NOW IS THE TIME TO GO : LOCAL SALEM GIRL STEPS UP AND STEPS OUT
RETHINKING GOD IN TODAY’S CULTURE. SEPT/OCT 2009 // FREE
An interview with Becca Wells, the founder and brains behind an all new podcast that’s all things girl
the spoken word
by Renee’ Marie LaRochelle Oviatt
What is known about the power of the spoken word? The words that we speak out loud or the words that are silently kept in our heads are very powerful. The moment you speak something, you give birth to it. Words are similar to seeds as they are planted in our subconscious minds. They take root, grow, and produce fruit of the same kind. Whether positive or negative words are spoken, we will reap exactly what we sow. That’s why we need to be extremely careful of what is thought and said. Blessings or curses can be spoken with just a few mere words. In James 3:4, the Bible compares the tongue to the rudder of a huge ship. Although the rudder is small, it controls the ship’s direction. Similar to how the tongue will control the direction of one’s life. An environment can be created for either good or evil with words, and you are going to live in the world you created. If you’re always complaining and talking about how bad life is treating you, you’re going to live in a pretty miserable world. However, God wants us to use our words to change our negative situations. Some people are trying to live in blessings of the Lord while still talking like the devil. We must not make that mistake. We will not see positive results in our daily lives if we speak negative things. We need to change our day to day thinking. If I had a head cold, and a friend noticed my coughing and runny nose they might say, “Oh my you sound sick! You look terrible!” I think our normal response might be, “Yeah, I feel terrible,” or “Yeah, I just want to crawl under a rock!” But what if we said something else like, “I don’t feel very good, but I am asking God to heal me. “ (That kind of changes our attitude a little). That allows the Holy Spirit to heal us. To say things like, “Nothing good ever happens to me,” will literally prevent you from moving ahead in life. That’s why you must learn to guard your tongue and speak only faith-filled words over your life. Mark 11:23-24 says, “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
4_RETHINK WOMEN
The Bible clearly tells us to speak to our mountains! Maybe your mountain is a sickness, or a troubled relationship, or a business deal. Usually when we have mountains in our lives we talk about them, but God‘s word tells us to talk TO them. Whatever your mountain is, you must do more than think about it, more than pray about it. You must speak to that obstacle. So what do we say to our mountains? What we say must line up with the Word of God. We speak about God’s will and His Word. In Luke 4, when Jesus was being tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He answered every trial with the Word of God. He said repeatedly, “IT IS WRITTEN,” and quoted Scriptures that met the devil head on, even though Satan came back at him with Scriptures. (Yes the devil knows the Bible!!!) What do you do when you NEED the words? Ask God to give them to you. Speak in the spirit. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it.” Think about the words that come out of our mouths. They can bring blessing or destruction, not only in our lives but also in the lives of others. Understanding negative talk is not enough. When you believe God’s Word and begin to boldly confess it with your mouth, mixing it with your faith, you are actually confirming that truth and making it valid in your life. God has great things in store for us. He wants to bless us. He wants us to declare those blessings. Proverbs 12:18 says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Whether we realize it or not, our words affect our children’s future for good or evil. We need to speak loving words of approval and acceptance, words that encourage, inspire, and motivate our family members. When we do that, we speak blessings into their lives. Too often we are harsh and fault finding with our children. Our negative words will cause our children to lose the sense of value God has placed within them, and can allow the enemy to bring all kinds of insecurity
into their lives. What are you passing down to the next generation? A Blessing is not a blessing until it is spoken. Your children need to hear you say such words as “I love you. I believe in you. I think you are great. I know you can do it. You are smart. You are incredible. I’m so proud of you.” They need to hear your approval. They need to feel your love. They need your blessing. We talk about being God’s hands and feet…. We are also God’s mouthpiece (mouth peace). Now knowing God’s word, I am learning to declare the Word of God!! Instead of saying, “I can’t believe God or anyone else could love a sinner like me,” I read 2 Corinthians 5:17, and instead declare “I AM A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST: OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY, BEHOLD ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW.” Instead of complaining about all the things that are going wrong in my life, I can declare the Word of God in Eph 4:27. It says, “I will not give the devil a foothold in my life. I resist the devil and he has to flee.” When I think about the abusive people in my past and dwell on that darkness, I can read 1John 2: 11 that says, “I do not hate or walk in unforgiveness.” “I cast all of my cares on the Lord for He cares for me.” (1Peter 5:7) Joel 3:10, “Let the weak say I AM STRONG!” Start positively talking to yourself as being healed, happy, whole, blessed, and prosperous. Stop talking about how big your mountains are and start telling your mountains how big your God is! Renee’ grew up in Germany, Japan, and various states in the USA. Renee’ is a recient graduate of Ministry Training Institute and is a key volunteer for the Salem Dream Center. Renee’ lives in West Salem with her husband Craig, her daughter Courtney, Bella (the Beagle) and Thunderbolt (the turtle). She has a son, Justin, three stepchildren, Amanda, Chris and Melissa, and one granddaughter, Natalie.
