The Flame - Spring 2016

8/18/2019 The Flame - Spring 2016

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T H E M A G A Z I N E O F C H R I S T C H U R C H

The Flame SPRING | 2016


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CONTENTS

SENIOR PASTOR

Rev. Shane Bishop

ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Rev. Michael Wooton

For a complete lisng of the

Christ Church Sta visit:

www.MyChristChurch.com/sta.

WORSHIP TIMES

Fairview Heights CampusSunday - 9am, 11am, & 6pm

Saturday - 5pmWednesday - 6:30pm

Collinsville/Maryville CampusSunday - 10am

Millstadt CampusSunday - 10am

Sco CampusSunday - 10am

The Flame Magazine is a quarterly magazine published by Christ Church.

©2016 Christ Church. Learn more about Christ Church at MyChristChurch.com.

EDITOR : Carrie Gaxiola DESIGN: Jusn Aymer COVER: Mike Creagh

4 UPPING YOUR HQby Rev. Shane Bishop

5 PROJECT 200by Jerey Bishop

6 MY HOPEby Ethan Alexander

7 DARING TO HOPEby Dr. Steve Heitkamp

8 CONNECTING IN HOPE

10 WORSHIP AND HOPEby Rev. Don Frazure

11 BRIDGING THE GAPby Kevin Siddle

12 MY STORY OF HOPEby Ashley Waters

13 HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGYby Dave Merrill

14 CROSSING THE CANYONby Shannon Durio

15 HOPE UNDETERREDby Will Howell

16 HOPE IN THE EMPTY SEATby Kelli Tobin

17 WANTING HOPE

by Mahew J. LaFrance

18 A TIME FOR HOPEby Lyndsay Croxford

19 HOW GOD GAVE ME HOPEby Mackenzie Bradshaw

20 WORLDY HOPE VS SPIRITUAL

HOPE by Brenne’ Issa

21 A HOPE FOR TOMORROWby Shannon Peier

22 THE CRASHby Ma Rygelski

23 TATTOOED SHAMEby Jerey Bishop


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FROM THE EDITOR

Easter came early this year! It seemed tocome early or warmer weather, springflowers, and the newest edition o TeFlame with the theme o hope. I was alittle disappointed that our debut date orthis issue was not going to be on EasterSunday. Afer all, isn’t that what Easterembodies - hope? As I thought about it,though, I realized that the hope we haveas Christians comes through the resur-rection story every day o the year!

Christ ollowers have the hope o heav-

en, hope o orgiveness and the hope oa relationship with God our Father day-by-day! Hope is so much more than o-cusing on the power o the risen Saviorone weekend a year. It is a way o lie orthe believer. As you read these pages, youwill find our theme to be more challeng-ing than you suspect. Some o our writ-ers told me as much! Hope can be elu-sive in trying circumstances and can beconused with wishes oftimes. But as weollow Jesus, there is growth in our de-sire to hope in Christ alone. As we trust

in Him more deeply, we have a story toshare with others and the hope o the res-urrection spreads. Yes, hope is a challeng-ing topic indeed, but one that we cannotlive without in the world in which welive. So may we remember this, “the Lorddelights in those who ear Him, who puttheir hope in His unailing love.” (Psalm147:11)

Te Flame would also like to welcometwo new student writers. Part o our hopeor the uture is our younger generation. I

am thrilled to have Ethan and Mackenzieshare their stories with you.

I’ll close with this prayer as you readthese pages… “May the God o hope fillyou with all joy and peace as you trust inHim, so that you may overflow with hopeby the power o the Holy Spirit.” (Romans15:13)

In His Service,--- CARRIE GAXIOLA ---

Mission Of The Flame Be inspiraonal through biblical arcles

and devoons. Be informave in the

announcement of future events that

connect people in ministry.

Questions about the Flame?Contact the Editor, Carrie Gaxiola, at:

[email protected]

The Flame Online:Get The Flame Magazine online. Sign

up for email reminders of new edions.

Visit MyChristChurch.com/theame.

THE FLAME // SPRING 2016 3


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PROJECT 200DISCIPLESHIP MEETS EVANGELISM AT CHRIST CHURCH

INTERVIEW BY JEFFREY M. BISHOP

Editor’s note: Te Flame recently inter-

viewed Associate Pastor Rev. Mike Wootonto unpack the Christ Church effort to es-tablish a culture of evangelism in 2016 andbeyond. While a few Project 200 eventshave passed since the program kicked off mid-February at all Christ Church cam-

puses, this article provides the big pictureabout the evangelism effort, and shareshow church members can find more in-

formation about “on ramps” that will beoffered throughout the year-long program.

What exactly is Project 200?

Project 200 is our way o sharing that wewant to reach 200 more people or Christthan we normally would in a given year.Tis is us being intentional about sharingour aith.

What’s involved?Te kind o evangelism we are stressingis relational evangelism. We want peopleto naturally share their aith stories withthose around them and to know how tooffer Christ to others.

We’re trying to train people in that way.Te first (workshop) is Project 200: es-timony. We’re going to share with othershow you can share your story. Te nextone is Project 200: Salvation. Tat’s moreabout, “How do I really present the Gos-pel?” Tat’s the one about “sealing thedeal.”

How does Project 200 contribute toChrist Church’s mission to connectpeople to Christ?For some reason, God has chosen us,

these weak vessels, to proclaim the won-derul reasure o Christ. God wants toshow His power in our weakness. One’stestimony and evangelism is so muchabout us, but in a lot o ways it’s not; it’sabout God saying, “Tis is how I’ve cho-sen to reach out to people; this is how I’vechosen to show my ace to people.”

We think we’re not qualified sometimes;we think our issues are stopping us. Parto evangelism is showing that, “I’m strug-gling with an idol, but I’m sure glad that I

can talk to God about it. God really loves

me.” God has chosen us to be those ves-sels, and we really don’t have a say in that.

I understand how this helps bringpeople into relaonship with Christ,but how does Project 200 helpmake disciples?Being a disciple means we are allowingJesus to teach and challenge us. Project200 is challenging us to look at what Jesushas done in our lives. Te more we dothat, the more we will be like Jesus.

What’s really important is training peopleto understand their own aith story. Onceyou understand how God has affectedyour lie, and continues to affect your lie… we’re kind o natural billboards, weadvertise naturally, and it will just comeout o people naturally.

With a goal of 200 in a year, couldevangelism be mis-applied orover-applied?Someone might say, “Wait a minute? Youwant to win 200 souls – then what? Do

you just want them or numbers?” Heckno! We’re talking about ollow-up, we’retalking about discipleship; our Con-nect Groups are as strong as they’ve everbeen here. We eel like we have a systemin place here: we win people or Christ,they’re going to be able to get plugged inhere, and this will be the very beginningo something very incredible.

Has evangelism and sharing one’sChrisan faith story become moredicult in our current society?

Tere’s an opening o the eyes that onlyGod can do. It is difficult to share, andthe non-threatening way to share is tosay what God is doing in my heart. I can’torce God upon you, but you also can’ttell me God’s not working in my lie. Andthat’s what I think we need to be open toi we’re going to be effective at evangelismin these times.

Who in our church is this eort

aimed at?Anyone attending! We thought it wouldbe cool to have 200 signed up or itWe’ve got the youth on board, and they’realready trying to win people or ChristIt’s a total church effort; we’re havingmeetings with every department in thischurch, and we’re asking, “How can wemake this happen?”

I’m convinced! How do I learnmore?Go to mychristchurch.com/project200

so you can sign up and find out moreabout the various activities and on-rampthroughout the year.

I really believe that i we allow God towork in us as we make this step o aithwe’re going to win people or Christ, andI think there’s a blessing or us as well.

Ministry Spotlight

Jerey Bishop

Flame Volunteer Writer



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When I was 8, adults would ask me whatI wanted to be when I grow up; I toldthem I wanted to be alive.

I don’t want anyone to eel sorry or me,because I know that everyone has beenthrough difficult times and many havebeen worse off than I. Most people that

know me would consider me to be a veryhappy person, but it hasn’t always beenthis way or me. Tere have been timesin my past when I elt depressed, won-dered i I should be alive, considered howlong I would live and wondered why Iwas going through such tough times.

