps the next time we gather with friends we can make it a practice to ask them how God has been good to them this week.

We can be praise encouragers, we can help cultivate a desire to praise the Lord and there is no age limit or marital status required to an encourager like Miriam.

Scene three: Humility This scene, which takes place in Numbers 12, comes with the most detail and is often what we remember most about Miriam. She and her brother Aaron have spoken out against their brother Moses because of his foreign Ethiopian wife. Many say that it was Miriam who instigated the complaining, owing to how the

We can

be praise

encouragers.

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Lord dealt with her later. Remember Miriam seemed to be a woman who had no hesitation in speaking her mind, an action she would come to deeply regret.

Based on what they said, it seems that pride was at the root of it all.

And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. Numbers 12:2 It appears they thought they were just as “special” as Moses and were wondering why he was allowed to be in the spotlight alone. Moses was in a position of leadership, not because he sought it but because God had given it to Him; He had chosen Moses as the leader, as His representative. To murmur and complain about Moses’ leadership position was to directly challenge God’s authority and God was not happy.

And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto

Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.

Numbers 12:4 It is interesting to note that the Lord spoke suddenly to all three of them. It is almost as if the moment those murmuring words left their lips they were summoned by God Himself. This meeting would not be pleasant for either Aaron or Miriam but she would bear the greater consequence.

And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold:

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wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. Numbers 12:5-10 God was angry at them for what they had done and swiftly set the record straight. He tells them that it is His decision alone to whom He speaks, about what, at the time of His choosing. Verse ten is an indication of who was mainly responsible for stirring up the complaints. When the cloud lifts it reveals Miriam, only Miriam, is a leper, much to the horror of her brother.

God judged Miriam for her actions. She was wrong to speak against God’s authority in such a manner.

Of course, this does not mean we must always remain silent if we see something that clearly goes against Scripture. We must say something. The problem in this particular instance was that Miriam’s murmuring,

While pride often silently creeps in, it tends to make itself known loudly.

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the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again. And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again. Numbers 12:11-15

Pride is a dangerous emotion, one that inevitably leads us to trouble. It causes us to believe a lie about ourselves. Miriam’s pride caused her to believe that she deserved to be right next to Moses, that she was entitled to an important position. When we allow pride into our heart, it will guide our thoughts and actions in the wrong direction. While pride often Her brother Aaron pleads for her and begs Moses to silently creeps in, it tends to make itself known loudly. intercede on her behalf. He admits that they, taking Prideful words are easy to spot. This subtle emotion responsibility for his part, behaved foolishly, that they must be guarded against because, if left unchecked, it sinned but he cries out for mercy. And Moses, the will have severe consequences just as Miriam’s punish- one who had been the source of all their complaints ment testifies. Now she was a leper, basically a death earlier, asks God to heal his sister. sentence, but what follows is an example of God’s mercy and grace.

This is a great lesson for those who have been offended. Moses could have said, no, this is God’s judgment And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech on her for her actions, I will not interfere. But that thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done was not his way, instead he beseeched the Lord to foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. Let her not be as heal her. What a beautiful illustration of mercy. She one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he who did not deserve it, was given it by the one against cometh out of his mother's womb. And Moses cried unto whom she had murmured. How often has our pride

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landed us in bad circumstances and the very ones we hurt prove to be the ones who rally to our side asking for mercy?

This experience is humbling, another word to describe the life of Miriam.

She had to learn this lesson the hard way, God would heal her but not until she would learn humility by being expelled from the camp for seven days. Her complaints against Moses were spoken publicly so was her punishment. Everyone in camp waited for Miriam to be healed but they also knew the reason why she was a leper.

A proud person’s foolish behavior is doomed to a big fall. Peter gave a warning about the dangers of pride.

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

1 Peter 5:5 God uses those who are willing and only

the humble are truly willing. If we ever want to be usable vessels for God, we must be clothed with humility. Let’s not be like Miriam who had to learn the hard way, but chose to have a proper view of ourselves, servants of the Most High God. Scene four: Legacy The final scene of Miriam’s life is merely one simple verse.

Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. Numbers 20:1 Miriam, like the rest of the people who had initially rejected the promised land, would die without going in. Her life was ended, her journey complete but there is one final word that can be used to conclude her life. Legacy. While she began as a girl who had the courage to speak

Spring 2023 | Sit still my daughter 19 up and was an encourager to Israel in singing praise to the Lord, she also suffered a blow from a prideful heart.

We all will leave a legacy when we die. We will be remembered for something after we pass away. It is up to us if it is to be good or bad. For some people like Miriam, she is remembered for both, yet it is often her incident with Moses that is talked about most. At some point, death comes to all. Our season of living will cease but our legacy lives on as history reminds us. Perhaps if we spent some time reflecting on eternity it would influence our behavior today. It would motivate us to make better decisions now so that we can leave a legacy behind that will point others to Christ. Miriam’s life consisted of four simple words.

What words will be used to sum up your life?

Perhaps if we spent some time reflecting on eternity it would influence our behaviour today.

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God is bigger than missed opportunities

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“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:” Prov. 17:22

Mom, did you know if you plant an apple seed it will grow an apple tree?

I did know that.

I wonder what would happen if I planted a taco.

I've hunted near, I've hunted far I even looked inside my car.

I've lost my glasses, I'm in need, To have them now so I can read.

Are they behind the sofa, under the bed?

Oh there they are...on my head!

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Sunshine is delicious, rain in refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.

Why do they call them waiters when we are the ones who wait

People who think they can run the earth should begin with a small garden

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I didn't want just anybody

by Rebekah Tolley I was raised in a Christian home in Upstate NY. Around the age of seven or eight, I accepted Christ as my Savior. For as long as I can remember, my dream was to be a wife and a mother. My mom so wonderfully exemplified a godly wife and mother and I knew it was what I wanted for my life as well.

Although I was somewhat of a tomboy and never one to plan my wedding or dream up the perfect guy, marriage and motherhood were certainly my heart's desires. Assuming it would happen naturally and probably very early, I saw myself as a young bride, picturing those sweet old couples who reminisced about marrying their high-school sweetheart! The problem was, when graduation came, I had zero proposals (and no sweetheart).

No problem, I thought! The Lord has the perfect one for me, and I'm sure he will bring him to me soon. Spoiler alert, He did not bring him soon.

After high school, I attended Ambassador Baptist College in Lattimore, NC. As is typical on any Bible college campus, dating and marriage are hot topics. Though many folks joke about attending Bible college to achieve the "Mrs." degree, that was not my main goal. I felt that, if the Lord had the one for me there, that is fine, but I was not there just to find him. Of course, I understand the joke, but it always rubbed me the wrong way.

I truly wanted to be married, but it felt like that was expected to be my only goal in life.

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the Lord knew I didn't want just anybody

26 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 When graduation came, there were still no proposals for me, but my focus had changed. I became content in my singleness. My many wonderful friends and I made countless happy memories and I stayed busy with work and life. I fully enjoyed my life but did still want to be married.

Waiting for those things that you desire in life comes with quite the teeter-totter of emotions. One day you are confident in the Lord and His plan, and the next, you can be pretty discouraged that you are still waiting. The feelings of being forgotten or just not important to the Lord are real, although not true. He never forgets, and if you were not important to Him, He would not have died for you. He sees you and hears you even when you don't think he does.

I recall one evening, when I was weary of waiting, I told the Lord He could just give me ANYBODY, and I would be happy. Within the same breath, I recanted that thought and told the Lord He knew I didn't want just anybody. I wanted someone to be my best friend and the one He wanted for me. (As a side note, please consider how laughable it is to ask the Lord to just bring you anybody. I don't even like everybody!)

