May 2012 | Vol. 8, No. 28 Bethany Baptist Church Womens Ministry Newsletter

Tappity tap tap. Send! Wait oh no! It was the dreaded I shouldnt have sent that scenario. It wasnt that my e-mail was written in anger, its just that I hadnt really taken the time to read it from the perspective of my intended recipient, and as I hit Send, I realized how my message might unintentionally hurt her. And now my words were irretrievably on their way through cyberspace, just waiting to unleash their potential toxins on my unsuspecting friend. As it turned

out, my friend was not offended by my e-mail, and all was well. Of course, I can think of other times when thoughtless words of mine had hurt someone, and in the age of texting, facebook, and e-mail, the potential for words to wound has never been greater.

Not everyone enjoys reading fiction, but I appreciate the genre, and occasionally mine a few jewels from what Ive read. One such gem was this verse from The Message that a character in the novel I was reading placed by her phone:

Words kill, words give life; theyre either poison or fruit you choose. (Proverbs 18:21) She had that reminder from Scripture in front of her every time she talked on the phone, and it guided not only her words, but also her attitude as she spoke. Would she choose her words to bring life to her listener, or would they bring destruction? What did she want to bring? One thing was clear: her conversation would build up or it would tear down, but it couldnt do both.

Words To Live By Words kill, words give life; theyre either poison or fruit you choose. (Proverbs 18:21)

By The Way

Words continued on next page.

I am the way and the truth and the life . No one comes to

the Father except through me John 14:6

Words continued from page 1 We face that same choice in every conversation, every phone call, every text, every tweet, every e-mail, every Facebook post. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 12 that thoughtlessness is no excuse. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37) Whew! Every careless word? Jesus takes our words seriously. Kind of puts new perspective on those quick sends of a text or Facebook post, or the casual conversation where the mouth gets a little ahead of the brain.

How can I possibly live up to the every careless word standard? Should I pull out of electronic communication altogether? In the same Matthew 12 passage, Jesus reveals the source of my words: For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34b) While its important that I keep a watchful eye on my words, even more significant is the condition of my heart. So the question is, how can I have a pure heart? First, I must recognize that I cant change my own heart, but that God through Christ can give me a new heart and make me a new creation (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Second, once I have that new heart, I also have the Spirit of God living in me. Every day I can live according to my new nature by the power of the Spirit in me, or I can live according to my old nature (see Romans 8). Every word that comes out of my mouth, or from my fingertips on the keyboard, will spring from my heart, so I must take care to yield my heart to God.

Gods standards for our communication are high. Ephesians 4 says that the only thing that should come out of our mouths is what is helpful and beneficial to our listeners. When I think about all that I say or type in the course of any given day, I wonder what percent of that is actually building others up and bringing grace to them. And what percent is really tearing them down, however inadvertently? There are many words to choose from, some bring death, some bring life. We must choose wisely.

Joy Unseth has been married for 20 years to her wonderful

husband, Joe, and they have two amazing daughters. She loves

to stay in touch through phone calls, texts, and emails, but she is

still a Facebook holdout.

In This Issue

Page 4

Surrendering

My Future

Page 6

Dicipling

Moms Through

MOPS

Page 8

Can I Trust the

Bible Is True?

Words To Live By Words kill, words give life; theyre either poison or fruit you choose.

Front Cover

Surrendering My Future Trusting God in the midst of loss and uncertainty.

4

Discipling Moms Through MOPS Three women share their experience with Bethanys Mothers of Preschoolers program.

6

Can I Trust the Bible Is True? Madalyn Unseth, shares her paper from the Engage Competition.

8

Gods Purpose For Money Elise Haroldson examines what the Bible says about the use of money, saving, spending and good stewardship.

10

Meet Dollie Harvey Dollie Harvey and her husband Jack serve the Punjabi people in Yuba City, CA

12

An Update on Jack Harveys Health Dollie provides the latest on Jacks health.

14

Book Review: Embers of Love Jeanette Akright reviews this fiction book by popular author, Tracie Peterson.

15

Recipe: Rhubarb Cream Pie JoAnn Brush offers a yummy seasonal favorite.

15

Womens Ministries Work Nights Opportunities to lend a hand to minister to women struggling with health issues.

15

Circle of Sisters Event Recap Are we united in Christ as a body of believers is called to be?

16

A Day In the Life of a MOPS Mom Amber Taylor shares how MOPS encourages moms in their walk with the Lord.

18

Chairwomans Message Chairwoman, Joy Unseth encourages ladies to take time to sit at Jesus feet, drinking in all He says.

Back Cover

Have you ever found yourself in

the midst of a time of great

indecision? No one likes to be

in this situation, yet at one point

or another, most of us will face

a time like this. Recently, I

have found myself in that place.

