Fall 2020

FALL | 2020

A quarterly journal of Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Prayer the Power of

Stranded at the Height of the Pandemic

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How Specific Prayer Changed My Church

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Science Proves the Power 17 of Prayer

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Prayer

the Power of

Some of the first Christians converted in Africa were known for being men of prayer. Each of them had a separate place in the jungle where they daily poured out their hearts to God. With time, threshes were made in the undergrowth, well-marked trails where the grass did not grow. As a result, when one of them began to wiaver in their daily fellowship with God, the other brothers realized the grass was beginning to grow on the path where he had stopped praying. With affection, they reminded them, “Brother, the grass grows in your path; you need to return to daily communion with God.” We have a great invitation to share our burdens and praises to the Lord in humble, dependent prayer every day. “Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him” (Psalm 62:8). We also have a great need to speak to Him. “Without Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We have great promises of answered prayer. “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do…If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14).

The Bible tells us just how powerful prayer can be. When the people of God do not pray, they do not receive from the Lord all that He wants to give them. “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). At times, we may pray yet still not receive from the Lord.

These prayers are anchored in our own wills and interests. True prayer is to be anchored in the will of God. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).

Jesus’ own life was an example of continuous, powerful prayer. At times, He was up before dawn to speak with the Father (Mark 1:35). On other occasions, He prayed the whole night through (Luke 6:12). He even prayed publicly, teaching His followers and all Christians how we can speak with the Lord of Heaven, and what a privilege it is to do so (Matthew 11:25; Luke 9:16; and John 11:41-42). If Jesus, the Son of God, prayed habitually and understood the power of prayer, how clearly we are to do the same.

I pray this edition of Florida Focus affirms you in your daily prayer walk with the Lord. In this issue, you will read testimonies from those whose lives were changed through the power of prayer. You will see how prayer is an indispensable instrument for the one who yearns for guidance, for the church that needs strength in difficult times, for those who feel lost, stranded, with little resources left. I pray your soul is strengthened and your faith increased, especially in these challenging times.

May the Lord bless you always,

Allan Machado, Ph.D. Florida Conference President

Table of CONTENTS 4

Stranded at the Height of the Pandemic

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Inspired to Pray

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7 Psalms to Pray with Thanksgiving

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God Answers Prayer

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A Life Changed through Prayer

12

How Specific Prayer Changed My Church

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Little Readers

17

Science Proves the Power of Prayer

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Test Me in This

20

ABC Delivery Schedule

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Debbie Varsubsky Retires / Storytime

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Is Prayer a Conversation or a Monologue?

23

Ministrar en Medio de una Pandemia

FLORIDA FOCUS is published quarterly by Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® and mailed free of charge to constituent members with nonprofit standard postage paid in Orlando, Florida.

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Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® 351 S. State Road 434, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714-3824 (407) 644-5000 • www.floridaconference.com • floridafocus@floridaconference.com President: Allan Machado floridaconference Executive Secretary: Tim Goff floridaconf Treasurer: Elisa Rahming florida.conference Editor: Giovana Shellhammer Editorial Staff: Melissa Simmons/Public Relations Department

STRANDED AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC

By Fidel Soto

Being a Pastor is a commitment, unlike other professions. There are many tireless, long days, weeks, and months where it feels like true rest is fleeting. For the last 19 years, I have dedicated my life to serving the church, a ministry made possible with my family’s support and dedication to be by my side every day. But God calls us to rest; therefore, we felt the time had come to take a Sabbatical. With prayerful consideration and the new year upon us, we asked and were permitted to begin our Sabbatical on March 10, 2020.

Our excitement was contagious! The thought of having two months to spend together as a family was something we had been dreaming about for years. We immediately started planning.

My wife, Cara, spent countless hours booking airplane tickets, hotels, car rentals, and researching everything from weather to travel visas. Our two daughters decided to take the semester off from Southern Adventist University to experience this adventure with us. We had four goals in mind for our trip, visiting the Biblical and Protestant reformation sites in Israel, Jordan, and Europe, rest and rejuvenation, creating new family memories, and growing closer as a family.

