Inspire
To Love Again Ministries
Issue #17
March 2013
Content October 2012
Credits Writers Sarah Williamson Beverly Huffman Kimberly Borst Mary Corey Debra Lilly
Forgiven
4
Spring Fresh
6
Arise and be Filled
8
Where do I Fit in
10
No Fear
12
Cover kelsey_lovefusionphoto2 (Unnamed with creative commons limited license)
Eggxtravaganza
14
Design
Editing Alan Porter
Photography
Kimberly Borst Copyright Š To Love Again Ministries 2012, Photos Š very
To Love Again Ministries Pick of the month This month we are highlighting a book by Kyle Idleman called not a fan.
If you want to be challenged in your faith this is a great book. The author has a great revelation of what it takes to be fully committed to and actively following Christ. He also clearly communicates what an invaluable role the Holy Spirit plays in our walk with Christ.
Forgiven Sarah Williamson The Easter story is composed of every component needed to create the most flawless narrative: all encompassing love, forgiveness, death, rebirth, and the very best aspect—freedom. Easter has a power packed message, but it tends to get overshadowed by the attitude of complacency we bring into it. I don’t know how many times I have walked into a Sunday morning Easter service with the same attitude of complacency. It’s so easy to do when you have grown up in the church the way I have the past twenty-one years. You know the drill: walk into the service, clap to the beat of the music, half listening to a sermon while you wonder what you’re having for Easter dinner. The more I thought about it the more convicted I felt. Easter isn’t a holiday that should be ignored, if nothing else it should be the holiday we celebrate the most! Easter is a time to remember that we are no longer slaves to our sin! How powerful! Because of who we are in Christ there is power in the resurrection. We don’t have to fill our days subjecting ourselves to the never ending task of sin management; we can now walk in the freedom God has intended us to walk in
Cordelia Persen
from the moment he sent his son to die for us. I think this Easter it’s time for all of us to wake up, and I mean really wake up. We need to start basking in the power behind the resurrection story, and not just on Easter but every day. Think of the healing and happiness we could all continue to live in knowing that every transgression we have made or will make has been completely solved at the cross. We don’t have to walk in bondage; we don’t have to look down in shame because it’s been taken care of! God basically told us “Please don’t beat yourself up about these transgressions… I’ve got this! I took care of this awhile ago so that every last one of you can know what it feels like to be forgiven completely, and in turn you can forgive completely.”When Jesus came and set us free he gave us the power to forgive in the same way. Let’s take this Easter to do some soul searching and see if we can find some people that we are still holding in the grips of unforgiveness. That is what Easter is all about after all - being continually forgiven and forgiving those that have done us wrong. No matter what the wrong is, every person in
our lives deserves forgiveness because Jesus didn’t put a limit on the things we could be forgiven for. He didn’t say “Well, I died for you guys over here with your stealing, but that group of you over there lying - yeah, you aren’t actually covered in my blood, please move away from the cross.” If Jesus could die for our sins and forgive the good, the bad and the ugly, why can’t we in turn pay it forward and forgive those that have done us wrong in the same encompassing way.
Spring Fresh Beverly Huffman Curtis Fry
was mad at a friend. After a beautiful little red apple of envy sat on the emotionally cold shelf of my soul, the feelings decomposed and mixed with other such “leftovers” leaving a classic mess! “Why did I feel that way? I couldn’t untangle the situation enough to identify where the slimy strands of “stuff” came from.
When I took the situation to God, He You open the refrigerator door and “Whew!!! You lean back with a wrinkled nose mumbling, “I can’t believe this smell!”
Digging through the half-used packages and “stashed” bits of odds and ends, you finally end up staring at a, a, well, it’s uhh, it looks like the remains of a … never mind! With surgical precision, you drag it to the front of the shelf with the nearest tongs. Plop! The trash bag is quickly tied shut and you run out the door holding it as far away as possible. Clang! It hits the bottom of the dumpster. UFO? No. Unidentified object? Yes!
reminded me of His mercy, of how many times He has cut me slack, let me off of the hook, and forgiven me again. I can’t begin to count how often He smiled and took me back, giving me a fresh start. Taking a closer look, I discovered the root that caused the spoiled fruit was pride. Yes, pride. There it sat in the corner with a snide little smirk on its wrinkled face.
There have been “objects” stuck to my kitchen counter. “Unidentified objects” have also been found in the dark corners of my emotions. I learned about “stickyicky,” “nasty-rasty,” “ooey-gooey” feelings when I tried to figure out why I
Curtis Fry
I had kicked it out and vowed to never let it back in, but there it sat. Its smelly arms were defiantly folded.
The apostle Paul encourages us to live with complete unselfishness because we love one another. He said we should “be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of (and produced by) the Spirit in the binding power of peace.� (Ephesians 4:2-3 Amplified version)
My friend and I grew closer when I told pride to leave. I started small, walking my way back into being a real friend. Yes, I lived with a sheepish feeling for a while, but it faded and our friendship was restored.
Nancy Frost
Closing the door on pride and then opening the window for the wind of the Holy Spirit brought springtime freshness! That is where I choose to live!
Curtis Fry
Arise and Be Filled Kimberly Borst
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profound words, “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Luke 24:49 (NLT) While He was with them they had gone out and taken the good news, healed the sick and driven out demons. Now He tells them to wait here, don’t go anywhere!
