ACTS Area 3

Camp Success!

2014-06-09T07:27:00.000-07:00

GEMS Camp was a huge success! Thank you to all those who came, volunteered, and prayed for this camp! Pictures from camp will come via an email link to all adults who attended camp.

Counselors, you may have noticed in your emails regarding the upcoming Fall Workshops in August, that my name (Julie Ball) is no longer at the bottom. Carla Hoekzema from First Seattle is the new Area Coordinator and she will be working with Tami to love on you and teach you the new theme. She is going to be great and you will all love her! Thank you for being so supportive of the leadership training and the GEMS program. You continue to bless many girls for Jesus.

GEMS CAMP CONFIRMATION INFORMATION

2014-05-22T20:21:00.003-07:00

Dear Campers and Cabin Counselors,

We are so excited that God is bringing you to GEMS Camp 2014 in just a couple weeks! We have been praying for this camp and for YOU and we know that God has plans for us there and can’t wait to experience camp with you. This letter contains A LOT of important information, so please read it carefully and do not hesitate to contact one of us if you have any questions at all.

1. Camp begins with registration at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2014. Please eat dinner before you arrive. Upon arrival, you will check-in, find your cabin, and have the opportunity to explore the camp grounds before we begin our first official activity at 7:00 p.m.

2. Please bring the following items with you: sleeping bag, pillow, swimsuit & towels, sunscreen, toothbrush, toothpaste, other toiletries, clothes for hot & cold weather, shoes for walks/hikes, coat/jacket, flashlight, Bible, and a refillable water bottle. Life jackets are provided by the camp for all lake activities. If you would like to have your daughter wear water wings or a life jacket in the pool, please send that along from home. For your peace of mind, know that lifeguards are on duty at the lake and the pool during the entire time the girls have access to those areas. Safety is of utmost importance to us during camp.

3. We realize that many of the older girls have cell phones and that parents rely on these to be able to reach their children. We ask that the girls do not bring cell phones or music players to camp, but if the parents feel it is necessary, we ask that the girls refrain from using them during camp activities except in case of emergency. We reserve the right to hold on to a girl’s cell phone or music player during camp activities if we believe it is being used inappropriately at camp. Cabin Counselors may bring cell phones, but we ask that you only use them as necessary and with discretion, as your primary task while at camp is to be with your group of girls and accompany them and assist them throughout the camp experience. Parents, please feel free to call the phone of your daughter’s club counselors if you need to reach your daughter during camp at any time.

4. Directions to Lake Retreat & Conference Center:

From Tacoma:
North on I-5 to Federal Way
East on Hwy 18 at exit 142A
Right on 272nd Street (this is also Hwy 516 and Kent-Kangley Rd. - same road, three names)
Right on Retreat-Kanaskat Rd. SE
Lake Retreat is approx. 1/4 mile on the left

From North of Seattle:

I-5 South

Merge onto I-405 S

East on I-90
Right on Front Street in Issaquah at Exit 17
Approx. 20 min. drive to first stop sign. Left onto Kent-Kangley Rd.
Right on Retreat-Kanaskat Rd. SE
Lake Retreat is approx. 1/4 mile on the left

From Seattle:
East on I-90
Right on Front Street in Issaquah at Exit 17
Approx. 20 min. drive to first stop sign. Left onto Kent-Kangley Rd.
Right on Retreat-Kanaskat Rd. SE
Lake Retreat is approx. 1/4 mile on the left

From Ellensburg:
West on I-90
West on Hwy 18 at Exit 25
Off at Hobart exit, turn left
At first stop sign turn Left onto Kent-Kangley Rd.
Right on Retreat-Kanaskat Rd. SE
Lake Retreat is approx. 1/4 mile on the left

If you would like to see a map or have any other questions about the camp facility, you may visit their website at lakeretreat.org. In case of emergency, the main phone number for the camp is 425-432-4293.

5. Transportation to & from camp should be coordinated with your club. Counselors, please communicate to your own girls your travel information.

6. Camp will end by 10:30 on Sunday morning, June 8, at which time you’ll be given the opportunity to load up your vehicles. We hope to have everyone on their way by 11:00 a.m. A travel snack will be provided, but you will be on your own for lunch if needed on your way home.

7. When you arrive, each camper and cabin counselor will be given a name tag, a schedule, and a booklet with devotions and other pertinent information. Emergency phone numbers will be included in this booklet.