As the day of our departure drew near, so did our anticipation and nervousness. It was hard to believe that this long-awaited reprieve was going to happen. However, there was a real threat looming over the trip at the news of COVID-19 spreading throughout the world. We prepared the best we knew how and on 4

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March 10, when we arrived at the airport to board our plane, we learned that Italy had closed its borders to tourists. Shocked by this news, we huddled together and prayed for guidance. There were so many uncertainties, but peace transcended over us, and we stepped out in faith and boarded our plane.

Our first layover was 14 hours in Portugal. The next day, we headed to Israel, with a layover in Istanbul, Turkey. During our layover, we found out that because of the pandemic, our flight to Israel had been canceled. During the first day, it appeared Istanbul was a peaceful place, unafraid of the pandemic. We met people joking about the Coronavirus, claiming that Turkish coffee was a virus killer. We smiled with them, but within 48 hours, we witnessed a complete transformation. We saw a city of 15 million come to a screeching halt and shut down. We saw a relaxed and fearless population move from fear to outright panic. Restaurants, museums, archeological attractions, and hotels began to shut down overnight, and people were afraid they would lose their jobs and businesses.

My wife, Cara, began to look for flights to other neighboring countries, but within hours, every country closed its borders, and each government was ordering its citizens to return home.

It seemed like our only option was to return to Miami. However, home was not any better. The news revealed the fear, anxiety, and panic taking place in America, and friends confirmed this to be true. Returning home did not seem feasible.

Before our very eyes, the trip we had so carefully planned was vanishing. When dreams shatter, one cannot help but question God. But in faith, we held on to every promise the word of God had to offer. Deuteronomy 1, Psalms 23, Psalms 91, and John 14 became my safety and guided me on the wild roller coaster of changes the world was facing.

Fear and anxiety are contagious. In Turkey, the media, like in other countries, were churning up fear and anxiety, and the anxiety the people around us were feeling added to our unrest.

We knew we could not stay in Istanbul. We had to leave, but where? In our hotel room, once again, we huddled together in prayer. God impressed us to rent a car and journey three-anda-half hours south to a village on the coast of the Aegean Sea. When we arrived, the owners of the hotel greeted us warmly with a smile, a stark difference to the fear we left behind in Istanbul. The owners of the hotel were an older couple, along with their son and his family. The son, who spoke a little English, “just happened to be there” when we pulled in. There was no doubt that when we met the Hirik family, God was in control.

They opened their hotel to us during a time when everyone else was closing their doors because of COVID-19. They immediately set us up in a studio-like apartment with a kitchenette, living room, bedroom, and gave us access to the hotel’s washer and dryer. The hotel was a beautiful, newly built building with a stunning view of the Aegean Sea, and ironically we were the only guests.

After settling into our home away from home, we decided to extend our stay a couple of weeks when news came that Israel would re-open their borders at the end of March. Readjusting our plans was stressful, but it was better than returning home at the height of the pandemic. We felt confident that countries would soon open their borders, and our travel plans could resume. But March passed, and April came, and those infected by the virus increased; and Israel, among other countries, were closed indefinitely.

With strict local travel restrictions and international travel being out of the question, May came, and we ended up quarantined in the hotel for 82 days. The weekends were a complete lockdown.

No one was allowed to go outside. However, Monday through

Thursday, we could go to the bakery and grocery store within a 15-mile radius. During this forced pause, we read, talked, journaled, studied the Bible, watched movies, listened to audiobooks, played games, and talked some more.

As I look back, it is clear that God guided our steps, keeping us safe in the palm of his hand by bringing us to a quiet, tranquil little village. The view from the hotel was magnificent. We would wake up to a picturesque scene of the sea and a mountain range beyond it. The mountains and sea served as the backdrop to a painting that was continually changing. From our hotel balcony, we saw winter turn into spring and spring turn into summer. We saw dozens of stunning sunsets, pods of dolphins splashing in the sea, snowstorms capping the mountain tops, and so much more. On the other side of the hotel were rolling green hills filled with thousands of olive trees and wildflowers. We would go on daily walks and see wild boars, foxes, feral cats, birds, and a variety of God’s beauty.

God had given us everything we needed to live abundantly.

The Hirik family turned out to be generous, kind, and gracious people. They gave us the keys to their car to buy groceries and shared their delicious Turkish food treating us like family. We all cried when we had to leave and promised that we would someday meet again.

