GN April Final for Web

APRIL 2025

! n e s i R s i He Full Color Online Edition:

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The Obstetrical Suite subbing for Pastor Eric – Max Hammonds

he month is April. The theme is “New Birth/ T Resurrection.” That should be an easy assignment for a pastor’s column. But how to make it fresh and new and unique?

Imagine an obstetrical suite of a hospital. Labor rooms line the hall on the right side. These rooms are specifically designed to assist a mother who is preparing to give birth and make her as comfortable as possible during her labor.

On the opposite side of the hall are the delivery rooms where specialized equipment is quickly at hand to assist in the comfort and safety of the mother and the quick, safe delivery of the infant. And down the hall is the nursery where the newborns are lovingly cared for in the early hours of life outside the womb, where the family of each newborn can view them and imagine these young ones growing up to be part of their family. The reception desk for this wing is staffed by highly trained professionals who know how to greet a prospective mother with empathy and friendliness, operate all the equipment in the suite, perform the procedures necessary, and instruct the new mother in the care of her newborn. The nurse director of obstetrics and her staff oversee the operation of this wing, organizing the professionals, underwriting the training program, and guiding the work to its completion – a healthy mother and baby.

Now imagine a church (obstetrical suite), the entire church building. Various rooms (labor rooms) line the halls prepared to assist a prospective Christian in the process of a “new birth” experience. Some rooms contain ministries that seek out those who are seeking the Lord. They contain outreach equipment and educational materials and are staffed by highly trained individuals who know how to use them. Across the hall are the rooms (delivery rooms) containing the baptismal robes, the baptismal certificates, and the baptismal tank for delivery of the newborn Christian. Down the hall at the far end is the sanctuary (nursery) where the newborn Christians are lovingly viewed and nurtured in their earliest hours. The church

(obstetrical suite) has a reception desk where potential Christians are welcomed (greeters) with empathy and friendliness. The pastor of the church (nursing director) and his staff oversee the operation of the church, organizing the ministries and volunteers, underwriting the training program, and guiding the work to its completion – a healthy newborn Christian on his/her way to maturity.

If you think this analogy is too much of a stretch, consider the physiologic changes that occur during the birth of a baby. The forces of labor put tremendous pressure on the skull of a fetus, causing the bones of the skull to press together and sometimes overlap as the brain is compressed to traverse the birth canal. The chest also is compressed, squeezing out any extraneous liquid. On emerging from the warm comfort of the womb into the comparative coolness of the outside world, the fetus gasps. The air entering the lungs with the first two or three cries radically raises the oxygen levels of the blood, causing the hole in the heart and the specialized blood vessel – both of which bypassed the lungs – to quickly close, moving blood into the lungs for oxygenation for the first time. The blood vessels of the umbilical cord by which the fetus gained oxygen and nutrition from the mother’s placenta also close. The fetus – totally dependent on mother for life – is now an independently functioning infant with its own breath, blood supply, and nutritional organs.

In like fashion, when a prospective Christian is introduced to the Gospel, the mind undergoes tremendous pressures to re-organize and re-align previously held beliefs. New thoughts are incorporated into the belief system; old, assumed truths are rejected as false or misleading. On emerging from the warmth of a dark, comfortable, enclosed secular system into the bright, invigorating atmosphere of a loving church, the newborn Christian gasps, taking in the lifegiving breath of the Holy Spirit, closing the God-shaped “hole” in the heart, introducing the blood of Jesus into the circulation. The old system of coddling comfort is closed off. No longer dependent on dark traditions and worldly wisdom, the newborn Christian is an independent functioning being, able to “digest” and process truth in the light of the Gospel.

The “new birth” experience is a complex process. Each one of us – as trained participants or engaged observers, direct care-givers or associate supporters – are part of this birthing and maturing process. Yes, we don’t throw newborns out onto the street. We care for them, instruct them, feed them, comfort them as they grow. But that’s another analogy.

For right now, our church is an obstetrical suite for newborn Christians.

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Isaac May in Thailand J

by Lindsay Reynolds

esus says in Mark 16:15, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” One of our Arden church members, a freelance artist, has taken this gospel commission deeply to heart. Isaac May’s ministry journey, shaped by his passion for sharing Jesus through his artistic talents, has led him across the globe. His recent experiences in Cambodia and Thailand have not only impacted his personal and spiritual growth but also fueled his commitment to global mission work, especially in service to the people of Southeast Asia.

Isaac’s overseas mission journey began in 2023 when he spent a year volunteering as an art teacher at a mission school in Siem Reap, Cambodia. After returning from Cambodia in mid-July 2024, Isaac attended the ASI (Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries) convention one month later. At the convention, Isaac was drawn to a small booth representing an orphanage and school in Thailand called Sunshine Orchard.

This school, located near the Thai-Myanmar border, serves refugee children from Myanmar, a country torn by conflict since 1948, with the situation escalating after a military coup in 2021.

Isaac spoke with Lina Adams, the director at Sunshine Orchard, who shared her vision of creating a children's coloring book to educate and inspire the students at Sunshine Orchard. As funds and resources are limited in refugee camps, fun activity books for children aren’t commonplace. Lina envisioned something that would instill school pride, boost morale, and share Jesus’ love with children who have already experienced unspeakable loss in their young lives. Isaac saw an opportunity to contribute and agreed to illustrate the book, marking the beginning of his involvement with the school.