I decided to spend some time

really focusing on what the Lord

wants for my life, and not just

what I desire. He has been

teaching me some wonderful

things about Himself, and some

not-so-wonderful things about

me, as is generally the case. I

really debated about writing an

article with so much

transparency, but then I started

thinking about some of the

situations my friends are

currently facing. Some may be

looking at the loss of a job, and

the uncertainty of finding a new

one. Others may be

experiencing the sorrow of

being childless, with no visible

hope at the chance to love a

little one. Still others may be

battling severe illness that has

no known cure. Then I think of

my friends who are struggling

with the desire to find that

special someone with whom

they can spend the rest of their

days. Lastly, I cant forget my sweet, fellow widows who are

faced with the painstakingly

deep heartache of losing a

husband. Even more

discouraging, maybe you can

relate to several of these

scenarios. One is bad enough all

on its own. No matter where

you are in your current position

in life, maybe this will

encourage you as it has me.

I guess I knew this phase of life

was going to come eventually,

but I wasn't expecting it to be

now. My life can't stay where it

is forever, as it has to move

forward. But in which direction?

It's been nearly 16 months since

my husband was killed in a car

accident, yet I don't want to be

known as the widow of J.W.

Pope forever. I feel as if my

entire life has been placed on

hold since he died. Granted, this

was a necessary part of my

grieving and healing process,

and one that I praise God for

allowing me to experience.

However, I feel the Lord

prompting me to take that step

of faith into the next chapter of

the book that is my life, but I

have no idea which page is

mine. There may as well be a

heap of loose pages scattered

across the floor! Have you ever

felt like that? You know there's

something just around the

corner, but you don't know what

it is? Or maybe there's more

than one option and you just

don't know which one the Lord

wants you to choose? Perhaps

you can relate to both?

The culmination of all the Lord

has been teaching me this week

has boiled down to this one

question: "Will I surrender my

future, all of it, to the loving

hands of God?" That's tough. Of

course, I'll give Him my past

and trust that He can turn it into

something for His glory. Sure,

He can have my present, what

I'm doing today, tomorrow, and

even next week. But my future?

All of my dreams and desires . .

. everything? I have never really

thought about turning this

completely over to the Lord. It's

easy to say, "Yes, Lord. I'll do

whatever you want me to do."

But when the rubber meets the

road, do I take off running in

Surrendering My Future Trusting God in the midst of loss and uncertainty

His direction, or do I wait to see if it's really my road laid out before me? I have a narrow-minded idea of

what I want my life to look like. What I think is best for me. What will make me happy. My thoughts about the future fit into a neat and tidy box that comes wrapped

with a pretty red bow. Truthfully, it doesn't matter what

I want. Only His desires should matter. I have learned that God's plans for my life are always better than

anything I could ever imagine for myself, and they

usually don't fit inside that little box. His ways are

perfect, all the time. My ways are scarred by sinful

attempts at happiness. His ways are beautiful, even

when surrounded by heartache and turmoil. My ways

may look pretty on the outside, but deep within it is a

tangled mess of hopeless failure. Why would I ever

choose my ways over His? I know where my road will

end, but His goes on into eternity.

Psalm 31:14-15b, "But I trust in you, O Lord; I say,

'You are my God.' My times are in Your hands;" God's

hands are big enough to hold my entire life, from

beginning to end. He alone knows what my future

holds. He has a perfect plan set aside just for me. He is

waiting for me to draw near to Him, listen to His heart,

and trust, with absolute surrender, that He will provide

all I need. I want to be in that place, tucked safely

inside His perfect will for my life. There "He will shield

me from suffering or He will give me His unwavering

strength that I may bear it. I need to be at peace, then,

and set aside all anxious thoughts and

worries." (Francis de Sales) I have relinquished my

control, as God has my best interests at heart. His ways

are always infinitely greater than mine. In case youre wondering, I still don't have a clear direction as to

which page will begin this next chapter of my life, but I

will trust in the Lord as I patiently wait for Him to direct

my steps. "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope

in the Lord." Psalm 31:24

This poem is an excerpt from the Streams in the Desert devotional by L.B. Cowman and was of particular encouragement to

Jaquie.

HE will silently plan for you, His object of omniscient care; God Himself undertakes to be Your Pilot through each subtle snare.

He WILL silently plan for you, So certainly, He cannot fail! Rest on the faithfulness of God, In Him you surely will prevail.

He will SILENTLY plan for you, Some wonderful surprise of love. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, But it is kept for you above.

He will silently PLAN for you, His purpose will all unfold; Your tangled life will shine at last, A masterpiece of skill untold.