8. Parents: If your daughter requires medication while at camp, please advise the counselors she will be traveling with from your club. We will have a camp nurse for acute care and emergencies; but she will not be able to distribute medications. Likewise, if your daughter requires an Epi-pen or other immediate care medications for allergies or chronic conditions, please consult with your club counselors to clarify her care.

9. Many clubs have offered to donate snacks and supplies. A separate letter with counselor information and these details will be sent to all Club Coordinators and Cabin Counselors who are registered for camp.

As we have said before, please do not hesitate to contact either one of us with any questions or concerns regarding camp.

Looking forward to camp with you,

Julie Ball, Camp Co-Coordinator

Tami Cleveringa, Camp Co-Coordinator

GEMS CAMP

2014-05-04T15:26:00.002-07:00

Registration forms & money for GEMS Camp must be mailed and postmarked by Monday, May 5, which is tomorrow! Once all registrations have been received and data has been entered into a spreadsheet, clubs will be contacted with final details and information regarding camp in general and any details your club needs to know regarding how you signed up to help. Look for all this to come to you by May 20! Please let us know if you have any further questions or if we forget to give you the information you need by that date. Keep praying for our camp that will begin in just 33 days!

Prayers for God's Glory

2014-04-17T12:29:00.001-07:00

“How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” – King David

2 Samuel 7:22

David’s greatest passion was for God’s name. His passion for God’s greatness was on display in the sheep pasture, the battlefield, and the palace. It was evident in his psalms and prayers, and God’s glory was the drive behind his desire to build the Temple. When Nathan told David that he was not to build the Temple, but that God promised to make David’s name great and establish his throne forever, David said nothing to Nathan. Instead, he went to the Tabernacle, sat before the Ark, and talked to God (2 Samuel 7:18-29). His posture, prayer, and position exemplify John’s words and God’s command, He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:30).

David’s posture. David learned of God’s covenant promises and sat before the LORD. To sit rather than stand in God’s presence was a posture of humility and recognition that this was a gift of God’s grace. He didn’t earn it. He didn’t deserve it. All is grace! He was overwhelmed by God’s promise. “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? This decree – Sovereign LORD, is for a mere human!” (v. 18)

David’s prayer. Within David’s prayer of gratitude he refers to God nine times as either the Sovereign Lord or Lord Almighty. God’s greatness is his prayer focus and praise. God’s glory is the heart of his petition. He urges God to fulfill His promise, not for David’s gain and glory, but God’s! “Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever” (v. 26). David recounts the great and awesome wonders God performed for His people, he trusts God’s promises, and gives thanks for His forever blessings.

David’s position. Within David’s prayer he refers to himself ten times as God’s servant. Whether living in obscurity as a shepherd or crowned king of Israel, he rightly understood and accepted his role as God’s servant. God is God. He was not. He is the Sovereign LORD, Master, Owner, and Ruler of all. No matter David’s position within the kingdom, his heart was postured as a servant for God’s glory.

God’s promise to David was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ whose mission and prayer was God’s glory. On route to the garden He prayed, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you” (John 17:1).

HE>i: Think about your prayers. Is the focus of your praise and petitions God’s greatness and glory?

Today when you pray, start with God. Survey what He has made. Recite what He has done. Proclaim who He is.

Mark Buchanan

grace and peace,

Lenae

Self-Forgetfulness

2014-03-31T16:38:00.001-07:00

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Galatians 6:14

Since youth I’ve been a list maker. Need something done? Put it on the list. Check. Check. Check. What joy to cross off accomplished tasks with the scratch of pen to paper. Today my lists are driven less by the desire to check off tasks, and more by the necessity to write things down so I don’t forget! Don’t tell me on the fly that you need razor blades or milk. Put it on the list or it won’t happen. There are moments it would be helpful if I had jotted down why I entered a room. Can anyone identify?

Sadly, the one thing I rarely forget is the very thing I should: myself! In his book, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, Timothy Keller writes, “Gospel-humility is not needing to think about myself. Not needing to connect things with myself. True gospel-humility means I stop connecting every experience, every conversation, with myself.”

The Apostle Paul understood, taught, and lived what it means to be self-forgetful. Although he had every right to boast in outward appearances, he wasn’t puffed up with pride. He considered them garbage that he might gain Christ (Philippians 3:3-8). Although he admitted he was the worst of sinners, he didn’t self-deprecate (1 Timothy 1:15-16). His identity and purpose were not founded on what others thought of him or even what he thought of himself. His boast was in Christ alone! He wrote, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14). For God to become greater and us to become less we must boast in Christ, and be self-forgetful!