In September of 2024, Isaac traveled to Thailand, where he spent a month at Sunshine Orchard. The school serves around 500-800 students, most of whom are refugees from Myanmar’s ethnic Karen group. These children have fled violence and persecution from the Burmese government, which has targeted the Karen people with indiscriminate bombings and other attacks. Despite the constant fear and trauma the

children face, Isaac observed their resilience, joy, and dedication to learning. During his month at Sunshine Orchard, Isaac lived in a small room behind a classroom and ate meals with the Adams family, who run the school. Isaac spent his time observing classes, teaching English, taking numerous photos, and gathering material for the coloring book that Lina envisioned.

Isaac’s mission trip experience was not limited to teaching and illustrating. His role as a witness to the lives of the refugee children and their families deeply impacted him. During a trip across the river into Myanmar, Isaac saw the harsh conditions in which the Karen people live. He witnessed young men from the Karen National Liberation Army training to defend their people. He viewed the caves and trenches surrounding the Adventist school, where students had to shelter when government bombers flew overhead. Having seen firsthand the violence and loss they have experienced; Isaac felt a deep sense of responsibility to help these children. This experience reinforced his commitment to supporting the mission in Thailand and Myanmar and to doing his part in spreading the Gospel.

Mission work often presents spiritual challenges, including spiritual warfare and moments

by Pen Braister-Sturgis of discouragement. Isaac admits that suchPicture challenges either draw one closer to God or cause a person to turn away. For Isaac, his experiences in Cambodia and Thailand drove him to a deeper commitment to God. The hardships of the people he encountered made him more aware of God’s calling on his life.

In particular, his time in Thailand helped him understand the truth of Matthew 24:14: "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Extreme hardship and civil war isn’t stopping the spread of the gospel in the refugee camps of the Thailand/Myanmar border, and Isaac feels committed to his part to further the Gospel.

Isaac returned to the United States in October 2024, but his mission work hasn’t stopped. In fact, it’s only just beginning.

Isaac has been incredibly busy illustrating a beautiful coloring book for the children of Sunshine Orchard. At the time of this writing, he had illustrated about 25 of the 50 planned coloring pages. But it won’t end there. Isaac will be returning to a mission project and school (Butterfly Paradise) in Siem Reap, Cambodia this May, where he will be teaching art classes to butterfly sanctuary guests with a special emphasis on reaching the community in the surrounding villages. Whether through art, teaching, or simply being present with those who need support, Isaac’s example shows that every contribution, no matter how small, has an eternal impact.

Want to get involved? Check out https://www.karenoutreach. org/sunshine-orchard.html OR https://www.asapministries. org/ to learn how you can serve and/or financially support the ministry of Sunshine Orchard and other projects in Southeast Asia.

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David, Svea, and Aina Flood

by Dan Reynolds

S

pringtime is by far my favorite season. Fresh, chartreusecolored grass poking through the brown-gray soil that finally started warming up after the frigid winter. The forest birds singing simultaneously in celestial cacophony, all yielding praise to their loving Creator. Budding trees, like dogwoods and redbuds, bursting forth in radiant white, red, and purple hues creating eye-popping wonder in the beholder. Daffodils and jonquils emerge every year in early spring clothed in radiant yellow. Wild animals frolic about – especially those who hibernated – happy to have slept soundly through the frosty winter months.

The resurrection of warm weather also improves mental health in humans. Triggering the release of serotonin, the warm springtime sunlight improves human depression and mood, finding people more out and about. Whether through exercising, engaging with friends and family, feeling the insatiable urge to prepare a garden, or becoming more productive in home and work, springtime comes with many tangible benefits.

As Christians, our internal sunlight stems from a peaceful, well-conditioned soul, coming from rebirth through baptism and daily rebirth by “dying to self ” (Romans 6:11). Even if physical death doesn’t occur, Christians are not immune to sorrow and sadness. Despite the reminder of Christ’s resurrection, we may not fully have our tears wiped away until we see Jesus face-to-face in heaven (Revelation 21:4).

Gardening has some wonderful metaphors to the Christian walk. Through death of a seed, much life can spring forth (John 12:24). Through death of various types of vegetation – trees, leaves, and, yes, even weeds – the decomposing elements create mulch and enrich soil with nitrogen, allowing other plants to thrive. Christians can reap in joy when they sow in tears (Psalm 126:5). Just such a tearful story follows, illustrating the rebirth of joy that comes through sorrow.

In 1921, a missionary couple named David and Svea Flood went with their two-year old son from Sweden to the heart of Africa – to what was then called the Belgian Congo. They met another young Scandinavian couple, the Ericksons, and the four of them sought God for direction. In those days of devotion and sacrifice, they felt led of the Lord to leave the main mission station and take the gospel to a remote area.

This was a huge step of faith. At the village of N’dolera they were rebuffed by the chief, who would not let them enter his village for fear of alienating the local gods. The two couples

opted to go half a mile up the slope and build their own mud huts.

They prayed for a spiritual breakthrough, but there was none. The only contact with the villagers was a young boy who was allowed to sell them chickens and eggs twice a week.

Svea Flood – a tiny woman, only four feet eight inches tall – decided that if this was the only African she could talk to, she would try to lead the boy to Jesus. And she succeeded. But there were no other encouragements.

Meanwhile, malaria continued to strike one of the little band after another. In time the Ericksons decided they had had enough suffering and left to return to the central mission station. David and Svea Flood remained near N’dolera alone.

