WE WALK TOUR!!

What:                   The We Walk Tour
When:                 Saturday, February 8, 2014, 9:00am – 12:15pm
Where:                 Gateway Community Church, Abbotsford, BC

If you’re anywhere near Abbotsford, BC on Saturday, February 8, 2014, you won’t want to miss this event!

GEMS Girls’ is sponsoring an afternoon specifically designed for moms and their daughters.

Author and speaker Sara Lynne Hilton will challenge and encourage girls to recognize that God has created them with a voice and a purpose—not just when they are grown, but right now. We Walk helps girls understand that their lives matter and they are capable of so much more than what they often think. Praise and worship leaders, True Emotion will also be participating in the event. The morning will feature gifts, giveaways, and snacks for moms/mentors and the girls to enjoy!

One of the main goals of this event is to open dialogue between moms and their daughters about how each one of us can be an activist in the world. Girls will see that even small acts can lead to lasting change when they rely on God. Women will be equipped to continue these important conversations with their girls. 

The event is appropriate for girls in grades 2-8. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $15.00 through www.itickets.com , Tourism Abbotsford, House of James,  Blessings Christian Marketplace, or purchased at the door for $20.00. However you are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to ensure you get your tickets before the event is sold out! Check out the We Walk Tour website for more information!

The We Walk Tour is based on principles from Micah 6:8 and is sponsored by GEMS Girls’ Clubs.  

Making God Visible

Then the LORD said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you.”

Exodus 34:10

One of the ways God reveals His greatness is through His people. Here are a few from many examples in Scripture.

Shiphrah and Puah. These Hebrew midwives ignored the king of Egypt’s command to murder the newborn Hebrew boys. God used them to make His faithfulness visible among the people (Exodus 1).

The Israelites. On the shore of the Red Sea God told the Israelites not to fear the Egyptians. He would fight for them. Their job was to be still. Not an easy task when you see a vast Egyptian army marching toward you! God used them to make Himself visible as Savior and Deliverer (Exodus 14).

Nehemiah. By talking and walking with God, Nehemiah accomplished the impossible. Under his leadership the wall around Jerusalem was rebuilt in 52 days. God used Nehemiah to make Himself visible as the Great God. Jesus said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

Daniel. He had every reason to despair. He was deported to an idolatrous foreign land with thousands of his countrymen and was hated to the point of a murder plot by fellow administrators. God used Daniel to make His sovereignty and absolute reign visible. Kevin DeYoung writes, “Providence is for our comfort. We can be patient when things go against us. We can be thankful when things go well. We can have confidence for the future.”

John the Baptist. He clearly knew his position. While his disciples panicked that people were starting to follow Jesus rather than John, John was filled with joy. God used John the Baptist as a visible voice of one calling in the desert and preparing the way for the promised King. John beautifully lived what he taught when he said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).

You and me. For God to become greater and for us to become less means making Him visible by the way we love God and others (Matthew 22:36-40). Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

HE>i: How are we making God visible to those around us today?

The church is the witness and theater of God’s glory.

Christopher W. Morgan

grace and peace,

Lenae

Upcoming events

February 8: We Walk Tour for Moms/girls in Abbotsford. Information coming SOON!!

February 24: All-Whatcom County GEMS Skating Party at Lynden Skateway from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. $5/skater or $7/inline skates.

He is Greater!

[Jethro said], “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”

Exodus 18:11

Imagine the family reunion. After a time of separation, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro traveled through the desert and brought Moses his wife Zipporah and his sons Gershom and Eliezer. What joy to be together again! Surely the neighbors heard the laughter and chatter through the tent walls!

Moses filled them in on all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He spoke of God’s active, vigilant care in the Passover celebration and the crossing of the Red Sea. He may have even taught them the song of victory and celebration that they sang after everyone was safely on the other side. He marveled at the invisible God making Himself visible with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. He told of deliverance in the midst of difficulties, and how God fought for them. Even the names of his children articulated God’s greatness. Eliezer’s name means, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:4).

Moses recounted what God was doing in his life and it had a profound impact on those who listened. Jethro, who was family and the priest of Midian, responded with great delight and faith. He said, “Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly” (Exodus 18:10-11).

Think about your most recent conversations with family, friends, co-workers, or neighbors. How did our words influence others? Did they display or diminish God’s greatness? 

Worry and anxiety tells others that God is not big enough to handle today’s troubles. Control issues demonstrate that surrendering to God is too risky. Living overwhelmed by life tells others that our great God really isn’t that big.