i heart dream center It all began with an idea, a passion, and a simple drawing. Have you ever wondered what could truly happen when God’s children join their hearts, gifts, and passions together? Not only that, but also with a sole purpose of blessing others while expecting nothing in return? I believe I was honored to catch a glimpse what that would look like, this weekend at Salem Dream Center. Every Saturday morning, a group of volunteers walk a few blocks to a low-income apartment complex that we have “adopted”. We round up the ready, waiting, and giggling kids to take them to Walker Middle School. We then proceed to play games, make crafts, eat snacks, and provide a safe and loving environment for them. Every week it’s an adventure to say the least. This Saturday seemed no different then the last few Saturdays. But this time, we had a surprise for the kids. Rethink Monthly offered to partner with us, along with the community, to provide 140 custom T-shirts for the kids. They were able to use artwork that had been “face painted” on a little girl’s arm that said “I Heart Dream Center”. Little did we know the blessing that image would become. Today was the day the kids were waiting for. The shirts had finally arrived. What followed this were precious moments I hope to never forget. The first thing every child did was put it on. Immediately. And every single little face that popped out of the shirt was covered with some of the most precious smiles I have ever seen. I began to think. What was it about a T-shirt that could bring that sort of joy? What was the real reason for that smile? As I began to look around I saw white “I HEART DREAM CENTER” shirts absolutely everywhere, it dawned on me. I believe the kids realized that the t-shirts symbolized something bigger then just “something to wear”. It symbolized someone cared for them. Someone gave them a gift. Someone they maybe have never met, loved them enough to bless them. All of a sudden they were not alone as they looked around. They were included, accepted, and had a place to belong. Together. It wasn’t just about a t-shirt anymore. It was about what those T-shirts represented. And what they represented was that they were ALL valued and wanted. What a gift to give a child. To you and I, it may just be a shirt. But every precious smile we witnessed today said so much more. Thank you to every single person who selflessly gave their time, resources, and gifts into blessing these precious kids. We couldn’t have done it without you. Visit the them online at www.facebook.com/SalemDreamCenter. Story and photo by Lindsay Blackman
Recently we sat down with Becca Wells, the founder and brains behind an all new podcast that’s all things girl. She’s a little wild and crazy, but we like her because she makes you think.
6_RETHINK WOMEN
RETHINK MONTHLY: Take us back a few years and tell how your journey with Christ began. BECCA WELLS: I can’t complain about growing up. I am the middle of three girls born to loving, Christian parents. I have a slight recollection of accepting Christ as my Savior when I was four. I was a good kid. I knew the right answers. I knew that God loved me and I loved Him. Was I seeking, hungry, growing? Not until the summer before my senior year in high school. I went on a mission trip with Royal Servants. For three months we traveled in Europe performing a drama and evangelizing to perfect strangers. I couldn’t fake what I believed for that long. Louie, my leader, pulled me aside one evening and we had a very engaging conversation. He asked me if I were to die tonight and God was standing there asking why He should let me into Heaven, what would I say? That did it. I truly didn’t know. Instantly I was in tears and thus began my journey with Christ. Yeah, He seems to be good at capturing our hearts. So tell me, how did the crazy idea for ChickChat come about anyway? It was always my intent to be a stay-at-home mom when I had kids. I worked up until the day before I had Melia. Suddenly, I was home alone with this amazing little baby who ate, cried, and pooped a lot. I realized then and there what a relational being I am. I love connecting and interacting with other people. I was almost completely house-bound those first few months tending to this little human and I was struggling. I felt so alone. My poor husband probably wondered what happened to his wife. Nobody knew exactly how I felt.
