Author: hoekzema.allyson

Ethyl’s children were grown. They married and moved to other towns to find employment. Her husband passed away a few years ago. She liked living in her home in her small rural village. Her home held memories of her marriage and raising her family.

It didn’t happen all at once. Her neighbors and friends noticed she couldn’t do things the way she used to. The children came home a little more often. Ethyl was a determined person. She told her children and friends, “I’m just fine.”

One cool autumn day, Ethyl was wandering along the road dressed in her nightgown. That was when family and friends realized maybe Ethyl wasn’t “just fine”. One of her daughters moved home to help mom while the family tried to figure things out.

The family soon learned they were not the only ones who have ever had to deal with the challenges of aging. Sharing was a way of lifting the burden from their shoulders. Like the Bible says in Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

The family talked about their situation. They gathered resources and discussed short term and long-term plans. They talked about Ethyl’s living situation, her finances, personal care, health care options, and any special needs. They discussed ways to keep Ethyl involved with her friends and church. The family was surprised at the resources that were available.

At first Ethyl didn’t want to discuss assisted living. The children explained the staff would make life a little easier for her and the family. They could lift some of the burdens of caregiving. This would let her enjoy being mom and grandma with the family. It would also relieve her children of the burden of being full time caregivers. Ethyl liked the idea of making life a little easier for everyone.

Moving into the assisted living facility gave Ethyl and her family comfort knowing that a burden shared is a burden halved. They learned that they didn’t need to go through the aging process alone. There are others who have gone through the aging process. There are skilled individuals who can come alongside to help with the burdens that come in this world.

The Bible gives practical advice when it says: “Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Chaplain Jeff Meyers

The patriarch Abraham was not afraid to pray boldly before God. In Genesis 18:22-33, we read of Abraham bargaining with God to spare the wicked city of Sodom from destruction based on the number of righteous people.

Earlier, God called Abraham to leave his country with his family, his possessions, and his nephew Lot. On their journey, Abraham asked Lot to choose what part of the land he wanted. Lot chose to place his tent near the wicked city of Sodom. Now Abraham was a man of faith and a friend of God. When Lot chose to pitch his tent near Sodom, Abraham chose to remain standing before God and engage God in proving his righteousness and justice by not destroying the righteous with the wicked in the city of Sodom.

Abraham is taking charge in petitioning God with some initiatives. There is the confrontation in vs. 23-25 followed by some questions and a statement of God’s position as “judge of all the earth” (v.25). In vs. 26-32, Abraham continues bargaining with God in a posture of forgiveness.

In reading vs. 22, we notice that as Abraham prays, he stands before God (v.22), instructing him and challenging him to not be careless and haphazard in his judgment to destroy Sodom.

As Abraham continues to pursue God, he acknowledges his own downfalls while asking God to not be angry with him. In verse 33, we see that the conversation is finished. The end. No more bargaining. The Lord and Abraham each go their own way.

Reflecting on Abraham’s boldness, how have you challenged God to prove to you his righteousness and justice in your life through intercession for others and the world? Has it made you a better man or woman of faith and grown your covenant relationship with him? If you have not prayed boldly to God, I challenge you to do this and see how your relationship with him grows into a beautiful life of faith.

Chaplain Val

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

My friend shared about his schedule and how he’d barely had a moment of rest. “I’ll have time to sleep when I’m dead” he exclaimed. Many of the others around him have spent years following his example. Another person with health issues recently shared that he wished that he didn’t sleep so much and that his body was better so he could do things like before. Both were expressing in some way the idea that busyness and activity equal normalcy and productivity.

The reality is that our bodies and our souls work together to live out our purpose in work, fun, play and rest. Last week, many speakers at the Global Leadership Summit provided insights about honoring the needs of our bodies and of our souls. You are valued; self- care is important, so I’m passing along a few of these thoughts.

-We experience difficult situations in life. Resilience is our capacity to cope with these hard things. But we are NOT energizer bunnies. This coping does drain us. We are not designed to power through everything. Who and what strengthens you when you are worn out?