On June 1, 2020, Turkey began to re-open. Travel restrictions within the country lifted, although international travel was still prohibited until June 16. Happily, we made the most of it. We rented a car and began to explore Turkey until our flight out of Istanbul on June 17. We visited Troy, Ephesus, Assos, Laodicea, among many other destinations. The only tourists were Turkish citizens and the occasional displaced foreigner like ourselves. It felt as if we had the entire country to ourselves.

Our family saw God’s hand in every move we made; from the time we left Miami until our return home. God has a way of redeeming what we feel is lost. Yes, we lost the ability to travel to Israel and Europe. But looking back, we can see how God fulfilled all of our desires and gave us the ability to rest and reconnect as a family and, most importantly, with Him. We have learned from this trip that God’s way is always better when we let him lead.

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Inspired to Pray

By Melissa Simmons

Have you ever felt that you were going through the motions and having the same conversations over and over? Talks that, over time, start to feel stale, mundane, or rehearsed? The conversation I am referring to is prayer. During one point in my life, my conversations with God began to feel zestless and tired. I sensed that we had grown apart, but then I realized that God had never moved; I was the one who changed. God is always steady, always ready with an open hand to give us the gifts of grace, forgiveness, and freedom, but we have to be willing to receive those gifts. I felt the void, but I made it seem that my faith was sufficient on the outside, while doubting His truth on the inside.

Perhaps you find yourself experiencing the same feelings? Maybe it’s hard to remember what you have prayed for in the past, or it has become a chore to be checked off your list. Does the act of prayer fill you with awe and worship, or obligation and indifference?

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I knew I needed a change of heart. I needed to allow God to work within me and give me a fresh perspective on prayer, and get back to the purpose of meeting God. As I began to journal my prayers, I found that change of heart. It began to revive my prayer life, and it turned me in the direction of genuinely seeking God in all things. As it says in Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” I began to seek God in every aspect of my life, not just the challenges I was facing, but in all things.

There was something therapeutic of writing out my prayers. It came with such ease, especially after feeling like I was going through the motions before. God and I began to have conversations through the strokes of my pen and the expressions of faith and gratitude.

Prayer is our breath, our words, our

actions, our listening ear. Prayer is all about connecting with God, our Creator.

Prayer went from something that felt like a chore, to something I craved. God designed us for connection, and that connection with God was something I needed, like taking a breath.

Maybe you, too, need to try something different to bring life back into your prayers, into your relationship with God. I challenge you to seek God, tell Him what is on your heart, what you are struggling with and be open to what He shows you.

Don’t be afraid to explore ways to make your walk with God more beautiful, more meaningful, and more fulfilling. After all, He is a God of doing new things.

Behold I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:19

7 Psalms to Pray with

Thanksgiving

Prayer is a critical part of our relationship with God. As we go into the season of Thanksgiving, let us stop, reflect, and pray over these verses. Ask the Spirit to move within you and praise God in all things and “in everything give Thanks.” (1 Thess. 5:18)

Psalm 7:17 “I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord most High.”

Psalm 9:1 “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all of your wonderful deeds.”

Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.”

Psalm 30:11-12 “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.”

Psalm 54:6 “I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.”

Psalm 106:47 “Save us, Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.”

Psalm 118:28-29 “You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

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GOD ANSWERS PRAYER Since the middle of March and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Camp Kulaqua has been nearly empty. With quarantine orders in place, only a handful of groups chose to visit, but most churches and groups could not attend their scheduled retreats and various events. And for the first time in 67 years, summer camp was canceled.

We began to lift up our camp in prayer. We prayed for the families who would be without work. We prayed for the safety of those who visited in search of a retreat. We prayed for those that would miss out on the beloved camp experience, and we can testify that God answered those prayers. He hears the cries of his children in a time of need.

The pandemic has not gone away, but he is helping us navigate in ways that we never thought possible. God makes a way when there seems to be no way. God made it possible for us to participate in the Payroll Protection Program; therefore, we did not have to lay off staff during the height of the pandemic. He helped us operate a successful Family Camp with 330 attendees, which opened the way for other groups to feel comfortable returning.