For those who are unaware, I have ne-phrotic syndrome, which is a rare (about1 in 6,000) chronic kidney disorder. Mykidneys lose albumin, a protein that reg-ulates fluid levels between bloodstream

and body tissues. Without this protein inmy blood, my cells overhydrate, causing alot o swelling. Albumin leakage has alsobeen shown to cause kidney ailure.

Once, when I was in second grade, I wasat home sick or several days and severelydehydrated. I don’t remember much, butI do remember laying on the bathroomfloor going in and out o consciousness. Iwas admitted to Children’s Hospital. Tedoctors didn’t even know what was goingon inside my body, but they knew I was

dangerously dehydrated. I was hooked upto our I.V. lines and pumped with fluids;my cells took all the water they could. Itwas a very weird eeling to be so thirstyand filled with so much water at the sametime.

Ten I became disoriented and conused.When the doctors asked me i I knewwhere I was, I just waved my arm at themand said, “Here!” in a mumbled voice.When they asked again, “Ethan, whereare you?” I replied “Kindergarten.” I haveno idea where this response came rom.

Te doctors put me on various medica-tions, all o which tasted awul and haveawul side effects. One day I asked mydad, “Dad why does my medicine have apirate flag on it?” It turns out that it wasa kind o poison -- a chemotherapy drugused to treat nephrotic syndrome as wellas many cancers.

Te medications and hospitalization were very expensive. I think that the insurancecompany hated us. It was really stressulon me to see how my parents were strug-

gling to make it, while paying to keep mealive and healthy. Sometimes I wonderedi it was worth it to pay or all o it.

All the medicines I have been on havehad some sort o immunosuppressivequalities; needless to say, I was sick ofenand was not allowed to be around othersick kids. On top o that, I have allergiesto nearly everything except snow. My al-lergies would ofen cause me to get sickand miss school. It was really hard tomiss so much school and miss riends.

Not only that, but I couldn’t play outsideat recess with the other kids because oallergies. I elt distant rom the otherkids, missing the social interaction o re-cess.

Since the time o diagnosis, I have had

over 20 relapses, many o which have re-sulted in multiple days in the intensivecare unit. Somewhere in there I expe-rienced a period o severe hopelessnessand depression. I began meeting withDr. Steve Heitkamp, where I remembertalking once or twice a week like he wasa best riend.

I think that the counseling turned mearound and showed me that lie is worthliving with the hope ound through GodI realized that my lie wasn’t really myown but it belonged to God, and withoutGod in my lie, this pain and struggle is just meaningless. Without Him, lie eelempty. I we were just some cosmic acci-dent, then this pain just isn’t really worthit and lie seems to lack a purpose.

I really like the verse rom the song “Our

God” by Chris omlin: “And i God is orus, then who could ever stop us? And iGod is with us, then what could standagainst?” Tis verse speaks to me andtells me that i our God that created theuniverse is or us, then what o this uni verse could possibly stand in our way?

With God, death is no longer an end, butrather a beginning. And i death is nolonger something to worry about, thenwhat on Earth is?

You are either living for God, or barelyliving.

Ethan Alexander


MY HOPE

BY ETHAN ALEXANDER

Student Connection

SPRING 2016 // THE FLAME6


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DARINGTO HOPEBY DR. STEVE HEITKAMP

Hope is a word that is comorting whenobtained and a chasm o emptiness whenmissing. We are called to be people oHope and we live among people who o-ten have lost Hope.

Te Bible is filled with the tension o“Now” and “Not Yet”. Te Kingdom o

Heaven has come in the person o JesusChrist. We know Him and His bless-ings now, and in this way, the Kingdomo Heaven is now. Also, the Kingdom oGod is “Not Yet”, as we eagerly wait orthat which is to come.

In I Tessalonians 4:13 we hear, “....Sothat you will not grieve like people whohave no hope.” In Colossians 1:5, we arereminded that our “Confident Hope” isreserved or us in Heaven.” Tese de-scribe the root o our Hope in ultimate

“Not Yet” ulfilled in eternity. We findHope in the promises o what will ulti-mately be revealed to us. Tis gives usHope!

Te Bible is filled with those who believein God and those who have lost or grownweary in Hope. Tose named have beenso stressed, crushed, and overwhelmedthat Hope has become an elusive miragethat disappears when the oasis o relieevaporates. God reminds us that Hope isalive and well.

With permission to share their words,one person with whom I have sat, wrotethis description o Hope in the midst osevere depression:

“Hope. Now there’s a topic. Depressionbrutalized my ability to Hope, and con-vinced me nothing would ever change life

for me.

Te ways depression interferes with spir-itual well-being are as profound as the

ways it interferes with the social, physicaland emotional person. Depression hindersthe ability to put oneself in relationshipwith anyone, let alone a creator. Depres-sion mitigates the ability to connect withbeauty and truth, as well as people. A

false gloom is created within the vacuum.

I never would have addressed spiritualwounds in a direct manner without guid-ance from my therapist. During our dis-cussions, conversation gravitated towardthe core of my being - where the spiritualresides.

I was able to work through my lack ofHope, anger with God and heal the spiri-tual wounds I felt. I grew from not beingable to enter a church without crying, tobecoming an active member of my faithcommunity with a rich spiritual life.

Te care I have received has allowed meto remove the squatters and reclaim mylife. I have a new and deep appreciation

for who I am and my core beliefs, becauseI worked so diligently to forge them. I amunstuck.”

Te image we chose or Horizon HopeCounseling is a tree. rees are allthroughout the Bible: rom the Gardeno Eden, to the ending scene in Revela-tion where the tree gives healing to the

nations. Te tree is a symbol o Hopethroughout scripture, and to me. On thewall o our waiting room, there is a quoterom Isaiah 41 which speaks o the Lordbeing with us because He will strength-en us. He gives and restores Hope. Laterin that chapter we read verse 19, “I willplant trees in the barren desert. I am do-ing this so all who see this miracle willunderstand what it means - that it is theLord who has done this, the Holy Oneo Israel who created it.” What I havediscovered is, there are some things that

only God can do. God is the only onewho can grow trees in barren deserts, andHe can give Hope when all Hope has become lost.

Psalm 37:34 states, “Put your Hope in theLord, travel steadily along his path”. Wecan choose Hope and trust in him who

has saved us, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Inthe circumstances listed below, reflecupon problems you have may have en-countered, and solutions the Lord pro vided or you.

1. Has there been a time in the past whenyou lost Hope? Remember how God re-stored your Hope – and share it!

2. Have you lost Hope now? Rememberand ocus on what can do, rather thanwhat is lost!

3. Do you know someone who has lostHope? - Listen! - Be patient with them inthe “Not Yet” o Hope! Be slow to speakand when you do -encourage!

Consider this as a prescription back tothe Path o Hope in the God who causes trees to grow in the barren desert. Hecreates, gives and sustains Hope withinus.

My Hope is Firm in Christ and in no oth

er.

“Yet I sll dare to Hope when I remember this: the faithful love ofthe Lord never ends! .....Therefore, I will Hope in Him.”

~ Lamentaons 3:21 ~

Dr. Steve Heitkamp

[email protected]

www.horizonhope.org



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CONNECTINGIN HOPE

In the past several months, ChristChurch has enjoyed a tremendousseason o interest and growth inour Connect Group participation. Wecurrently have over 100 active groups!Our Lenten Study alone boasted o over65 individual groups meeting each day othe week at all different times and places.Te Flame asked our Connections Direc-

tor, Pam Huff, to ask a couple o peoplewhat Connect Groups mean to them.Lin Stawarski is a part o the Wing and aPrayer Group. Here’s what she has to say:

What is the most important thing you have gained by being a part of aConnect Group?Te simple answer is ellowship, but itis so much more than just ellowship!wo years ago, my husband o 35 yearssuddenly passed away. I made a phonecall. Within hours there were people

in my living room to hug me, cry, praywith me, and to sit silently as I rantedand paced throughout that entire firstday. Tese same people embraced notonly me, but my children during thatlie-changing time. Tey stayed by ourside as my amily transitioned with ourgood-byes, made uneral arrangements,sold my house, and had to move. Teywere there every step o the way withtheir prayers, tears, time, and genuinecare.

