FAITH IN ACTION 25 AUGUST 2018 | Issue 6699 | $1.50
THE LAUNCH OF THE SALVATION ARMY’S WORK
Working It: Stayat-Home Dads Celebrity Culture’s Big Beautiful Lie The Coffin Club
Rediscovering the Joy of Fathers’ Day Beauty for Ashes at Tongan Womens’ Camp
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WAR CRY The Salvation Army
New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Andy & Yvonne Westrupp | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS William
& Catherine Booth
The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission. MANAGING EDITOR Ingrid Barratt | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Hugh Collins, Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond | PROOF READING Major Jill Gainsford, Vivienne Hill | COVER PHOTO Andy Westrupp OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box
6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Fax (04) 382 0716, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone
(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset
is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.
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Things they don’t tell you about being a parent Things they don’t tell you about being a parent: you will be in actual, physical pain most days of your life due to being bowled over, head-butted and karate-chopped. Things I wish I had known about being a parent: perfection is not possible. As much as you want to shield your child from harm, getting hurt is a fundamental part of life. Sometimes your child will even be hurt by you. Yes, being a parent is about loving your child unconditionally—it’s also about saying sorry, when needed. Things you can only learn the hard way: You know those long, exhausting nights when your child won’t sleep, and you honestly think you won’t get through this? That complete sacrifice-of-self creates a bond so strong that you would not hesitate to lay your life down for your child. This week we celebrate Father’s Day, and the essential role dads play in their children’s lives. In this issue, we’re focusing on stay-at-home dads, who are intimately involved in their children’s lives and challenging gender stereotypes. Some have argued that we shouldn’t be giving fathers so much attention, for simply doing what mothers have done for centuries—without getting much credit at all. However, I don’t know any relationship that benefits from a lack of gratitude. For all our sakes, we need to appreciate the dads that provide a positive, active and loving presence in their children’s lives. When our children benefit, we all benefit. Thank you dads, for all you do. Ingrid Barratt Editor
Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association. All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated. Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission. Publishing for 135 years | Issue 6699 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry
www.salvationarmy.org.nz salvationarmyNZFijiTonga @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft
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Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you. Robert Fulghum
1 Chronicles 29:17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity … 1 Ngā Whakapapa 29:17 E mōhio ana hoki ahau, e tōku Atua, e whakamātauria ana te ngākau e koe, e manako ana hoki koe ki te tika …
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’m one of those sons that struggle with Father’s Day. Sadly, I don’t have a relationship with my father that I want to celebrate. There was a lot of brokenness in my upbringing and in my relationship with my father. He was a bully, both emotionally and physically, and it was horrible growing up in an environment like that. For a long time, I hated him and how he made me feel. At times, I questioned why God would let me experience such hurt in my upbringing. When my dad left my mum, it was the best thing that could have happened—it sounds bad, but I just felt relief. In the years afterwards, I had very little contact with my father. I came to understand that he was a toxic person, and for my safety, I needed to distance myself from him. For a couple of years, I felt that I needed to have no contact with him at all. During this time, God showed me that even though I was an adult, I was still a broken child underneath. God started me on a long journey of emotional healing and forgiveness—God loves us too much to leave our wounds untreated. When my son Jacob was born six years ago, it was both the most amazing and overwhelming experience of my life. I wasn’t sure if I was equipped to be a parent. I wondered what kind of dad I would be. I was worried I might make loads of mistakes or, more worryingly, end up like my father.
Having a son has been incredibly healing for me. When he was born, I sat next to him as he lay in his incubator, so tiny and fragile and new to the world. I had the most overwhelming sense of love for him, that I would do anything for him and love him no matter what. I realised that this is how God loves me. Since Jacob was born, my relationship with my father has taken a new direction. He loves his grandson a lot and is really interested in how he is doing. Because of this, I keep him updated with Jacob’s life through emails and pictures. It’s a reconciliation of sorts that has given me a chance to come to peace with my relationship with my father. I’m far from perfect as a dad and I get a lot wrong, but Jacob knows I love him—I tell him daily. I love being a dad and spending time with him. I love all the questions he asks me about the world and how things work. I love seeing his personality and humour develop. I love it when he comes up to me at random moments and asks for a cuddle. It’s the best feeling in the world being embraced by your son. So, now I’m one of those fathers who loves Father’s Day, because I can truly celebrate my relationship with my son. BY MARTIN BARRATT
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Photography: Loading Docs/Director: Briar March/Producer: Kim Harrop.
Moussaka Pure comfort food, that still feels a little exotic … 750g potatoes, washed and peeled 2 large onions 500g lamb or beef mince 2 Tbsp flour 1 x 400g can Italianstyle tomatoes ¼ cup tomato paste ½ tsp salt freshly-ground black pepper Cheese Sauce: 2 Tbsp each butter and flour Black pepper ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 cup milk 1 cup grated tasty cheese 1 egg, beaten
Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Cut potatoes into 5mm slices and cook—you can do this quickly in the microwave by adding ¼ cup water into a lidded dish.
To make the sauce: Melt the butter. Add the flour and seasonings and cook briefly, stirring continuously. Add half the milk, return to the heat and keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the rest of the milk and keep stirring until the sauce boils and thickens again. Stir in the grated cheese, removing from the heat as soon as it melts. Beat in the egg with a fork. To assemble: Spray or butter an ovenproof dish of 10–12 cup capacity and cover the base with a third of the sliced potatoes. Cover with half the mince, another layer of potatoes, then the rest of the mince. Finish with the remaining potatoes. Press down to make a fairly flat and compact mixture. Pour the cheese sauce over the top and bake for 30 minutes. (Cover with foil if topping browns too quickly). Leave to stand 5–10 minutes before serving. Note: If using a large shallow dish, make double the amount of sauce.
Reprinted with permission from Marvellous Mince & Senstional Sausages by Simon and Alison Holst.
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OURPEOPLE
Finely chop the onions. In a large fry pan, add oil, and brown the onions and mince. Stir in the seasonings and flour, and cook briefly before adding the tomatoes and tomato paste. Heat until the mixture boils and thickens.
Martin Barratt (Territorial Web Manager) Martin manages the Territorial website and intranet and occasionally writes articles for War Cry.
Weird of the Week: The world’s first allavocado restaurant, The Avocado Show, has opened in Amsterdam. It features eggs in avocado halves, avo-pancakes and burgers made with avo-buns. Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been. David Bowie
In 2006, he moved into the world of digital content, where he has been managing websites ever since. Aside from doing lots of content for the website, he also replies to the many daily enquiries that the Army receives online—which is very rewarding as he enables people to get the help they need. He also loves being a part of the funny and talented Communications team. In his spare time, Martin writes for the Toronto Blue Jays Major League baseball team and plays Lego with his young son.
