Christian Living Magazine March April 2021

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March / April 2021

MATTHEW

Nu’uvali

From prison to promise

DAYS OF

Noah

Ark door shuts tight

FEAR IS NOT

GOD’S

Walk with Jesus daily

Sometimes a surprise

Your Boss

Confirmation Matthew Nu’uvali is shown with his wife Samantha and his daughter Angelic

Contents March / April 2021 “He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.” — Psalm 104:19

FEATURES

Publisher Sandy Jones christianlivingmag@gmail.com 208-703-7860

Caldwell Prayer Walk set for April 10 5

Editor Gaye Bunderson Submit story ideas, article submissions & press releases editorgaye@gmail.com

Nampans to hold Prayer Walk April 24 5

Vincent Kituku:

Building a boys’ school

10

Homeskool: Walk 16 Cover Story

General Info christianlivingmag@gmail.com 208-703-7860

24

Matthew Nu’uvali:

20

Faith and reason:

28

Give pause:

36

Founders’ vision:

32

Zacchaeus’ example:

38

The Days of Noah – Part 3: The ark door shuts

Resurrection time frame Our country

COLUMNS 6

Choosing to Love: A look at pride

8

Real Man’s Toolbox: No angry fishermen

Dots: 12 God Mango Tree Centre

DEPARTMENTS 7

Understanding Relationships: Tone deaf?

Child: 16 Wednesday’s Meet Joseph

IN EACH EDITION 4

Publisher’s Corner: Message to teen self

www.christianlivingmag.com

Volume 10, Number 2

Former ‘hellion’

Listen for God God in the equation

14 22 18

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The Road Less Traveled: God’s confirmation Mom Keep Calm: Covid care boxes “I Get To!”®: Walk with the Prince

Contributors Daniel Bobinski, Rachel Brown, Rick Chromey, Jim Day, Roxanne Drury, Joan Endicott, Terry Frisk, Leo Hellyer, Jason Herring, Janet Lund, Rosie Main, Gary Moore, Steve Nelson, Bethany Riehl & Samantha Tovalin Website Design SEO Idaho

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Christian Living is committed to encouraging and instructing individuals in their daily lives by presenting stories of people in the Treasure Valley who are living on a foundation of faith in Jesus Christ and who serve as uplifting examples to others. Views expressed in Christian Living do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by Christian Living to insure accuracy of the publication contents. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of all information nor the absence of errors and omissions; hence, no responsibility can be or is assumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2021 by Christian Living Ministries Inc. Christian Living is published every other month and is available in over 600 locations throughout the Treasure Valley and Twin Falls, including grocery stores, convenience stores, medical waiting areas, and churches. If your church would like additional copies please email us today at christianlivingmag@gmail.com Annual subscriptions available for $12/year. To start your subscription or give one as a gift send your check or money order, along with complete address information, and a phone number to call in case there’s questions about your subscription to Christian Living Magazine, PO Box 867, Meridian, ID 83680.

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 3

PUBLISHER’S Corner

What would you say to your teen self ?

Keeping this in mind, I knew that whatever

By Sandy Jones I would tell my teenage self it had to be someDo you ever feel that life is just plain confusing? thing I could relate to and would carry into the Yep. Me too! future. Something that would impact my whole For instance I’m scrolling through social media; life, and yet something I wouldn’t blow off. it’s the first of the month, and people have bills The youngest of six kids, I was perhaps an due so they seem to be selling everything. I scroll “oops” – I mean, who has five kids in a 12past a pair of super cute jeans. The description year timespan and then has No. 6 five years says “size 26.” I openly admit that I’m a grandlater? TMI? Perhaps. Please forgive me if it is, ma, and am rather old-school, although I do try but I share this to explain that although I had to keep up on current trends so I don’t embarrass wonderful parents and a beautiful, very large my kids and grandkids too badly, but trust me family, I struggled with a fear of abandonment. these jeans are tiny – they don’t look like a “size Our mother was ill when I was born, so my 26” from my era. older siblings were great to pitch in and help Scrolling further I find a cute pair of shoes. with their baby sister. Mom got better; however, You know, the kind nurses and hair dressers wear. Sandy Jones the imprint was already there – I viewed my Practical, and yet still stylin’ it. Size 32; another siblings as my caretakers, and as they got marsimilar pair size 41. Wait…what? I’m confused. I’m a 6½ wide. ried and moved away one by one, my child-brain registered it How does that translate?

I scroll a bit further and see a meme our friend Gary posted. It as abandonment.

I remember as a child worrying that my mom might actusaid, “What would you like to tell your teenage self ?” ally leave me too. Silly I know, but a true childhood concern For some reason that stuck with me, and as I scrolled on, then nonetheless. went about my day, I thought about it more and more. What Back to the question, and ultimately my answer. I know we would I like to tell my teenage self ? all have our childhood scars; they’re just different. When my Without whining about my own personal insecurities let’s just mother passed away 14 years ago, she was one of my best say I’ll admit to having some. I think we all do, just in different friends and we were blessed to have her and Dad living right areas. Some of mine often cause me to doubt my self-worth. It’s next door. an area I believe we all suffer with in one form or another, if What would teenage Sandy listen to? I mean really listen to? we’re honest about it, so it’s an easy area for the enemy to attack.

What could or would change the course of her life? And then He tells us we’re all alone, we’re unworthy, nobody cares. The it came to me… list goes on and on.

‘That God in heaven really does see you. That He really does So as I spent time reflecting on the question of what would I care about you. That He really does hear your prayers, and like to tell my teenage self, I also recalled many adults who fed actually wants to hear from you. That He has a future calling great words of wisdom into my life, much of which I totally ignored, telling myself I was different or they just didn’t get it, that for your life – something bigger than you might ever imagine – and that He would give you the right gifts at the perfect time. they didn’t understand.

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Caldwell Prayer Walk set for April 10

All with the reassurance that even when He appears to be quiet, never forget that He’s right there; and that if you feel far away from Him, it’s you that moved, not Him. He will never leave you or forsake you.’

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NIV “…God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” – Hebrews 13:5b I know I can’t go back and talk to my teenage self; I’ll just have to start today so that I never forget and live out the rest of my days knowing, really knowing, and believing that no matter what the future brings, He holds tomorrow and His plan is already in place. He is and always will be on the Throne and is bigger than anything life can throw at me.

Now it’s your turn: What would you like to tell your teenage self ?

Until next time…

God Bless! n Could I ask a favor? Please frequent our advertisers, and thank them for supporting Christian Living Magazine – we really couldn’t do this without every one of them!

The Spring Prayer Walk for Caldwell will take place on Saturday, April 10, beginning at 3 p.m.

The walk will start at the Caldwell Memorial Park at Kimball and Grant streets and then weave its way through downtown, with participants praying at various places for the mayor, city council, police, firemen, and paramedics. Prayer will also be offered for all the people in Caldwell and surrounding communities, and for the nation, peace, and for a turning away from violence, as the Holy Spirit leads.

People who have difficulty walking may remain at the park and pray there.

Everyone is welcome. For more information, contact walk organizer Arlene Robinett at (208) 391-8516. n

Nampans to hold prayer walk April 24

There will be a prayer walk in Nampa, patterned after the annual Caldwell Prayer Walk, beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 24. Participants will first gather at the Nampa Depot at 1200 Front St. and then walk throughout downtown, praying for local businesses, the mayor, city council, first responders, and all medical workers.

“In a spirit of repentance, humility, and gratefulness, we will also pray for the many residents of Nampa, our children, their parents, schoolteachers and caregivers. We will pray for wisdom in our leaders' discussions and decisions, and for protection over all of us,” said walk organizer Mary Ann Tschannen.

Everyone is welcome. For more information, call the organizer at (208) 466-2242. n

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 5

CHOOSING to Love

Understanding the two kinds of pride

By Daniel Bobinski Note: In March of 2020 I decided to use this space to focus on God’s greatest command. If you’re connecting with this series for the first time and would like to read the earlier columns on this topic, I encourage you to visit Christian Living’s website to read the whole series. Visit www.christianlivingmag.com/ columns/

Paul is saying that such actions are never part of agape love.

Jesus is our ultimate example of agape here.

As God in the flesh, he had zero need to puff up his abilities or accomplishments.

And so, if we are to love the Lord our God, we have no need to puff up his abilities or accomplishments, either when talking with Him directly or when telling others about Him. Then comes loving our neighbors. There’s no need to puff them up, either. No need to inflate their ego through flattery. According to the Apostle Paul, doing so would be acting in a non-loving manner. Of course, that doesn’t mean we need to deflate another person, either.

It’s best if we acknowledge people’s abilities and accomplishments with a balanced, realistic

This series on biblical (agape) love is built upon the greatest command: Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. When I first Daniel Bobinski started this series, I pointed out that the “as” in that statement means “in the same way as.” assessment.

I also pointed out that some argue we’re not supposed to love I’ve been around people who regularly over-inflate other ourselves; we’re supposed to deny ourselves. I always say both statements are true, it’s just that clarification is needed for what people’s accomplishments, and I must say, it doesn’t take long for me to doubt everything they’re saying. Consistently puffing “self ” means for each use. up other people causes one to come across insincere.

Denying ourselves refers to following the ways of the flesh.

That leaves loving ourselves. If we agape ourselves, we can’t Absolutely – we’re supposed to deny the lusts of the flesh and inflate our own abilities and accomplishments. As when talking follow after Jesus. But when Scripture says to love ourselves, it with others, if we inflate our own abilities or accomplishments, refers to cherishing what the indwelling Holy Spirit is doing it doesn’t take long for others to not trust what we say – and within us as He transforms us into the image of Christ. that greatly inhibits our ability to tell others about Jesus.

Think of that transformation this way: If God is patient In the same way that I begin to doubt someone when they toward us, who are we to think ourselves better than God and puff up and flatter others, I also doubt people when they exagbe impatient with ourselves? I don’t see any place in Scripture gerate or overstate their own capabilities. where God gets impatient with Himself, so if we are being So, that’s what NOT to do. But as I’ve asked in previous transformed into the image of God, then neither should we installments, what should we do instead? become impatient with ourselves.

One could say the opposite of pride is humility, but I think it As we move into this next installment of our examination of goes farther than that. After all, it’s easy for some to fall into a biblical love, which is Love is not proud, we need to keep in pattern of false humility. Therefore, I think the healthiest apmind a similar differentiation of denying ourselves vs. loving proach for actions to take in place of being puffed up is simply ourselves. being realistic.

The reason for this differentiation is that two types of pride It’s kind of like when Jesus said for your “yes” to be “yes” exist. One of them is healthy; the other is not. and your “no” to be “no.” There’s no need for stretching realIt is healthy for us to “take pride” in something, such as ity in any direction. You are who you are, you have been gifted taking pride in our children or our work. That’s because one with skills that God wants you to have, and with that alone, definition of having pride is “to highly value something.” As God loves you so much that he sent His Son to die on a cross an example, if my daughter finds a creative way to solve a to redeem you to Himself – no matter how many imperfecproblem, I value her ability to do that, so I take pride in her tions you may have. accomplishments.

The main difference between Love “does not boast” and “is This is the kind of pride spoken of by the Apostle Paul in 2 not proud” is the concept of puffing up. To boast means to Corinthians 7:4, where he tells the Corinthians, “I have spobrag about accomplishments; to be proud in the physioõ sense ken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I is to inflate one’s accomplishments so as they appear larger or am greatly encouraged...” (NIV). Paul uses the Greek word better than what they were. doxazõ when talking about this healthy kind of pride.

With that in mind, the healthiest, most agape response is to However, our 1 Corinthians 13 definition of what love is and be a realist. Display no false humility, but also do no boasting isn’t uses a different word. Here, Paul uses the Greek word or puffing up, either. n physioõ to indicate an unhealthy type of pride. In addition to being translated “proud,” physioõ is also translated “puffed up” and “arrogant.” This idea is to make oneself or one’s work Daniel Bobinski, M.Ed. is an award-winning and best-selling author and a popular speaker at conferences and retreats. appear greater than what really exists. BlueLetterBible.org Reach him at daniel@eqfactor.net or (208) 375-7606. tells us it’s similar in concept to a bellows, “used to inflate, to cause to swell up.”