To influence others with the truth of God’s greatness, we must speak and live it! Walking humbly with God reveals our dependence on Him in all things. Speaking of His sovereign care and sufficiency confirms our absolute trust in His ways and plans, and radical obedience shows others that He is our first and greatest love.

HE>i: Over the last 24 hours how have our conversations influenced others to think about God?

And it is like that, the way the sand moves, every word moving either one way or the other-words raising Christ or building self higher. Words praising Him or wrangling to be praised ourselves.

Ann Voskamp

grace and peace,

Lenae

God>People

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10 

When King Saul spared King Agag and the best of the livestock instead of following God’s command to destroy everything, he demonstrated that public opinion and popularity were greater in his life than God. He told Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them” (1 Samuel 15:24). He feared people more then God.

When Samson loved Delilah more than God and feared losing her sexual attention more then he feared sinning against the LORD, he gave into her nagging and revealed the secret of his strength (Judges 16). He was bound with more than bronze shackles. He was snared by the fear of man (Proverbs 29:25).

When David feared the scandal that would surely take place if his secret affair with Bathsheba became public knowledge, he went to murderous lengths to cover it up (2 Samuel 11). He despised God’s Word instead of honoring it.

Abraham feared Abimelech and lied about his wife. Elijah feared Jezebel and ran for his life. Peter feared those who persecuted Jesus.  Three times he denied his Lord.

In the Gospels we learn of those who believed in Christ. There was the Samaritan woman and many from her village, the man born blind, Zacchaeus, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and religious leaders. Yes, religious leaders. But fear kept them from saying so. Many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God (John 12:42-43). They feared being thrown out of the synagogue more than entering the Kingdom. It was of higher importance to receive praise from people than approval from God.

When we fear people more than their Maker, we make much of man and less of God. Paul makes it clear that we can’t be people-pleasers and servants of Christ. We’re either slaves to people–fearing disapproval or craving approval, or we’re slaves to our Master. There’s no possibility of God and others sharing center stage in our heart or lives. Who’s the greatest in your life?

HE>i: When are you most tempted to be a people-pleaser? Think about what changes need to be made in this relationship(s) to win the approval of God.

To trust God rather than to fear man is to obey God’s clear directives, regardless of popular opinion, apparent wisdom or the prospects for success.

John A. Kitchen

grace and peace,

Lenae

When you Pray

He said to them, “When you pray.”

Luke 11:2a

For God to be the greatest in our lives, we’re going to need some help. Divine help. Because the natural inclination of our hearts is to be self-centered rather than God-centered, it’s critical that we humble ourselves in prayer.

When you pray, start with God. Jesus taught His disciples to begin their prayers by saying, “Father, hallowed be your name” (Luke 11:2). Start your prayers by telling God how great He is! Declare who He is and all He’s done. Delight in His names, nature, promises, and character. Beginning with God puts our prayers in perspective. We sense our powerlessness and His omnipotence.

When you pray, humble yourself before God. In the parable of the two men who prayed, the Pharisee prayed about himself. The tax collector beat his breast and begged for God’s mercy. It’s interesting to note that Jesus’ parable is more about the attitude of pride than the how-to of prayer. His intended audience was those who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else. His parable point was that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 18:9, 14b).

When you pray, don’t put on a show. Within the Sermon on the Mount Jesus instructs us to get alone with the Father. This is tender time between the Father and His child, not stage performance for those listening in. As far as word count, use less. There are no bonus points for babblers for our Father already knows what we need (Matthew 6:5-8).

When you pray, focus on God’s glory. God expects His glory to be the primary petition of our prayers. Jesus’ prayers for Himself, His disciples, and future believers were passionate and preoccupied with the Father’s glory (John 17). Phil Moore writes, “Jesus wants to teach us that His prayers are always Father-centered, not self-centered or us-centered, so that we learn to keep our own prayers focused on the glory of the Living God.”

When you pray, pray for humility. Pray that God would become greater and you would become less. Pray that He would clothe you with the attitude of Christ so people would see more of Him and less of you.

He>i: For God to become greater and bigger in your life, what change is needed in your prayers?

Father, we confess that we are naturally self-centered and self-exalting. Any humility we have is the gift of your Holy Spirit. Please, please touch us now with a humble heart, and break our pride and self-dependence. Amen.

C. John Miller

grace and peace,

Lenae

God is Greater Still

The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:4b

Mark Twain was quoted as saying that “History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” There certainly is rhyme and rhythm to Israelite history. The first time their toes touched the border of the Promised Land, they backed down in fear. The spies reported that the Israelites were like grasshoppers in comparison to the giants of the land. Ten of the twelve recommended retreat rather than attack, and the people agreed, rebelling against the Lord.