He will silently plan FOR YOU, Happy child of a Father's care, As if no other claimed His love, But you alone to Him were dear. By E. Mary Grimes

Jaquie Teaney Pope currently lives in

Florida with her two little boys. She is

greatly involved in her home church in

worship and women's ministries. She

attended Bethany from the time she

was born in 1981 until she moved to

Florida in 2003.

Jaquies husband, J.W. was tragically

killed in a car accident on October 11,

2010. You can follow her journey at

jpsongofpraise.blogspot.com.

Discipling Moms Through MOPS

Hundreds of womens lives have been touched every year as they have been discipled, or have discipled other women through the ministry of MOPS at Bethany. Below are just a few glimpses of how God has been at work in the hearts of those directly involved in this thriving ministry.

I was lost. MOPS introduced me to Jesus and surrounded me with Christian mentors and role models. I had never been surrounded by godly women. What an incredible witness to Gods glory! It was because of the women in MOPS that I visited Bethany Baptist Church for Sunday worship. After the first sermon, I was intrigued. I softened my heart to Gods Word and His plan. In a short time, I went from being a lost lamb to a child of God. MOPS lead me to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord for the MOPS ministry!

-Deanna Marquette, MOPS Mom

When asked to be a mentor for MOPS a few years back, MOPS wasnt even on my radar of ministry opportunities for me. I was a mother of teenagers, not preschoolers. However, as I looked back over my years as a mother of preschoolers, I remember what an overwhelming time that was in my own life and felt convicted to become involved. I wondered what I could possibly have to offer to these moms. As I began going to the MOPS activities, I began to get a vision for what MOPS was all about: loving moms with young children, providing a listening ear, and sharing the love of Jesus. I could do that! MOPS has shown me that although I am certainly less than perfect as a wife and mother, God can use me to encourage others through HIS strength and not my own. I continue to be amazed at the blessing I receive as I minister in this way. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Titus 2:3-5

-Angie Delaney, MOPS Mentor

for me when I needed them. This year I have served as a DGL, and have had the privilege of showing Christs love to eight other moms. From helping new moms learn about how to mother their baby, to praying experienced moms through the joys and trials of mothering. I have had so many other moms teach me along the way, and it has been such a blessing to help others along this path.

-Abby Boerke, MOPS DGL

Compiled by Jen Sass. Jen serves on the BTW Team.

Having a baby, almost 5 years ago, meant changing everything familiar. We moved from Florida to Baltimore one month before I had my first baby boy. A few months later, I started going to a MOPS group at the church that we were attending. I remember sitting in my first meeting, and feeling blessed to be with so many women that were Christians AND moms. I was very involved in that MOPS group for two and a half years. Then, three months after I had my second baby, we moved to Dunlap. Once again, I found myself with a new baby, and in the middle of moving. As I looked forward to starting MOPS at Bethany, I knew that I would find a place to connect. When I walked in to that meeting, I was exhausted from trying to adjust to a new life. My immediate needs were met with of a cup of coffee, a great breakfast, and wonderful childcare. However, my spiritual and emotional needs were also met. My DGL, and the other women in my group, helped me get connected to the community and were there

Matthew 28:19-20

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age ." Amen .

A look at the evidence behind this

life-changing book

Truth is under attack. Many believe there are

several ways to God, differing ethical

standards, and many holy books. Some think

the Bible is one of many, nothing special,

doubting that it is truth or still applicable to

them. The importance of knowing and

defending the validity and supremacy of

Scripture becomes increasingly important as

more skeptics arise, lest we be tempted to

doubt it ourselves. Three evidences of the

Bibles truth include: its historical accuracy, divine inspiration, and life-changing power.

Historians use three tests to determine if a

book is historically accurate: the bibliographic

test, the external test, and the internal test.

The bibliographic test looks at the number of

existing copies of the document and the time

lapse between these copies and the original.

We have more copies of the Bible than any

other ancient writing, and the earliest

duplicate was written only 30-50 years after

the original, a very short time span compared

to other accepted documents. The external

test asks if the document is consistent with

outside evidence including archeological finds

and other manuscripts. Many doubts

regarding the Bibles accuracy have been disproven by archeological finds, and no archaeological find has ever invalidated a

biblical teaching. (Geisler and Nix, 58) The Bible is also quoted in other documents. In

Beyond Belief to Convictions, Josh McDowell

writes: In all of history, the Bible is by far the most widely referenced and quoted

book (McDowell, 177). The internal test examines the documents consistency with itself, maintained in the Bible in multiple

ways, including through fulfilled prophesies.

The Bibles historical accuracy has been tested in the same way as other ancient

documents, and it has passed these tests just

as well, or even better, with substantial

inside and outside evidence.