I heard many sermons and lessons on how to find the right person. Most having to do with prayer, faith, "be the right person and God will bring you the right person", etc. While true and very necessary, what I seldom heard and desperately needed, was learning how to develop meaningful relationships. If it doesn't

above: my brother and I. below: me, my mom and my sister-in-law. right: college days were wonderful.

Waiting for those things that you desire in life comes with quite the teeter-totter of emotions.

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er, my future husband was praying specifically for someone who had never dated before. Ha! Here I thought there was something wrong with me that I couldn't get a date, and he was out there praying against it!

My pastor at the time was bi-vocational, and occasionally, much to his dismay, would have to work on a Wednesday evening. His work had been particularly difficult, and he was drawn away by his work yet again. His go-to guest preacher was not available. His backups all fell through. As a last-ditch effort, he contacted a preacher friend in the area and asked if there was anyone at his church who would be able to help out. He did! Brandon Tolley was a sophomore at a local college.

This was his first semester at this particular college, and he had just started attending the church at the beginning of the semester. He was more than happy to help out.

come naturally, practice! You will find that people will probably like you if you give them a chance. Also, learn to be joyful. You will be a much more interesting person if you practice an attitude of joy, investing in yourself, experiencing new things, exploring the opportunities of singleness that the Lord provides. Take that interesting class. Try something new. Start a hobby. Step out of your comfort zone. You will be a better YOU, and you may also be a greater asset to your future husband in many ways.

You can long for marriage and also enjoy your single days.

Of course, that is easier said than done! Waiting on God is not always simple for us. More often than not, it is quite messy as we deal with a vast range of emotions, but as all say who do wait on the Lord, it is worth it.

I met my to-be husband on an ordinary Wednesday evening. I was 22, on the verge of turning 23. I had never had a boyfriend or even gone out on a date. As I found out lat-

As I arrived at church, I saw the unfamiliar vehicle in the parking lot and figured we had a new guest speaker. Well, in the way only a loving small-knit church could do, on seeing a single man approaching, they made sure I knew about it. My church loved me and obviously thought I was worth someone’s interest, so naturally, the sideways glances and teasing ensued. I hated being teased! Before I even arrived at the church, one person texted me a meme that said something to the effect of "when there is a new preacher at church, and he's cute." When I arrived, I saw for myself; he was cute! I spoke to him briefly to make him feel welcome and then headed home.

Brandon was cute. He was nice. His preaching was very good, but he did have one thing against him; he was 19. I pretty much wrote him off at that point. I am almost 23, and he is 19. That is just too young for me. Bummer!

Two weeks later, my pastor had to work again. He was devastated to be torn from his church one more time. He called Brandon, and he was again glad to help. Since I knew he was too young for me and the teasing I was receiving was relentless, I quickly shook

28 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 left: one of our first dates. right: having a great time together. bottom right: our first Christmas picture together.

his hand after the service and left him with a "thanks for preaching," and went home.

Not too long after, I got a friend request from a Brandon Tolley on Facebook. Then a Facebook message.

He says now how he hated to approach me over Facebook, but he couldn't get around to me fast enough at church (because I was running away from him), and he didn't know of another way. I found out that though he was 19 when I first met him, he had just turned 20 the day before contacting me. It was not actually that much of a difference, but it made him sound more eligible to me.

Needless to say, we started to get to know each other over Facebook messenger. Shortly after chit-chatting, he asked for my number, which I quickly declined. I didn't know him! I don't just hand that baby out to just anyone! In my logic, he had some merit for being a preacher, but I still didn't know him. He could be a very nice guy, or he could be an ax murderer. I had very little capacity to consider anything in between.

Though thoroughly flattered by the attention, I desperately wanted two things. I wanted God's will,

and I wanted to build a friendship that would not crumble even if a romantic relationship didn't come of it. I have since realized that being afraid to build a friendship because of what might happen in the future is not the wrong way to live. You can and should nurture friendships and relationships with good godly people. They may not turn out to be life-long relationships, but, on the other hand, they might! I like the phrase, "better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

The turning point for me came when through all my attempts to shut him down, Brandon still made the effort to be my friend. He didn't pursue me just for a relationship but also took the time to be interested in a friendship. After dating for a while, my brother asked me about him. I told him, "have you ever had someone look at you, and by the way they look at you, you know they cherish you?" Brandon cherished me in a way no other person had. He saw who I really was and liked me. He laughed at my jokes and goofiness. He “got” me. Ephesians 3:20 states that God is ". . .able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. . ." God truly gave me exceedingly abundantly above what I could have ever dreamed. If

Spring 2023 | Sit still my daughter 29 it had been left up to me I might have been happy with someone far less, but I thank the Lord He did not let me settle for anyone else.

After dating for almost a year, Brandon proposed.

Now, my then boyfriend could do many things, but keeping the ring buying process a secret was not one of them. He told me when he asked my dad. He told me when he bought the diamond. He told me when he bought the setting. He did not tell me when he was going to propose, but I wondered…

We had planned to get our photos taken by a friend.

We went to the Schiele Museum in Gastonia, NC. It is a small museum with a pretty nature trail behind it. Our friend, Kristi, met us at the museum. We took some photos and walked around the trail for a bit. Kristi then started posing us for the next photo.

She had me stand in one spot and had Brandon in the background. (Kristi was in on the plan). She told me to turn around and there he was on one knee. He simply said, “Will you marry me?” I replied, “I will!”

30 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 On September 1, 2018, we got married. The weather was perfect. The church was buzzing with excitement and people finishing all the preparations. I was so weary from answering questions and making decisions, the day could have fallen apart, and I’m not sure I would have cared. As long as we were married by the end of the day, that was all I wanted. I’m happy to report though, everything was great. My bridesmaids all looked beautiful in their burgundy gowns. (I was very proud of myself for locating gowns that looked so lovely on them all. I think they liked them too!) The guys looked terrific in their charcoal gray suits. My husband and I met under an arbor his grandfather made for our wedding and exchanged our vows. To be realistic, not everything went exactly as planned, but for us, it was our perfect wedding. So much effort and waiting had been put into one day that started our lives together.

Dear single friend, God has not forgotten about you. He has a plan for you in your single season. Set your love upon the Lord and enjoy the time that He has given you. There is a great big beautiful world out there He has created for you to explore. He also created a beautiful YOU. You have a great personality, new ideas, thoughts, dreams, talents, etc. He has given

Brandon cherished me in a way no other person had.

He saw who I really was and liked me.

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you people with whom you can develop deep relationships. And when the waiting gets hard to bear, bring your cares to the One who cares the most for you. He is not withholding good things from you.

There is no secret recipe to finding a spouse.

Nurturing these things in your life will help you to be a better Christian, friend, and woman. They will help you to enjoy the waiting and value the time God has given you. I knew that I couldn't hurry God’s timing, if I had tried, I would have been sorry.

Fast forward to today, and the Lord has blessed our marriage abundantly. We now have a 10-month-old son, Davey, who is the sweetest little thing. I would have missed out on many happy years and our wonderful son had I chosen to hurry God’s plan. It truly is worth the wait!

far left: the day we were engaged. left: my dad walking me down the aisle. right: our sweet family today.

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Sometimes God removes you from your dreams so that He can give you something better. Bethany Jett

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Meals on the go

by Robin Cook Cook 2 Flourish

Having healthy food on hand that is prepped or easy to warm up takes a little planning on the forefront, but you’ll be so glad when dinner time comes!

Here are several strategies that have been especially helpful for our family, and hopefully they’ll be a blessing to you too!

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Don't forget to visit Robin's website for more recipes and helpful tips: www.cook2flourish.com or follow her on instagram @cook2flourish

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Weekly M. E. N. U. Tips:

Easy strategies like this can make a big difference!

Make ahead Extra portions for leftovers Nightly lunch prep Uncomplicated meals

Write down a few meals you and your family enjoy: • What can you make ahead of time?

