REACH Student Ministries is embarking on a short-term missions trip this summer, to the Dominican Republic! We sat down with our student pastor, Emerson Bandemer, to learn more about the trip. Below, you’ll find specific ways to pray, and hear from a couple of excited students.

Here’s our conversation with Emerson!

What kinds of missions work will REACH SM engage IN?

DIFREN FAMILY | FBC MISSIONARIES

On this trip, we will be partner with our FBC Missionaries, Sadrac and Sarah Difren, on the mission field in the Dominican Republic.

The primary focus that I’m emphasizing is evangelism. I want the students to be sharing their faith and the Gospel as much as they possibly can. It will be evangelism through the avenues of VBS and sports camp. They will have the opportunity to go into the villages and invite kids to VBS, to sports camp, and to church. Every group that goes out into the villages will have a translator. These invitation conversations are the window for students to share why these events are important, as well as to share their own personal testimonies of faith. During VBS and sports camps, the Gospel will be clearly presented, and students will serve in a shoulder-to-shoulder context. On one of the days, our team will feed the community a meal, and we will also have opportunity to support a ministry called Lily House that ministers to survivors of trafficking and exploitation. At the end of the week, we will have a large part in leading church services through testimonies and worship songs. It’s going to be a FULL week!

this trip is a HUGE extension of our church’s mission to Love God, Love People, and Influence our World with the Gospel of Christ. How do you think this trip will help that mission come alive for the students involved – in an even deeper way?

On the surface, most people think of a missions trip as “outreach” – and it totally is; we will have the opportunity to serve the local community there. It fits into our church’s mission to influence the world with the Gospel. But it doesn’t stop there.

Our primary focus in our mission at FBC is to EQUIP BELIEVERS…to love God, love people, and influence the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

How does a short-term missions trip equip our students? Well, you have to do some things that push you out of your comfort zone in order to learn and be completely dependent on God. I know that each Gospel conversation our students have on the field will strengthen them to continue sharing Christ at home.  

As these students’ pastor, I know that the more the students are selflessly giving, the greater the impact will be. If they can fully engage in selfless service, take in the experience, and learn as much as they possibly can, they will be changed in a way that directly impacts the amount of influence they will have in our own community here in REACH, but also in their own communities at school, in their extracurricular activities, in their sports teams, or whatever it is that they’re doing.

What are some of your prayers for the students who are participating?

I pray for an authentic passion for the Lord as they return – that something would click in their faith that really makes it their own and that they would develop this urgency to share and spread the Gospel.

I also pray for camaraderie within the team. A healthy community and bond is always super special. My prayer is that this would carry over into our ministry, where our vision is to foster a culture where everyone knows they are wanted, welcome, and loved.

How HAS YOUR PRIOR INVOLVEMENT WITH SHORT-TERM MISSIONS impactED your life & ministry?

God has always placed an emphasis on evangelism in my life. In high school I went on two missions trips within the same year – one to Chicago, and one to the D.R. The trip to the D.R. was VBS focused, so I was communicating the love of Christ through my actions, body language, and through interacting with the kids. You can’t talk with them because of the language barrier, but you can play with them. They’re overjoyed that you’re there, and they have the biggest smiles on their faces. My experience in inner-city Chicago was the opposite. You’ve got this kid with a hardened exterior, an iPhone, and an Apple watch, not conveying happiness that you’re there…but you get to directly share the Gospel in conversation. The kids in the D.R. had so little, and they’re joyful. The kid in Chicago “had everything” and was so broken.
The need for Christ – and for the church – is the same in both contexts, but it’s revealed in very different ways. Regardless of appearances or perceptions, whether people have much or very little, all of us are in need of the grace of Jesus.  

HOW WOULD YOU ASK THE FBC FAMILY TO PRAY SPECIFICALLY?

1. Please pray for a softening of the hearts of people that we will encounter, that the Lord would already start preparing them to receive the Gospel. (Of course, we want to see the harvest, but we understand that sometimes we are seed planters.) I would love for my kids to see transformation and have a conversation with someone that accepts Jesus! We don’t know who those people are but God does.  

2. Please pray for as many opportunities to share the Gospel as possible. For example, when we go to the villages and go door-to-door, pray that we are able to share personal testimonies of faith with entire families. Pray that God would maximize our reach.

3. Please pray for safety. Pray that God goes before us and gives us safe passage as we travel internationally, as well as on the ground in the Dominican Republic.

Thank you for lifting up our team in prayer!

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WE ASKED A COUPLE OF STUDENTS, “WHAT ARE TWO THINGS ABOUT THE TRIP THAT REALLY EXCITE YOU!?”

“I’m so excited to see how God works differently in everybody’s lives and especially to see how He will push me out of my comfort zone to further His Kingdom! I’m also super excited just to be with the kids and love on them like Jesus calls us to! (And a bonus is that I’m excited for the food because it’s so so good! 🤩)” - Brooke Coursen

“Being able to go out of the country for my first time and to learn about what the culture is like in other countries; to be able to use the talents God has given me to serve others!” - Luke Kaminer

We can’t wait to see how God is going to use these students to advance the Kingdom and win hearts over for Jesus!

EMERSON BANDEMER | STUDENT PASTOR

Emerson Bandemer is the Student Pastor at FBC. Emerson is most passionate about helping students become a vital part of the body of Christ. Though teenagers are young, God still wants to use them to expand His Kingdom, today. Not when they’re older, not next year, not tomorrow, but today! Emerson and his wife, Cara, met in college. They have three beautiful kids, Rilynn, Beckham, and Lainey. In his free time, he likes to spend quality time with his family, play with his kids, watch sports, smoke meat, eat smoked meat, and stay active!

Someone wise once said, “You’ve gotta know your ‘why’.” Those who know their “why”, will go to impressive lengths for it.

For example:

• They will spend extra time and money to eat nutrient-rich foods.

• They will do the intimidating home-reno project.

• They will sit at the living room table helping their kids with algebra homework.

• They will put in extra hours on the job.

• They will have hard conversations and do the thing they don’t want to do.

• They will expend their time and energy to serve those who can’t offer them anything in return.

Behind every worthwhile task is an equally-worthy “why”.

And that’s great…until we find ourselves tired, or cynical, or burnt out…until we lose sight of what that “why” even was to begin with. Have you ever found yourself here?

• “Is it really going to matter if I give a gentle answer this time, when all I will get in return is an insult hurled back at me?”

• “Is it really going to matter if I stay on that serving team?”

• “I’m just going through the motions. I feel ragged and I keep doing things because I know I should, but I don’t feel anything anymore.”

• “Living the Christian life isn’t easy. In fact, in a lot of ways, my life was easier before I gave it to Jesus. Is this really worth it?” 

If you’re here – or in a similar space, then take a deep breath and let these words set up camp in your soul:

“THEREFORE, my beloved brothers; be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

This sounds so good, right?! We know deep down that we need this steadfast, immovable quality. We need a rock-solid assurance that yes…it really is worth it. At the end of the day, Yes - it really is going to matter.

Regardless of the task at hand, we need to remember our deepest, most essential “why”, and Paul reminds us of it with crystal clarity. In order to see it, we have to zoom out and observe the chapter as a whole.