Then, Svea found herself pregnant in the middle of the primitive wilderness.

When time came to give birth, the village chief softened and allowed a midwife to help her. A little girl was born, whom they named Aina. The delivery, however, was exhausting, and Svea Flood was already weak from bouts of malaria. The birth process was a heavy blow to her stamina. She lasted only another seventeen days.

Inside David Flood, something snapped. He dug a crude grave, buried his twenty-seven-year-old wife, then took his children back down the mountain to the mission station. Giving his newborn daughter to the Ericksons, he snarled, “I’m going back to Sweden. I’ve lost my wife, and I obviously can’t take care of this baby.

God has ruined my life.” With that, he headed for the port, rejecting not only his calling, but God himself.

Within eight months both Ericksons were stricken with a mysterious malady and died within days of each other. The baby Aina was given to an American missionary couple, who adjusted her Swedish name to "Aggie" and eventually brought her back to the United States at age three.

This family loved the little girl and were afraid that if they returned to Africa, some legal obstacle might separate her from them. Deciding to stay in America, they switched from missionary work to pastoral ministry. Thus, Aggie grew up in South Dakota. As a young woman, she attended North Central Bible College in Minneapolis. There she met and married a young man named Dewey Hurst.

Years passed. The Hursts enjoyed a fruitful ministry. Aggie gave birth to a daughter, then a son. In time her husband became president of a Christian college in the Seattle area, and Aggie was intrigued to find so much Scandinavian

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heritage there. One day a Swedish religious magazine appeared in her mailbox. She had no idea who had sent it, and, of course, she couldn’t read the words. But as she turned the pages, suddenly a photo stopped her cold. There in a primitive setting was a grave with a white cross – and on the cross were the words SVEA FLOOD. Aggie jumped in her car and went straight to a college faculty member who, she knew, could translate the article.

"What does this say?" she demanded. The instructor summarized the story: It was about a missionary who had come to N’dolera long ago . . . the birth of a white baby . . . the death of the young mother . . . the one little African boy who had been led Christ, and how after the whites had all left, the boy had grown up and finally persuaded the chief to let him build a school in the village. The article said that gradually he won all his students to Christ . . . the children led their parents to Christ . . . even the chief had become a Christian. Today there were six hundred Christian believers in that one village . . . all because of the sacrifice of David and Svea Flood.

For the Hursts’ twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, the college presented them with the gift of a vacation to Sweden. There

Aggie sought to find her real father. An old man now, David Flood had remarried, fathered four more children, and generally dissipated his life with alcohol. He had recently suffered a stroke. Still bitter, he had one rule in his family: "Never mention the name of God, because God took everything from me."

After an emotional reunion with her half-brothers and halfsister, Aggie brought up the subject of seeing her father. The others hesitated. "You can talk to him," they replied, "even though he’s very ill now. But you need to know that whenever he hears the name of God, he flies into a rage.

Aggie was not deterred. She walked into the squalid apartment with liquor bottles everywhere and approached

the seventy-three-year-old man lying in a rumpled bed.

“Papa,” she said tentatively. He turned and began to cry.

“Aina,” he said. “I never meant to give you away.”

“It’s all right, Papa,” she replied, taking him gently in her arms. “God took care of me.” The man instantly stiffened. The tears stopped. “God forgot all of us. Our lives have been like this because of him.” He turned his face back to the wall.

Aggie stroked his face and then continued, undaunted.

“Papa, I’ve got a little story to tell you, and it’s a true one. You didn’t go to Africa in vain. Mama didn’t die in vain. The little boy you won to the Lord grew up to win that whole village to Jesus Christ. The one seed you planted just kept growing and growing. Today there are six hundred African people serving the Lord because you were faithful to the call of God in your life. Papa, Jesus loves you. He has never hated you.”

The old man turned back to look into his daughter’s eyes.

His body relaxed. He began to talk. By the end of the afternoon he had come back to the God he had resented for so many decades.

Over the next few days, father and daughter enjoyed warm moments together. Aggie and her husband soon had to return to America – and within a few weeks, David Flood passed away.

A few years later, the Hursts were attending a high-level evangelism conference in London, England, when a report was given from the nation of Zaire-Belgian Congo. The national church representative, representing some 110,000 baptized believers spoke eloquently of the gospel’s spread in his nation. Aggie could not help going to ask him afterward if he had ever heard of David and Svea Flood.

“Yes, madam,” the man replied in French, his words being translated into English. “It was Svea Flood who led me to Jesus Christ. I was the boy who brought food to your parents before you were born. In fact, to this day your mother’s grave and her memory are honored by all of us.”

He embraced her in a long, sobbing hug. Then he continued, “You must come to Africa to see, because your mother is the most famous person in our history.”

In time, Aggie Hurst and her husband went to Africa.

They were welcomed by cheering throngs of villagers. She even met the man whom her father had hired many years before to carry her down the mountain in a hammockcradle. The most dramatic moment, of course, was when the pastor escorted Aggie to see her mother’s white cross for herself.

She knelt in the soil to pray and give thanks. Later that day, in the church, the pastor read from John 12:24: "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." He then followed with Psalm 126:5: "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.”

This article is an excerpt from Aggie Hurst, Aggie: The Inspiring Story of A Girl Without A Country [Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1986]. Now out of print.

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28 Fundamentals: 12 The Church

E

ntering the family room, Mark was shocked to see his grandfather (Albert Groot, a.k.a. Pawpaw) sitting in his favorite chair by the fireplace, as he was the night before.