• What can you make extra of ?

• When do you have time to plan and prep your menu?

Utilizing partially prepped or washed foods can maximize your efforts!

• Pre-washed salad greens • Frozen green beans (no need to trim or wash!)

• Frozen cauliflower rice • Jarred marinara sauce

Breakfast tips:

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• Boiled eggs are easy to reach for in the morning and they can also be made into tuna salad for lunch another day!

• Egg Omelet Muffins are great to make ahead for a grab and go breakfast!

• Overnight Oats- with a few mason jars, breakfast is ready for the family!

• Smoothie Bags- save time and pack your superfoods into a baggie with your protein powder, chia seeds, spinach, berries etc. All you’ll need is to add liquid and blend away!

Lunch tips: • Make extra baked chicken over the weekend for slicing or shredding chicken onto sandwiches, salads, or wraps!

• Leftovers make tasty lunches and often can be packed the night before. Plan to make extra portions of: • Pasta salad • Salad greens (keep dressing in a separate mini sealed container) • Quinoa • Roasted Veggies

Dinner tips: • Having a plan for 3-7 days helps immensely! Think of what takes the longest time to prep, and find windows of time to make those foods in advance!

• Cook up 1-3 batches of protein ahead of time: • Baked Chicken- for chicken & veggies, stir-fry, or fajitas • Taco Meat- for easy taco salad or burritos • Italian Meat- for quick casseroles or spaghetti • Salmon Patties- for dinner or for a salmon patty sandwich

What other foods take longer to cook that would speed up meal making if prepared ahead?

• Bake potatoes, sweet potatoes or spaghetti squash (I like baking these ahead of time either the night before while making dinner or in the morning while doing my morning routine!)

• Brown rice • Quinoa

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Egg Omelet Muffins makes 6 muffins (can easily be doubled) • 6 organic eggs, beaten • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes in extra-virgin olive oil, chopped • 1/4 cup bell pepper, diced • 1/4 cup zucchini, diced • 1/4 cup onion, diced • 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, minced • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions: In a mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, basil, garlic, sea salt and black pepper until combined.

Pour the egg mixture into unbleached mini muffin liners in a stainless steel muffin pan or use a stoneware muffin pan.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until the eggs are set and thoroughly cooked.

Serve immediately and refrigerate any leftovers.

40 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 • • • • • • • • •

8-12 ounces water or unsweetened almond milk 1 cup wild or organic blueberries, frozen 1-2 big handfuls organic spinach leaves, frozen* 1 serving clean protein powder (preferably organic) 1/8- 1/4 ripe avocado 1⁄2- 1 teaspoon chia seeds 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, optional 1 cup ice, optional Frozen banana slices or stevia, to sweeten, optional

Directions: Pour milk or water into a blender along with blueberries, spinach, protein powder, avocado, chia seeds, cinnamon, ice (if you want it really cold and thick), frozen bananas or stevia (if desired).

Blend on high or on smoothie option until smooth and creamy. *Spinach tip: Just buy a bag of fresh spinach and freeze it so it will blend better!

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Blueberry Smoothie

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Mason Jar Pasta Salad

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

4 ounces dry lentil penne pasta 1 cup small broccoli florets 1/2 cup carrots, sliced 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced 10 olives, sliced 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, minced or torn Italian Vinaigrette Dressing: 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 1 Tablespoon water ½ Tablespoon Vegenaise® OR avocado oil mayo 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning pinch of Stevia or honey, to taste

Serves 2

Directions: While the water is coming to a boil for the pasta, make the dressing. Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend on high speed for approximately 15-30 seconds until thoroughly mixed.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, and the last 3 minutes of the cooking time blanch the carrots and the last 1 minute blanch the broccoli.

Drain the pasta and veggies, then rinse them and add them to a serving bowl.

Add the bell pepper, black olives, basil, and pour the Italian vinaigrette over the salad. Toss to coat, then serve warm or chilled. This would be tasty served with leftover baked chicken too!

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Rooting for Spring Roasted Veggies • 1 cup yukon potatoes, cubed • 2 cups carrots, sliced • 1 cup purple Daikon radish or cauliflower, chopped • 1/2 cup beets, cubed • 1 Tablespoon olive oil • 1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme • 1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt • 1/4 teaspoon pepper • Organic lemon zest, to garnish if desired

Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the veggies with the oil and seasonings. If you don’t want the beet color to bleed onto the other veggies, you can toss the lighter colored veggies with all but ½ teaspoon of the oil, then place them on the baking dish before tossing the beets with the remaining oil.

Place all the veggies onto a glass baking dish or stoneware pan.

Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes, or until veggies are tender to your liking. If the cubes are bigger, you may need to cook them longer.

Garnish with the lemon zest and any additional seasonings. Enjoy as a side dish or as leftovers with a salad!

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Baked Chicken

• 6-8 organic chicken pieces- breast, legs, thighs, etc.

• 1 1/2- 2 cups filtered water • 1-2 Tablespoons Flavor 2 Flourish Spice Blend • • {Flavor 2 Flourish Spice Bulk Recipe} • 6 Tablespoons dried rosemary • 6 Tablespoons dried parsley • 6 Tablespoons garlic powder • 3 Tablespoons paprika (not smoked) • 3 Tablespoons sea salt • 2 Tablespoons black pepper • 1/4 Tablespoon cayenne pepper, optional To make the spice: Combine all the spices together in a jar, then pour into a spice shaker.

Enjoy on vegetables, chicken, spaghetti squash etc.

Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place chicken in a 9x13x2 inch glass baking dish. With a sharp knife, remove as much skin as possible if they are not skinless pieces.

Gently pour the water over the chicken pieces.

Generously season the chicken with 1-2 Tablespoons of the Flavor 2 Flourish seasoning.

Put the pan in the oven and bake uncovered for approximately 45-70 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. Bake until thoroughly cooked. (If you bake the chicken at a hotter heat such as 400 degrees, just reduce the cooking time.)

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It's not what's on the table that matters.

It's who's in the chairs.

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Renewing First Love our

By Kim Melton

My husband, Tim Melton, first came to Japan

in 1965 with his parents who were missionaries. He grew up in Japan and lived there until he returned to the states for college at the age of 17. I met him at his brother's and my dear friend’s wedding. He was the best man. I was a bridesmaid. He caught the garter and I caught the bouquet. And the rest they say is history…After we were married, we spent a summer helping my husband’s parents as summer missionaries.

At the time, my husband did not feel like Japan was where God wanted him to serve so we settled into ministry in the states.

In 1999, we returned to Japan as short-term missionaries to replace Tim’s father and brother during their furloughs. In 2002, we knew God was calling us to

52 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 serve as full-time missionaries to Japan. After we completed deputation, we arrived in Nagoya in 2005.

We have a very international ministry. In the morning, we have Sunday School and the worship service in Japanese. In the afternoon, we repeat those in English. We live in the fourth largest city in Japan with many people from all over the world. Our English service has had many countries and cultures represented over the years.

The two major religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shintoism. Shintoism is the national religion. These two religions seem to work together.

My husband often says that Japanese are born and married as Shintos and buried as Buddhists. Christianity is less than 1% in Japan and this includes Catholics, Protestants, and Jehovah Witnesses, etc. As you can imagine, ministry in Japan is difficult and slow. It can be discouraging, but God is faithful to send encouragement when we need it most. Over the last year, we had one of those encouraging seasons.

For the last several months, I have had the privilege of being around a young Japanese man who has the first love that is talked about in Revelation 2:4, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” It’s a concept that we don’t often think of. When we hear or read Revelation 2:4, it may cause us to squirm a little. We may think, “I love the Lord. I haven’t left Him.” Revelation 2:4 doesn’t say that we left Him. It says we left our first love.