6 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

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UNDERSTANDING Relationships

Spouses, is your marriage ‘tone deaf ’?

Before going any further, I want to say that I understand that it’s not always how you say something; it can also be what you say that creAuthor’s note: Many of these thoughts are ates conflict and hurt feelings. from the book, “The First Few Years of We feel tone stronger than we hear words.

Marriage” by Jim Burns and Doug Fields.

When negative words are combined with negative tone, trouble is bound to follow. In fact, At one time in my career, I worked with a authors Burns and Fields say it’s double the man who was absolutely brilliant. In fact, I’m trouble. When you express your words with a convinced he was a genius. He actually turned down a full-ride academic scholarship to Hartone of sarcasm, shame, pessimism, insincerity, vard so he could go to a Christian college and guilt, negativity, assumption, or speculation, your seminary. But Berk, as I called him, was tone spouse barely hears the actual words. But, the deaf when it came to music. We used to laugh tone shouts at him/her loud and clear. If you’ve about it. He would say he sang the same way been married very long, you’ve probably had a he preached – without notes. time of “heated fellowship” that was less about A lot of marriages are tone deaf too. Many Gary Moore the words and more about the negative energy couples can’t hear the negative tone that acbehind the words. Why? Because we tend to feel companies their communication. We all know it’s not always tone stronger than the words we hear. what you say to each other that creates tension. It’s how you Over the years I’ve learned to manage my tongue, but even say it. The “how” involves tone. My friend Berk could have when I’m silent or speechless, an exasperated sigh can reveal spent a lot of money on voice lessons, but he’d still have most negativity. Or when my wife and I are in the car and I know likely been tone deaf. He couldn’t change that. we’re going to be late, I can simply take a heavy, deep breath But unlike Berk’s condition, you can learn to change the tone that she receives as a tone of disappointment. Even when I in your marriage and begin to make beautiful music together. don’t use any words, she can hear my frustration clearly.

This change isn’t always easy, but it can be done. Positive tones Continued on page 9 and healthy communication are learned traits.

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 7

REAL Man’s Toolbox

Beware of your anger while fishing

more, take control of ourselves, and know what trigBy Leo Hellyer gers our anger. To maximize God we need to draw Here we are, the spring of 2021, a time of new near to Him, experience His unconditional love and growth, new challenges, new opportunities, and new acceptance, accept who God has made each of us successes. Wherever we are in our lives right now, to be, trust Him, let Him be in control, be grace givour successes depend greatly upon our motivations ers, and be people of prayer. and emotions. Many men head out to search for Chip points out that, “With God in our hearts hungry fish in the spring. While this is a wonderful there is little room for anything else” and “The sport, pastime, or hobby, we have a much more immore we allow God’s love to infiltrate every fiber of portant responsibility and mission assignment from our being, the less room there is for anger to reside.” our Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ.

I will definitely agree that there are many things In Matthew 4:19 Jesus says, “Follow me, and I and individuals that make it difficult to keep our will make you fishers of men (people).” anger in check. Some of the things that may If we call ourselves Christians, we are to be more contribute to our out of control anger are Covid, and more like Christ every day. As we fish for men illness, unemployment, politicians, deceit, destruc(people), it would be good to know what Jesus’ tion, lawlessness, selfishness, lies, corruption, lack of thoughts are about different types of people. In patriotism, unconstitutional actions, abortion laws Matthew 5, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, Leo Hellyer and policies. You may have additional things to add “Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are those to this list. who mourn… Blessed are the gentle… Blessed are those who hunAs Chip points out in concluding his book, we need to express ger and thirst for righteousness… Blessed are the merciful… Blessed anger appropriately and resolve it. If you want to be the best fisher are the pure in heart… Blessed are the peacemakers… Blessed are of men that you can possibly be, I highly recommend that you add those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness...

Blessed are you when men (people) cast insults at you, and persecute Chip Ingram’s book Overcoming Emotions that Destroy to your Real Man’s Toolbox. you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely.”

I deal with anger issues on almost a daily basis. There are times Men who fish the rivers, lakes, and oceans of this planet should when I am quick to anger instead of quick to listen. I have to know that having your emotions in control can lead to a much frequently go back into God’s presence and be refilled by Him to more productive day of fishing for food than if you are volatile in meet the challenges of life. There is a high burnout rate among your reactions to life’s challenges. God gave us emotions to express those who serve the needs of others. Those who serve must be ourselves concerning life’s situations on a daily basis. The emotions filled by the Spirit to be able to give God’s love. We must refresh that God gave us are not bad. But the way we express ourselves can our relationship with God Almighty to be able to share His love be very destructive.

In 2009, Chip Ingram published a book that is titled, Overcoming with His children. As you are lifting up the needs of others to our Heavenly Father, don’t forget to lift up your needs as well. As you Emotions that Destroy. In the book you will see how destructive experience God’s unconditional, unending love and acceptance for anger can be if not kept under control. Anger can come from other you, you will be able to share it with those He brings across your emotions, or it can destroy the positive aspects of other emotions. path.

Whether we are fishing for seafood or the souls of people, anger Be prepared for and eagerly expecting God’s divine appointas an emotion can greatly impact the success of our fishing. In his ments, to step up and share your time and love, and in turn God’s book, Chip discusses God’s Anger Management Plan by pointlove, with others. n ing out that Jesus’ own half-brother mentioned this plan in James 1:19-20: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and Leo Hellyer is a non-staff pastor with a local church and has been married slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the to his wife Norma for more than 45 years. The couple volunteered with the righteous life that God desires.”

When we let our anger take control, we don’t catch much seafood, Boise FamilyLife Ministry Team for 20 years. Leo has also been serving with Boise Rescue Mission Ministries for 20 years and is currently serving or do a very good job sharing God’s love with someone. So if we at the River of Life Rescue Mission. He is president and chief firearms want to be good fishermen or fishers of men (people), what can we do to not let anger get in control of us? Chip points out that we need instructor with Helping Hands Firearms Training LLC. If you have to minimize stress and maximize God. To minimize stress we should questions about Real Man’s Toolbox, or need other assistance, Leo may be reached at silverplate426@msn.com or 208-340-5544. eliminate hurry, downsize expectations, admit our mistakes, laugh

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‘Tone Deaf ’

Continued from page 7

Here’s the truth about your spouse: you didn’t marry a robot.

Robots don’t discern tone. They simply respond to words. Siri and Google Assistant aren’t smart enough to pick up on tone or innuendo. But our spouses pick up on it quickly. You married an amazing person who is wise and emotionally aware enough to discern your tone and interpret it when it’s negative.

A negative tone can create unnecessary defensiveness and stir up additional conflict. Let’s be real. A lot of the time, the issue that created the tension wasn’t what escalated it. The conflict began as a mini flame until the negative tone added fuel, and then it became a blazing inferno. A little negativity can create a lot of damage.

Once a spouse hears a negative, demeaning tone, all the “good stuff ” in his or her brain stops working the way it should. It produces a chemical reaction of stress hormones that simultaneously shut down good communication and intimacy. If you regularly use a negative tone with your spouse, you might be reading this and thinking, “Well, when I’m really mad, I can’t control my tone.” While that statement may feel 100 percent accurate, it’s 100 percent wrong. Tone isn’t a matter of self-control; it’s a matter of choice.

Reality check time. The majority of the time, we’re in control of our tone when we’re talking with friends, when we’re at work, and even when we’re engaging with total strangers.

Negative tone tends to appear most prominently in marriage and parenting. Ironically, it shows up with those we love the most. Too often everyone except our spouses are the recipients of our best tone. There’s something fundamentally wrong with this reality. When negative tone happens too often, your spouse will begin to lose respect for you, and emotional distance and marital drift will become the norm.

Remember, you can learn to change the tone in your marriage and begin to make beautiful music together. And although this change isn’t always easy, it can be done. Positive tones and healthy communication are learned traits. n Gary Moore served as associate pastor at Cloverdale Church of God for 15 years. He does couples’ coaching and leads couples’ workshops and retreats called MUM’s the Word. He does a weekly radio program called Life Point Plus on KBXL 94.1FM at 8:45 a.m. on Fridays. Monday mornings at 10 a.m. he does live relationship teaching called MUM Live on his Facebook page Mutual Understanding Method. He may be contacted at glmoore113@gmail.com.

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 9

VINCENT Kituku

School for boys the newest Kenya project

This is a photo of what ultimately became, or will soon become, the boys’ dormitory at Caring Hearts Boys High School in Kenya. The dormitory will house 320 boys when it is fully completed. (Courtesy photo)

By Gaye Bunderson Vincent Kituku is a man strongly connected to two countries: his adopted home, the USA, and his native land, Kenya. He has family and commitments in both places and flies frequently back and forth from the States to Africa. At least that was his pre-pandemic routine. For now, he flies across oceans and continents only by Zoom or cell phone; but he has important projects in his homeland that he cannot forsake. He is helping educate children.

More than 10 years ago, Vincent visited Kenya and was deeply troubled by the many young people he saw orphaned

by AIDS and struggling to survive on their own. They were not receiving the right kind of help, if any help at all. He could have simply flown back to Boise and forgotten it all, but he soon realized that was not going to be possible for him – the children’s images haunted him and he struggled with the need to help, however he could.

In 2010, he launched Caring Hearts and Hands of Hope from Boise, with the goal of reaching Kenyan children in desperate situations, especially as it concerned helping them receive educations to work their way up from poverty. Then, in 2015, he bought an existing school in Nguluni, Kenya, renamed it Caring Hearts High School, and began educating girls there to give them better lives.

Very recently, he took on the task of building a boys’ school.

In 2020, he bought some buildings that were in such poor con-

10 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

dition they had been condemned. “The owner of the buildings called me,” Vincent said. “He knew I had an interest.”

Despite the structures’ woeful state of disrepair, Vincent saw some plusses in the buildings and their location. “They are near a major road and a hospital, plus a police station,” he said. They are also quite close to the girls’ school, so he purchased them.

Though Vincent has always worked to help both boys and girls, some may ask why he started with the girls’ school first.

He explained: “When we opened the girls’ school, it turned into a protection center, as many of the girls were being abused in some way.”

Girls and boys are treated differently in Kenya, as well as other parts of Africa. The short version of this situation is that boys are treated better. Vincent, who has 3 daughters, as well as a son, doesn’t adhere to the notion that boys always deserve the best and the girls get what’s left. He openly admits that starting the girls’ school first was quite deliberate. Asked if he was trying to make things more fair for the girls, he replied, “I’m not even fair – I give the girls an extra push.”

He regrets that his own mother never got a chance at an education and also said that even in America, with all its opportunities, he has seen his daughters unfairly discriminated against on occasion.

When the novel coronavirus struck Kenya, all the private schools in that country were closed. Vincent said that while the girls were away from the safety of their school, some of

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them were abused, so school officials brought them back to the school to care for them and keep them safe.

“When the boys go home from school, they study; but when the girls go home from school, they are put to work,” he also said.

He pointed out that the boys often are ahead of the girls because of this bias. But when the girls are given a fair chance, they often do better than the boys.

Nonetheless, Vincent cares about Kenya’s young males as well and worked to have the boys’ school completed by the end of this March, with the exception of one classroom that needed extra work and was not finished until the close of April. The school was named Caring Hearts Boys High School and is located in Kangundo, very near to Nguluni.

Sixty people worked on reconstructing the school, giving them work they wouldn’t have otherwise had due to the pandemic.

(Also, teachers were kept on salary at Caring Hearts High School during Covid-caused school shutdowns.)

The whole boys’ school project cost $800,000, including the cost of buying the building, tearing most of it down, and then rebuilding it; 320 boys attend the school and all are orphans, just as in the girls’ school. Along with an education, they will all have 3 good meals a day, every day.

Vincent fundraises in the U.S., and especially in the Treasure Valley. Donors here have been generous. But when he first started his fundraising efforts, he became dispirited. Fundraising took its toll on him, with its constant rejections. Today, he continues his mission with a renewed sense of joy because he sees two essential things differently now.

“When you reach a certain point, you realize you are doing God’s work, and if you ask for money and are rejected, you don’t take it personally. The other thing is that when I started, I was working on expectations,” he said, explaining that initially he only had goals and dreams but nothing concrete to show potential donors.