When the Holy Spirit poured out This month we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The life he lived was completely holy, without compromise or sin. His message was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is upon us!” a cry for mankind to return to God and turn from sin. He demonstrated God’s love and power by healing all the sick, and driving out the demonic spirits from those who were tormented by them. The beauty of the gospel came when Jesus willingly was beaten beyond recognition and died on the cross. God’s love goes beyond comprehension; He gave us His own son as a one-time payment for all sin. After Jesus made His amazing, shocking appearances following His death, He left His disciples with these
upon them, they were filled with power and the anointing of God. At that moment, as Kyle Idleman in Not a Fan puts it, we went from God is with us to God in us! With this profound gift, they went out and they spoke the word of God with authority, and spread the gospel across the earth
Cordelia Persen
with signs, wonders and miracles. If the disciples needed the Holy Spirit when they had walked and talked with Jesus, how much more do we need Him.
I say “wash me, fill me with your spirit, and let my heart be steadfast and true!” If I have learned anything from reading the Old Testament it is that we can turn away for God and His truth all too easily. I know that I desperately need the Holy Spirit living in me, moving me, teaching me, guiding me and empowering me.
The Spirit of God is symbolized throughout the bible by oil and fire. He is the fuel that enables us to move. If we keep putting him in the trunk, how can we ever get anywhere?
I pray that this Easter, as we remember the resurrection of Christ, we will arise and be full of His Spirit once again!
David Poe
“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” Mark 16:15-18
Where do I Fit in Mary Corey …“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! Luke 12:22-28 (NIV)
I feel I have been deceived as a woman. I truly thought we would automatically know how to grow old gracefully, maybe some rite of passage. I can’t speak for others but for me this just isn’t the case. For one what is gracefully old unless you do ballet? I usually do old kicking and screaming.
The area that is hardest for me is what is age appropriate dress and where are the books on thinning gray hair styles? How do the few classy older women figure this out, is it money, life style or some upbringing thing? Here’s one for the scholars, why do we feel like 16 year olds trapped inside a sagging body that can’t bop anymore?
I love clothes, shoes, and jackets lots of jackets. Finally being slight in build again there are so many cute things in the jr. departments. I’m sure that’s not the age appropriate I’m looking for but they fit my body frame and my crazy frame of mind.
Go to the Mrs. Department and I find very drab, dated and unappealing clothes for the older age group. Something my 90 year old mother would wear for comfort (No put down intended as she is darling.) What choices are there for her? Maybe that’s it we all just can’t be lumped in a group. At times my sweet daughter tells me that I look cute but is cute what I’m striving for here?
I Grew up as a poor little tom boy you could never get out of the trees. I didn’t Nancy Frost
care if my hair was rebraided once a week for church, if it really had to be, or if I wore boys’ clothes and shoes. This was me the real me as I saw it up to age 12 or 13.
What happened in between 13 and adulthood when you’re suppose to learn how to reign in the wild little filly? I still fight myself in this area (don’t fence me in.) Now at age 65 I don’t yet understand where I fit in. However, when I really think about it, I love the vintage styles of the 1930’s and into the mid 1940’s. The women’s clothing was designed to flatter ones figure and speak class and style from hat to toe. Well here I am now stuck in PJ’s and tee’s that’s enough for me. I guess I like my crazy me. Thank God He accepts us for who we and loves us into more than we could be.
No Fear Debra Lilly
Debra Lilly Curtis Fry
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:16-19 (NIV)
There are only two root emotions that mankind experiences; love and fear. All other emotions come out of these two.
Scientists have discovered that fear has a long and slow frequency vibration in our bodies, while love has a rapid and higher vibration that connects to activate more of our DNA structure. Our emotions, whether we are in fear or love, directly affect our bodies on a cellular level.
If that happens on a cellular level without our knowledge, how much do we really understand about how love and fear affect us on a conscience level? We are transformed by the renewing of our minds according to Romans 12:2. We can learn to love and refuse to fear!
Curtis Fry
An Open Door To Love Again Ministries has been invited to the Ukraine to work with a prolife ministry there. Our team will travel across the Ukraine to five different cities. We will be coming alongside the ministry there to encourage and mentor young women. We will also be there to support the teams of faithfully women who work there.
We are so grateful to the Lord for this opportunity. We would appreciate your prayers for this endeavor. May the Lord go before us. Kimberly
Cordelia Persen
Eggxtravaganza Kimberly Borst In the early days of the New Testament church there was a lot of persecution. To let indicate to other believers that they were Christians they would place an egg in a prominent place in the home. The egg is symbol of new life. We decorate eggs in our home with those things in mind.
Coloring eggs can be a fun and creative activity for the whole family. We do our eggs different every year and let or creativity go wild. Even our teens love it. We write verses on some, painting flowers, crosses or other spring and Christian inspired symbols to honor God.
For something a little different try putting a drop of food on your egg and blowing on it. The dye will spread like splattered paint. Your kids will have fun making each egg their own artistic creation. After your eggs are dry rub them down with a bit of cooking oil will give them a nice shine.
Another method is to paint your egg with Elmer’s glue and attach small pieces of colored tissue paper. After your egg is covered paint it again with glue to seal your (work if needed.)
If you want something that will last year after year blow out your eggs before decorating them. To blow eggs put a whole in the top and bottom of a raw egg. Then stick it with a toothpick to break the yoke. Blow on one end and let the contents flow into a glass. For more Easter egg design ideas check out this video on You Tub. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y zJyJKuoyjE
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