Chosen

By Cheri Cowell –

I often heard my mother-in-law recall the tragic day they lost all they owned in a house fire. It happened right after Christmas and the children had just received new bikes. Of all the things in the house, they chose to try to save the bikes but were unable to do so. Over the years, however, it was not the bikes she missed, it was the little things. Photos were at the top of the list of things she wished they had saved. Though these things were forever lost, it was her family she cherished the most.

Recently, after watching news coverage of people returning to find what nature left behind after fires, floods, and tornados, I was reminded how blessed I am. Yes, I am blessed to be in a home surrounded by the things I cherish, but more importantly, I am blessed because of my relationships. I am blessed by my family and many wonderful friends. And even more than all of that, I am blessed because regardless what disaster may strike, I have been chosen, and so have you.

What are our spiritual blessings?

Eternal life, freedom in Christ, forgiveness, unconditional love, and the right to be called sons and daughters of God and a brother or sister of Christ, are a few. We didn’t receive these blessings because we live in the right neighborhood, were born into the right family, or follow the rules of faith. We received them because in God’s grace, He chose us. He chose us to walk blameless regardless of how much we deserve to be blamed; and to be holy, even as He is holy–not because we are, but because He is.

How blessed we are no matter what disaster we may encounter.

PRAYER: Thank You, God for Your richest of blessings, including my life in Christ. Thank You for choosing me and help me remember my spiritual blessings when at times it seems all earthly blessings are burning, washing, or blowing away.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:3-4 NIV).

In Our Time of Need

By Cynthia Ruchti –

My sister Carol carried a double major in college—Vocal Music Education and Spanish. At the time, all music education majors were required to pass Piano Proficiency to demonstrate at least a moderate ability to play the piano. The challenge was equivalent to passing the state bar exam while undergoing a root canal.

For whatever reason, and despite her love of music and outstanding skill vocally and on the French horn, at that time Carol and a piano knew nothing but discord in their relationship.

But getting her degree depended on passing Piano Proficiency. So she studied and practiced and agonized and fought off an army of knife-wielding nerves while the family prayed.

Often the phone rang with, “Get on your knees! Carol’s taking Piano Proficiency again!”

We prayed and consoled when she was handed negative results and told to retry in a few weeks. We prayed and consoled ten times.

We knew she could do it. And we knew God answers prayer—not because we deserve it but because He is merciful and gracious. So Carol took the risk and we who love her took to our knees an eleventh time.

Did you hear the shouts of joy from all over Wisconsin when after those unsuccessful attempts she passed Piano Proficiency and was freed from ever going through it again? Yup, that was us.

Did the Lord make her great at the piano that day? Or did He make the instructor think she was great so she could pass the test? It doesn’t matter. Either way, it was God’s grace.

Today she’s an amazing Spanish teacher who uses her music skills for worship.

Has the Lord intervened in your life to get you through the impossible, feed your courage to try again, take another risk, or trust, despite the odds?

AUTHOR QUOTE: When your need is great, tap into His limitless need-meeting ability.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NIV).

Curly or Straight?

By Janet Morris Grimes –

Hair. Have you ever wondered if we put too much thought into it? Pay too much attention to it? Discuss it too often?

I have. As my daughter and I discussed how we have to yield to the power of our curly hair, especially next week while we will be at church camp for the week, away from mirrors and conquered by humidity, I decided to make a list off the top of my head, (pun intended) of terms that have to do with our hair.

An A-Z list, if you will.

Adorned. Ash. Auburn. Askew. Accessorized. Asymmetric.

Bold. Beautiful. Banded. Bandana-ed. Bushy. Broken. Banged. Bi-leveled. Bleached. Black. Buttercup. Braided. Bunned. Baby soft. Baby fine. Baby fuzz. Barreted. Bowed. Beaded. Bonded. Blonded. Balded. Blue. Bed-head. Blunt. Beveled. Blunt. Barbed. Bump-it.

Clamped. Combed. Crowned. Crispy. Conditioned. Covered. Coal black. Creamed. Curly-fried. Coiled. Curled. Crimped. Coated. Cropped. Copped. Cupped. Cowlicked.

Dangling. Dolloped. Down. Dry. Departed. Decorated. Dull. Dented. Dread-locked. Dishwater Blond. Diffused. Detangled.

Extended. Egged. Eared. Edged.

Flat. Frizzy. Flossed. Fake. Flowered. Fingered. Flowing. Fuzzy. Feathered. Fixed.

Goldi-locked. Golden. Gelled. Glossed. Glazed. Gnarled.

Highlighted. Halved. Heavy. Hung.

Inter-twined. Ironed.

Juiced. Jaded. Jeweled.

Kept. Knotted.

Long. Lotioned. Light. Layered. Luxurious. Loosed. Low-lights.