Forty years later it’s round two. The next generation now has their toes on the tip of the border, but nothing has changed in the enemy camp. Moses said, the nations are still “greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky” (Deuteronomy 9:2).  This wasn’t new news. They had heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?”  

Moses assured this generation like he did the one that preceded them, “The LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you” (Deuteronomy 9:3).

God will do what He promised to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He will do what He said He will do, not because of their righteousness, but because of His greatness. Would they trust Him?

No matter what our toes are lined up to today, the enemy will always be too much for us. The enemy is always bigger, stronger, and more powerful then our weak wills and feeble hands. So stop focusing on the enemy and look up to your Great God! Will you trust Him?

* Are you fearful and frustrated? God is greater still.

* Are doctors’ reports too much to bear? God is greater still.

* Are you weary of whiney toddlers and troubled teens? God is greater still.

* Are you trapped in the lie that you’ll never change or be free from this destructive life pattern? God is greater still.

Maybe you can’t feel that truth in your soul today. That’s OK. You don’t need to feel it. God’s not a feeling; He’s a fact. With His help, choose to trust that His greatness is enough to point your toe in the right direction and His grace is sufficient to get you to the day’s end.

He>i: What feels too great for you to handle today? God is greater still. Will you trust Him?

God’s heart and mind are greater than ours. All that is asked of us is trust.

Henri Nouwen

grace and peace,

Lenae

The Greatness Temptation

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.

Hebrews 4:15

Think on the math. About thirty of Jesus’ thirty-three years on earth were ordinary and mostly obscure. For roughly ninety percent of His life, He was ignored by the world. Like ours, most of His life was commonplace.

His ministry was launched at the Jordan. At His baptism, heaven was opened, the Spirit of God descended like a dove, and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Surely, this is the moment Jesus has been waiting for! He’s making the move from menial to miracles, from backstage to center stage.

That’s not how it worked. He went from the waters to the wilderness. The Spirit immediately led Him into the desert to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1). Still obscure and now alone, He found His strength in His early years–time in Scripture, time with His Father, obedience in the ordinary. All were preparation. Read Psalm 91 to learn more.

Jesus’ temptations in the desert mirrored the temptations the Israelites’ experienced in the wilderness. While the Israelites’ wailed for more than manna, Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” While the Israelites put God to the test, Jesus said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” While the Israelites had power struggles over who was the greatest (Joshua was upset when Eldad and Medad were prophesying, and Miriam and Aaron were downright jealous of Moses’ fame [Numbers 11:24-12:16]), Jesus said, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Although Scripture says, now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3), Jesus was humbler still. Jesus perfectly did what Israel failed to do.

There are temptations at every ordinary and obscure corner of our lives that lure us to make ourselves greater then God. Maybe it’s desiring food more then the Word, maybe instead of testing our own actions, we test God’s patience, or maybe it’s a power struggle in our home, church, or hearts. Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses. He’s been there, done that, and yet did not sin. His promise as we battle the greatness temptation is this: God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you’re tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

He>i: In the very ordinary parts of your day, what is your greatest temptation to put your wants before God’s will?

Our problem isn't that we don't know God's will. Our problem is that we DO know, but aren't willing to follow through.

Chuck Swindoll

grace and peace,

Lenae

EGO =Edging God Out

In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Psalm 10:4

Within a blog post Regi Campbell defined ego with an acronym: Edging God Out. He wrote, “’When we’re going for what we want, irrespective of what God wants, our ego is in charge and we start ‘edging God out.’”

Egos edge God out and off the center stage position He should have in our lives. Pride puffs us up and pushes God from the throne of our hearts. Prideful people have no room in their thoughts for God.

God’s Word is clear. Pride is a serious sin. He hates it! Pride seeks God’s rightful place within our hearts and fails to acknowledge humble dependence on Him in all things. The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished  (Proverbs 16:5)

Prideful people edge God out of their plans by running into the day without prayer and guidance from His Word. Their actions demonstrate they don’t need God or His help. They can handle things on their own! The humble make much of God by acknowledging that they need Him every hour. They commit all that they do to Him (Proverbs 16:3).

Prideful people edge God out of their conversations when they misuse His name, gossip, and judge. They twist their stories to make much of themselves, and manipulate discussions for personal gain. Humble people use their words to honor and exalt God, and to look out for the interests of others. Their prayer is that all the words they speak and think be pleasing to Him (Psalm 19:14).