The Coffin Club
A Kiwi club where people can make their own coffin has now been turned into a musical. In 2010, Katie Williams had a brainwave: start a club for ‘oldies’ so they can make their own coffins at a fraction of the market price, be creative, take control of the dying process, and put the ‘fun’ into funeral. The Coffin Club was born and ‘has grown like topsy,’ says Katie—there are now branches in Rotorua, Katikati, Waitakere, Hawkes Bay and overseas. Retired carpenters and joiners have a blast building the ‘underground furniture’, while members get to decorate their own coffins. There are leprechaun, chicken and Elvisthemed coffins, as well as coffins shaped like buses and pianos … and the list goes on.
QUIKQUIZ
1 What year did the Berlin Wall come down? 2 W hat bird is on the Tongan coat of arms? 3 W hat is the largest rodent in the world? 4 What is the difference between cotton candy and candy floss? 5 What part of Paul was supposed to produce healings? Answers on page 22
TOPFIVE
New Zealand Random Acts of Kindness Day is on September 1—here’s some super-easy, totally free ways to become a RAK-tivist … 1 Send an encouraging email: How often do we think of it, but don’t get around to it? It means so much to receive an encouraging note, so make someone’s day. 2 Compliment someone on their parallel parking: It’s a personal triumph that
WARCRYINHISTORY On 6 July 1940, War Cry reported that Salvation Army founder, William Booth, nearly drowned in Berlin. At the age of 80, Booth was in Germany to lead Repentance Day, attended by 10,000 people. The night before, Booth fainted while taking a bath. He was rescued by his secretary, Staff-Captain J. Evan Smith: ‘Springing across the room the Staff-Captain slipped one arm under the shoulders of the Founder and held his head above water,’ reported War Cry. After an hour or two, Booth revived, and the next day he carried on with his work as usual! Source: Booth College of Mission Heritage and Archives Centre
‘The most important part of the Coffin Club is the love that goes round. It’s a place where people can be useful, form friends, and most importantly, be loved and valued,’ reflects Katie. ‘The opportunity to discuss death and dying is paramount to the wellbeing of people. “Humour in death” sounds frivolous. It is not. Humour in life is critical and keeps things in perspective.’ The Coffin Club is now starring in a glittering, fun-filled musicaldocumentary, as part of Loading Docs—a series of short films available to view on TVNZ On Demand. As the indomitable lyrics say: ‘We’ve removed the mystique, we’ve taken back control, because let’s face it, a funeral has got to have soul. We never knew how awesome death could be!’
usually goes unnoticed —so give someone a thrill by noticing! 3 Say ‘hi’ to someone new: Is there a new person at school, work or at church? Make them feel welcome. 4 Have a judgement-free day: This will change you more than anyone else! 5 Ring your mum or dad just to say hi: Need we say more.
Musical Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again (PG, sexual references) Ol Parker
The sounds of Abba always put a faraway look on the faces of my parents’ generation, remembering the good ole days of flares, big hairstyles and the iconic sound of the four-person band. Through the Mamma Mia films I, too, have gained an appreciation for the musical brilliance of Abba. I thoroughly enjoyed Mamma Mia 2, its creative take on classic tunes skilfully rewritten to fit the storyline, the comedic twists and oneliners, the emotionally charged scenes and the sweet memories revisited—weaving three generations’ stories together so well that I found myself a little invested in the storyline. Belly-aching laughs and tears down to my chin, Mama Mia—I would go again! (Reviewed by Tessa Reardon)
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Working it
Stay-at-home Dads
Clarke Gayford sporting the now-infamous ‘dad cardie’, with partner, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and daughter Neve. Photography: Greg Bowker/NZ Herald.
When Clarke Gayford debuted his ‘dad cardie’, New Zealanders knew he was serious about his role as ‘the ultimate in 21st Century parenting’. This Father’s Day, we celebrate a new generation of stay-at-home dads. BY HUGH COLLINS
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hen Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford made their first public appearance, introducing newborn Neve Te Aroha, Clarke could be seen modelling a very special piece of clothing. It was no ordinary jersey: it was a Dad Cardie—which Jacinda described as a ‘real find’, from The Salvation Army’s Family Store in Gisborne. ‘Clarke’s got his dad cardie on, which means he’s ready to go,’ she said. Clarke nodded solemnly: ‘Finally it’s come of age.’ When Neve was welcomed into the world, there was widespread elation that not only would Jacinda continue as Prime Minister after six weeks at home, but Clarke would be stepping into his role as primary carer. It was a glowing sign of the times—with an inspiring message that anyone can challenge gender stereotypes. Many would say this kind of parenting is hardly surprising in 2018. Surely distinct gender roles are a thing of the past? Urban Dictionary has even defined stay-at-home dads as ‘the ultimate in 21st Century parenting’. However, in New Zealand, only three per cent of men listed their occupation as the ‘primary carer’ for their children, compared to 19.3 per cent of women, according to the 2017 Household Labour Force Survey. Jacinda said she hoped her decision would become normalised and not remain a novelty: ‘[I hope] it’s generally accepted, not just that women can make choices, but that men can too. Clarke’s been as much of a role model here as I am,’ she told a press conference at Auckland hospital. For his part, Clarke says he feels embarrassed about the attention he’s received: ‘It was pretty obvious that that was what I was going to have to do, and I don’t feel particularly special about doing that, because I do know that there’s lots of dads out there that have been doing this for years and years,’ he told Radio New Zealand. ‘So, to have attention around that being “something special” that I was going to do, doesn’t really sit that comfortably with me. But it’s been nice when the dads have come up and they’ve been really excited to tell you about how it goes, and what you have to look forward to.’
Just the right thing Stay-at-home dad, Rob Foley, has been on the job with baby Amberlie nearly a year. He says wife Emma was always the breadwinner so, economically, it was an easy choice. 25 AUGUST 2018 WarCry 7
But Rob is honest in saying he initially felt a bit insecure about his new found ‘career’. This largely came down to feeling like he wasn’t making a financial contribution for his young Totara Park family. He recalls going to the supermarket and feeling like he didn’t have any buying power to get things for himself. ‘I had to ask permission from my wife, because I didn’t make that financial contribution … that was what got to me in my head,’ Rob admits. As it began ‘niggling away’ at him, he raised the concern with wife Emma. ‘She said, “You are making a contribution but in a different way’’.’ Rob adds: ‘If I weren’t doing what I’m doing now, Emma wouldn’t be able to do what she is doing, which enables us to keep a roof over our head. ‘You’ve got to try and be more open about your contribution.’ Rob admits that he’s felt emasculated as a stay-at-home father, especially when he first started going for walks with Amberlie in a front pack. ‘But I’ve seen other dads around here [wearing one] … it’s becoming the norm, you could say, or widely accepted. But I had never seen that growing up. ‘It’s a silly thing to look back on it now because I’d gladly put one on now.’
