Have you ever had your head so far buried in something that you had trouble seeing what else is going on around you? This has been part of my struggle lately. My family is in the process of finishing some home improvement projects and then moving to a different house, and my mind has been so embedded in the list of things that need to be done in a short time that other things have gotten overlooked. My apologies to those of you who have been on the “overlooked” side of things!

I was recently reminded of how our focus can get us into trouble when we were making a trip to see our daughter. As we drove north on Highway 75, an unusual sight caught my husband’s attention along the edge of the road. He was quite certain he saw an animal in distress and we turned around to investigate. Sure enough. There was a cat sitting very close to the white line with his head stuck inside an empty peanut butter jar. The poor cat was so distraught about the predicament he was currently in that he was completely blind to the very real possibility of becoming roadkill if he stayed where he was at or moved even a little in the wrong direction.

Now we are not some animal rights activists by any means, but it would sadden us to have someone’s pet end its life under the rubber of an automobile. After checking to make sure there was no oncoming traffic, Doug stepped out of the car to assist the cat. Much to our dismay, the cat wanted nothing to do with our help. Every time Doug moved toward the cat, the cat moved farther away from Doug. He tried to relay to the animal his intent to help and not to harm, but I can only imagine what a 6 foot man looks like from the inside of a jar, and the cat would not cooperate with the rescue attempt. Eventually, the cat ran across the road, through the ditch, and in the direction of where we assumed was his home, with his head still inside the container.

As we left the cat to fend for himself, I felt bad for abandoning him in this situation. He had at least gotten away from the highway so part of the immanent danger was gone, but he was far from being okay. However, I had to accept that there was nothing more we could do if he didn’t want our help. I was struck by the similarity of how God also wants to help us as his children but we often run in the opposite direction. He pursues us over and over again, but we are a stubborn and stiff necked people. Three times in Romans 1:24-32, we read that “God gave them over” to their sinful desires. Thankfully God is much more patient with us than we were with the cat, but there comes a time when God says enough is enough.

We have been learning over the past five weeks about how to experience God, how He speaks to us, and how to do His will. One of the ways He speaks by His Holy Spirit is through our circumstances, even situations involving a stubborn cat. Another way He speaks is through His Word. Romans 1:21-22 says, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.”

So what does that say to you? Have you been listening and surrendering to His ways, glorifying Him and thanking Him, or have you high tailed it in the opposite direction and hardened your heart? May it not be said of us that we ignored the voice of God or turned our back on Him, but that we turned toward Him, fell on our knees, and repented of our foolish ways. Take a lesson from a cat and instead of running from God, try running towards Him.

For the past 15 years when the sweet corn is finished, the apples begin to fall, and the eighth page of the calendar gets flipped over, I begin to plan and prepare for another year of teaching two year olds in our Toddler Sunday School class. Kairie Franken has been my helper in the classroom for most of those 15 years and it has been quite an adventure. When I prepare for a new group of youngsters that will come for the first time in September, it is fun to reminisce about the classes and students that we have had in the past.

Toddlers are an interesting crowd to work with. There is a vast array of personality styles, maturity, abilities, and comfort levels. Each year there are multiple children who won’t say a word. Sometimes their vocabulary is limited because of their young age and sometimes they are just too scared to talk. On the other end of the spectrum is the child that talks non stop. While that can be a killer in a group of older kids or adults, it is a life saver when you are trying to have a discussion with two year olds. It also provides great entertainment for the teachers when we hear stories that the kids tell! Add to this mixture the child that is having a hard time letting go of Mom or Dad and is crying profusely, the child who is not sure what this is all about and has their head pulled inside their shirt, the child who wants to run the show, the child who has the gift of comedy, and the child who has already developed a competitive spirit, and it can be quite the circus on Sunday morning.

But on top off all that, there is notoriously the child who walks into class on the first day and for whatever reason, latches on to you and won’t let go. They are your best bud, your helper, your shadow. Where you go, they go. They can’t take their eyes off you.

Part of our routine is to position carpet squares in a circle for the kids to sit on during story time. We try to keep enough room between the carpets to give the kids their own space and allow them to move without hitting the person next to them. Typically the kids pick a spot based on the color of the carpet or where one of their friends are sitting, but we had a recent graduate who would often wait until I sat down and she would pick up one of the available squares and move it directly next to mine, often overlapping the two spots and scooting in as close as she possibly could, often leaning over and resting her head or elbow on my leg.

