Burnt Bagels & Baptism

 By Hannah Bechtel, Savage Campus

I love the early morning quiet.  There is something so anticipated about coming down the stairs of my home into the undisturbed living room and kitchen and breathing in the stillness of it all.  One morning a few weeks back I got to enjoy the early morning quiet of my workplace.  I got into the office around 7:30am.  I was in to work early because I had an overabundance of work to do.  I needed as much undisturbed office time as possible.  To my satisfaction, no one was there; no lights were on, no coffee was brewed.  After getting settled into my cubicle and replying to a few emails I decided it was time to brew that first pot of office coffee . . . sub par, yes . . . but free.  I was anxious to get back to my cube and work away, but realized my stomach was anxious for a little food, so I began toasting a bagel.  That's when I heard what I was hoping wouldn't happen for another 45 minutes or so . . . another person had arrived in the office, and they were coming my way.  Oh man, now I'm going to get "stuck" talking with someone about something, when really all I want to do is get my coffee, bagel, and head right back to my cube.  This was my attitude.  Sure enough, in she walks and she's ready to talk.  We start with small talk, the whole time I'm inching my way towards the break room door.  Then she says to me "Hey, you would be interested in this, my daughter is getting baptized this weekend.  She heard about it at Go Kids at River Valley Church and she came home telling me and my husband that  she wants to do it, so we're heading up to my parents home church and she's getting baptized."  She was right, I was interested, thrilled, and blessed to be told of her exciting news!  I was instantly convicted of my selfish attitude.  Just a few minutes earlier I was wishing to get out of the conversation, now I found myself wanting to prolong it, finding out about her daughter and how long they'd been apart of RVC, etc. . . As the conversation ended I realized my bagel was burning, but I didn't care, I had enjoyed the privelege of sharing a special moment with a co-worker.  A connection was made because of a common value, a core belief.  I thought to myself, what if I would have rushed out of the breakroom, went to my cube, and covered myself in work.  I would have missed it.   I love hearing about what God is doing in people's lives.  And I love that God slows me down to take the time to hear about it.  I encourage you today to slow down, take the time to find out what God is doing in the lives of those around you.  Ask your kids what God is teaching them, ask your co-workers what cool things are going on in their lives, and be ready for them to share.  Maybe you'll be blessed, or maybe you'll be burdened with the response, but either way, you'll make a connection; and we all need that!

Choices, Choices, Choices

By Sally Kasten, Apple Valley Campus

Philippians 1:19

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

One of the most incredible aspects in seeking the face of Christ is the realization that in His creation of us as human race, He loves us so much that he threads free will into fabric of our very being. 

Essentially, free will is the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.  For you Mom’s out there, I’m certain you can site multiple examples of “free will” being exercised in your own children!

Acting at one’s “own discretion” without asking for God’s guidance, grace and wisdom is a method I’ve applied at the front end of many trials and I am here to tell you – it doesn’t work!

When the trials and tribulations of life inevitably rear their ugly heads you are put in a position to choose how you are going to cope with what lies ahead.  Are you going to handle a situation in a dramatic way, flailing all about, arms in the air, calling every friend on earth you know to seek comfort, wisdom or advice?  Or will you choose to follow examples of how Jesus handled trials:  40 days in the desert with no food with the express purpose of being tempted by Satan himself (Luke 4:1-13)?  Or in the aftermath of Jesus arrest and questioning by the High Priest and Pilate (John 18)?  Psalm 118:8 (New King James Version) It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Free will can be good and it can be bad but it is yours for the choosing!  Free will also has an enormous amount of freedom in it as well, because Jesus has walked this road before us.  He has given us a “blue print” of sorts to follow when times get challenging.

Trials and Temptations

James 1: 2-5

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, [a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Have you EVER taken a moment to consider a trial “pure joy”?!  A radical concept to be sure, but therein lies the FREEDOM! 

Surrender your trial into the hands of the Almighty and Sovereign God we serve!  He wants us to come to him with it all and is eager to give us what we need generously and without fault finding!

Dreams

By Jen Pattengill, Apple Valley Campus

Dreams, we all have them. When we are young we dream of what our lives will look like, who we will marry, that Prince Charming riding in on his white horse to sweep us off of our feet. Or maybe we have planned out a career path, the type of house we will live in or the friendships we will have, the number of perfectly behaved children, I could go on forever!  While most if not all of us have dreamed of a life, lifestyle, possession  etc, very few  of us are actually living the exact life we dreamed of when we were younger.

While I am blessed on many levels, I have an amazing husband who loves God, 3 beautiful girls and many friends, none of it actually looks the way I thought it would. And if I am measuring my life by outward successes or failures, to most people it would seem that I am fairly ordinary.  No significant career title, although what is really more significant than mommy ;). No vast riches or wealth, we are a typical family living the average life, except for this… I do not measure the success of my life by titles or riches but rather my relationship with my Heavenly Father and my obedience to His plans for my life. If at the end of my life I can stand before my Father to only hear Him say Well Done! Then I will have obtained the success we all long for on some level.