Additionally, a group of camp friends came up with the idea of a camp fundraiser; a virtual 5k FUNDrace to raise funds to assist camp during a time of need. The funds raised have gone to feed the animals, care for the horses, to keep the lights on, and to support camp.

I want to thank Phil Bond, Gigi Shellhammer, Javier Diaz, Walter Castro, and the rest of our FUNDrace Committee, who tirelessly worked to find sponsors and encourage people to participate in the race. And to our sponsors and those that participated in the race, YOU are an answer to prayer. With your help, we surpassed our $50,000 goal!

Thank you for letting God use you to answer our prayers. God often answers prayers in ways that are unbeknownst to us. We will continue to pray about this pandemic and trust that God will hear and answer our prayers. Will you join us?

Your brother in Christ,

Phil Younts Administrative Camp Director 8

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PLATINUM

SILVER

BRONZE

Thank you for your support!

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Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

A Life Changed through Prayer

By Angela Baerg Aaron Patterson grew up in a family dedicated to serving God. Both his father and grandfather are pastors. Additionally, his mother is a pastor and professor of religion. For most of his life, Aaron had no desire to become a pastor. He witnessed firsthand the long hours and selfless time both of his parents devoted to the church, and like many young people today, he wanted nothing to do with it. Not until his junior year at Forest Lake Academy did he turn to God with complete surrender. His heart, softened by the Spirit, opened in ways he had not known possible. From that point forward, Aaron began journaling with his Bible 4-5 hours every day. Inspired, he launched himself into an intense 24/7 prayer journey that lasted one and a half years in a deliberate effort to pray continually, just as Paul advised the Thessalonians.

after he posted some funny videos, he gained 180,000 followers and 5 million likes. That’s when he started taking it seriously and decided that it was his responsibility to use this platform to lead others to Christ. Aaron has since posted some witnessing videos and is praying that God will guide him in other uplifting ways to use his online influence.

“Prayer is now the foundation of my relationship with God,” Aaron says. “I told Him that He could change anything He wanted to in my life. In the quiet, when I was at my worst, God showed me that His will and my fulfillment were the same things. That’s when I knew I was going to become a pastor after all.”

Although we live in uncertain times, Aaron, now a sophomore at Southern, is confident in his faith and is excited to find out where God will lead him next.

After high school, God impressed Aaron to continue his education at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee. Through his shift in perspective, Aaron now adamantly believes that good communication is vital to being an effective pastor. During his time at Southern, Aaron has chosen to major in Communication. Although it is an unusual route, he is excited about the path that God has him on and the skills he is developing. Skills he hopes will one day help him plant churches.

In his opinion, virtual communication is equally as important as in-person communication. He believes in embracing the power of technology to help spread God’s Word, a dire need in the current times we are living. Currently, Aaron has the privilege of using his communication skills to assist his home church, Forest Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church, by helping them to utilize media and technology to reach as many people as possible through video editing on their various social media platforms.

To minister to Southern’s student body, last year, Aaron and his roommate, Jeremy Gustman, started a LifeGroup. They chose to study the wisdom found in Proverbs, Aaron’s favorite book of the Bible, to discuss with others. Every week, they prayed, sang, and studied. In total, they read nearly 40 chapters together.

“I want to use every tool I have to share the Great Commission with my generation,” says Aaron. “This is my calling.”

Aaron also uses the TikTok phone application as a personal form of outreach. He first downloaded it as a joke with a friend, but FLORIDA FOCUS | FALL 2020

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HOW SPECIFIC PRAYER CHANGED MY CHURCH

BY PASTOR TRAVIS WALKER

At the church that I pastor in Daytona Beach, we recently finished the 100-days of prayer initiative, alongside other churches around the world. My initial thought when it was announced back in March was that it was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that was quickly engulfing the world. It was only after I interviewed Ted Wilson, President of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, on my podcast that I learned that this global prayer event had been months in planning before COVID-19. Therefore, God had inspired this time dedicated to prayer without its planners even knowing why!

I cannot speak for the rest of the church, but through these 100days of prayer, I witnessed the longest sustained revival of my entire ministry. This transpired in particular, as I began to study the prayer lives of George Muller and Hudson Taylor, preaching and teaching about them. I found the key to our revival in the fruitfulness of their ministry, as it directly connected to their faith in God’s willingness to answer their specific prayer requests.