• The self-forgetful are more concerned about pleasing Jesus than making good impressions. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will . . . so you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way (Colossians 1:9-10).

• The self-forgetful look out for the things of Jesus rather than their own comfort and security. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:21).

• The self-forgetful do good deeds for the praise and glory of their Father, not for the praise of people. (Matthew 5:16)

HE>i: How self-forgetful are you? Seek to think more about Jesus and less about yourself.

True humility isn’t acting to make ourselves seem humble to others, but striving to forget ourselves for the sake of others.

Burk Parsons

grace and peace,

Lenae

What's your Vision?

2014-03-26T08:53:00.003-07:00

What’s Your Vision?

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

Isaiah 6:1

When Helen Keller was asked “What could be worse than being blind?”, she replied “To have sight without vision.” How true.

In chapter 5 of his book Isaiah points his fingers at the faults of others:

Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field (v. 8)
Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks (v. 11)
Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit (v. 18)
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil (v. 20)

A dramatic change took place in Isaiah when he had a God-sized vision of the LORD Almighty. Try to imagine the sights and sounds that Isaiah saw!

I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Isaiah saw angels and heard them calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Doorposts shook. Thresholds trembled. The temple was filled with smoke! (6:1-4)

No longer was Isaiah pointing his fingers at others. He had seen the LORD! He had seen His greatness and glory! The vision of God’s splendor convicted him of his sin. He cried out, “Woe to me!” (v. 5) A God-sized vision transformed Isaiah into a person God could use! After he was assured that his guilt was removed and his sin atoned for, he was ready to hear God’s call.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (v. 6)

How we see God affects the way we live. Our lives show God and others if we have a God-sized vision of the LORD or a pint-sized one. When Saul was anointed the first king of Israel his vision of God was so small he hid in the baggage. When David ran (yes, Scripture says, “ran”) to the battle line to meet Goliath, his vision of God’s greatness was aligned to the truth of who God is and what He says He will do. David said, “It is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47).

HE>i: What is your vision of God?

Sometimes when we get overwhelmed we forget how big God is.

AW Tozer

grace and peace,

Lenae

Reminders

2014-03-19T09:19:00.003-07:00

The Whatcom County GEMS Skating Party is this coming Tuesday at Lynden Skateway, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., $5/person or $7 if you want inline skates. Bring a friend and join us!

Also, notice that in the right-hand column you can access the forms to register for the ALL WASHINGTON STATE GEMS CAMP, June 6-8, 2014 at Lake Retreat in Ravensdale, WA. We can't wait to see all you GEMS Campers and Counselors!! There is a new HEATED INDOOR POOL we get to use on Saturday afternoon, so no matter the weather, we will have opportunity to swim!!! Cost is $100/person. Forms are due TO YOUR CLUB COORDINATOR by May 1 and must be postmarked to me, Julie Ball, by May 5.

The Potter > the clay

2014-03-09T20:33:00.003-07:00

Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

During a Threading the Theme sectional at an ACTS Fall Workshop in Sioux Falls there were five or six ladies standing in front of the group miming one of the ways we can serve others and point to God’s greatness. At least that’s what they were supposed to be doing. (See page 41, “The Potter and the Clay” in the Theme Resource Book.)

The specific assignment was for one person in the group to be the “potter” and the rest of the ladies to be the “clay.” In silence, the potter was to sculpt the clay into an act of service, and the clay was supposed to conform to the potter’s molding. It wasn’t going well.

There was no silent submission. The clay insisted on her way. “No, no! We should do this!” “Let’s do it this way.” “No, let’s try this!” Instead of waiting for the potter to shape them into position, they were rearranging themselves and telling the potter what to do. Talk about an object lesson within an object lesson!

God’s Word is clear. The Potter is greater than the clay! Yet like the Israelites, how often do we turn things around, acting as if our ways and plans are greater than the Potter’s? Isaiah wrote, You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”? (29:16). Paul reiterates the same truth in Romans. Who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? (9:20-21)

Sisters, this is our reality. We’re cracked pots. That’s right. Cracked pots. The size and shape of the cracks and chips in our pots may look different from one another, but we each have the same choice to make. Will we make ourselves the greatest by sitting on the potter’s wheel and grumbling with our Maker? Or will we submit and let Jesus, the treasure within us, shine through our cracks and display the all-surpassing, great power of God within us? (2 Corinthians 4:7)

HE>i: Like clay in the hand of the potter, God has His hand on you and your circumstances. How are you responding to His sovereign choices?

