May 2024 Grace Notes

Inside this issue...

• Kenya Mission Trip, page 4

• Living with Cancer, page 6

• Family Focus: Shirley Wallstrom, page 11

History of Grace Notes

Like all churches, the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church on Airport Road in Arden, North Carolina felt the need for a communication tool to keep the steadily growing church informed. No one at that time could have imagined what this small dream would eventually become.

In 1984, Carol Anderson, secretary to Pastor Don Gettys, began typing out a newsletter. It was a small fourpage newsletter, stapled in the upper left-hand corner, sharing the news of events and stories at the church, alerting the members as to what was coming next on the church calendar.

When Carol retired in 1989, Linda Morton assumed the editorship of the newsletter. In 1990, Anne Krishingner took up the reins of the fledgling newsletter which took on the official name Arden Review, with the permission of the flagship journal, The Review, from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

our community, to demonstrate a quality of life that attracts all to be reconciled to Him, to present inspirational material in a manner that will encourage people to be loving, maturing disciples of Jesus Christ.”

During the mid-1990’s the management of the Arden Review passed through several hands as the popular newsletter struggled to find a permanent editor. In 1997, with no one else to shoulder the responsibility, the task fell to Pastor Glenn Holland.

Just before Christmas, 1997, Kevin Saye walked into the pastor’s office, telling him that the newsletter did not look very professional and that he could help the church make it better. This young man, brother to church member Karen Saye, was just “off the road,” coming out of the world into the fellowship of Christianity. He was not yet baptized. But he wanted a “something” printed that he could share with his worldly friends to introduce them to Christ. And he did not know that it was the pastor who was putting the newsletter together. Not batting an eye, Pastor Glenn said, “Good. Let me introduce you to some people who can help you.” Pastor Holland introduced Kevin to Gail Bremner, a church member with some experience with graphic design, and Ken Gruesbeck, a retired member who had years of printing experience. The three of them nurtured and massaged the idea of a publication that was not “churchy” or “doctrinal” but presented the Gospel in stories and personal experiences. Gail remembers that their purpose was “by God’s grace, to reflect His character to

This iteration of the Arden newsletter had a new look and a new name – “Grace Notes.” With such a name, the various columns had musical names that reflected their content, such as, Family “Ties” and “Tuning Fork” (health). The attempt to reach Kevin’s worldly friends did not work out. Of the first issue – 200 copies were mailed to the mobile homes in the Wellington Mobile Home Park across the street from the church and 200 copies were sent to church membership family units.

The first issue under the new name (May 1998) was four pages. The second issue was 6 pages and remained that size until February 2000 when “Grace Notes” expanded to 8 pages.

In July 2001, Gail assumed the role of sole editor and graphic designer until July 2016. At that time, Gailon Morisett assumed the role of editor and graphic designer. Gailon had been working in printing and graphic design since his college days at Emmanual Missionary College (today, Andrews University). Gailon owned and operated a printing business in Detroit, Michigan and later moved to Fletcher, North Carolina where he worked for Daniels Graphics as a consultant with GE Lighting Systems, expanding their printing department and digitizing their advertising and sales graphics materials. After retirement, Gailon worked for the Academy Press, doing graphic design work for them for another nine years.

When Gailon took over the editorship of Grace Notes in 2016, he added a full color front page and eventually expanded the news magazine to 12 pages, it’s current size. Grace Notes now required two full days to print and one full day to fold, sticker, and label (Shirley Wallstrom and her team) as the mailing list had grown to nearly 900 home units – approximately 240 home units in the church membership, plus 600+ home units of former members, attendees at Arden Church programs, FLAG Camp families, and other families all over the United States. Gailon poured his heart and soul into the designing and editing of Grace Notes until his retirement in March 2024.

All these previous writers and editors have built Grace Notes into one of the major community outreach ministries of the Arden SDA Church. The GN staff will continue to pour their heart and soul into this God-inspired and Spirit-directed way to reach people with the knowledge of and acquaintance with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Grace Notes

Questionnaire

Thismonth we introduce to you, our readers, the new staff of Grace Notes (see the masthead on page 11). We are beginning our work with this May issue in which you will notice some changes. We welcome your comments about these changes – good or bad. Please write us.