“Pawpaw, you didn’t stay up all night, did you? I thought you wanted some sleep.”

Pawpaw looked up at his grandson, now taller than his father had been at nineteen. “No. I got up early. An old work habit that’s hard to break.” He lifted his nose to a familiar aroma. “I see you got another hot chocolate.”

“An old habit from college, Pawpaw. Hard to break.” Which drew a loud chuckle from his grandfather. “But I’m still thinking about our conversation from last night, Pawpaw.”

“Hmmm.” Pawpaw nodded his head in remembrance.

“About your friend, Stuart, and growing in the Spirit, if I recall.” When Mark – carefully sipping from his hot cup – nodded in agreement, Pawpaw went on, “Last night we emphasized the conviction and the heart change as works of the Holy Spirit. And we were ready to go to Ephesians 4:11-16 and talk about how the Spirit makes these steps happen in a practical way.”

Mark set down his hot chocolate and opened his phone Bible app to Ephesians. “It says we are gifted, Pawpaw. I assume that means spiritual gifts. It mentions apostleship, prophets, pastors, teachers.” Mark looked up. “I remember twenty-some other gifts of the Spirit in I Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. Everybody gets at least one of these gifts.”

“And what’s the purpose of the gifts, Mark?” Pawpaw’s eyes were twinkling with the teaching moment. “What does it say there in Ephesians 4:12?”

Mark looked down at his phone. “It says they are for the ‘equipping of the saints for the work of service.’ ” Pawpaw smiled, his eyes still alight. “Yes, to serve others, very important. But what’s the hidden agenda of the Holy Spirit in gifting us? Do the following phrases in the passage talk about helping others?”

Mark looked closer at the scriptures. “No,” he said with sudden surprise. “They talk about the ones who were gifted being built up as the body of Christ.” His voice became quiet and studious. “And attaining unity of faith and maturing to be like Christ.”

“And verse 16?”

“Growing in love.”

“It’s the Spirit’s hidden agenda, Mark,” Pawpaw concluded.

“He changes us, grows us while we help others. That’s why we have churches. They’re a place to grow Christians.”

Mark grew quiet, drank deeply of his hot chocolate. “That’s the problem, Pawpaw. Stuart doesn’t want to be baptized into the church. He just wants to be baptized into Jesus – like early Christians.” Pawpaw tilted his head questioningly. “His parents got divorced over some struggle in his church. Tore the church apart and his family, too. He’s not interested in joining a church.”

“Oh. He wants to be thrown out in the street? Try to grow up there?”

“What?”

“Jesus calls it the ‘the new birth’ experience for a reason, Mark. Stuart is a baby Christian. Usually we send newborns home with their mothers.” Pawpaw paused. “But Stuart thinks he can ‘mature’ on his own. The only help he’ll find on the street is other street people like himself who are avoiding their mothers.”

“I don’t understand, Pawpaw.”

Pawpaw thought for a moment, drew a deep breath, and began. “The Bible uses many metaphors to explain the function of the church. In Ephesians 1 and I Corinthians 12, Paul talks about Christ as the head and the church as His body.

Each one participates in the “body,” contributing to the overall function of the body. But Paul’s most frequent metaphor for the church is a family or a household where “baby” Christians are fed, nurtured, taught, and guided, as they struggle to reach maturity.”

As he spoke, Pawpaw retrieved the fireplace tongs and pushed a glowing ember from the fire onto the hearth.

“I’m sorry that Stuart had such a traumatic experience.”

Pawpaw shook his head. “The enemy does this all the time.

But his safest place to grow is within the loving arms of church membership.”

Mark watched the isolated ember lose its glow and nodded to Pawpaw. So, Pawpaw pushed the ember back in the fire. “If Stuart wants to be like the early believers, tell him to follow Paul’s experience.”

Mark looked up. “Why? What happened to Paul?”

“Jesus’ bright light knocked Paul to the ground. Right there Jesus could have told Paul what to do, but He didn’t. He sent him to a church member, Ananias, who told Paul what to do.

Paul joined the Damascus Church, the Tarsus Church, and eventually the Antioch Church. Stuart needs a loving, nurturing church to grow in.”

“I can tell him, Pawpaw, and see if it convinces him.”

“That’s all you can do – is share.” Pawpaw patted Mark’s shoulder. “Now let’s get some breakfast.”

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Xerxes and Esther: Part XVI or some days after Esetare’s banquet, residents of F Shushen shuddered every time they passed the former residence of the Hamana. Now the noble’s body hung from the victory tree he’d set up for his final triumph over his Jewish rival Marduka. No longer was he the Illustrious Magnificent One, trusted by Khshayarsha, but reduced to an object of shame and horror, food for the scavenging birds.

After the Hamana was removed from Esetare’s quarters, Harbona and I listened as the queen told Khshayarsha the whole story: the Hamana’s murderous plan, her relation to Marduka, who saved the emperor’s life, as the king had read in the chronicle the night before.

“Somehow,” said Khshayarsha, “I knew all of this was connected: your information to help me then, and now the uncovering of yet another plot. You saved my life; now I can save yours. All that the Hamana owned, his house and estates, I transfer, Esetare, to you. So, you shall have your own wealth beyond this harem for security all of your days. On the morrow, send Marduka to me; you will make him steward over all your new holdings, and I will give him my signet ring that Marduka may now advise me and serve the empire.”