His hand is on your life, developing your faith to display His glory. He will transform you into a vessel of honor. You can trust your life to the Potter’s hand.

Anne Graham Lotz

grace and peace,

Lenae

A letter from the GEMS Board

2014-03-03T13:30:00.004-08:00

March 3-2014

Dear Friends,

At this time last year, we were introducing you to a new Executive Director of GEMS Girls’ Clubs. Since then, there has been adjustment and growth, especially spiritually. God has been stretching us, challenging us, encouraging us and walking each step with us. He’s been teaching us much. And we are thankful.

One of the things He has been teaching us is that there is a time for everything. While we do not fully understand His timing, we do trust Him. God brought Kathryn Miller to us a year ago to be the Executive Director of GEMS and while we all thought it would be for a longer period of time, she has sensed His call to move in a new direction. We have learned much from each other and are able to see, without a doubt, that God brought us together for this time – without a doubt. He has worked His purposes through our time together and we celebrate this and support God’s next steps for Kathryn, as she does for the GEMS Ministry and each individual in it.

Our official time together drew to a close at the end of January, but we are certain many friend connections will continue. Kathryn has relocated to be near her family in Texas. On the GEMS website under the Leaders’ Blog, you will find a letter from Kathryn, dated Feb. 4 and a letter from the GEMS Board, dated Feb. 7. If this is the first you are hearing of this transition, then these letters will be especially helpful to you.

Since January, the GEMS Executive Board has formed a Search Committee which has arranged for the position to be posted. We are in that time frame now. If you know of women who you think God may be calling to this opportunity, please let them know immediately. The position is being posted from Feb. 17 to March 7. Information is available at www.gemsgc.org.

Be assured that in this interim time of a couple months, the regular operations of GEMS will continue as usual – GEMS Sundays, Leadership Training, Conference planning, Get Connected Camp, website updates and more. We have a wonderful, capable staff that manages the day to day operations and a board who is committed to help out as needed.

Ladies, thank you for all you do – for your encouragement and prayers for the overall ministry of GEMS, and for your love and care shared through your local community of leaders and GEMS girls. You are all specially called and are special!

Together we continue to grow through this year’s theme, and apply what we are learning in praying over this whole transition, fixing our eyes on Jesus so that the He is the focus. He is The Greatest. We trust in Him.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

On behalf of the GEMS Executive Board,

Mary Jo Vis - Executive Board President (new!) and

Henrietta Reinders – Search Committee

GEMS Girls’ Clubs

www.gemsgc.org

SKATING - MARCH 25

2014-02-26T19:18:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! The Whatcom County GEMS Roller Skating Party has been rescheduled for TUESDAY, MARCH 25. We hope you can all make it from 6:30 - 8:30 at Lynden Skateway!!

SKATING PARTY CANCELLED

2014-02-24T07:15:00.002-08:00

The Whatcom County GEMS Skating Party that was scheduled for tonight has been CANCELLED due to the wind & snow. Please pass the word on. We will reschedule for a later date. Watch here for details. Stay safe & warm at home tonight!

NEXT EVENT!!

2014-02-09T16:13:00.001-08:00

Our next event is the All-Whatcom-County-GEMS Rollerskating party at Lynden Skateway! Please join us (& invite your friends!) on February 24 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The cost is $5/skater or $7 for inline skates. This is also a fundraiser to help us pay for use of the NEW POOL at GEMS Camp in June! Woo-hoo! Watch for details on camp coming SOON!!

Last interview with We Walk speaker!

2014-02-04T19:55:00.002-08:00

Book one, Shadows in Tenebray Forest, is dedicated to your grandfather. The dedication includes a photograph of him as a young man in a World War II uniform and reads “In memory of my grandpa. He gave me so much straw.” What are you referring to here?