Several people along the way haveasked me how I managed to transitionthrough such events with a level o san-ity, strength, and grace. My answer hasalways been the same: with God’s lovethrough some very special people. Peoplerom my Connect Group have shown me just how much God loves and cares orme. Tey have been the ultimate example

on Earth o how much God loves me. Yousee, these olks are not just some peopleI see once a week. Tey are my extendedamily.

Our group has quadrupled in size sincethe beginning as we’ve have shared ourprayers, wedding celebrations, baptisms,hope, healing, laughter, struggles, anda whole lot o praises! And we don’t justbreak open God’s word ~ we do it while“breaking bread” with a meal together!Te best o both worlds!

What would you say to someonethat is reluctant to join a ConnectGroup?I think it may be intimidating, especiallyin the beginning, to be open and honestwithin a small group o people. Teremay be some reluctance at first by eelinglike an outsider. We were all “outsiders”at the start. I’ve ound that we’re all basi-cally the same with similar ears, doubts,or questions. But learning about God’sword, and more importantly how to ap-

ply it within lie, diminishes ears andstrengthens our aith as we grow together

Do you think being a part of a groupcan allow you to be more hopeful?In what way?I’ve been involved in a small group insome way or over ten years, which beganas a group afer church services in the oldsanctuary. It has now evolved into ourWing and a Prayer group that continues

with seven o those original members. I see my lie as a series o steps or piec-es o a puzzle that have “fit” together inmy relationship with God. I grew up in adifferent religion, and I was unable to ex-perience that personal relationship withHim. Now, through my lie experiences, Ican see how God was always leading andorming me with every one o those experiences. I believe that no matter whalie throws at me, I have hope that I’lmove through it because o God’s love

or me. I don’t think I would have learnedthat so distinctly i it wasn’t or the lovemy Connect Group has shown me. Hav-ing a relationship with these olks was noaccident. It was all a part o God’s care orme.

Why do you think Connect Groupsare important?A large church can lose a sense o intimacy and personalization among individuamembers. People in a Connect Groupknow you and your story. Tere’s noth

ing like seeing smiles rom people youknow at church on Sundays! My smalgroup helps me to be accountable withinthese commitments. o be honest, thereare times when I don’t eel like getting upand going to church or my small groupHowever, I know that people expect meto be there and are concerned when I’mnot!



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Jesse Crotser is one o our young adultsinvolved in a Connect Group known asthe Millennial Group. It is awesome tosee our young people taking ownershipo their aith and building communitythrough groups offered several times aweek. Here are Jesse’s thoughts on Con-nect Groups:

What is the most important thing you have gained by being a part of a

Connect Group?Growing up in a small church gave methe comort and closeness o a tight-knitchurch amily. With Christ Church, it’simpossible to get close to the other 2000+ people that attend. Connect groupsprovide that small intimate ellowshipwe need as Christians and give us the re-lationships that help us grow in account-ability as Christians.

What would you say to someonethat is reluctant to join a Connect

Group?I would ask them to give it a try. I’ve seenseveral individuals moved to tears whenthey discover how caring and personaltime spent with other Christians can be,especially those who just want to love onthem.

Do you think being a part of a groupcan allow you to be more hopeful?In what way?Weekly encouragement! Sometimes I

eel like each weekday I’m in the valley,and when I’m in church on Sunday withellow believers, I’m on the mountainwith Jesus. ime spent outside o churchocusing on the scriptures, prayer, andellowship is the greatest tool we haveagainst the enemy and his hopelessness.

Why do you think Connect Groupsare important?Te inormation and teaching taken rom

a pastor each Sunday is imperative oryour Christian walk, but honestly can stillbe distracting rom the still small voiceo Christ. We need personal devotion-al time and small group time to give thechance or Christ to convict and ministerto our hearts on a more personal level.

Do you see them as an importantpart of your growth as a Chrisan?Very much so! It’s in the small momentsduring my small group time when I seeChrist at work all around me, that I’m

reaffirmed in my aith, and am remindedthat our relationship with Jesus can be sopersonal i we pursue and seek it with allo our hearts.

I you are interesting in leading, hostingor participating in one o our ConnectGroups, you can view many o the op-tions at www.mychristchurch.com.

JOIN.LEAD.

HOST.

You can also contact Pam Huff, Directoro Connections and Adult Discipleshipat [email protected].



10/28

WORSHIP AND HOPE

BY DON FRAZURE

Many o you will already know that Iam working on my doctorate in worshipstudies. All o my ormal education hasbeen in music, so to urther my knowl-edge in my calling, I wanted to pursuea degree that ocused on the theologyand ull expression o worship ratherthan just worship music. As I continueto learn, I am beginning to get a pictureo worship which is much more eternalrather than just an hour on Sunday (orSaturday, or Wednesday). As Christians,we have put our aith and hope in JesusChrist. Because o Jesus, our worship isa dialogue; a conversation with God thathas been ongoing since the beginningo creation and will continue orever. Inthis conversation, we talk o our memo-ries, our present joys or struggles and ourhopes or tomorrow. Worship, thereore,becomes an opportunity to remember thepast, engage in the present and anticipatethe “yet to be.”

Worship is a retelling o God’s Story. Un-derstand that when I say “Story” [capital‘S’], I’m reerring to God’s redemptiveplan or our salvation. God is the Cre-ator and we were created to be in a rela-tionship with Him. Trough our sin wewere separated rom God and only GodHimsel could make things right. Godsent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to showus how to live and love each other. Godrevealed Himsel in Jesus Christ, and wemust respond to that revelation. Whenwe accept the gif o Jesus Christ and Hissacrifice or us our response is to ollowHim. Tis is all done in and through theHoly Spirit who is the very real presence

o God in worship and our lives. Te thing that is so amazing about wor-ship is that God’s Story is retold in the very order o our worship services. Teorder o worship that we use is called the“Fourold” order, and it has been in useby the Church or almost two millennia.However, just because it has been aroundor a long time is not enough justificationto ollow this pattern. Te justificationis that this pattern is a biblical model orevelation and response which is echoedthroughout Scripture. When we worship,we gather at God’s calling and acknowl-edge who He is [Creator] and who we arein relation to Him [creation] by singingsongs o praise and prayer. God then reveals Himsel to us in worship throughthe preaching o the Word. Te Word[Christ] reveals something to us and wemust respond to it. Ten, we are sent outto live out the revelation we have received[Holy Spirit]. Tere is hope in worshipbecause we witness and take part in theretelling o God’s Story.

We also find hope in worship because wetell our own story through worship. Inthe worship order above, did you noticehow that can also apply to our person-al aith stories? One o my proessors,Constance Cherry, calls this the “GospelOrder.” I the Fourold order can be bro-ken down into Gathering, Word, Com-munion/Response, and Sending, thenthe Gospel Order would flow like this: Iwas lost, God ound me and called meto Himsel [Gathering]; God revealedHimsel through Jesus and His love orme[Word]; I repented and accepted Je-

sus as my Savior, now I live in relation-ship with Him [Communion/Response]Now my lie has hope, I have a purposeand I want to share my story with others[Sending]. When we worship, our worship becomes a living testimony to thehope o our salvation in Jesus Christ.

Lastly, worship is not just about yesterdayand today, it is about hope or tomorrowWhen we worship, we join a “great cloudo witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). As theycontinually worship God as the saintswho have gone beore us, we join themin the worship that will last or eternityRevelation 7 paints a picture o worshipthat we will engage in or eternity. As iofen said, we have read the end o thebook. God wins! At last, we will be withGod. We will once again be with Himin His ull presence, the likes o whichwe cannot comprehend with our humanlimitations. Until then, we have worshipas God has given it to us, through thepower and presence o his Holy Spirit, asa continuous conversation o hope that is just as real in time and space as any storyrom the Bible.