“But forward 7 years later and we are investing in reality – this is a tested product,” he stated.

There is much evidence that donated funds and everyone’s efforts are paying off.

“It is no longer an expectation,” he said. “We are building success at the school – there is no point in investing if the students are not successful.”

He is proud that some of the students have entered the medical field, and that those who have experienced any measure of success now want to give back to the CHHH program to help others, as they are grateful for the help they have received.

Idahoans are still donating too. “2019 was the best year we ever had, but 2020 was a very good year,” said Vincent.

Over the years, 50 donors from this area who gave to the school have been able to visit and see what has transpired from their generosity.

Vincent is currently working toward making both schools self-sustaining. His school projects for Kenya’s kids have been rewarding despite all the effort that has gone into them. But then, Vincent doesn’t see it as his efforts alone. “God has done a lot of work. Not me,” he said. n For more information about the boys’ school project, go to www.caringheartsandhandsofhope.org or email vincent@kituku.com.

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 11

GOD Dots

The Mango Tree Centre serving Tonga

By Jim Day Editor's note: This is the final column about a group's mission trip to Tonga. If you have not read the first two columns, you will find them online at www.christianlivingmag.com.

All of the wonderful things that God started in Tonga through a small group of dedicated prayer warriors in 1994 are still in place today.

The culture of Tonga was changed dramatically.

Old superstitions faded away and were replaced by a strong faithfulness in God and His plan.

Jim Day I am blessed to know Joe and Mary Weddle.

I am also blessed in that God provided me a connection with Rev. 'Amanaki Kim (Kim In Kwon) to provide up-to-date information on the Mango Tree Centre. Volunteers from all over the world come to work and help in any needed effort – some (like Joe and Mary) not even knowing why they come. They just show up. It is a calling from God. A divine appointment. It is a 'God Dot'.

Here’s a link to a video from 2012 about the work of the Mango Tree Centre: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=yQtYyI4rskI After reading Joe’s journal entries from 1994 (the first prayer trip), the reoccurring theme of unity of faith across denominational borders emerged. One of the events that occurred during that first trip was the March for Jesus. The March for Jesus in 1994 brought together all of the Christian churches in Tonga. It was a monumental spiritual experience of unity in Christ. The repercussions are still being felt by Christians and churches throughout Tonga. And, it just happened to occur during Joe and Mary's first trip.

Believers (the Church) are called to unity in Christ. We look at all the bickering and division in our nation and wonder why. Maybe we should be looking at the division of believers by denominational doctrine and asking the same question.

If you believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God; that Jesus is God; that He came and died on the cross for your sins; that He rose on the third day and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God; and, that He is coming back to judge everyone – well, if you believe all of these points, we are brothers and sisters in Christ and should start acting more like family, offering grace in our differences and loving one another and praising our Lord and Savior. Then, we will see revival and change.

The evidence of a caring and loving God is all around us, but most can’t see it because they are looking through the lens of the world and we (believers) can get sucked into that as well. Pray, ask the Lord to remove the scales from our eyes.

He lives! He loves! He wants to have a personal relationship with all of us! We are the Bride of Christ!

Here is a link to a YouTube video from 2015 showing some of the many projects and activities at the Centre: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=67UkE71IfP0 Part of developing eyes and ears for seeing and hearing the Lord is taking action when He calls us. Doc, Charmayne, Joe and Mary took action and just look at what our God did.

God loves to use ordinary people in extraordinary ways.

I pray that the Lord blesses you all in miraculous ways so that your grace for others will overwhelm any other emotion and you will experience a divine appointment – A.K.A. a God Dot! Here’s a link to another video. Watch and be amazed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMllcM-yMnI n

G O D d o t s

Joe’s notes say:

“The Church is the Body of Christ The Church belongs to no man The Church belongs to Jesus The Church is His Bride Pray for the Church!”

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If this series on Tonga has moved you, you can be a part of what God is doing there. Inquire at Mango Tree Centre for People with Disabilities, P. O. Box 2540, Nuku'alofa, The Kingdom of Tonga.

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12 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

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RandyB Funk Christian Rapper

and his music. He is a high school senior and co-curricular student at Boise Bible College and is already working on his next album.

He is also planning to shoot a video in Hawaii in June 2021, (where he was raised until age seven) for his popular song “NEW DAY” with Derick Sebastian, who is hailed as the best Ukulele player in the world!

RandyB Funk has a long list of accomplishments, but he is best known for his Christian Hip-Hop music and his massive SOS Service Drives that benefit the Boise Rescue Mission and the Idaho Humane Society.

In 2020, along with his busy performance schedule, he created two hip-hop shows, named the Annual FiredUp Benefit Tour. The best Christian rappers in the area are selected for this show and the door revenue goes straight to the Boise Rescue Mission. This year’s 3rd Annual Fired-Up Benefit Show, takes place on April 2, 2021 in Boise and details can be found on RandyB Funk’s socials @ randybfunkmusic.

2020 was quite a year for RandyB. He made it through three rounds of American Idol, before being advised that only singers were allowed. Meanwhile producers at America’s Got Talent raved about his online performance; he is currently awaiting the next round.

RandyB was also chosen by nationally known Effect Radio 91.9 FM, to be the “ARTIST OF THE MONTH,” in Sept 2020 and in December he was awarded the “DO GOOD CHAMPION,” by Project 88.7. He was also the December 5th SPOTLIGHT with our own Sandy Jones for Christian Living Magazine’s radio show, Christian Living Spotlight.

RandyB has been featured in multiple publications, as well as on radio and news shows, where he has shared that he loves serving his community through his volunteering and even finds inspiration for his music there.

After an EP and multiple singles, RandyB Funk dropped his first album, titled “DIVIDED,” in 2020.

He followed up the album with another single in January 2021, titled “WORK.” RandyB is no stranger to work and never stops giving 100 percent to both his community

On March 18, 2021 RandyB is performing with Steven Malcom, 1K Phew, Kurtis Hoppie, Dany Gray and RayG in Boise, and has the Hip Hop Love Fest coming up in July. RandyB shares the following quote, “I want to encourage hope, unity and the love of Jesus in our community and invite people to support these family fun events, and all local artists. It’s been a tough year for many of them. I want to personally invite your readers to these upcoming shows.” When asked if he prefers to be called a ‘rapper’ or a ‘Christian rapper,’ he answers, “I don’t care if you call me, a rapper or a Christian Rapper, Jesus is a huge part of my life and that’s always going to show through in my music.”

Team RandyB Funk can be contacted at: phone (208)-914-3793; email mcfunk48@gmail.com. Find him at randybfunk.com, on social media @ randybfunkmusic, and heard on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music

THE ROAD Less Traveled

Confirmation comes in an unlikely place to hear spoken in an Irish accent in the middle

By Jason Herring of Hong Kong, Josiah’s name was uttered when Almost 12 years ago I lost a child to cancer.

I least expected.

Josiah Lee was a few months shy of his fifth After our intense labor in Hong Kong was birthday and our youngest at the time. Given finished, we went to Beijing for a few days of the nature of the inoperable, incurable tumor sightseeing. Then on the weekend, we went to that resided in his brain, we thought we would visit the Harmony House orphanage located have eleven months to a year and a half to about 45 minutes south of the capital city, spend with our son. It turned out we only had where I was told Steven Curtis Chapman had 55 days. Josiah’s journey ended on our last adopted Maria – his beautiful daughter who morning of his Make-A-Wish trip to Disney was tragically killed and the theme of his third World. He passed up a character breakfast at verse to “Yours”.

Chef Mickey’s for a better reunion beyond the When we arrived, I was unprepared for what veil. There’s much more to the story that I’ll I saw. There were dozens of orphans from todsave for another column. dler to three years old who loved to pose for the Over a year after Josiah passed, I was precamera. All of the kids had a special need of sented with the opportunity to go to China. It Jason Herring some kind. One kid in particular caught my eye seemed like a great idea when I accepted, but right away. He was very interested in me, and as the departure date got closer, I began to wonder if it was stuck his tongue out every time I took his picture. really the right thing to do. There were issues in the church I When all of the kids left the dining room and went into the was pastoring, and I was still coping and grieving over the loss of my son. How could I go to the other side of the world when living room to play with the rest of the team, I remained in the dining room conversing with this little guy who didn’t underthere were fires burning on the home front? stand anything but a smile. Then he pointed at my camera. I With apprehension I left for China not having any idea noticed that he pointed with his deformed feet as though they what to expect. During the first six days, our team carried or were his hands. He kept his hands hidden in the sleeves of his “smuggled” over 17,000 Bibles from Hong Kong over into sweater. He liked my camera, and he loved it when I would Shenzen to be delivered into the hands of unregistered or show him his picture after each snapshot. When a worker “underground” churches. In two of my twelve crossings, I was helped him to the floor and he began to hop across the floor stopped and had my Bibles confiscated, which meant I would like a baby seal, I could no longer contain myself. I made a have to go back through customs to retrieve them and take beeline for the restroom, closed the door, and cried where no them back into Hong Kong. one could see me.

During my second retrieval I was kneeling down near the Regaining my composure I went into the living room to see customs office loading my Bibles back into my luggage case some of the other precious children. I wasn’t there but a few and feeling quite discouraged over the fact that they would minutes when I heard someone say, “Josiah.” And then I heard never make it into the hands of the people who desperately it again. needed them. From the crowd of folks waiting for their con“Excuse me. Did I hear Josiah? Is there a child here named traband an old man walked over to where I was kneeling. With Josiah?” I asked the director of the orphanage. his arms outstretched, he said, “Bible. Bible.” I handed him “Yes, there is,” she replied. a Bible and he took it and hugged it to his chest, bowing in “Which child is he?” I asked. gratitude. Inspired by this unexpected encounter, I presented a “He’s going up the stairs,” she said, gesturing to the stairwell.

Bible to one of the guards, which he warmly accepted. PerBefore I looked I already knew who it was. There was my haps my inconvenient citation and confiscation was so that little photogenic buddy hopping up the stairs, one step at a those two people could get the Word of God in their possestime. When I walked up the stairs there were a dozen more sion. kids playing with their toys. It didn’t take long to observe the While serving in the Hong Kong ministry, I met a wonderful pecking order. Josiah was the kingpin of the toy room. He held couple from Ireland, Richard and Cherith. We were leaving a monopoly on a box of animal-shaped blocks. A lady from the main office and riding down the escalator when Cherith our group asked him, “Are you Josiah?” Josiah looked up at asked me, “Do you have any children?” her with sparkling eyes and said, “Josiah!” Hearing that name “Yes. A son,” I replied. from the lips of a four-year-old little boy was almost too much.

“How old is he?”

“Stink! I’m going to lose it again. Not in front of the kids.

“Eight years old,” I answered.

Fight to keep it in. There, got it under control.”

“What’s his name?”

I spent the rest of our time at Harmony House watching “Jason. He’s a junior.” and interacting with my newfound little buddy. Once he “Oh, that’s funny,” Cherith said smiling, “I would have tired of controlling the block market, he turned his attention thought that his name would be Josiah.” to coloring with his toes on construction paper. I spelled his I stopped, and then with a laugh said, “Well, that is very name for him, and he scribbled something. And that’s pretty interesting.” much how it went. I wrote or drew something and Josiah I shared Josiah’s testimony with Cherith and Richard, and scribbled. And the only thing we mutually understood was a later with others in our team of volunteers. How could she smile and “Josiah”. have known that I had a son named Josiah? Of all the names

14 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

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What were the odds of meeting a fouryear-old boy named Josiah on the other side of the world? I wanted so desperately to hold my Josiah again. And yet someone had thrown their Josiah away because of a deformity. This Josiah was sharp and very intelligent. He was crippled in body but not in mind. And like my little Josiah, he had boatloads of personality.

When we left the orphanage, I sat in the back of the bus in silence for most of the ride back to Beijing. There was so much to process. Later one of my teammates commented that this was like divine confirmation that I was supposed to be on the trip. And there it was. It was like God was saying, “Here’s your sign.” A conversation on an escalator with a girl from Ireland and a chance encounter with a Chinese orphan had provided all the proof that I needed to know that I was in the will of God. Confirmation always comes to those who are walking by faith. I’ve never embarked on a venture of faith that God did not eventually confirm my heading. But confirmation does not come to those who are walking by sight. We can be in the

epicenter of God’s will for our life and never know it if we’re not walking by faith. Other times in my life I have floundered like a ship with no sail, wondering if I was really where I was supposed to be.