The straw is referencing a Russian proverb that appears in the book, “Would I know where I’d fall, I’d lay some straw there ahead of time.” In other words, if I knew what parts of life were going to be hard I’d do something in advance to make it a little easier. At one point a character refers to this and says, “But that isn’t possible is it? To know what will happen, and even if we did, I doubt we’d have enough straw. It brings out the theme in the book that perhaps our lives are intertwining and intersecting all the time and even though we don’t know what will happen, and even though it seems as though we’d never have enough straw, perhaps we provide straw for one another in the way our lives intersect.

I was very close to my grandfather. He was a WWII vet, but I never heard him talk about it. When I was in middle school he became very sick with cancer and was given a very short time to live. His sickness prompted my entire family to go with him to Europe and retrace his steps during the War.

My grandfather was in the second wave of soldiers who landed on Normandy Beach on D-Day. I will never quite comprehend the horror he saw that day. It must have been like walking into the very pits of hell. And standing there with him as a kid I remember thinking it was crazy. I mean why run across that beach? Why run into all that danger? A smart person would have run the other way.

A few days later we visited Dachau Concentration Camp. I saw for myself the effects of evil unchecked, unstopped, unopposed. My grandfather’s dying lesson to me was that there are reasons to run across a beach, there are things worth fighting for, there are times to run into battle. That lesson changed who I was. The books I have written are due in part to the fact that as a young man, my grandfather ran across a beach. So in many ways, he is my straw.

In book one, Shadows in Tenebray Forest the main characters connect with a woman who was a child during the Nazi occupation of Poland. The woman tells the girls of a brave and courageous thing she did as a child to oppose the Nazi regime. Why is it important to teach kids about World War II and the holocaust?

Let me preface this by saying that it has to be age appropriate. The goal isn’t to destroy the innocence of children by presenting them with the most gruesomeness of human history. That is why for instance the Holocaust Museum in DC has both a main exhibit and an exhibit for children. Some things are not appropriate for kids. That being said, we aren’t doing our kids any favors by pretending or teaching them that evil doesn’t exist and bad things never happen.

History, both the dark side and light side of history are important because it gives kids a framework for understanding that evil is real. It isn’t just an idea or a metaphor. We have to stand up against it. I read a quote at the United States Holocaust Museum about how the Holocaust wasn’t an accident and I think this is important for kids to know. It is important to understand that bad things don’t happen by accident. Rather they happen because of choices, both the direct choices to inflict hurt or injustice on another person, but also because of the indirect choices of silence, indifference, apathy.

I tell kids that on a smaller scale, what happened in history happens every day in their schools, on the bus, on the playground. We always face choices of how we are going to treat another human being or how we are going to respond to how someone else treats another person. What history shows us and can illustrate for kids is how those choices and their actions are bigger than themselves. We see this repeatedly throughout history—how someone’s small act explodes into something bigger. And an understanding of this, that our actions reach beyond ourselves and have bigger consequences is valuable for a child to learn.

It also gives kids a framework for heroism. A hero isn’t simply a gorgeous movie star, but to learn about normal, everyday people, even other kids who made a difference, who made a crack in that machine of evil that looms so large opens up what is possible in their lives.

So certainly, the goal is not to destroy innocence, but rather to give kids the tools to navigate the realities of life.

Tell us about the We Walk Tour coming to Abbotsford on February 8.

The We Walk Tour is a three-hour mother daughter event. The tour is hosted by GEMS Girls’ Clubs, which is a dynamic international club program for young girls. For years GEMS has encouraged girls to find their voices and to become activists for Christ no matter their age. The tour is an extension of this. It’s really a call for girls to avoid the lure of indifference and apathy and silence.

The We Walk Tour challenges girls to stand up for what they believe in, even when the world does not value their voices. The event will open with great praise and worship, I’ll be speaking, we’ll have videos, and interactive object lessons. There is a mom-only session led by two amazing women and I’ll be leading a girl-only session. There is a craft, a snack, more praise and worship, prizes and giveaways. It’s a fun and meaningful morning where girls can better understand that their small acts, in the hands of Jesus, can be the catalyst for huge change in the world.

The event is on February 8 at Gateway Community Church in Abbotsford. Tickets are $15 per ticket and can be purchased through House of James, Blessings Christian Marketplace, Tourism Abbotsford or through at itickets.com http://www.itickets.com

You can also find information on my website. gemsgc.org/mrm.

