March - Breath of Life
Transcription
March - Breath of Life
MARCH 2012 ISSUE #5 Let’s Talk! QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF BREATH OF LIFE WOMEN’S MINISTRIES A Win-Win Situation… by “Mizzus” Adaire Brown Hello again from Little Rock! When Lisa Barron asked me to write a follow up to the original article I wrote, Living in the Natural State, I felt a loss for words. Perhaps my "sequel" was a bit premature, considering my ideal sequel would resemble a fairy tale ending-God miraculously delivering us from this place and landing us back at BOL...or NOT! Needless to say, the update does not depict a journey or relocation to everything familiar. Nevertheless, we are still benefitting from God's divine placement and will for our lives. I am happy to report that after fourteen months of unemployment, I have landed my best job yet! Prior to resigning from my former place of employment, I was resigned to the fact that I would never find anything in Arkansas that would come close to what I had in California—professionally or financially. Thank goodness God doesn't major in the minors, y'all! Much to my disbelief, I not only found a job in an industry that I wanted to get into while in California, but the job exceeded my salary requirement. This incredible blessing reminded me of how our maximum pales in comparison to God's minimum. This week's Sabbath school lesson reaffirms how God's heart yearns for us and how He is ready to gives more than we can ask or think. What an amazing consolation! It's a winwin situation. (continued on page 3) BREATH of LIFE SDA CHURCH WOMEN’S MINISTRIES WM MISSION: “To encourage the women of BOL to grow and develop their faith in Christ, to develop and strengthen intimate friendships with each other, and to provide opportunities to serve and make a positive difference in our community.” MARCH 2012 ISSUE #5 The Cross… Another Point of View Let’s stop and take a new look at the cross. It shouldn’t be some vision we can easily toss. We must truly recognize the burden, the cost, Or we ourselves could be unnecessarily lost. Can you picture Christ, can you really see, His arms spread wide, nailed to a tree, His feet impaled together below a crooked knee, Suffering the pained anguish meant for you and me? Don’t stop there, don’t you dare look away. There hangs a liar, embezzler, one who betrays, No not the thieves hanging there beside Him that day But Christ, a killer, addict, a rapist at bay. Don’t recognize Him? Stop, peek up and look closer. The carpenter-turned-drug dealer, child molester, Our Savoir now named Saddam Hussein or Jeffrey Dahmer. Oh you don’t think He could possibly be that monster? Maybe you’ll recognize Him as the one who steals tithes, Or the gossiper just keeping everyone informed of their finds. Hanging there is the adulterer breaking the vow that binds, Or the one walking past the downtrodden and won’t even be kind. Photo courtesy of Courtney Barron BREATH of LIFE Seventh-day Adventist Church 425 South La Brea Avenue Inglewood, CA 90301 (310) 674-4061 BOL Church Website www.breathla.org WM LET’S TALK Editor Lisa Barron barron8@sbcglobal.net You don’t see the same man hanging there that I do. Look again, because it’s time we got another point of view. The sky darkened and even God’s presence from the earth withdrew. Our Lord crying out, forsaken by the holiness of heaven, the Father He knew. Sin’s wages of death drained the sinless Son of the ages. In our place He died suffering man’s abuse and violent rages Just so our name could be written in the Lamb’s Book hallowed pages. Without Him we would be swallowed by death and Satan’s fiery blazes. All our sins were carried in Christ’s body that day The Lamb of sacrifice that the priest of old meant to portray. Now we can just seek Him, call Him and turn from our wicked way. Grace, mercy and victory from the cross is ours with the power to obey… ….By Monique Toolsie MARCH 2012 ISSUE #5 A Win-Win Situation… By “Mizzus” Adaire Brown (cont. from page 1) Living in Little Rock continues to be an adventure...among other things. However, more apparent than our minimal contentment here is the fact that God continues to challenge and nurture our spiritual development. Ironically, after my second day on the new job, Ben's employer declared that his line of business would be changing, and that they wanted to move him yet again. They told him he would be able to choose wherever he wanted to be. Where else would we want to be, but LA of course????!!!! This was the easiest question of the century! As exciting as the possibility was, we did not feel lead by God to leave Little Rock [just yet]….Take home message: Allow God to navigate your course, even if it's through unchartered territory, and you will never be disappointed. PROMISE! ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. ~Psalms 119:133 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Praising God Rejuvenating our spirit Affirming our faith Yearning for His Spirit Encouraging each other Releasing our burdens Join the BOL Women’s Ministries at the Annual Prayer Breakfast Tomorrow, Sunday, March 25 11:30am Sisley Italian Kitchen 15300 Ventura Blvd., #200 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818-905-8444 $20 cash per person at the door MARCH 2012 ISSUE #5 Upcoming Event: Mark Your Calendars, Ladies! WM Weekend Retreat Pine Springs Ranch September 21st ~ 23rd •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Weekend Theme ~ GOT JESUS! Featuring Guest Speaker ~ Brenda Peeler…. **Registration and payment deadline ~ 8/25/12 (no refunds/cancellations after this date!)** **Applications & payment envelopes ~ available next week!** **Payments can be made in a maximum of 4 installments** Worship the Lord in word and song | Commune with nature | Learn practical tools for real life situations Have fun together!!! WM 2012 Calendar of Events BREATH of LIFE Women’s Ministries Committee March 25th Annual Prayer Breakfast Sisley Italian Kitchen |11:30am Committee Members April 13th Friday Dinner Vesper | Chapel 6:30pm May 5th WM Outreach Program Villa Rey June 30th WM Young Ladies Sleepover Sept. 21st - 23rd WM Weekend Retreat| Pine Springs Ranch Judy Brown – WM Leader Lisa Barron Alina Colon Janet Hart, Elder Rep Patricia Pope-Jordan Jackie Pascal Dee Pendergrass Pat Summerfield Adria Chea Sheila Frazier Cinda Johnson Louraine Meyers Cheryl Rudley Gayle Robinson Monique Toolsie Next issue of Let’s Talk!... June 2012 WWW.BREATHLA.ORG