Prideful people edge God out of their lives by putting false idols on the throne of their hearts. They seek the gods of comfort and security in their bank accounts instead of His provision. They look for affirmation and approval from others instead of their identity in Christ. They’re white knuckled and anxious as they seek control and power rather than trusting in their Father’s sovereign care.

Scripture says that God looks intently at the humble. He shows pleasure, favor, and care to those who walk humbly with Him. “This is the one to whom I will look: he (she) who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66:2, ESV).

HE>i: Is there anything edging God out of being the center of your life? If so, humble yourself in prayer and ask Jesus to be the center. 

At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is the greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend.

John Stott

grace and peace,

Lenae

At the Table

Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.

Luke 22:24

The disciples are at the table with Jesus. They drank from the cup and ate the bread with thanks. Unknown to them at the time, they were the original participants of the Lord’s Supper. While the taste of wine and bread is still on their tongues they’re disputing at the table as to which of them was considered to be greatest.

While Jesus’ mind is fixed on the suffering at hand, they’re stuck on status. While Jesus is focused on the cross, they’re wrapped up in their own concerns. They’ve missed the meaning of the shared supper.

Disputes around the table are not uncommon whether in the upper room, the church, or our own kitchen tables. How different mealtimes and life would be if we’d stop jockeying for positions of honor at the table and ask, “Who am I? That You would love me so gently? Who am I? That You would recognize my name? Who am I? That You would speak to me so softly? Conversation with the love Most High . . . who am I?” (“Who am I?” words and music by Nathan and Christy Nockels.)

At the table, Jesus teaches what it means to be truly great. He said, “For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). Christ exemplified Kingdom service before the meal by bowing low and washing their feet. He demonstrated true greatness after the meal when He willingly offered His life.

Opportunities abound at the table to point people to God’s greatness:

• Begin and end each meal with thanks to God for the gift of His daily bread.

• Invite needy and broken guests to your table who cannot repay your favor.

• Share God Sightings. Have each person tell one way they’re seeing God at work in their lives or in this world.

• Show genuine interest in others. Laugh until it hurts, celebrate, share honestly, and ask thoughtful questions.

•  Serve wholeheartedly in meal preparation and clean up as if serving the Lord, not to impress your guests.

• Have more hunger and thirst for righteousness then what’s on your plate.

He>i: How can you use tonight’s meal to point others to God’s greatness?

What’s becoming clearer and clearer to me is that the most sacred moments, the ones in which I feel God’s presence most profoundly, when I feel the goodness of the world most arrestingly, take place at the table.

Shauna Niequist

grace and peace,

Lenae

Bid Outloud!

As you know, God has been very good to GEMS throughout the years. By His grace, we have been able to increase the number of active clubs in North America, build  The Esther School in Zambia, create a GEMS International Ministry, and continue growing GEMS Clubs around the world. Due to the rapid growth of both our international and urban ministries, we must increase our budget. One way is to host a new fundraiser. Therefore, on November 22, 2013, GEMS will be hosting its first online auction!

Since we teach our girls to be bold and speak up for Jesus Christ, the tagline for our auction is BID OUTLOUD! Through bidding, people from all over the continent can take a stand by supporting the GEMS ministry.

We believe this auction will be very successful for GEMS, but we need your help in making it happen. Since bids will be coming from all over North America, we need items and services to be donated from many different locations. The GEMS staff cannot personally obtain donations from every area, so we need one person in each area to be an auction committee member and to secure 15 items or services from that area to be used in the auction.

We in WA state are Area 3 and we are still looking for this person. There is a packet of information available with all the instructions needed to secure these items for the GEMS online auction. Please contact Tami Cleveringa or Julie Ball if you are interested in helping out or if you know someone we can contact to ask to help GEMS in this way.

Tent Peg Tasks

The Merarites were appointed to take care of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use, as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes.

Numbers 3:36-37 

If you could travel back into OT history and ask someone from the Merarites’ clan what they do everyday, I wonder if anyone would’ve said she held the position of Tabernacle Engineer.

You: A Tabernacle Engineer, eh? Never heard of it. What do you do?

Miss Merarite: Oh, you know . . . I’m in charge of the tent pegs.

You: Gotcha.

Did the Israelites have the same spiritual gift rivalries that were splitting the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 12)? Did the Tent Peg people say, “Because I’m not in charge of caring for the ark, I do not belong to the Israelite community”?  Did the Rope People say, “Because I’m not on the battle frontlines with the other tribes, I’m not part of the Israelites”?