Worship, therefore,becomes an

opportunity toremember the past,

engage in the presentand ancipate the

“yet to be.”

Rev. Don Frazure

Pastor of Worship Arts

[email protected]



11/28

BRIDGING THE GAPBETWEEN HOPE AND FAITH

BY KEVIN SIDDLE

I am thankul to be able to say that I havebecome a new person over the last ewyears. I have learned what aith is, andwhat it is not. I went through a very di-ficult time where a spirit o ear and anx-iety overwhelmed me. Tis all stemmedrom the loss o my best riend to cancerwhen we were teenagers. Almost fifeenyears afer he passed, all o those sameemotions, the hurt, the pain, the earcame rushing back like a tidal wave. Itwas only through the help o a antasticChristian counselor did I find peace with

the loss o my riend and was reed o theear.

In addition to the healing and peace thatI received, I also discovered that I had alack o aith. I wasn’t allowing God toguide my path. I wanted control. I didnot ully trust and believe that the hopesI placed in God would actually come toruition. Once I realized that I had a lacko aith, this made me start questioningwhy I was doing certain things, what mypriorities were, and how I interacted with

other people. Was I truly a living witnessto the power o Christ in my lie? Was Ileading my amily properly as a man oGod? Was I the same Christian at home,at work, and at church? Te answer to allo these questions was no.

Like most crises o aith, this orced achange in my lie. I began to pray orwisdom and discernment, and that Godwould do His will in my lie. I prayed orpeople to mentor me and give me guid-ance, teaching me what aith actually was.Lo and behold, those prayers were an-swered at Christ Church and in Hebrews11:1.

As I learned what aith actually was,changes continued to happen. Faith be-came the oundation or which every-

thing else in my lie was weighed against.Faith changed what it was that I hopedor. Faith changed the substance. Just asimportant, aith changed the confidence Ihad in what I hoped or. Up to that point,my hopes were closer to dreams or wish-es. I knew there was an off chance that amiracle could happen, but I’m not sure Iactually believed it.

How was I able to bridge the gap be-tween hope and aith? rust and surren-der. I started to trust that God provides

or His children, in all things. Afer all,I had seen it in my own lie as God haddelivered me rom all that pain and an-ger and ear. I was able to trust thatGod’s will truly was better than anythingI could imagine or create through my

own control. I also learned to trust in thescriptures by knowing that they are Godbreathed, and through those, I can gainwisdom to apply to my own lie.

I also learned to surrender. Tis was very difficult or me. rusting God is onething, but letting Him take control o thewheel was much, much different. Tistook significantly longer, but has beenincredibly valuable. By spending time inprayer and in the Bible I learned what thecharacter and teachings o Jesus Chris

were. With that oundation, I was able tomore easily discern the whispers o Godrom the whispers o the world.

When we place our trust in God, andsurrender to His perect will, this gives usgreat reedom. We can worry less abouthe day to day concerns and start giv-ing God our hopes - the big things wepray that God will use us or in order tochange the world. My prayer or you isthat whatever your hope is that is out osight, will be shown to you and that God

will empower your aith to believe that inJesus Christ all things are possible.

Scripture quotation taken from Te Holy Bible, King James Version

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

(Hebrews 11:1)

Kevin Siddle


facebook.com/kevin.siddle.12



12/28

MY STORY OF HOPE

BY ASHLEY WATERS

“With hope in

my heart andtears streamingdown my face,

that day Iprayed for the

rst me in

years.”

As a young Christian, I dealt heavily withthe pressures o expectation and perec-tion. Although I accepted Christ at anearly age and strived to be the best Chris-tian kid, I elt I never ulfilled the expec-tations o God and my amily.

Trough my striving, my relation-ship with God became a perormance.Church, praying, and reading my Biblebecame a way to please God, earn His a-ection, and dodge my fiery ate in Hell.When I ell short, I elt ull o shame andguilt. I would eel unlovable and inse-cure. Since I didn’t eel accepted as I was,I tried to be someone God and otherswould want to love. I continued to ap-pease my amily and God by my outwardactions, but internally I was empty andearul.

Striving or God’s attention and affectionlef me exhausted as I got older and I de-cided to ignore God entirely. Instead, Isought ulfillment through relationships,riendships, and social status. Years later,afer a mile long list o ailures, I oundmy heart was bitter, hardened, and bro-ken. I had spent the majority o my liepretending to be someone else out o earo rejection. My people-pleasing spiritcaused me to give everything away andI didn’t know who I was anymore. I de-spised the decisions I had made becauseo what I thought I had to do to earn loverom people. My happiness had been de-pendent upon approval o others so myear o not being enough was continuallyconfirmed.

During the height o my brokenness, I

wanted to run to God but I thought He’dnever accept me. Coincidentally, I re-ceived a postcard inviting me to church.Afer weeks o ignoring it, I reluctantlyattended. As I sat in the back with myhead held low in avoidance, I heard thepreacher say something that changed ev-erything. “Tere is nothing you can doto make God love you more and thereis nothing that you can do to make Godlove you less.” Hearing the story o God’sunconditional love or the first timepierced my cold heart.

With hope in my heart and tears stream-ing down my ace, that day I prayed orthe first time in years. I asked God to re-new my heart, and to fill the voids in mylie. I asked or an identity in Him andto break the urge to be defined throughother’s approval. I asked to find my con-fidence in characteristics that held mean-ing in His eyes. Lastly, I prayed or thecourage to become what He wanted meto be.

My lie changed drastically afer I laiddown my constant need or striving andallowed Christ to complete me. Discov-ering I was created by my Heavenly Fa-ther to be His beloved, and His alone,has changed how I give and receive lovealtogether. Because o His uncondition-al love, I can be honest and transparentwith others without ear. Others can nowlove me or who God has created me tobe. My confidence comes rom Christalone and I do not have to be araid o rejection. Trough Him, I am enough. I donot need that sole validation rom othersto know I am already loved. He has bro-

ken the people-pleaser in me and redi-rected my ocus to joyully please Him.

I no longer eel the need to perorm orstrive or perection to gain God’s attention and affection. I am ree to have agenuine relationship with Christ out olove, not ear. I am eternally grateul orHis love that covers us all, all the timeand we do not have to do anything toearn it. We just get to be ourselves andthat is enough or Him.

Ashley Waters




13/28

HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY

BY DAVE MERRILL

“Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re myonly hope.” Princess Leia: Star Wars: Epi-sode IV - A New Hope

Wikipedia defines “hope” as “an opti-mistic attitude o mind based on an ex-pectation o positive outcomes related toevents and circumstances in one’s lie orthe world at large. As a verb, its defini-tions include: ‘to expect with confidence’and ‘to cherish a desire with anticipation’.” All too ofen I ear people define hope asa selfish expectation o positive outcomeswithout the need or any personal contri-bution to the hopeul result. But hope, byitsel, is not an effective lie strategy. “Ihope I win the lotto.” You’ve got to pay iyou want to play; and a good knowledgeo the odds might save you a ew bucks.“I hope this cold goes away soon.” Listento your doctor, drink plenty o fluids, getlots o rest, pray. “I hope I go to heaven.”What do I do with that hope? Ephesians2:8-9 clearly says, “For it is by grace youhave been saved, through aith—and thisis not rom yourselves, it is the gif oGod—not by works, so that no one canboast.” Can’t I just rest in the knowledgethat Jesus paid the price or my sins and Iam saved by grace without any effort onmy part? I sure hope so. It is true your salvation comes solely romthe atoning grace o Christ’s sacrifice onthe cross or your sin. Tat is the gos-pel and it is great news! o receive thatgrace requires only to accept the gif, andacceptance gives us a reason or the hopewe have. Let me suggest we can strategi-cally contribute to our hope and enhance

our “optimistic attitude” and our “expec-tation o positive outcomes” in the salva-tion story. 1st Peter 3:15-16 says, “But inyour hearts revere Christ as Lord. Alwaysbe prepared to give an answer to every-one who asks you to give the reason orthe hope that you have. But do this withgentleness and respect, keeping a clearconscience, so that those who speak ma-liciously against your good behavior inChrist may be ashamed o their slander.” Peter tells us there are five strategic ac-tions we can practice to be confident inour hope or salvation:

1. Revere Christ as Lord.Mark 12:30 reminds us to “Love the Lordyour God with all your heart and withall your soul and with all your mind andwith all your strength.” Tat is our act oreverence in response to the promise osalvation. Christ did so much or each ous; we should be thankul and offer Himour praise.