‘THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REFLECT AS A NATION ON MEN AS CARERS ... MEN CAN BE PRIMARY CARERS.’ But with Amberlie nearly two years old, Rob says any trace of insecurity has gone and he wouldn’t have things any other way—even when Amberlie is throwing toys on the floor. The former bus driver doesn’t feel any need to hold back on the tough realities of parenting—he’s well accustomed to the rarity of a ‘good’ night’s sleep. ‘There are times it gets annoying where you feel as a dad or parent that you’re banging your head against a brick wall.’ His main piece of advice for new parents would be to ‘choose your battles wisely’. Emma adds that while their parenting choices were easy given she’s the breadwinner, she’s come to realise their circumstances play other vital roles in raising their daughter. ‘I think it’s important to me that she [Amberlie] does have a 8 WarCry 25 AUGUST 2018
strong female role model in her life that does more than just the homely stuff … that she sees that I have a career I value, that’s helped to provide all the things in her life, and that she sees it’s not just a male responsibility. ‘If peripherally we make an impact, either in our daughter’s life or in other woman leaders coming up the ranks in my workplace, then I think that by-product can only be a good thing,’ adds Emma. ‘I haven’t deliberately set out to break down barriers or buck trends … it just ended up being the right thing for our family.’
Doing what works Aaron Stone is a father of two, and a stay-at-home dad. He says being a bit of an introvert has helped in his role as primary carer. ‘I enjoy just sitting down watching TV or playing video games … so I didn’t feel my masculinity was in trouble or going to be challenged purely because I was a stay-at-home dad.’ Although, he adds, it’s not all footy and flat whites, ironing and cooking are all part of the routine, with the tasks seemingly endless. ‘I try and make sure everyone is in a happy state by the time my wife gets home.’ Father to Regan aged 8, and Anastasia aged 11, Aaron says he was never career-minded in the way his wife Heather was. ‘Before we were even married, it was pretty much a given that I’d be the stay-at-home dad. ‘I don’t think in this day and age that it’s outside the box for the man to be at home anymore, with women advancing up the career ladders just like anybody else.’ While Aaron says he hasn’t had too many negative responses about his unorthodox role, he admits he feels he can be put on a bit of an unnecessary pedestal. ‘They [Heather’s friends] say, “Oh your husband must be great”, but their husbands are at work doing their thing. We are just the other way round. Just because I cook and clean … it doesn’t mean I’m anything different or special by any means. I’m just doing a role.’ Aaron’s wife Heather, national accounting manager for The Salvation Army, says that the overall response to how they do things has been positive—a number of older men have even said they would have loved to have been stay-at-home dads. Yet, not everyone seems to get their head around the fact that this is the ideal way of doing things for the Stone family. ‘We’ve had comments like, “Oh well, I guess if you can’t stay at home then that’s the next best thing’’. Whereas, for us, Aaron staying at home is the best thing, because he’s much better at being at home than I am.’
Top: Anastasia, Aaron and Regan Stone. Bottom: Rob and Amberlie Foley.
‘WE HAVEN’T DELIBERATELY SET OUT TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS OR BUCK TRENDS … IT JUST ENDED UP BEING THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR FAMILY.’ Heather is comfortable with the fact she couldn’t have been at home full time, saying it was never her kind of personality. ‘I’m super grateful for Aaron and everything he does. I couldn’t do what I do without him doing what he does … It’s really cool that this has worked for us.’
Trailblazing Clarke and Jacinda’s traditional role reversal has produced no shortage of dialogue in the media about the changing shape of gender roles. In her first interview back on the job, Jacinda had to remind New Zealanders that Clarke is just as much a parent, and not ‘just the babysitter’. But, overwhelmingly, the conversation has been positive. Former Prime Minister Helen Clark, was particularly thrilled about the first couples’ unorthodox approach to parenting: ‘Here we are in the 21st Century and we have a trailblazing young female prime minister who’s saying, “Well, I can do this, I can be PM, I can be a mum, I’ve got a partner who’s showing through his actions he’s committed to gender equality, he’s going to do his bit looking after the child”,’ she told Radio Live. Massey University Associate professor, Grant Duncan, made similar remarks on Radio New Zealand: ‘This is an opportunity for us to reflect as a nation on men as carers ... men can be primary carers. ‘And actually ... it’s a really good thing ... we should give him the thumbs up for taking on that role.’ Grant added that he was once a stay-at-home dad himself, describing it as an ‘enriching experience’. Stay-at-home dads remain the large minority—Statistics New Zealand says only one percent of parents receiving government paid parental leave are male. There’s very little data about how many Kiwi dads are officially staying at home —and Statistics NZ doesn’t even have an official definition for what that entails. But Senior Family Coach at Parenting Place, Jenny Hale, says there is definitely a trend towards more dads taking on
the role of primary carer. ‘As families grapple with financial challenges, it often makes sense for the highest earning parent to be out in the paid work force, and the other parent to be at home,’ she says. ‘Sometimes having dad at home and mum at work is simply the preferred choice, and families are finding some real benefits of changing the trend.’ According to research from University of Otago law professor and child law expert, Mark Henaghan, male primary caregivers can be beneficial for both children and the couple’s relationship, as well as being economically beneficial for society as a whole. Jenny adds: ‘There was a time when people were shocked that a family would swap roles, but attitudes are changing and it’s not uncommon for dads to be confidently taking on the wonderful, but challenging (and, at times, lonely) role of being the stay-at-home parent. ‘I personally love the fact that children get to build a strong relationship with both parents, and that parents get to see and value each other’s roles within the family. There is enormous benefit in “walking in the other parent’s shoes” and understanding the highs and lows of each role.’
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The Power of Stories Most cultures have oral-storytelling traditions that transfer knowledge from one generation to the next. Most parents want to effectively communicate their beliefs and important life-information to their children, and one way of communicating these is through telling stories; stories that not only transfer knowledge, but inspire and promote courage and faith. Jesus understood the power of story, or parable. He knew the secret was to convey a memorable key message, not only to the audience of the day, but a message that would transcend time. The parables of 2000 years ago, still speak to us today— Jesus is the master communicator.
THE PARABLES OF 2000 YEARS AGO, STILL SPEAK TO US TODAY—JESUS IS THE MASTER COMMUNICATOR.