This memory got me thinking about where I position myself in proximity to Jesus. I would like to think that I sit as close to Jesus as possible, that I lean in attentively to hear his every word, and simply rest in his presence, but that isn’t always the case. I often sit in the back row during His lessons and frequently try to change the topic of His discussions. I find myself daydreaming instead of paying attention, and looking around instead of looking at Him.

James 4:8a says “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” As we embark on this series of Experiencing God, my prayer is that we would all scoot a little closer to Jesus, open our ears to hear what he has to say, and then do what he says.

Erin Jacobsma

Last week Saturday night I was among the spectators of the Enduro Race at the Rock County Speedway. This was not my first experience at the race track. Our family has been filling the stands for many years cheering on fathers, brothers, sons, cousins, and friends.

For those of you who are not familiar with the local racing scene, the Enduro is not merely a race of speed. The winner of this competition is the first driver to complete the most laps within the two hour time limit or the first driver to complete 200 laps; whichever comes first. Before the race begins, the track is generously watered down increasing the challenges of maneuvering a race car on a small quarter mile track with 51 other automobiles. If you are thinking that it would be close to impossible to line up 51 cars in a quarter mile, you would be correct. By the time the first cars approach the starting line, the cars at the back of the pack haven’t even made it to turn one and already cars are slipping and sliding and crashing and dying.

Hopefully by now you are getting the picture that this a race of endurance; hence the name—Enduro. Drivers endure a bumpy ride, mud flying in their face, and hot temperatures. Radiators overheat, brakes fail, engines stall, and crashes happen. Having the fastest car, the best motor, or the newest tires is no guarantee of a win or even a finish. But for the ones who can make it to the checkered flag, victory is sweet. First place is the ultimate reward, both for bragging rights and the cash prize, but just to finish the race and make it to the end is an accomplishment in itself.

The same is true in our walk of faith. Listen to these words from Hebrews 12. “¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (NLT) The life of faith is not a few quick trips around the track. If you have made the decision to follow Christ, you are entered in an endurance race. Often times we begin the race and profess our faith with a lot of energy and excitement, but with little conviction to stay in it for the long haul. When we hit a few bumps in the road or get spun around we are ready to call it quits. I have listened to people share about experiences they had on mission trips, weekend retreats, group studies, and other conferences that they claimed were life changing events, but those claims seem to fizzle as time goes by.

So what is the secret to enduring? The writer of Hebrews continues… “²We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith... ³Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.” During the race, the drivers must pay attention to many things going on around them, but they also keep their eye on the track official. He is the one holding the flag, giving them the green to go, the red to stop, and holding out the checkered flag at the end. Let Jesus be your race official. Keep your eyes on him. Keep on keeping on and don’t let the flat tires and fender benders along the way keep you in the pits and out of the race.

Erin Jacobsma

Are you a trader? A trader might seem like an “occupation” of days gone by and remind you of The Little House on the Prairie. And while most of us aren’t trading animal skins for groceries, or manual labor for building supplies, there are still many things that we trade even in the modern era which we live.

In its simplest form, a trade is an act of exchanging one thing for another. Instead of exchanging some farm fresh eggs for a new pair of shoes, most often we trade our wares for dollars and cents. We trade our time and skills for an honest wage; we trade our products and services for a deposit in the bank. Athletes are traded to other teams in hopes of a winning season and big profits, and salesman make deals to trade cars and trucks. Many things are also traded apart from financial gain. Friends trade phone numbers, homemakers trade recipes, kids trade baseball cards and friendship bracelets. Brides trade their last name for their husband’s, new mothers trade in sleep for time spent with snuggling babies.

So what makes a good trade? That depends! What might seem like the deal of a lifetime to one person wouldn’t cause someone else to take a second look. A good trade depends on the viewpoint of the parties involved. A good trade means that the value of what you are getting is better than what you gave up.

In our competitive culture, we seem to have a constant craving for something better. We strive to get the upper hand when it comes to our careers, possessions, sports, and hobbies no matter what or who stands in the way. At times we trade in morals and character for a promotion or a bigger paycheck. But at what point do we say it’s not a good trade?