To this day, I can look back on certain moments in my life and still wonder if I was in God’s will.

I missed the signs because I wasn’t walking in faith. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. But when we walk in faith, our lives are pleasing to God, and our chance encounters and coincidental circumstances become confirmations of divine direction. n Jason Herring is a father to four amazing kids and husband to his wife, Suzanne, of 21 years. In 2009 they experienced two miscarriages and the loss of their 4-yearold son Josiah to cancer. In the wake of that devastation, Jason has sought to share hope with others who walk that same valley. He is passionate about his family, mountains, Spartan Races, history books, writing, and speaking on the grace of God.

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WEDNESDAY’S Child

Joseph, 16, is a funny, talented ‘jokester’ The following information is provided by Wednesday’s Child, an organization that helps Idaho foster children find permanent homes.

Joseph, 16, is an outgoing young man with a passion for riding anything with wheels, including his bike, electric scooter, longboard or roller blades. When he’s not busy being active, he can be found reading novels by his favorite authors, JK Rowling and Rick Riordan, or building something awesome with Legos or K’nex. Board games are another of his favorite pastimes and he would really like to one day start a Rubik’s Cube club at school.

Those closest to Joseph describe him as a smart and funny jokester who is extremely talented and creative when it comes to art and building things.

Though Joseph doesn’t count school as one of his favorite things, he definitely understands the need for a good education and is working hard to be successful at it so that one day he can fulfill his dream of going to college to become a computer programmer or coder. Caregivers who can help support him educationally will be an integral part of helping him to realize his future dreams.

Joseph describes his ideal Forever Family as including both a mom and a dad. He looks forward to each of those relationships and what they can add to his life. A family where he can be the only, or the youngest, child in the home is an ideal fit for him. Joseph values his faith and wants a Christian family who shares in his religious beliefs and attends church regularly.

He has a real affinity for animals and hopes that his new home will have pets that he can help care for and spend time with. Joseph describes the best personality match for him as parents who are calm, caring but firm, good listeners, and easy to talk to when he is upset about something.

His team also adds that a family with TBRI training, or one who has an in-depth understanding of childhood trauma, would be a wonderful fit for him. It is very important to Joseph that his new family understands and supports his need to stay connected after he is adopted to several important people who are currently in his life. A family that values this and that can foster and support those ongoing relationships would allow Joseph to be able to successfully move forward in his new life while knowing that he does not have to give up relationships that are reminders of the good things about his past and where he came from.

Joseph is sure to add fun and adventure to his future family. If you think that your family would be a great match for this resilient teen, we look forward to receiving an inquiry from you today (see below). n

For more information on the Idaho Wednesday’s Child Program, visit www.idahowednesdayschild.org, or contact Recruitment Coordinator Shawn White at swhite52@ewu. edu or cell 208-488-8989 if you have specific questions.

Homeskool By Samantha Tovalin

16 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

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“I GET TO!”®

Walk with the Prince of Peace every day

By Joan Endicott Have you ever been in prison? I have. Though it was years ago, I remember the feeling of walking farther and farther into the prison. As the guard and I walked through each set of bulletproof security doors, I was startled by the disturbingly loud clanks, clicks and claps of the metal security doors locking behind us. You can imagine the prospect of fear and panic, knowing I could never get out of this prison without others— who held the authority, and the keys—helping me find my way to freedom.

That experience gave me a new level of appreciation for Paul and Silas, who were imprisoned after helping a girl be free from demonic oppression. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25) A beautiful modern-day visual of men singing praises to God while in prison can be found on YouTube. Singer and songwriter Zach Williams and his band of brothers did a concert inside Harding Prison in Nashville, Tennessee, in the summer of 2018. Watching these men, hands lifted in worship, singing lyrics such as, I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God…, and Fear he is a liar. He will rob your rest, steal your happiness. Cast your fear in the fire ‘cause fear he is a liar.

(Watch Zach Williams Concert Live from Harding Prison on YouTube. Guaranteed to bless your soul!)

So, how is it possible for them to have that level of peace, though in prison? Because, as Paul and Silas proved, it’s not about where you are physically, but where your soul is that you find peace, rest and freedom. When we know, trust and walk with Jesus, we can know peace because He is the Prince of Peace.

I started by asking if you had ever been in prison. My next question is, When do you feel imprisoned? (That is, held captive or confined by something.)

Though physically free, I have felt imprisoned by fear on many occasions!

Three examples just from 2020: 1. Two weeks into the Covid shutdown, I found myself in a fear-induced survival mode. I wasn’t living in a place of peace; instead it was mostly panic. I realized I could not continue to live in the fear I’d been feeling—because that wasn’t living, it was merely existing. I poured out my heart to the Lord and declared His Word to counteract those fear feelings. “Dear Lord, thank You that You give us, not a spirit of fear but power, love and a sound mind. You also know the number of my days and You will fulfill them no matter what, so I have nothing to fear.

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Thank You for giving me peace in the midst of this storm and helping me to live life to the full and keep doing what You call me to do. I believe that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. Satan is the author of all unhealthy fear and he is a liar. I’m so grateful that I’m no longer a slave to fear—because I am a child of God.” 2. I am privileged to work with clients all over the world. On one trip to work with a very special client, a medical doctor who owns neuropathy clinics, I had the opportunity to experience not one, but two lightning and thunderstorms high in the sky over Dallas, Texas, and then over Huntsville, Alabama. At times it literally felt like we were on a roller coaster. Although I didn’t scream out loud as some passengers did, it’s only because I was in continuous prayer, claiming verses and praying for Jesus’ protection. In all my years of travel, those were the most frightening flights I’ve ever endured.

3. Since I was a little girl and first experienced the Oregon Coast, I’ve loved it! Whenever I go there—or any beach—I can hardly wait to get shoes off and toes in the sand and splash my feet in the salty sea. After visiting friends and attending one’s wedding in Vancouver, Washington, I was thrilled for the opportunity to take a few days to go enjoy the Oregon coastal towns like Depoe Bay, Lincoln City, and Neskowin. Guess what I noticed? Tsunami warning signs. I’m guessing they had been there for years, but I never noticed them before. Very transparently, the sad truth is, thinking of the possibility of a tsunami stole my ability to be fully present and completely enjoy one of my favorite places on the planet! I found myself looking online to see what the likelihood was of a tsunami happening at that location during that time of year. I wondered things like: Is there much warning? What should you do? Where should you go? That is, if you’re not swept away by the roaring ocean first. UGH! I wasted so much of that opportunity by listening to the lies of fear.

This is an incredibly important truth to be aware of, my friend. You see, fear breeds fear. If we get into a fear mode, we will see all around us even more reasons to fear. When we listen to, watch and read things that are fear based and fear inducing, it’s just like a fast-spreading wildfire that will destroy everything in its path. We are consuming things that either feed our fear or feed our faith.

Three simple and powerful questions I now ask myself in these moments: 1) Joan, do you believe God? 2) Do you believe His Word? 3) Do you believe He loves you? To which I gratefully reply, YES and AMEN! to all three. Then I start claiming the truths in Scriptures that counteract doubt, fear and worry. I also write out verses on index cards so I can

If you have found this or another article valuable, please consider helping us bring stories like this to our community by supporting Christian Living Magazine, a 501(c)3 ministry, at

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unfair treatment personally and professionally, quickly look at them when I want that reassurfinancial setbacks, and the list goes on. What I ance. know is, the greater the storm, the closer I need When tempted, Jesus spoke the power of to be to the One who controls it. Otherwise, I God’s Word to the devil to counteract his evil helplessly flail around in the wind and waves of lies. How gracious of God to give us the gift of life. this miraculous power—The Word of God— You see, it’s not where Peter was, it is where the only Truth that has the power to set us free. his focus was that determined whether he was in Remember our water-walking brother Peter? a place of peace, or fear and terror.

He got out of the boat and started walking on I can exercise the power God’s given me to those stormy seas toward Jesus—at least while have peace in any circumstance only when I his focus was on the ONE who controlled the am focused on claiming the promises of the storm. But just like you and me, poor Peter Joan Endicott Promise-Keeper. started to sink as soon as his eyes went from the Oh, did I mention why I was in prison? I was there to do Storm-Controller to the storm itself. Matthew 14:28-31 says, And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me a video interview with an inmate. He was a gentleman who to come to you on the water. He said, “Come.” So Peter got humanly had much to regret, but found forgiveness in Jesus out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. Christ. He was eternally grateful to now walk with the only But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning One who had the authority to give him peace and true freeto sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately dom—inside or outside those prison walls. n reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, No Jesus—No Peace “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Personally, I imagine Jesus’ tone being loving and lightKnow Jesus—Know Peace hearted rather than reprimanding…maybe more like, “So hey, Peter, ya saw Me walkin’ on the water, right? If you know Joan Endicott is an Award-Winning Keynote Speaker, Author of “I I control the wind and the waves, you know I got you, bro.

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COVER STORY

Matthew

Nu’uvali

No longer a ne’er-do-w Top photo: Matthew “Motu” Nu’uvali with friend TJ Samuelu. (Courtesy photo) Above: Matthew sings with his church worship team and choir during an Easter service. (Courtesy photo)

knucklehe

20 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

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By Gaye Bunderson Matthew “Motu” Nu'uvali refers to his younger self as a “knucklehead.” Now 34, his criticism of himself at the tender ages of 10 and 19 sounds almost funny – like he pulled off a bit of mischief that got him sent to the principal's office. But in fact, Motu landed in prison in his late teens, even spending time in what he calls “the hole,” or solitary confinement.

He started getting into serious trouble around age 10. “It was a combination of boredom and having the wrong friends,” he said.

He lived with his mother and brother in Meridian at the time.

His father was absent, and his mother held multiple jobs to support the family. Though he admits his parents weren't around much, he nonetheless said, “I own the reasons why I was happy being a hellion. In the beginning, it was entertaining and fun.”

His first felony was for grand theft at age 18. After that, there were multiple felonies, including aggravated assault, illegal use of a firearm, and robbery. At 19, Motu was sentenced to 5 years in prison with 15 years indeterminate, for a total of 20 years for the crime of aggravated assault and illegal use of a firearm in a felony and robbery. It was a lengthy sentence – but he was nonetheless on the fast track to turning around his entire life, almost in an instant.

“It all happened pretty quick, within my first week in solitary,” he said.

“When I went into 'the 'hole', I tried to look cool. As my friends were passing by my window, I knocked on the window to get their attention. I had an 'ah-ha' moment – I realized they thought I was an idiot. I had never had that happen before – had friends think I was an idiot.

“In solitary, you hit rock bottom. It's a place where you have to make decisions, and make some choices about your life. It was also a place for me to reflect. Read and reflect, not always in that order.”

The only book he had access to was the Bible, and it was a prison-specific Bible with testimonies in it. So he started reading the testimonies of former inmates. Ultimately, those life choices he needed to make turned into what he calls “ginormous changes.”

He started going to chapel to find out how to build a relationship with Jesus. “I worked to put off my old skin and put on my new skin,” he said.

After spending five years in prison, he was released. “I was blessed when I got out of prison; I had a support system.”

His support system was a friend named Joe Rawlinson. “We go way back to when I was 14 and gang-banging and being a knucklehead.”

Joe stayed in touch with Motu while he was in prison, even sending him packages from time to time; and when Motu got out of prison, Joe helped him get a job putting together modular homes. The year was 2010; that same year, Motu met a woman named Samantha and fell in love. He married her in 2012, and the couple adopted a 3-year-old daughter that same year.

Now, the former knucklehead and hellion is a choirboy – or at least, a choir man. He served as a worship leader at his former church and now sings on the worship team at his current church. As for his friend Joe, Motu said, “He became a Christian when I got out of prison and took him to church with me.”

In some ways, according to Motu, he was the same person when he got out of prison as when he went in. He hadn't learned a thing about financial literacy, nor how to keep a job. “I had had no responsibility,” he said. Thank heavens for Joe,

well

ead

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Motu's support system. Because so few former prisoners have that kind of support, Motu wanted to step up and give them a hand.