When I am studying something, I like to look up words in the dictionary. I use the Blue Letter Bible app to look up the meaning in the original language.

I also like to read different translations. One translation says, “You have abandoned the love you had at first.” Sometimes those of us who have walked with the Lord for a long time get bogged down with life.

previous page: My husband Tim and I during cherry blossom season. above: a traditional Japanese garden in Nagoya. above right: the baptism of the young man with the "first love" right: a baby dedication for a young family from India, our English service is multi-cultural.

Spring 2023 | Sit still my daughter 53 We get settled in our relationship with the Lord.

Maybe it even becomes routine. We don’t like to think of the words left or abandon. But when we allow life to crowd into our relationship with the Lord, that is what we are doing.

This young man with first love has no Christianity in his background or in his family. He received no gospel witness from a Christian or a gospel tract. God took this man to the end of himself. At that point, God gave him the desire to pick up a Bible and start reading it. He led him to visit our church in December. He kept coming back. He had to have surgery that required hospitalization. During the hospital stay, he read his Bible for 12 hours a day!!! He is thrilled to have met Jesus Christ. He has been gloriously saved. This was all the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes!! (Psalm 118:23) It has been a privilege to watch the Lord draw this young man to Himself.

54 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 left: a view of our city from the Nagoya train station. below: a group picture was taken after a special event at our church.

Spring 2023 | Sit still my daughter 55 As I watched all of this unfold, I also watched what being around this young man did for the members of our church and me. There is something contagious about being around someone with that first love.

There were several things I noticed in this man’s life that gave me pause to consider my own spiritual life.

First, he cannot get enough of God’s Word. He is faithful to every service at church. He meets with my husband for weekly Bible study. He reads and studies his Bible every free moment. He has started memorizing some of God’s Word.

This young man has a tremendous burden for those who don’t know the Lord. His first prayer request after his salvation was for family members that do not know the Lord. He makes sure his two-year-old daughter is at church. He wants her to grow up knowing the true God. He has a heavy burden for his wife and his parents. He wants them to know the truth.

He is so excited about the peace that God has given him and the change that God has wrought in his life,

As I watched all of this unfold, I also watched what being around this young man did for the members of our church and me.

56 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 that he wants everyone to know.

He had two huge tests for a young believer in this land where we serve. The day before his baptism, he had to take a stand against ancestor worship. He did it without hesitation. The day after his baptism, his boss told him that he needed to move to another city to keep his job. He declined. As a result, he is looking for a new job. He told my husband that he did not think it would be good for his spiritual life to relocate at this time. He said this is a good time for him to learn to trust the Lord.

As I watched all of this take place, I saw the people of our church get excited at what God is doing in this man’s life. There is a new fervor among the people.

There is a new zeal to pray for unsaved loved ones.

We have been reminded that God is still working to draw people to Himself.

In my own life, I have seen areas where I am not trusting God as I should. I have had my burden for others increase. I have meditated on the changes God has wrought in my life with thanksgiving. I am praying

for God to increase my desire for His Word and He is answering.

I cannot tell you what an encouragement this has been to us in the ministry. It is a reminder that God is the One that brings a man to salvation and He does it in his timing. He also uses that to encourage and renew the spiritual fervor in other believers that are watching. What a privilege to be a part of God is doing in Japan!

What about you? Have you left your first love? Meditate on all the things God has done in your heart and your life. Spend more time in His Word and prayer with thanksgiving. As you do that, see if you don’t return to that first love! below: Sometimes we fellowship with another church in a neighboring city. During this fellowship we went on a hike to a well-known waterfall. above right: Cherry blossom season is my favorite time of the year! bottom right: Our ladies Bible study is bilingual. We had a national missionary speaker for this one.

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Perseverance is faith put to work

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the

Power of Prayer

as told in the book "Touch the World Through Prayer" During the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya in 1960, missionaries Matt and Lora Higgens were returning one night to Nairobi through the heart of Mau Mau territory, where Kenyans and missionaries alike had been killed and dismembered. Seventeen miles outside of Nairobi their Land Rover stopped.

Higgens tried to repair the car in the dark, but could not restart it. They spent the night in the car, but claimed Psalm 4:8: "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." In the morning they were able to repair the car.A few weeks later the Higgenses returned to America on furlough. They reported that the night before they left Nairobi, a local pastor had visited them. He told how a member of the Mau Mau had confessed that he and three others had crept up to the car to kill the Higgenses, but when they saw the sixteen men surrounding the car, the Mau Mau left in fear. "Sixteen men?" Higgens responded. "I don't know what you mean!"

While they were on furlough a friend, Clay Brent, asked the Higgenses if they have been in any danger recently. Higgens asked, "Why?" Then Clay said that on March 23, God had placed a heavy prayer burden on his heart.

He called the men of the church, and sixteen of them met together and prayed until the burden lifted.

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Your Mind...

Thy word have I hid in mine heart... Psalm 119:11

What we choose to memorize is ours forever, no one can ever take it away. To hide God's Word in our hearts ensures that we have access to His truth whenever we need it.

Over the course of the next three months try to memorize the verses below. We will only be able to defeat our enemy by holding fast to the truths found in the Word of God about our God. In moments of temptation, the Holy Spirit will bring the verses we need to mind that will aid us in being victorious.

John 15:12-14 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

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& Your Soul

Be still, and know that I am God... Psalm 46:10

Our body is the temple of the Lord and entrusted into our care. Self-care is not selfish when it is done to rest the body and renew the spirit so we are ready to serve God with our best. Taking a moment to care for yourself does not need to be a huge thing but can be a few simple things.

Give yourself permission to breathe

Don't be afraid to say no.

Drink a glass of water in the morning before looking at your phone.

64 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

1 Peter 3:4

• A lady knows that gossip can harm others and avoids it at all costs.

• A lady celebrates her friends and lets them know their importance in her life.

• A lady knows how to make and accept an apology.

• A lady is patient with her friends and tolerant of their individual quirks. She knows that a good friend, no matter how quirky, is worth holding close to her heart for life. taken from the book: How to Be a Lady by Candace Simpson-Giles

A lady is a woman who makes it

easy for a man to be a gentleman.

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Contentment is not a factor of my circumstances.

Contentment is a choice.

Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth

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Beautiful Struggle

by Sarah Schurman

lessons from a twisted tree and the artist who saw the beauty in it.

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"It is the struggle that makes the beauty." These were the words spoken to a little girl by her mother when she shared her desire to transport a seedling Joshua tree.

Her motivation was pure as she wanted to protect this young plant from the fate that had befallen the other mature desert tree she often walked past on her playful excursions. Its trunk ran parallel to the ground instead of up toward the sky. The cause for this deformity was its placement near a wind tunnel which had resulted in the twisted, gnarled appearance that drove the young girl to want to protect the young seedling from taking on a similar shape.

To her this scarred tree was to be pitied but her mother had a different perspective. She recognized that what looked like a scar was actually a sign of what the tree had survived which gave it a rare beauty that made it stand out from all the rest. As an artist, it was this tree that she loved to paint. To her there was

“beauty in the struggle.”

This may seem like an odd connection since these two words don’t look as if they belong in the same sentence. They appear to be complete opposites, yet if we meditate on this idea we might realize that they can work together. That something beautiful can come from the difficult struggles we face in life and be used as a testament to the promises of our good God. The world classifies a beautiful person as someone who is lovely to look upon, a face that makes you take a second glance and when something mars that or doesn’t meet our standard it is usually labeled as ruined or ugly.