As the king left, I unashamedly joined Esetare and her maids in prayers of thanksgiving to her God who oversaw all events and granted Esetare favor in the heart of Khshayarsha.

All this took place in the first month (Nisan). Over the second month, Marduka, Esetare, and I (she continued to involve me) looked to the future. Despite the death of the Hamana, the threat of destruction still loomed over all the Jews of Persia. In the third month of Sivan, Esetare again risked her life to enter the king’s throne room, and Khshayarsha quickly held out his golden scepter to Queen Esetare as she entered.

“Your majesty, if I continue to find favor before you, I must make another request of you,” said Esetare. “I have no doubt you will protect me, but my family and people still stand under the threat of death from the Hamana’s evil law, which takes effect later this year. With your approval, let an edict be written to revoke the Hamana’s original directive, for how can I bear to see this disaster and unnecessary destruction?”

“A decree written in my name and sealed with my signet ring cannot be revoked,” replied Khshayarsha.

“However, the Hamana is dead. Marduka now carries my signet. The two of you formulate a plan that will work against the Hamana’s original edict. So long as it does not directly contradict it, you may seal it with my ring.”

After consideration, Marduka dictated a new edict, sealed with the king’s signet, translated into every language of the empire and sent out to the one hundred twenty-seven provinces of Persia. Now the Jews and their friends were legally allowed to defend themselves on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (Adar), which the Hamana had set for their destruction.

Here in Shushen, there was great rejoicing among the Jewish people. Both in the capital and throughout the empire, Marduka was becoming famous; some people were even pretending to be Jews!

By the twelfth month, lines were drawn throughout the empire. Thousands, driven by hate or greed, wanted to kill the Jews and plunder all they had. However, through the year Marduka rose in the king’s service, becoming more and more powerful. Most satraps and government officials throughout Persia—especially here in Shushen—supported the cause of the Jewish people.

On the thirteenth and fourteenth of Adar, the Jews of Persia, along with many supporters, defended themselves from attack. Here in the royal city, eight hundred were killed, including the ten sons of the Hamana, seeking revenge for their father. Though having the legal right to do so, no Jew plundered the estates of their attackers, happy to rest and rejoice in their deliverance. Esetare and Marduka sent a missive through the empire, urging their people to remember this experience every year with a festival called Purim (the “lots” cast by the Hamana naming the day of destruction, now a day of deliverance).

And thus, O Reader, my tale comes to its end. I continued to serve Esetare, even after the death of Khshayarsha some eight years later. The king was never free from threats of assassination. In the end, Artabanus, commander of his royal bodyguard, and a eunuch named Aspamitres, brought an end to the twenty-one year reign of this great Achaemenid emperor.

Artakhshaca (Artaxerxes to the Greeks), a son by Khshayarsha’s chief wife Amestris, is now Persia’s emperor. Esetare and Marduka, no longer as powerful, are pleased that Artakhshaca has allowed more Jews to return to their homeland, decreeing they should restore in Jerusalem those things destroyed many decades ago.

As for Esetare and Marduka, is it not written in the scrolls of remembrance and events of the Persian kings?

Perhaps, like his father, Artakhshaca will have a sleepless night, ask for the scrolls to be read to him, and rediscover the important service done to Khshayarsha and the Jews of Persia by Queen Esetare and her cousin Marduka.

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COVID: A Revisit, Again W

e haven’t checked in with our old (or new) friend, COVID-19, for some time. Much has changed, even though much has stayed the same. This month we discuss what changes have evolved in the COVID virus and how this impacts the effectiveness of current updated vaccines available. Next month we will look at the greater, more likely danger from COVID infections – Long COVID. Although most Americans have accepted that COVID is now just a regular infection we have to manage, those who are tasked with following infectious agents (NIH, CDC, FDA, WHO, and virologists around the world) are watching the mutations of COVID closely to see how it is evolving. It is more or less infectious? Is it more or less virulent (causing severe symptoms)? Is it more or less deadly?

Last spring, the most common variant was JN.1. In the summertime, KP.2 was the most common variant. In the fall, LP.8.1 dominated. Currently, XEC is the dominate strain and MC.1.1 is on the rise. Letters used for naming these variants indicate the positions on the spike of the virus that has changed in the new variant. The spike protein is where the antibodies made to previous infections try to attach to the virus to destroy it. The spike protein is also where the virus attaches to the respiratory cell to invade it and replicate in it.

It’s the same old COVID virus. But when the virus replicates in the cell of an infected individual, not all daughter viruses are exactly the same as the mother virus. A few changes happen accidentally every time the virus replicates. These “accidental” changes (viruses don’t think, they change by chance) cause antibodies – developed to fight previous infections – to be less effective in attaching to the new virus strain, and this new strain survives more easily.

When this new strain is passed on to others, it survives more easily in the public domain and becomes the dominate strain.

If an individual and their cells are infected with two or more virus strains simultaneously, the viruses can cross-replicate, creating a new variant modeled on both original strains.

That’s how XEC came into existence. These crossed variants also might have increased virulence and mortality. The CDC and others are watching these new strains for such a possibility.

Fortunately, the same changed protein spike – which doesn’t attach as easily to the antibody – also doesn’t attach as easily to the respiratory cell, making these new variant strains less likely to cause serious infections. However, all these new variants came from the original Omicron variant which was much more easily transmissible.