An interview with author and We Walk speaker, Sara Lynne Hilton

2014-01-29T12:33:00.001-08:00

Bio

Sara Lynne Hilton is the author of The Micah Road Mysteries series and the keynote speaker for the international We Walk Tour. She is the former Senior Editor for both Shine brightly and Sparkle magazines and a frequent speaker at conferences, schools, church clubs, and other events. She has a deep a passion for encouraging girls to use their voices to make change in the world and to reject the lure of apathy and indifference. Sara resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband, two kids, and a cat named Chucky Buckles.

You can find her at www.gemsgc.org/mrm

1. What is the book series about?

The Micah Road Mysteries are about Tasha and Chloe, two girls who decide that they aren’t going to be the kind of girls who stand back and just allow bad things to happen, they are going to be the kind of girls who do something about injustices. So they convert an old playhouse in Tasha’s backyard into a detective agency and start taking on simple cases like lost cats. However, the girls’ bright shiny plans take a back seat when real life shows up. They end up facing series cases and learning that sometimes doing the right thing is very hard.

2. Book two, The Secret Order, asks the question, “What is true power?” What made you decide to tackle this topic?

I was reading an article about how young girls are targeted in some countries simply for seeking an education. I was struck by how often powerful regimes go after innocent and helpless people. Is true power simply brutality and force against the weak? To me, that reeked of fear and cowardice, and it begged the question, What is true power?

3. The Secret Order suggests that true power is love that doesn’t give up. Did you have that idea in your mind when you started the book?

No, the idea that true power is love that doesn’t give up developed as I wrote. The girls end up discovering the story of a mother and daughter who fled slavery during the 1860’s. As I was writing, the power of this mother’s love became so evident and so much purer and stronger than the forces around them. I wondered if love transcended earthly powers. Could love create a place that brute force couldn’t touch?

When I balanced that idea against my faith it made sense to me. As a Christian I believe God is all-powerful. But what is it about God’s power that brings me to my knees? It is his brute strength? Is it the knowledge that he can crush me? What is it? I realized that it is pure love and grace brings me to my knees. Let’s face it, we humans are pretty screwed up. We are a mess and yet God never gives up on us, and that is a Godly quality that I can’t quite grasp. I can understand brute power. I can understand being so angry that I want to destroy. But unceasing love? Love that doesn’t give up? Love that sacrifices for the undeserved? That is a power I can barely comprehend. That’s what makes me fall to my knees.

4. If you’ve ever been the recipient of love that doesn’t give up?

Yes I have and it was one of the most startling moments of my life.

5. Tell us about the We Walk Tour coming to Abbotsford, BC on February 8th.

You can also find information on my website. gemsgc.org/mrm.

Two weeks until We Walk!

2014-01-25T16:35:00.002-08:00

The We Walk Tour is only two weeks from today!!

IF you would like to avoid the taxes & fees that apply when purchasing tickets online, you may place a bulk order for tickets with me. A counselor in Canada will get us tickets at one of the local outlets, but I will need to have your order by January 27. Email me for details about how to do this!!

The Comparison Game

2014-01-17T08:22:00.002-08:00

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 5:26

Until last week, I’ve read Galatians 5:26 as an itemized checklist. I understood them as standalone commands.

√ Do not be conceited. (My translation: You shall not be proud.)

√ Do not provoke one another. (My translation: You shall not irritate, aggravate, or intentionally step on someone’s last nerve.)

√ Do not envy each other. (My translation: You shall not covet your neighbor’s jean size, spiritual gifts, picture perfect family, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.)

Within his book, Galatians for You, Timothy Keller gave me needed clarity about this verse. Although they are standalone truths from God’s Word, they’re intentionally woven together. All three (not just the first command) are tied to conceit.

Keller writes, “’Provoking’ is the stance of someone who is sure of his or her superiority, looking down on someone perceived to be weaker. ‘Envying’ is the stance of someone who is conscious of inferiority, looking ‘up’ at someone they feel is above them.”

Provoking and envying are flip sides of the same self-absorbed coin. One is conceit absorbed in superiority; the other is conceit wrapped in an inferiority complex. Both are driven by comparisons, either feeling greater than or less than others, depending on the crowd and context of the activity or conversation. Both seek glory for self instead of for God.

When God is the greatest in our lives we find our identity and worth in Christ instead of comparisons. When God is center of our lives we grab hold of who He says we are! You glorify God instead of self when you . . .