Also, we are working with a reworked budget that limits what we would like to do – to what we can realistically do within our budget. For example, color printing is about 8 times more expensive than black and white printing. Therefore, we have cut back on color in our printed version to just the front and back of our beloved Grace Notes

One answer to our desire to publish Grace Notes in color is to post it on the church website in full color (beginning July, 2024). But... Would you read Grace Notes if it were posted on the church website? We don’t want to lose readership. A paper copy of Grace Notes coming to your home places it in your hands where it is likely to be read. Therefore, we will always have hard copies of Grace Notes available to mail to those who wish to receive it by mail and available to share at the church. But, a digital copy on the church website is easily accessible at all times on all digital devices – and in full color at no extra expense to us for color or mailing.

We have a mission, as expressed by one of the earlier editors: by God’s grace, to reflect His character to our community, to demonstrate a quality of life that attracts all to be reconciled to Him, and to present inspirational material in a manner that will encourage people to be loving, maturing disciples of Jesus Christ. With this mission clearly in mind, we want to improve Grace Notes to increase our readership. How best to do this? We ask you, the readers of Grace Notes, for your input by answering the questions on our Questionnaire. You can use the QR code to bring up the questionnaire on Survey Monkey and send us your input in that way. Or you can fill out the questionnaire on this page, cut it out or copy the page, and send it to us at: Grace Notes Questionnaire, Arden SDA Church, 35 Airport Road, Arden, NC 28704.

If you wish to receive Grace Notes by e-mail, please give us your contact information so that we can convert your mailed copy of Grace Notes to an e-mail copy of Grace Notes, again in full color (beginning July, 2024).

Name

Mailing Address

E-mail Address

Grace Notes / Questionnaire

1. Do you read the Grace Notes news magazine published by the Arden SDA Church?

2. Where do you receive your Grace Notes?

o On line?

o At home?

o At church?

o Other? _______________________________

3. What specific columns/stories in Grace Notes do you enjoy reading?

o Lead Story (the major story in the issue)

o The Long View (theology-focused story or discussion)

o Conversations with God (Illustrated stories from the Bible)

o Family Focus (interview of new members)

o Ministries in Action (highlighted activity of specific church ministries)

o Health and Lifestyle (health topics, focused on maintaining wellness)

o Foreign Missions (highlighting a specific church missional organization)

o Pastor’s Pen (pastor’s commentary on a personal or seasonal topic)

o Reflections (personal stories and experiences with God)

4. Which specific column do you hardly ever read? (Pick from those listed above)

5. What do you particularly like about Grace Notes?

6. What do you not like about Grace Notes?

7. Now that Grace Notes is available on the website, would you read it on the church website?

8. Would you prefer to receive Grace Notes

o as a paper format in the mail

o as an e-mail

o in a digital format on the church website

9. What would you like to see added/changed to Grace Notes?

Kenya Mission Trip

March 6-18, 2024

Cby Jonathan Fritz

onversations buzzed excitedly in the dining hall of the Mara West safari camp as we ate our first meal together in Kenya. The team members exchanged stories of the long 7,800-mile trans-Atlantic flights, toting multiple large suitcases bursting with medical supplies through customs and the jostling 3½ hour Land Cruiser ride over the rutted, muddy, and rocky roads. Each one was excited with the prospect of being used as the hands and feet of Jesus in this next week, but similarly daunted by the foreignness of the land, culture, and people.

Nearly one year prior, the vision was cast for a large, 10-day, medically focused mission trip to the remote southwest of Kenya. Largely the brainchild of Pastor Ryan and Laura Ashlock of the Fletcher SDA church, they assembled a team of 42 members ranging in age from 10 to 81 years and hailing from Florida, Michigan, and 4+ local area churches.

The home base for the group was the Mara West safari camp, which is owned and operated by the Aho family, Adventists who have devoted their lives to serving God and their local community. They operate the camp as a luxury safari experience during peak tourist season, using the camp to host mission groups during off season. The mission groups mostly volunteer on projects for African Mission Services (AHS), a non-profit organization also built and operated by the Aho family. AHS projects include a medical and dental clinic and a boarding school for girls with over 200 students. The camp is located on the western edge of the Maasai Mara Natural Reserve, roughly 160 miles from Nairobi. At an elevation of 6,500 feet, the San Diego-esque climate was quite comfortable.