2. Be prepared to answer every -one who asks you.My hope or Christ’s return is based onthe truth and promises o God’s Word.o be prepared requires me to knowsomething about that truth. Study theScriptures, remember the promises,know the truth. Jesus said, “I you hold tomy teaching, you are really my disciples.Ten you will know the truth, and thetruth will set you ree.” (John 8:31-32) Beset ree knowing the reasons or the hopeyou have in Christ.

3. Be gentle and respecul to-ward others.Earlier in First Peter, we hear thesewords: “Live as ree people, but do nouse your reedom as a cover-up or evillive as God’s slaves. Show proper respecto everyone, love the amily o believersear God, honor the emperor.” (1 Peter2:16-17) You are ree, you are saved, bu

you are called to live like Christ with re-spect and love or others.

4. Keep a clear conscience.When Paul proessed his reasons or thehope he had in Christ in ront o theEmperor Felix, he said, “I have the samehope in God as these men themselveshave, that there will be a resurrection oboth the righteous and the wicked. So strive always to keep my conscience clearbeore God and man.” (Acts 24:15-16) pray you have the same hope, and the

same clear conscience.

5. Demonstrate good behavior.Te book o Proverbs opens up with in-structions this way. “Te proverbs oSolomon son o David, king o Israelor gaining wisdom and instruction; orunderstanding words o insight; or receiving instruction in prudent behaviordoing what is right and just and air.”(Proverbs 1:1-3) Go to God’s Word, learnwhat is right and just and air. Receiveinstruction in prudent behavior…and

have hope!

Dave Merrill

facebook.com/davemerrill819



14/28

CROSSINGTHE CANYONS

BY SHANNON DURIO

My husband, Beau, and I have beenmarried or almost two years, and Godhas blessed us richly in so many ar-eas. Both o us were married beore andwent through painul divorces. We eachspent extensive time healing rom thosewounds, and learned that God can takewhat is broken and make it whole again. Idon’t eel like Beau is my “second chance”… our love story is more o a redemptionsong. God has been good to us.

Since the day we got married, we’ve talk-ed about expanding our amily. I sharecustody o my daughter rom my previ-ous marriage, and she is pure sunshine.Our little amily does not eel incomplete,but we would love to have another baby.We have been trying or almost the du-ration o our marriage to get pregnant,praying that God might entrust us withthe lie o our own little one.

A year and a hal really is not that long inthe grand scheme o lie. Many couplestry or much longer, so we have tried tobe patient. A ew months ago, I experi-enced a very early miscarriage, and whileit was “easy” to “justiy” it in my mindwith statistics about how common mis-carriages are, my heart cracked.

I struggled to hang on to hope. I fiercelybelieved that God is good but there mustbe something wrong. Did He think weweren’t ready or this? What else could I

do to prove to Him that we were? I nev-er blamed Him … I just desperately triedto figure out why, in His omniscience, Hedid not want this or us in our timetable.

Interestingly, I have spent the last yearserving as the Development Director

or Fontebella Maternity Home, a smallaith-based organization in O’Fallon, Illi-nois that provides a sae home or womenwho are acing an unplanned pregnancyand are homeless or a variety o reasons.Tese women had the seemingly oppositecircumstances o me, and yet, we are thesame.

Tat gap between what we can see andthe good He has promised is so ofen thehardest place to be. It’s scary. We wantto run into the Promised Land, but wecan’t figure out i we have what it takes tomake that initial leap o aith.

I replay that image o Wile E. Coyoteconfidently chasing the Road Runner tothe edge o the cliff. Just when he’s certainhe has caught up, he pumps his legs mid-air, looks down, and realizes he’s run outo land. Down he goes.

I want the land. I want the tangible secu-rity that I won’t all into the canyon.

Whether I have the resources but not thebaby, or the women at Fontebella havethe baby and not the resources, movingorward requires aith … hoping or thatwhich we cannot see. And aith has noexpiration date. I I believe that God isgood all the time, that means surrender-ing my own timeline.

At our wedding nearly two years ago, we

included this reading:

“Because o the Lord’s great love we arenot consumed, or His compassionsnever ail. Tey are new every morning;great is Your aithulness. I say to mysel,‘Te Lord is my portion; thereore I will

wait or Him.’ Te Lord is good to thosewhose hope is in Him, to the one whoseeks Him.” (Lamentations 3:22-25)

It has completely different meaning orme now than it did then, but God’s Wordis timeless. Tat’s why I continue to havehope.

Te same good God who carried methrough my divorce, and who healed thebroken shards o my heart, and who ledme to the truest, most God-honoringkind o love with Beau … He is the sameGod who hears the whispers o my heartor a child.

Te same loving God who inspired awoman to open a home like Fontebella… He is the same gracious God who restores the dignity and sel-worth o eachwoman who comes there because she haschosen lie or her child.

He sees the big picture when we can’t.

I’ve been looking or tangible land towalk on, but I finally realized that some-times that means I have to look back onthe canyons He already carried me overMy legs were pumping mid-air, but Hedidn’t let me all.

Having hope doesn’t mean having all theanswers. It means believing that whenI take the leap o aith, He will carry me

through that canyon, no matter how deepor wide it may be. Te saest place to be isin His arms.

Great is His aithulness!

Shannon Durio




15/28


16/28

HOPE IN THEEMPTY SEAT

BY KELLI TOBIN

We have many riends and amily whoare missing someone around their tablethis year. Some have lost a amily mem-ber recently. Others are praying to pullup a high chair in the next nine months,yet the seat sits empty. How do you han-dle it when someone is missing romyour lie. How do you cope when thething you have hoped and prayed or isnot there, once again? Tat empty chairis a constant reminder. No birthdays,phone calls, pictures, and no positivepregnancy tests.

Please know that i this speaks o yourcircumstances, current or past, thereis hope. It is my circumstance. It is myhusband’s. It is my amily’s. It is my closeriends’. We live in a world where babies

do not always go to deserving parents,where parents do not get to see theirchildren get married or become parentsthemselves. Satan, in this broken world,shines a bright light on that empty din-ner seat or those newborn clothes that

go unoccupied. He sneers, points, andcondemns. Why isn’t your body goodenough to have a baby? Why didn’t youdo more to keep them around? I you haddone this or that, he or she would still behere. You would get the very thing youwant. We eel entitled to what othershave or envious and bitter o their ull ta-bles with many chairs.

Where is the hope? Where is the peace?May I offer a different perspective. Icannot answer the “why me?” or “howcome?” because I, mysel, ask the samethings each day. I can, however, offerJesus. Jesus, the comorter and sustain-er. Jesus, whose death was mocked overand jeered at. Yes, we have heartache andextreme loss, but Jesus’ death covers that.

Claim that in His name, riends. Remindyoursel daily i you must, but when yousee the empty chair, claim Jesus. No, itisn’t air, but neither was an innocentman dying or your and my sins.

Kelli Tobin

Athlec Ministries Coordinator

[email protected]

“And hope does not disappoint us,because God has poured out his loveinto our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

whom he has given us.”(Romans 5:5)

My hope and prayer or you is that youcan shif your eyes rom the emptinessto the abundance in heaven; the richesHe has in store. Run to the Father as Hepromises a ull table someday with oldriends, dads, moms, grandparents andnewborns.



17/28

WANTINGHOPE

BY MATTHEW J. LAFRANCE

Hope. It’s something mentioned ofenin the Bible; 129 times to be exact. We’retold to have hope; strong hope. Te Bibleinorms us that hope is an integral part oChristian aith.

As a Christian, I’m to hold the Bible asundeniable truth. Its words are literallygospel. I I believe one part o it, I am tobelieve all parts o it. Which is why I’mconused by how vital hope is preachedas being to the Christian lie.