“I had said to myself, 'When God puts me in a good position, I want to help.'” To that end, he launched a prison ministry called Life Support, seeking to reduce recidivism rates and help ex-prisoners to re-immerse themselves back into society.

He said Life Support takes a 4-pronged approach, teaching ex-inmates trade skills, small business ownership acumen, and 'life support' skills such as how to get and keep good credit and fill out a job application. Another important component of the program is mending relational bridges.

“They don't tell people leaving prison how to mend relationships they destroyed, how to say they're sorry to a loved one, and show accountability,” Motu said. “My mom and brother were super numb to me getting in trouble. Now, what I'm doing definitely makes them excited.”

Motu introduced Life Support into prisons in 2019, but then Covid came along. “Covid put a pause on getting my non-profit up and running,” he said, “but I will revisit my options soon. God has many doors open for me at this time and I'm literally letting Him guide me in the direction that will position me to bless as many lives as possible.”

Motu works in the Covid supplies business with a partner, Isaac Belden. The company is named Belden Nu'uvali Solutions. When the pandemic hit, Motu and Isaac asked themselves how major suppliers of PPE (personal protection equipment) were going to keep up with the demand. Motu had a supply chain of partners from his many years in the grocery and convenience store business.

He explained: “Isaac had a business opportunity through connections he had for his non-profit, Veterans Entrepreneurs Alliance, and the opportunity opened the doors for the two of us to become partners on a project to introduce Taiwanese products to the American market through my connections in the grocery and convenience industry. We started our business the beginning of March 2020 and the Covid lockdown happened quickly after. We shifted gears and I used my connections to start supplying PPE to our local municipalities and across the country for businesses and government agencies.

“Isaac is running the day to day operations currently as I have embarked on another journey that is more specific to convenience and grocery. My wife and I bought into a company my good friends own and operate to help them expand into new distribution and solidify new customer acquisition. I still work with Isaac, but all the supply chains are locked in and he handles the contracts and contacts. With Isaac being a veteran, we registered Belden Nu'uvali as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. So we do a lot of federal contract work. Most of our business lately has been importing nitrile gloves and hospital gowns.”

Isaac originally met Motu to help him launch his non-profit prison ministry.

“There he sat,” Isaac said, “this giant half-Tongan, half-Samoan with a heart of gold, on a path to change the lives of people who many had given up on.”

Motu's heart of gold is matched by his big-as-a-bear physique.

He lifts weights five days a week. “I'm at the gym around 5:45 a.m. until 7:15 a.m. Monday through Friday.”

Belden Nu'uvali Solutions has incorporated a giving-back component into its business because that's part of Motu's plan for “ginormous changes” in his life and to his character, and his partner is similarly motivated. “My mission statement is to bless the lives of others,” Motu said. “My eyes are always turned to the heavens. Christ helped me through His love, and made me better for others.” n For more information, go to www.beldennuuvali.com.

Christian Living | March / April 2021 21

MOM Keep Calm

Create COVID care boxes with your kids Instead of thinking about what they can’t do, help them see what they can do. Make this an opportunity to nurture compassion within your child’s heart. Reaching out to others will redirect your kid’s focus from themselves to others.

Here is how to get started: 1. Take time to think about all the people you or your family members know.

2. Reach out to them and check to see if they are well.

3. Help out if they are sick.

Upon reflection of our experience with COVID, here is a list of items that could help you care for those you love.

Care Package Ideas Food/Kitchen Needs

Image by vikvarga from Pixabay

By Janet Lund

Turn their eyes outward.

There is a high likelihood that someone you know has had or currently has COVID-19.

It’s a helpless feeling knowing that the people you care about are suffering.

As I am writing this article, my family and I are in the final days of our COVID journey. That being the case, I have had plenty of time to stare at the walls in my home. When I couldn’t sleep, I pondered ways to make these pandemic days a growing experience for your kids.

22 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

• Homemade meals • Microwaveable meals • Chicken noodle soup • Bread/crackers • Cuties mandarin oranges • Large supply of paper plates/bowls

Entertainment/Emotional Support

• Magazines • Books for light reading • Lighthearted movies • Personal get-well videos/short visits on FaceTime • Audio books (great for screen sensitive eyes or a distraction when unable to sleep) • Written letters/get-well cards • Deck of cards • Encouraging Bible verses

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Medications we found helpful • Ibuprofen • Tylenol • Robitussin for Coughs • DayQuil/NyQuil • Ricola Cough Drops

your loved ones multiple times a week. It will keep you in touch with their needs and lift their spirits.

Get Started Today!

Make a plan with your family and put it into your schedule. It’s easy to forget when your life is busy. But for the person who is sick, days feel like weeks. So, take time to put them in your Everyone’s journey is different. schedule.

As my husband, daughter, and I learned, Praying for them daily and letting them know every person’s encounter is unique. Each day you are doing so would also do their heart Janet Lund is different too. One day the body aches were good. breathtaking, and the next, fever and fatigue Be creative! Think outside of the box for items to put inside ruled the day. of your care package box.

Any kind of joy you can shine into their life will be helpful.

Additional Insights Teach your kids to think beyond themselves. Help them grow Reach out and ask what you can do to help, make suggescompassion in their hearts. Provide opportunities to see how tions (when you feel bad it’s hard to verbalize your needs), and they can make a difference. surprise them with a few items.

Teach your kids. Help others. Make a difference. n Help out by picking up an online order of groceries or make the order and pick it up for them. (I found some days that Janet Lund is a relationship coach who specializes in nurturing the even looking at a computer screen was too painful to make an bond between moms and their teen/pre-teen daughters. She leads moms order.) through coaching, speaking, and songwriting. Janet has spoken and Between the three of us, having C-19 took up the entire performed in Canada, the United States, and Norway. Follow her on month of January. It was a long haul. facebook.com/momkeepcalm and visit her website at momkeepcalm.com When you are sick that long you find yourself struggling for parenting tools and words of support to be a calm mom. with loneliness and depression. That being the case, check on

StandOutVirtualTours.com

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 23

THE DAYS of Noah — Part 3

The flood comes and the ark door closes

By Bethany Riehl

A note from the author: The Days of Noah is a three-part fictional work based on biblical truth. Every effort has been made to stay within the confines of Scripture while exercising creative liberty to bring this time in human history to life.

While the Bible tells us very little about this era, we can piece together a vibrant picture from what we know of the nature of man and of God as is told throughout Scripture. My hope is that you’ll be inspired to seek out the truth for yourself and see the ways our current times parallel the time of the Flood just as Jesus predicted in Matthew 24.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)

***

It was a moonless night, and the stars shone brightly against an inky black sky. Shem walked a familiar path, not needing the light he lacked. How many nights in his lifetime had he climbed this hill? As a child he had followed his father here, scurrying to keep up with his long strides. Noah would bring he and his brothers and their mother to this spot where he had first heard from the Lord. Here, overlooking the city on one side and the ark in the valley on the other, Noah would recount the commands and promises of the Lord.

As he grew, Shem wrestled with rebellious doubt for a while.

He’d stand on this hill, torn between two worlds. What if his father was wrong? He’d watch as the sun went down and the people of the city lit their lamps, and wonder what it would be like to be one of them.

He would sink to his knees in prayer, searching for answers.

Eventually Shem’s gaze would catch on the temple, large and looming, glittering with reflected light on its gold surfaces. He knew well what happened there; how worshippers lit fires beneath the outstretched hands of the goddess and sacrificed their own children—their flesh and blood—to an idol of stone who had eyes that couldn’t see, ears that couldn’t hear, and hands that couldn’t cleanse them of their wickedness.

Shem’s eyes would then turn to the heavens, where the consistent patterns of time and seasons were displayed. God had spoken into existence the vast sky above him and rolling earth beneath him, not with hands of stone or the will of man; but with wisdom beyond understanding and the power of His Word. Shem would hear his father’s hammer as it ricocheted off the stones around his sanctuary and he would again be uplifted by the testimony of his father’s faith.

Over the decades, his own faith strengthened as he built the ark with his family and watched his brothers’ wives come to them, just as the Lord promised. Though the years had marched on and no wife had come to share life with Shem, he still believed. He still worked on his living quarters, planning for a bride to share them with. His family also spoke and planned for an eighth person to join them when God brought her.

That morning, God had spoken to his father again for the first time in one hundred years, putting Shem’s faith to the test as never before. Noah had come from his morning worship, voice

24 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

overcome with emotion as he shared what he heard: “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you…”

Shem worked the words over in his spirit. You and all your household.

“I thought I would find you here.”

Shem smiled as his father clapped him on the shoulder and stood next to him, following his gaze. They stood for a while, both lost in their thoughts. Finally, Noah spoke, “This was your favorite spot as a boy.”

Shem’s lips twitched. “I thought maybe if I stood here long enough, God would speak to me, too.” He rubbed his palms together and looked down at his work-worn hands. “My faith has not been nearly as strong as yours.”

Noah lifted his eyes to the heavens. “That’s not true. I have an advantage over you and the rest—I’ve actually heard the voice of God.” He paused. “I am so unworthy.”

Shem faced him. “How can you say that? You have believed and obeyed the Word of God and have brought us all along with you. You are the most righteous man on earth, Father.”

Noah didn’t respond and Shem looked back to the heavens, admiring the handiwork of the Lord. Beneath him in the city were many impressive structures and carvings. But this? The heavens, the earth, all of creation from the largest animal to the smallest leaf—spoken into existence by the power of God’s Word. Established and kept in place by His might and wisdom. Shem could scarcely take it in.

“You know what was the hardest thing for me to build for the ark?” Noah asked, pulling Shem from his thoughts.

“Ham’s waste removal system?” Shem joked.

Noah chuckled, no doubt remembered the first time they’d tried the system and wound up with a mess. Thank goodness it was just water that time.

“No,” he sobered and faced Shem, eyes catching in the starlight.

“The door.”

Shem’s smile wilted and he swallowed. “Yeah.”

Father and son fell quiet again, processing what the flood would mean for the rest of the world. Would eight people truly be all that was left? Of course the Lord would bless them in the world after the flood and soon there would be more than eight. Once again Shem had to lean on his faith. We didn’t misunderstand you, did we Lord? Surely I won’t be the only one without a mate in the world to come.

“I wonder how Zahara fares with her sister?” Noah said.

Shem felt an ache in his spirit. Zahara had found her way into Shem’s thoughts often since he’d taken her back to the city. When she’d first seen the ark, Zahara had wanted to go right back to the city to find her sister; but the family convinced her to rest and heal first. By the time Shem walked her back, he’d grown accustomed to her dark brown eyes meeting his as he passed bread at meals, to her soft voice asking his father questions that deepened his own faith. He had hoped that she and her sister would soon be back to learn more…and maybe to stay?

The Lord had said Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives would be on the ark; but did that mean no one else would join them? They’d asked that question among themselves often and finally decided it was something they wouldn’t know for sure until it was time. Shem wondered about it again as he watched the path to the city each day, expecting to see Zahara and her sister come into the camp, ready to join them.

But a month had gone by and he hadn’t seen them again.

And now the clock was counting down.

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Noah clapped his son on the shoulder again. “The Lord will not forget His promises, Shem. I don’t know who or where she is, but your wife will come, just as He said.”

Shem swallowed hard and nodded.

*** Zahara laid on her back on the rooftop where she lived with her sister, eyes on the heavens, heart back at the ark. Soul looking to the Lord for answers.

She believed Noah. Believed that she needed to repent from her wickedness. Believed that unless all inhabitants of the earth repented, God would follow through on His promise to send a flood to destroy them all.

A muffled burst of laughter broke free from below, grating on her. In the month she had spent recuperating with Shem and his family, her sister Magara had also made friends. Before Zahara knew the truth, she would have fit right in with them. They were funny, cunning, and interesting. When they learned that she was trying to get Magara to go listen to Noah with her, they quickly came to Magara’s defense. They agreed when she told them she thought Zahara had been put under a spell.

Zahara knew that the time had come for her to leave, even if that meant she might not see her sister again. If she stayed, she would be Eve eying the forbidden tree, considering its fruit until she was easily deceived into believing the serpent rather than God. If she didn’t leave tomorrow, she might not ever have the courage.