The focus of service was the local people living near the base camp. These people belong predominately to two different tribal groups: the Kalenjin and the Maasai. The Kalenjin tribe are a colorful, friendly people who are primarily farmers. They are often distinguished by their many beaded necklaces and large beaded earrings. The Maasai are an equally colorful, brave tribe of warriors who are chiefly herdsmen of cows, sheep, and goats. They are recognized by their bright red or pink plaid blankets draped around their shoulders and their herding sticks.

The mission was directed in five distinct areas of service: Dental, Medical, Ophthalmic, construction, and water filtration. Our two dentists split their time between the AHS dental clinic and traveling out with our mobile medical clinic to the local villages. Our medical physician and our nurse practitioner provided primary care needs in the mobile medical clinic each day. Our two ophthalmologists set up a clinic and operating room providing pre-operative screening and testing, cataract surgery, and post-operative care. We had two anesthesiologists who

provided eye nerve blocks for cataract surgery. Our many nurses and two dental hygienists assisted in the dental, medical, and ophthalmology clinics. Many of our other team members labored in the building project and the rest assisted with the water filtration. All members sought to fulfill Jesus’ words: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.” (Matthew 25:40)

The dental group provided dental cleanings, fillings in the clinic, and many extractions both in the clinic and under the shade trees of nearby villages. After many years of neglect, the cases were difficult; the lines were long. The dental teams labored long hours to help as many as possible but always had a longer line than hours in the day.

Our medical group traveled from village to village in Land Cruisers each day diagnosing and treating skin infections, parasite infestations, and stomach pain in over 60 patients per day. The patients were triaged by several nurses, then moved to consultation and exam with the doctor or nurse practitioner before moving to the medication nurse to receive the necessary capsules.

The construction crew was tasked with finishing up some interior brick walls at the new residence for the schoolteachers. They mixed mortar, laid brick, and cleaned dried mortar. They also moved hundreds of bricks from a storage area to the job site for a new project, a new wing for the girl’s dormitory, a project for the group arriving the next week. The construction group labored hard, braving heavy lifting, the heat of the day, and sunburn to fulfill Paul’s instruction: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…” (Colossians 3:23)

Our water filtration group started the week by assembling their water filters. They used 300 water filter hardware kits that we all had discreetly transported in our suitcases and assembled them onto 5-gallon buckets through holes drilled near the bottom of the pail. Next, they took these buckets to different villages demonstrating how to use and clean the filter after use. The women of the villages draw drinking water from the nearby brown, muddy ponds that are often inhabited by hippos. It is not surprising that enteric disease/infection is the number 5 cause of death in Kenya. The villagers were amazed at how the muddy, turbid water came out of the filter clear and clean! The manufacturers of the filters claim that if they are maintained

properly, they will last 10 years. What a gift to these families! The volunteers reported that this project was so very rewarding. They claimed Jesus’ promise: “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of those little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:42)

The ophthalmology clinic was my area of focus for the week. Facing the prospect of performing cataract surgery on some of the most dense and complex cataracts in the world without the assistance of hundreds of thousands of dollars of high-tech equipment scared me to death. Despite 20+ years of experience performing cataract surgery, I realized that I would face challenges that I hadn’t previously faced, and that I would have to trust and depend on Christ’s power and leading and not on my own knowledge and experience. I recalled the words from Christ’s Object Lessons page 333: “As the will of man cooperates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings.”

Converting the upstairs living quarters of the newly built and not quite finished (no working bathroom) clinic building on the AHS campus into a functioning outpatient surgery center presented challenges. The back two bedrooms became operating rooms complete with foldable massage tables for operating beds, black out curtains over the windows, and portable operating microscopes clamped to cabinets, rocking occasionally on the thick tile floor. A large bathroom became a sterilization area for operating instrument trays complete with a new autoclave. The front living area had stations for patient check-in, preoperative testing and measurement, a reclining chair for placement of eye blocks, and a staging area for patients to wait prior to going back to the operating room. The covered front porch area became a pre-operative screening area and a post-operative examination area. We endured multiple power outages which knocked out our microscopes and sterilizing machine. We battled extremely

challenging cataracts which reduced the vision in most patients to just light perception. We prayed for a temporary Kenya medical license that came through just 2 days before the first scheduled operating day. But by God’s grace and leading through months of planning and problem solving by Francis Aho, medical director of AHS, Dr. David Markoff, and Kenyan Ophthalmologist, Dr. Charles, and his team, we were able to provide over 60 sight restoring surgeries! We soon realized that restoring vision to the patient would restore independence to not only the patient but the caregiver also. We experienced Jesus’ words: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” (Matthew 6:22)