You see, I used to have hope. I spent a loto time hoping or things to happen inmy lie. And I’d get really excited whenit seemed like those things were going tohappen. But then … no delivery. Whatev-er it was I thought was going to happen,whatever it was I was hoping or wouldall flat, and I would be crushed.

In the end, hope became nothing more

than a backstabbing mistress; promis-ing me a thousand wonderul things andnever delivering on a single one o them.

I stopped hoping, assuming hopes werelike wishes; the things airy tales anddreams are made o. But as I continuedadvancing in my walk with Christ, a sim-ple question came to my mind: i hope isso ake, why does the Bible speak so pas-sionately about it?

Tis was taxing my thoughts quite a bit.

Tere had to be an answer or it. Wasthere something I was doing wrong thatcaused the things and occurrences I’dhoped or to be yanked out rom un-der me, like the carpet in an old CharlieChaplin bit? Was I misunderstanding

scripture?

Or … was I understanding hope wrong?

I you dig into the passages in the Biblethat speak about hope, they’re very spe-cific about what hope should be. For ex-ample, Hebrews 11:1 reads, “Faith is theconfidence that what we hope or will ac-tually happen; it gives us assurance aboutthings we cannot see.” And Psalm 147:11tells us, “No, the Lord’s delight is in thosewho ear him, those who put their hopein his unailing love.” When you addthose two together, you end up with a very obvious definition: the hope whichthe Bible talks about is the hope or thethings which the Lord provides or us,out o His love because He loves us.

What was the problem with my hopesthen? Simple; I wasn’t hoping, I waswanting. Te things I thought I was hop-

ing or, in retrospect, were things whichare garbage; useless in my lie, or other-wise poison to my walk with Christ. Nowonder ‘hope’ wasn’t delivering on thesepromises; ‘hope’ was really ‘want’ in dis-guise!

I wonder i we as a society don’t set our-selves up or that to happen. Tink abouthow ofen you hear the word ‘hope’thrown around in your day-to-day lives.Are you actually hoping or something,biblically? Or are you, subconsciously, us-

ing that word because you think God willbe more willing to give you somethingyou hope or than He would providesomething you want?

Consider that the next time you tell a

riend, “I hope you get that promotion.”Or, “I hope I can still get tickets; hopeully they aren’t sold out yet.” Is that reallyhope you have or those situations? Ordo you just want them to happen? Reallythink about it. Because i that’s the casewe will never ully know aith, the wayHebrews 11:1 depicts it.

Te secular world will never know whattrue hope is. Tey’ll never understandthat it’s meant as to describe the eager an-ticipation we have or the things the Lordis doing in our lie. Instead, they wilhope or wants, and be sorely let downwhen that hope alls through. But weknow. We know that hope in the world isan empty vase, but hope in God is a chesull o riches.

Scripture quotations taken rom Te Holy Bible, New Living ranslation

“...the hope whichthe Bible talks

about is the hopefor the things

which the Lordprovides for us, outof His love because

He loves us.”

Mahew J. Lafrance




18/28

Winter might be beautiul with sof snowalling and quietly crunching under ootbut the cold is ofen harsh and the nightsare dark and long. Tere’s beauty in theseason, but sometimes it’s hard to findHowever, no winter has passed that didn’promise a coming spring. Te windowswill open again, breathing resh air andlie throughout the home. Te bare, dor-mant trees will bud green once more, andflowers will pop up rom the warmingearth to stretch and eel the sun. WhenGod created winter, He created springHe may not have initially designed winter to eel so desolate when He first puman in a vibrant garden, but afer sin, Heplaced the hope o spring on all o ourhearts. We will have many winters whentears are shed and all seems lost andhopeless, but God’s love always promises spring. Even a winter ending in deathgives hope o eternal spring because “tobe absent rom the body is to be present

with God” (2 Corinthians 5:8, NIV). Inevery season o lie, Christians have hopein God’s love and aithulness. “Te Lorddelights in those who ear Him, who puttheir hope in His unailing love” (Psalm147:11, NIV).

I this season o your lie is thriving inbeauty, cherish it and put your hope inGod’s unailing love. I this season isfilled with despair, conusion, or griestill put your hope in God’s unailinglove. Hold on to this hope, because the

coming o spring is guaranteed and Godis always aithul. You’ll even look backon winter and see that not all was deadand bare. Growth was happening beneaththe surace, and you may even find aglimpse o beauty.

A TIMEFOR HOPE

BY LYNDSAY CROXFORD

“ There is a time foreverything, and a season

for every activity

under heaven… ”(Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV)

Lyndsay Croxford




19/28

rom. His holy presence filled the entirechurch, shielding us rom any evil andpuriying our hearts with His love andgoodness.

Afer the Lord’s work was done, the lightdiminished, but the room was consider-ably brighter than it had been, even be-ore the evil spirits came. I was calm andat peace. My riends were still very shakyand I told them they did not have to bescared because God had a hold o us allwith his righteous, right hand. He wasnever going to let go o us.

Te entire dream was so vivid, and I re-alized it must have been a message sentrom the Lord himsel. I cried when Iwoke up, not out o ear or sadness, butbecause God had proven to me that hewas with me and always had been andalways will be. His mighty power over-whelmed me and it was the most spiritual

experience I have ever had.

Te dream gave me hope.

As it says in Joshua 10:25, “Joshua saidto them, ‘Do not be araid; do not bediscouraged. Be strong and courageous.Tis is what the LORD will do to all theenemies you are going to fight.’” I knowmy oundation in lie is indeed God and Ihave a uture He has set aside just or mei I ollow His path.

God is my salvation and He fills me withhope and peace every day o my journey.He has shown me what it truly means tobe a Christian, and I am hopeul that Iwill live a ull lie with Him.

I asked God to come into my lie when Iwas six years old. I decided to be baptizedwhen I was eleven. I had no clue what itmeant to be a Christian and I am only just starting to understand now that I’msixteen. Being a Christian can be tryingat times because we live in a allen worldfilled with wicked people who want todistract us rom God’s plan and the patho aith. Te thought o straying rom thatpath is terriying. But God has assuredme recently that I do not have to worry.

A ew weeks ago, I dreamt I was in asmall church with some riends. We weremaking costumes and decorations ora Christmas play. Suddenly, I was filledwith a terrible dread and everyone shookwith ear. Te walls o the church turnedblack with all kinds o evil spirits movingin them. Tey threw ugly images on thewalls and I swung at them with all mystrength, trying to knock them down. I

was so angry and I reused to accept whatwas happening. I started to cry out in de-fiance, “No, you are not welcome here!”

I cried out to the Lord, inviting him intothe space to protect us. I yelled, “Lord,please! Bring the Holy Spirit upon theevil in this place! No evil is welcome!” Iwalked to the middle o the room, threwmy hands up and continued to yell orthe Lord to come and vanquish all wick-edness rom our little church, to save andprotect my riends and me.

At that moment, a ball o light appearedon the ceiling and grew to wash thewhole room in glorious, heavenly light.You could hear the demons screaming inutter agony as God destroyed them andsent them back to where they had come

HOW GODGAVE ME HOPE

BY MACKENZIE BRADSHAW

Mackenzie Bradshaw


“Joshua said

to them, ‘Donot be afraid;do not be

discouraged.Be strong andcourageous.This is what

the LORD willdo to all theenemies youare going to

ght.’”

-Joshua 10:25



20/28


21/28

A HOPEFOR TOMORROW

BY SHANNON PEIFFER

Ever since I was a young girl, I strug-gled with having hope. Depression justseemed to be part o everyday lie and theact was I didn’t care i I lived or died. Iclung to God, because I elt so incrediblyalone. As I grew and finally ound my-sel ree o the many circumstances thatcaused me to cower and hide, I was final-ly excited about living. I spent a numbero years just trying to experience lie tothe ullest and realized lie can be good.