What motivates you to start something real (and candid) like this ministry? Jesus Christ’s love. My two little baby chicks here at home inspire and motivate me too. I want them to see themselves as Jesus sees them and live big for Him. I really desire this for all chicks. You’ve felt a call to minister to women and teen girls for quite some time. Is that passion the driving force behind this new ministry? Absolutely. This ministry is by chicks for chicks. I am so energized by fellow women talking about what they know and their experience in life. ChickChat is something positive that challenges and offers hope all the while interacting on very relatable ground. It is very exciting to me and I’m extremely passionate about our mission. There was a point for me where I knew this was something I had to do. Back when I was a youth pastor and before the dream of ChickChat had hit, a girl had written me a letter. She had gone through a hard time in her life and had dealt with an addiction. She felt led to tell me about her tough journey, and how she was dealing with this pain in her life. Fast forward to about a year ago, I came across this letter that I didn’t realize I had kept. I was blown away because in this letter my friend specifically said she felt called to tell other girls about her experience but didn’t know how. That was it. I realized it wasn’t about me. It’s always been about God. He was inviting me to be a part of this opportunity. I knew this was something that I had to pursue. I guess we’d call you adventurous. Working with teenagers can be pretty crazy. Is that the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Nobody could walk my road for me. It was my journey to figure out. I remember thinking “I wonder how many other women could be experiencing this type of intense loneliness in their lives?” With my heart for young ladies and my empathetic situation, I believe was the perfect recipe for Christ to give me this vision. I didn’t know how, where, or who else…but the dream was alive.
I’d have to say that marriage was the craziest thing I’ve ever done! NO, I’m Just kidding! Adventurously speaking, I quit my job once and backpacked across Europe for four months. I ended up staying at L’Abri Fellowship in Switzerland for a bit. Fabulous – I highly recommend that place.
And how did you take this dream and make it a reality?
We promise we won’t show this interview to your husband! So, is this targeted to teenage girls or is there a specific age range of women you’re trying to reach?
Let me remind you that Melia was a newborn when this idea first hit and she is now four years old. It’s been a process. I’ve gone through a lot of self doubt, soul searching, praying, and dreaming what this ministry would look like. I had worked with Erik (Williams) in the past and I knew if anyone could help me pull off this idea, it was him. We began meeting periodically where we brainstormed and planned what this ministry would look like. We went forward with it and started recording a few sessions. Bex (Mann) is a friend that helped record our first session of ChickChat. The three of us…it was such a great dynamic. We asked her to join the team and thus a wonderful partnership emerged.
Not necessarily. To me all women are chicks, girls at heart. We’re going to focus on a quality, fun, insightful podcast and let chicks decide if it’s for them or not. How do you see ChickChat evolving over the next couple of years? I have been so focused and determined on getting ChickChat up and going. It has been fun and my dreams are expanding for the future of this ministry. I do have some big dreams in mind. But for now, I want to focus on making this current program sharp where women can relate and connect.
Talk more about the mission of ChickChat. What is it? Why is it? Ok, lastly, give us five words that describe yourself. ChickChat is a website ministry where you’ll find thirty minute podcasts on topics that have to do with women. Our tag line is “An open and honest discussion all things girl.” Really, no topic is off limits. Most podcasts you’ll find the ChickChat team interviewing guest speakers who share with us on a certain topic. For example, we may bring in a doctor, an esthetician, or dietician to talk about personal wellness and how to feel our absolute best when it comes to health and skin. We also interview every-day women who have wisdom to share. Maybe they themselves have been through a difficult time and want to encourage others who face similar situations. The sky’s the limit… Another cool feature is that the listener will be able to email us questions, comments, suggestions for future podcasts that they are interested in or concerned about. The mission of ChickChat is simple: explore, expand, and equip. Explore what’s out there. Like new experiences, friendships, people, and questions. Expand ways of thinking in regards to perspective, choices, comfort zones, relationships with people, and faith in God. The ultimate goal being to equip yourself with knowledge. My hope is to encourage and empower all women.
Honest, friendly, loyal, hard-working, & responsible. Oh – that sounds boring. Let me try that again. Crazy, wild, out-of-the-box, funny, & loud. I like those five words better. Becca Wells is a thirty year old, mother of two girls - Melia (4) and Kylie (1) - who has been married to the same, wonderful guy (Josh) for almost six years. She graduated from Seattle Pacific University where she majored in Educational Ministries and obtained a teaching degree in elementary education. Her last job, before motherhood, was an assistant middle school pastor at a local church in Salem, Ore. She has always been a very relational person and enjoys getting to know people and finding out what they’re all about. She loves to do anything active, especially when it involves outdoors. Often times Becca feel very normal but wants to live extraordinarily. You can find out more about Becca and the ChickChat team by visiting their website at www.chickchatpodcast.com.
RETHINKWOMEN.NET_7
8_RETHINK WOMEN
“I had this “revelation moment” and I heard this inner prompting seem to say specifically “Now is the time to go, I have different and better plans for you.”