The highlight of our last few days were multiple safari excursions into the Maasai Mara Reserve. We beheld some of God’s most beautiful, unique, colorful, and ferocious animals and birds. Seeing these creatures in their natural habitat was breathtaking. Herds of elephants, gazelles, impala, cape buffalo, and topi, journey of giraffes, crash of hippos, prides of lions, and the solitary wart hogs and cheetahs were all formed by the hand of God. After a face-to-face encounter with a large male lion at about 8 feet, I can’t wait for heaven when I could stroke his mane and scratch under his chin.

In reflection of my ten days in Kenya, three heart lessons became apparent. First, God is an awesome designer and creator who has made some incredible animals and birds in this world for us to enjoy. He forever deserves our praise. Second, the Kenyan people are a happy, warm people whose culture is focused on connection and relationship with others. This is in sharp contrast to our western culture of individualism, productivity, and accumulation of stuff in pursuit of happiness. I wonder if we would have greater happiness in our lives if we prioritized relationship and connection with our families, churches, and communities over productivity and accumulation. Third, I was thoroughly amazed at how God “equips the called” instead of “calling the equipped” to accomplish His purposes. What God was able to accomplish through this group was amazing, something I will always praise God for. We saw a fulfillment of Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

All the participants in this trip were blessed in their own way by this experience. If you have opportunity to participate in a short-term mission trip, trust in God and He will lead you to it and through it.

LIFESTYLE FOCUS

Living with Cancer

by Max Hammonds, MD, MPH, MHA

Some of the most frightening words we might hear are:

“You’ve got cancer.” We are part of the healthy population and suddenly we are one of the statistics – in which one in five develops cancer. We have followed all the precautions recommended: gotten our screening tests regularly, avoided as much as we can those environmental culprits that increase the risk of cancer, and modified our lifestyle to prevent this dread disease. But here we are – faced with one of the realities of life, that cancer will happen in one of every two males and one of every three females.

Knowing why cancer occurs will help us to know how to hold it at bay. Cancer is caused by damage to the DNA in our cells. This damage may be present at birth, but is usually caused by radiation, viruses, exposure to elements in the environment, and aging. When any of these happen, our “soldier” white blood cells in the immune system – B cells which mark cancerous cells and T cells which destroy the marked cells – attack and destroy the abnormal cells. Therefore, strengthening the immune system is key to living with cancer – and surviving it.

Four major strategies can strengthen and optimize our immune health. The first of these is physical activity. The same activity levels that are recommended for cardiovascular health – 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week – are equally effective in supporting immune health in fighting cancer. Increased activity elevates the mood and reduces anxiety and depression, especially when the activity time is shared with a friend. Physical activity also improves the hours of sleep and the quality of sleep, another booster of immune health.

Contrary to logic, an active lifestyle actually boosts energy levels and reduces fatigue, conditioning the body and maintaining physical fitness. To gain this advantage, physical activity should include balance exercises, muscle strengthening exercises, stretching exercises, as well as physical exertion. All these various exercise modalities will stress the bones and increase their strength and resilience.

In addition, physical activity reduces the symptoms of treatmentrelated side effects, leading to a greater tolerance of treatments and improved quality of life.

The second strategy is social connectedness. Becoming a member of a social group – a reading club, a church choir, a regular golfing foursome – improves the mood, decreases anxiety

and depression, and generally brightens your day – all of which strengthens the immune system.

The third strategy is lifestyle change. This strategy includes lots of interrelated activities. Eating a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, and nuts and seeds increases the intake of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals – which automatically strengthen the immune system. However, this plantbased diet also leads to achieving and maintaining an ideal weight which also strengthens the immune system.

Another nutritional aspect is avoiding the foods that impair the immune system, foods that increase oxidation and inflammation. These include red meats, especially processed meats (hot dogs, cold cuts, etc.) and fast foods, processed foods, and foods high in sugar, fats, and refined carbohydrates. All these foods-to-avoid impair the body’s ability to strengthen and maintain a strong immune system.

The fourth strategy is a positive outlook, an optimistic view of the world. Perceiving that you are doing well and that things are looking up also strengthens the immune system.