1 CORINTHIANS 15

Paul wrote this chapter because the Corinthian church was flirting with some dangerous false teaching. They lived smack-dab in the middle of a culture that scoffed at the reality of bodily resurrection. Paul saw the massive problem caused by that kind of thinking. So, he laid out a scenario to give some perspective:

“If A, then B.”

IF A,	Then B.
If resurrection wasn’t real,	it wasn’t real for Jesus. (15:13, 16)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	Paul's preaching and the Corinthian's belief would have been useless. (15:14, 17)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	Paul and the apostles would have been misrepresenting God. (15:15)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	believers had no hope of Christ’s finished atonement for their sins. (15:17)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	those who had died had believed in vain and would have no hope of heaven. (15:18)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	believers wouldn’t have any hope beyond fleeting, earthly pleasures. (15:19)
And if all of that were true,	no one on earth would be more pitiful than them.  (15:19)

That’s pretty grim. But then, on the heels of the worst-case scenario picture Paul painted, he declares the greatest news:

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (vs. 20)

(Can you hear the mic drop?!)

Christ HAS BEEN raised! And we who are united to Him by grace through faith, will follow Him in resurrection – not only the resurrection of our bodies in the future, but a resurrected hope, life, purpose, and existence for today! And because we are united to the Victor, we will also come out victorious over sin and death through Christ. (vs. 56-57)

Good thing that “IF A” isn’t true!! Thank God that we don’t live a “Then B” existence!

It’s with this context that we return to verse 58:

“THEREFORE, my beloved brothers; be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (vs. 58)

Paul was addressing a specific danger to the Corinthian church. But the truth he delivered actually speaks into the rhythms of our daily lives as followers of Christ:

If you’ve ever felt like living for God doesn’t matter…like your attempts to share Christ don’t matter…like your unseen acts of compassion don’t matter….then Paul is shouting, “THEY’RE NOT IN VAIN!…THEY MATTER!” And here’s why:

We have resurrection life right now and forever. Jesus’ resurrection, as Theologian John Boys said, “is the Amen of all His promises.” It infuses every act with eternal significance. It is the reason we have hope for more than this life only. Our faith would be in vain, HAD JESUS NOT RESURRECTED.

Our “Why” is that He DID.

OUR “WHY”

Our “why” is that He really did rise and validate everything He said on earth and everything that was prophesied about Him. He really did take away our bondage to the law and our slavery to sin. He really did give us eternal life that doesn’t end in death. He really did give us a purpose that will last for eternity and He really did free us from having to try and satisfy souls created for Heaven with hollow and fleeting earthly trinkets.  

God does not make a mockery of His children.
We never have to fear that all He promised is not true.
We never have to fear spending our lives in vain.
God did not give us a hope for this life only.

And, as believers, that is our “why”.

That is why we can remain steadfast in an uncertain world.
That is why we can remain immovable when circumstances change and people fail.
That is why we can abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain.

If you’ve lost your “why”, then let Paul place it back into your hands.
Your belief system and your Biblical worldview is safe in the finished work of Jesus.
You are united with Him and can find freedom from addiction to sin – and the misery of trying to earn right standing before God.
You are liberated from trying to find your purpose in people or possessions or popularity.

Jesus really rose.
That means you don’t have to live for things that will pass away.
That means that you have a purpose that death can’t touch.

So, let this “why” fill your spiritual sails and propel you into the good works God has ordained for you to walk in today.
Every act done for His glory will never return void.
What you do is eternally valuable, and Jesus’ resurrection guarantees it.

If you’re like us, you’ve been taking in the heartbreaking headlines, images, and videos coming out of Israel and Palestine during the past few days. Sometimes, it’s hard to even know what to pray for. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is faithful to intercede for the burdens on our hearts when we can’t find the words (Romans 8:26-27).

Nevertheless, we’ve compiled a list of guided prayers below, to serve as a resource for you. They are organized using the “ACTS” prayer method. Our hope is that you read this post in a posture of prayer. If you’d like, you can hover over the Scripture references to read the complementary passages included as added prayer prompts.

ADORATION

 God, our Eternal King,

• We praise You for the absolute holiness and purity of Your character. You are set apart from the sin which corrupts human hearts and leads to senseless crime. All of Your intentions are good and true. (Psalm 145:17, Psalm 18:30, Deuteronomy 32:4)

• We call to mind Your sovereignty over every era of human existence. Nothing falls outside the realm of Your control. (1 Chronicles 29:11-12, Job 12:10, 42:2)
  

• You alone are the God who can repurpose evil for good, bending the evil intentions of mankind into stories of hope and redemption. (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28-29)
  

• You are the Warrior-King, the defender of the helpless. You will never abandon Your chosen people. (Exodus 15:2-3, Psalm 62:5-7, Isaiah 49:7-9, Jeremiah 3:14-18)

• You will put an end to the violence of the wicked. (Psalm 7:9, Psalm 37:27-28)
  

• You are the God of all comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Psalm 147:3, Psalm 23:4, Revelation 21:4, Isaiah 25:8)  

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CONFESSION 

Father, in humility, we ask you to:

• Forgive us for the seasons when our trivial pursuits result in prayerlessness. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Psalm 5:3, James 5:16)

• Forgive us for our complacency toward the sufferings of others. (Hebrews 13:3, Philippians 2:4)
  

• Forgive us for often elevating our own self-preservation above Your purposes. (Matthew 16:25, Philippians 1:21)
  

• Forgive us for any instances where righteous indignation has turned to sinful anger in our hearts. (Ephesians 4:26-27, James 1:19-20)

• Forgive us for the roots of bitterness and selfishness in our own hearts that have led us to treat others with contempt or hatred, even in our thoughts. (Matthew 5:21-22)
  

• Forgive us for surrendering to fear. (Luke 12:32, 2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 10:28)
  

• Forgive us for moments of despondency and hopelessness that disregard Your sovereignty and supremacy, paralyzing us from the pursuit of Your kingdom. (Romans 15:13, Romans 12:12)

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THANKSGIVING

Gracious Lord, we:

• Thank You for Your great compassion toward the suffering and oppressed. (Isaiah 61:1, Jeremiah 30:8)
  

• Thank You for extending comfort to those in peril. (Psalm 94:18-19, Psalm 40:1-3)
  

• Thank You that You are not far off, but rather, intimately involved in the affairs of mankind. (Acts 17:27-28, Daniel 4:17)
  

• Thank you for our eternal hope. Thank You for the promise that even death cannot separate believers from Your love and Your eternal life. (Romans 8:38-39)
  

• Thank You for the promise of everlasting peace. (John 14:27, Revelation 22:1-5)

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SUPPLICATION

According to Your will, we earnestly ask You:

• To extend mercy. (Psalm 25:6)
  

• To give us a heart for the suffering and oppressed. (Galatians 6:2, Psalm 82:3)
  

• To protect civilians in Israel and in the Gaza Strip. (Psalm 3:3, Psalm 46:1)
  

• To rescue hostages. (Psalm 34:4-7, Psalm 146:7)
  

• To reunite families and enable those affected by transportation closures to return home. (Psalm 27:5, Psalm 32:7)
  

• To transform the hearts of the persecutors. No one is beyond the reach of Your redemptive hand. (1 Timothy 2:4, Matthew 5:44)
  

• To grant wisdom to those in government positions. (Proverbs 21:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-4)
  

• To fortify and mobilize believers in the Middle East to share hope. (Psalm 31:24)
  

• To help us trust in Your redemptive plan as it unfolds in the Middle East. (Matthew 24:6-13)
  

• To help us recognize the spiritual battles manifesting themselves through physical battles. Please grant us an eternal perspective. (Ephesians 6:12)
  

• To use this crisis to turn the hearts of Jewish men, women, and children to their true Savior, Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 45:22, Romans 9:1-5)
  

• To surround Your people, as You have promised. (Psalm 125:2, John 16:33)

We pray all this in the powerful name of Jesus,
Amen

We’re already seeing an abundant response to this year’s Season of Generosity launch, and we’ve only just begun!