In Isaiah 43:4 God says, “Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored and I love you.” Although these original words were spoken to the nation of Israel, they grabbed my attention. It is extremely humbling to even consider that I might have been chosen over another. What if someone gave their life that I might live? What if somebody on earth was asked to trade their days in early so that I would hear a wake up call before it was too late? Even more, in light of eternity, what if I was to spend forever with Jesus because someone exchanged their spot at the table for mine?

Which leads me to wonder, if someone else’s life really was given in exchange for mine, would the way I am living and the person who I am prompt anyone to think that it was a good trade? Jesus tells us in John 15 that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend; to trade places with them. Jesus made the ultimate trade. He exchanged the glories of heaven and perfect harmony with the Father for thirty-three years on this sin-filled earth in a fragile human body. The Creator traded places with His creation. And he did it all out of his great love for us.

So how about you? Are you a good trade? Are you letting the ransom that was traded for you go to waste, or are you seeking to honor and glorify the One who traded his life for yours?

May it not be said of us that we were a bad trade.

Erin Jacobsma

What do a snake bite, a broken wheel, a sunburn, and a stinky pickup have in common? Well before this week, probably nothing. I am sure most of you could relate to one or more of those items, but probably not all at the same time. As it turns out the common denominator was that these were all the side effects of helping a friend. Let me explain.

Last week Saturday I had the pleasure of joining a group of individuals that traveled to Sioux Falls to assist with work at the home of Rick & Joy Dawson. The request had gone out to the congregation and I am grateful for the twenty plus people that gave of their Saturday to help a brother and sister in need. The snake bite occurred in the midst of the work… mostly. The youngsters discovered early on that there were snakes in the back yard and several volunteers (particularly me) were not keen on working next to reptiles. The snakes we encountered grew in size and after some fun and taunting, the ‘daddy’ snake tried to inflict some pain on his young handler. The blood was minimal and to my delight, the snake was released into the bordering corn field not to be seen again.

The rest of this series of unfortunate events occurred after the group enjoyed the satisfaction of a job well done and many words of gratitude and appreciation. A wheel on one of the trailers broke off at the gas station on the way home and the pink color on several necks and arms intensified as the day went on. The stinky pickup wasn’t apparent until Tuesday when the bunny that the youngsters had been playing with was discovered on the back seat. Needless to say, there was one casualty and a disgusted pickup owner.

As I recalled these events, I began thinking about the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. The familiar story depicts how we should love our neighbor as our self and show mercy to those around us, but I wondered about the unwritten part of Jesus’s example. Children’s books picture the Good Samaritan as a light hearted young man who was just tickled to offer assistance to a perfect stranger, but really? He was obviously very generous and offered to pay for the man’s care, but what about the incidentals of helping someone. Do you suppose he counted the cost as he approached the man in the ditch the same way I do when I see a hitch hiker on the side of the road? Do you suppose he weighed the pros and cons of his decision before he dismounted his donkey? Do you think he tried to ignore his conscience and pretend he didn’t see the need?

There’s an old proverb that says “no good deed goes unpunished”. In other words, even good actions may have unforeseen bad consequences. But does that release us from the compulsion to help somebody? Remember Jesus said things were going to be different with his followers – “not so with you”. The proverbs in God’s word offers a contrasting perspective to the viewpoint of the world. Proverbs 3:27 says “Whenever you are able, do good to people who need help” and Proverbs 21:26 says “Good people give without holding back.” In today’s society we even have laws to protect the Good Samaritan because we don’t want people to be reluctant to help a stranger in need for fear of legal repercussions.

So regardless of problems that we might encounter in reaching out to a fellow child of God, it is still more blessed to give than to receive. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”  Let us give and live generously!

Erin Jacobsma

For many years I have had a friend that has tried to convince me to get a tattoo. She has a beautiful flower tattooed on her leg, and brainstorms what image would be best for me. I am pretty sure that she knows her appeals are hopeless and I do not want anyone carving on my body, but tattoos do intrigue me. Whether it be a Chinese symbol, a pretty butterfly, or skull and crossbones, my eyes can’t help but wander to the place of ink. I can hear my mother’s voice in my childhood ear, “don’t stare”, but I just can’t help it. Part of me feels like I am being rude and shouldn’t be caught looking, but another part feels like that’s the whole point. On one hand a tattoo seems like a very personal, private, intimate decision, but then again didn’t the person want it to be a public spectacle.