To receive accurate information, you must

use a reliable source. The Bible is directly

from God, who is truth and has never broken

a promise (2 Timothy 3:16, John 14:6).

Written by around forty people across many

different languages, locations and centuries,

the Bible still makes sense together,

something no mere man could accomplish.

The message of the Bible is another

indication of the Bibles inspiration, telling us that we are sinners in need of a Savior--an

unpopular message in this world. Fulfilled

prophesy suggests that God inspired the

Bible. Biblical prophecy is very extensive and

detailed, predicting many details about Jesus life and death, all of which He satisfied. Other

religious books that claim to be inspired, such

as the Quran, do not include predictive prophesy. Becoming extremely widespread,

Can I Trust the Bible Is True?

trust Jesus grace alone for salvation great hope, reminding

us of Gods amazing love and the promise of eternity with

Him. The power of God and His

word is revealed in changed

lives. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says,

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The

old has passed away; behold,

the new has come (ESV). God uses His Word to convict us,

change us, give us hope, and

much more, displaying the

power of this life-changing

book.

The Bible is more than ancient

myths; it is the very words of

God, tested and proven to be

just as historically accurate, if

not more accurate, than other

ancient documents. The Bible is

powerful and life changing.

More than a storybook, the

Bible draws us closer to God,

teaching us more about Him

and how He wants us to live.

Pointing to Jesus, the Bible

communicates the Gospel, the

best news ever heard. Now that is truth worth defending!

Madalyn Unseth just completed her freshman year at Dunlap High

School. She enjoys music, spending time with family and

friends, making cards, and playing games. This article is adapted from her essay submission to Engage the annual youth apologetics and preaching competition hosted by

Bethany. She is looking forward to an awesome summer!

and remaining popular and

influential after centuries despite

the many people who have tried

to destroy it, the Bible is not an

ordinary book. These statements

cannot prove that God wrote the Bible, but are evidences, testimonies, or witnesses. Anything you believe takes a

certain amount of trust, which

can be strengthened by

supporting evidence.

We often judge the effectiveness

or value of certain activities

based on how they change us.

School was useful if you learned

new, practical information. Those

piano lessons were worthwhile

because your skills improved. The

Bible is powerful, changing and

shaping us in many ways.

Described in Hebrews 4 as

living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword

and discerning, two of the ways the Bible demonstrates this

power is through convicting us

and giving us hope. The Bible

convicts us of sin and shows us

our need for a Savior. Ephesians

2:1-2 says, And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in

which you once walked, (ESV). Thankfully, these verses do not

end here, but go on to say But God, being rich in mercy,

because of the great love with

which he loved us, even when we

were dead in our trespasses,

made us alive together with

Christ--by grace you have been

saved-. (Eph. 2:4-5 ESV). The Bible presents the Gospel, the

Good News, giving those who

For the word of

God is living

and active,

sharper than

any two-edged

sword, piercing

to the division

of soul and of

spirit, of joints

and of marrow,

and discerning

the thoughts

and intentions

of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

.

Cutting Corners

Gods Purpose For Money

In this article Im going to take a break from providing you with the latest tips and tactics for how to save money, as I would like to take a moment and focus in on what God has to say about money. The Bible is very clear on the use of money, saving, spending and good stewardship. And as Ive read the Bible and read many Christian books regarding management of finances, I think we can narrow down this broad topic down to three basic purposes for money and I would like to share them with you here!

To Provide

And when I say to provide, I am mainly referencing the few items we need to survive food, clothing and shelter. In Matthew 6:31-33, God tells us not to worry about such things but seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

God doesnt promise to provide us with a dishwasher, a smartphone, or a new car. But we need to trust in Him for our daily provisions and to be thankful for what we have. And by not worrying, I think that is also a charge to us who have these things to be content. To

cease striving for more and better and bigger, and worrying whether we have enough in our retirement account. If we cultivate a sense of contentment in our lives, then we no longer feel a need to fill emotional voids with stuff, which can then become idols in our lives. And to see those extra things that we are able to purchase or save for will become blessings, not expectations.

To Give

I dont really need to expound on this, as the principle of giving is presented throughout the whole Bible. Hopefully, tithing to church and giving to those less fortunate than ourselves is already a part of your life. However, giving comes in two forms from our abundance and sacrificially. The details for how much you give and to whom is something each person must find through prayer.

To Direct

Now, I must be honest, purposes #1 and #2 have been well ingrained in me since childhood. But the idea that the amount of money that God provides me with can provide direction for my life is one that has only been something Ive put into practice over the past few years.

.