You’ve probably heard about the two main ways to get involved:

1. Giving of your time and energy by participating in one of our local service opportunities

2. Giving of your financial resources to bless one of our local or global ministry partners

We encourage you, first and foremost, to spend some time asking God to lay some of these opportunities on your heart. As you are drawn to certain serving initiatives or financial needs, you can jump in by signing up to serve, or by giving to our “Season of Generosity” fund.

Maybe you’ve already chosen some serving opportunities to jump into. Maybe you’ve thought about what it could look like to give extravagantly. That’s amazing!

If you’re looking for ways to go one step further…or to lean in a little more intentionally with your kids about what generosity looks like…or to carry Season of Generosity into your home and your routines…we’ve got some ideas.

Below, you’ll find a list of 10 ULTRA-PRACTICAL (and creative) ways to infuse your everyday life with generosity in this season.  

START HERE…

• Grab a mason jar and a handful of popsicle sticks and write down the names of our FBC Missionaries and Season of Generosity Partners on the popsicle sticks. Before each meal, have someone pick out a stick at random, and then pray for that missionary or organization.
  

• At the beginning of the week, write the name of an FBC missionary or Season of Generosity partner on the bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker and pray as often as you see it.
  

• Take a “prayer walk” around your neighborhood (solo, with a friend, spouse, or your family) to pray over our local and global ministry partners.
  

• Pick out one of this year’s 3 global partners and make a recipe from the region where they serve. (Think Middle Eastern, Indian, or Chilean Food!) Pinterest is brimming with international recipes you can make with common ingredients! Before you dig in, pray for the corresponding missionary.

  • Bassam Banoura - Middle East

  • Abraham Thomas - India

  • Alejandro Armijo - Chile
    

• Invite a new friend or a neighbor to serve with you. Serving together is a great way to build connection and bless our community at the same time!
  

• Check out products that support this year’s ministry partners. Most are made locally!

  • Church Community Services | Soup of Success Products

  • The Crossing | Micro-businesses: Spark Candles & X-Treme Tree Services

  • Trail Life USA | Featured Products
    

• Follow the social media platforms of the organizations we partner with to stay connected and informed.

  • Cultivate Culinary | Facebook | Instagram

  • Church Community Services | Facebook | Instagram

  • Faith Mission | Facebook

  • RETA | Facebook | Instagram

  • Ribbon of Hope | Facebook

  • Michiana Biblical Counseling Center | Facebook

  • The Crossing School of Business & Entrepreneurship | Facebook | Instagram

  • SPA Women’s Ministry Homes | Facebook | Instagram

  • Trail Life USA | Facebook | Instagram

  • Fresh Paint on the Road | Facebook

  • Time to Revive | Facebook | Instagram
    

• Treat our service opportunities as springboards. Ask ministry leaders if there are ways to continue volunteering in the future. Keep “spreading the cheer” by delivering boxes of donuts or Christmas cookies in your own neighborhood.

• Next time you’re at the store, allow one of your kiddos to pick out a toy to donate to RETA’s November Toy Drive, or take advantage of a sale at the grocery store to pick up something extra for Bristol Food Pantry’s November Food Drive. (For the full experience, allow your kids to personally drop off the donation in the big boxes in the Commons on Sunday morning!)

  • Check out RETA’s Toy Drive List here.

  • Check out Bristol Food Pantry’s List here.
    

• On your way to serve, leverage the car ride to talk to your kids about the “why” behind the “what” that they’re about to do. How will it bless the recipients?  

Have some additional creative ideas? Share them below!

Each year, one day is set aside to celebrate motherhood. On that day, we express all kinds of variations of the same sentiment: “We see you, Moms.” We pause the flow of life for a moment to stop and recognize the incredible impact of the woman who gave us birth - and then so much of herself after that. We celebrate the uniqueness of her uncanny intuition, her unmatched capacity to comfort, and the superiority of her chocolate chip cookies.

But part of what makes Mother’s Day special is the unspoken acknowledgement of what we don’t - and couldn’t possibly - see. We could never measure or applaud the number of deep breaths she took in labor, the number of bottles she washed, diapers she changed, toys she picked up, or tears she brushed away. We could never quantify the outfits she picked out, snacks she distributed, spills she cleaned up, arguments she pacified, or questions she answered. She was and, for a number of us, still is, the safe harbor to confide in, the one who always understands when no one else can. She disciplined us. She taught us not to put tinfoil in the microwave and applied sunscreen despite our protests. Cleverly disguised in pastels, she battled relentlessly on her knees in prayer - for us. From the thankless, mundane tasks to the formational moments with her that shaped us, we can’t summarize all she’s done.

Author and professor Dorthy Patterson says it well:

“A mother builds something far more magnificent than any cathedral – the dwelling place for an immortal soul (both her child’s fleshly tabernacle and his earthly abode). No professional pursuit so uniquely combines the most menial tasks with the most meaningful opportunities.”

And so, Moms, there are so many things we want to say to you this Sunday. Here are just two:

1. We can only hope to appreciate a fraction of the selfless love you display. In a moment of piercing desperation in the middle of a desert, one mother spoke one of God’s names as a banner over every mother to follow. Genesis 16:13 tells us that Hagar knew the Lord to be “El-Roi, The God who sees me.” The honor we extend to you on Mother’s Day pales in comparison to that of our Heavenly Father, who alone sees the ultimate depth of your devotion.
   

2. We want to honor you, not only for what you do, but for who you are. It’s a treasure that Hagar, in that miserable and life-defining moment in the desert, didn’t call God “the God who sees the condition I’m in”, (even though He did). Or “the God who sees the future of this unborn child”, (even though He could). She called him “the God who sees….me.” This Mother’s Day, we want to take our cues from the Lord, and truly see YOU. Not just all the things you do for us. We love the person God gave to us in you. Happy Mother’s Day, Moms.

According to Miriam Webster, to be “weary” is to be “exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor, or freshness.” Where the subject matter of sickness is concerned, it would be easy to find our place somewhere in that description these days. It seems safe to say that we’re collectively “over it” with the coronavirus, even though so many are not “over it” biologically. Although 2 years of pandemic-style living is certainly no eternity, it seems we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel for each new measure of endurance required. And when the garden variety of colds, flus, stomach bugs, and viruses make their typical appearances, it feels like adding insult to injury – more unwelcome than ever. We’re tired. We’re thirsty for something “fresh” – something that revitalizes the monotony of discouraging reports. We’re emotionally exhausted from grief – either our own, or grief shared with loved ones and acquaintances who have lost family members.

If you’re there – weary – in every sense of the word, this post is for you. We believe there is value in being honest before the Lord – laying the raw condition of our hearts before Him in the pattern of David’s outpouring in the Psalms.

But we also believe there is value in exploring how to redeem that weariness. What would God have us do with the way that we feel? How can we transform our (very warranted) weariness, into worship?