Whether in the Tabernacle or at GEMS, each part is important and needed. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

Your gifts are different than my gifts. That doesn’t mean one of us is more spiritual than the other. It means that God chose to distribute the gifts differently! John the Baptist understood that, his jealous disciples did not. They were upset when the crowds ditched John and followed Jesus. To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven” (John 3:27).

It doesn’t matter if you’re upfront with Moses or cleaning tent pegs with the Merarites. It’s not a matter of title and position, but of how you’re using your gifts. Are you leading to the glory of God or the glory of self? Are you wholeheartedly cleaning tent pegs as if serving the Lord or are you begrudgingly putting in your time? Bottom line: Who’s getting the glory?

He>i: Give thanks for your gift(s) and then commit to using it to the best of your ability for God’s glory and fame.

He who receives greater gifts should not glory in his own merit or consider himself above others, but instead be humble, devout, and thankful.

Thomas a Kempis

 grace and peace,

Lenae

Iced Coffee Punch Recipe

This recipe was such a hit at the workshops and so many of you asked for the recipe, so I figured I would share it here!

3 cups strong brewed coffee (I used decaf since the workshops were in the evening)
1 cup sugar
2 cups half & half
3 cups milk

Dissolve sugar in coffee. Let cool. Add half & half and milk. Stir. Freeze. Take out two hours prior to serving so it is a slushy consistency. Alternatively, keep refrigerated and serve over ice.

Enjoy!

Fall Workshop is THIS WEEK!!

We are praying for you as you prepare to attend Fall Workshop this week. We are looking forward to seeing many of you there and pray it will be a blessing to you, and eventually to your girls and your club. Here is the information that was sent in a confirmation email this past week, in case you need another copy.

The Lynden workshop will take place at Bethel CRC. It is located at 1105 Liberty St. Please enter through the white doors that face 11th St. and head down the stairs. Go through the double doors on your right to the basement fellowship room. The Everett workshop will take place at Everett First CRC. It is located at 1429 McDougall Ave., Everett, WA 98201.

Registration will open at 6:15 p.m. and our meetings will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. We will have a time of refreshments later in the evening and end at 9:30 p.m. Please bring along the following: a Bible, a pen/pencil, and your favorite hat. in order to enrich our sharing time together, please also come with one great idea to share that you have used either in your group of girls or in your club. This can be a craft, a lesson, a service project, a special event idea, or anything else that has worked well for you. If you are a NEW counselor, you are off the hook.

Please pray for the host church counselors as they plan and prepare for our time together. Please also pray for safe travels and an enriching time at workshop for everyone who attends.

Give Credit

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.

John 1:16

The familiar saying, “Give credit where credit is due” suggests that praise and admiration be given where it is merited.

When God cut Gideon’s army from thirty-two thousand to three hundred men, it was to keep Israel from boasting against God that her own strength had saved her (Judges 7:2). The weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength (1 Corinthians 1:25b). Give credit where credit is due.

When Elisha brought the blinded Arameans inside Samaria, the king of Israel couldn’t believe his eyes. He asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” (2 Kings 6:21). The king wanted to take credit for the victory God had given! He failed to remember that victory rests with the LORD (Proverbs 21:31b).

Within the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21), the rich man produced a good crop and in his arrogance tore down his barns and built bigger ones to store all HIS grain and HIS goods. He took credit and ownership for what belonged to God. We must never forget that it is the LORD who sends a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to (Deuteronomy 28:8a).

How often do we take credit for what only God can do? Children graduate from high school or college, secure amazing careers, have beautiful families that walk with the LORD and some parents’ chests puff at what their hands have done. Although it looks different, other parents take that same credit when children make devastating choices. They hang their heads in shame and wonder what they did wrong. Moms and mentors, this should not be! Yes, we’re responsible to give our very best to the lives that have been entrusted to us. We are God’s instruments to help shape the lives of children. We plant and water seeds, but only God can make them grow (1 Corinthians 3:6)! We can’t take the credit for growth or lack of growth, or when things go well or awry. Everything is a gift. All is grace!

God gives us the great privilege of being His servants. We get to be part of what He is doing. As His instruments and tools of service, we must reject pride and remember our place and position. Think on it: Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it, or the saw boast against him who uses it? As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up, or a club brandish him who is not wood! (Isaiah 10:15) Give credit where credit is due.

He>i: Have pride or self-sufficiency kept you from giving credit to God alone?