So, we don’t have to worry so much about COVID infection any more, right? Wrong, for two reasons. One: Those individuals with compromised immune systems – the old, the very young, those with chronic disease processes that inhibit their own immune mechanisms from functioning properly – are more easily infected, more likely to develop serious symptoms, and more likely to die. These individuals are likely people in your family, your church, your golf club, your bridge club, your book club.

Remember: Fifty percent of people who are infected have no symptoms, but they are still infected. They still replicate the virus in their cells. They still pass on the virus to others. You might not get sick. But do a favor for those less protected.

Prevent your participation in the continuing replication and spread of new strains of COVID. Two: Although the new COVID strains are effectively restrained by the newest updated vaccine (created for the XBB strain last fall), the older vaccines and the older infections are relatively ineffective in preventing clinical disease from the newest strains. And while ninety-eight percent of Americans have some immunity to COVID – from a previous infection or from a vaccination, this immunity wanes over six to eight months after the infection or vaccination.

Therefore, those previously infected or previously vaccinated are more likely to get infected with the newer strains, with 50% having symptoms, 10% being hospitalized, and 10% of the hospitalized dying (86% of the deaths are in the elderly).

What to do to NOT participate in making others sick? Do all the usual control measures we have learned to mitigate respiratory disease transmission. Get the newest vaccination and keep updated every 8-12 months.

Diligently wash your hands. Wear a mask in crowded areas and mass gatherings. If you contract COVID (keep testing kits available), you are contagious for 2-5 days before symptoms (fever) develop and up to 5 days after symptoms stop. Quarantine yourself during this time to avoid infecting others.

Be a good neighbor. For the sake of others around you, follow safe guidelines to help prevent new, possibly more virulent strains from developing, and protect the vulnerable in your community setting.

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Joining the “Mamawi People” as told by Lynn McDowell/arranged by Tom Arany

sisters in Christ, baptized a week apart in July 2024.

“I think it was how happy everyone was,” says Faye when asked what got her thinking about baptism. ”They made it seem like it was just the best thing. And it is,” she says. “It’s hard to explain.” Working together and talking long into the night at Alberta Camp Meeting with the MANS group and various other people at camp meeting, the two girls came to realize that baptism and a new life in Christ was something they desperately wanted.

Faye’s family wasn’t as sure. Respecting her parent’s wish that she come home before taking the step, Faye watched from the pebbled shore as her friend Tashay was immersed in the waters of a reservoir that seemed to have no bounds—big enough to hold all the love and grace of God that anyone could even need. Faye was determined: a week later in a portable tank in the MANS gym, she also was baptized.

“I did it for myself,” says Tashay. “I was really mixed up.

I wanted to see if it would change anything about me, which it did,” she reflects. “It changed how I view people and myself.”

Tashay continues. “I didn’t think I would actually get baptized. In my family, there’s only two that got baptized, and I didn’t see that happening to me. But I did get baptized,” she says. “It changed something about me. I still see it changing me. I’m still growing into it.”

“I did it for guidance, too” says Faye. “It isn’t comfortable for some people, change. When I got baptized, I was in the worst space ever, and I feel like it really helped me. I started to think more clearly. It changed a lot of my perspectives and how I am as a person. I gained more maturity.”

Both girls say, “It’s hard to put into words” when asked about their experience, yet the words they choose ring true and resonate with so many who choose a new life in Christ.

They’re still glad that they did.

Lynn McDowell Director of Planned Giving/Philanthropy Alberta SDA Conference 5816 Highway 2A Lacombe, AB T4L 2G5, Canada Direct Line: (587) 815-8785 Photo caption: Tashay (L) and Faye ( R) celebrated their baptisms together as they received native blankets in the congregations’ temporary off-reserve worship space— the MANS gym—from MANS chaplain and congregation pastor Tsholo Sebetlela.

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Orchestrated by God

by Vicki Albareli, as told by Max Hammonds

F

rom 1994 to 2021, the Greek Village restaurant – Vicki’s parents, her brother, and herself – served Largo and Seminole, Florida. After eleven years in St. Petersburg, the Greek community wanted them closer. So they moved to what became their iconic location in Largo.

The restaurant was a magnet for “good people.” The restaurant hired only “good people.” Therefore, the customers were greeted with smiles of recognition to regulars and of genuine welcome for newcomers. Vicki ran “the front’’ – desk and dining area. Dad – the core of the family business – ran “the back” – the kitchen. Mom cared for the “books.”

In early 2021, an incessant rain precipitated a leaking roof with “indoor rain” through the ceiling tiles. Areas of the restaurant were closed, but the moisture didn’t dampen the spirits of the customers.

They came for the warm, personal service and excellent spanakopita.

The insulation became saturated.

Ceiling tiles began to fall. On December 1, the entire support system for the ceiling collapsed.

Panic ensued. How do you run a restaurant in such conditions?

The situation languished for a year.

The owner lived in Europe. The property manager refused to restore the ceiling; he doubled the lease as conditions for repair. Actually, he wanted them out in order to lease to others at a much higher rate.

In November 2022, Papa passed and Mom became ill. Vicki and her brother wanted to reopen, but where? Post-COVID, all leases were $9-15,000 per month.

At Christmas time, 2023, the Greek community clamored for Greek salad party platters, a traditional part of everyone’s holiday sorely missed. Vicki looked for a small place with commercial kitchen for a 48-hour pop-up business. The Seminole Baptist Church nearby offered their kitchen. Less than 48 hours before the weekend, Vicki posted one announcement in the local Seminole Happenings: Chicken lemon orzo soup and holiday salad platters, 48 hours only.”