In the most sensitive way possible, and with every intention not to “slap a band-aid over an open wound”, we want to offer 5 biblical and practical invitations to the hearts that are “soul-tired” of sickness:

FIND REST

Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”

Every generation and culture has borne heavy burdens. Based on the context of Jesus’ words in Matthew 11, the burdens of an oppressive political climate, a merciless religious system built on legalism, and unmet expectations of what the Messiah’s earthly ministry would look like, collectively grew heavy for the Jewish people during the time of Christ.

The illustration Jesus chose – a plowing yoke, shows us that there is something about being connected and joined with Him, that alleviates the weight of the burden and grants rest in the face of our trials.

Life in connection to Christ is characterized by rest and resilience, despite the strain of living in a world laden with sin and sickness.    

Have we “come to Jesus” in our weariness? Or have we, unknowingly, tried to bear it on our own? Even if it takes another whispered prayer each time we hear another diagnosis given, may we be people that are known for running to Christ when burdened by matters too heavy for us to carry.

ADOPT AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

Romans 8:18-23
“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as His adopted children, including the new bodies He has promised us.”

Our world bears a curse because of sin. The “death and decay” mentioned in this passage are commonplace to us, although we know in the core of our being they shouldn’t be. Sickness is a fact of life, but not original to life. Instead, it is a lingering reminder that sin has broken the aspects of our existence down to a molecular level.

In his book, “Coronavirus and Christ”, John Piper explains:

“Physical evil is a parable, a drama, a signpost pointing to the moral outrage of rebellion against God. . . . Physical pain is God’s trumpet blast to tell us that something is dreadfully wrong in the world. Disease and deformity are God’s pictures in the physical realm of what sin is like in the spiritual realm.”

Romans 8 affirms that this inner “groaning” is an appropriate response to the pain we see around us. We know things shouldn’t be this way. It reassures us that even though we have been rescued in the only way that eternally matters, it is right for us to acknowledge the weight of sin and suffering. Further, it lifts us from that reality and fuels in us a more passionate anticipation for the kind of existence we were made for – the kind of existence we are promised to be ushered into with the Lord forever.

Sickness reminds us that we don’t belong to a sin-scarred world. Our true citizenship is in Heaven. 

GROW IN COMPASSION

Jesus Christ, during His earthly ministry, was not immune to the pain of seeing loved ones and friends beset with sickness and death. He wept over the death of Lazarus (John 11:35). Scripture often speaks of His compassion for the sick (Matthew 14:14, Matthew 20:34, Mark 1:41).

Following His example, believers who lived through pandemics previous to ours, saw an opportunity to engage the hurting with love and practical care. Author Glen Scrivener reflects on the relational and spiritual impact our response to sickness can produce:

“Plagues intensify the natural course of life. They intensify our own sense of mortality and frailty. They also intensify opportunities to display counter-cultural, counter-conditional love… The plagues “search” us. They discover in us either the way of the flesh (self-preservation) or the way of the Spirit (self-giving sacrifice).”

How can we respond to the reality of widespread sickness in a way that commends the gospel? We can grow in our compassion through reaching out to those battling sickness, empathizing with their struggle, meeting practical needs, checking in on caretakers, and interceding in prayer.

SHARE HOPE

Theologian J.C. Ryle once stated,

“Health is a good thing; but sickness is far better, if it leads us to God.”

That’s a hard truth to grapple with. Nevertheless, sickness, pain, and weakness have a way of proving the hollow nature of human sufficiency. It’s humbling. Sickness can stir up the hardened soil of a calloused heart and cause it to cry out for help. Sickness can break the cycle of physical busyness just long enough that someone has time to realize a spiritual breakthrough. Serious illness is a sober reminder of the fragility of life and the reality of what’s most important.

God, in His kindness, can redeem physical brokenness by using it to soften or realign human hearts.

In our efforts to extend comfort to those hurting physically, we have an opportunity to look for what God may be doing spiritually. With those who are desperate to make sense of a world-wide pandemic, we can share a hope that’s better than restored health. David Platt writes:

“The Good News of Christ is not primarily that Jesus will heal you of all your sicknesses right now, but ultimately that Jesus will forgive you of all your sins forever. The Good News of Christ is not that if you muster enough faith in Jesus, you can have physical and material reward on this earth. The Good News of Christ is that when you have childlike faith in Jesus, you will be reconciled to God for eternity.”

SPEAK THROUGH YOUR SICKNESS

The reality of sickness reveals where our hope truly lies. While it can immobilize us and make us feel helpless at times, sickness becomes an instrument in the hand of an eternally-minded believer. It becomes one more means, among a thousand others, to communicate God’s glory.

1 Corinthians 10:31
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God.”

What does that look like practically? J.C. Ryle explains,

“Meekness, gentleness, longsuffering, faith, patience, are all mentioned in the Word of God as fruits of the Spirit… Never do these graces shine so brightly as they do in the sick room. They enable many a sick person to preach a silent sermon, which those around him never forget. Would you adorn the doctrine you profess? Would you make your Christianity beautiful in the eyes of others?”

While we don’t rejoice in diagnoses, we can joyfully receive what accompanies them – the opportunities to glorify Christ in a new context, to experience His help and healing, and to show an onlooking world where true peace is found.   

Our hope in seasons of sickness isn’t solely the prospect of physical healing, but the platform illness has given us to demonstrate dependence on our faithful God, who gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isaiah 40:29).   

“Fresh Starts” are a gift straight from Heaven. The advent of a new year feels like a welcome “clean slate”, a springboard for cleaner eating, more consistent disciplines, or even reining in some areas of excess, whether it be entertainment, spending, or sugar indulgence. There’s a reason why you see myriads of new faces at the gym, seemingly overnight. New Year’s Resolutions are a kind echo of God’s perpetual invitation to choose wisdom in our daily living.

Jonathan Edwards, a pastor, writer, and deep lover of God who lived in the 1700’s, applied the discipline of resolution making to his spiritual life. Three, five, or even ten intentional objectives would have been thorough; Jonathan penned seventy - at the age of eighteen years old. You can explore his entire collection if you’d like, but here are a few selections:

• “Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.” (Resolution 25)

• “Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that in Proverbs 20:6, “A faithful man who can find?” may not be partly fulfilled in me.” (Resolution 32)

• “Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.” (Resolution 67)

• “Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking.” (Resolution 40)

• “Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.” (Resolution 7)

Carrying out even one of these aims would radically transform one’s life. At best, our new year’s resolutions will do just that - aid in the life-long journey of being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) so that we become conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, one degree at a time (2 Corinthians 3:18).

And at worst? Can there be a shadow-side to well-intentioned goal setting? Our enemy will certainly try to insert himself. He knows that human pride can poison our resolutions with a book-end approach. At the outset, pride will seduce us to attack our resolutions in our own strength, independent of the Lord’s enabling grace. And after we have fallen short in one area or another, pride will paralyze us with the accusing sting of defeat, convincing us it’s no use to continue the endeavor. Both of the enemy’s methods to use our resolutions against us remove God from the equation. At some point, most of us have probably experienced one or both of these outcomes…likely before February rolls around.

How, then, can we make resolutions resistant to the influence of pride? How can we stand in a posture of humility mingled with lion-hearted courage? How can we foster a hopeful and earnest spirit of dedication instead of a resolve laced with cynicism?