An example of this kind of thinking was illustrated when a cancer doctor suddenly was observing 74% improvement rates in his patients when his colleagues were observing only 22% improvement rates. When the doctor was asked what he was doing differently to achieve such remarkable improvements, he said, “As all of you know, we are all using the same chemotherapy cocktail to treat our patients – etoposide, platinol, oncovin, and hydroxyurea, known together as EPOH. While you have been telling your patients that they are receiving EPOH. I have been telling my patients that they are receiving HOPE, and that this combination can be remarkably effective in treating their problem.” The outlook of hopefulness had an amazing impact not just on his patients’ responses to treatment, but it actually improved the effectiveness of the chemotherapy treatment.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has shown that all these strategies are effective in preventing cancer, AND these strategies are also remarkably effective for those patients who are being treated for a cancer diagnosis in improving their response to treatment and in their mental and emotional resilience. Their immune systems are stronger and more effective in fighting off and allowing them to live with cancer – sometimes leading to an extended remission of the cancer.

Even small changes in foods consumed or not consumed, exercise activities, and weight control lead to large results in their therapy. Adopting these strategies can be effective in the ability to live with cancer – and can be lifesaving.

Max Hammonds is a retired anesthesiologist, writer, health lecturer, musician, and sailor, and writes from his home in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Arden’s Annual Women’s Retreat

Releasing Our Burdens

by Pen Braister-Sturgis

Arden’s 2nd Annual Women’s Retreat at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain was an amazing weekend for the 41 ladies that came to refresh their spiritual journey as well as unwind from their everyday lives. Crystal Earnhardt’s message on “Redeemed, Restored and Released” nudged our thoughts toward the biblical stories of the two sisters, Mary and Martha, and the story of Joseph.

Martha was too busy with her daily chores to appreciate the Lord’s visit, but her sister, Mary, valued their special guest and showered Him with her undivided attention. Mary knew that she had been set free from her sinful life. She recognized that she was “redeemed” by His grace. Meanwhile, Martha’s faith was “restored” by her Redeemer. He helped her realize the importance of salvation vs the busyness of daily life. Joseph was “released” from his slavery and raised up from the lowest to the second highest position in Egypt. In this position, he was used by God to not only bless Pharaoh and his entire kingdom, but also to save his family and preserve the lineage that eventually led to Messiah.

Along with the biblical stories, Ms. Crystal shared personal stories on racing and the impact of sharing Christian literature with race car fans. The music led by Julie and Elle was beautiful. Just hearing female voices reminded me of angels singing in heaven.

Along with a powerful message, our ladies were blessed with gorgeous weather in the mountains, along with hikes, camp fires at night, and “releasing our burdens and cares to God” through the releasing of butterflies into the air.

On a personal note, I loved doing the crafts. The Prayer Jar was my favorite. Jamie showed us how to decorate a mason jar and add our daily prayers to it, allowing and trusting God to do His part in our lives. I also enjoyed Sabbath morning’s devotion, where you chose a special verse from the tables and explained how that verse applied to your individual life. The essential oils added such a unique perspective to the Bible verses.

Spa night was a favorite among the ladies. You massaged each other’s hands, followed by a manicure, or pedicure, or both. The head anointing reminded me of Jesus’ time among the disciples. It was humbling, moving and a first for many of the ladies present. Overall, it was an excellent weekend and one I hope to attend for many years to come. Blessings to all who attended and those reading this story.

28 Fundamentals: “The Godhead”

by Max Hammonds

Albert (a.k.a. Pawpaw) Broot stood in his daughter’s Michigan house, observing the gentle feathers of falling snow. Mark, his grandson, standing in the kitchen archway, asked, “Pawpaw, who is God? What’s He like?”

Pawpaw continued watching the snow. “An interesting question. Why do you ask?”

Mark drew a deep breath. “I want to understand Him. Don’t have enough information.”

Pawpaw nodded. “Common complaint. Not enough information.” He turned to face his grandson. “Mark, if you wanted to introduce yourself to someone from another culture, what would you do?”

“I would text them,” Mark responded.

“Text them, of course,” Pawpaw laughed. “I would write them a detailed letter, describing exactly who I was, my family, language, education, work – all about me.” Pawpaw paused. “Is God quite different from us?”

“Yes, of course.” Then Mark paused. “And you think He purposefully wrote us a letter, don’t you, to explain Himself?”