I married and things began to settledown. As my days became stable, the in-stabilities o my past rumbled to the sur-ace and I ound mysel wrapped again indespair. However, this time I had a newreason to cling to hope - my spouse andmy progeny. It was because I loved myamily that I sought help. I wanted myhusband to have a good wie; I longedor a blissul marriage. I desired or mysons not to have a mother who was onan emotional roller coaster and could ex-plode in anger. As much as I yearned toescape my circumstances, I had a biggerdesire to provide a secure, loving, Chris-tian environment or my sons.

I struggled through years o counseling,medication, classes, and no small amounto prayer to slowly establish restraint. Idid not want my amily to experience thesame upheaval and imbalance I experi-enced in my own childhood. I workedhard to create a happy, healthy atmo-sphere or them, ree rom the unhingedliestyle I had come to know. Finally,I was able to provide the experience othe content home I so craved. My hopeor lie was renewed, and I ound mysel

wanting to live.

A big part o what kept me going washolding on to a better tomorrow. It wasthe driving orce that revved my engine,when it all just seemed too hard and Iwanted to give up. I could not find it inme to walk out on my amily, and I wasalso unable to quit on mysel, when so o-ten I elt they would be better off withoutme. Day by day, things got a little better.Some days I took two steps back, but Ikept moving orward. I could not com-pare mysel to others, but in comparisonto how I did yesterday, some days werean improvement. As the new day becamebetter than the day beore, I ound I hadcome pretty ar in my journey towardhealing and lie became somewhat nor-mal.

oday, the image o my world barely re-sembles the way it used to look. SureI still lose my temper, but nothing likeI did beore. I have more control overmy eelings and know how to keep themrom establishing power. I walk away be-ore they get a oothold, and have learnedto use nourishing sel-talk instead o de-grading cynicism. I still have a long wayto go, but today is better than yesterdayand tomorrow will be even better! Hopehas allowed me to turn discouragementinto optimism.

A scripture that I embrace is Jeremiah29:11, “For I know the plans I have oryou, declares the Lord, plans to prosperyou and not to harm you, plans to giveyou hope and a uture.” Bible, NIV. TeLord wants us to prosper and His word

offers us hope. He is keenly aware oits necessity or our survival. It was myhope in Christ that kept me advancingbecause only He could change my situation. Regardless o how hard I tried, iwas God that changed my lie. I had thewill, but He had the way. It is my hopein Christ that keeps me moving onwardknowing, “I can do all things throughChrist who strengthens me.” Philippians4:13; Bible, NKJV.

“For I know theplans I have for you, declaresthe Lord, plans

to prosper you and notto harm you,plans to give

you hope and afuture.”

-Jeremiah 29:11

Shannon Peier




22/28

THECRASHBY MATT RYGELSKI

It was loud. I saw it coming. Tere wasno way to avoid it. At orty miles perhour, in a 5800-pound utility van, a trac-tor-trailer semi coming rom the oth-er direction decided to make a lef turnand then stop in the middle o the in-tersection. I had only seconds to think,and I could only hope to get extra inch-es o road and try pulling the vehicle tothe lef to aim past that back corner ohis flatbed. Tat wasn’t enough. We hit.WHAM! (I’ll never orget that sound.)

White smoke is filling the cabin andthousands o glass pieces are everywhere.Te passenger side is olded in like an ac-cordion. Had I not turned the wheel, mybody would be squeezed in those met-al olds. I could have di… I… I had toget out o that cabin. My driver’s door isstuck shut. Te white smoke was increas-ing. I have to get out! I hope someonecan pull this door open. I hope the gastank is not on fire. I hope somebodycalled the police.

It wasn’t until the next day that I hurt.Adrenaline is powerul, but short lived.Te day, I was reminded o the ragilityo the human body. Everything hurt. Iwas told the tractor-trailer driver didn’teven know he was hit. With all that flat-bed steel, I probably would’ve been betterto hit a brick wall. At least the brick wallwould give in a little. What caused him tostop? What was he thinking, blocking the

intersection? I hope that guy knows howangry I am! I hope I eel better tomorrow.I hope this doesn’t affect my job.

wo years go by. My employer termi-nated my employment because he elt Ihadn’t healed quickly enough. My doc-tor perormed a surgery to use my lowerback vertebrae, but I had the same pierc-ing pain and his ego doesn’t want to ad-mit the surgery ailed. Medical bills aregoing unpaid and the companies who Ihave credit cards with have all sent meletters inorming me o their decision tocancel my account or ear that I will beunable to pay. Old riends don’t call any-more. I hope I can pay rent.

Five years now. X-Rays and MRIs wouldshow that the first surgery never usedproperly. I started seeing a new doctor. Ihad later learned my first doctor had liedon the medical reports. Every appoint-ment he listed that I was healing well andthat I insisted on pain medication, whichhe gave reluctantly. In act, I insistedthat I did not want pain medication anymore, but he would keep asking me to trythis brand or that – I think he was tryingto get me addicted. New doctor says I’llnever be pain-ree. I hope that first doc-tor loses his license. I hope this isn’t mylie orever.

It’s really easy to lose hope. People ail.Plans ail. Our smooth drive towards onedirection suddenly becomes sideswipedand detoured. Doubt and suspicion be-gin to overpower all other thoughts. Ihad tossed around hopeul pleas lef and

right without really bothering to ask my-sel, “Who is it I’m asking to control theseoutcomes?” When I had all those hopes,

who was I asking or help rom?

As I would wait in doctor’s offices, otherpeople would tell me their most important lie stories -- stories o overcomingobstacles much greater than mine. I amhumbled by their strength and then Irealize what a comortable journey mylie has been. Trough their toughest otimes and all the people that have helpedthem, they see God. For all the peoplethat have hurt them, they struggle bustill can see God in their heart. Tey findhope in knowing that we were created inthe image o God. Even in our darkestimes, the light o God is still inside. Idoesn’t matter how dim that light may beit’s worth looking or it especially when itmay not be easy to see.

“Trough whom also we have obtainedour introduction by aith into this gracein which we stand; and we exult in hopeo the glory o God. And not only thisbut we also exult in our tribulationsknowing that tribulation brings abouperseverance; and perseverance, provencharacter; and proven character, hopeand hope does not disappoint, becausethe love o God has been poured ouwithin our hearts through the Holy Spiriwho was given to us. For while we werestill helpless, at the right time Christ diedor the ungodly. For one will hardly dieor a righteous man; though perhaps orthe good man someone would dare even

to die.” -Romans 5:2-7

Ma Rygelski




23/28

TATTOOED SHAME:INDELIBLE INK REDEEMED

BY JEFFREY M. BISHOP

I have a tattoo – only one – and it’s asource o shame to me.

A tattoo doesn’t seem to be such a bigdeal, especially among my generation.Although I got mine in the early 1990s,they are all the more common in today’stwenty-teens. Even most Christ-ollowers seem ok withthem, despite Old estament prohibi-tions lumping tattoos with prostitutionand black magic (Leviticus 19:26-31). Apost-modern seal o approval perhapsstems rom Jesus’ teaching – normallyattributed to ood – that, “nothing out-side a person can defile them by goinginto them. Rather, it is what comes out oa person that defiles them” (Mark 7:15).Our tattoos can even be a part o our tes-timony.

While earnest ollowers argue or oragainst tattoos, my shame isn’t or sake ohaving skin art. It’s not because a riendo a riend o my sister’s did the work –clearly, it must have been his second orthird tat ever. It’s not because 25 yearslater, on my middle-aged shoulder, this“art” is sagging and ading and blurring, just like wiser people back in the day toldme it would. And it’s not even becausethe design bears an unanticipated resem-blance to the Body Glove logo, and thesuggested commercialization o my body

– without the proceeds o an endorse-ment deal – embarrasses me.

Rather, this is the source o my shame: Igot the tattoo at the height o my sel-reli-ance, my pride and my rebellion. I was in

my late teens, but to be clear: I wasn’t re-belling against my parents or society. In-deed, my immediate circles o loved ones,riends and acquaintances were whatyou’d call reethinkers, and i they weren’toutright supportive o something like atattoo on a young man, they were at least“to each his own” about it. Rather, my re-bellion was against a God that I didn’t yetbelieve existed.