We live in a society that is quick to slap a label on everything and everyone. You are either too tall or too short, too thin or too thick or you are too strong or too weak. It seems that is how we operate, and

Spring 2023 | Sit still my daughter 71 unfortunately, our churches have fallen into this trap as well. Many have been a witness to this labeling, or been on the receiving end of a label or two. Sadly, this is easier to do than we would care to admit. We tend to look at someone and make our judgment based on what is on the outside which is contrary to how God sees us and wishes us to see others.

He wants us to look deeper than the surface, yet, how often do we actually do that? What would happen if we did? How differently would we view others and how would it impact our response and influence?

The little girl labeled the tree as damaged or at least of lesser value than the other trees because of how twisted it looked to her. How often are we guilty of the same action? We look at someone and quickly determine whether or not they meet our standard of good.

Those who bear a scar from a past experience are aware of this quick assessment

As an artist, it was this tree that she loved to paint. To her there was “beauty in the struggle.”

72 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 which often drives them to try and hide it. They know that their scar is accompanied by a badge of shame which can be emphasized by those around them who whisper or even loudly voice their opinions about them. Tragically they are seen just like the tree, a sad picture of what could have been had they only grown differently. For those who sit in judgment, it would be wise to remember that sometimes things happen that are beyond this person's control, that tree did not choose to sprout near a wind tunnel. For those who made wrong choices, regret them and have a desire to do right, it is a big step that can be made harder by the poor behavior of others.

When it comes to compassion and understanding this

artistic mother has something to teach us. She saw the beauty in the tree’s struggle, a struggle that left it permanently marked. She understood that the tree’s unique shape was evidence that it had persevered. It had endured the pounding wind and survived. Yes, its truck had suffered for it but it was not defeated. It was still living, still producing, and still serving a purpose instead of crashing to the ground.

In the same way, there are those who have endured sorrow, heartache, and deep disappointments, yet they still rise. They may have made some bad choices or fallen upon hard times but instead of crashing they have risen above. They refused to yield their life to the circumstances, no matter how bad and chose to

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endure the pressure even if it resulted in some scars.

This is one true definition of courage, a perseverance, no matter the obstacle. We should rally around and celebrate that success instead of whispering behind their back.

Unfortunately, people are not the only ones who label and highlight a person’s scars. Satan does his fair share of it and has even mastered the art of shaming. Our world and even our churches are full of individuals who can readily relate to that tree growing in full blast of the wind tunnel. We can feel the gusts of our adversary blowing as hard as he can with all of his lies. He fills our mind with the negative emotions of doubt, fear, unworthiness and shame. He does his best to convince us that God could not and would not love someone like us, after all, our life looks as twisted and ugly as that poor Joshua tree. These winds of adversity and volleys of negative words have the power to deepen the scars we already possess. They make us believe

This is one true definition of courage, a perseverance, no matter the obstacle.

74 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 that what Satan says is true, God would never want to use us for anything, so why should we try. Satan wants us to believe that every mistake we have made and every scar we bear makes us no longer worthy to be called a child of God or fit to serve Him. ​ et nothing could be farther from the truth. God Y teaches that all things work together for good to them that love Him; ALL things include the scars of our past. In fact, scars are proof that someone fought a battle and survived, they were victorious not defeated.

The Bible is filled with countless individuals that show this to be true. Judah committed immorality with his own daughter-in-law, yet God saw fit to use him in the lineage of Christ. David buckled under the fear of Saul and hid among the Philistines, a heathen people, yet God still gave him the throne. Abraham hearkened to the voice of his wife Sarah and conceived a child with her handmaid Hagar, yet God still called him His friend.

Scars are not meant to be a sign of weakness or shame but a sign of overcoming. Jesus has scars. When He appeared to the disciples in the upper room, He bore the scars of the cross. It was His sign of triumph over death and the grave and He has chosen to keep them.

When we get to heaven, we will be able to see those victorious scars for ourselves.

I​ want to be an encouragement to those who have scars in their life, scars that have caused them to hang their head in shame and given them a sense of little worth. Know this, God loves you! Please don't fall for our old adversary's lies. Remember that even though the wind played a part in the shape of the tree, it did not define its outcome. It was still living and serving a purpose and so can we. When we allow the truth of God's word to sink into our very soul, we will realize that He is the God of second chances. Remember the mother who was also an artist? Of all the trees she could have painted, she chose that one. Yes, we will always bear a scar from our past, but with God's help we can move forward and someday see the beauty in the struggle. Our story can also encourage someone else that their scar is not a bad thing but a reminder that they are an overcomer too.

Even though the wind played a part in the shape of the tree, it did not define its outcome. It was still living and serving a purpose and so can we.

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Gentleness is the foundation for a

woman's true beauty and is of great

worth in God's sight." Bethany Jett

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a Quarter too much small choices can have an eternal impact Several years ago, a new preacher moved to Houston. Some weeks after he arrived, he had occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area.

When he sat down, he discovered the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."

With a smile, the driver replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday."

When the preacher stepped off the bus, he quickly grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold Your Son for a quarter."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a sobering example of how much people watch us as Chrisitans and may put us to the test.

Always be on guard and remember that you carry the name of Christ with you when you call yourself a Christian.

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We are a faith-based 501(c)3 providing housing, treatment, and lifelong sustainment services for women and children victims of human trafficking.

The problem

Our solution

•

40+ Million People Trafficked

17-acre farm and campus for women survivors

•

$150 Billion Industry

with long-term housing, trauma therapy, healing

•

70% are Females

programs, education services, job preparation,

•

20% are Children

reintegration services, and lifelong support.

To learn how you can help visit www.rehope.org

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REHOPE, formerly known as Restoration House of Greater Kansas City, began its mission in 2015 as a response to the increasing epidemic of sex trafficking in the U.S. ​ The roots of prostitution and trafficking are often found in severe abuse, loss, and/or neglect. It is these traumatic experiences that make people vulnerable to being trafficked. As we receive these women and children coming out of these horrible situations, we view them as survivors, and we offer unconditional love and support without judgment.

Due to the deep-rooted trauma, REHOPE believes the healing and restoration process is a long-term endeavor. Therefore, we provide survivors with individual attention and focused programming that promotes sustainable healing and ongoing support. Only then can these survivors move confidently toward healthy, self-sustained, independent living. ​ In May 2015, we opened Restoration House of Greater Kansas City, the first 7-acre safe house for adult women survivors. In 2019, we expanded to 17 acres making us the largest residential program in the Midwest. In 2022 we rebranded the organization to REHOPE, which led us to rename our community REHOPE Farms. We provide trauma-informed counseling, life coaching, holistic wellness programs, job training, education, reintegration programs, therapeutic small animal programs, gardening, and spiritual development.

REHOPE Farms also partner with providers for medical and psychological needs. All services are provided free of charge. This includes alcohol and drug treatment programs, mental health services, spiritual and physical care, as well as prescriptions, dental care, and vision care…all in one place. After a survivor graduates from our long-term residential programs and services, they become part of our graduate network. This

network provides them life-long access to counseling, education opportunities, spiritual encouragement, and assistance.

Additionally, we saw that survivors were making great strides in their recovery but still had trouble getting a job due to arrest records or gaps in their resumes because they were living on the streets or in captivity.

We don’t want anything to hold them back, so we provide the support they need to complete their education, acquire marketable job skills, and have a path towards financial freedom. As a solution, we created REHOPE Market & Cafe, a social enterprise that provides jobs, professional skills training, therapeutic and creative outlets, and a reintegrated platform into the community. RH Market & Cafe is a coffee house that also sells survivor-made products.