We can now appreciate his communication style because science has finally caught up and confirmed the value of the parable, or story. A recent study analysed areas of the brain that activate as a result of storytelling. It showed that when you present information—for example, a PowerPoint presentation—the language part of the brain lights up; when you talk about food, the sensory cortex lights up; if you are talking about motion, the motor cortex lights up. But stories that involve emotion, dialogue and plot cause other parts of the brain to light up. Not only do they light up the brain of the listener, but stories synchronise the brains of the storyteller and the listener. Try telling your child, or teen, their birth story. Communicate to them the anticipation, excitement and lead-up to their birth. Build the story to the labour and rush to hospital. Finally, the climax of the story: their arrival into the world. This simple story communicates to them a sense of acceptance, belonging and love. It is their story and informs a deep and intrinsic part with more than just information. Problem-solving can be communicated through storytelling. Tell stories about your life challenges: how you overcame the school bully; trained and won a race; sacrificially gave. We can inspire our children to courage, generosity and expand their thinking about themselves and their actions. They will then remember stories and pass them on to their children, just like the oral traditions of ancient cultures.
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EFFECTIVE STORY TELLING
Pass on the wisdom and values you want preserved with these tips: Key message: Identify a key message you want to convey to your child and either tell a personal story from your past, or a family member’s past. Use real-life stories. If you can’t think of any, use a Bible story.
What do you want them to feel? Build the emotion, the tension, the drama—engage the insula: the emotive part of the brain. This will enable your child to remember the story.
Keep it simple: ‘Less is more’, don’t crowd out the key message with too many adjectives and adverbs. Don’t try and give too many messages in one story.
Include dialogue: Use a variety of voices. Convey short, impactful conversations.
Build the story: Frame the story in your own mind before telling; build the plot, think about the ending.
Show, don’t tell: Instead of saying: ‘You were born and we were happy’, describe the feelings and emotions. Describe what’s happening as if the action is unfolding right at that moment.
TESTIFY! When you look at Tracy Boon’s artwork, it’s hard to believe she had no idea she could draw, until a stressful period in her life sent her searching for something new. Towards the end of 2016, I was feeling pretty tired and burnt out. There’d been a lot of stuff happening in my work and personal life, and I really felt I needed to bring some balance into life again. I like to be creative, so I wanted to do something that was artistic and fun. I’d never done art before—I didn’t even study it at school. I thought, ‘what have I got to lose, let’s go. Even if everyone laughs at me, at least I’m doing something different that’s creative and will hopefully be fun.’ There’s a place called Art Metro in Christchurch. They have classes at different times of the day or night, and different teachers. You pretty much say what you want to do—whether it’s sketching or painting—and they put you in a class with a teacher. I saw that there was a class starting, so I put my name down. I was really nervous. In the back of my head I was thinking, ‘I’ve got no idea what I’m doing’. Before the first class starts you know there are beginners, but there are also people who have been doing it for years. I was like, ‘What if everyone laughs at me?’ But actually I laughed at myself quite a lot. They got us to do some really basic things. But the first couple of classes focused more on technique—What is shading? What is technique?—all that sort of stuff. It was scary but I enjoyed it. I liked being somewhere that wasn’t all about my job, and the people I could meet there knew nothing about me— that was quite nice. I had no idea I was capable of drawing like this. I’m still not a hundred percent sure how to put the feeling into words.
... DRAWING IS A REALLY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. I would look at a picture and I couldn’t connect with the fact that I had done it. I’d look at something, and even though it looked pretty good to me, it wasn’t until other people said, ‘Hey that’s really cool ... ’ It was probably actually when my art teacher said, ‘You’re really good at drawing’, and I was like, ‘What? me?’ Im still surprised when I do something and someone really likes it. I’m 47 years old and I haven’t been drawing, and then this ... It feels like a bit of a God thing—a gift to me. Even though the art class has nothing to do with church or The Salvation Army, for me the drawing is a really spiritual experience.
I can draw the things that are meaningful to me. When I’m focused on doing something—a sketch might take 40 hours—I might spend five hours just doing the eyes. When you’re doing that, you’re not thinking about anything—except sometimes I will use that time to pray and to meditate. All the stuff I’m worried about, all the stuff from work, just disappears and I’m lost in that tiny little piece of paper for hours. A whole night can disappear. I believe that everyone has creativity in them, but it doesn’t always look the same. For someone it might be breakdancing; for someone else, music. But for me, it’s drawing. I think we’ve all got it within us. One of the things people often say is, ‘Oh I wish I could do that’, and I say, ‘Well how do you know you can’t? Maybe you can.’
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We had the chance to change celebrity culture, and we blew it—how did we get sucked into the most beautiful lie? BY INGRID BARRATT
I once did an experiment: I got together a bunch of celeb magazines and counted how many women were pictured over a size 12 and over 50 years old … there were none (except for the occasional ‘real life’ story). The diversity of real women has never been represented by celebrity culture. I used to run a magazine for teens, and, as part of that, I spoke to groups of girls about how the media represents beauty. I had girls confide in me about how they exercised twice a day. I got told about their gruelling diets, calorie counting, eating disorders, and how they obsessively compared themselves to other girls. None of this was a surprise to me, because I have also done it all, at one time or other. Celebrity culture has sold us a beautiful lie: that there is only one type of beauty. Part of the lie is that being skinny is effortless. Thin girls eating ice cream out of the carton is an old rom-com cliché. Recently, supermodel Bella Hadid has made an artform out of ’gramming herself ‘eating’ pizza and other junk food. But this fantasy is as destructive as any objectification of our bodies (you could call it ‘food porn’). It sells us the lie that perfection is normal—that they are not actually slogging their guts out to maintain a perfect Size Zero. For guys, there is increasing pressure to live up to the male beauty standard of the bulked up body—and the fantasy is that it comes naturally, not because of their two gym sessions a day. Welcome to our world, guys. Celeb culture sells us cribs and cars and what our girl Lorde calls ‘royal’ culture, as the epitome of success. Happiness equals wealth and glamour. Most of all, being thin (or bulked up) equals being loved. 12 firezone.co.nz 25 AUGUST 2018
How We Bought The Lie
When social media began to blow up, I thought to myself: Now is our time! We’re going to take back the power. Finally, we get to define what beauty is. Through social media, we get to celebrate all body types and see the beauty in everyone. And here’s what we did: we invented filters and the high-angle selfie. We posed like Kim Kardashian. We invented the thigh gap obsession—we did this, not the media. On Facebook, we made our lives seem perfect. On Instagram, we posted ‘candids’ (that took 23 shots to get right). We even created fake looking food and fake holiday pics. Instead of challenging celebrity culture, we copied it. We can no longer blame the media, because we did this to ourselves. We’re now living in the ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ of beauty: with fake tans, clip-in hair, hairless bodies, lips with filler and stretched faces. We have created a parody of the human body—and called it beauty.