***

Shem couldn’t believe his eyes. Though they had built cages for the animals, watching them come to them on their own was sobering.

For many years, animals had been too aggressive to control.

Attacks and stampedes had become common. Shem had always wondered how they were going to find any animals tame enough to get on the ark, let alone a male and female from each species.

But when Noah heard from the Lord that the flood would come in seven days, all the plans Shem had made through the years of how to capture the animals were rendered worthless.

That second morning, as his mother and sisters-in-law carried jars of seed and corn into the ark where Ham waited to secure them, a pair of bear cubs had wandered into the clearing and made eye contact with Shem. He backed up, looking around for a quick escape should they charge. He’d backed himself into the high fencing around the gardens. Stuck there, he braced himself, sticking out a booted foot to hold them back. Though they were juveniles, they were strong. He’d been clawed by one before and didn’t want to relive the experience.

The male led the way over and stopped close to Shem. Hesitatingly, Shem lowered his foot and slowly reached out a hand, palm out. The bear pushed his nose into it. Shem moved his hand back over its nose and head, clasping the scruff of his neck lightly. The bear and his mate followed as Shem walked them to the ramp leading to the ark’s entrance. With a slight shove, they walked on. Before Shem could follow them, movement caught his eye, and two small giraffes appeared where the bears had been. Shem called out to his brothers inside.

“Hey guys? I think we’re about to get busy!”

Continued on page 26

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 25

The flood comes Continued from page 25

***

Zahara felt that her heart would rip in two, so filled with despair and hope that it beat hard in her chest beneath the weight of her choice. That morning, she had told Magara that she needed to act on her belief and go to the ark to work on it with Noah’s family until the flood came, if God would have her. And if He wouldn’t, she still couldn’t go back to her life as it was. If she died in the flood that she believed was coming, she would deserve it.

Magara had stared at her in shock, hurt flashing in her eyes.

“You would leave me for strangers?”

“No, Sister. I am surrendering my life to God. Not leaving you.

You can come too; I beg you to come with me.”

When Magara didn’t respond, Zahara rushed on to convey everything she’d learned from Emzara, Noah, Shem and the rest. But the more she talked, the more firmly Magara set herself against the words. At last, she commanded Zahara out of her sight.

Zahara prayed as she walked, not knowing if God would accept her prayers, wondering if she was a brazen fool for thinking she could join herself with His people.

But in spite of the ache she felt leaving her sister, a warm assurance pushed her onward. Each step that drew her closer to the edge of the city was made with more certainty. As she stepped into the woods, a twig snapped behind her. She turned to see a young elephant and started, eyes darting around for a path of escape. Her knife was strapped to her ankle; if she stooped for it, she wasn’t sure there was time to get it before the animal charged.

She knew better than to trust a wild animal. Especially after her brush with death months before.

The elephant was soon joined by another, but they walked past Zahara as if they didn’t know—or care—that she was there.

They stayed ahead of her as she walked hesitantly behind. As she crested the hill her breath caught. Pairs of animals—too numerous to count— spread out in the meadow in front of her, all walking steadily on toward the ark.

As the massive structure came into sight, Zahara saw Shem, and felt a different kind of hope stir in her spirit. Could it be…that God had chosen her for him? That this was the way it was meant to be all along? He stood near the ramp of the ark, watching the woods. His gaze caught on hers and he went still.

In a heartbeat he was running toward her, scooping her into his arms, their laughter mingling as he turned them in circles.

***

Shem and Zahara were married on the top deck of the ark that evening. For the following five days, they worked with the family to bring the animals and storage into the ark. Each night they spent in prayer and worship, watching the horizon as the animals came, hoping more people would repent and join them. When Zahara learned how soon the flood’s coming would be, she spent her nights outside Magara’s home begging her to listen.

Her sister would not relent.

***

Magara knew Zahara would be back. They were too closely knit.

No ark, no family—no God—could drive a wedge between them.

They had argued many times over the years, and Magara always proved to be more stubborn than Zahara. It might take weeks or even months for her sister to work through whatever this new obsession was. Magara simply needed to wait her out.

She set her mind to her new life—the one she’d always dreamt of, worked for. She was a treasurer for the temple of the great goddess; if she played her cards right, she would one day be a priestess.

26 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

Zahara didn’t know that Magara, too, believed in the God of Creation and that the accounts from Adam were true. When her sister came back to her, Magara would tell her what she had learned from her friends, the Daughters of Eve. While Adam, they taught her, may have spun the story that Eve had sinned and cursed them all, the truth was that she had risen above the suppression of her Maker and had taken hold of her own destiny.

When Zahara tired of being under the thumb of Shem and his God—or when no flood came as Zahara had been deceived into believing—she would come back to her and they would conquer the world, together. As they had always planned.

Magara was at the money tables when she felt the first drop on her head. Glancing up to see if a bird had flown above, she saw a dark, menacing sky, with more raindrops falling from thick clouds that swirled above. The wind began to push at her, knocking her table over. A loud crack rang out behind her followed by bloodcurdling screams. Magara turned to see a fountain of water that had broken through the stones, shooting water high into the air.

Another spring broke through next to her.

Understanding dawned, and she ran toward the ark, sobbing and scrambling. Others ran with her, driven by the same thought: Noah had been right. She crested the hill and saw the ark in the valley below. Others ran ahead, but Magara stopped short when she saw that the door was closing. It was so massive that no one from the inside could be pulling at it. An invisible hand closed the only path to salvation.

The water was coming from all sides, falling from below, gushing forth from beneath. It swelled around Magara’s knees. All around her people cursed Noah, cursed his God. Magara thought of how her sister had begged for her to repent. She searched her memories for something good and wonderful to think of to comfort her. Instead, her years of stealing, lying, rebellion, and violence were all she could remember.

Hadn’t Zahara been right there with her in her transgressions?

Why, then, did they stand on opposite sides of this wrath, one suffering as God’s enemy, the other held in mercy as His daughter?

Magara let out a guttural scream, knowing the answer: Zahara had believed. *** When the rain began to fall and the springs of water burst forth, Zahara clung to Shem and cried as an invisible hand shut the door to the ark from the outside. The terrible screams nearly drowned out the rain as it thundered against the roof of the ark.

The animals had all gone still. Gathered in Noah and Emzara’s quarters, the family sat in tangible silence, holding one another close, tears slipping down faces void of emotion.

The screams of fear had turned to curses of fury. As they drowned, the people continued to mock Noah and rage at the Lord until they could no longer cry out.

“Fools,” Noah whispered, a sob fell from his lips as the screams faded.

Judgement came to the wicked world, but mercy to righteous Noah, and all of his household with him, just as the Lord promised. Through the line of Shem came Jesus the Messiah, the promised Seed of Eve, the Savior who came to save His people from their sin and crush the head of the serpent. “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His works.” (Psalm 145:17) “The LORD sat as King at the flood; Yes the LORD sits as King forever.

The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.”

(Psalm 29:10,11) n

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FAITH and reason

Thoughts on the resurrection of Jesus

Saturday in the calendar. (This happens often

By Steve Nelson with Christmas and Independence Day, for exAre you ready to believe God’s Word more ample.) John 19:31 points out “for that Sabbath powerfully? Millions already know this, howday was an high day.” It’s that simple. Jesus ever billions of people don’t. Which group clearly died the day before the Sabbath as the would you like to be part of – those who have Bible records. In this instance the “Sabbath” accurate knowledge (millions) or those who rely was a non-Saturday. on misinformation from tradition (billions)?

2. When did Jesus actually die? The new The topic at issue: which days in the week day in Judean culture began at sunset. Theredid Jesus die and get resurrected? People are fore, in order to die before the high Sabbath, sometimes mocked when trying to justify that which would begin at sunset of WEDNESDAY Jesus died on Friday supposedly, then was raised of the week of Jesus’s death, Jesus died before from the dead on Sunday. I was taught this sunset on Wednesday. That’s exactly what traditional timing of events as a child; weren’t happened. It was “about the ninth hour” (of you also? Yet even as a boy I wondered how it prayer, approximately 3 p.m.). was possible since the Bible clearly says “three 3. When exactly was Jesus raised from days AND three nights” (Jonah 1:17, Matthew Steve Nelson the dead? Sunday morning is given credit 12:40), yet from Friday afternoon to Sunday for the resurrection only because that is the morning you cannot squeeze in all the days and nights. first time humans noticed the tomb was empty. However, that Christians who believe this Friday to Sunday narrative are doesn’t mean he was raised from the dead just five minutes left suggesting the typical religious excuse of “faith” that a before the women showed up at the tomb, right? piece of a day is reckoned as a full day in counting, although Summary: Let’s calculate the math to easily figure this the total time suggested by this does not even span two full out.

Joseph of Arimathea first buried the body before sunset days. Hmmm. Such reasoning defies not only math but ScripWednesday.

Count forward three full days and that time is beture too, since that particular phrase is emphatic and truly fore sunset on SATURDAY evening. (Interesting insight: mayincludes three FULL days, 72 hours. be now we know why Saturday night is the time for the biggest God created numbers AND is the one who designed the celebrations in the world.) That’s precisely when Jesus Christ 7-day week AND is the Author of the Word. God’s Word must was actually raised from the dead by God Almighty. Then his make sense somehow; it just needs to be understood. What followers became aware the following morning, called “Easter” simple pieces of information are we missing? Decades ago or “Resurrection Sunday”. How awesome to piece it together someone taught me with profound simplicity how to solve this and to know our Easter morning is just hours after! Hooray, intriguing dilemma. Now I will share it with you today. we can count days of the week and track 72 hours like normal 1. What day of the week is the Sabbath? Most people human beings, not in different ways merely as Christians. And think the word Sabbath only refers to the weekly Saturday. we don’t need to change our holidays either.

However, it is a word that also refers to a holy day, also known A final thought about the word “Easter”. It only occurs one as “high Sabbath” when the holy day does not land on a time in some older Bible versions (Acts 12:4), from the Greek

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word pascha, translated 28 other times as “passover”, and it should be similarly translated as such there. Thus, the word “Easter” should not be included in the Bible whatsoever. But, go ahead and call it Easter if you wish.

I do as well at times (no matter if its word history comes from pagan origins). The whole point is, what does the word mean to you? If you think of Easter as the day we celebrate Jesus being raised from the dead, what a wonderful day it must be, regardless of its title or day of the week!

God is not confusing nor is His Word. Most of the time it is merely our misunderstanding that causes trouble.

And now in this instance we have cleared it up. The most important thing is that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead at all, no matter when in the week. He defeated death in 28 A.D., never to die again, and is still alive today. Upon being resurrected, he was on Earth for 40 days prior to ascending into heaven. God bless you! n Steve Nelson has been a Bible teacher for over 25 years. This article comes from Segment 82 of “CORE”, a 24-hour course for families on how to read and understand the Bible, now in digital format.

See T4FAMILYCENTER.COM or reach Steve at T4FamilyCenter@gmail.com.

“Jesus Raised” by Steve Nelson

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 29

MAXIMUM Health

Essential steps to heal digestive disorders

rebuild the intestinal wall while keeping inflamBy Rosie Main mation down. Duration: 10-14 days Digestive disorders can be extremely embar3. ReInnoculation Phase: We begin the rassing and debilitating. Conditions such as process of using fermented foods and fermentirritable bowel syndrome, yeast overgrowth, able carbohydrates to repopulate the gut with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and colitis healthy microbial species. Goal: help support are extremely common and can be hard to get the development of healthy microbial species in under control. What most people don’t underthe gut. Duration: 10-14 days. stand is that the gut plays an enormous role in This is the basic 30-Day Program to heal brain and emotional health, joint support, skin the gut. After these 30 days, the goal is for you health, immune function and so much more! to be able to move into the probiotic lifestyle.

Many individuals never deal with digestive The Probiotic Lifestyle: This is a lifelong symptoms, in spite of many health problems process where you focus on eating real foods that originated with intestinal breakdown. that support the development of a healthy Reducing Gut Inflammation: It is vital to microbiome. You want to find the foods that are remember that when one has this sort of most agreeable to you and eliminate the foods health condition, the intestines are inflamed.

Rosie Main that are not agreeable.