Realizing that 50% of those sex trafficked in the US are minors, mostly the ages of 12-15, and only 600 beds available nationwide, we partnered with Missouri Baptist Children’s Home (MBCH) in November 2019 and opened REHOPE Youth. As the only organization that accepts boys in the Midwest, this campus provides trauma treatment, education, family reintegration, and advanced, trauma-informed foster/ adoptive services. RH Youth serves up to 7 minors (11-17 years of age) at a time. ​ As a leading advocate for education, REHOPE University, the Center of Excellence in Counter Human Trafficking, brings together a centralized network of professionals from legal, medical, psychological, prevention, social services, business, law enforcement, judicial, and legislative arenas. RH University also provides training for other facilities to be successful as well as leadership development for survivors.

REHOPE is on a mission to double our adult bed capacity from 18 to 35 in 2023, and double our capacity for girls and boys from 7 to 14 in 2023.

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Even in the midst of pain God’s purpose is greater

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Reminders for Mom

by Charity Berkey

Sometimes it is not easy being a mom. The kids seem to always be around, the demand for food never diminishes, and where do all those dirty clothes really come from?!

There are times when we wonder if we are doing enough or even doing it right. In those moments it helps to have someone come along beside you and remind you what really matters and that it is all worth it in the end.

Charity shares a couple of helpful reminders to keep us going and even the lessons our children can teach us about our own relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Charity is the founder of EFW, Encouragement for Women, has a passion to provide daily biblical encouragement and resources for women around the globe. Learn more about this amazing ministry by visiting www.encouragementforwomen.com

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“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Galatians 6:9

laundry, breakup childish arguments, kiss ouchies, post encouraging thoughts from God’s Word...I’ll be doing my normal everyday, mundane routine.

But when we allow Him, Jesus joins us in the mundane.

Today I will workout, study the Bible, pray, homeschool my kids, wash dirty dishes, put away clean

This does not mean I’m sticking my head in the sand, ignoring legitimate issues our nation and the

What Will You Do Today?

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It means that I don’t ever have to wonder what to do, I know I can always just do the next right thing.

Knowing that the next right thing is part of building His Kingdom and holds eternal value.

Instead of allowing bitterness to breed, anger to infil-

trate or depression to overcome me, I can do something profitable for God’s kingdom by doing the next right thing. Something as small as reading to my son, playing dress up with my daughter or praying with all of them before bed, all of this can and should be Kingdom work.

The Kingdom of Heaven is grown through the daily mundane tasks of life, shining Jesus to those who are closest to you.

But when we allow Him, Jesus joins us in the mundane.

88 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 Growing pains Being woken up in the middle of the night by a sobbing toddler deliriously crying is an all too common occurrence for many parents of fast growing kids.

Growing pains is often the culprit. Just tonight, a little after midnight, my 6 year old, hard playing boy experienced exactly that.

I know what he needs, he knows what he needs and yet he chooses to wallow in his pain and misery. Other times the pain is so bad that he comes in begging for a potassium vitamin right then and there. He knows what he needs and he’s begging to get it. Those nights are so much easier for the both of us.

Often in our frail human bodies we hurt, not only He came to me because he knew I could help him. He physically, but emotionally and spiritually. Our huhas experienced pain like this before and normally he man nature desires that we fix the problem by wallowwill crawl into my bed while I grab a potassium vitaing in our pain, yet there is no fix, the pain cannot be min and some essential oils. I’ll wake him, through subsided, the healing never happens. We can even put his sobs, just enough to swallow the pill and drink the hurt on repeat in our own minds and play it over the water. Depending on how willing he is to take the and over again, a way of self torture. vitamin and water, the pain will subside and he will be resting peacefully.

Yet, Jesus is constant. He’s there waiting to help, waiting to assist, waiting for us to recognize that He Sometimes he’s so wrapped up in the pain that he truly is all we need. He has the ability to allow you to refuses to swallow the vitamin that is resting on his experience the pain with purpose, to fix the problem, tongue.

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to heal and mend our hearts.

Just as I allow my little Lincoln to crawl into bed with me as he sobs uncontrollably, God allows us to rest in His presence and cry out to Him in our pain and agony.

Unlike any human parent, He truly is all we need. Do you have pain you’d like to rid yourself of? He desires to help you through the process. There is no promise of complete healing until Heaven, but there is promise that He will be with you through the storms, He

will comfort during your times of trials and if you allow Him, He will turn this entire trial into something beautiful.

Today I’m not asking you to stop hurting.! Your experience is real, your pain is deep.

Today I challenge you to take that pain to Jesus, drop it at His feet and ask Him to do a work like no other.

Remove the pressure of taking care of the pain yourself and release the responsibility to Jesus and watch Him work a miracle out of your misery.

God allows us to rest in His presence and cry out to Him in our pain and agony.

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A mother, living well in her God-ordained role, is of great beauty and inestimable value to the future history of any generation.

Sally Clarkson

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For the children

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The magnificent light of Jesus can spark joy, hope, and peace in our neighborhoods, communities, and our entire world. In This Little Light of Mine, kids will follow along with this fun story inspired by the popular children song as they watch how one heart for Jesus can spread from house to house, igniting and shining God's love everywhere it goes. Little ones will enjoy lifting flaps on each page to find hidden lights as well as unfolding the final spread to find an eye-popping surprise ending. And all along, little hearts will take in the importance of their role as light-bearers in the world around them. - Book description * book not pictured.

For the young girls The Cinderella Rule seeks to emphasize the fact that women were made to be pursued and men to pursue them, not the other way around. Our modern culture has made it normal for a girl to ask a guy out but in a fun yet firm way, Bethany reminds girls about why this is not a good idea. She also takes the time to address several other topics such as why our clothing matters, why boundaries are necessary, and above all, the importance of your relationship with God. ~ a reader

For you Hospitality is something that has become almost foreign to believers yet Jen makes a wonderful case as to why it really matters and the great impact it can have on the next generation. She shares mutliple testimonies from her own life of how one invitation had a ripple effect. ~a reader

For inspiration One ultrasound changed her life. She moved from the prochoice movement to the pro-life. This was the moment that began Abby Johnson's move into the main stream media but in her book you will learn more about how she got there and what she desires to do now. ~a reader

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5 Steps to Goal Setting God's Way

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Goal setting is something we often hear in our lives.

From health goals to career goals, fitness goals and personal development. While goal setting is important, I believe it's even more important that we ensure we are keeping God at the center of all we do including our goals.

When setting new goals, it's important to ensure we are bringing ourselves back to God. No goal can be truly complete without God in our plans.

In fact, none of our plans are truly ours. With that in mind, I want to share how you can create faith-fueled goals.

1. Seek God Above All Else - First and foremost, we should put God at the center of all we plan and do.

When setting goals, think about how your goals start with God or why God would want you to achieve this goal. Pray and ask Him to show you the goals He wants you to set. Too often, we make our own goals and ask God to bless them rather than asking Him to give us clarity on the goals He has for us. It's also important to ask God to block any goal that is not aligned with His will for your life.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

96 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 2. Ask God For Help - We aren't meant to stumble through life or tackle it on our own. Strength is mentioned 360 times in the Bible and for good reason. No matter how strong we think we are the reality is we need God because our flesh is weak and it's easy to get caught up in worldly agendas and messages.

The strength we have is not our own, it ultimately comes from God. Go to Him in prayer and ask Him to guide your path and help you stay committed to your goals.

Matthew 19:26 “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

3. Put In The Work - Yes we are called to rely on God and seek His help but we also must be willing to put in the work. Many Christians fall into the trap of inactivity. Many ask God for help and then sit around waiting for God to deliver the results. If you are praying for God to help you lose weight but aren't

taking an active role in eating healthier and exercising it's highly unlikely you will wake up one morning with a transformed body. Asking God for help doesn't remove our responsibility.

Proverbs 14:23 "In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury."

4. Be Diligent About Your Goal Setting - If we want abundance we have to be diligent. Diligence means having or showing care in one's work or duties. Don't be too hasty or quick to set your goals and intentions.

Take your time to think and pray about how God can use you to make an impact.