We are but instruments in the hands of the Master–all credit, all honor and all glory belongs to Him and Him alone.

Darrell Creswell

grace and peace,

Lenae

No Reputation?

[Christ Jesus] made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

Philippians 2:7, NKJV

Jealousy does ugly things to people. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of his position as favored son and sold him as a slave into Egypt. Miriam and Aaron were jealous of Moses’ position among the Israelites and took it out on him by talking poorly about his Cushite wife. From the moment the Israelite women danced and sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands,” Scripture says, Saul kept a jealous eye on David (1 Samuel 18:7, 9). The rest of the book of 1 Samuel speaks of Saul’s jealous rage as he sought David’s life.

It was out of envy that the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be executed. Jesus’ popularity and reputation was eclipsing theirs, and like King Saul their jealous eye was set on seeking His life.

Jealousy is a sign of pride. Prideful people can’t bear hearing anyone else be praised, but themselves. The self-important get jealous when their position is threatened and their influence is minimalized. They don’t like playing second fiddle, especially if they’ve sat in first chair for any length of time.

Maybe it’s the new gal at Bible study that just may be the next Beth Moore, while you’re fumbling to find the book of Philemon. Maybe your best friend lost 25 pounds, your sister is remodeling her home again, or everyone in your social circle seems to have a Christmas-card perfect family except you. 

Jealousy, selfish ambition, pride, and envy share a horizontal perspective. It’s a comparison game among people that preys on insecurities, and is a fight for position, popularity, and power. It can get ugly or it can be subtle. However it plays out in life or the remote recesses of the heart, it’s more of me, and less of Him.

For God to increase and become greater in our lives we must learn from Jesus who made Himself of no reputation (Philippians 2:7). He emptied Himself of significance and made Himself nothing. He exemplified what it means to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves (Philippians 2:3). 

He>i: Is there someone you have a jealous eye on right now? Will you choose to have no reputation in this situation?

Reputation, image, prestige, prominence, power, and other trappings of leadership were not only devalued, they were purposefully dismissed. Jesus became such a man. Not by default or accident, but by intention and design.

Regi Campbell

grace and peace,

Lenae

As we prepare...

As we prepare our hearts for conference, here's another devotional on our new theme...

The Great Exchange

“Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are no gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols. Be appalled at his, O heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 2:11

Currently there’s a Yoplait yogurt ad that features a women’s book club.  Ladies are sharing stories in a living room when one woman notices the table of goodies and faces a choice. Will she choose a heart-shaped cookie or Yoplait yogurt? She doesn’t miss what the advertisers define as a swap•por•tu•ni•ty. She swaps the opportunity to grab a high-calorie snack for the 90-calorie yogurt. Swap•por•tu•ni•ty.

What a swap•por•tu•ni•ty is for snacks is appalling sin when we exchange God’s greatness and glory for other gods. Israel abandoned the one true God for worthless idols, and we have to confess that we do the same.

Our idols may not look like a golden calf, Baal, or Asherah, but the exchange is as horrific. When someone or something takes God’s rightful place as Lord of our lives, it becomes an idol. Food, sex, entertainment, health, money, achievement, even good things like family and service to the Kingdom can become idols when we exchange them for God and His glory.

The question is asked, “Who’s the greatest?” And we answer rightly, “God, of course.”

Fill in the blanks and see if your answer measures plumb with your life:

• When I’m stressed out I ________________________.
• I’m happiest when ______________________________.
• My number one priority right now is to ___________.

Be honest. I don’t know about you, but my answers pain me. I want to always say I run to God when I’m stressed, I’m happiest when I’m aware of His presence and approval, and my number one priority is to love God and then people, but what I want to say and how I live can be very different.

If you also have to confess that God is not always the One who is sitting on the throne of your heart, through Christ we’re given undeserved opportunity to swap our sin for His grace. If we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will swap our sin and unrighteousness for His forgiveness and purification (1 John 1:9).

He>i: Have you exchanged God and His greatness for a worthless idol(s)? If so, what needs to take place next for your heart to be His royal throne?

The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in his own esteem.

Charles Spurgeon 

grace and peace,

Lenae

Fall Workshop 2013

Registrations for our Fall Workshops were mailed out this past Friday, so you should be receiving yours shortly! If you don't, or if you need more flyers or forms -- look no further! On the top of the right column of this blog, there are two links which will each give you a pdf you can print and use as needed.