Praise Him because you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
Give thanks for the place in life that the Lord assigned to you and to what He has called you (1 Corinthians 7:17).
Test your own actions, instead of comparing yourself to others (Galatians 6:4).
Delight in how He has determined the times set for you and the exact places where you should live (Acts 17:26).
Give thanks for heaven’s gifts, handpicked for you (John 3:27).
Celebrate that you are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do (Ephesians 2:10).

HE>i: How often do you play the comparison game, which leads to judgment (superiority) or jealousy (inferiority)?

When we feel conceited–superior or inferior–we need to root our glory, our sense of worth, in who we are in and through Christ.

Tim Keller

grace and peace,

Lenae

Fly to Higher Ground

2014-01-11T19:15:00.003-08:00

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,

nor his ear too dull to hear.

Isaiah 59:1

On this morning’s jog down our gravel roads there were three birds running in front of me, obviously frightened. It must’ve been my heavy breathing that scared them. It certainly wasn’t the speed of my approach! It looked comical as the birds ran as fast their feet could mange. I wondered, “Why run when you can fly?” As if they heard my thoughts, they did just that and flew to higher ground.

Why run when you can fly? It’s a question worth asking. When problems and pain come our way do we run in our own strength or fly to God, the Rock who is higher than I (Psalm 61:2)? In every circumstance, temptation, need, and grief His arm is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear (Isaiah 59:1)!

1 Samuel 30 records that the Amalekites attacked the city of Ziklag, burned it, and took captive all the women and children, both young and old. David and his men experienced deep grief. Crushed with distress and bitterness, the men ran to self-reliance. They took things into their own hands and talked of stoning David. David chose to fly to higher ground. David found strength in the LORD his God (1 Samuel 30:6).

When Esther learned of Haman’s plan to destroy the Jews, Mordecai urged her not to run into the supposed protection of the palace for personal escape. She listened and chose to fly to the LORD whose arm is not too short to save, nor His ear to dull to hear (Isaiah 59:1). She asked the Jews to join her in a three day fast. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish (Esther 4:16).

When the music sounded signaling that all peoples and nations were to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego soared by faith. Rather then caving to peer pressure as the people around them bowed low, they testified that the God we serve is able to save us from it [blazing furnace], and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up (Daniel 3:17-18).

The blazing furnace of grief, attacks from the enemy, and temptation to bow to false gods is not unique to David, Esther, or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. It’s our story, too. Let’s refuse to run when we can fly. Lift up your eyes to the hills. Our help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2). He’s the greatest!

HE>i: Where do you turn when faced with loss and adversity?

When I get overwhelmed, confused, exhausted, I need a safe place where I can run and be protected. I need the name of the Lord.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss

grace and peace,

Lenae

One month!

2014-01-08T08:15:00.002-08:00

The We Walk Tour is one month from today!!! See the post below for more detailed information...

BUT I have news for you!! IF you would like to avoid the taxes & fees that apply when purchasing tickets online, you may place a bulk order for tickets with me. A counselor in Canada will get us tickets at one of the local outlets, but I will need to have your order by January 27. Email me for details about how to do this!!

WE WALK TOUR!!

2013-12-30T16:25:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Making God Visible

2013-12-27T17:13:00.001-08:00

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

Exodus 34:10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christopher W. Morgan

grace and peace,

Lenae

Upcoming events

2013-12-26T17:00:00.001-08:00

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

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

He is Greater!

2013-12-20T18:03:00.001-08:00

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

Exodus 18:11

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ann Voskamp

grace and peace,

Lenae

God>People

2013-12-03T20:53:00.001-08:00

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

Galatians 1:10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

John A. Kitchen

grace and peace,

Lenae

When you Pray

2013-11-18T21:22:00.003-08:00

He said to them, “When you pray.”

Luke 11:2a

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

C. John Miller

grace and peace,

Lenae

ACTS Area 3

Camp Success!

GEMS CAMP CONFIRMATION INFORMATION

GEMS CAMP

Prayers for God's Glory

Self-Forgetfulness

What's your Vision?

Reminders

The Potter > the clay

A letter from the GEMS Board

SKATING - MARCH 25

SKATING PARTY CANCELLED

NEXT EVENT!!

Last interview with We Walk speaker!

More interview questions with Sara Lynne Hilton

An interview with author and We Walk speaker, Sara Lynne Hilton

Two weeks until We Walk!

The Comparison Game

Fly to Higher Ground

One month!

WE WALK TOUR!!

Making God Visible

Upcoming events

He is Greater!

God>People

When you Pray