Often we are faced with a spending decision that is challenging and the cause of turmoil in our lives. I need a new car, but I only have $5,000 in savings. But I found a car for $8,000 that I think would be perfect. However, I want to leave myself a $1,000 emergency fund so I should pay $4,000 and just finance the rest, right? However, maybe the true question should be, Should I be looking for a $4,000 car even if it isnt perfect? The same principles could apply to college loans, house mortgages, and even smaller household purchases that we might be tempted to put on credit.

We live in a world that is all about instant and self-gratification; that things like fancy cars, clothes, vacations, and frothy coffee drinks will make you happy. One verse that sticks with me is Psalm 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way If we feel convicted about what the Bible says about the evils of debt, then God can use my finances (or lack thereof!) to guide and direct my decisions, no matter how big (what college I attend) or small (whether or not to go out to eat for dinner).

I know, I know this list is neither perfect, nor exhaustive. Ive only just scratched the surface of a very deep and theological topic.

But I hope it will at least get you thinking, talking, and praying about Gods plan and purposes for your finances! Im all for cutting corners, but lets make sure we dont cut God out of the picture! Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3-5-6

Elise Haroldson has been a member of Bethany for 8

years and has been married to her financially conservative husband, Steve, for 7 years. They are blessed with two

boys, Treyven (4) and Kolben (2), who are being subjected to a thrifty life, whether they like it or not!

Meet

Do

llie

Harv

ey

The following is a conversation during Childrens Church at Bethany Baptist:

Dollie: Does anyone know what a Punjabi is?

Child #1: Its a gun! Like an uzi!

Child #2: I think its a bug.

Child #3: Its a big funny animal like a walrus!

Child #4: Theyre just ordinary people just like us.

Dollie is delightful. She is filled with wisdom and God-sized stories and has the ability to make each person she meets feel valued. I hope many of our Bethany women get the chance to know her, but in the meantime, Ill share some of her stories and hopefully whet your appetites.

Serving the Punjabis

Dollie and her husband, Jack, serve the Punjabi population in Yuba City, California.

Recently 19 Punjabi teenagers were saved! They were all baptized, began attending the churchs Bible study, and grew in their faith rapidly. Their fathers found out and enforced a lockdown. One of the teens, Anil, was on fire for the Lord. He was a sponge for Scripture. His dad had banned him from coming to the church services and Bible studies. Then he took him back to India to visit his aunt. When they arrived in India, they discovered that the entire family had converted to Christianity! For the six weeks they were there, Anils father was under the influence of a new Christian family. The

Harveys are still praying for Anils father to recognize and believe in the Truth.

Mentoring Pyramid

Jack and Dollie have also mentored many people through their years of ministry in Yuba City. Susie is Hispanic, and Marcus is African American. They have been married four years. The Harveys began mentoring and discipling them when Marcus and Susie realized there were some difficult cultural issues they needed to work through in order to have a healthy marriage. Dollie praises the Lord that Marcus and Susie are now counseling other couples. They have also begun an outreach to African Americans by holding worship services and a Tuesday night Bible study in their apartment.

Alzheimers Outreach

Each week Jack and Dollie lead a worship service in an Alzheimers home. One Romanian patient could only make the sounds: A, E, I, O, and U. She had faithfully and quietly come to the worship services each week. One day Dollie heard her singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic in a beautiful soprano voice. She remains speechless but has sung all of the songs in the services ever since that day.

Meet Dollie Harvey

Books

Dollie is also an author of 14 books. Her most recent book, Tales of the Endless Mountains, was written at the urging of her children. In it, Dollie writes about her 3 years serving as a missionary in Pennsylvanias Endless Mountains until the death of her first husband, Bill, following a heart surgery. My Cope Runneth Over humorously describes her life after she and her three children merged with a widower and his four, and then added another child. Her other books are wonderful also; there is just not enough space to write about each of them!

Fun Facts

Favorite Color: Blue Dollie giggles as she remembers that every ornament on her Christmas tree used to be blue. Even still her house and other memoirs are blue.

Favorite Hymn(s): The King is Coming and He Touched Me, especially when Jack sings them!

Favorite Food: Lasagna. Dollie wants to thank Nancy Rabenhorst and her team for feeding her this!

Least Favorite Food: Anything Indian. God has a sense of humor.

Birthday: February 25

Prayer Requests:

Jack had heart surgery on April 18. Pray for a quick recovery and for plenty of energy for Dollie.

Pray that the Harveys will have wisdom in choosing whom they will spend time with and when to pass off ministries to those they have invested in.

Summer Bible School Programs and their prior trainings.

July 2-6: Punjabi Bible School. They are praying for many Sikh children.

July 23-27: VBS at their church.