RETHINKWOMEN.NET_9
Almost daily, a young white woman walks through the streets of a South Africa shantytown that is still hurting and divided after the oppressive former “Apartheid” government. Young children with crusty noses and mouths run up to grab her hand, barely dodging a honking taxi. She passes by large, humming South African mamas standing over open grills, cooking animal entrails and sheep’s heads, surrounded by mangy, rib protruding dogs, hoping for just a morsel of meat to fall to the ground. Hip Hop music vibrates out of the local “Shabeen” as the thumping base notes seem to resonate through her chest as she avoids with a smile the beer inspired men on the streets, hoping to lure her over for a suggestive conversation. As her pedestrian trek continues past drafty tin roofed shacks, she passes a seated Sangoma, (sacred woman) who brings empty promises to this poor township of cures for HIV, broken hearts and the usually empty pockets of the tribal Xhosa people of Masiphumelele. The Sangoma will employ charms and chants designed to summon up the help and power of long dead tribal ancestors. Bethany O’Connor keeps walking and smiling and waving to friends and acquaintances, but this 27 year old American
woman, who seems maybe a bit out of place, projects a different kind of presence and power as she moves through this poor township that has captured her heart. O’Connor’s mission is to bring healing and hope through extending what she believes is the most powerful force on the face of the earth --- The tender kindness and unconditional love of a living God. As her pedestrian trek continues past drafty tin roofed shacks, she passes a seated Sangoma, (sacred woman) who brings empty promises to this poor township of cures for HIV, broken hearts and the usually empty pockets of the tribal Xhosa people of Masiphumelele. The Sangoma will employ charms and chants designed to summon up the help and power of long dead tribal ancestors. Bethany O’Connor keeps walking and smiling and waving to friends and acquaintances, but this 27 year old American woman, who seems maybe a bit out of place, projects a different kind of presence and power as she moves through this poor township that has captured her heart. O’Connor’s mission is to bring healing and hope through extending what she believes is the most powerful force on the face of the earth --- The tender kindness and unconditional love of a living God.
10_RETHINK WOMEN
If you had told O’Connor just a couple years before that she would be strolling through an infamous black township where many local white people would tremble to find themselves, she too would have laughed in your face. Originally from Salem, Oregon (Sprague High School 2000), and a 2004 Social Work graduate of Oral Roberts University (Masters Degree from University of Oklahoma), she was first introduced to the rich and complicated culture of South Africa through a business and community development trip with her father in mid 2007. Her father, Joe O’Connor and a non profit foundation he runs (www. csdcouncil.org) has been involved in designing & advocating for new Christian based community enrichment centers in poverty stricken neighborhoods. Little did Bethany know that this fun, father-daughter bonding trip overseas would play a pivotal role that would change the course and direction of her life. “During that trip, Capetown struck me as a complicated, beautiful and yet sad place where I could for sure see my self living and working some day in the distant future.” O’Connor continues, “But my vision and goals at the time were pretty focused and I felt obligated to get back to Portland, Oregon and further my Social Work
career in a fulfilling and good paying job.” But God seemed to have another timetable. After 3 months of excellent and encouraging job interviews, O’Connor started to wonder if maybe God had different plans for her immediate future. O’Connor remembers, “On the drive home from one interview, I had this “revelation moment” and I heard this inner prompting seem to say specifically “Now is the time to go, I have different & better plans for you.” O’Connor found herself pondering the meaning of this inner voice as she found her mind wandering to the poverty, squalor and large beaming smiles of the people in the slum townships around Capetown. In a surprisingly quick staccato of events, O’Connor found herself making some critical life changing decisions. Within weeks she was selling her car, storing her possessions, researching airfare and housing and launching headlong into an orientation course with a creative outside the box ministry founded by Floyd McClung, the legendary leader and pioneer of the large YWAM ministry in the infamous Amsterdam red light district. During this training course in Capetown, called CPX (Church Planting Experience) O’Connor was encouraged and counseled by
McClung to dream big and find the cultural keys that can touch the hearts and needs of people living in fear and repression, especially in poverty stricken areas. “Masiphumelele” is the name of the informal settlement where O’Connor works. Also known as “Site 5” by the former apartheid government, “Masi” was one of many squatters villages that sprung up in the 60’s and 70’s under the white dominated governing party as a “solution” to try and limit the mixing of different races. At that time, it was not unusual to see forcibly evicted families and their belongings loaded in trucks and literally dumped on the barren ground on the outskirts of the populated areas. Masi developed as a squatters camp during this same era, and even today hosts many refugees, living in sparse and drafty shacks, who have come to South Africa from other African nations, seeking a better life. It has only been 14 years since apartheid has ended. O’Connor says she can still sometimes detect the wounded and rejected spirit reflected in people’s eyes when she, a white person, engages them in conversation. There is also a palpable tension between black people of tribal