Think about this like a sprained ankle. If you • Avoid all grain. are trying to walk on your sprained ankle, it will swell up even • Avoid sulfur containing foods such as beans and broccoli. more and will never heal as it was designed too. The same • Stop all hormone therapies, and especially do not take birth pattern works with your gut. If we are constantly challenging control pills, which interfere with gut flora. our gut with foods that are tougher on the digestive processes, • Avoid all products with soy. than we are only irritating the injured intestines even more • Avoid canola oil. and we can forget about truly healing. The only way to heal a • Colloidal silver would be extremely beneficial in speeding sprained ankle is to stay off of the ankle. You need to rest it, up the process, especially in the beginning. ice it (reduce inflammation), maintain compression and keep it • Garlic is an anti-microbial and will help fight and kill bacelevated. The best way to heal a damaged and inflamed gut is to reduce food stuffs that are going through it and use nutrients teria, fungus and infections in the gastrointestinal system. Use copious amounts. that help to soothe and de-inflame the gut lining.

• Use grapefruit seed extract.

• Use only gray-colored sea salt from a health food store, and The 3 Phase System to Help Heal the Gut avoid toxic table salt. Do not trust the white “sea salt” found at most retailers, because real sea salt is never white in nature.

1. ReSet Phase: This is a liquid fast that focuses on herbal In fact, only buy supplements from regular retailers (instead of teas, bone broth, essential oils, apple cider vinegar and coconut health food stores) when you are really desperate. The sodium oil. Goal: starve out bad microbes and reduce intestinal inflam- will make the body more alkaline, as well as help it to move flumation. Duration: 3-5 days ids, which is necessary for the removal of toxins.

2. ReBuilding Phase: This uses easily digestible foods • Cayenne pepper can be found in capsule form. that provide key nutrients to rebuild the intestinal lining. Goal: • Use chamomile.

• Use wormwood.

• Consume a tiny amount of extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil daily, if it can be tolerated. If it cannot be tolerated, then try again when celiac disease becomes less severe.

Required Dietary Changes

• The ideal diet for intestinal inflammation has no sugar, limited alcohol (particularly beer), no mushrooms, limited yeast and reduced caffeine. Meat, vegetables, whole wheat carbohydrates, and non-homogenized milk products are fine, but flour products must be whole wheat. Foods should be organic whenever possible. All processed foods should be avoided, and artificial sweeteners should never be used as sugar substitutes.

Natural sweetener substitutes such as honey and stevia are fine.

Honey is especially beneficial.

• Yogurt will stimulate the existing beneficial intestinal flora and add good bacterial reinforcements. Use only plain yogurt without flavorings or sugars. Organic yogurt is best. Yogurt will also suppress the bad bacteria at the same time. Yogurt is absolutely critical. Use two tablespoons five times a day if possible.

• Avoid all potato-based foods.

30 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

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• Supplement with essential fatty acids, such as those from flax seed oil (transforms into omega-3 during digestion) in combination with foods containing sulfur proteins, such as yogurt, eggs, fish, sesame paste, nuts, garlic, cottage cheese, and onions. Omega-3 works best when combined with sulfur proteins. Research the Budwig protocol for information about this therapeutic and effective anti-cancer diet.

• No canned or processed meats. Organic is preferred.

• No canned or processed vegetables. Organic is preferred.

• Do not consume any undersea vegetation, such as kelp or seaweed.

• Avoid commercially-made mayonnaise.

• Vitamins A, E, folate (folic acid), and the mineral zinc participate in beneficial antioxidant functions to reduce oxidative stress in the cellular lining of the gut. In this manner, they assist in the overall repair process. Some of the gut barrier functions, such as IgA secretion, can be enhanced by these vitamins.

• Make your body as alkaline as possible. Reference our article, “Body pH and Disease”, and our pH food chart at Main Health Solutions at maxliving.com.

• Avoid all artificial sweeteners.

• Drink spring water, or water which has been filtered through a Berkey water filter having fluoride removal addons. Fluoride should be eliminated as much as possible, so in addition to filtering the water, patients should use fluoridefree toothpastes. In order to neutralize fluoride in the body, iodine may be applied transdermally, as described in the iodine report.

• Avoid microwaved foods, because they are nutritionally depleted. People with celiac disease are already somewhat malnourished. n If you have any questions or want to see how we can help you, please don’t hesitate to call me at 208-859-6170, email rjmaindc@yahoo.com or visit me at DoctorMain.com.

Fourfold Kingdom of God

Design of the Space-time Universe

By Gerald Paul Kooyers

Four Functional Realms One of the more intriguing often repeated themes of the Christian Scriptures is the quantity of four. There are four types of trees in the Garden of Eden, a river that becomes four rivers that water the four types of trees, four beasts in the prophecy of Daniel, four creatures with four faces in Ezekiel’s vision of God, four horses and four chariots in the vision of Zechariah, and four living creatures that surround the throne of God and the Lamb in the Revelation of the Apostle John. These four creatures call out four horses, four messengers of destiny. So what is this very fundamental theme of four all about?

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OUR founders’ vision

The inconvenient origins of a Christian nation

By Dr. Rick Chromey

My country ‘tis of Thee Sweet land of liberty Of Thee we sing!

According to modern historians who’ve radically reimagined our American story, this patriot hymn is sentimental myth. The Founding Fathers were Deists, agnostics and liberal Christians. The Constitution is “wholly secular.” We were never a “Christian” nation.

But are these revisionist assessments correct?

Is America’s legacy a secular tale?

To learn the truth, we need to consult original and early source works.

Dr. Rick Chromey

Our Founders Were Deists, Agnostics And Liberal Theologians Secularists routinely cite the irreligiosity of Paine or the Deism of Franklin and Jefferson. Indeed, these Founders advocated unorthodox views. However, there were approximately 200 influential “Founding Fathers” – including Benjamin Rush, Samuel Adams, Gouverneur Morris, John Dickinson, Frances Hopkinson, John Witherspoon, Elias Boudinot, Charles Carroll and Charles Thomson – who affirmed biblical Christianity.

We mustn’t overlook devout Christian men who led our Revolution, signed the Declaration of Independence and authored the U.S. Constitution – including clergy educated in seminaries (still uncorrupted by mid-19th century liberalism). Our Founding Fathers preached sermons (Witherspoon), launched Sunday Schools (Rush), translated Scriptures (Thomson), and wrote church hymns (Hopkinson). John Hancock affirmed

“the importance of Christian piety and virtue to the order and happiness of a state.”(1) Patrick Henry confessed his Christianity was a “prize far above all this world has or can boast.”(2) When we review Founders’ diaries, wills and writings, it’s obvious they advocated Christian faith. Even America’s foremost Deists professed affinity toward Christianity. Benjamin Franklin stated of Jesus that his “system of morals” and “His religion” were “the best the world ever saw or is likely to see.”(3) Thomas Jefferson proclaimed, “I am a Christian in the only sense in which [Jesus] wished anyone to be: sincerely attached to His doctrines in preference to all others.”(4) The inconvenient truth is our Founders were mostly devout Christians.

America Was Never A “Christian Nation” Since the 1940s, this idea has been propagated to implant a “wall of separation” between religion and government. But is that separation what our Founders intended?

Not according to John Adams.

He argued, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”(5) In 1813 Adams was clearer: “The general principles on which the [founding] fathers achieved independence [was]...Christianity.”(6) He further testified that Christianity is “above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity.”(7) Are these the thoughts of a secularist? Hardly. And neither are the words of these influential Founding Fathers: John Quincy Adams: “The Declaration of Independence

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laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity.”(8) John Jay: “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”(9) Benjamin Rush: “I do not believe that the Constitution was the offspring of inspiration, but I am as satisfied that it is as much the work of Divine Providence as any of the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testament.”(10) Even George Washington instructed a pagan Indian tribe to “...learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ.”(11) In 1854 Congress investigated our “Christian” origins. After an extensive study of records, diaries, speeches and other documents, they concluded: “Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle… In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity… That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants.”(12)

The inconvenient truth is America was indeed founded upon Christianity. What we cannot forget is she’s only for a “moral and religious” people. n Our fathers’ God to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing.

Long may our land be bright, With freedom’s holy light, Protect us by Thy might, Great God our King!

Dr. Rick Chromey is an author, historian and theologian who speaks and writes on matters of religion, culture, history, technology and leadership. He’s the founder and president of MANNA! Educational Services International (www.mannasolutions.org). Rick and his wife Linda live in Star.

Sources: (1)

Independent Chronicle (Boston), November 2, 1780, last page; see also Abram English Brown, John Hancock, His Book (Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1898), p. 269.

A.G. Arnold, The Life of Patrick Henry of Virginia (Auburn and Buffalo: Miller, Orton and Mulligan, 1854), p. 250.

(3) Benjamin Franklin, Works of Benjamin Franklin, John Bigelow, editor (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904), p. 185, to Ezra Stiles, March 9, 1790.

(4) Thomas Jefferson, Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, editor (Boston: Grey & Bowen, 1830), Vol. III, p. 506, to Benjamin Rush, April 21, 1803.

(5) Originally part of a letter from John Adams to the Massachusetts Militia (October 11, 1798): https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-3102 (6) Thomas Jefferson, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson (Washington D. C.: The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association, 1904), Vol. XIII, p. 292-294. In a letter from John Adams to Thomas Jefferson on June 28, 1813.

(7) John Adams, The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States, Charles Francis Adams, editor (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1856), Vol. III, p. 421, diary entry for July 26, 1796.

(8) John Quincy Adams, An Oration Delivered Before the Inhabitants of the Town of Newburyport at Their Request on the Sixty-First Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1837 (Newburyport: Charles Whipple, 1837), pp. 5-6.

(9) William Jay, The Life of John Jay (New York: J. & J. Harper, 1833), Vol. II, p. 376, to John Murray Jr. on October 12, 1816.

(10) Benjamin Rush, Letters of Benjamin Rush, L. H. Butterfield, editor (Princeton, New Jersey: American Philosophical Society, 1951), Vol. I, p. 475, to Elias Boudinot on July 9, 1788.

(11) George Washington, The Writings of Washington, John C. Fitzpatrick, editor (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1932), Vol. XV, p. 55, from his speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs on May 12, 1779.

(12) Reports of Committees of the House of Representatives Made During the First Session of the Thirty-Third Congress (Washington: A. O. P. Nicholson, 1854), pp. 6-9.

(2)

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 33

YOUR Daily Bread

A true story about applying one’s talents

productive life by focusing on what he COULD do. His generosity gave his work purpose that brought him much joy and happiness.

We were blessed with one of Jeff ’s paintings as a gift which we have hanging in our bedroom. Each morning I sit up in bed, say a prayer and gaze at the painting. I always see something new each time I look at it. It not “God has given each of you special abilities; only decorates our bedroom, but it is a source use them to help each other, passing on to othof great inspiration. Jeff ’s generosity is contaers God’s many kinds of blessings.” (TLB) gious. I am hopeful that my own generosity will grow and pass on to others.

This verse is exemplified by an artist named In my columns, I like to suggest action steps Jeff Hanson. Jeff was born in 1993 to parto take to grow in your faith. For this issue, I ents Hal and Julie Hanson in Overland Park, draw on Hal Hanson’s reflections in his book, Kansas. At age 12, Jeff was diagnosed with Lessons from CLOD, recounting Jeff and his neurofibromatosis type 1 and an optic chiasm Terry Frisk family’s journey. brain tumor (he named CLOD) that was slowly 1. Focus on what you CAN do – Take intaking away his vision. While undergoing chemotherapy treatventory of your God-given talents and develop these into skills. ment, he started painting watercolor notecards as a diversion.

I have always had an interest in analyzing numbers. When This led to a curbside business selling his creations and mom’s I was young, I graphed my favorite baseball players’ stats to brownies, with the proceeds benefiting the Children’s Tumor measure their performance. It was only natural that I pursued Foundation to fund optic tumor research. a career in accounting.

At the suggestion of his eye doctor, Jeff transitioned to 2. Find a purpose – Establish why you do what you do. acrylics-on-canvas with heavy texture and bold colors. He Jeff ’s purpose was to “change the world through art.” My purmaintained a “philanthropy first” philosophy, giving many pose is to increase family financial well-being through nurturof his paintings to charities for fundraising auctions. He set a ing the businesses that employ them. lofty goal of raising $1 million for charity by age 20 which he 3. Be passionate in what you do – Pursue what excites reached at age 19. He then set another lofty goal to raise $10 you. CBS News correspondent Charles Kuralt had a news segmillion by age 30. ment where he interviewed everyday people across the country.