Unnatural is The New Normal
In a book released earlier this year, Perfect Me, Professor Heather Widdows researched our current idealised beauty standards. She says that the unnatural body has become the new norm. Our beauty obsession is focused on four main areas: thinness or buffness, firmness or strength, smoothness or lack of hair, and youth. Our natural body hair is thought of as ‘disgusting’, and even disrespectful to others—people are grossed out by a guy with chest hair, or a woman with unshaved armpits. This natural part of our bodies is now seen as abnormal. In another example, Widdows points to how we use cleansers to make our pores disappear: ‘We have bought
the view that some kind of perfect, HD skin tone—that no human actually has—is what we should have.’ These standards have so pervaded our lives that we have made beauty a moral issue: if we eat junk food we’ve been ‘bad’, and if we’ve gone to the gym we’ve been ‘good’. We feel the same shame towards our bodies that we might feel if we’ve betrayed a friend or cheated on a test. Not having the perfect body has become a ‘sin’.
Cry Freedom!
When I was grappling with my own body image and a disordered relationship with food, I found Paul’s teachings to the Colossians really helpful—they were part of a culture that made themselves slaves to pleasing their gods. These Christians were a small, radical group, who believed that Christ set them free from slavery to idols. Yet, they found themselves constantly pulled back to the rigours of idol worship that was so normal in their culture. The accepted ‘beauty standard’ is one of the biggest idols of our modern world. Our culture has made us slaves to pleasing the god of beauty. We know the truth that we are loved unconditionally by God, but the world’s values constantly pull us back. We choose striving for perfection, over God’s perfect love. ‘You died with Christ. Now the forces of the universe don’t have any power over you,’ urges Paul. ‘Why do you live as if you had to obey such rules as, “Don’t handle this. Don’t taste that. Don’t touch this.” … Obeying these rules may seem to be the smart thing to do … with their harsh treatment of the body … but they don’t really have any power over our desires,’ (Colossians 2:20–23 CEV/NIV). These rules sound so familiar: ‘Don’t taste sugar! Don’t touch carbs! Sweat it out!’ These things have the appearance of wisdom, but they are just a Band-Aid over the real issue. The deepest desire of our souls is to be loved and accepted. Jesus gives us the most incredible gift: another way of living, where we get to be loved just as we are. Again, Paul reminds the young Christians in Galatia: ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery,’ (Galatians 5:1). Let’s not slog it out on the treadmill of life, when we could be resting in Christ’s love. Letting go of culture’s biggest lies takes discipline, but Christ shows us the way: we transform our minds by standing firm in the truth. When we check out Instagram,
we remind ourselves that their lives aren’t actually perfect. We realise Bella Hadid has to go to extreme lengths it maintain her ‘bikini body’—and if only she knew Christ’s love, she wouldn’t have to. Perhaps, we let ourselves be less-than-perfect on social media. When we stop striving for acceptance by having the right body and flawless face, we find that we have been accepted all along. Christ’s love is complete, and it is always there for us. With new eyes, we can see that beauty is actually all around us. God’s creation is remarkable because every leaf, every blade of grass, is unique. So are we. There is beauty in every body type, and every smile. We just need the freedom to see it.
Treat Yo’self:
Give yourself a break: Are you striving, trying to
maintain an ideal of beauty? Jesus came to set you free from striving. Be brave enough to let go, and put it in God’s hands.
Give each other a break: Examine whether your
beauty ideals for a potential partner are fair—are you holding them to unrealistic standards?
Use your eyes: Practise seeing beauty in all different types of people—in the most shallow sense of the word. Everyone has something attractive about them—you just need the eyes to see it.
Use your heart: Practise seeing beauty—in the non-
shallow sense. Values, qualities and character makes a person beautiful, beyond youth and perfect pores.
Treat yo’self: Accepting yourself as you are doesn’t
mean you are going to ‘let yourself go’ (whatever that actually means). When you respect yourself, you will look after yourself and treat yourself well—without wishing you were someone else.
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From left: Lt-Col Jenny Carey, Silila Alao, Rev. Afamasaga Mautofu Fuimaono, Samoan PM Tuila’epa Dr Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, Lt-Col Rod Carey celebrate good times!
SAMOA CELEBRATES! The Salvation Army’s Official Launch Salvationists from around the South Pacific recently gathered in Samoa to celebrate the official launch of The Salvation Army in the island nation. BY SHAR DAVIS
Almost 34 years after The Salvation Army initially made contact with Samoan officials, a weekend of official opening celebrations took place in the capital city of Apia, on Saturday 4 August 2018. More than 100 people packed into The Salvation Army’s leased complex in Moto’otua to kick off events on Friday night, with a vibrant and passionate prayer meeting. Waitakere Corps’ Samoan Worship team, under the leadership of Ano Lo Tam, set the tone of the night with a beautiful mix of bicultural worship. ‘Nothing significant happens in the kingdom of God without prayer—it’s our native ear,’ said Regional Leader LieutenantColonel Rod Carey. Drawing from Elijah’s declaration of faith to Ahab, who said ‘I hear the sound of heavy rain’ (1 Kings 18:41), Rod spoke of the importance of humility, the significance of faith and the power of persistence. Regional Leader Lieutenant-Colonel Jenny Carey led the first of two segments of prayer, inviting people to offer prayers of praise and thanksgiving. It became quickly evident to those from New Zealand that Samoan people love to pray and it was fantastic to hear such gratefulness to God being expressed. The Salvation Army New Zealand’s national choir, SpiritSong, began their weekend of ministry with ‘I Have Seen the Glory’, before Levaopolo Tiava’asue from the Waitemata Health Board spoke, saying: ‘We are so proud that your service is now here in Samoa.’ He commended Aukusitino and Natalie Senio—the addictions services team—saying, ‘They are young leaders of the Pacific who believe in God.’ 14 WarCry 25 AUGUST 2018
‘Don’t be afraid—be faithful’ he told the couple, ‘God is the beginning of everything.’ Colonel Heather Rodwell led a responsive reading, and planting team officer Captain Miriama Simanu led prayers of petition and intercession. ‘This is the mission of The Salvation Army—those who are left behind by society,’ reminded Miriama. The prayers reflected a genuine love for God and those who are the most marginalised in society. ‘[God put] your heart in our heart. Bring those in prison, or hospital, those families that are separated by things beyond our understanding,’ prayed one. ‘This would be a weekend of breaking chains—that we would be your hands and feet—every knee will bow and every tongue confess,’ prayed another.