origin and the mixed race “coloured” people that further creates cultural complications. In the midst of this rich and cultural dynamic, O’Connor moves about on her daily mission to bring hope and practical tangible services to families, abandoned mothers and vulnerable children. In her early days working in Masi, O’Connor encountered a white South African woman, Michelle Pughe-Parry, who also reflected a passion and concern for at risk mothers and the secret shame of baby dumping. Together they teamed up to research and address the causative issues head on. O’Connor’s heart was both outraged and pierced at the thought of a mother being so desperate for food, shelter and basic survival needs that she would literally throw her baby away in the garbage. O’Connor’s research and resulting community networking led her to create a remarkable solution known as “The Baby Safe” which has now become known throughout much of the Capetown region (population 2 million +). O’Connor says “If there is one thing I have become more and more convinced of, it is that God is a refuge to the oppressed and He loves to channel His love and hope to the brokenhearted, the fatherless and to the desperate. A scripture that O’Connor clings to that reflects
this is “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, defend the cause of the weak, advocate for the rights of the needy.” After 8 months of research, networking with government officials and involving other faith based poverty initiatives, The Baby Safe was launched as an official ministry/sub organization of McClung’s organization- All Nations of South Africa. The Baby Safe, installed at a church owned site within walking distance of Masi, is a simple engineering marvel consisting of a safe, tamper proof steel deposit door with a small weight sensitive shelf with a mattress inside. The technology, developed by a volunteer Christian engineer from Sweden, is wired and monitored to detect the presence of a baby by sensing the weight of .5 kilograms or more (about 1.2 lbs). O’Connor explains – “When the door is opened and a baby is placed inside, the sensors detect the weight and activate the system which simultaneously locks the door and sends out electronic messages to Baby Safe team volunteers who can literally respond within 3 to 4 minutes.” As important as offering the Baby Safe itself, a myriad of services and resources are now also offered to at risk young mothers (often
as young as 14 years old). Word of mouth and colorful posters that are plastered all over Masi and other nearby communities have gotten the word out about The Baby Safe. Word has also spread beyond Masi and O’Connor is now deluged with invitations from government groups, radio talk shows, hospital counseling staffs and other agencies that have opened doors for her to become involved in pre-natal counseling, pre-abortion counseling, job development, and identifying and intervening in vulnerable households. “I feel like the heart of Baby Safe is to connect with women, babies and children to offer life, hope and options”, says O’Connor. “I have been profoundly blessed as I have watched many women (on almost a weekly basis) cancel their scheduled abortions, explore the options of adoption, and many have received encouragement and other resources that actually empower them to choose to keep and raise their babies.” O’Connor has also been instrumental in helping to launch the Vulnerable Children’s Project (www. vulnerablechildrensa.com) that provides food, clothing, bedding and also addresses the safety of groups of children living alone in shacks in the township. These child headed households often have a parent who is either sick in the hospital
(usually with AIDS) or already deceased , leaving brothers and sisters all on their own, with only the eldest child to care for them. O’Connor comments- “This VC program allows us to link compassionate supporters and donors in the West with a Masi child headed household to meet their basic food, housing and clothing needs, all for only $40 a month for each child headed family, which is pretty amazing.” She continues- “We also are able to provide bible clubs, after school mentoring and tutoring, better school placement and other “Big Brother- Big Sister” type friendship to these incredibly resilient kids.” O’Connor observes that it would be easy to have a sense of utter hopelessness in the face of the cyclical ravages of poverty, crime and the AIDS epidemic that she sees daily in Masi. “I often struggle with the weight of the immense need and wonder how I could ever make even a little dent” says O’Connor. “But always, almost every day, I am amazed and stunned at the extravagant love of God for the poor. Jesus and his loving kindness comes shining through when I meet women and children in crisis and wonder what on earth can I do? I used to be very self sufficient, smart enough to figure most things out and not really feel the pressure to rely on God for every day things in my life. But now, many times a day, His voice, direction and peace are literally my lifeline.” This remarkable American girl shares that one of her biggest personal lessons while serving in a poor township has been grasping the meaning of John 15 where it says “I can do absolutely nothing apart from Him. He is the vine, I am the branches”. She continues, “I have come to the realization of how ridiculously dependent I am on Him, to try and bear fruit and to have wisdom in the face of decisions that bear so much weight- many involving life and death of little ones” O’Connor is an ordinary young woman who has found herself doing extraordinary things. She is a full time mission worker who is 100% dependent on the financial gifts and monthly support of people that have heard her remarkable story. If you are interested in finding out more about her work and mission you can visit her website at www.bethanyoconnor.com. There is a “Give” page on her website for people who want to get involved and have a tangible impact on serving the poor through her efforts in South Africa. You can also learn more about The Baby Safe at www.thebabysafe.org. If you know of an ordinary person who is doing extraordinary things, then feel free you can share their story with Lindsay Goodier who is a writer and author living in Houston, Texas. She has enjoyed being published in numerous magazines including Relevant Magazine, ReThink Magazine and other publications. Feel free to connect with Lyndsay at lindsaygoodier@yahoo.com.