…BY Remembering the Lord.

Often in Scripture, when God’s people stand at the precipice of a challenging (or downright seemingly impossible) situation, He invites them to hit rewind. He reminds them of all the scenarios where He’s shown up on their behalf in the past - the scenarios where they didn’t stand a chance without His gracious intervention. Just as a bellows delivers invigorating oxygen to a struggling fire, God breathes a strong blast of courage into the hearts of His struggling people, not by reminding them of their own capability, but by reassuring them of His own.

In Deuteronomy, we find Moses pleading with the people under his care to do this humble work of remembering. The Israelites were getting ready to walk out of their wilderness and into the new challenges of receiving the land God had promised to them. Moses, with a tear-jerking appeal, framed their future and past with this perspective:  

Deuteronomy 1:30-31
“The Lord your God who goes before you will Himself fight for you, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.”

Images of strong protective arms, a compassionate heart, enduring strength, and sovereign foresight that could only describe a Father, reminded the Israelite people that they had been carried for the last 40 years. They couldn’t afford to forget that God was the source of their deliverance and flourishing.

We can’t afford to forget it either. We can’t afford to forget that we aren’t responsible for our own successes. We aren’t even sufficient for our own faithfulness. Even the simplest resolution we carry out is enabled by the grace of a generous Father.

The Work Of Remembering
protects our resolving
from becoming self-relying.

As we set our hearts to new resolutions, may we be a people who also, and often, set our hearts to remembering. Practically, this could look like marrying each of our resolutions to an evidence of God’s faithfulness or His character.

“This year, I’m going to workout twice a week,”

could become,

“God has given me a physical frame and sent His Spirit to live within me. Because His Spirit enables me to bear the fruit of self-control, I will depend on His grace to help me care for this bodily temple by exercising twice a week.”

or,

“This year, I want to stop giving in to anxiety,”

could become,

“God has always provided for my needs in the past. His presence with me is the foundation for my peace. This year, I resolve to take each anxious moment I encounter to Him, letting Him speak truth to me and fill me with His peace.”

If you’re a list-maker, you could simply pair each of your resolutions with a verse about a facet of God’s character or one of His promises that will remind you of His enabling grace for that goal.

At the very beginning of Jonathan Edwards’ list of resolutions, before he recorded even one objective, we find a really important prerequisite that defines each of the 70 to come:

“Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will for Christ’s sake.”

As we step into renewed resolve for God’s glory and our good, let us steep all of our resolutions and goals in the rich truth that apart from Christ, we can do nothing (John 15:5), but with Him, we can do all the things He leads us to (Philippians 4:13). Let us never do the work of resolving apart from abiding.

Luke 2:25-32 (ESV)

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.’”

Luke didn’t tell us if Simeon’s hands were recognizably worn, contoured by the evidence of a long-practiced skill or trade. We don’t know if his ascent into the temple was a little slow and labored. We don’t know if he understood the significance of his trip that day. We just know that he carried with him a promise that God made to him personally: he would see the Messiah in his lifetime.

Did he marvel with each passing day, month, year – that his eyes would see God’s salvation? His eyes. His parents lived in anticipation, as had their parents, and their parents. Each passing generation added another layer of longing for the promise foretold by prophets and more recently revealed…to him.

Did the wonder in his eyes match the astonishment in Mary and Joseph’s as he cradled their son? Did these new parents shed joyful tears as they watched Simeon bless God the Father for sending Him? And did some of those tears spring from the relief of yet another confirmation that the angels’ messages were true?

God was validating His plan as it unfolded before the eyes of a waiting world.

It’s easy to rush past this small interaction in the Christmas narrative, but slowly savored, it offers a breathtaking image of the Trinity. God the Spirit reveals to Simeon that he would see the Messiah before he dies. Jesus is born – the Word made flesh. God the Spirit leads Simeon in a divine appointment to the new family of three. Simeon cradles God the Son in his hands and then engages God the Father, blessing Him for keeping His promise and sending the long-awaited “consolation of Israel” in human form, now nestled in his arms. God the Spirit, the Son, and the Father, in perfect union, orchestrate a single moment in the temple to introduce salvation to a darkened and pain-laden world.

God is still validating His plan as it unfolds before our eyes. We find ourselves in another “waiting” season of redemptive history, as we collectively anticipate the return of Jesus, not as a baby, but as a bridegroom. And as we wait, the Holy Spirit keeps confirming that, amidst a world crippled by confusion and crisis, God’s plan is actually unfolding just like He promised it would. He’s whispering reminders of the promise. He’s validating the Messiah, in a thousand ways.

Every time a heart is stirred and softened to the presence of Christ…
Every time a relationship is reconciled by the peace of Christ…
Every instance where the church is built on the foundation of Christ…
Every time the gospel is presented with the love of Christ…
Every time a sickness is reversed by the healing power of Christ…
Every time depression and despair are overpowered by the goodness of Christ…
Every time a prayer is answered in the name of Christ…
Every time eyes are opened in true understanding of the mercy of Christ…
Every time a believer is baptized to declare the joy of new life in Christ…

…the Holy Spirit reaffirms the promised unfolding work of the risen Messiah until He comes again.

Jesus is building His church today. He is reconciling men, women, and children to Himself, today. He is spreading the joy of the knowledge of God everywhere, today. And He’s doing it through those who are led by His Spirit. It’s unthinkably amazing that God chooses to use people like Simeon, and like us, to carry out His redemptive plan.

The invitation for us is to marvel at our God, Three In One, who never stops working, even in our waiting. May it be said of us, as it was said of Mary:

Luke 1:45
“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

“I will be with you.” Depending on who’s speaking, it’s difficult to find a phrase more laden with comfort. When spoken by a parent, it’s powerful enough to embolden a thousand “firsts”. When whispered by your closest friend in the middle of a waiting room, it’s pure borrowed courage. It’s the quiet presence of a faithful brother or sister who can’t fix the situation but is committed to sitting with you in your pain. It’s the unquestioning resolve of your spouse to fight your sin with you instead of walking away. It may be the most native need of the human soul: the promise of presence. Beginning with the Garden of Eden, God has instilled in His children an innate desperation to hear these words from Him…

…And He’s been speaking them over us ever since. 

The following passages form a collective glimpse of this promise, echoing across the pages of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. Oh friend, read and relish His words with an ear inclined to hear His heartbeat:

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Genesis 26:3
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.

Genesis 28:15
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.

Exodus 3:12, 14
He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” …And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Numbers 14:9
Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.

Deuteronomy 20:2-4
“Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

Deuteronomy 23:16a
He shall dwell with you, in your midst, in the place that he shall choose within one of your towns, wherever it suits him.

Deuteronomy 31:6, 8
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Joshua 1:5
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Judges 6:16
And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

1 Kings 11:38
And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.

1 Chronicles 17:8
”…and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.”

2 Chronicles 20:17
You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:1-2
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 14:16-17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:23
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:9
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

1 John 4:16 
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

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God has always dwelt with His people. Stretching from Genesis to Malachi, God dwelt with His children, in clouds by day and pillars by night, in burning bushes and on mountaintops, in a moving tent, and in the Temple’s holy of holies. But it seems the greatest and most profound iteration of “I will be with you" was showcased over 2,000 years ago in a humble manger scene. What could have communicated His nearness more powerfully than God being born in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7)? 