An open door The Samoan Tourism Authority Fale provided a perfect setting on Saturday morning for the official opening ceremony. Guests included Honourable Prime Minister Tuila’epa Dr Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, territorial leaders Commissioners Andy and Yvonne Westrupp, and leaders of local churches, as well as over 200 others. The Waitakere Corps team provided worship music. As everyone sang ‘How Great is our God’, there was a real sense of celebration in the air. Many present knew of the long journey towards this moment. In his address, the Samoan Prime Minister congratulated The Salvation Army for the milestone, and recalled his first meeting with Rod and Jenny about whether the Army would be welcome in Samoa. ‘My immediate response was to consider commencing soon, as I felt in my spirit, that this was another door opened by the Lord to fulfil his will for Samoa.’ He spoke of God being the foundation of Samoa: ‘When the first missionaries arrived and began their work in Samoa in 1830 led by John Williams, there was a revival in this land. This led to
complete transformation from our traditional belief in gods, to serving and worshipping the Almighty God … Recent signs and the spread of the evangelical movement in Samoa, strongly suggest that there is another revival looming for our country.’ In his response, the Territorial Commander began by announcing that General André Cox had not only approved the official opening, but a name change for our territory. There were loud cheers when he announced the name would be the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory. ‘I want to thank the Prime Minister and the government of Samoa, the leaders of our sister churches for your warm welcome, unusual kindness and liberal assistance towards us establishing our work here. We promise that we will return your goodwill with staying true to our mission of caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society by God’s power,’ said Andy. Fa’atoia EFKS Youth Cultural Group. Rod continued by giving special thanks to the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs God is moving and Trade for providing significant funding over five years for the addictions programme, and acknowledged the planting team Sunday morning began with another prayer meeting led by Jenny and Miriama. It was another passion-filled time of intercession for their pioneering work. and thanksgiving to God for what has already taken place and A significant moment in the celebrations was when Brother what is to come. Silila Alao from Otahuhu Corps was honoured. Invited to the Over 140 people gathered for the worship service and a platform to resounding applause, Silia was awarded a Territorial highlight for many was the Samoa Salvation Army singing Certificate of Appreciation, acknowledging his ‘faithful service group—people who have already made the Army their spiritual to The Salvation Army and the people of Samoa’. For over 27 home. It was wonderful to see such a range of people including years, Silila had consistently asked Rod—who had been Corps many children and young people. Officer at Otahuhu—‘Why doesn’t The Salvation Army start in Halfway through Lolagi Phillip’s testimony, the electricity Samoa?’ Like the persistent widow in Luke 18, he didn’t give up. went out across the city and without skipping a beat, he continued sharing of the life-transforming power of Jesus. The rest of the service continued without electricity, and a few quick adjustments to the meeting meant that SpiritSong sang a beautiful unaccompanied song, ‘At the Foot of the Cross’. Andy spoke on the parable of the Good Samaritan and what real love looks like. He challenged everyone that ‘God is after a love that lasts, not more religion’. He also posed the question: ‘What would our lives look like if we did actually love our neighbour as ourselves?’ He gave people an invitation to respond by way of coming forward for prayer and asked if there was anyone that needed to forgive someone else, any relationships that needed restoring. Our love of God is demonstrated by how we love others. Everyone shared in a beautiful afternoon tea and an enormous A number of people responded and a time of prayer and cake featuring the Red Shield at the conclusion of the service. ministry took place before we sang a final song and Jenny The evening concert was an incredible night of singing, gave the benediction. SpiritSong sang to conclude the service, dancing and the celebration of Samoan culture—which included surrounding the congregation and singing ‘Go In Peace’. the Apia Protestant Church Choir and Fa’atoia EFKS Youth Throughout the weekend many local people shared with Cultural Group, as well as SpiritSong and Waitakere Corps. visitors from New Zealand the impact the Army is already Our executive leaders were invited to join the women from having, and their excitement around the addictions work and Waitakere in a cultural dance and did their best to follow along, church community being developed. with encouragement from the crowd. Jaws dropped as the young God is moving mightily in Samoa and we thank him for men from the cultural group performed a high-energy, body opening doors of opportunity, his provisions for the work so far slapping dance that was stunning to watch. The performance and his promises for the future. shifted onto the grass area for the fire dancers who wowed the crowds as they spun their flaming sticks around in a breathtaking display.
IT BECAME QUICKLY EVIDENT TO THOSE FROM NEW ZEALAND THAT SAMOAN PEOPLE LOVE TO PRAY AND IT WAS FANTASTIC TO HEAR SUCH GRATEFULNESS TO GOD …
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Major Shar Davis was in Samoa to witness the official opening of The Salvation Army’s work. Here are some of the highlights in pictures.
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1 & 12) Children join in on the celebrations; 2) Honouring Brother Silila Alao (Ōtāhuhu Corps); 3) Lt-Col Rod Carey; 4) Pastor’s Daughter; 5) Comms Andy & Yvonne Westrupp; 6) Velonika Falaniko (Waitakere Corps Samoan worship team); 7) Friday night prayer; 8) Cultural dancer; 9) Samoa planting team cutting the cake; 10) Lolagi Phillip; 11) Samoan PM at the official opening; 13) SpiritSong; 14) The Royal Oak community delegation; 15) What a crowd on Sunday morning!
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Faka’ofo’ofa—Something Beautiful, Something Good—at Tongan Women’s Camp Over 33 women from six different corps attended this year’s women’s camp, at Lilo’I Ta’anga, Veitongo, in Tonga. We were privileged to have the Territorial Secretary of Women’s Ministries, Colonel Heather Rodwell as our speaker—a huge thanks (malo aupito) goes to Heather. We began on Friday evening, with a chance for corps women to reconnect with each other, and also a time to connect with those who haven’t met before. The worship was led by Nuku’alofa Corps, and started our first session with Colonel Heather, who said, ‘The Lord can move us from despair to joy, God gives us courage to face our future, even though we face loss … ’ The evening ended with each woman receiving a gift package offered by the THQ Women’s Ministries. Malo aupito! On Saturday, we rose from our beds, thankful for another day, and asking God help us to understand what he is saying to us. Worship and prayer was led by Talasiu and Fua’amotu Corps. Colonel Heather talked about the woman at the well, and later, we were given a cross with a fragrance. The next session was about Ruth and Colonel Heather Rodwell surrounded by women attending Naomi, the messy family (letting God transform your the Tongan Women’s Camp. life), and we learnt how to make a butterfly card. Later in the afternoon was a craft session! We learnt Sunday worship was led by Vaini Corps and Kolovai how to make a hanging fragrance (air freshener). Some Corps Plant. The last session with Colonel Heather was about women chose to relax by doing colouring, or being creative controlling our minds and retraining our thinking. It was a by making their own canvas painting. blessed time. Then came the evening—a time to have fun with a The sharing was done so well and made us understand. rally night—yay! Each corps participated in dancing, It touched our hearts and made us realise that we are saying a poem or appreciating what they have done—to beauty for ashes! God created us beautiful! fundraise for Vava’u Corps Plant kitchen equipment, and BY RAECHAL LEHA $1643 was raised!