When I compared how they prayed to my own prayers, I quickly realized that my prayers were far too vague and general to ever 12

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know for sure when or whether God had answered them. I came to realize that I was missing out on the potential of a much more vibrant faith and walk with God because I really did not believe He cared about the details and specifics of my life. Lord have mercy, was I wrong. As I took hold of this new challenge and began writing down my specific prayers — I quickly saw the power of specificity in prayer. Within a day, I had my first big answer to prayer, and from there I was on fire.

This realization came at the point in the 100-days of prayer when we had just passed day fifty, and I then saw an opportunity to propose to my church that we claim the last forty days of the 100-days of prayer with a daily 8:30 p.m. prayer commitment on Zoom. So, the Sabbath before the last forty days were about to begin, I appealed in my sermon for members to join this prayer group, in which we would specifically petition God every evening. To my utter amazement, we had twenty people show up on Zoom on that first night (normally we have about five to seven people who show up to prayer meeting). This commitment continued each night for forty days.

I cannot begin to list out all the powerful, specific prayer requests that God answered during those forty days, but I will tell you that I have never witnessed anything like it in my 15 years of pastoral ministry. People were healed; people lost jobs, only to get new ones in a matter of days; children long out of the faith were startled back into a renewed interest in spiritual things; people made decisions for baptism; leaders stepped up into new roles, and the influence of church’s online ministry exploded.

At the end of it all, no one wanted it to end. This corporate experience in specific intercessory prayer particularly touched the heart of one member, more than all the rest, and so I encouraged her to write her testimony. Here is a portion of what she wrote: “Almost forty days ago now, we started a prayer group to pray together virtually as part of the 100-days of prayer. I have never been part of such a group. I cannot even tell you why I started that first day. My youngest son is sick with an autoimmune disease; so, I started with that as my prayer request. What transpired over the next 38 days was an awakening for me.

It was more than just prayers, but rather a deep connection to others that led to a direct connection to God. The power of prayer with those that gather together is a powerful thing. I witnessed prayers being answered — big and small. I heard of prayers being answered for those whom we were not even aware that they needed prayer. Most of all, I saw the vulnerability of our group — how humble we became with each other and the Lord. We discovered that we are not alone in our journey and walk with God; and that others close by may even be struggling with similar life challenges. This experience involved more than just participating in a prayer group; remarkably, it involved

an awakening of each other. This blessed result could have never been attained, I believe, by just passing by each other at church.”

In the book, Steps to Personal Revival, it says on page 36: “Preaching, praying publicly, organizing church life, preparing evangelistic programs, giving pastoral counseling – these all can be learned and also put into practice without the Holy Ghost.

Ellen G. White described this dangerous possibility as follows: ‘The reason why there is so little of the Spirit of God manifested is that ministers learn to do without it.’”1 I must confess — this paragraph describes the majority of my ministry before COVID-19. If the Spirit was with me, it was solely because of the grace of God, not because I was desperately pleading for His presence every day. But after seeing what God has done in me and with this prayer group over the last 40 days, I never want to go back to doing things my old way again.

So, whoever you are, wherever you happen to be — I just want to encourage you to start a prayer group. Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, and pray specifically for what you want God to do for you, your prayer partners, your church, and your community, and you will see His promises fulfilled right before your eyes: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” Ephesians 3:20-21.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

1. Helmut Haubeil (2018). Steps to Personal Revival. Retrieved from https://www. revivalandreformation.org/resources/all/steps-to-personal-revival

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On March 29, Rob Kochon was admitted into AdventHealth Orlando and was diagnosed with COVID-191. In critical condition, the medical team immediately intubated him. His wife, Caron, felt alone and scared. As a faithful Christian for more than 40 years, Caron fell to her knees in prayer, along with family and friends, who also called out to God on Rob’s behalf. Caron knew that God was in control long before Rob became ill, and she trusted that He would remain faithful.

Over the next several days, Rob vacillated between consciousness but clearly remembered there were moments where he felt the power of God while his family and friends prayed over him. After 42 days of hospitalization, Rob was finally able to return home.