It also baffles me why a person would willingly put themselves through the pain of getting a tattoo. However, in some cases maybe the pain of the procedure is minimal in comparison to the event that the tattoo memorializes. Some people get inked on the spur of the moment (and regret their decision for a lifetime), while others agonize over the perfect design and just the right placement. Some people describe their tats as pieces of art, while others see them as disgusting and trashy. For some it is a rite of passage and for others a means to remember. The names of two children that she has buried are not only etched in the memory of my sister, but also on her shoulder. She doesn’t want others to forget either.

Whether your body is covered with ink, you have a symbol that few people will ever see, or you have vowed to never be touched by a tattoo artist’s equipment, you are the object of a tattoo; you are someone else’s inspiration. Someone loves you so much that your name is permanently placed on their skin. Isaiah 49:16 says “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” Isn’t that cool? And what is the purpose behind this mark? Verse 15 says “I will never forget you!” God does not merely have a picture of you that he keeps on a shelf, or your name written in the clouds that he can look at once in a while, no, you are affixed to his hands… always in his sight, always before him, never put aside. He is constantly mindful of you and will never forget you! And this mark is certainly not written in some cheap, liquid pigment that runs and fades over time, but with the pure and precious blood of Jesus!

There are times in my life when I have forgotten about God; times when I have turned my back on him and didn’t care too much about what he had to say; times when it felt like God had forgotten me. But He assures us that this is not so. Before we are given the visual of being tattooed on our Lord, verse 15 tells us that even if a mother could possible forget the baby at her breast, God could never forget us. No matter what comes our way God will be with us. Even if his presence is hidden behind the veil of pain and tragedy, his promises are true.

Jesus speaks in John 10:28 and says, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand.” Being in God’s hand is a wonderful comfort to me. His hand is mighty to save, upholds me and strengthens me. He’s got the whole world in his hands.

Erin Jacobsma

Several years ago, I was feeling certain that my time of public singing had come to an end, but I kept coming across Bible verses that said “sing a new song.” The Psalms are filled with this phrase and it left me puzzled as to how I was supposed to sing a new song if I wasn’t supposed to sing. That was when I published my first Archive article and I discovered that writing could be my “new song”. I always enjoyed writing when I was in school, IF I could decide on a topic. If a teacher’s assignment had a specific theme or goal I was fine, but when we were instructed to “be creative” I would have a severe case of writer’s block.

As my pencil was hovering over a piece of paper trying to compose some meaningful words for this week’s Archive, that writer’s block returned. There were several ideas floating around in my head, but none of them seemed to come together. When my dear husband questioned what I was working on and I shared my frustrations about having nothing ready to print and a deadline was fast approaching, in his infinite wisdom, he said, “Just leave the page blank and sign my name at the bottom.” My initial response was to chuckle at the absurd idea and to share my concern over the future of my employment, but then it got me thinking. He shared how sometimes as Christians we do too much striving. We add more and more to our plate when in reality what we need is to just be still in the presence of the Lord. Those words were an echo of what I had been feeling convicted of by the Holy Spirit over and over again. I have heard the Spirit say, “you don’t need to go to a conference about prayer, you just need to get on your knees and pray”, “you don’t need to read a book about discerning God’s will, you just need to spend time listening for the voice of God”, “when someone is thirsty, they don’t read a book about water, they go and get a drink”.

Over the last several months, I have been meeting together with a group of women from area Reformed churches to study the life of Moses and share about our experiences in ministry. Through the book, “Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership” we have learned about the practice of paying attention, living within our limits, and the spiritual rhythms that we must engage. Our times together have been rich. My struggle is putting into practice on a daily or at least a regular basis the things that I have learned and not just move on to another good book. As James says, I should not deceive myself and merely listen to the word, I need to do what it says. I need to spend time hanging out with God if I want to be transformed.

The author, Ruth Haley Barton, concludes her book with these words, and reflects my own heart as well, “Every time I read about Moses’ relationship with God I am filled with longing, and it is not the longing to get somewhere—although there are always new places to get to. It is the longing to BE a certain kind of person. A person who knows God. A person who is faithful against all odds and does not shrink back. A person through whom God can perform whatever deeds need to be done—mighty or otherwise—but also a person who can be just as content settling down beside a well or sitting on the side of a mountain in God’s presence. Someone whose face shines because she has been talking to God. Someone whose every move is a result of an attempt to listen to God and then do what he says. Someone who, when God says, “It’s time to let go; it’s time for you to come home” easily lets go and rests in the arms of this One whom she has grown to love and trust with her very being.”