RETHINKWOMEN.NET_11
finding Jesus I knew when I decided to take an eleven-day trip overseas last year that I would see things that would wake me up, things that would change me. That’s partly why I wanted to go so badly. I wasn’t disappointed. Shortly after flying from the US to the Philippines, I found myself at a home run by a group of nuns with some of the most beautiful hearts. It’s a place for the very sick, the very old, and the very young. It’s a place for those that have the least chance of surviving on the streets of Manila. It’s often a place for them to spend a few weeks or days of their lives being cared for and shown the love of Jesus before they die. Walking inside the front door of the first house in the compound, there were kids everywhere, more than one piled on some of the small beds. Dying kids. Kids with diseases like encephalitis or tuberculosis. I looked at the few nuns scurrying from one child to the next and realized that there was no way they could possibly care for so many children properly. I guess they just couldn’t turn anyone away despite the overcrowding. The smell in the air proved that many of the children needing washing or changing. Overwhelmed, I looked up and caught the eyes of one of the sisters. “How can I help you?” A few minutes later, I found myself sitting cross-legged on the floor holding a bowl of runny rice gruel. Gathered around me in a semi-circle were half a dozen tiny malnourished toddlers. They reminded me of scrawny baby birds, opening their mouths and staring at me with eyes that seemed too huge for their tiny bodies. The bowl was empty all too soon. One of the sisters took it from me and motioned to me that she would take care of the babies.
I stood up and wandered into another room, this one holding children of various ages with handicaps or deformities. I found myself drawn to a yellow crib near the center of the room. In it lay a child whose limbs were badly twisted and bent, looking like nothing more than a tangled mass of skin and bone, really. The child’s hair was closely shaved, and I couldn’t determine the sex. It was impossible to tell the age of the child - could have been 7, could have been 13. The child couldn’t speak and didn’t have much mobility, but was responsive to my voice. I watched as the child’s eyes fluttered open and fixed on me. I reached down and grasped the child’s hand, and my grip was returned firmly. I began to sing softly, an old hymn my mother sang to me as a little girl, as tears began to well up in my eyes: “I am Jesus’ little lamb Ever glad at heart I am For my Shepherd gently guides me Knows my needs and well provides me Loves me every day the same Even calls me by my name” It struck me how fitting those words were. I didn’t know this child’s name, or anything else besides what I could observe, standing beside that crib. But I didn’t need to. This child was known and loved intimately by the Good shepherd who gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart (Isaiah 40:11). I knew that the indescribable love that I felt flooding through me for this unknown child was not mine, and I felt privileged to be an extension of Jesus, holding that hand and singing the words that He wanted to be sung to that child. I think that my words were understood despite the barriers of language and physical disability. “Who so happy as I am Even now the Shepherds lamb And when my short life is ended By His angel hosts attended He shall fold me to his breast Ever in His arms to rest!”
by Hannah Neumann As the last few words of the song escaped my lips, my friends began to call me, telling me that it was time to leave. I didn’t want to go, but I began to peel those little fingers off of mine. The child wouldn’t let go! I couldn’t believe that a child who looked so weak could have such a vice-like grip. And those eyes, they were starting to bore into me. I gently tugged my hand away. Not ready to give up, the child’s hand closed around a fistful of my hair as I bent over the crib. One of the sisters had to come over to help me disentangle myself. My encounter with this child had lasted for only about three minutes, but those three minutes were enough to make me a misfit. I turned and walked out of the door of that room entirely wrecked. That’s when everything changed for me. I knew that I would never be able to go back to my life as it was before. That little one’s grip had reached around not only my hand but my heart, and I still haven’t been able to pull away. I will forever be thankful for my three minutes with Jesus in the form of that child. Hannah is learning to become a global-thinking Christian. She enjoys random adventures, music, community, and learning from culture and history. You can connect with her at livingpsalm82@yahoo.com.