Today, Rob and Caron firmly believe that the healing power of prayer led to Rob’s recovery.

Even though prayer is hard to study scientifically, many research studies shed light on how prayer is associated with a sense of calmness, peace, encouragement, and social support, especially in times of crisis. These findings are demonstrated in US studies examining the relationship between prayer and mental health, both with large samples and scientific rigor.

A study led by Harvard Professor Tyler VanderWeele2 found that young adults who prayed daily tended to have fewer depressive symptoms, and higher levels of satisfaction in

their daily lives and self-esteem, in comparison to those who never prayed.

In 20093, a randomized trial of the effect of prayer and anxiety reported that members of a group had lower rates of depression and anxiety. They also reported a more optimistic attitude after sessions in which they prayed for one another, compared to the control group which had no prayer.

Scientific studies have proven the power of prayer, something that the Bible has presented multiple times.

I believe that it is time we take prayer more seriously and begin to develop a focused prayer life, not just when a crisis takes place. What should I do to improve in my prayer life in this time of crisis?

Make Jesus your personal friend. Prayer is a conversation that you have with a friend. It is not something that you do just when you are in crisis. It isn’t easy to have an intimate conversation with someone that you don’t know.

If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, it won’t be easy to talk to him.

1

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/17/health/benefits-of-prayer-wellness/index.html

2

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/religious-upbringing-adult-health/

Boelens, P. A., Reeves, R. R., Replogle, W. H., & Koenig, H. G. (2009). A randomized trial of the effect of prayer on depression and anxiety. International journal of psychiatry in medicine, 39(4), 377–392. https://doi.org/10.2190/PM.39.4.c 3

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By Yoela Murillo

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it” Malachi 3:10.

I grew up in a Christian household where tithing was an essential part of the family budget. I always heard my parents talk about tithing, and they consistently expressed it in a tone of gratitude and happiness. It became natural for me to tithe, not just my allowance but also any extra income from working summer jobs.

I also learned to tithe any Christmas, birthdays, and graduation presents I received from family and friends. Over the years, I realized that tithes were as crucial as offerings.

I remember my first conversation with God right after graduating from college, wanting to be a responsible adult, yet money was tight. I needed a job with a steady income to support myself.

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Still, I made a promise to God to match my offerings with my tithe. In the 18 years since, not a day has passed that God hasn’t remained faithful.

As time passed, my world revolved around the idea that I should be married, have children, and live happily ever after. But it was evident that there were other divine plans for my life. I had faith in God, but as time went by, it felt as if there were repercussions for poor decisions in my past. Like most women, my dreams of getting married and having a house were coupled with my deepest feelings to be a homemaker and becoming a loving mother. But at this time in my life, my dreams seemed to fade before my eyes.

Years later, in 2018, after multiple visits to various doctors, I learned the horrible truth that not only could I not have children, but I needed a total hysterectomy. I was in the pit of despair.

My world was crumbling, and my heart sank. But once again, I

remembered the promise “… and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it” Malachi 3:10.

Over the next three years, my interest in fasting and prayer strengthened; this constant discipline allowed me to build my trust in the power and faithfulness of my Savior. Through careful studying, I felt challenged to give an extra five percent tithe, which I labeled under the category of “healed.” Deep down, I knew I needed healing. Even though the numbers showed expenses greater than my income, I took a leap of faith and gave the extra five percent faithfully. Filled by the courage of God, strengthened by the experiences of those who proved the faithfulness of God, I gave.

Fast forward to August 27, 2020. After a deliberate time spent in fasting and prayer, the day had arrived to move forward with the surgery. As I sat in the waiting room, feeling anxious, the door opened. Counting my breathing, I tried to slow my heart rate while I struggled not to touch my face.

The door opened abruptly, and the doctor walked in, her eyes glowing with the most loving and merciful look I had ever seen.

I knew God was in control of my life, and I felt at peace in His gracious hands.