Proverbs 21:5 "The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want."

5. Transform and Renew Your Mindset - This is where I believe most struggle and fail at reaching their goals.

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For example, choosing progress over perfection, viewing food as nourishment instead of hopping around from one fad diet to the next, celebrating what our bodies can do vs. what it can't, seeing a healthier lifestyle as a lifelong commitment and not false expectations of immediate gratification.

Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." I pray you will think deeply on this and these scriptures so you can not only set goals God's way but also achieve them!

The online Christian fitness community What we believe: Physical and spiritual health are not separate, they are both very important!

Why we exist: Here at Faithful Workouts, you can live with strength, energy, joy, peace & purpose, all while getting a great workout in.

Learn more at www.faithfulworkouts.com

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A moment in Psalms Psalm 150 is the closing psalm and is packed with praise, in fact the word “praise” is mentioned 13 times. But mixed with all of the notes of praise we find a pattern, a guide for where, why, and how to give praise to our God. Verse one says to “praise God in his sanctuary.” The word, “sanctuary” means a sacred place, one that is most holy. This is often associated with church but what about our hearts? This is a sacred place, the innermost part of who we are and should it not belong to God since He is the One who fashioned it with His own hand? Our hearts were created with a need for Him and it should be the place where praise to Him springs forth.

In verse two we read the reasons why He is to be praised. “Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.” The phrase “mighty acts” refers to His power and strength and “greatness” means greatness of greatness, it can never be done by anyone else. These two reasons are sufficient on their own for praising the Lord. There is no one like our God, what He has done and continues to do can never be done by anyone else. He is worthy of all our praise.

Verses three through five provide us with examples of how we can praise the Lord.

“Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.”

“Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.”

“Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.”

Music is a wonderful way we can utter our praise to the Lord and it is not limited to instruments but we can also sing. As we go about our day we can sing hymns out loud. As we drive in our car we can play music that testifies of His goodness and greatness. It should be a part of each day. There will come a time when we will leave this fallen world behind and dwell in the very presence of our Savior. Revelation tells us that we will worship and praise Him so it makes sense that we begin practicing here on earth.

A passion for prayer

by Ruth Bumgardner

I believe that it is through prayer that God desires

to work His will in and through our lives. We ought to bathe the essential areas of Bible reading and service to God in prayer, looking to the Holy Spirit to teach us and work through us. Hebrews 4:14-16 gives us strong encouragement to come boldly to God’s throne in prayer. We can do so because of our great high priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As believers, we have full access to God the Father through and because of His Son and such a mighty privilege for believers cannot be overestimated.

My desire is to share with you my passion for using this prayer notebook system. The Prayer Notebook was developed over a period of years, stemming from a desire in my heart to live a life that honored God, but realizing I did not have the ability to do that.

Even in prayer I seemed to fall short. Now that I look back I realize that’s exactly where God wanted me to be.

left: me with my table at a retreat I attended.

His word says: I am to abide.“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

John 15:4-5 He is my sufficiency. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.” 2 Cor 3:5 As I meditated on those truths, I came to the realization that, yes, I needed to pray, but it had to begin with praying about my praying. In doing that I came to two key insights that God used to bring about tremendous changes in my prayer life.

The first insight was:

102 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 The GLORY of GOD: Learning from God’s Word what His goal is through my praying.

“The glory of God, not the needs of men, is the highest purpose of answered prayer.” – Warren Wiersbe Man’s way: • To set out to “do for God…” • Those “emergency” prayers • Asking God for help and then giving Him an agenda to follow and a time limit.

God’s way: • He uses the weak things: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; …

That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 • His ways are higher than ours: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your

ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 God has taught me the importance of basing my prayers on His Word.

For example, I recently read in Psalm 138:3, “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.”

I might pray for myself or for another, “Lord … please strengthen me physically, mentally and emotionally, but mostly please strengthen me with strength in my soul.”

The second insight was: The VALUE of ORDER: Seeking God’s power to develop an organized method that encourages consistency and focus.

I am not a naturally organized person. Psalm 139

Instead of random prayers or prayers simply based on feelings, God wants us to pray prayers grounded in Scripture.

Spring 2023 | Sit still my daughter 103 teaches me that is the way God created me. He answered the desire I had to be organized by showing me the value of order and then orchestrated things in my life to train and teach me—in a way that I could understand. The Lord helped me to remember that the PURPOSE of wanting an orderly prayer life was so that I could pray more effectively.

God tells us in his word: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…”

Joshua 1:8 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalm 1:2 Instead of random prayers or prayers simply based on feelings, God wants us to pray prayers grounded in Scripture. If you’re like me, you want to do that, but you also easily get distracted. Or perhaps you shy

away from Scripture memorization, thinking you can’t memorize that well. That’s where prayer comes in. Below is a copy of the weekly Scripture memory prayer list that comes in the Prayer Notebook.

SCRIPTURE MEMORY S ~ Show me the wisdom of memorizing Scripture M ~Teach me the value of memorizing Scripture T ~ Give me both a desire and motivation to memorize Scripture W ~ Lead me to a Scripture memory accountability partner T ~ Grant me the ability to memorize Scripture F ~ Give me grace to memorize Scripture S ~ Teach me to internalize Scripture through meditation Again, it’s a work of God. He tells us to read and meditate on His Word, then leads us to pray—and He

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We know that we can and should pray.

I want to help you do that.

left: working in my studio. below: assembling the notebooks. right: some of the various colors and an example of the inside.

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ing the majority of my prayer time solely focused on “emergency prayers.”

We know that we can and should pray. I want to help you do that. My life of prayer and coming to those two insights have brought tremendous results to me personally. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit guiding our understanding of the Scripture, we can learn how to glorify God in our praying. And God, the master teacher, knows exactly how to teach us.

There are many important prayers throughout Scripture that can and should direct our own praying, especially those prayed by David, the apostle Paul, and our Lord Himself. Also, when we carefully read Scripture we become aware of many of our previously unrecognized needs. God is glorified when we ask and receive according to His will. Flowing from this primary desire to glorify God in prayer, I’ve realized that having an organized method for prayer encourages consistency and focus and keeps me from spend-

The purpose of this prayer notebook is to offer a tool for you to personalize as you ask the Lord to help you in the season of life you are currently in. I encourage each notebook to be begun by prayer. Pray about your praying. In the notebook you’ll find a sheet entitled “Pray about Your Praying” and that is the place to begin. Pray and trust that the Lord will guide your prayer life in such a way that He is glorified and that you are enabled to become and remain consistent and focused.

The Word of God is the food by which Prayer is nourished and made strong. ~ E M Bounds

Prayer Notebook website: www.ruthbumgardner.com

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Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith - Elisabeth elliot

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My husband and I are missionaries to Brazil and have been working to plant a church. We pray for God to send us people who are ready to hear the Gospel and for wisdom to know how to share His love. Recently, we had the privilege of leading a lady to Christ!

As a single missionary overseas, I am grateful for the Lord's constant protection. I have been driving a SUV I bought several weeks ago, and have already had unexpected mechanical issues fixed, taken it through soem of the worst traffic in the world, been stopped by a corrupt policeman, and have used it as a bus for VBS. Through it all I have seen God's hand over every situation.

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I t began with prayer

by Caryn Swart Growing up in a town of only 3,500 people can be nice, but when you’re a teenager it can also be boring, and boredom can lead to risky behavior. My family didn’t raise me in the church, and we didn’t talk about God or Jesus. I would attend church with my best friend’s family only when I stayed the night at her house on Saturdays (that was the deal). I don’t remember what the pastor preached or even if we sang out of the hymn books but I do remember how every Sunday, Pastor Cagle and his wife Nancy would greet me by name. Eventually, other things took the place of Saturday night sleepovers that bled into Sunday morning, and I found myself so far from Christ.