In that respect, the art that I selected –that I designed, I should admit – suitedsuch a worldview perectly: It is o myhand print, set inside a machine gear. omy adolescent understanding, my intel-lect, creativity, crafsmanship and hardwork is what made me who I am; theywere my means to success and to mean-ing. Me. My. Mine. Instead o a HolyGod, I was the sole agent o my lie – godo me, i you will – over something like

Johnny Cash’s empire o dirt, as I’d figureout later in lie.

oday, a born-again ollower o a sacri-ficed, risen Christ, I hate my body art. Asdescribed, the depravity o my thinking“B.C.” – Beore Christ – is pretty sel-ev-ident. It clearly represents my sin, even inits muddy image.

By my research, getting rid o an un-wanted tattoo is utile and vain. It’s atime-honored trick to put a new tattoo

over the old one; to cover up the old stainwith a new stain. But even i no one elseknows what’s underneath, I always will.Tere are some pretty ancy lasers thatcan blast away the pigment o a regrettedtat. But the raised welts o the skin will

remain to give away the mark. Metaphorically, i not also metaphysically, the indelible mark o a tattoo represents the stain o sin on every one ous. Tere’s nothing on Earth or in man’spower that can orever remove the per-manence o a tattoo. And likewise, there’snothing that a allen man like me can doto rid himsel o the stain o his sin.

And yet, there’s hope.

Our hope is in the Lord, who promises towash away all sins, with the blood o Hissacrifice. New. Clean. Pure. Saved. Tesewords, throughout the Bible, and especially in context o the saving grace oJesus, tell us that the worst juice-sin stainon the white carpet o our souls will beOxi-Clean with Jesus.

Arguably the most hope-filled line othe Bible is where we’re told that, “as aras the east is rom the west, so ar hashe removed our transgressions rom us”(Psalm 103:12). God also promises usa new body – a body made perect andwithout the blemish o sin (1 Corinthians15:42-49).

On these promises, I’m content to shoulder my stain or the rest o my time hereas a bitter reminder that in the place othat once-proud, rebellious young man

is a new creation, filled with hope in re-demption or eternal perection. All because o Jesus. All scripture rom Te Holy Bible,New International Version

Jerey Bishop




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25/28

GOD AT WORK

ATTENDANCE

2015December Worship Avg = 2,951

December Connecon Avg = 463

2015 Year End Worship Avg = 2,145

2015 Year End Connecon Avg = 440

2016January Worship Avg = 2,237

January Connecon Avg = 528

February Worship Avg = 2,138

February Connecon Avg = 622

MEMBERS PASSING

Norma “Jean” Harper - Dec 30, 2015

Myra Walden – Feb 9, 2016

NEW MEMBERS

JANUARY 2016Neil EmersonAdam Gaxiola

Gabrielle Kopjas

Lori Gerke

Dana Lewis

James Lynch

Kathy Lynch

Kerry Maynard

Kim Maynard

Kent Muniz

Melissa Muelchi

Gerrie Rutledge

Jim Stauder

Janis Stauder

Helen Weible

Joseph Young, Sr.

Jessica Young

Sarah Trent

Hillary Funk

Wesley Harris

Mary Harris

Kimberly Morris

Richard Steward

Nancy StewardGene Robinson

Bonnie Robinson

Lawrence Klobuka

Kimberly Klobuka

Lauren Popov–Muniz

FEBRUARY 2016Brad Bowyer

Tristah Bowyer

Jessica Carrier

Todd Carrier

Tina Carrier

Charles Conrad

Donald Gaston, Sr.

Susan GastonBre Gehrig

Maria Gehrig

Douglas Grahmann

Craig Mckinley

Connie Mckinley

Susan Meister

Pa Neal

Sco Rummage

Lynn RummageBruce Alan Simms

Marjie Ellen Beam

Simms

Michael Simpson

Chris Simpson

Gaines Smith

Elizabeth Smith

BAPTISMS

DECEMBER 2015Isabella Thompson

Emileah Thompson

Benjamin Pro –

Dennis Jones, Jr.

Elizabeth Flanagan

Tammy Hernandez

Jessica Crudale

Sophia Valerius

Julius Hawkins

Tarra Fant

Travis AllenLamar Backus

Jayce Valerius

Diana Watkins

Nicholas Nobli

Sarah Cantwell

Samantha Ballard

Allyson Wuebbels

Kimberly Venable

Ashly Ellison

Haley Rask

Amber Vandenburgh

Timothy Kennedy

Shane SewardDonald Grider, Sr.



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GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Ryan Gillam

Job TitleWorship Leader and Assistant Music Director

Job DescriponBand leader, help with tech support

and anything Don tells me to do.



27/28

What made you decide to aendthis church? At the time I was lookingor a church where I could serve. My aunt

and uncle are Campus Leaders at theScott Campus. Tey thought it would bea great fit. I met Don Frazure and audi-tioned or the band. At the time I was liv-ing in Sterling, Illinois and when I madethe cut, I moved to the area. Te rest is,well, history.

Do you feel you have a purpose orcalling in life? Yes! Ever since I wasyoung, I knew I was going to be a wor-ship pastor. I just always knew that’s whatGod was calling me to do.

What do you think delights Godabove everything else? Obedience.

Do you aend a small group? Yes! Iattend the millennial group on Sundaynights!

Does your faith show while driving? Not even a little bit.

What song describes your life jour-ney? ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ - by Journey

If you could change places with aBible character, who would youchoose? I would’ve loved to be one othe disciple when Jesus chewed out Peter.I love watching people get chewed out!

What cartoon character best de-scribes you? Bugs Bunny! I love carrots.

If you could live anywhere in theworld for a year, where would it be? Australia!

If you knew you could try anythingand not fail, what dream would youaempt? Skydiving!

What are you best at? I’m actuallyreally good at the game ’spoons.’ It’s my

spiritual gif.

If you could go on a road trip with

any person (dead or alive), whowould you choose and where would you go? Don Frazure! Anywhere! Be-cause who wouldn’t want to go on a roadtrip with Don Frazure?

What have you learned recentlyfrom another Chrisan? It is ok tohave un with your aith!

Who do you respect the most? Mymom. She has always been there or me.

Are you a Cubs or Cardinal fan? I ama Cardinal an! Even though I grew up inthe Chicago area.

What drives you crazy? People chew-ing with their mouth open!

What’s the best birthday gi you’veever received? An Xbox 360 when Iwas younger!

What’s the tallest building you’vebeen in? Our house - it’s 3 stories!

What movie would we nd you in, awestern, comedy or romance? Com-edy all the way.

What ice cream avor would you in- vent? Bacon is always a good one!

What store in the mall would wesee you in the most? Probably Dil-lard’s!

Would you like to be President of

the USA? Nope! I couldn’t deal with thepressure.

What TV talk show host would youlike to be interviewed by? HowieMandel!

Have you ever come face to facewith a dangerous animal? Unless mybrother’s cat counts, no.

What world problem would you liketo see resolved this year? Hunger.

Are you a reality show junkie? Noreally. Tey kind o annoy me.

What holiday could the USA dowithout? I think we could do withouValentine’s Day. Because I eel bad or althe people who are single.

Do you prefer to text or talk on the

phone? I preer to talk on the phone, because I can never tell i someone is jokingover text!

Are you a Facebook person? Yes I am

Most hated chore on the householdchore list? Dishes! Tey stink!



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Christ Church is making it super easy to give your tithes and

oerings! We are excited to announce our Text 2 Give pro-gram. It’s simple, just text our keyword “CC” and your donationamount to this number “28950”.

TEXT2GIVE

GET STARTED TODAY!

1. Text CC and yourdonation amount to

28950.

(Ex: CC 150 - this keyword equals a$150 donation to Christ Church.)

2. Follow the registrationlink to set up youraccount.

(you will only have to do this the rsttime you give)

3. Give Again by texting CC

and your donation amountto 28950!

OUR KEYWORDSCC - General FundCCBuild - Building Fund

CCNOC - Network of CaringCCMission - Missionary FundCCSpecial - Special Events / Oerings

The Flame - Spring 2016

Documents

Transcript of The Flame - Spring 2016