The doctor informed me that due to the size of the fibroids growing through the years, laparoscopic surgery was not the

most appropriate procedure for this case. Instead, a cesarean section was the best course of action. There was complete silence in the room as she asked me: “Do you want me to keep your uterus and ovaries?” Her question took me by surprise, but without hesitation, I asked her to do her best to keep my organs intact. Four hours later, my doctor finished the surgery, and as I opened my eyes in the recovery room, I focused on the kind and compassionate smile on the face of my surgeon. Critical decisions took place that morning, and among them, keeping my uterus and my ovaries were the two most important.

Following the surgery, my mind was filled with gratitude and praise to God for what had been unfolding. The next morning at my follow up appointment, my doctor told me that after careful evaluation, the masses containing 15 fibroids were benign.

When I meditate on what happened, I can only praise the Lord.

When my mind wants to wander into worry about the weeks, months, and years to come, the following words resonate in my heart “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.”

I know that I will continue to face heartaches, and I may not always understand God’s will, but I will never forget the countless blessings of my past. May you have courage, seek God in prayer, and trust Him as you bring your tithes and offerings into the storehouse and put the Author and Finisher of your faith to the test.

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Debbie Varsubsky Retires

If you have ever set foot into the Florida Adventist Book Center over the last two decades, there is an excellent chance your cashier was the ever-smiling Debbie Varsubsky. Helping customers find the perfect book came second nature to her. Debbie started her mission-driven career with the Florida Adventist Book Center in September of 1992 and retired this past spring.

Debbie has always had a passion for our churches’ literature as it played a vital role in her life. In 1981, Debbie was given a Revelation flyer sent out by one of our churches. Although the temptation to throw it away was strong, the vivid pictures caught her attention and sparked her curiosity. After reading it, she became quite convicted and had a thirst for learning more. She and her husband, Marty, had been searching for a church home and felt it was God’s perfect timing leading her to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Nowadays, she is enjoying her extra free time spending it with her family, especially her grandkids. She still visits the ABC frequently, so there is a chance you will be able to see her and her bright smile when you shop.

Congratulations Debbie, we wish you all the best on your retirement!

Storytime Every Monday at 4pm

We have missed you and look forward to resuming storytime! We will have Covid-19 precautions in place.

All children participating will be sitting 6 feet apart, and masks are required, hand sanitizer is available.

Space is limited, but we will hold two sessions if necessary so that every child can experience storytime with Mrs. Carol. Storytime will continue at the regularly scheduled time; every Monday @ 4pm.

FLORIDA FOCUS | FALL 2020

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Is Prayer a

Conversation or a Monologue?

By Alexander E. Schlussler

I would not consider myself to be eloquent in prayer, nor am I one who prays in perfect King James English with such power that time would seem to stand still. I have certainly heard those who can pray in that manner. However, I am not one. We come before the Lord in prayer, bringing our needs and the needs of others, presenting petitions, and hoping that the Lord is listening. When we have finished our prayer list, we say amen, and we move on.

Might it be that our time in prayer should be more about building a relationship with Jesus through conversation than asking him for things? Jesus wants us to come to Him in our times of want and need, but He also wants us to just sit at His feet and listen more than we talk. Hearing the voice of God is experienced in different ways for each of us. However, it starts the same for all, with us just being still and quiet so that when He speaks, we will hear His voice.

Should we understand prayer as a conversation, which is an exchange of thoughts and ideas between two or more individuals, or is it a monologue, where one does all the talking? If prayer is conversational, then we should approach it as such. We talk and expect that God will, in some way, answer. Adam and Eve walked with God, and it is not wrong to believe that they had many wonderful conversations. The bible says that God has a voice and has spoken on many occasions to His people. There is no better time to hear His voice than when we are alone with Him in prayer.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20

In life coaching, listening is an essential skill that must be developed. It is fundamental to understanding what a person truly values. More importantly, it is key to opening the door for a meaningful relationship to form.

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FLORIDA FOCUS | FALL 2020

There is so much noise, and so many voices crying out for our attention. Our mind overflows with far too many concerns and worries, and it makes sense that we find it hard to come into the quiet with God. King David declared, “My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is in Him.” Psalm 62:5 For us to wait on God, to hear His voice starts with us stopping, resting, and waiting for God, lingering just awhile longer to catch his voice. When we kneel in prayer, having said what we need to say; we then wait in silence with our heart still and quiet, as it is in that place, we will hear the soft voice of God. Prayer is indeed a conversation, but it is one in which the Lord should speak far more than we do.

ministrar en medio de una pandemia Pastor Alejandro Delgado

Hace exactamente un año nos llamó el Pastor Abdiel Del Toro para invitarnos a venir a trabajar a la Florida. Lo pusimos en oración con la familia y decidimos aceptar el desafío de venir a pastorear en las iglesias hispanas de Kendall y West Dade localizadas en la zona del sur de Miami.

