May Newsletter 2019

Mandy: 

Throughout my whole life, I have struggled to read my Bible. Either I don’t have time or I chose not to. I know that reading the Bible is one of the most important things a Christian can do in their walk with the LORD. Reading the Bible is the same is having a conversation with a friend. It is how God communicates with us. Recently, I have felt the need and want to read my Bible, but I still struggle making time to. Please pray that I read my Bible often and grow in my walk with the LORD.

Mary: 

One summer, as I was visiting a church that I had grown up in for some time, the High School Sunday School class was diving into the Word, using a unique studying method. I used it that week and LOVED it, but I had not gotten to take the chance to use it until recently. I still love it now that I am using it again. This is how it works: Skim for repeating words/phrases, Skim for key points, Skim for symbolism, then Analyze the observations you made. Please note, this is my version- not exactly what I learned. All I had was my notes and markings on a sheet (along with my memory) to know exactly the method to complete this study. I personally find the colorful pens helpful for comprehension, and especially for reviewing notes on a later day. For example, I can easily tell key points by looking at the pink pen marks, green is comparisons and contrasts, and purple shows repeating words/phrases.

Cai: 

On Wednesday, I went to Youth Group for the first time. It was fun, and shockingly, so was listening to the story from the Bible. I usually don’t have much fun in church just listening. But this time, I did. Our Youth Pastor’s name is Pastor Derek Plegge, and I love his teaching style. Most of the time I don’t understand all that the Pastor is saying, don’t gather all the notes, or the story doesn’t sound clear. In Youth Group, I understood everything, and all notes were taken. We talked about how Paul and Silas were sent to prison because they were casting out demons, (With God’s help, of course.) But they continued to praise and worship God in their cell. They sang songs and prayed to Him, thanking Him for what they had left. They didn’t turn on God like many people do in their times of hardship, but they praised and worshiped Him, and grew closer to Him in the process. In times of trial, be sure to continue worshiping and praising God for all He has done for you, and your trial will be easier. But if you turn from Him, and stop praying, and reading your Bible, it will be harder, it will be a mistake

Sabine: 

1 Timothy 1:19 "Cling to your faith in Christ and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked."

(Note from study Bible) “How can you ‘keep your conscience clear’? Treasure your faith in Christ more than anything else and do what you know is right. Each time you deliberately ignore your conscience, you’re hardening your heart. Your capacity to tell right from wrong slowly erodes. But when you stay close to God, he reminds you of what’s right. Feeling the tug of your conscience? Don’t ignore it!”

Great reminder, right? There was a time where I never listened to my conscience and it became invisible to me. There also was a time where everything I did seemed to be wrong, and it ate me up until all there was left was a hollow shell. Sounds discouraging right? Ok look, right now my life is full of havoc. There’s the good and then the overwhelming bad.

While I may be forgetting who is with me, struggling with my life and situations, I need to remind myself that this is where God has placed me. There is nothing that God puts in front of you that He can’t help you get through. And maybe I’m being attacked spiritually by the enemy, it doesn’t matter, not really. Because I know that despite the enemy’s desperate attack, Christ has won and I can conquer all that comes my way, including my conscience and the things that I do to weigh it down.

When you’re going through something that is pulling you down or telling you to do something other than what is right cling to your faith and ask Jesus if that is right and move from there.