Misted. Moistured. Mayonaised. Moused. Milked Missing. Mulleted. Made over.

Neat. Not. New. Naped.

Oiled. Orange. Oval.

Pencil straight. Pinned. Permed. Pig-tailed. Penciled. Parted. Purple. Platinum. Pink. Pony-tailed. Perfumed.

Quiet. Quelled. Quilted.
.
Red. Rolled. Riced. Ribboned. Razored. Rubbed. Raven.

Sprayed. Shellacked. Surrendered. Sideways. Scissored. Stroked. Soft.. Sweated. Sweeted. Scented. Scarved. Sculpted. Silver. Salt and Peppered. Shiny. Soaked. Sprinkled. Sparkled. Shaped. Spiky. Split. Shaved. Short. Stripped. Smoked. Snow-covered. Strawberry Blond. Swept. Sectioned. Scrunched.

Teased. Tapered. Trimmed. Twisted. Thick. Thin. Tow-headed. Tousled. Toupe’d. Topped. Tossed. Tea-ed. Textured. Tucked. Tangled.

Up. Under. Uncombed. Uncovered. Undone.

Veiled. Viled. Vexed. Vined. Volume.

Wet. Waved. Worded. Wrapped. Wound around. White. Wind-blown, Wigged. Wagged. Weaved. Wild.

X – Factor.

Yellow. Yanked. Yucked.

Zoned. Zinged. Zany.

Wow! Is it really worth all of that effort? That list makes me tired just thinking about it. And personally, it makes me thankful to have a week when we won’t have to worry about it. What you see is what you get, especially at church camp.

Jesus mentions hair in two different places in the Bible, using both to remind his disciples, and us, that we were created by God, and that we are always in His care.

“And do not swear by your own head, because which of you can make your hair either white or black?” (Matthew 5:36 NIV).

“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30 NIV).

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for creating us as individuals. Curly or straight, we are your craftsmanship and long to represent You in all that we do. Forgive us when we try to bring glory to ourselves, instead.

Back to School Believer

By Art Fulks –

Our congregation has been active in serving our schools collectively and last year, we were blessed to be a part of seeing many students receive Christ on campus. It was the most joyful year of school as a parent or pastor that I have ever experienced.

Statistics suggest over 90% of all who trust Christ do so before age eighteen. Our typical strategy has been promoting programs at church through which we hope to see life transformation. But four years ago, I stopped by the principal’s office and simply asked how I could help him personally and if I could pray for him.

Four years later, I still battle with the same attitude that suggests that I pay taxes for the school to serve my child. That may be true. But my approach should be different.

Let me share a few examples of my struggles.

We have four children. Two will be in college this fall, one in high school and one in middle school. But, with no student in the middle school, would I still be willing to serve and build relationships with students and faculty? With no child in the high school band, would I still provide snacks during summer camp? Although our son finished his senior season, would I still volunteer at a fundraiser for next year’s team? Would I help stack chairs on my child’s last day at the elementary school?

I am sure that God still has work to do in my life because my first response to each of these opportunities was not positive. It is certainly easier to convince myself to serve when it benefits my child or to give their teacher a positive perception of our child/family. But He is challenging me to look for opportunities that would reap no personal benefits. I need to consider serving to give people a better perception of my God. That is my calling as a follower of Christ, to reflect Him to the world so that they might know Him.

A new school year is about to start and I am excited to see what God will do. Will He allow me to engage in new partnerships and relationship for the Kingdom? Who’s life will He change?

I know that He will continue to change me. It’s back to school, Believer!

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 NASB)

Inside Out

By Cheri Cowell –

Recently I met a friend for lunch and through our conversation she learned that I indeed wore a Southern Belle gown and big picture hat for my wedding. As proof, I pulled the picture from my purse. As she looked at the picture she said, “Funny, I didn’t picture you as the Southern Belle type.” To which I replied, “You’re right. I guess I was filling a role I thought I should play.”

Come to think of it, I have played many roles in my life that were not accurate reflections of my inner self. Jesus can see beneath the surface and calls us to be who we really are.

This Pharisee in the scripture below had invited Jesus into his home, but Jesus knew that the man’s heart (his motives) were not pure. To reveal truth to the man, Jesus speaks of the inside and outside of a cup. True giving comes from what is inside, He tells the man, implying that his invitation to Jesus to dine with him was not given from a pure heart. He was just playing a role; his true character was revealed.

Are you living in a role that does not accurately reflect your true character? Jesus is more interested in lives lived from the inside out, and gifts given from a pure heart.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord for how You tenderly reveal Your inner self to me so that I might live a life that is clean from the inside out. Help me clean the cup from the inside so I may accurately reflect Your image to the outside.

“When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you” (Luke 11:37-41 NIV).

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