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!