Strategic Partners

For the past 4 summers, the Hutchison Girls have attended the Big World Ventures mission trips to Central and South Americas, each lasting 2-3 weeks. Although the goal and outline of the ministry is similar, what is extremely important to us is the variety of people we encounter. In Ecuador, we ministered to many people of all different demographics. In Costa Rica, we encountered a lot of homeless people. In the San Blas islands in Panama, we played with many children and spoke and prayed with the natives in their huts. This summer in Lima, Peru, we will be ministering to people helping with work projects, and through drama in parks, orphanages, schools, neighborhoods, and churches. After each drama presentation or work project, we’ll have the opportunity to share one-on-one with the Nationals and lead them to Jesus with the help of volunteers from local churches. These local church representatives will get each new convert’s name and address for follow-up and discipleship.  The local churches truly appreciate our willingness to come and assist them with their community!  This summer we have the ability to stay for a third week in Cusco, and minister to young girls and women. 

My great-grandmother, Ina Davis was born in 1899; and I was lucky enough to know her. She cooked a mean fried chicken, the saltiest green beans you ever tasted and the best chocolate cream pie I've had to date. Granny sewed slipcovers and drapes in her barn on an old pedaled sewing machine, hung chickens from a clothesline before they met the frying pan and liked to beep her horn in tunnels just to hear the echo.

She also hated when I whistled.

I loved her.

She was my "Granny" and she was a character from the generation of preaching "hellfire and brimstone". For better and sometimes worse...you knew what Granny thought and you heard Granny sing! But she had faith...and it was for me a faith to build on.
My grandmother, Dorthea Davis was born in 1921 and I was lucky enough to have her until I had three teenagers of my own. I used to salivate in anticipation of her yellow cake with chocolate icing and her huge yellow bowl of potato salad. Nanny worked in the dietary department of Brandywine Hospital in her crisp white uniform for YEARS! And Nanny was strong. She regularly arm wrestled her sons-in-law and her grandsons. Then twitched her nose in delight if she could still take them down. She also let me call her ridiculous names.

I loved her.

She was my "Nan" and God doesn't make them sweeter. For better and sometimes worse...Nanny worried or Nanny sang! But she had faith...and it was faith for me to build on.
My mother, Millie (Davis) Morris, was born in 1942 (sorry Mom); and I am lucky enough to have her still! I used to love to come in from playing in the snow to her milky and rivelly potato soup and no holiday is right without her perfect apple pie. Mom has worked hard her whole life..."secretarying", mothering, caring, cleaning, buying, selling, home-making and giving in delight to the delighted. Mom makes even the mundane feel special. She also forgives my scattered mind.

I love her.

She is my "Mumsy" and she continues to be one of my best gifts in this life. For better and rarely worse, mom fusses over her family...( I won't comment on her singing since she reads my blogs!) Mom's life is full of evidences of faith for me to keep building on.
My patriarchal matriarchs are absent from my life experience but I have been told of their faith and seen it in my great aunt, Helen Riggs.  I was lucky enough to know her in my formative years. Before you crossed her threshold, you were handed carrot juice, a vitamin and whole-wheat carob chip cookies; all long before the "healthfood" industry showed its face in Chester County, PA. Helen was a spitfire who jogged in her basement until she had to be 80 years old. She used to play hymns on her old 45's and greet you with so much enthusiasm you felt like a celebrity. She worked at getting her family "saved"...and it worked for me! For better or worse Aunt Helen told you about Jesus...and though she is my blood on my father's side, her singing could make your ears curl in. But boy, did Aunt Helen have faith...faith to build on.
Why do I write of my matriarchal lineage? Because I feel lucky!
And because I'm reflecting on the women in Christ's lineage...
women with strengths and weaknesses. Women whose faith God chose to build on. And though we cannot comment on their vocal talents we can read the songs of their lives and build on their faith.

They are, by faith, the matriarchs of us all.

Read about them:

Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, Mary...

I promise you their stories will make you feel lucky.

PRACTICAL SABBATH: PROV STAFF SUGGESTIONS

Figure out what is rest for you? (Is mowing the lawn restful or stressful? Is shopping restful or stressful?, etc.).

 What brings you delight? (same options as above).

Don't start with a full 24 hours. Start with a half day.  NATHANAEL MANTHEY

When you walk and drive, slow down and stop rushing to get to the place you are going.

Appreciate the sensual nature of our lives that God has given to us:  ie, appreciate and be thankful for the  warm water running in the shower, the smell of spring, the visual diversity of plants, flowers, trees, grass, animals and all sights we see.

Be thankful for all the blessings that God has given you - the ones we take for granted everyday - and make a list of these things:  Thank you God that I can . . . hear, touch, see, have a bed, have shoes, have clothes, have transportation, a desk, chair, kitchen, stove, have friends, family, sister, brother etc.  There literally are billions of people who don’t have any of these things or relationships.

Don’t check email or texts for one day.  DAVE WIEDIS

Plan ahead.  Try to plan paid and non-paid work around your Sabbath time.  For example I take Sabbath on Saturdays, so I make Fridays my laundry and errand running day because those non-paid chores are not life giving to me.  Early on this meant listing out things that are life-giving and enjoyable and things that I need to do, but are not enjoyable to do on a Sabbath.  

Keep it simple and relaxed.  I'm fine with visiting family or friends on my Sabbath, but I try not to overload my schedule.  I also try to hang out with those who are life giving and encouraging.  For me time alone with God is very refreshing so I try to make sure I have part of the day to myself to pray and journal.  