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).

In the most demonstrable way possible, God pledged “I will be with you” to us in Christ. And ever since Christ returned to the Father’s side, He has dwelt with us in Spirit. Jesus Christ’s redemptive work guarantees we will dwell with God forever. He is with us, and He will always be.

“Immanuel, God with us.”
It is hell’s terror.
Satan trembles at the sound of it…
Let him come to you suddenly,
And do you but whisper that word,
“God with us,”
Back he falls, confounded and confused…
“God with us” is the laborer’s strength.
How could he preach the gospel,
How could he bend his knees in prayer,
How could the missionary go into foreign lands,
How could the martyr stand at the stake,
How could the confessor own his Master,
How could men labor
If that one word were taken away?…

“God with us” is eternity’s sonnet,
Heaven’s hallelujah,
The shout of the glorified,
The song of the redeemed,
The chorus of the angels,
The everlasting oratorio of the great orchestra of the sky.

– Charles Spurgeon

“Personal ministry is not about always knowing what to say. It is not about fixing everything in sight that is broken. Personal ministry is about connecting people with Christ so that they are able to think as he would have them think, desire what he says is best, and do what he calls them to do even if their circumstances never get ‘fixed’. It involves exposing hurt, lost, and confused people to God's glory, so that they give up their pursuit of their own glory and live for his.” – Paul David Tripp

The team at Michiana Biblical Counseling Center (MBCC) is passionate about this work of “connecting” people with Christ, and equipping believers to do the same. True hope, transformation, and healing is found in Christ alone, and because of that, the counselors at MBCC witness entire family trajectories changed by encountering and following Him in the midst of a broken world.

Deanna Doctor has enjoyed a front-row seat to this amazing work over her last six years serving as MBCC’s Counseling Director. “Sitting down with ‘my people’ (my counselees) and hearing what they have learned about God as they have studied His word that week is precious,” Deanna shared. “Praying with them and problem-solving with them, based upon the sufficient character of God, is life-giving to me! (And the fact that I get to do this alongside our fantastic team of men and women who love people passionately is icing on the cake!)”

Proverbs 20:5 tells us that ,

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.”

We’ve “met” some ministries over the past several weeks that meet needs through a coordinated effort to pool and distribute physical resources. Others are uniquely qualified to partner with individuals navigating unplanned pregnancy, addiction, or cancer. MBCC’s ministry is invested in diving deep into the “deep waters” of the heart, the kind of needs that people don’t typically wear on their sleeves. This is patient work, trust-building work, uncomfortable work, hard work, Spirit-enabled work, and 100% “worth-it” work.

Deanna told us about the joy she’s experiencing in this season as she counsels: “Several of my people, this week, confessed sin to God right in the session as soon as God convicted them! I love it when they are moved to action immediately upon being convicted! That sensitivity to the Spirit is something I want to pattern!”

We would probably all agree that it’s nearly impossible to be involved in ministry without being changed ourselves. This has been Deanna’s experience: “I have grown spiritually, relationally, and emotionally over my 23 years of counseling and I don’t have words to express how grateful I am to God for doing that work in my life! God’s faithfulness to use the specific women, families, couples, and teens I meet with to sharpen my faith, and really every aspect of who I am, will never get old to me! I am truly living the dream and am so grateful!”

This is the design of our Father: people indwelt by His Spirit, helping other people to become more like Him, one degree at a time. Paul David Tripp reminds us:

“Embedded in the larger story of redemption is a principle we must not miss: God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things in the lives of others.”

The ministry here is boundless: One truth shared in a counseling session might lead to one decision in someone’s life that might break off generational patterns of sin and change a family’s legacy for ages to come. Testimonies of crumbling marriages that are restored speak to other relationships in crisis that healing is possible. Freedom from the grip of a lifetime of anxiety declares that peace is not only a possibility but promised in Jesus’ name. Transformation and renewal are sparked horizontally over an endless network of influence and vertically down the generations to come, and it all started in the counseling room.

Ripple-effects don’t get better than this.  

“Pray that God continues to provide passionate counselors to meet the needs of those requesting counseling,” Deanna asked. “Pray that our team stays stirred up in our affection for Jesus and passionate about helping hurting people. Pray that each of us counselors would be humble and teachable to the Spirit in our own lives.”

Not all have been called to walk alongside men and women in trauma every day. But some have been, and their perspectives and insights are usually well worth listening to. There’s something about the stories of first responders, emergency personnel, and crisis counselors that draws us in. Maybe it’s because life and death moments awaken us to what’s truly most important in life. They uncover spiritual realities that are otherwise numbed by life’s distractions.  

These are the moments where Loretta Salchert lives every day. She’s been serving as the Executive Director at Ribbon of Hope for 15 ½ years, where she leads her team in bringing help and hope to cancer patients, families, and caregivers. What does that actually look like on a day-to-day basis? It’s so much more than crisis counseling; along with their team of volunteers, Ribbon of Hope provides:

·      Personal attention

·      Monthly encouragement notes

·      Phone calls

·      Hospital visits

·      Occasional household assistance

·      Transportation to medical appointments

·      Faithful prayers and spiritual encouragement

·      Bereavement care

·      Cancer resource information

·      Child/youth support (parental coaching)*

*List source: https://ribbonofhope.org/patients/

Here’s the best part: God has given Ribbon of Hope a position of influence at Elkhart General Hospital to not only partner with patients, meet practical needs, and provide encouragement, but also to share the message of a Savior who brings hope. “I could tell you so many stories,” Loretta shared. “The unsaved almost always come back with a ‘Why would you do this for me?’ statement. And we get to tell them how much God loves them and wants a personal relationship with them.”

C.S. Lewis wisely wrote,

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

The pain and heartbreak of a cancer diagnosis, in the hands of a loving God, can awaken a hurting heart to the goodness of relationship with Jesus Christ. Ribbon of Hope has seen it happen over and over. Loretta gets to watch Christ breathe life into the hurting and restore hope to the hopeless, and that never, ever gets old.

Trauma care isn’t easy. Loretta told us, “I had a professor who warned me many years ago while in class that those who are called into trauma/crisis care are being asked to work in the catacombs of the tombs. This work is dirty, depressing, dark, hopeless, and can be lonely. She charged us with learning to work in the tombs and not live in the tombs.” And while Loretta and her team help individuals and families wrestle with some of the most difficult realities of life in a fallen world, she wants the church to know, “Your support is a great reminder that we are not physically in this alone. Your prayer support is PURE GOLD!”

Local churches like FBC provide many of the volunteers that fuel the ministry at Ribbon of Hope. In fact, one of the things that impacts Loretta and her team most deeply is “watching churches roll up their sleeves through prayer and practical involvement in ways that ‘lift up our arms’ as we serve every day in cancer care.” First time volunteers often respond with comments like,

“I was a little scared when I signed up, but now that I’m trained, I’m ready!”

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“I had no idea it could feel this good to serve strangers.”

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“Serving others for Christ is challenging me to draw closer to Him.”

Loretta shared with us that Ribbon of Hope is preparing to open a second office on County Road 17 near FBC in early 2022! “We need more volunteers who love Jesus to help us bring hope to our community through practical acts of kindness,” said Loretta. “God is letting us ‘meet people at the well’, and we don’t want to miss the chance to do that.”