A Beautiful Life Mele Talalima—the oldest senior soldier of Vaini Corps and former Home League Secretary— praises God for her time at the women’s camp in Tonga. First of all, I want to praise God for this opportunity to attend the Women’s Camp this year. I wasn’t feeling well and made excuses, but our officer challenged us—so there I was! During the camp, I gave my time to share and be part of the camp, to fellowship and pray together with other women of God. Yet, I was so blessed and enjoyed the whole camp this year.
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The topic was a great blessing for me: ‘beauty for ashes’. Like Isaiah 61:3, I am a woman that finds it very hard to accept others’ decisions for my life. I mostly do what I like to do. Yet, the Holy Spirit convicted me and humbled me on this camp. I am free indeed by God! God humbled me and made me beautiful. From now on, my life is beautiful to me. I really enjoy life now. At home, I shared that we need to pray together as a family. The rest of my life now, I want to serve the Lord and make him known—not only to my family but also to my neighbours and others.
GAZETTE Resignation: Effective 23 October: Majors Claire and Glenn Anderson. Following their commissioning on 21 January 1989, Claire and Glenn were appointed as Corps Officers in Gore. This was followed by corps appointments at Clifton and Thames Corps. In January 1999, Claire and Glenn were appointed to divisional roles in the Canterbury North West Division as Divisional Youth and Candidates Secretaries and Assistant Divisional Secretaries for Programme. Glenn also had the additional appointment of Executive Officer, Glentui Camp. In January 2004, Claire and Glenn were appointed to the Midland Division as Corps Officers at Whakatāne and then Hamilton City Corps, followed by appointments as Assistants to the Divisional Secretary for Programme, Midland. Claire and Glenn’s most recent appointments have been as Corps Officers in Dunedin and Whanganui. We thank Majors Claire and Glenn Anderson for their 26 years and 10 months of active service, and pray God’s blessing on them in the days ahead. Prayer request: For Education & Employment staff members who have concluded their jobs with us as a result of the non-renewal of the MSD Contracts. This is a sad time and we thank each one of them for their commitment and passion in working to transform lives. We also think of other team members during this season of change as well as the clients who are affected as a result of this decision. Words from Scripture, Hebrews 11 verse 1 remind us, ‘Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see’. We pray that our faith will be strong as we are assured that the God who knows all things will give us hope for the future.
… TO HONOUR IS TO BRING LIFE. On 2 September we celebrate Father’s Day—defined as ‘a celebration honouring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society’, according to Wikipedia. I am reminded of Exodus 20:12 that says, ‘Honour your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you’. The verse clearly suggests that to honour is to bring life. I take this opportunity to honour my father, for the life he has brought me, and I encourage you to do the same. Your experience of your earthly father may have difficulties, but the reality is that you—dearly loved by Father God—would not be here if it was not for your father. The apostle Paul saw it as important to have fathers in the faith. When he wrote to the believers in Corinth, he made this statement: ‘Even if you had ten thousand guardians [instructors] in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel’ (1 Corinthains 1:15). I believe it’s important for everyone to have spiritual fathers in their lives. Spiritual fathers are men who carry something of God that you long for. These are men of maturity, who display the life of Christ in a way which inspires you to pursue it for yourself. The discipleship process is one of allowing people to model the life of Christ, and then because of your commitment to them, they begin to pass on to you the life which they carry. It’s been my privilege to have men in my life who have rolemodelled Christ in such a way that it has inspired me to pursue this life. In so doing, what my spiritual fathers carried has now become my own possession. For me, there is no greater fulfilment than to see men and women pursue the life of Christ that they see in me, and live out this life in a way which goes beyond my own experience. This, to me, is what being a spiritual father is about. I am totally convinced the world today is desperate for spiritual fathers. Men who are reading this, can I challenge you to become a spiritual dad for those who follow? I believe this day requires men to rise up and become men of God, and role model the life of Christ in such a way that they pour their life into others—so that others, also, may possess this life. As confirmed in Exodus, honouring spiritual and earthly fathers, is life-giving and life-affirming. Major Ivan Bezzant Territorial Secretary for Corps Mission
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God’s GOTThis When life turns to chaos and our joy turns to sorrow, does it mean we are no longer in the centre of God’s will? BY SUE HAY
A few years ago, I moved from Christchurch to Auckland leaving my son, Daniel, behind. Although I hoped he was adequately prepared for adulthood, in reality there were significant life skills I had failed to teach him—including how to drive a car. During my final year in Christchurch, we were both busy students—relentless assignment deadlines meant we only ever managed a couple of driving lessons around the local school carpark before I left town. Daniel required a driver’s licence for the practical component of his degree, so was forced to find someone else to teach him to drive. Eventually, he plucked up enough courage to ask his Salvation Army officer (minister) for lessons. This officer later confessed he hadn’t realised just how inexperienced Daniel 20 WarCry 25 AUGUST 2018
was behind the wheel! Daniel’s spiritual leader risked both his life and vehicle to equip him with the skills he needed.
A very human response The Bible describes an Israelite leader named Moses, who also risked a great deal. From the day he was born, God was preparing him for the risky role of leading his nation out of slavery in Egypt. Rescued from the Nile River as a baby, Moses grew up in the Pharaoh’s royal household. As a young adult he ventured out of his privileged environment and was confronted with how badly the Egyptians were mistreating his people. Moses’ initial, very human response to the abuse was so intense he murdered the bloke he saw beating an Israelite.