How about you? What kind of person are you longing to BE? Do you long for a better prayer life… then pray! Do you long for a more intimate relationship with Jesus… then sit at his feet! Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness… then feed yourself with the Bread of Life!

Erin Jacobsma

It has been a little over a year ago that a new website for ARC was launched and the front page of the Archive changed from a picture of a beehive to the cross themed logo that we now use. Since that time the idea of a new theme and title for this editorial page has been bouncing around the emails of several staffers and assistants. After much thought and prayer, we present “…not so with you”.

Well, that’s an odd name… I could have come up with something better than that… One more change – I don’t know why we can’t ever leave anything alone… I am assuming that at least some of these thoughts or similar ones might be going through your head right now. So let me explain…

“…not so with you” is taken from the Gospels – Matthew 20:20-28 and Mark 10:35-44. The scene leading up to Jesus’ words begins with a request and some hard feelings. It seems as though there was a desire among some of the disciples for Jesus to pick favorites and assure them that they would be greater than their teammates, and this did not sit well with the others. Before a fight erupted, Jesus steps in and calls a time-out. Jesus reminds his disciples that this is what other teams do… they are concerned more about themselves than the team, they bicker and complain, scramble for the top without care of who they step on to get there, and exercise authority over one another. But he goes on to say, “Not so with you! Don’t be like that. Among you it is going to be different! Whoever wants to be most important among you must be your servant and in order to be first, you must be last.”

I can sense the twelve were a bit shocked to hear these words. Imagine thinking that you were part of a select few, residing in the inner circle, close friends with the future king, and now you are told that you need to be a servant. “Come on, Jesus, you’ve got to be kidding.” To which Jesus replies, “Follow my example; I did not come to be served. Instead, I came to serve others and to give my life as a ransom for many.” Jesus’ words aren’t just for the motley crew that followed him around in sandals many years ago, they are for each one of us. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, these words are spoken to you also. Jesus says, “James, John, Peter, Erin, ( insert your name ), NOT SO WITH YOU! Don’t be like that! Be in the world, but not of the world. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

For many years, this has been a page in the Archive that was written by the Pastor of ARC with the purpose of encouraging the congregation in their journey with Christ. The purpose is not to impart some superior wisdom from a pastor that the rest of us can only dream of experiencing. Over the past year, the entire staff has been invited to contribute to these writings and share examples of a “not so with you” lifestyle. I would like to extend that invitation to anyone in the congregation to submit an article to the church office of how God is saying “not so with you” in your life. You do not need a title or degree to share a   God-story. Yes, it requires some time, but mostly it requires one to pay attention. As followers of Jesus, we would all do well to pay attention: to our lives, to our neighbors’ lives, to God’s life in this world. Maybe writing isn’t your thing, but if you find yourself saying that God doesn’t speak to you like that, think again. Perhaps you just need to pay a little bit closer attention.

Trying to do things different,   Erin Jacobsma

One of my favorite lines in Luke’s version of the Christmas story is Luke 2:19… “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” I don’t know about you, but I like to ponder. Ponder isn’t a word that we use too often in modern language (unless you’re a Vikings fan), but ponder means to reflect with thoroughness and care. My trouble with pondering is that it almost always involves tears. When I ponder the past twelve months, my eyes moisten… For anyone that knows me even a little, that does not come as a surprise. I am a crier. Don’t label me as a baby or a wimp; I merely succumb to outward signs of emotion when something pulls at my heart strings. I cry at funerals; I cry at weddings; I cry at recitals; I cry at sporting events; I cry during movies; I even cry during commercials. I just can’t help it. I used to try and hide my tears, but I have embraced the fact that is how God made me and if the Bible tells me that I was made in the image of my Creator, then God must be emotional as well.

One of the most recent events that lodged a lump in my throat and caused my eyes to drip and my nose to snivel happened last week Sunday morning. After scheduling communion for four Sundays in a row, one might argue that the sacrament would lose its specialness, but the communion service on December 21 will be one that I will not forget for a very long time. Mike had asked me to send out an email to the congregation concerning children taking communion and had also given me an announcement to print in the bulletin, so I was not in the dark about what was going to happen, but my emotions were not prepared for what I was going to witness.

