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| Scripture Memory Challenge verse for March 2015 |
Take part in the Scripture Memory Challenge and instill God's Word in your heart! Details below.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
March issue and Scripture Memory Challenge!
Take part in the Scripture Memory Challenge and instill God's Word in your heart! Details below.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
"Trust in the Lord"
Scripture Memory Challenge
our own understanding, what is in our
future or the future of those around us. God however, is omniscient, all
knowing. He knows how the events of yesterday, today and tomorrow will fit
together for His good.
By Shelly Burke, Editor
The verse we’ve chosen for the February Scripture Memory
Challenge is:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own
understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your
paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
In this verse God has given us a command, and a promise.
The command begins, “Trust
in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” I
am thankful that I do not have to “lean
on my own understanding”; so many times I desire something and only realize
later that receiving it would not have been in the best interests of me or
those around me.
In our own understanding we have just a miniscule snapshot
of God’s plan. We are unable to see, in
One of my favorite Bible narratives is that of the Old
Testament Joseph (found in Genesis 37 and 39-46). In his own understanding Joseph
probably could not comprehend why God would allow his brothers to sell him into
slavery. But the Bible tells us that Joseph trusted in the Lord and remained
faithful to Him through years of captivity; Joseph eventually became the
highest ranking official in Egypt and from this position he was able to save
his family and many others from starvation during a seven year famine.
Likewise, in our own understanding, we might not be able to
comprehend the death of a loved one, the breakup of a marriage, financial
hardships, children who stray, or a severe illness or disease. We might not
comprehend His purpose this side of heaven, but this is when we “trust in the Lord” and remember His
promise of Romans 8:28, which says, “for
those who love God all things work together for good…”
The next part of this passage commands, “in all your ways acknowledge Him”. My study Bible defines
“acknowledge” as “Apply what you have
learned from the Lord in everything you do.” How? First, thank Him for His
blessings and all He has done for you.
Then seek His will through prayer and Bible study. Listen
for His still small voice. Study His word. Attend church and Bible class. Apply
what you have learned in everything you do—work, play, relationships, finances,
parenting—and incorporate Him into every part of your life.
And then the promise: “And He will make straight your paths.” This
is very reassuring to me; some days I’m
filled with “what if’s” and questions and doubts about the path I’m on in my
life. I can’t see the future to know how the decisions I make today will impact
my future, and sometimes I’m afraid to make decisions for fear they’ll be the
“wrong” ones. I haven’t bowled in many years but when I read God’s promise in
this verse, I pictured a bowling alley with the bumpers (long inflated tubes)
in the gutters. Bumpers are often used when kids are bowling as they prevent
the bowling balls from going in the gutter, instead bouncing them back onto the
“straight path”, the middle of the bowling alley. When I trust in the Lord and acknowledge Him,
He will keep my path straight, “bouncing” me back on the right path when I
threaten to go into the “gutter.”
To receive your FREE Scripture Memory Verse Cards, mail your request, with your name and address ($6 suggested donation to cover postage costs) to Nebraska Family Times, 209 27th St. Apt. #13, Columbus, NE 68601).
February Issue and Scripture Memory Challenge!
One of the most important things you can do to strengthen your faith is to memorize scripture. If you would like to be part of the Scripture Memory Challenge and receive FREE verse cards every month (suggested donation $6 to cover postage expenses) e-mail your name and address to shelly@shellyburke.net or call (402) 750-3496, or mail your request to Nebraska Family Times, 209 27th St. Apt. #13, Columbus, NE 68601. See details below!
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Global Passion Ministries Mission Trip to Nicaragua Begins Tomorrow!
In the wee hours of tomorrow morning, February 5th, the Global Passion Ministries team will be leaving the cold and snowy weather of Nebraska for the hot weather of Nicaragua! The team will spend Feb. 5-14th working with the people of Puerto Cabezas, performing life-changing surgeries, If not for the volunteer doctors, nurses, anesthetists and other support people, the people in this very poor region of the country would probably not receive the medical care they need.
This is the team's 6th trip. You can read more about it by clicking Global Passion Ministries Team Planning 6th Trip to Nicaragua
You can also read about the team's 5th Mission Trip and the follow up to the 2014 trip
Follow the team at their blog at Global Passion Ministries ; they will blog as they have the time and available internet connection.
Please keep the team in your prayers as they travel and work!
These photos are of some of the patients the team cared for last year.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Verse of the Year 2015
NFT Verse of the Year 2015
By Shelly Burke, Editor
We have chosen Romans 12:2 as
the Nebraska Family Times verse of
the year. You’ll find a graphic of this verse every month on the Editor’s
Letter page, starting next month; I encourage you to cut it out and hang it
where you’ll see it frequently. This verse is also the verse for the Scripture
Memory Challenge for January. Receive your FREE verse card; see details at the end of this post.