Here's the basic rundown of our Fall Workshops this year: since conference is close by and we have 27 counselors planning to attend, we wanted to try something a little different for workshop, in addition to trying what some of you have asked for in the past. This year we will offer two, identical, EVENING workshops, BEFORE your GEMS season begins. The first will be held on Wednesday, August 21 at Bethel CRC in Lynden from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm. The second will be the following evening, Thursday, August 22, at Everett First CRC from 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Each workshop will cost $20/person and snacks and beverages will be provided. We WILL review the theme, but there will be new information in addition to networking time with counselors from our area. Please prayerfully consider sending as many from your counselor team as possible as we are planning for a great experience for you, Lord willing.

Unfortunately, a third formal workshop on the east side of the mountains just was not an option this year. IF your club cannot attend either of these workshops due to travel time issues, please contact Tami or Julie privately and we will do what we can to provide you with information about theme or other ideas that we have for your clubs this year.

We have been praying for you, your clubs, your girls, and this Fall Workshop. To Him be the Glory for everything He is doing in our lives and in the lives of our girls through the GEMS ministry.

He>i

Devotional - Our Purpose

Our Purpose

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Genesis 11:4 

Within the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams, farmer Ray Kinsella is walking in his cornfield when hears a voice that whispers, “If you build it, he will come.” He then plowed under his corn to build a baseball diamond.

For the people on the plain in Shinar the thought was, “If you build it, they will notice.” Craving human praise and fame, they made bricks and began building. Their plan was to build a tower for the purpose of making a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4).

Their self-serving desire was to call attention to themselves. They wanted honor, renown, and fame.

Ironically, God had to come down to see their grand and glorious tower. It’s almost funny, if it weren’t so sad. It’s a moment of holy scorn: The LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building (Genesis 11:5). And God was not pleased. He confused their language and scattered them over the face of the earth.

Not only were their motives for building arrogant, their choice to settle together permanently was blatant disobedience. After the flood when God made a covenant with Noah and his sons he said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). They defied God’s command. Instead of filling the earth, they congregated in a single location.

Prideful people defy God’s commands and put their wants before His will. They make themselves the greatest by purposing to make a name for themselves instead of exalting God’s great and glorious name.

What are you building today? Are you establishing a reputation, a business, a family, or a clientele? That’s good and wonderful if our purpose in building is to praise God’s name and not our own. May Psalm 115:1 be our prayer: Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory (Psalm 115:1a).

He>i: What’s on your to-do list today? Look at each line item and think through its purpose. Is it to make much of God’s name or are we hoping to make a name for ourselves?

Many of us are drunk right now, intoxicated with a desire to be respected, honored, and widely known. And yet this intoxication derails our ability to give God the respect, honor, and renown that He so rightly deserves.

Bruce Riley Ashford 

grace and peace,

Lenae

Who's The Greatest?

This will be the first in our devotional series on our theme for the 2013-2014 GEMS Season. It is almost time for conference and we are beginning to look ahead and prepare our hearts for the new year. The new theme is based on John 3:30 and is "Who's the Greatest?" Faithfully reading these devotionals from our training manager, Lenae Bulthuis will bless you and bring you more in touch with the theme personally, so that you can then pass along those blessings and understandings to your girls over the course of the year.

Who’s the Greatest? 

He must become greater; I must become less.

John 3:30

If ever there was a pat, rock-solid Sunday School Q&A, this is it.

Q: Who’s the greatest?

A: God. (Of course!)

We know the right answer, but how do we explain it? Think about giving a college-level, advanced math story problem to a preschooler. You can tell her that the answer is three, and she may even be able to write a 3 legibly on the worksheet, but she’ll be clueless to explain all the steps it would take to arrive at the correct answer.

We know that God is the greatest, but who can begin to fathom His greatness?

Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? (Job 11:7)

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom (Psalm 145:3).

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

We cannot begin to understand His works and ways, the depth of His wisdom, or the height of His thoughts. Who can describe the width and breadth of His love? It’s impossible to wrap our minds around how He created even one star. Add to that mystery the knowledge that He hung each one in place and calls them each by name! We respond with the Psalmist, What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:4).

If that’s not enough to blow our finite minds, think on this. God made the world and all it contains. Every square inch of it belongs to Him and cannot be moved. And although the earth is His footstool, He does not sit on His throne at a distance. He’s a personal, hands-on God. He knit us together in our mother’s womb. Before our birthdate, He ordained to the day how long we’ll live here. He knows everything about us, right down to the exact hair count before and after we shower or undergo chemo. We are His workmanship, each uniquely wired, gifted, and designed to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). 