Pawpaw crossed the family room and sat next to the fireplace in his favorite chair. “What have you learned about God from the letter He wrote?” Pawpaw tapped the Bible lying on the side table.

“I learned the stories in Genesis – and the Psalms... I really like the Psalms.” Mark was suddenly animated. “I learned that God is loving, gracious, faithful, holy, righteous... and God always keeps His promises. That’s pretty important.

“Yep,” Pawpaw agreed. “Those words describe God’s character. Critical to understand. But – did you learn about God’s powers, special abilities? Like in Psalm 139?”

“Oh, Pawpaw, I learned those things in Bible class – knowing everything, being everywhere, able to do everything,” Mark quickly summarized.

Pawpaw nodded. “Okay. Then, how about this? Using your Legos, can you create something and also be part of what you create?”

“No.” Mark shook his head vigorously. “To do that, I would have to create me. A creator can’t create himself.”

“Exactly. Good for you.” Pawpaw was all smiles. “Likewise, the Creator can’t be part of what He created. He must exist outside of and separate from His creation. Like you and your Legos, God can reach into His creation and adjust things. God created the earth by speaking it into existence. But – how did God create mankind – in Genesis 2:7?”

“God personally created Adam from the ‘dust of the ground’ and ‘breathed into him the breath of life,’” Mark recited. “Another memory verse.”

“God broke into His own creation and adjusted it.” Pawpaw’s right hand plunged through the circle made by his left thumb and forefingers. “It’s called transcendence. God got personally, intimately, lovingly involved in His creation.

“Then God went one step further than you can with your Legos.” Pawpaw saw Mark’s questioning face. He motioned to the Bible. “Read John 1, verses 1 to 3. Who is the Word?”

Mark quickly found the passage and read silently. “It says in verse 14 that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us – as Jesus.”

“Yes, but who was the Word before He became flesh?” Pawpaw waited a minute. “John writes the Word was God. Did Jesus exist in a different form prior to becoming the Son of God and Man?”

“That’s... partly what I don’t understand.” Mark spoke haltingly.

“Let’s look in God’s letter to explain Himself.” Pawpaw handed his Bible to Mark. “Who’s speaking to Moses at the burning bush – in Exodus 2, verses 2 to 6? Who’s speaking to Balaam in Numbers 22:20 and 35?”

Mark worked silently, reading each passage carefully. After a few minutes he responded. “The Angel of the Lord speaks initially, but later the words are the words of God. Who is the Angel of the Lord, Pawpaw?”

“In all the places where this happens – the Angel speaks but the words are God’s. The letter never explains fully. But the evidence, I think,” Pawpaw spoke slowly, searching for the right words, “is – the Angel of the Lord is the Word. In the Old Testament, whenever we hear God speak, it’s God the Word, the personality who speaks for the Godhead. To the angels, the Word is known – in physical form and in speaking – as the Archangel Michael, named in Daniel 12 and Revelation 12. To us humans, the Word is Jesus.”

“And what about the Holy Spirit? He’s God also, yes?” Mark blurted out.

“Yes, He’s God also, Mark.” Pawpaw blinked his eyes rapidly as he contemplated his own astonishment at what he was sharing. “His work is described in the Old Testament, mentioned by name by Isaiah and David. But in the New Testament his personality and work are more clearly described.”

“But how can that be?” Mark was clearly perplexed. “How can He be one God and be three personalities? How can Jesus be God and become part of His own creation? Does God ever explain this?”

“He never does, Mark.” Pawpaw leaned back in his chair. “He uses concepts we’re familiar with to describe the work of the Father and the Son. And He uses familiar metaphors to describe the work of the Holy Spirit – mentor, counselor, tutor – human workers we can relate to. But He never explains how He does it.” Pawpaw shook his head. “If He did, I suspect we wouldn’t understand Him anyway. So... He doesn’t. God does His work and expects us to accept His explanation and follow Him by evidence we can understand – His love, grace, faithfulness, mercy, righteousness – His character. Can you accept this on faith, Mark?”

“I think so.” Mark was thoughtful. “I need to think about it.”

“Good for you.”

Cast Down, But Not Destroyed from Riverside Farm, Zambia, Africa

Part 3 (final episode of a continuing story)

by Alicia Marie Harding

When Winston was in the most distress he cried about his severe tummy pain more than he ever did his head injury. Later two of my close friends said that they had specifically prayed for God to heal any internal bleeding. I can’t say what caused his severe abdominal pain, but by the time we got to the hospital his pain had almost subsided and his abdominal scan came back completely clear. Because... God.