Nunca nos imaginamos a lo que nos íbamos a enfrentar— “ministrar en medio de una pandemia”. Fueron meses desafiantes tanto familiares, como laborales. Mi madre falleció a finales de marzo, cosa que nos ha marcado a la familia para siempre. Estos han llegado a ser tiempos muy inciertos para todos. Esta pandemia mundial ocasionada por el COVID 19 ha estado transformando la vida de millones de personas de una manera inimaginable por más tiempo de lo que se llegó a pensar. Los cambios han estado aconteciendo tan rápidamente que nos ha tomado por sorpresa a todos a nivel mundial.

Todos nos hemos tenido que ir adaptando a esta nueva realidad, y en esa nueva adaptación y realidad, fuimos presentados en el distrito por el Pastor Abdiel Del Toro vía Zoom el sábado 4 de abril. Llegué a ser el primer pastor presentado en medio de una pandemia. De inmediato comencé la desafiante tarea de ministrar a una iglesia virtual. Todo era nuevo, pero a la vez, una oportunidad fascinante para compartir el evangelio.

Presentar el evangelio en los dispositivos móviles y computadoras es una oportunidad que hay que aprovechar ya que hay millones de personas encerradas en sus casas con muchísimo tiempo en sus manos. Son personas que podemos alcanzar con el mensaje de salvación en Cristo. ¡Qué emoción saber que podemos ser protagonistas en el contagio a las almas con la esperanza y la pasión del mensaje más saludable y más maravilloso que existe: la salvación en Cristo Jesús!

En nuestras iglesias de Kendall y West Dade iniciamos el desafío con semanas de oración y programas presentados los lunes, miércoles y viernes a las 3 de la tarde, todo con el propósito de animar a aquellas personas que estuvieran en casa en aquellos momentos.

A medida que íbamos transmitiendo estos mensajes, cada vez se conectaban más personas y milagros empezaron a ocurrir.

Una noche recibí una llamada de José Muñoz, miembro de la Iglesia de Kendall, era ya tarde en la noche y me sorprendió con la grata noticia de que su suegra Margarita se quería bautizar.

José y su esposa habían recibido la visita anual de sus suegros Fernando y Margarita Ávila quienes nunca antes mostraron interés en saber nada de Jesús ni en nuestro mensaje. Pero en este tiempo de pandemia, obligados a quedarse en casa, Fernando y Margarita aceptaron la invitación a participar de las reuniones vía Zoom y Facebook Live de nuestra iglesia y de la Conferencia. Esto despertó en ellos un deseo vivo de querer aprender más de Jesús y comenzaron a estudiar la Biblia con su yerno José y se unieron por zoom a un grupo pequeño. Allí aprendieron mucho acerca del amor de Jesús y Su gracia maravillosa, y para la gloria y honra de Dios, Fernando y Margarita entraron en las aguas del bautismo hace ya un mes.

Durante el transcurso de estos meses han surgido muchas historias que conmueven el corazón. Ex-adventistas que están regresando a la iglesia, decisiones que se están logrando a través de los grupos pequeños, personas anónimas que llaman, almas que ven nuestros programas y que encuentran paz aún en el aislamiento en sus hogares debido a la pandemia.

Nuestra fe en Cristo nos sostiene, nuestro amor por Dios y por los demás nos define, y nuestra esperanza nos alienta a seguir adelante en medio de las dificultades. Hoy podemos decir, hasta aquí nos ayudó el Señor y nos seguirá ayudando a esparcir la semilla del evangelio. Por cierto, la iglesia está tan entusiasmada que ya compramos todos los equipos para seguir emitiendo los mensajes desde el templo. ¡Gloria a Dios porque esto es el comienzo de una gran aventura!

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