As I was thinking about my own life and the direction it has taken I was immediately reminded of Jeremiah 29:11-13

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you

and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will

 call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek

me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

 Now honestly my first reaction to this mental dialogue I had with God over this verse was “God, this can’t be the verse that you want me to consider at this time. I have heard this verse quoted/preached dozens of times! I want something new and fresh from your word God! But alas, I opened my Bible and read it anyway. And here is what God showed me…Jeremiah’s life was ordinary as well! When Jeremiah spoke, no one listened, he was poor, thrown into prison, rejected by friends and family. Definitely not someone you would have looked up to during his time or even someone that you would have labeled successful, BUT he obeyed God! Jeremiah did not allow the physical manifestations of success to dictate his obedience. I would imagine that Jeremiah’s own personal plans of being obedient to God did not include being poor, thrown in prison or being rejected by those he loved. I do believe though that regardless of the worldly measure of his success Jeremiah lived a life of NO REGRETS! And regardless of how unsuccessful Jeremiah appeared to those around him, God knew the plans He had for Jeremiah and they were good!

             You see we can have all the titles we want - Doctor, Lawyer, Author, Pastor (insert your dream or title(s) here) or all the money/possessions we desire, but if we have not remained obedient to God’s plans for our lives it is all meaningless. We will one day stand before the throne of God and He will not ask us “What title did you carry while on earth?” Rather I believe the more important question will be “What did you do with the plans I had for you? Did you wallow in self pity because life did not go the way you planned or did you allow the earthly success that you did achieve to define you and live on the high of a title rather than on the place I was calling you to? To reach the poor, the orphans, the widows, your neighbors, your family?” May we each be able to say Yes Lord I obeyed!  1 Samuel 15:22 "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

Snow? Really, God?

By Maria Johnson, Apple Valley Campus

 As I looked out the window yesterday morning and saw snow on the ground, I thought, “Snow, really, God?”  I have long since moved out the snow gear and made room for all the flip-flops.  I giggled when a friend who moved to Minnesota last year from southern California commented about how much we Minnesotans talk about the weather.  Our Minnesota weather is most definitely a conversation starter.  As I have pondered this winter why we live in this cold state, I tell myself it’s because of all the people I love here, but it’s also because I truly love the change of seasons.  When I think of the seasons in our weather, I think of the seasons in our life.

    We have all experienced various seasons in our life.  Budding times of growth, joys of sunny and easy days, and times when things just simply change.  Most of us have also gone through periods of difficulties that have lasted longer than we wish.  However, it’s in those “winters” of our life when we can learn to draw most intensely on the strength of Jesus.  When we keep our eyes on Christ (Hebrews 12:2, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”), we are then able to appreciate the incredible joys of “spring” when it comes.  Our heavenly Father is amazing how He shows us glimpses of hope in our tough days just like He allows the sweet, little crocuses to bloom early each spring (even when they get snowed on!).

    Jesus has a plan for each of lives.  He is a God of order which can be clearly seen in His creation.  He will bring it into focus when we continually look to Him for guidance.  He will show us the little blossoms in our life even on our cold, dark days.

    We know these spring snowfalls will melt quickly because we see signs of spring all around us.  However, even if I didn’t see the signs, I want to always see God’s goodness regardless.  I love God’s command in Philippines 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again:  Rejoice!”  He doesn’t tell us to rejoice only when we are doing something we enjoy or the weather is sunny and warm.

    Yes, just as seasons in Minnesota keep things exciting, seasons in our life keep our lives exciting too.  Think of how boring it would be if our weather was 80 and sunny every single day without change?  Okay, maybe we’d like to try it for awhile.  However, our crazy weather makes us tougher to handle extreme cold and move mass qualities of snow.  The change of seasons in our life is how God grows us through multiple challenges.  If we keep looking to Him, He will mold and sharpen us for His glory!  And, remember, God always, always brings spring even after the worst of winters!

    Let’s say it together, “Rejoice in the Lord always”!  (even when it snows!)

God is Love. God Loves You.

By Sally Kasten, Apple Valley Campus

I’m a Catholic girl.  That’s how I was born and raised.  It is a part of me that I will always embrace.  My uncle was a Priest and as I was growing up was asked yearly by him to consider joining the Convent (to no avail, obviously). I owe a lot to my Catholic upbringing.  It taught me reverence for Christ and the church, discipline, perseverance and the importance of handing down a legacy of faith. I wouldn’t change a thing about that season in my life.  In fact, it has been a part of God’s continually unfolding plan and perfect in His eyes and to that I stand in humbled awe of His great love for me. 

I attended the same church, Sacred Heart Catholic church in Elmwood, WI, from birth until I moved away to attend college.  Every Sunday for countless years I read these words that were written above the altar, “God is Love.  God Loves You.”  I’m sad to say that after seeing those same words dozens of times over the course of multiple years I never grasped the “God lesson”.

