Wishes
WISHES
by Marcia Reavely
Today, as I write, is my birthday, and I’ve been asked twice so far about my wishes for this year. When we pause to think beforehand about where we want to end up, it helps us head in the right direction. Since Women’s Ministry is also starting a fresh year, I figured it would be profitable for us to consider—what do we wish to have happen in our lives spiritually this year as women of New Life Church? Though it is bad luck to blow out the birthday candles and tell the wish, here are some wishes as we begin this new year.
No doubt, we probably all wish we could meet for 1st Thursday Connect like “normal” this fall—in the church building with a fun meal, sitting side by side enjoying hugs and smiles. That would be lovely, and I hope we get back to that before long. But even if we never do, that is not our deep-down, can’t-live-without-it wish, is it?
Paul tells the church in Philippians 1:27 to be “striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.” Our true wish as New Life Women is to fully live this verse.
Philippians 1:27 reminds us of what is important—the faith of the gospel. The gospel isn’t a try-harder-to-do-good program. All that is needed is supplied by the saving and sanctifying work Jesus Christ accomplished on our behalf. We need to know the gospel, in all its richness and fullness. But we also need to learn how to live in it—to experience the grace, to receive the forgiveness, to extend the love that we’ve been shown in Christ. So we wish to more fully know and believe and live the gospel.
Philippians 1:27 does, however, imply effort—striving for the faith of the gospel. Faith doesn’t come naturally or automatically to us. It is a gift of God’s Spirit, but it can also be cultivated. Faith is cultivated as we dig deeply into God’s Word—praying for understanding, hearing His promises, marveling at His works, examining His character, digesting His truth, following His ways. Faith is practiced, for one, when we give thanks in all circumstances, trusting that our ever-faithful Giver is doing what is good. We thank God for a beautiful summer for outside meetings, for Zoom so we can continue live gatherings for 1st Thursday Connect, for leading us into 1-to-1 Bible Reading before COVID-19 made it a necessity. But faith is stretched when we also thank Him for ruffling our comforts, spurring us toward more creative ways to love, drawing us to pray, meeting us in our loneliness, stirring us to more deeply long for the glorious eternity ahead. We wish to be women who strive for and cultivate faith.
Philippians 1:27 hints at the fact that we need each other—striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. Most of us probably believe the gospel, at least at some level, but we get bogged down with the here and now, don’t we? Dental appointments, life disappointments. We read the Bible, but sometimes we read it more like a history book than our Life story. We forget that we are in the Book, and that the story is nearing the climactic end which is really a new beginning. I wish I could keep my heart more in love with that new beginning and less with the aging demi-pleasures of this world. God knew, and I am becoming more and more convinced, that we need each other in this struggle. So we wish to be women tightly intertwined, encouraging each other every day—reminding one another of what is true, of what matters, of all that is to come.
As we “strive side by side for the faith of the gospel,” we will grow more and more to be Gospel believers, grace receivers, biblical thinkers, spiritual milk drinkers, love and truth bearers, Good News sharers, faith walkers, encouragement talkers, persistent pray-ers, sin slayers, new life livers, forgiveness givers, church treasurers, God’s glory tellers. What a year it would be if wishes really did come true!
Just yesterday I asked a little girl what she knows about God. Her answer was simple, “We tell God our wishes, and he does them.” She quickly added, “Doesn’t he?” I smiled, “Sometimes.”
Jesus had something to say about wishes. He said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” You can read the rest of what He had to say in John 15. As we simply stay connected to Jesus and his words, He gives life and nourishes us and produces fruit. Abiding changes us, aligning our hearts and minds with Jesus and His thoughts. “Abide in me and my words in you.” Then ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. Some wishes really do come true.
1ST THURSDAY CONNECT
If you missed 1st Thursday Connect for September, Robin Schmidt, Executive Director of The Father’s Heart, shared with us about their ministry in Oregon City. If you haven’t met Robin yet, she has two adult sons and two precious grandchildren. She moved to Oregon seven years ago after living as a missionary at an orphanage with her sons for 3½ years. She has been serving at The Father’s Heart as Executive Director since 2017. Robin became engaged to our friend, Kevin Keating, over a church Zoom meeting last spring, and they are getting married September 19th! To volunteer in any of the many areas of need, either visit The Father’s Heart office in Oregon City or call them at 503-722-9780.