On the other side of the world back home, a close friend of the Eller’s, whose son was in our vehicle, said that she woke up in the middle of the night and felt a strong impression to pray specifically for Benjamin. We are so grateful that after he recovered from his mild concussion, he checked out completely okay.

The last Friday evening before we left, our friend Nebert shared a heartfelt devotional thought and pled with the church to intercede with prayer for the evangelism team, and then seemed to be earnestly concerned for the small church gathering to pray for our group traveling to join them two days later. I remember thinking, “That’s nice, but we don’t need special prayer. We experience this trip every year and it’s no big deal to go.” Little did I know how much we would need those prayers, but... GOD. HE knew what was to lie before us and intercessory prayer was going up before we even knew why.

At the first remote hospital where we waited, a beautiful missionary couple that lived a few kilometers away had heard of our accident and showed up at the hospital to help and opened their home for our group to crash in that night. They had been faithfully serving there for 25 years, and when they heard where we were heading, they said, ‘That is a really bad area! We have seen so many missionaries come and leave after trying to work in that area but ended up leaving with strange illnesses and complications.” We weren’t the only ones the devil had cast down. But greater than the work of the enemy is our GOD! Because on the last Sabbath of crusade, 68 souls gave their hearts to Jesus and were baptized! Before our trip I had picked out a theme song for our team to sing throughout our trip. It’s a song right out of II Corinthians 4:69. I taught it to my children and we sang it in family worship every night. I practiced the accompaniment on my guitar. I taught it to

a few friends to sing along. The words of this scripture rang in my mind for days...

“For God, who said, ‘Let the light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” 2 Cor. 4:6-9.

After reflecting on all our personal experiences and listening to all the stories coming in around ours, and the evangelism work being done, the words hit me with new meaning. That was it! It was the light of God’s Word being shone through the darkness being battled here. God had been shining through the hearts of the team there to share God’s Word and His Love! We are like humble, simple jars of clay to be the means of sharing this great treasure in God’s Word. And the devil was attacking the jars of clay holding that treasure of Truth and Divine Love.

Oh yes, we were – and others had been – troubled on every side. It would take more pages to tell you all the things that happened. There was distress. There were perplexing moments. We were cast down, but by the grace of God, NOT destroyed!

How intentional and personal God was to give me that promise in His word to claim and hold on to, knowing what was before us, before we knew we needed it. How kind of Him plant in my mind the words I would later refer back to for encouragement.

And encouragement it has been! For me personally, I am buoyed up more than ever before to let Jesus’ light shine in my life. Let Him do what He will! There is a world full of so much darkness and sin. So much evil. So much sorrow. My purpose is renewed to seek more of Jesus so that He can shine through with greater power. The devil won’t win. We serve a powerful God who deserves all the glory in distress and in victory. And I am humbled, and challenged, and grateful, to be serving Him.

God never said we wouldn’t experience tribulation. In fact, he says we will. But He has promised that He will be there with us in the midst of it all.

We serve a beautiful, powerful, good God!

Arden Adventist

Grandma’s Legacy of Music

by Elle Fritz

Music has always been a part of my life.

My mother was a music major at Andrew’s University in 1971. She was my first piano teacher at the age of 7. She taught music and sang in and directed multiple choirs. She also sang duets with my dad in church. My sisters still sing and one plays violin. My paternal grandmother played beautiful piano by ear, having taught herself to play at a young age. I fondly remember my grandmother playing hymns and experimenting with different chords to make it sound richer. She has a special place in my musical journey.

Grandma and I loved to sit at the piano and play duets together. She was always trying to find music for me that would challenge me. I still have a classical book to this day that is a challenge to play yet pushes me out of my comfort zone to learn something new. When I was in 9th grade my family moved to the same town as both grandmas. (They lived on the same street.) It was wonderful to connect with them almost daily and learn more about their lives.

remembers her graceful accompaniments. Grandma wrote and published a wedding song in the 1970’s. Jon and I rediscovered that song, singing it at our wedding.

Grandma was a loving, caring person. She wrote poetry often and her favorite thing to write about was heaven and Jesus, her personal Savior. Grandma looked forward to the day when Jesus comes again. One song that she wrote talks about being changed in a moment.