Although we’ll never be able to fathom His greatness, may that not hinder our joy or awe in discovering more about God today than we knew the day before.

Today: Think about one thing you know about God and take it deeper. Unpack that one truth in prayer and Scripture, seeking to know more of His greatness.  

  

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.

Gerard Hopkins

grace and peace,

Lenae

Looking ahead...

It's almost time to begin thinking about a new year at GEMS! Conference is just a few weeks away and we are excited to share it with you! There are almost 30 counselors from WA state attending this year, which is an awesome blessing! Remember that we will have breakfast together on Thursday morning at conference at 6:45 in the breakfast dining hall.

New devotionals on the new theme will begin to be posted soon and you'll want to mark your calendars for the Fall Workshops on August 21 in Lynden or August 22 in Everett. Registrations will be on their way soon!

TRADE IN “I CAN’T!” FOR “I AM HELPING ME!”

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Can you identify?

·      I can’t get up early or stay up late to have quiet time with God. I need more sleep than most.

·      I can’t make my mind stop worrying. I’m wired anxious.

·      I can’t share my faith with strangers. I don’t have the gift of evangelism.

·      I can’t practice hospitality. My home is too small, I’m too busy, and I can’t cook.

·      I can’t ________________________________________________.

Standing on holy ground, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God, yet he wasn’t a bit timid to make excuses for how he couldn’t obey God (Exodus 3, 4).

Moses said, “I can’t!” God said, “I AM!” “I AM WHO I AM. This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation” (Exodus 3:14-15).

Before we come down too hard on Moses, let’s be frank. The guy was right. On his own, he couldn’t do what God was asking him to do. None of us can. We need I AM! We need His Son, His Spirit, His Word, His power, His help, His strength, His wisdom, His guidance, His timing, His resources, His people, to do what He calls us to do.  His grace is sufficient. His power is perfect in our weakness.

Billy Sunday said, “An excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.” We can make all kinds of excuses for ignoring God’s whispers and commands. I’m too busy, I don’t feel like it, it’ll be awkward, I don’t know where to start, it’s too difficult, costly, and more. Moses had his own set of excuses and God’s anger burned against him. The good news is that God didn’t give up on Moses and He won’t give up on us either.

Think on I AM’s promise as you turn from your “I can’t” to God’s call. He says to you and me: do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

Think on it: On an index card write an “I can’t” that you’ve spent most of your life believing. On the opposite side write, “I can do everything through I AM who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

Faith sees the opportunities while unbelief sees the obstacles. Are you arguing with God about something He wants you to do?

Warren W. Wiersbe

grace and peace,

Lenae        

Trade in Grumbling for Gratitude

At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

John 6:41

The classic game show, Let’s Make a Deal, is centered on deals offered by the host to select studio audience participants. The traders weigh the offer in hand to an unknown prize behind one of three curtains. Sometimes it’s a trade up. Sometimes it’s an unwanted prize like a junked car. Always there’s the draw that the deal behind the curtain is better than what they possess right now.

There’s nothing new under the sun. In John 6 the people were pursuing their deal breaker: bread. On a mountainside located on the far shore of the Sea of Galilee Jesus fed 5,000 with five small barley loaves and two fish. After they had eaten, they envisioned what they hoped was behind curtain number one: a king who would give them their fill of bread and other physical advantages.

Jesus knew their motives and withdrew from the crowds. The next day they tracked Him down on the opposite side of the sea. They were hungry for more bread and benefits. They craved what didn’t satisfy. Jesus offered them something infinitely better.

He revealed what was behind the next curtain. I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (v. 35, 40).

Here’s the deal. You can have temporal bread or living bread. You can eat physical bread like manna and yet die or you can eat the bread from heaven and live forever.

Their response? They grumbled! They were offended. Many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.

Think about it. How many times has God’s best gift been right in front of us like Jesus’ physical presence was to these Jews, and we’ve grumbled instead of receiving it with gratitude, we walked away instead of giving thanks?

What elusive deal are you and I chasing that we think will make life better than it is right now? May the cry of our heart not be for more bread, money, time, recognition, success, fame, or _____________________ whatever you’re chasing. May the cry of our heart be, “Just give me Jesus!”

Think on it: What is the last thing you grumbled about? Will you trade it in for gratitude today? If so, how?

Give me, Jesus. Give me, Jesus. You can have all this world, just give me Jesus.

African-American Spiritual

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1O_Jf_fdkI

grace and peace,

Lenae