It’s been said that pain is humanity’s “lowest common denominator”. Whether touched by cancer or another trial, everyone needs the hope that is freely offered in Christ. Loretta reminded us, “Our community is hurting. So much is uncertain: politics, economy, jobs, family, etc. The one absolute we have is Jesus.”

FAITH MISSION

Every day, Vera Swihart looks forward to working with volunteers who, in her words, “feel like they are being just as blessed by serving others as they are a blessing to those they serve.” The outpouring is reciprocal, and Vera has witnessed it firsthand. She’s worn many hats at Faith Mission over the years, including secretarial work in the 70’s and administrative assistant duties in the 80’s and 90’s, before she became Faith Mission’s volunteer coordinator in 2008.

Faith Mission was born out of a shared dream of two pastors in 1956 to serve the homeless community in Elkhart. The space they rented downtown became a haven for those without lodging or food, and the streets of our city became their well-worn routes for carrying the message of hope in Christ.

Today, Faith Mission still operates with the same heartbeat: providing shelter, meals, clothing, programs, and faith-based hope to our community in need. They’ve added long-term residential and life skill programs that help individuals and families build strong foundations for longevity and stability, pursue employment, and experience lasting change. Over the last few years, they’ve partnered with The Crossing School, local businesses, churches (including FBC), and community volunteers to build “Tiny Homes” that provide emergency shelter to individuals and families.

FBC VOLUNTEERS CONSTRUCT TINY HOMES

God has flooded blessing and favor on what began as a nudge from the Holy Spirit on two pastors in a Bible class together. It has grown to truly demonstrate the passage written above the serving counter in their dining room in scripted brushstrokes:

“Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day.” – Isaiah 58:10 (The Living Bible)

“Generally speaking,” Vera shared, “when an individual is at his/her lowest point, even the basic things we provide at Faith Mission are really appreciated.” By helping Faith Mission meet even basic physical needs, volunteers make a profound impact on lives. What blesses her the most, is her volunteers’ willingness to perform their best as “unto the Lord”.

Matthew 25:35-40

(Holman Christian Standard Bible)

“‘For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat;
I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink;
I was a stranger and you took Me in;
I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you took care of Me;
I was in prison and you visited Me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?’

And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’”

FEED THE CHILDREN

Across town, Darlene Anderson Wilson spends the best hours of her days at Feed The Children. This location that God has placed “in our backyard” is one of 5 distribution centers where Feed the Children funnels food resources and other essential supplies to families in poverty and affected by natural disasters.

Darlene’s role at Feed the Children as Volunteer Engagement Supervisor has her constantly sharing life with the people that make this enormous operation work, and she LOVES it: 

“I am always touched by the generosity of volunteers’ time to come in. I know how busy my life is and I know many of them have just worked an 8 to 10-hour day and still come in to pack boxes to help others as busy as they are.” – Darlene Anderson Wilson

In addition to guiding Volunteers, Darlene oversees the Teacher Store, which invites teachers to “shop” for classroom supplies at no personal expense. Darlene has seen the way this impacts the hearts of local teachers: “I’ve seen it in something as simple as providing a teacher with a new chair for their desk or having books that are “perfect” for their students,” Darlene said. “The teachers leave here knowing we care about the work they are doing, and some have cried from the generosity they are shown.”

FBC VOLUNTEERS AT FEED THE CHILDREN

The overwhelming pattern in what Darlene shared with us is how God shows up in the moment-by-moment interactions that happen at the Distribution Center.

She treasures her interactions with the at-risk students who come and volunteer, describing the moments when they share with her the things that are important to them, their smiles in response to a “job well done”, and their laughter and camaraderie as they tell stories and even sing while packing boxes. “They come in and help complete whatever task we have for the day with enthusiasm and an eagerness to help out. When they are here, it seems like they forget about their circumstances for a while and are just kids volunteering,” Darlene shared.

Whether she’s helping a driver who can’t find an address or even helping a parent line up community service work for their son or daughter, Darlene understands that each of her scenarios at Feed The Children is an opportunity to spread kindness and grace to others.

As God uses Feed the Children to intervene in the cycle of poverty both domestically and abroad, He is also orchestrating encounters and conversations in a volunteer context to intervene in lives with His love. And that’s pretty incredible.

BRISTOL COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

“We get the chance to be in the gaps for people. We have seen where food gives us a chance to listen to people who need a chance to talk and unload from some of life’s hurts and heavy things. That happens quite often as we listen; it’s not unusual for people to cry and release pressures of life as we listen and pray.”

– Chris Garner, Executive Director, Bristol Community Food Pantry

Adopting this role in 2019 enabled Chris to step right into the lives of others, where he has witnessed firsthand the overlap between meeting physical and spiritual needs. If you’ve volunteered at Bristol Community Food Pantry before, you may have been surprised that your main role in helping families was to “listen”, even above providing logistical help. It’s all because this ministry’s passion for meeting relevant physical needs is built upon the desire to meet spiritual ones. Every facet of the experience at Bristol Food Pantry has been intentionally designed to demonstrate the love of Christ, providing nourishment to both the human body and soul.

A bag of groceries may last for a week, but a heart that has been touched is impacted eternally.

This kind of ministry functions on lots of moving pieces, so when volunteers show up with a posture of willingness to do whatever is needed, from handling small to large items, it especially blesses Chris and his team. “Not everything is glamorous and visibly impactful, but it is all part of the wheels that help the ministry run well,” Chris shared.

The Bristol Food Pantry is funded mainly by personal donors. In fact, community food drives hosted by organizations and churches like FBC help to keep shelves stocked, especially during busy times of the year. Chris and his team are also looking for people to help them expand into home delivery, pre-packing, and helping with shopping and food pick up at local stores.

For Chris, it all comes back to this: “When you tangibly see that what you do impacts a life in that moment, it helps you understand how critical it is that we are available to people – how God designed for each of us to be serving, living, and seeing the people around us.”

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RETA

Food isn’t the only drive we’re hosting during this year’s Season of Generosity! Those of you who are kids at heart have our full permission to revisit the toy aisle and bless another local ministry we’re partnering with: Reason Enough To Act (RETA).

RETA is located downtown Elkhart and comes alongside women and men in our community who are facing unplanned pregnancy or navigating parenting for the first time. Their annual Christmas Toy Drive allows client families to select and provide age-specific gifts for their kids. It’s an intentional extension of the relationship RETA has been building with each of these families. Joni Bradberry, who has served as RETA’s Client Services Manager for the last 15 years, shared with us her desire to see families blessed physically and spiritually this Christmas season. She would love for our FBC Family to partner in prayer that, “clients would have open hearts and minds to hear the message of Jesus through our Christmas packet and programming.”

Much like the Bristol Food Pantry, RETA’s toy drive brings physical blessing built upon spiritual care. “Several moms going through hard times have appreciated a listening ear and the prayer support we offer,” Joni remarked.

God is undeniably at work in and through RETA. One of our favorite things that Joni shared was the consensus of typical comments or reactions from first-time volunteers that serve at RETA: they feel the presence of Jesus as they serve. It’s easy to see why. After all, the heart of Christ spilled over with love for the little ones He encountered in His earthly ministry:

Mark 10:13-16 (New Living Translation)

“One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so He could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering Him. When Jesus saw what was happening, He was angry with his disciples. He said to them, ‘Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.’ Then He took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.”