Break from social media and e-mail (both work and personal).  I'm personally okay with texting and calling if it's needed to meet up with someone, but then when I'm with that person, my phone is on silent and put away out of sight.  MICHELLE CARSTENS

Stop feeling guilty ~ Enjoy this beautiful moment.

Remember what you love about your life ~ participate in it, go back to the joy, laughter and fun.

Just BE! ~ Let God fill in the space with his peaceful presence. STEPHANI WALKER

Try to find something that works with the rhythm you already have... David and me sabbath on Friday night to Saturday night. We tend to start with having dinner with friends (or our small group if we are on that Friday).

We start by lighting a candle to help us transitions our inner speeds.

Put your phones away and get out into nature. MELINDA SNOW

Start small– try only a few hours at first (24 hours can feel really daunting to start).

Carve out the time– clear your schedule of all things that are "work" for you and make it a priority to keep that time clear.

Combat those misunderstandings of what Sabbath is and what Sabbath is not.  Sabbath does not necessarily mean you need to sit in a room by yourself for 24 hours and do nothing but pray and worship (that's what I thought at first and I thought you were all crazy!)  Sabbath is a time to do things that bring you life, giving yourself time to stop, contemplate and reflect on all God has for you.  This looks different for everyone and what works for you doesn't necessarily work for the person sitting next to you. Take the time to find what works.  LAURA JOHNSON

Sset a day aside in the week separate from your "day off," when you do nothing having to do with work, or make you work in any way, even chores/errands.

Remember you don't "have to" sabbath, you "get to sabbath." Your spiritual life and heart come first and this feeds that which enables you to be better and more centered, effective and healthy in all you do.

Be intentional about the time. Have intentional ways to reflect and contemplate God and be with Him/engage.  BRENNA CARNUCCIO

Think of the things you already do that you enjoy doing and try to start doing those on Sabbath.  Treat Sabbath as a container for things you enjoy and that are restful.  

Start Sabbath with contemplation and Bible reading to set your heart on Him.  Even a daily office to start or short devo.

Let others know when Sabbath is for you.  Don't hide it.  EMANUELE MADANAT

Make a plan.

Fill your day in things that fill you up mentally, physically and spiritually.

Delight in what God is doing in your midst.   RYAN ENNS

Don't give up.

Keep pursuing Sabbath.

Keep believing in God for Sabbath...in the different stages, ups and downs! SUSIE WITTMANN

Identify the things that truly bring you life.

Use trial and error to find a day and time that will really work for your week.

During Sabbath, things will come up that will try to rob your time of rest -- Put your thoughts on a log and float them down a mental river.  SHERRY CARNUCCIO

Pause To Plan: Sabbath takes planning for, working a little ahead of time to know you will be off for 1 day or 1/2 a day takes planning for. Clear your schedule and figure out what "delight" in the Lord looks like for you: Is it a hike?, gardening?, a hobby?, time with family? What is life giving and brings you closer to God?... do that...

Phone a Friend: Tell someone when your sabbath is and have them check in on you to make sure you are actually doing it.

Purge the Guilt/ Be Persistent: You feel guilty, lazy, counter-cultural, and unproductive but let speak into the importance of time alone with him. Forgive yourself when you feel like you can't keep sabbath, and try, try again. . . JACKIE STANCATO

Do things that you enjoy (sometimes things you 'enjoy' even can be looked at by someone else not enjoyable or 'work').

Keep your cell phone at home.  Remember when we had a 'house phone'?  We were at one time not all accessible for every moment.

Sometimes sabbath can be hard with kids and kids’ schedules, so sometimes you can give your partner time to themselves once a month for their alone time sabbath! CHARE PISHOCK

One part of the ministry of Young Lives is to take teen moms to Lake Champion, New York for "The Best Week of Their Life." One week during the summer the Young Life camp dedicates a week for teen moms and babies. Imagine 500 strollers parked outside cabins, pack and plays inside next to all the bunk beds, volunteer babysitters holding babies, and high chairs galore in the main dining hall! It's a sight to see. This is where teen moms really Get the Gospel. They are piled on buses with car seats and excited leaders. They are scared to leave the comfort of home, family and travel for the first time to camp. When they get to camp they turn in their phones begrudgingly and think what did my leader get me into? By the end of the week, these teen moms don't want to get back on the bus and go back to normal life. So many get on the bus with new friends, new bibles and new relationships with Jesus. During the year, and especially at our annual fundraising banquet, we raise the $600.00 cost to send a teen mom and her baby to camp. It takes countless hours getting the girls ready for camp including all the baby items and things for a trip. Lots of paperwork including physical and shot records for mom and baby. In the end, it is well worth the time involved! Working with hundreds of Young Life/Young Lives leaders and volunteers and camp staff to provide Jesus each and every day to these teen moms for an entire week. It is a great blessing that keeps giving back. One week can truly be a HEART and LIFE changer toward their heavenly future. This year’s camp week is August 5-9. We have plenty of volunteer opportunities as babysitters for that week. We have had mothers/daughters, husband/wives spend that week as a mission trip to honor and support these teen moms at camp. Please join us and help make this week The Best Week of Their Life.

Kira Maton

Young Lives Club Coordinator

Providence Church/Westside Community Center

430 Hannum Avenue

West Chester

610-416-1643

https://younglivesdelawarevalley.younglife.org/Pages/default.aspx