August 6-10: VBS for the migrant kids in the association. This will include a medical and dental van, as well as food and clothes to give away. Last year they had 100 children attend, and 40 of their parents were saved at the final celebration! Pray also for strength in terrible heat, as this one is outside.

They are also praying that God would provide an intern who is interested in working with the six different ethnic groups in the Yuba City area.

Contact Information:

Address: 474 White Rock Drive

Yuba City, CA 95991

Phone: 530-673-2924

Email: jdharvey3037@sbcglobal.net

Ginger Burke and her husband, Joe, are incredibly thankful for the almost 7 years they

have spent at Bethany. They have two children, Taylor (4) and Hudson (1). Ginger

would love to follow Dollie around and continue learning from her (and would also be

thrilled to eat the Indian food all of Dollies friends serve).

An Update on Missionary Jack Harveys Health

from his wife Dollie:

Jack had a five-way bypass and it's been downhill ever since. The surgery worked fine, but his digestive system shut down and they had to do major abdominal surgery a few days later. Then he had a stroke, and now he has a

serious infection in his blood - other than that, it's been a piece of cake! He's had nothing by mouth thru the entire ordeal and had so many tubes, drains, and wires he looked like Medusa.

Finally he turned a corner and his digestive system "woke up." They removed a catheter, the tube in his nose, and a couple of other drains - but he still has a long, long way to go.

Even in this we can see God's hand, as the stroke left no residual effects other than a dragging right foot, which therapy is working on. The doctors say if he weren't so strong and "healthy," all this would have killed him, but he's still chugging along. They're watching him carefully due to the danger of pneumonia, and they still may have to go back in to the original chest incision to do a wound vac and re-suture it. Right now his chest has been left open to drain naturally - they've packed it with gauze and antibiotics.

On the bright side, most of his nurses, CNA's, therapists, etc. are Punjabi, and we're actually reaching more of them thru all of this than we would normally at church! Jack's spirits are good for the most part - once in awhile he gets a little down, but not often. Several times he's woke up, his hands raised in praise, actually singing! All the nurses love him, and one told us that she and some of her co-workers often stopped in just to "watch him sleep because he's so peaceful and cute!" (Her words, not mine!) One day his Punjabi charge nurse asked me, "May I ask you a personal question?" When I

nodded, she said something like this: "Me and the other girls on the floor want to know the secret of your relationship - we want our marriages to be like yours!" What an opening!! Pray for us as we minister to those whom God brings into our path. Our heart surgeon popped in one day and overheard one of the nurses pouring out her troubles to me - when she left, he laughed. "You have a sign blazing across your forehead that says 'Tell me your troubles! I care!"

Thanks so much for praying and caring. Our main prayer requests are, of course, that Jack will get better with no bad after effects from all the trauma; that the bad hallucinations from the narcotic pain killers will leave and he'll be able to rest more; that God will mightily use us both thru all of this; and for my strength to hold up through grueling 12-hour days, late night emergency surgery vigils - as you well know, sitting at a bedside of a loved one day after day is emotionally draining.

And please pray for our summer ministries - the director of our association stopped in to pray with us, and joked, "Of course, you know that it will take more than this to get you out of your Vacation Bible School job!!" The first VBS starts the end of June, and right now I'm only answering calls and e-mails about props and materials. Hopefully, by time we actually have hands-on ministry Jack will be much better and able to be left alone for a couple of hours or, with a miracle, actually be up and about!!

Keep holding the ropes for us!!

Jack & Dollie Harvey

Contact Info:

Address: 474 White Rock Drive

Yuba City, CA 95991

Phone: 530-673-2924

Email: jdharvey3037@sbcglobal.net

For more information on the Harveys ministry, see full article on

previous page.

I love spring! The grass is green, the trees are budding and the flowers are starting to bloom! All this new life is such a vivid reminder of the new life we have in Christ Jesus! I am so thankful that God has rescued me from my sin and given me eternal life!

Rhubarb is one of my favorite spring treats! I have many recipes for this special wonder and have chosen this recipe for a cream pie to share with you:

Rhubarb Cream Pie 3 eggs, lightly beaten 2 2/3 T. milk 2 C. sugar 4 T. flour 4 C. chopped Rhubarb 1 unbaked pie shell (I usually make one from Cinnamon scratch, but you can buy them premade)

Mix the eggs and milk. Mix flour and sugar together. Combine the egg mixture with the flour mixture. Add Rhubarb. Pour into the pie shell, dust with cinnamon and bake at 400 for 45 50 minutes. Enjoy with a dollop of fresh whipped cream!

Jo Ann Brush and her husband, Jeff, along with their children Justin and Jordan have been attending Bethany for about 11 years. She loves to cook and her family loves to eat!