Dig Deeper Psalm 68:5, James 1:27 Dueteronomy 14:28-30 & 26:12-14 Exodus 22:22, Isaiah 1:17 & 23 Psalm 10:14, Matthew 18:5, Matthew 25:45
Recommended Reads George Mueller: The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans by Janet Benge Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper Turn: Remembering Our Foundations by Max Lucado If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil by Randy Alcorn Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan
12_RETHINK WOMEN
answers for darwin In this “Year of Darwin” celebration that marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s ideas and the 200th anniversary of his birth, a Portland-area creation group is providing counter programming with the “Answers for Darwin” conference on Sept. 27-28. Answers in Genesis (AiG) and Creation Museum founder Ken Ham and AiG staff scientist Dr. Jason Lisle will present several sessions on how the Bible speaks to Darwin’s ideas and to culture today. The first session begins at 9 a.m. Sunday morning and the final session concludes at 9 p.m. Monday evening at Rolling Hills Community Church, 3550 SW Borland Road in Tualatin. The conference, free to the public, is recommended for ages 13 and up. It is co-hosted by the Portland area’s Design Science Association. In addition to being a renowned creation speaker and biblical apologist, Ken Ham is a prolific author, with more than 20 books to his credit. His latest, “Already Gone,” co-authored with America’s Research Group president Britt Beemer, is an in-depth study of the reasons why young people seem to desert the church upon reaching adulthood. A surprising finding was that only 11 percent of students are lost in college; almost 90 percent of those who leave the church do so in their hearts and minds in middle school and high school. Ham and Beemer discovered that most of those teens who left the church were regular Sunday school attendees. The surprising conclusion was that Sunday school was actually more likely to be detrimental than helpful to the spiritual and moral health of our children. Ham calls for a total renovation of how most Sunday schools are conducted in Christian churches today. Lisle, also an author and apologist, recently released his own response to evolutionary arguments, “The Ultimate Proof.” Emphasizing the Genesis account of creation, Lisle presents an irrefutable argument to rationally resolve the origins debate. Lisle will present a session at the Portland-area conference on “The Ultimate Proof,” as well as on “The Darwin Connection to Astronomy.” Sunday, September 27, 2009 9 & 11 AM Ken Ham: Answers from Genesis on Darwin and the Culture Wars 6:00 PM Ken Ham: Defending Christianity from today`s Secular Attacks 7:30 PM Dr. Jason Lisle: The Ultimate Proof of Creation Monday, September 28, 2009 9:00 AM Ken Ham: Dinosaurs, Genesis, and the Gospel (Grades K-6) 11:00 AM Ken Ham: How to Defend the Christian Faith (Grades 7-12) 6:30 PM Ken Ham: Answers for Racism: Darwin & Evolution’s Racist Roots 8:00 PM Dr. Jason Lisle: The Darwin Connection to Astronomy For more info, contact Craig Hubler at 503-968-5467 or cwhubler@msn
SalemTribe is a networking group for individuals who use social media, the creative online community to further them as leaders in their respective fields. If you find yourself associating with the description above, then come gather and collaborate with us. Monday, October 5th @ 6:30pm IKE Box - Salem, Oregon Guest Speaker: Aaron Hockley twitter: @SalemTribe // web: www.salemtribe.com
Struggling with Unwanted Homosexual Desires? You’re Not Alone
Mid-Valley Fellowship is a local Christian organization that offers hope and support through a message of freedom from homosexual desire and behavior.
Experience a Safe Place to Come & Heal
Our Support Program Begins October 6th
All communication is confidential. 541.928.2164 y www.midvalleyfellowship.org women@midvalleyfellowship.org
Group Leaders Shar & Angela
no room for fear I was anxious to have my daughter and son-inlaw over for breakfast. The grandkids would be over too and I was looking forward to squeezing them and planting wet kisses on their soft cheeks. It wasn’t often that they came over for an early morning breakfast. I had dug out an old recipe for homemade buttermilk pancakes. The table was already set and the sausage was warming in the oven. They would be arriving any time. My concern over the flakiness of the pancakes soon faded as I watched their van come down the driveway. It came to a slow stop just outside the kitchen window. I knew something was wrong and I was overcome by fear. Certainly, I would not have to hear bits of bad news…or would it be the familiar dreaded news again? It appeared that they were arguing but I could not tell for sure. I just wondered why they were not coming in and the feelings of fear continued to mount. Moments passed before the kitchen door opened…I could feel tension in the air. The news I had feared would haunt me again, “Mom, we relapsed again last night.” I felt as though my legs would buckle and it was all I could do to stand. The news was too much. How could I go through this again? I had thought they were doing better, but deep down, did I really believe that? I had high hopes. We all sat down to eat, trying to pretend that it would be okay and that we could get through this again. I wished I could have bragged about how great the pancakes were and I pretended to enjoy them but nothing was further from my mind. It was all I could do to keep the bites from coming back up my throat. We had to get through this. We were all affected, even the three babies looking back at me from behind plates of half eaten pancakes. They had no idea of the severity of the situation and the thought of it broke my heart. I couldn’t stop the questions from invading my every thought. Did they know what they were about to endure again? How were they going to get through this yet one more time? Why did they have to go through this? Would they be safe? Would they be exposed to the drug abuse? Since their parents had relapsed, would life go back to what it was for them the first time it had happened? A million questions and not one