The desire of Christ was for parents to engage Him with their children. Helping individuals and families to do this is deeply planted at the heart of RETA’s ministry, and the difficult moments of pregnancy and parenting become a ready atmosphere for encounters with Him.

“I am an atheist.” “I have a felony charge.” “I don’t have money. Can I be a part of your ministry?”  

These are just a few of the questions that Carrie Zickefoose, Executive Director of SPA Women's Ministry Homes, is asked from time to time. Her answer is always the same: “Yes, yes, and yes! I want women to know,” Carrie explains, “that regardless of what it looks like, we, the body of Christ, are here to walk alongside them in truth and love. Come, and let me tell you about my Jesus!”  

SPA (Spiritual & Personal Adjustments) Women’s Ministry Homes is a Christ-centered, residential treatment program that empowers women to address the root causes of life-controlling issues and addictions in order to live productive lives of recovery. SPA has been walking alongside women and helping them to find freedom in Christ through a life-on-life ministry context since 1998.  

“I wish more people realized that addiction does not discriminate,” Carrie remarked. “Your friend, neighbor, Sunday school teacher, coworker, etc. May be struggling and may need a safe, non-judgmental, loving environment to share.” Participating in the way that God is transforming women’s lives through His healing and freedom compels her to pour her heart and life into daily ministry at SPA.  

Carrie looks forward to moments like these at the beginning of the day: “I love walking through the door to laughter – undeniable – from the belly – fall on the floor – tears of joy – kind of laughter!” Those who walk onto the campus find a warm, vibrant atmosphere and an unmistakable sense of family and solidarity. Surely, the presence of the Lord is in this place.  

SPA works intimately with local churches in the Elkhart area, and its leadership looks for opportunities to foster that partnership even outside of Sunday morning services. Carrie told us the following story as an example:  

“We recently hosted a pastor's appreciation dinner in our home here at SPA Women's Ministry. While pastors enjoyed a meal that was prepared for them, our ladies shared with them through song, poetry, storytelling, comedy, and art. In that moment, I saw our ladies’ hearts soften as they served our pastors, and our pastors responded with love and appreciation! For some of our ladies, it had been a long time since anyone applauded them and said, ‘well done.’ And the next day, our ladies expressed over, and over again, how much joy it brought them to do something nice for those who pour Jesus into their lives day in and day out!”  

As a church, our FBC Family treasures the opportunity to partner with all that God is doing through SPA Women’s Ministry Homes. We have watched Him pour favor over this local ministry for years, providing resources to serve more women, transforming lives and entire family trajectories, inspiring creative and innovative new endeavors for the ladies in residence, and moving His church to be a part.  

How to Pray Specifically for SPA Women’s Ministry Homes:  

“Please pray for our ladies that they grow closer to Jesus. Pray for wisdom and discernment for our staff, mentors, and volunteers as they speak into our ladies' lives. Pray for our capacity to reach deep into our community to connect with those who are hurting and who could benefit from this ministry. Pray for our benefit service in February, that God's protection and favor is with us. And most importantly, say ‘thanks’ for who He is and His love and grace for us!” - Carrie Zickefoose  

How to Bless & Serve SPA Women’s Ministry Homes:  

It’s hard to imagine a more fitting example of “the domino effect” than COVID-19. It’s touched virtually every part of our lives, and yet we’re still learning more of its residual effects on a daily basis. Unemployment, labor shortage, shifting supply and demand, mass migrations to digital platforms and back, ever-evolving education policies, social mandates, vaccination discussions, ethical dilemmas, and political responses have each affected us at some level. And for many, the pandemic has left deeper marks - endangering or even taking the lives of loved ones. The cause-and-effect relationships formed by a pandemic are far more than biological - they’re personal, economical, emotional, relational, and spiritual.

There was a time when the collective lament, “When will things return to normal?” flavored most conversations. Since then, dynamics have changed on both organizational and personal levels. Restrictions have fluctuated. Some families have taken a collective sigh of relief as a degree of “normalcy” has been restored to them. Other families are still reeling from permanently altered careers, the loss of a loved one, or grief over how things “used to be”. Still others lie somewhere in between - relaxing into some pre-COVID rhythms and re-learning what it’s like to watch a movie in a theatre, while at the same time wrestling with a growing awareness that, for many reasons, our world is still very much not okay.

We’re humanly wired to find physiological equilibrium. Our bodies were designed to maintain consistent temperatures, blood pressures, and hydration levels. The term “homeostasis” borrows Greek root words meaning “similar to” + “standing still.” Essentially, in order to sustain life, we need biological consistency that’s sustained. When things are off-balance, we feel the effects.

Don’t we see this trend bleed into our spiritual lives as well? Our default practice is to find stability IN THE NORM, not out of it. When our lives are shaken up, our souls feel the effects. And we know deep down that we need to return to a posture of stability. Our hearts need to return to the places where they can stand still, calm and sure. Over the past two years, our world has been shaken. It’s easy to imagine the cumulative cry for “homeostasis” that’s risen up from every corner of the earth.

Here’s the breakdown. We think that our restored stability - that factor that will once again still our souls - will be carried by situational homeostasis:

“When the restrictions loosen, we can get on with our lives.” 

“When the vaccine achieves herd immunity, we can finally put this behind us.”

Or, 

“As long as we can somehow preserve medical autonomy, our kids will be ok.” 

“When the economy turns around, we can pick up where we left off.” 

“I’m just waiting for the day when mask mandates are a thing of the past.”

We long for every form of “normalcy” to be restored, each one loudly advertising to us the return of comfortable routines, personal freedoms, and unhindered preferences. And while we would gladly slip into those luxuries of old, like a favorite sweater, we need to ask ourselves if we’re trusting in the return of “normalcy” more than we’re trusting in God to provide our deepest sense of stability.

God reminds us with:
His Word,
His flawless track record of faithfulness,
His indwelling Spirit,
The strong testimony of His church,
And His steadfast promises,
that He is singularly able to place His hands on our lives and restore stillness and peace to our shaken souls, regardless of our situation. He wants to be our stability both IN the “norm” and outside of it.

We need not place our wellbeing in the hands of circumstance instead of the Savior. 

In every moment of circumstantial chaos, we are offered the same possibility of steadfast, sustained stability of soul and spirit, no matter whether our situation looks seemingly “normal” or nowhere near it. Why? Because we don’t need homeostatic circumstances to thrive as believers. We need - and we have - an unchanging God.

How do we access that stability on a daily basis? We’re so grateful for this application from Pastor Blodgett’s message on Psalm 46:

As you evaluate where you are seeking stability in this season, our prayer is that these passages and lyrics draw your spiritual vision to the true refuge of our souls:

“Grander earth has quaked before
Moved by the sound of His voice
And seas that are shaken and stirred
Can be calmed and broken for my regard
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And through it all, through it all
It is well
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And it is well, with me”

“It Is Well”, Bethel Music

“Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
He is mine forever.”

Psalm 73:25-26 (NLT)

"God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable],
A very present and well-proved help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas,
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains tremble at its roaring.
Selah.”

Psalm 46:1-3 (AMP) 

“Though the fig tree does not blossom
And there is no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive fails
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock is cut off from the fold
And there are no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord;
I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!
The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];
He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet
And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility].”

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (AMP)

For added reminders of the stability God has offered us in Himself, we’ve created a Spotify playlist surrounding this truth. We pray it is a blessing to you.