Two hundred fifty orders were placed in less than 24 hours.

David, her husband said: “You can do this.” Vicki responded: “It’s too expensive.”

In July 2024, Vicki met a friend at the Haus Coffee Shop.

Sitting at the far table, Vicki “knew” this was the new Greek Village. She returned twice more before meeting the current occupant. Ilia, an Albanian raised in Greece, conversed with her in Greek when she said the word “spanakopita” just right.

He had bought the place, but he knew he didn’t want it. Vicki was convinced he would sell to her. “It was like a train that had already left the station.” She knew it was a divine connection.

“I can’t wait for you to see the new Greek Village,” she told her mother.

Although helping to care for her sick mother-in-law in Carolina, she visited Ilia several times. One day Vicki said, “I’ve never seen you with such a long, sad face.” “I really don’t want to be the owner; I want to sell.” “I told you I’m interested.”

But he wasn’t interested in selling to her.

The next morning, Ilia called three times, getting through at 9 am. “I’m interested.” Vicki went to look around. A small prep kitchen was in the back – and a door. Behind it, she expected a storage area. Instead, an 8-foot, gleaming, $50,000 hood greeted her. Ilia didn’t need it for his work. He was giving it back to the owner.

Vicki called George, a commercial broker. “George, I need help. I’m at the Haus Coffee Shop and I . . .”

“Vicki, I’m the broker for the sale.

What do you need?” “I need to talk to the owner – now. Ilia is selling the hood back to him.” “Here’s his phone number.”

“Hello, Kevin. My name is Vicki.

My family operated the Greek Village and I’m talking to Ilia about his coffee shop.” “Vicki, stop. You don’t know me, but I know you. I’m sorry about what happened to your family, and I miss my Greek salads.

I’ll take care of everything. Tell me what terms you want.”

The pieces were coming together so fast, Vicki knew it was Godordained. But she was anxious; she wanted another sign from God. Vicki came home from a niece’s tennis match, so very tired, she took a nap. She woke up crying hysterically. In her dream, her father had been enjoying his birthday party. But why crying? The next day George called. “The purchase is all arranged. The closing is November 1.” Her father’s birthday.

But some things were changed; the closing delayed. Would there be another sign from God? Then George called: “The closing is December 2nd.” The day of Papa’s burial. She checked her email. The business tax number: same as the year her parents married. Effective date: November 26 – the day Papa passed.

Visit the Greek Village, 12199 Indian Rocks Rd, Largo – a God-ordained restaurant – for fresh, made-on-site spanakopita and wonderful Greek salad.

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Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church Is a Safe Place to Grow.

Our family focus this month features Brad and Mary Kreft who just joined the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church in March.

Brad was born and raised in Onaway, Michigan. He attended public schools through high school and attended Ferris State University in Michigan, graduating with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture. He has one younger sister and one older sister.

Mary was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. She went to Catholic school through fourth grade and attended public schools through high school. She also took some college courses.

She has two brothers. Her only sister was tragically killed in a car accident in 1988.

Brad has worked in the landscaping business since his graduation from college and owned Four Seasons Landscaping. He also did “interior-scaping” for restaurants. Later he worked in maintenance for Daystar Academy, was a colporter distributing Bibles and other Christian literature, and later cared for his parents, learning CNA skills. Since 2019 he has worked for T.P. Howard as Grounds and Maintenance Landscaper.

Mary joined the military after high school. She trained at Ft. Jackson in Columbia, S.C., then served at Fort Hood, Texas and Germany. Later she worked at Daystar Academy, teaching English as a second language and Bible. She also taught a health class, including mental, physical, and social health. She currently works as a paralegal for McGuire, Wood, and Bissette Law Firm in Asheville.

Brad and Mary met working at Daystar Academy. They had a three year courtship and have been married for sixteen years.

Her students at Daystar enjoyed seeing how she and Brad interacted while dating. Brad would leave a bouquet of flowers for her in the classroom. The children loved seeing her reaction when finding the flowers. The children came to their wedding and witnessed Brad and Mary’s “first kiss” at the altar! Mary has four children from her first marriage. Now she and Brad enjoy their six grandchildren (five girls and one boy).

Their hobbies include hiking, kayaking, biking, camping, and enjoying their grandchildren. Brad has traveled to the Bahamas, and Mary traveled while in the military. They have gone on two mission trips to Belize, helping to build 32 one-day churches. The president of Daystar Academy, having worked in Belize, told them of the opportunity. They also went on a mission trip to Mexico, presenting Revelation Seminars and a health expo.

Brad was introduced to the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church by his first wife. He attended a Revelation Seminar, decided to join the Adventist Church, and was baptized in 1987 in DeLand, Florida.

Mary was introduced to the Adventist Church when her brother and sister became Adventists. In the military in Germany, she wasn’t able to go to an Adventist church. She enjoyed the happiest times of her life while attending the Adventist Church, decided to join, and was baptized in 1992 in the Marshall SDA Church.