Jeff saw the world through a different lens, not because of I remember one segment with a garbage collector who was his visual impairment, but through the joy of using his Godgiven talent for art to positively impact others. He refused to be very passionate about his work. He recognized the importance of his work to his patrons and truly loved his work. Quoting defined by his challenges and embraced his abilities. Though American poet, Maya Angelou, “You can only become truly he could not do many things most of us take for granted, like accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your driving a car or participating in sports, he could live a happy,

By Terry Frisk In Genesis, we learn that God created humans in His own image. However, God gave each of us unique individual abilities. In 1 Peter, the apostle Peter discusses Christian life and duties. In Chapter 4, verse 10, he states:

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goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”

Precisely what Jeff Hanson did!

4. Practice extreme generosity – Generosity begets generosity. As Jesus states in Luke 6:38: “Give and it shall be given to you.” Generosity takes many forms, including acts of kindness, personal service and monetary donations.

An attitude of generosity in all that you do will be recognized by others who will be generous in return. The book relates a story about how Jeff met Elton John and presented a check for $1,000 to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Elton responded by donating $5,000 to the Children’s Tumor Foundation and flying Jeff and his parents to Dubai to attend his concert.

Recognition for Jeff ’s generosity snowballed from there.

5. Never quit dreaming – No matter what happens in your life, never stop dreaming about a better future for you, your family and your community.

Dreams support your purpose. Keep dreaming and pursue those dreams.

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Sadly, Jeff was diagnosed with a new tumor in October that took his life on December 20. At age 27, he had raised $6.7 million toward his $10 million goal.

However, his philanthropy lives on. You can learn more by visiting his website at www.jeffhansonart.com. n Terry Frisk is a partner in the firm B2B CFO, providing financial advisory services to small businesses. He also counsels individuals on personal financial matters through the Cathedral of the Rockies Budget Counseling ministry. He may be contacted through e-mail at terry_frisk@msn.com.

Amsterdam is home to the most well-known tulip festival in the world. Keukenhof gardens and pavilions are a sea of colorful tulips, daffodils, and other flowering bulbs. Love tulips? This is the trip of a lifetime. “Sunny in Amsterdam” is how artist Jeff Hanson remembered the yellow tulips in Keukenhof.

Christian Living | March / April 2021 35

GIVE pause

Draw near to God and take courage

By Rachel Brown There is a great variety of emotions surrounding the events of the past year. Nearly everyone would agree that the changes in our community and the world have challenged norms and disrupted our comfortable routines. That has certainly been true in the ministry where I serve, Cole Valley Christian School. The arrival of Covid, stay-at-home orders and area mandates have continually left me wondering how this ministry, my job and my children’s education would be impacted. Would the Lord provide teachers for my children and the many others at CVCS? Would enrollment decline due to health and financial concerns? Would the Lord provide for the needs of the ministry?

In my personal life, lives of my friends and church family life, I hear echoes of those same questions and more.

As I have pondered what can be learned from last year and all the fears that arose, I see a theme. All of them can be summed up in one simple question: in what do I put my faith? I have personally been challenged and blessed to watch believers choose to respond in faith, trust and courage even in the grip of grief and hardship in 2020. Isn’t it true that our response to hardship, fear and upheaval is a good indicator of our walk with the Lord? To respond as Joseph and believe that even what is meant for evil

God will use for good is not natural in our flesh (Gen. 50:20).

Our response can be an enormously impactful testimony for the Lord to encourage other believers and illuminate for unbelievers the hope that is found in the Lord alone.

God often uses difficulty and disruptions to capture our attention and draw us into deeper relationship and conversation with Him, but sometimes we don’t pause. It is all too easy to live within our daily routines and grow less aware of our ever-present need to trust in the Lord. I was reminded of this last summer when one of my friends asked me to pray for her family. As a single income family with seven children, they are reliant on the husband’s employment for income. When my friend told me that her husband would likely be laid off due to the stay-at-home order, I responded that I would pray he would keep his job. She said, “There is no need to pray he will keep his job. Only pray that we will continue to rely on the Lord alone to provide.”

This response fueled by her dependent walk with the Lord and continually joyful countenance floored me (Matt.

6:31-21). In subsequent conversations, she talked about daily pause to listen to the Lord and meditate on His Word. The Lord did answer their prayer by allowing her husband to keep his job, one of only three people in the company they were able to retain. In addition, soon after, he was publicly honored

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because of his hard work and faithfulness over challenging than ever this past year. They are many years of service. impacting over 1,000 kids each day with their Another theme I have seen in my role in mission to partner with families to help each Admissions at CVCS is the challenges and student reach their individual potential. The changes to comfortable routines because of commitment to stay on-mission despite conCovid. It caused many of us to pause, listen and stant changes and obstacles is a testimony for recalibrate our lives to more closely align with the Lord. This is just as true for each believer God’s calling for us and our children. Disrupwho stands in faith in whatever the calling God tion or loss of jobs, church life and children’s has on their lives and who continually puts their school were just the pause many people needed faith in the Lord alone. to draw near to the Lord and gain courage to What is the Lord calling us to? Is He calling make big changes He was calling them to. us to continue faithfully walking the path we are Rachel Brown Some families have heard the Lord calling currently on? Is He asking you to trust Him in them to move to another state, take a different job or look for a new way for employment, children’s education, or even the a different kind of education for their children. While these community where you live and serve? Is He calling you to give changes can initially produce stress and the feeling of upin a new, possibly sacrificial way? How can we know if we are heaval, when prompted by the Lord, obedience yields amazing not willing to pause and listen to the Lord? fruit. There is a joy and peace that comes only from knowing One thing I hope to have firmly learned through this past you are precisely in the center of God’s will for your life (John year is that we cannot anticipate or control circumstances. We 10:27-28). It has been amazing to hear about God’s children can prepare ourselves by relying daily on the Lord, not waiting stepping out in faith in this way. It is a great testimony to for circumstances to dictate a pause to stop and listen, so that others as it challenges the priorities accepted in our culture, when we face the next unexpected circumstance we respond in especially taking time to pause and intentionally seek the Lord. faith and obedience. n After over 20 years working in various businesses, I can’t imagine taking for granted the privilege of working in a place Rachel Brown is Director of Admissions and Marketing where prayer and reliance on the Lord is the norm. However, I at Cole Valley Christian Schools. She may be reached at have still been amazed at the staff at CVCS. Their dedication rachel.brown@cvcsonline.org. and faithfulness to their calling from the Lord has been more

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Christian Living | March / April 2021 37

ZACCHAEUS’ example

Keeping God in all of our equations

By Roxanne Drury I read somewhere that ‘our work, the work that we do, whatever it is, is not meant to make us famous – it is meant to make God famous.’ This is such a profound thought.

Everyone longs to be known – from little to big people. How valued we feel when someone recognizes us and calls us by name. How important we feel ourselves to be when we are asked for input, advise, or to be of help. Feeling special or important – and valued – these are not bad or wrong feelings. But we need to keep those feelings in perspective. Let’s take a look at one little man in the Bible who did just that.

Zacchaeus was his name. He was a tax collector and wealthy but not very well-liked because Roxanne he cheated people. He knew Jesus was an important man and that Jesus was a comin’ to town.

The folks gathered in excited anticipation of His arrival. Zacchaeus couldn’t see over the crowd of people as Jesus walked through the village, so he did what any boy/man, problemsolver type person would do – he climbed a tree so he could see.

And just as Jesus walked by the tree Zacchaeus was sitting in, He stopped. I imagine Zac’s eyes grew wide, his heart began to pump, and if ominous music had been available, it would have played…duh, duh, duh, dun!

Jesus looked straight up in that tree and saw Zacchaeus sitting up there. (Jesus knew he was going to be up there long before Zacchaeus even took his first step to climb that tree, by the way.) And Jesus called his name, “Zacchaeus.” Whoa! What do you think went through Zacchaeus’ mind? Maybe, “Yikes! He knows my name!”

Then Jesus does something to shock Zacchaeus’ and knock everyone’s socks off. Oh wait, they wore sandals… Well, you get the idea. Jesus invites himself to Zacchaeus’ house for dinner.

Now if that were me, my first thought would be, “Is the house clean?” Next thought, “Do I have enough food for an extra person at the table and is it good enough for ‘this’ person?”

38 March / April 2021 | Christian Living

But Zacchaeus doesn’t waste his thoughts on any of those things. Luke 19:6 says “he came down at once and gladly welcomed Him.” Zacchaeus quickly comes down the tree, no hesitation whatsoever, and takes Jesus home with him.

Did Jesus make Zacchaeus feel special? You bet! Did Jesus cause Zacchaeus to have feelings of importance? Absolutely! How could he not feel these things? This was THE Jesus – a very important man who is paying attention to him and even knows him by name. And these feelings are okay for Zacchaeus, and I’ll tell you why.

Let’s finish the story... So Jesus goes to Zac’s house, they share a meal and Zac truly meets the Savior. He gets convicted in his heart of Drury his wrongdoing and repents, vowing to give the money back that he had cheated people out of.

I imagine people are amazed the day Zacchaeus knocks on their door and gives them their money back, with interest no less. I am going to take some liberty here because the Bible doesn’t tell us exactly what happened when Zacchaeus returned the money, but we can imagine based on what our reaction might be. It might have gone something like this: A knock comes at the door. Opening it and seeing Zacchaeus, the resident of the house says, “I already paid my taxes.”

Zacchaeus replies, “No, no here, take the money back and here is four times what I stole from you.”

The resident says, “Really?”

They might have asked, “Hey, what’s up with you? What’s changed? Why are you giving me this money back?” And Zacchaeus most likely would tell them the story, if they didn’t already know it. He might have said something like, “I met Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God. He called me by name and came to my house for dinner and said to me, ‘Today salvation has come to this house…’ (Luke 19:9) He saved me.”

Zacchaeus would make it about Jesus and what Jesus did for him, not about what Zacchaeus was doing in righting his

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wrongs. Zacchaeus was making Jesus famous. And that is what we are meant to do. In our words and actions, our work and play, we are meant to make Jesus famous because of what He has done in our lives. How He changed us. It is called giving God the glory for who He is and what He does in all circumstances.

It is okay to have feelings of being special and important as long as we don’t leave God out of the equation.

I am special because God made me special.

I am important because of who I am in Christ. God in me makes me important.

All of me – who I am, what I say, what I do – should point to God, should point people to God, to make HIM famous. It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It is all about Him. n Roxanne Drury is a wife, mother, grandmother, and retired Christian preschool teacher with a teaching certificate in Early Childhood Education. She has served the Lord in children’s ministry for over 40 years and is currently on staff at Rockharbor Church.

303 South Hawthorne Middleton, ID 83644 208-412-8778 MiddletonChurch.com TerrysDevotions.com Meeting: Sundays @ 10:30 AM

Children’s Church for ages 10 & under

A church of grace built on the foundation of Jesus Christ

MERIDIAN

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

— Thessalonians 5:11NIV

600 N. Ten Mile Rd. Meridian, ID Join us on Sundays:

• On Campus

• 8:00 am, 9:30 am and 11:00 am (Masks optional) • 5:00 pm (Masks Required) • On YouTube - 11:00 am

Look for Central Valley Meridian

centralvalleybaptist.com Go to our website for updates due to COVID

Sunday Morning

Adult Only Service 9:30 AM Thursday Bible Study 7PM All Bikes & Hot Rods Welcome

62 E Fairview Ave. Ste 62, Meridian

208-286-9438

Commongroundbikerchurch.com

Passion for God… Compassion for People 150 W Maestra Street

(off Meridian between Overland & Victory) 208-888-2141 www.valleyshepherd.org

Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:45 am

A Women’s Ministry Open to All Churches to Connect Women to One Another

Say YES to Adventures!

For more info call: Katy Nelson 503-816-3042 www.katynelsoncoaching.net/walkingwithwomen

www.christianlivingmag.com

For information on adding your church to this directory, please call 208-703-7509 or email: boisechristianliving@gmail.com Christian Living | March / April 2021 39

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