I began drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes when I was only thirteen years old which eventually led to smoking marijuana. My friends got caught a few times, but I always seemed to stay out of trouble. Being a high school graduate and 100 miles away from home, I soon found myself a college dropout and jumping from relationship to relation-

112 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 ship seeking acceptance. Each breakup was worse than the last and I ended up with a verbally and physically abusive boyfriend for almost two years. I would get to my wit's end and leave but inevitably find myself back with him, once he apologized, but things never changed. I eventually became so alienated that I lost my closest friends and I lied constantly to my family that everything was okay.

My salvation story starts with prayer, even though I had no idea that I was praying. I would always sit in the bathtub and cry out in despair to be saved from the horrible relationship I had found myself in once again. I never addressed God directly, but I know that my heart was crying out for Him to rescue me. In the Spring of 2018, my heart started to soften to the Lord. It would be a long two years before I asked the Lord into my heart. Trying to find the missing piece took a long time but I would start to be convicted of my actions slowly over the course of those two years. I quit smoking cigarettes and began to turn down invitations from friends to go to the bar.

It wouldn’t be until I met my friend Aubrey that I started digging deeper into the Lord’s Word.

In the fall of 2019 she had gifted me with a Bible and I discovered that many stories I heard growing

I now know the importance of a right relationship with God and He will never leave me broken or beaten down.

Spring 2023 | Sit still my daughter 113 up were from Scripture, and I was astonished! Things started to make sense as I read about the history of creation. In the early spring of 2020 I began reading the Gospels and, as I read about Jesus and the suffering He endured that led to His crucifixion, I felt very small. Sin tends to do that to a person who finally recognizes how damaging it is.

It’s like I felt the weight of my sins for the first time, and it was almost unbearable. At that moment I realized just how wicked I was and that there was no way I would get to be in the Lord’s presence if I didn’t give Him my life. I remember lying in bed completely humiliated by the life I’ve lived for so long that I cried out to Him to forgive me and change my heart.

When I awoke it was like my eyes were opened to the Truth. I almost immediately quit cursing and started to seek His will for me.

A few months later, I received a text that read “God’s not dead” from Justin Swart. Mind you, Justin and I matched a year prior on a dating app but never met up. He shared his Amazon Prime password and asked me to watch the movie God’s Not Dead and let him know what I thought. We chatted for a bit after that but soon communication ceased (I’d sworn off men at this point). Justin didn’t give up though, he asked me on a date in June which I declined but we continued to text. Eventually, I agreed to meet up with him and we went on a hike and attended church together the next day. Justin asked me to be his girlfriend in July 2020 and we were married in June 2022.

Justin is an integral part of my salvation story; he constantly pushes me to pursue the Lord with all my heart. God was working in our lives all along; Justin experienced a spiritual awakening just a few months before mine.

The Lord has a plan, and He will work out everything to His glory in the end. I now know the importance of a right relationship with God and He will never leave me broken or beaten down.

Would you like to trust Jesus Christ today?

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” ~Ephesians 2:8-9

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” ~Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 6:23

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ~Romans 5:8

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” ~Romans 10:9-10

left: Justin and I enjoying the wonderful life God has given us!

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The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman. Elisabeth Elliot

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JAMES METHOD of Bible study Reference Verse Write the definition of the highlighted words.

Write the verse in your preferred translation and highlight words that stand out or need further explanation.

translations

Match the color of the highlighted word to the definition.

Use research tools to dig deeper into the meaning.

Verse Context

Pick two different

Who: Who wrote it?

translations of the same

When: When was it written

verse and write it out.

Where: What location?

Find the different keywords

Why: What is the purpose?

from the highlighted words

Who was the author

above. Underline and write

speaking to and what

how the definitions of each

context?

differ in meaning.

Definition one

Definition two

Definition three (or more)

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M A R C H

R E A D I N G

P L A N

growing in the Lord 1 AND 2PETER

journaling prompts Before you begin to read the Scripture, ask God to highlight what he would like you to learn from His word.

Ask, how can I give praise to God for his truth and word?

How does the Scripture relate to your life right now? How can you apply the lessons to your life?

March 1-4 | 1 Peter 1-2 Praise to God for a Living Hope, Food for Christians March 5-11 | 1 Peter 3-4 Teaching for Married Christians, Teaching for Married Christians March 12-18 | 1 Peter 5 Speak to the Church Leaders March 19-25 | 2 Peter 1 Christians Are to Grow March 26-31 | 2 Peter 2-3 Watch for False Teachers, Watch for False Teachers

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." ~1 Peter 2:5 KJV READING FOR PETER, GROWING IN THE LORD WWW.SITSTILLMYDAUGHTER.COM

118 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 A P R I L

R E A D I N G

P L A N

WOMEN OF THE

gospel & the resurrection "[16] Jesus saith unto her, Mary.

She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

[17] Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." ~John 20:16-17

journaling prompts What delights your heart as you read the stories of these women who were with Jesus? Do you notice any symbols in the passages? If so, what are they? What colors represent the resurrection story? What do you want to remember most about these women of the Bible?

April 1-8 | The Resurrection Story Matthew 28:1-10 Mark 16:1-8 Luke 24:1-12 John 20:1-18 April 9-15 Joanna (wife of Chuza): Luke 8:3, 24:10 Mary Magdalene: Luke 8:2, 24:10; Mark 16:1, 16:9; Matt. 27:57, 27:61; 28:1, 15:40, 15:47; John 19:25, 20:1, 20:18 April 16-22 Mary (mother of Jesus, widow of Joseph of Nazareth): John 7:5, 19:25-27; Matt. 13:57, 13:55; Mark 3:21, 3:31, 6:2-4; Acts 1:14; 1 Cor. 9:4-5; Gal. 1:19 Mary (mother of James and Joses/Joseph): Matt. 27:61; 27:56; Mark 15:40, 47 April 23-30 Salome (mother of James and John): Mark 15:40, 16:1 Woman of Samaria at the Well: John 4:5-30

READING FOR WOMEN OF THE GOSPEL & THE RESURRECTION WWW.SITSTILLMYDAUGHTER.COM

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M A Y - J U N E

R E A D I N G

P L A N

comfort and hope

BOOK OF ISIAH

May 1-6 | Isaiah 1-7 The Sinful Nation of Judah–Isaiah Is Sent to King Ahaz

June 4-10 | Isaiah 36-42 Assyria Takes Cities of Judah–Assyria Takes Cities of Judah

May 7-13 | Isaiah 8-14 Assyria Will Take the Land–LovingPity on Jacob

June 11-17 | Isaiah 43-50 God Promises to Save Israel–Israel’s Hope

May 14-20 | Isaiah 15-21 God Will Destroy Moab–Babylon to Be Destroyed

June 18-24 | Isaiah 51-58 Comfort for Zion–Going without Food Pleases God

May 21-27 | Isaiah 22-28 Word about Jerusalem–Word about Jerusalem

June 25-July 1 | Isaiah 59-66 Going without Food Pleases God– The Lord Judges

May 28-31, June 1-3 | Isaiah 29-35 Trouble for Jerusalem–The Future Greatness of Zion

journaling prompts

" But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." ~Isaiah 40:31 KJV

What emotions do you feel as you read the story of Isaiah? What lessons do you takeaway from the Scripture? What is the Book telling me about God? READING FOR ISAIAH, COMFORT AND HOPE WWW.SITSTILLMYDAUGHTER.COM

The times of dust in our lives, their gray purposelessness, may well be God's building blocks. Elisabeth Elliot

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I know God best when I have to cling to Him.

Shelly Garlock Hamilton

124 Sit still my daughter | Spring 2023 CULTIVATE A FAITH-FILLED LIFE THROUGH CHRIST

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