-How do we pray? Do we pray more to be blessed, or to be a blessing? What would it be like if we prayed more to be a blessing? Legacy is really about how we bless and give to others.

-We tend to focus on what we have or don’t have. Instead, focus on what we DO with what we have. If you can’t get out and about, how can you change the days of those where you are?

– Getting a full night sleep is essential. Less sleep equals less concentration, less strength and less ability to do stuff (by more than 30%). Sleep is not a luxury. It is mandatory if you want to live out a life of purpose. What one thing could you change to improve your sleep?

-Small habits can have big life impacts. What one small habit could you start that you believe would improve the rest of your day? Do it consistently and see what happens. Mine is walking!

-What one habit doesn’t add a whole lot to the quality of your day or purpose? Try removing it to give more time to focus on what really matters.

The scripture above is set in the context of God’s love for us and plans for removing barriers between God and people, and amongst people. Tucked into all of that is that other nugget of truth….WE ARE GOD’s HANDIWORK, born into this world to make a difference. How we do that will change through the years, but the truth is the same ALL our years. We have purpose every day of our lives. And we are to care for ourselves, our bodies and souls.

What steps can each of us take to better care for ourselves?

Chaplain Karen Henderlong

The other night I was able to sit out under the stars and marvel at the wonder of God’s creation and it reminded me of how throughout the New Testament we find verse after verse listing all the benefits of those who are in Christ Jesus. Verses that seem to sparkle like those stars in the night sky, randomly scattered throughout the Word of truth – for all who will take time to see them. Like what we find in Romans chapter 5 as Paul says we can be given peace with God; no longer separated from Him through sin, but rather redeemed through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. In Christ we are enabled to approach the throne of grace for mercy to find help in time of need, what a great reminder.

But then Paul also reminds us in verse 3, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings…” Rejoicing in suffering is not our normal reaction to troubles, is it? At least they are not a twinkling light I want to identify. Yet, he is not suggesting that we simply have to grin and bear the trials and tribulations as best we can. Rather he is reminding us in verses 3-5 to keep looking at the stars of God’s goodness—that these troubles can lead us closer God, as he encourages us not to complain. Rather to remember that suffering for the sake of Christ, is a badge of honor for the saint of God.

We are not called to rejoice because we are suffering. But we are to maintain an attitude of thanksgiving and praise in the midst of our suffering. “…knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,—something we all need more of today—and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Now that’s a star I need to see in the midst of the darkness around.

May our lives be lived as a testimony to God’s goodness and grace. As Php 2:13-16 says, “God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him. Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Then you will be the pure and innocent children of God…Try to shine as lights among the people of this world, as you hold firmly to the message that gives life.”

Chaplain David

Summertime is here. It is time for flowers in bloom, baseball games, family get togethers, county fairs, and car shows. I went to a car show and became a bit homesick for the good old days of my youth.

My first car was a 1957 Chevrolet BelAir. I remember cruising the main street with my friends. My memory recalled a very idealized version of my friends. Today, we don’t wear bell-bottom jeans, and we have a lot less hair than we did back then. My high school friends are married and have grandchildren. I guess I’ll never be able to go back to that time and those places except in my memory.

The Welsh language has an interesting word that has no equivalent in the English language. The Welsh word is “hiraeth”. The word means a homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was, the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost places of your past.

This feeling of nostalgia and yearning for the past is very familiar to people throughout history. Some Israelites longed for the food of Egypt after they were freed from slavery. When the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon, they were nostalgic for the good old days when they worshipped in their temple.

It is common for us to be homesick for a person, place, or time in our past. I think it is a way to deal with the changes we go through in life.

One afternoon, a resident of an assisted living facility was looking at pictures from her past. Another resident joined her and asked her questions. Others joined in the conversation. It was a delightful way to remember the past and live in the present. The residents knew they would not be able to go back to those good old days. They didn’t really want to go back to them. The residents just wanted to share their memories. They found meaning in sharing their good old days with others.

It is good to remember the good old days. Those good old days brought us to today. Through all our days we are reminded that God loved us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).

Chaplain Jeff Meyers