Women Helping Women Work Nights

7-9 pm at Bethany Baptist

May 21 June 18 July 16 Come and join us as we put together Keepsake Boxes and Bags to minister

to women and families grieving through stillbirth, miscarriage, early

infant death, and infertility.

If you are interested in knitting, crocheting, or sewing for Women Helping Women, please call Carol Hornbrook at

243-7634.

Hats of Hope Work Nights Join us for a work night as we make hats for cancer patients. Use your talents in sewing and knitting, or simply cut fabric and make fabric flowers for the hats. Yarn and materials are supplied for you if you desire to make hats at home.

Work Nights are held the third Tuesday of each month from 6:00-9:00pm in Room 815:

May 15 June 19 July 17 Questions? Contact Holly Miller at 648-1693 or

hlm112770@aol.com

I have been hooked on marriage books lately. I have no idea why! I just realized that I read yet another book on marriage. I can tell you that my next review will NOT be about marriage. I am giddy with excitement over my next book but I must leave you on the edge of your seat to know what book that will be!

Liz is about to be married. Deborah, Lizs dearest friend, knows it will be a huge mistake as her soon-to-be husband does not love her and she does not love him. Deborah quickly finds Lizs father and he is thrilled to not have his only daughter make this huge mistake. Liz and Deborah quickly leave the wedding and board a train for Texas.

Upon returning to her home, Deborah quickly steps into the role as office manager of her familys logging business. She would have loved to return to college to continue her education but her family needed her and she felt she had been gone long enough.

Liz is quick and eager to start learning how to cook, sew and tend a garden. She was thrilled to learn and to be useful to Deborahs mother. This all comes to a screeching halt when Lizs ex-fianc and mother showed up at the door. Will she have to return East with the man she ran away from? It seems that it will be so. Or will it?

Book Review Fiction By Jeanette Akright Embers of Love Author: Tracie Peterson

Recipe

Circle of Sisters Event Recap

I love the idea of true sisterhood. Building deep relationships with other women, better yet deep biblical relationships with other Christian women! The idea sounds wonderful. To be serving in a church body where every women is known by more than just her name. Where we know each others prayer needs, our successes and dreams, where we can always find support, comfort, guidance and discipline when needed. The idea of this is enough to bring us to our feet shouting and praising with hands held high.

The sadness of it is that it doesnt go beyond the idea of it, not nearly as often as it should. As we joined together at Circle of Sisters to fellowship in His Word and be pampered by our sisters at Bethany, we found ourselves finding out that God has a more excellent way to become a community of sisters.

Mandy Wilton shared 1 Corinthians 12-13:8 with a study on our social culture, unity, diversity and love. Most would agree that our culture today is one of self-serving

means, full of division much like that of the Corinthian culture. Paul shared with them and us in 1 Corinthians 12:25, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. Hmm, equal concernno division. Keep that in mind.

Are we united in Christ as a body of believers, a body of sisters and brothers as we are called to be, blessed to be? Why not? We are united in Him. We confess the same Lord. We depend on the same God. We minister to the same body. We experience the same baptism of the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ as our personal Savior. How different do you think you are from the person sitting in the seat next to you on Sunday morning?

Oh, yes you are created unique, different, for His purpose. Without diversity, we would produce uniformity. A great saying we used when I was in diversity training as a residence assistant at ISU was If we werent

all different, one of us would not be necessary. The body needs different functions to live, grow and serve. The members promote unity as they discover their dependence on one another and the diversity of members fulfills the will of God.

Remembering that God hands out the gifts and He alone assigns the duties can be a freeing concept to grasp for the leaders of our ministries and for us individually.

Oh, all we need is love. Our favorite topic of all, we could sit and talk about to any believer or non-believer for days. 1 Corinthians 13 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It ALWAYS protects, ALWAYS trust, ALWAYS hopes, ALWAYS perseveres. Love is the key to our unity in diversity. It does not seek its own, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness. Love is Christ, Christ is Love.

There are many opportunities to serve at the next event, contact Kelly Walenta at 691-2327 or ckone2000@comcast.net if youd like to know more.

Who knew knowing that God unites, God diversifies and God loves would allow us to grow in community with our sisters at Bethany and in Christ. Who knew?

If you are seeking a way to serve at Bethany, the available ministries are far reaching and countless. We are blessed with opportunities to build up the body of Christ by using our spiritual gifts. We can serve like crazy, but if we are not building deep biblical relationships with other believers, we are disobeying God and are grieving the Holy Spirit. Join us in striving to each be relationship builders. Open our hearts and share Gods love through His unity in diversity.