 You see, not only is God the embodiment of love, but he also has an unrelenting love for YOU!  A love that does not tire or grow weary, a love so powerful that it can only be authored by the very Creator who IS love and simply put, the enormity of His love is a concept that one should strive to grasp.

A basic objective as a follower of Jesus is to become more Christ like, but as our faith develops and matures, you learn quickly that we will always fall short, but God’s LOVE and grace are sufficient to sustain us in our efforts.

All of that said, I’d like to challenge you to look differently at a very common verse about love that has recently gained an enormous amount of consideration in my personal study time;

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

If our hearts desire is exude Christ like qualities, replace the word Love with YOUR name:

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Sally is patient, Sally is kind. Sally does not envy, Sally does not boast, Sally is not proud. Sally is not rude, Sally is not self-seeking, Sally is not easily angered, Sally keeps no record of wrongs. Sally does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Sally always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

As I venture on this continued journey of faith, my prayer is that you get a hold of how instrumental God’s love is for you and how His love alone is a free gift given to us by His grace.

In closing here is a verse of encouragement in your quest to examine the phrase “God is Love.  God Loves You.”

1 John 4:9-12

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

Don't Forget To Plan The Family Vacation

By Maria Johnson, Apple Valley Campus

As I finally begin packing for our upcoming trip, I ponder the impact of the “family vacation.”  Growing up, my dad was a school teacher and my mom stayed home.  Thus, we had little money to spare.  However, every summer the six of us would pile into our station wagon for a family vacation somewhere.  Those trips were never fancy--we’d find the least expensive motel options (& take turns sleeping on the floor), and we would rarely eat “out” but instead go to a local grocery store--yet, those vacations are some of my very favorite memories growing up with my family!

Today, I’ve read that many people no longer take an entire week off at one time.   Several don’t even use up all their vacation time.  Conflicts with jobs, kid’s sports, multiple other activities/commitments, or demands at home have made it more difficult for families to take a week for a family vacation.  I find this very sad.

Not only has it been found to be physically healthy for an individual to take extended days away from the stress of their work, it is incredibly beneficial for the health of the family.  My husband loves spending time with our children.  However, his job is demanding and can take him away from us more than we wish.  He truly cherishes the uninterrupted time he gets with our kids when we get away (thus, this is why we have rarely vacationed with another family).  I am thankful to get an enormous amount of time with our kids but I recognize my “Martha” personally, so it’s good to get me away from our home to simply play and explore with our kids and my husband too!

Vacations are not without a cost.  In everything, though, we must decide and plan our priorities with how we spend our time and money.  Parents spend hundreds, if not thousands, on sports, activities, or tournaments/camps for their children every year.  They deem that these activities will build teamwork & character into their kids.  Now don’t get me wrong, I agree that sports and other extracurricular activities can be very valuable to children, but they must be kept in balance.  And, really, the very best place to learn to be a team player is within one’s own family.  Our kids are only young once, so we want to spend time with them now to build moral character into them before they leave our home.  We also know they will remember our family vacations much more than any sports practice or activity out there.

It’s an adventure is key to remember for the family vacation.  We have never aimed for perfection in a trip which is a good thing because we’ve never come close.  We have had kids cry or crabby due to lack of food/water or physically tired (yes, we have pushed our kids too far at times for hikes, etc.--we have learned!).  We have had “chaffing” issues due to hiking in wet swimsuits (we’ve learned here too--bring dry clothes & my husband knows to never spray sunscreen on a boy’s irritated private area again!).  We’ve also dealt with puking & sick kids a variety of times.  What a great opportunity it has been to train our children in the area of self-control with handling themselves and their emotions and how they treat each other.  These are all areas they have grown from (ok, my husband and I have too!), and we giggle about them now!

The family vacation is imperative for the health of the family.  In this crazy busy country we live in, we need to slow down to make time for and budget for it.  Our job can survive without us for a week.  Our kids can miss a week of practices or games.  They can miss one camp to allow money to be spent for the overall family.  Kids will appreciate it all the more when they are part of the planning and saving for a vacation together with their family.   Children may forget the uncountable times we drove them to practices/activities or the new gadgets or equipment/clothes they got, but they will remember different points of God’s creation that they have seen and who they were with (photos really help this too!).   It’s about building memories and character with our children.  The family vacation, regardless of where you go, is an incredible tool for this.  Plan for an adventure with your family now--you will not regret it!

Enjoy & explore!

Welcome

Welcome to the River Valley Moms Blog! 

We are passionate about helping Moms connect, grow and serve in this journey as women of faith. It is our desire to see  women challenged and encouraged to 
live a life that honors God and it is our prayer that this blog encourages you.

You are loved!

Hebrews 10:23-25

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 

not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, 

but encouraging one another