Do not conform to this world, but
be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern
what is the will of God,
what is acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
We are constantly encouraged to conform to this world, by what we see, what we hear, what we
read—by everything around us. Sins of the world—what is acceptable and even
encouraged in the world—can gradually, without us even realizing it, change our
viewpoint until we have conformed to the world, rather than what the Lord
commands and expects of us.
How can we be transformed and renew our mind? First we must discern what is the will of God. To do
this, go directly to the source—His Word, the Bible. Despite being written several
thousand years ago, the Bible provides us with the basic principles to make
God-pleasing decisions in any situation. The best way to know His will is to
read and study His Word. As you read, study and memorize, the instructions and
directions and principles will move from your head…to your heart. You’ll
automatically know what is the right thing to do in every situation in your day
to day life.
What are some other things you can do to renew your mind?
- Worship. As you gather with others in God’s house, you’ll learn more about Him in the company and with the support of fellow believers.
- Pray. When you communicate with the Lord regularly, you will become more attuned to hearing His voice, knowing what He expects, and you will feel His leading.
- Memorize His Word. Several articles in this issue of the Nebraska Family Times emphasize the importance of doing so.
To receive three FREE verse of the year cards (why three? See the Scripture Memory Challenge post)
e-mail your name and mailing address to shelly@shellyburke.net.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Global Passion Ministries Planning 6th Trip to Nicaragua
Editor's Note: I so admire the members of Global Passion Ministries so much for all of their work in Nicaragua! I know several of the members of the team personally and whenever I talk with them about their work, I can tell how touched they are by their time in Nicaragua. They all speak of how their lives have been changed. I know they've changed many lives in their work, as well. Please prayerfully consider supporting the team with your prayers and donations!
This article appears in the January issue of the Nebraska Family Times. A follow-up article will appear in the March issue of the paper.
Dean Athey from Columbus, NE, will be
joining 12 members from a California team in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua,
February 5th - 14th to treat area residents.
This article appears in the January issue of the Nebraska Family Times. A follow-up article will appear in the March issue of the paper.
Global Passions Ministries Planning 6th Trip to
Nicaragua
By Shelly Burke, Editor
A team including Sue and Karl Tillinghast from Lincoln, NE,
and Tamra Boettcher and Carolyn and
 |
| The Global Passion Ministries participants will travel to Nicaragua in February. |
Three members from the California team recently went to
Nicaragua to triage potential patients in the small villages in the jungle and
gold mining region north and west of Puerto Cabezas; many of these patients
will have surgery to repair a cleft palate and/or lip. A family of one of the cleft
lip patients on the last trip reported that there are as many as 35 children
with a cleft lip and or palate in a rural church in that area; the team
anticipates doing more cleft lip and or palate surgeries this year than they
have in the past.
There are many theories as to why there are so many clefts
in this area. Genetics is of course is one cause as this is a rather closed
society. There is also a lot of heavy metal contamination of the ground water
from the mining industry. One other theory the team was told about during their
last trip was that pregnant women who have an exposure to high levels of carbon
monoxide have a higher incident of having a baby with a cleft. Because the
women cook over an open fire and many times the stoves inside of their houses
are not vented to the outside, they are exposed to high levels of carbon
monoxide.
These patients have little or no chance of having these
defects repaired if not for our team. Last year the team treated a 16 year old girl
with a cleft lip and palate. These children are often rejected by their
villages and sometimes even by their own family. This young lady would probably
never have had another opportunity to have this repair done because to do so she
would have had to travel to Managua by bus on terrible roads for 14 to 20 hours
depending on weather conditions. The passengers are subject to the possibility
of robbery or assault along the way. There is no certainty that her surgery
would have been done once she got there;
these people are extremely poor and could not afford the travel, food
and lodging expenses that it would require.
Dean Athey says, “We
have been told that the reason we are so well accepted and respected by the
people of this area is that we say we are coming and we come and we say we are
coming back and we come back. It is so gratifying to return each year and be
welcomed with open arms by the people at church, the hospital and the
community. They are like family to us. We want your readers to know that this
is a Christian mission first and a medical and service mission second. We have
the privilege of knowing for the time we are there serving God’s children we
are exactly where God wants us to be doing exactly what He wants us to do. That
is a feeling that I would wish for everyone to feel at some time in their
lives. We did about 50 surgical procedures and another 100 or so minor or what
we call “ditzel” procedures last year. These small cases may not seem
significant to us but it is so meaningful to these people that someone will
take the time to do these procedures. I would guess that this year we will
probably do a few more surgical procedures and about the same for the minor
cases. That will make for some long tiring days. As with most missions we
always receive more than we give. There will be plenty of service projects for
our maintenance team to tackle. We always take cash from our fund raiser with
us and decide on how to use it once we
find an area of most need.”
To read about previous mission trips the team has taken, and
receive updates on the 2015 trip, follow the blog at www.globalpassionministries1.blogspot.com.
Monetary donations may be sent to Dean Athey, 3471 E. 14th
Ave., Columbus, NE, 68601. For more information contact Dean at (402) 276-0638.
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