The Womens Event Committee will be planning our new year of service to you and the body beginning this May. Please pray that we can follow Gods will and serve you and our community of sisters.

Kelly Walenta Womens Event Committee Chairwoman

Encouraging moms in their role as a mother and their walk with the Lord.

Its a Friday morning You are a mother of a preschooler Where are you going today? MOPS at Bethany!!!

All right, we (finally) made it! After breakfast for half a dozen people, baths, clean clothes, finding matching socks and shoes, everyone made it out the door and to MOPS.

Oh look, there are the mentor moms! How thoughtful of them to greet me and help give an extra helping hand when I first walk in the door. Now, what to do first Oh yes, drop the kids off to the nursery and Moppets. They are so excited! O.K., really, I am so excited!

Hi, Miss Sherri! We are so excited to see you today! Have fun!

Got the kids all dropped off. Now, I am so ready for some me time yea! Off to the gym I go Oh, look at all the moms who are just like me!

MOPS Mom A day in the life of a

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) meets at Bethany during the school year on Friday mornings from 9-11am. If you know a mom of a preschooler who could use two mornings out a month, a little pampering, and contact Amber or Anna.

This scenario plays out 130 times on Friday mornings at Bethany. MOPS is Bethanys largest womens ministry reaching 130 moms and over 300 children through our Moppets program. MOPS is a place for mothers of preschoolers to come build relationships with other moms, learn practical tips on how to be a better wife, mom, friend, and, most importantly, to see and hear how to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Of the 130 moms who come to Bethany, sixty-five percent of them do not attend Bethany, and many of them do not attend church at all. MOPS is set up so that each mom is placed in a small group led by another mom as well as a mentor mom, the more experienced mom in the group. MOPS, at its core, is all about building relationships with each mom who walks through our doors on a Friday morning. It is life discipleship in action.

Whats that? You want to know how you can be involved in MOPS? Oh, this is the best part!

If you are a mother of a preschooler (a child aged newborn to kindergarten), come join us on Friday mornings! Registrations are now open for next fall. If you have not reached the MOPS mom point in your life or are beyond the preschool years, we would love to have you help in our nursery and Moppet programs. You can help as little as three times a year up to every Friday that we have MOPS!

Most of all, no matter where your stage of life is right now, we desire your prayers for MOPS prayer that God may be

glorified through the MOPS ministry at Bethany and prayer that He may use the relationships built through MOPS to draw each mom and her family closer to Himself.

Well, what a fun MOPS day today was! Ive got my craft done, ate a delicious breakfast, learned some great mothering tips, enjoyed time with my friends Oh, I have to pick up my kids, too? All right Here we go! Cant wait for MOPS again!

If you have any questions about MOPS or how you might be able to get involved, you can contact Amber Taylor at altaylor11@gmail.com or 397-3815 or Anna Heinz at doaheinz@aol.com or 339-9952.

Amber Taylor has been happily married to her

husband, Joel, for 11 years and has been attending Bethany since 1999. She is the mother

to Bradyn, Luke, Alyssa, and Lexi. Amber has been involved with MOPS for 6 years and is starting her third year as MOPS Coordinator.

WOMENS MINISTRIES

From the Womens Ministry Council Chairwoman

Joy Unseth Chairwoman, Discipleship

Peggy Robinson Ladies Studies

Karen Waibel

Showers

Debbie Good Women Helping

Women Nancy Dunham Circle of Care Kelly Walenta

Events

Jeanette Akright MOPS

Erika Childs

Jaclyn Lewis

Abby Pfeiffer

Jill Phillips

Jen Sass

Kerri Schellenberg

7422 N. Heinz Lane Edwards, IL 61528

www.bethanycentral.org

Ah, summer! School will soon be out, and summertime beckons with promises of warm days filled with fun and sun. If you are like me, your summer plans include vacation, as well as time for leisure activities that are often neglected during the busyness and structure of the school year. So many choices, so little time! Summer always seems to draw to an end before weve checked everything off our lengthy list of fun things we want to squeeze into the season. Just like the rest of the year, we are forced to make choices, similar to Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Martha fluttered around, worried over everything on her to-do list, while Mary sat at Jesus feet, drinking in all He said. They had prioritized differently, which didnt sit too well with Martha, and she wasnt shy about letting Jesus know what she thought He should do about it. Despite all the good things that she was undoubtedly doing, Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the best thing out of all the good choices they had to pick from, and He was not going to take that from her. So of all the good choices facing us this summer, lets plan to include the best one: taking the time to sit at Jesus feet, drinking in all He says. Thats something that will take root in our hearts, and will remain long after summer is gone. ~Joy Unseth

Womens Ministry Council 2012-2013

BTW Editor Team: May 2012