Maybe it was the conviction of the Holy Spirit during the message that primed the pump that morning, but as I returned to my pew and watched the people come forward for communion, the tears flowed. I have never seen a more beautiful picture of the salvation of the world being poured out for all. Sharing a common loaf of bread, a common cup, and a common need for a Savior, I witnessed people from every corner of life come forward. I inhaled the scene of kids who were unsure of how to navigate this new opportunity, mothers and fathers offering assistance to their youngsters, elderly Elders stooping low with their cup of juice so a child could dip his bread, farmers, pharisees, teachers, truck drivers, grandpas, grandmas, addicts, abusers, expectant mothers, suited men, and costumed shepherds… I scarce could take it in. And as I looked up, I saw the images on the screen of Jesus being nailed to the cross for each one. Blood dripping to the ground… grape juice dripping on the carpet… tears dripping off my chin…

During the first week of communion this Advent season, we were seated in front of a young family and I recall hearing the child think out loud, “I wonder why kids don’t get to eat”, and I found myself contemplating the same thing. Can you imagine preparing a meal for your family, and only allowing half of them to eat before the leftovers were put away? Jesus did more than prepare a meal for us, he offered himself to us.

As you ponder 2014, I pray that you will recall moments when the Teacher was talking to you, special times when you danced with the Spirit, and mostly what Jesus paid for us all to be called his Children. “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” (Matthew 19:14)

Erin Jacobsma

About ten years ago, our family was in the market for a bigger home when we heard of an old house that was coming up for sale on an auction. We attended an open house and previewed the property. The house was a possibility with an ample amount of bedrooms for a family of five and room for a home-based business. But, the lack of outlets, light fixtures, and closets, brought about some degree of concern. My dear husband assured me, however, he could fix those things. While I saw “old” and “dated”, he saw “potential” and “possibility”. I guess you could say he had a vision. He could look at the property and see walls removed, rooms added, closets created, and areas repurposed. I found it difficult to see past the shag carpet and wallpaper, and saw hard work, sore muscles, and lots of dollar signs. But, he sold me on the vision.

Having a vision was essential! Without it we would have had problems estimating the cost of improvements, determining the price we were willing to pay for the house, and convincing the bank on the amount we needed for a home improvement loan. A vision kept us focused on the desired outcome in the midst of setbacks. When the work seemed endless, tempers flared, and frustrations mounted, I reminded him of the vision. There were times during the course of the project that the vision changed and adaptations were made, but it was easier to weigh the pros and cons of many decisions against the light of an end goal.

As Christians, we should also have a vision. We can come up with fancy words and drawn out phrases that make us sound intelligent and noteworthy, but when it comes down to it, the only vision or goal that counts in the Christian life is that His kingdom come and His will be done. With our home renovation, we could give detailed drawings, itemized lists, and cost estimates, or simply state that we were remodeling our home. So it is with our Christian vision… we can “act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8), “give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord” (1 Cor 15:58), “look after orphans or widows in their distress and keep ourself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27), “go and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19), and “give attention to prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). But all the details and DOs and DO NOTs can be summed up in this: Live and Love Like Jesus. Jesus came to earth to sacrifice himself for the sins of the world, but he also came to show us God’s vision of His Kingdom.

So what does this mean for ARC? Not so long ago we had a vision to build a new sanctuary. I have been re-reading an old devotional that was given to the congregation when we began the facility expansion. I have been convicted by these words: “Pray that as this dream is realized we will grow more fully into devoted followers of Jesus Christ” and “Pray that we can be one so that the world can be won”. The new worship center came to be a reality, but it seems like once the project was completed we were without a goal that kept us all working together. We lost sight of a vision and began drifting along rather than reaching beyond our walls to touch the world with God’s love.

I would like to propose a new expansion project. Not one that is measured in square feet and dollars and cents; a Spiritual Expansion project where the only blueprint is the Master Builder himself. What would ARC look like in the next five years if everyone committed the same amount of time, energy and finances to being a reflection of Jesus? I can only say that “Through God’s work in us, God is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or possibly imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20) Sound familiar?

Erin Jacobsma

Spiritual Expansion