Fearing for his life, Moses fled the country. Over the years, Moses grew in humility and maturity. Eventually, God caught his attention and revealed he had been chosen to approach Pharaoh with a very bold request: let the Israelites go on a three-day religious festival. Pharaoh was furious. Rather than grant the request, he increased the workload of the slaves. Beaten and bullied, their initial, very human response was to project blame onto Moses. Moses was deeply wounded by this attack, but during his time in the wilderness had learnt how to process initial, very human responses. He now knew to take distress straight to God in prayer. God reassured his heart, before returning him to his mission of regularly pleading with Pharaoh. With
each encounter, Moses announced a disaster that would happen if Pharaoh refused to let the slaves go to worship God. Pharaoh always refused, and God always delivered. Finally, God sent a disaster which killed all first-born Egyptian sons, and all their first-born cattle. Immediately, Pharaoh begged the Israelites to leave Egypt. With every disaster, the Israelites observed God’s power and progressed from their initial, very human response, to faith. Moses could now lead their escape from Egypt to the Red Sea with God guiding as a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. So when God had them back-track and set up camp near the Red Sea, the nation did what they had done from the moment they escaped—they did exactly as God asked. They totally trusted God. Until they didn’t. The minute the Egyptian Army was spotted hurtling towards them, they panicked. Trapped between the mighty Egyptian Army on one side, and the Red Sea on the other, they feared the worst and resorted to an initial, very human response. They lurched from faith to fear. They clothed their anxiety in anger and projected it onto Moses. How could life unravel when God had guided them so clearly? How could everything go wrong when they had followed God so faithfully? Hadn’t God led them there?
I’ve got this By the time I eventually returned to Christchurch, Daniel had acquired his Restricted Licence. So he got to drive me around town for the very first time. It was an uncomfortable ride. I wished he had been taught to slow down sooner as he approached intersections and corners. Mostly, I sat in silence with my feet pressed firmly against the floorboards, willing him to brake. Until, one day, Daniel swung into his short, narrow driveway far too fast and I couldn’t help myself. The words ‘Brake! Brake!’ hissed through my lips, like steam from a piston. With resolute certainty, Daniel turned to me and quietly claimed, ‘Mum, I’ve got this’. My fearful demand of Daniel reminded me of the Israelites trapped at the Red Sea. Like me, they desperately wanted their distress and fear to stop. The Bible
records that the Israelites ‘were terrified and cried out to the Lord’. They accused Moses of sending them to their deaths. They even said that they would rather be slaves, than die in the desert! Essentially they yelled at God, ‘Brake! Brake!’ Although life appeared to have gone horribly wrong, God offered reassurance through Moses: ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today ... The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still,’ (Exodus 14:13, 14). God clearly stated, ‘I’ve got this.’
GOD INVITES US TO MOVE FROM FEAR TO FAITH; FROM BLAME TO BELIEF. Yet, it did not look like God ‘had this’. They could see no way out of their predicament. Death seemed inevitable, and they projected their very human fear onto Moses. This was at the very beginning of the Israelites’ 40 year journey from slavery to freedom. Although they oscillated between faith and fear during these years, at the stage of the journey between escaping from Egypt until they camped at the Red Sea, they had done everything right. They had actually followed God faithfully. Yet things still seemed to turn to custard. However, God was indeed in control. Even though the Israelites lost their faith in God in this moment, God was actually doing something incredibly unexpected and miraculous: God brought the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire together. This plunged the Egyptians into total
darkness, while the Israelites remained in the light. Next, God cleared a dry pathway through the Red Sea. Miraculously, the whole Israelite nation escaped to the other side. God declared again, ‘I’ve got this.’ Then, when the Egyptians pursued the Israelites into the Red Sea, the water flooded back into place drowning the entire Egyptian Army. God confirmed, ‘I’ve got this.’
When times are tough When my faith journey gets tough, I often assume I’ve failed to be faithful, heard God incorrectly, or let God down. I equate feeling bad with no longer being in the centre of God’s will. The Israelites felt bad, even though they had not been bad. In fact, they were exactly where God wanted them. This escape from Egypt helps me understand that even when we find ourselves in the midst of terrible circumstances, we may still be in the centre of God’s will. Though we might doubt God or the adequacy of our faith during tough times, the truth is, hardship can happen even when we are following God faithfully. Feeling bad does not necessarily mean we have been bad. Like me, the Israelites reacted to hardship with fear and panic, which they covered with anger—and then projected as blame onto God or others. They remind us our initial response is just that—an initial, very human response. Initial responses are often less than ideal! Yet God offers reassurance rather than rebuke. Even as we yell, ‘Brake! Brake!’ God invites us to move from fear to faith; from blame to belief. My son is actually an excellent driver! The more I travel with him the more I trust his skills! Similarly, with God, the more we journey through our initial, very human responses to faith, the more we grow in our confidence that God’s got this.
‘ … EVEN WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE MIDST OF TERRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE MAY STILL BE IN CENTRE OF GOD’S WILL … FEELING BAD DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN WE HAVE BEEN BAD.’ 25 AUGUST 2018 WarCry 21
OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Andy (Territorial Commander) and Yvonne Westrupp (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 26 Aug: Johnsonville Corps visit for Self Denial Sunday, Wellington 30 Aug–1 Sept: National Council of Women Conference, Auckland (Yvonne only) 2 Sept: Visit to New Plymouth Corps Colonel Suzanne Fincham (Chief Secretary) and Melvin Fincham (Territorial Secretary for Programme and Communications) No engagements at this time. Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women's Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) No engagements at this time.
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Quiz Answers: 1 1989, 2 Dove, 3 Capybara (native to South America), 4 Nothing—cotton candy is the United States name for candy floss, 5 His shadow (Acts 5:15–16).
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I will be a true Father to you … 2 Corinthians 6:18 TPT
Guide me through the desert to my friend!
Deserts can be hot or cold—the largest hot desert in the world is the Sahara, and the largest cold desert is Antarctica.
The original meaning of the word desert is ‘an abandoned place’.
Can you copy this picture?
Cactus grow in hot deserts—some species can survive up to 300 years, and can go for two years without water.
The tallest cactus has grown up to 19 metres—that’s the height of a six storey building!
There was once a man called Abram and his wife was called Sarai. One day, when Abram was out by the edge of the desert gazing across the sand, Abram felt God come very close to him. Abram heard God say it was time for him and Sarai to leave their home. So Abram and Sarai did what God said, and as they travelled through the desert, they felt God very close. Abram and Sarai made a new home in Hebron. One day, Abram went out to gaze across the desert and God came very close to him again. God made Abram a promise: ‘You will become the father of a family so great that there will be more members of the family than there are grains of sand in the desert or there are stars in the sky. And I will take care of your children as my children.’ Abram couldn’t believe it. By now, Abram and Sarai were very old and had no children. But God had said it would happen and that they should change their names to Abraham and Sarah, so that’s what they did. And do you know what happened? A miracle! Abraham and Sarah had a son, Isaac. And Isaac had children, and his children had children, and those children had children. This went on and on until your mother and father had children. And now you are part of this great family that God started—God’s Great Family! Has anything like this ever happened to you...? • You have felt very close to God? • You have heard God speak to you through the Bible or in your mind? • You have seen a miracle happen?
Dear God, thank you for loving me and calling me your child. Amen. 25 AUGUST 2018 WarCry 23
Altar Sunday 26 August | www.selfdenial.info