14_RETHINK WOMEN
answer. Fear and anxiety robbed me of my senses and all I wanted to do was jump up and run as fast as I could. I had to get away but all I could do was sit…I was angry. I was numb. Fear, what a horrible thing. In my opinion, there is no other feeling that could be worse. It had claimed me for many years and I could not overcome it. I had feared many things. I feared for my kids as they were growing up; I worried about finances, stresses over my job. But nothing could compare to this. How could my child, one who I loved so much and one who I had invested so much time in, go so astray? Was it my fault? What did I do wrong? Had I not instilled God’s word into her heart as good as I could have? Would my child become so addicted that the addiction would take her away from me? Feelings of failure and the what-ifs haunted me. I was now on a journey of torment, brought upon by my own sin of unbelief. I had to let go of it, I could not fix it. All of the worry was getting me nowhere. It was destroying my spirit and robbing my joy. God was the only one who could take care of it but I was not allowing Him to do that. Fears had driven me into a spiritually dry place and it was hard to even pray. I often opened my Bible at night and placed it upon my belly as I tried to sleep. Although scripture seemed to run together in my mind and I had a hard time focusing upon it, I felt comfort that upon my belly was the sword of the spirit. It was a protection and a huge comfort for me. A lot has changed since then. I have learned that you cannot live in fear and in faith at the same time. They are enemies. Fear does not work and it gives you no relief. When we bask in fear and worry, we block the blessings that God has for us. When we worry, we meditate on fearful things and we feed them, fuel the fire so-to-speak. When we feed them, they grow and soon our worries are out of control and are far greater than our minds can safely endure. We instead need to focus on the promises of God and meditate on them day and night. We can cast our fears on Jesus, realizing that He is the only one who can make a difference and the only one who can fix the problems and stresses in our life. We need to believe that God does have everything under control.
by Josephine Turnbeck Now, when worries come my way and when fear tries to settle in, I just begin to praise the Lord, the maker of the universe and the lover of my soul. When I sing, sometimes to myself or sometimes quietly, I tell God how great He is and thank Him for all the things He has done for me. I choose not to fear and it is a conscious decision on my part. My human side tries to hold on to the fear but I must let it go. Although at times it is difficult to praise – a real sacrifice – but it’s the key to a sound mind. Are these the sacrifices of praise that the Bible talks about? We must know too that Satan will distract us because he knows that God delights in the praises of His people. God is so big and ready to help. He just waits for us to ask. But we so often hold on to our problems, not trusting God to help us. It is unbelief and it grieves God’s heart. This is something I don’t want to ever do again. I’m learning to totally depend on God, and to trust Him in times of despair. I can’t say I am one hundred percent “cured” and that I don’t fear on occasion, but I have learned to turn it over to God and I do not allow myself to meditate on those fearful things for long. What a comfort it is for me to know that God is always with me. He sees my hurts, my disappointments, and feels my broken heart. Wow, what kind of friend is that? Psalms 46.11 (KJV) says that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Also, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6 NIV). Lord, keep my mind safe and bring me peace! I love Psalms 16:11 (NIV) where David says “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” That is where I want to be. If I am there in God’s presence and full of joy, there is no room for fear. Praise be to God, my Rock and my Fortress. Jo is a financial officer and a mother of two. She enjoys spending time with her family, working in the yard, and reading a book by the comfort of a warm fire. You can contact Jo at josephineturnbeck@gmail.com.
salemhouse fprayer The Salem House of Prayer is a city-wide, multi-denominational 24-hour worship and intercessory ministry to the body of Christ in Salem and the surrounding areas. Our goal is to build a “corporate altar” of night and day prayer where we may stand before Jesus, unified and strengthened in our unyielding love for the worthy Son of Man. It’s a place where the first commandment, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, is put into practice.
We believe, as many of you do, that Salem must have a “corporate altar” of unceasing prayer if we are to truly expect to have a habitation of the Lords presence. That alone will transform our cities. We believe it so much they are laying down our lives for it. This is a call for help. Our troops are thin. They are tired and weary, but they are more determined than ever.
We are asking you to come and sign up for daily or weekly prayer: specifically between the hours of 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. We need pray-ers. We appreciate all the wonderful e-mails. We greatly value all the words of encouragement and the pats on the back that have over and over kept us going. But now we need you. We need your human body in the prayer room, coming and praying on a predictable schedule. We need you to literally sign up for prayer.
We love you. We need you. We appeal to you. Please come.
open24/7 // salemhouse fprayer.org Prayer Room: 260 Liberty St NE • Salem, OR • 97301 • 503-589-9176 MailingAdress: PO Box 13502 • Salem, OR • 97309
We invite you to listen to the all-new ChickChat Podcast. Visit our website at www.chickchatpodcast.com.