Grandma was a gentle soul, never raising her voice to her children or her grandchildren. Music and art were her outlets. As a college student I was able to visit Grandma to learn about her art and her music – just then beginning to realize how talented she was. She was a volunteer pianist for a local traveling Christian choir. After I began dating Jon, we discovered that Jon’s dad was a member of that choir and

Here is a taste of her words:

“We shall all be changed in a moment, In the closing of an eye.

We shall all be taken to heaven, To dwell with Him on high.

We’ll sing to angels redemption’s story, This feeling they’ve never known.

We’ll reign with Christ in all His glory; With blood He bought us for His own.

We shall all be changed in a moment, Like the miracle of birth.

We shall all be changed when God has spoken, “It is finished here on earth.”

I too look forward to that day when God speaks the word and all pain and suffering will vanish. Then we can see our loved ones again, and we will all be changed and made new.

Even when Grandma suffered with Alzheimer’s disease and no longer recognized her family, she could sit at the piano and play songs by request. It truly was the last skill she retained and for that we are thankful. After her death, we as a family discovered over 40 original scores, all handwritten in pencil. These scores were duets, 4-part harmony, songs for children’s choir, and hymns. I am in the process of transferring them to a computer and printing them, with hopes to have her music in print for the family legacy. It was her dream to have a book of her sacred music.

This month as we celebrate our mothers, grandmothers, and other wonderful ladies in our lives, I am thankful for the legacy of music in my family and to God, the creator of song that so richly blesses our lives.

FAMILY FOCUS

Shirley Wallstrom

Oby Jean Davey

ur family focus this month features Shirley Wallstrom. Shirley has been a member of the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church for twenty-one years and loves the friendliness of the people.

Shirley was born in Sidney, New York. At the age of six months, she and her family moved to Buffalo, New York. They lived there until she was seven, and then they moved to Orchard Park, New York which is home of the NFL’s football team, the Buffalo Bills. She remembers the stadium where the Bills played because when she was growing up, it was still just a large corn field! Shirley has one brother who is four years older and lives in Milton, Massachusetts.

She attended her kindergarten and pre-K at PS28, which is a public school in Buffalo. She then attended the Buffalo Seventh-day Adventist church school for 4 years. She and her family moved out to the country. Her parents didn’t want her to have to take so many buses to school, so she went to the Orchard Park Public School and graduated from there.

Shirley has worked in various interesting jobs during the course of her career. While she went to school at the University of Buffalo, she worked in a restaurant at the soda bar, then in the central supply of a hospital in Buffalo. She then continued night school at the University of Buffalo and worked as a lab technician at the State University of New York at Brockport. She continued her studies at the University of Buffalo and eventually moved to Albany to become an Engineering Technician. She attended Hudson Valley Community College and graduated from Southern Adventist University where she got her teaching degree. She ended up moving south and taught at the Florence SDA School in South Carolina and then in Timmonsville, S.C. Eventually, she got married, left teaching, and became a cartographer (map maker). Shirley moved back to Albany after going through a divorce and went back to teaching in a church school. She then worked in home health care for the elderly and worked in this capacity until she retired.

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

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

Jim & Carolyn Sullenberger Proofreaders

Shirley Wallstrom Circulation Manager

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.org

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

She moved to western North Carolina in 1986 because her mom lived in the area, and she wanted to be closer to her as she was aging. She visited most of the Seventh-day Adventist churches in the area, but when she came to the Arden SDA Church, she felt it was the friendliest and met her needs the most. She joined and has been a member of Arden ever since. She enjoys the Sabbath School class led by Tom Arany. She also helps with the Grace Notes newsletter. In the past, she worked with the Pathfinders at other churches, which she enjoyed.

Shirley enjoys waking up early and enjoys studying the Bible. She is reading a chapter a day with Lorraine Hanson alternating between the Old and New Testaments. She also enjoys reading and keeping up with friends by email. She lives with her cat, Mr. Kitty. We are happy that Shirley is part of the Arden church family!

Grace Notes is published monthly by the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church. Subscription is free by calling or emailing the office. †If 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.

Jean Davey is retired from the University of South Carolina, where she worked as a computer programmer in the Payroll, Budget and Human Resources Departments. Jean writes from her home in Hendersonville, North Carolina.