Mary lived in Western North Carolina in 2001 and came to the Arden Church where her four sons were baptized. She met Arden church member John Krum who introduced her to Daystar Academy. After living in many different states, in 2019 Brad and Mary decided to move back to this area to be close to their children. They were members of the Erwin Hills SDA Church, but because they didn’t have a children’s program for their grandchildren, they decided to visit Arden again. One of their granddaughters visited with them and really enjoyed the service, loving the “word for the day.” Mary and Brad also knew Arden member Kelly May. They felt the Arden church was a very inviting and warm church, deciding to join in March. They attend the Sabbath School class led by Josh Belanger.

We are so happy to welcome Brad and Mary Kreft to the Arden church family!

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Our Purpose is, by God’s Grace, to reflect His character in our community, to demonstrate a quality of life that will attract all to be reconciled to Jesus Christ, and to encourage people to become His loving, maturing disciples.

Grace Notes Editorial Staff: Max Hammonds ...............................................Editor Chris Small.................................................Columnist Jean Davey..................................................Columnist Max Hammonds ..................Reporter & Columnist Pen Braister-Sturgis ..................................... Reporter Sara McCord ................................................. Reporter Dan Reynolds ............................................... Reporter Arizona McCord ............... Reporter & Proofreader Chris Small ..................................... Special Graphics Jim & Carolyn Sullenberger ................Proofreaders Nolan Darnell ........................ Mailing Management Shirley Wallstrom ...................Circulation Manager Whitney Barron .................................Layout Design Comments, suggestions and praises are always welcome. Please email or contact the church office.

Services each Saturday morning: Sabbath School Bible Study, 9:30 a.m.

Worship Service, 10:45 a.m.

Location: 35 Airport Road, Arden, NC 28704 Located on Highway 280, (Airport Road), 1.5 miles east of I-26 exit 40, and a quarter mile west of Highway 25.

Church Office: Office Manager: Whitney Barron Telephone: (828) 684-6700 Email: office@ardenadventist.org Website: www.ardenadventist.com Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs.,10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Arden Adventist Pastoral Staff: Senior Pastor: Eric Bates, D. Min. Email: ebates@carolinasda.org Associate/Youth Pastor: Rich Maskelony, M .Div. Email: rmaskelony@carolinasda.org Grace Notes is published monthly by the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church. Subscription is free by calling or emailing the office. †Do you have questions about what Adventists believe? Would you like to become a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church? Would you like to study the Bible? You are invited to attend a Pastor’s Bible Study Class. Please call for location and time. All are always welcome. † Disclaimer—The contents of Grace Notes, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained in this magazine of the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church are for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider, who is knowledgeable and experienced in the use of specific medical or Lifestyle Medicine interventions, or about questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of information published in this magazine. Neither Grace Notes nor the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church recommend or endorse any specific tests, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned in published articles.

Reliance on any information provided is solely at your own risk.

If you have a medical emergency, call your healthcare provider or 911 immediately.

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Grace So Amazing March 7, 2025 No one can grasp the grace of God unless God teaches him, embraces him, and holds him in an unexpected kindness. There’s no intellect so vast; there’s not a mystic so devout that he can plumb the depth of love by private contemplation.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isa 55:8). Only the mind of God could Father-forth the grace of God. Only the Son who fully knows God’s mind could satisfy His justice and still manifest His love. Only the Spirit, moving softly in our hearts, could teach us of the height, the depth, the breadth—the strength—of love that will not let us go.

The cleverest among us must learn: the genius must be taught. The keenest mind will still confess, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”(Psa 139:6).

That’s why we linger on our knees. We bow before the mystery that always chooses to invite us, to correct us, to forgive us, and redeem us.

We marvel that God loves us when we’re broken—that He still seeks us when we run away. Like toddlers playing hide-and-seek, we are discovered in plain sight. There is no depth from which He cannot lift us, and no place He will not go. We are amazed by grace we never fully understand.

But we receive – and stay in grace.

Bill Knott – Grace Notes

Recipe of the Month Zucchini, Apple and Carrot Bread Looking for some healthy indulgence? Well, look no further because this fruit and vegetable quick bread recipe will become your new staple! It’s packed with vegetables, protein, and healthy fats so you can have your cake and eat it too!

INGREDIENTS 1 C oil � ½ C honey � 3 eggs, room temperature � ¼ C orange juice � 1 Tbsp vanilla extract � 3 ¼ C all-purpose flour � ½ tsp salt � 2 ½ tsp baking powder � ¾ tsp baking soda � 1 Tbsp cinnamon �

Servings per recipe: 16 Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

� � � � � � � �

pinch of ground cloves pinch of ground nutmeg ½ C sugar 2 C carrots, shredded 1 C zucchini, shredded (unpeeled) 1 C apple, peeled and diced ½ C pecans, chopped (optional) ¼ C whole pecans for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.

Blend oil, honey, egg, orange juice, and vanilla together.

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together.

Fold dry ingredients into wet along with carrots, zucchini, apples, and pecans.

Pour into prepared pans.

Bake until golden brown, approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until loaves spring back when gently pressed with fingers.

Let cool before slicing.

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PROVERB LETTER FALLS The letters in each vertical column go into the squares directly below them, but not necessarily in the order they appear. A black square indicates the end of a word. But the words wrap around and continue from one line to the next where a black box ends the word. When you have placed all the letters in their correct squares. You will be able to read a Proverb across the diagram from left to right.

T H I W I

S O P E F T H H T H D E O R V S S

E S O N O N E S

E U A N D N

H H P

C I

L I

L O M E

T R E

M E

W

S

H O

U S W

R I

O O G S R H E E

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E U I R I

S