Meghan Haugen gave us a wonderful introduction to the book of Genesis. The video is available to watch or re-watch. Resources for reading and studying Genesis are on the church website.
Sign up for 1-to-1 Bible Reading or the Thursday evening discussion group meeting at New Life Church Gladstone by filling out this form: New Life Women Sign Up Form. Use the same form to sign up for any printed materials that you would like to receive: 1-to-1 mailings, a 1-to-1 notebook, Panorama study materials, and Isaiah 40 memory cards.
1st Thursday Connect will be meeting monthly on Zoom for the time being. The link is the same each month: bit.ly/NewLifeWomen. Or join with the meeting ID 825 8083 9189 and passcode Connect. Contact Elaine Hochstettler at 503-314-4107 for technical assistance.
Here is the schedule for 1st Thursday Connect this year.
September 3: Introduction to Genesis
October 1: Panorama Session 1
November 5: Conclusion of Genesis and introduction to Isaiah
December 3: Panorama Session 2
January 7: Conclusion of Isaiah and introduction to Matthew
February 4: Panorama Session 3
March 4: Conclusion of Matthew and introduction to Hebrews
April 1: Panorama Session 4
May 6: Conclusion of Hebrews and introduction to Revelation
June 3: Panorama Session 5
July 1: Conclusion of Revelation and introduction to summer plans
DID YOU KNOW?
If you are on the church mailing list, you should have received a new set of 5 women to pray for this fall along with a Prayer Prompt Page. The Prayer Prompt Page can also be found on the church website and used as desired.
This year we hope to memorize Isaiah 40 together, a few verses every month! If you would like the full set of memory cards sent to you, fill out the New Life Women Sign Up Form. We are working on verses 1 and 2 for September.
The study, Panorama: a sweeping vista of God’s Word, will be offered on alternating months of 1st Thursday Connect. It is a good class to repeat often! If you have taken it before, the materials are the same. If you would like materials, please let us know on the New Life Women Sign Up Form.
Did you know that you can find Bible reading and memorization resources, all the 1-to-1 handouts, prayer pages, the newsletter, and more on the Women’s page of the New Life Church website? Look for it at newlifenw.com/ministry-women. You can print your own monthly resources from the website. Or, if you would like to continue to have the printed handouts mailed to you this year, sign up on the New Life Women Sign Up Form.
There are several ways you can participate in 1-to-1 Bible Reading this year. You can do it 1-to-1 with a partner or partners of your choice. You can ask the Women’s Ministry team to help connect you with a partner. Or, new this year, you can do the study with a small group of women meeting on Thursday evenings at the Gladstone campus with Toni Hedrick. Sign up for the option of your choice by filling out the New Life Women Sign Up Form.
You can keep in touch with happenings for New Life Women by joining our private group on Facebook, finding us on Instagram, signing up for monthly email newsletters, or emailing the leadership team at wlwomen@newlifenw.com.
LINKS
Below are links to articles, books, podcasts, and music that might be of interest or help on various topics. Resources are curated but may not always reflect the views of New Life Church. Enjoy!
No Longer I Who Mother—how union with Christ impacts motherhood by Christina Fox @Desiring God.
All That Sparkles is Not Gold—@The Palest Ink. Needed reminder; beautiful read.
Parenting is About Treasuring—4 ways to nurture joy in God by Ryan Lister @Desiring God.
Ministry Network Podcast—a good new podcast. Check out Rosaria Butterfield speaking on COVID-19 and hospitality.
A 5-part series on Progressive Christianity—by Alisa Childers @Impact 360. Timely and important.
If Not For Ben—don’t miss this one @A View of the Lake. “Just because something is hard, doesn’t make it bad. It’s just hard. And in God’s economy, hard always produces something good. Because of Ben, I’ve tasted grace in the hard and glory in the good.”