I had been working on a rather complicated sewing pattern.  When I saw the pattern on Pinterest, I had no idea just how complicated it would be.  I would love to know how the author herself figured it out.  Fortunately, her directions are very good.  But you must follow each one precisely, and in order.  This is one pattern you cannot fudge on.  When it says you must back stitch every seam, it means every seam.  You cannot skip even one.  Clip one quarter inch means just that.  Using the special ruler, cut A on the right side.  Using her ruler, now cut on the wrong side.  Doing it any other way is a disaster.  Doing it the author’s way works every time.

When you finish the last step and it looks just like the picture, you feel like shouting Hallelujah.  I love it when a plan comes together as they used to say on the 1980s version of the A Team.  But everything only came together because I followed the precise instructions of the creator of this item.  Doing it my way will not work on this one. I must seek God and commit to His cause, not my own.

Just so, our Creator God created us and gave us instructions for our lives.  He has a plan for our salvation.  We must come to Jesus His way.  (John 14:6)

He has a plan for marriage.  If we follow that plan, marriage is wonderful.

He gave us instructions on rearing children.  He gave us instructions for becoming mature in the Lord.  But we must follow those instructions.  Since He established marriage and the church, He knows what works.  He gave us a wonderful instruction manual.

There is one catch.  We need to be committed to following the plan.  We can’t say halfway through that we have a better plan.  When I bought this particular pattern, I was committing myself to following the author’s directions.

More than that we need to commit to the author of the plan.  If I trust the fact that this woman has had years of sewing experience and that she probably does know what she is talking about, then I can trust her instructions.

So, can we trust our Creator God?  The One who made us knows the instructions He has given us work according to His perfect plan. But we often think we have better ideas, only to discover too late that our way does not work as well.  Unfortunately, rather than a plan coming together, disaster and chaos follow.  Let us learn to trust our Heavenly Father “Who doeth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.”

God says in 2 Peter 1:3, “seeing that His divine power has granted to us EVERYTHING pertaining to life and godliness through the true Knowledge of Him called us by His own glory and excellence.”  God has given us a plan and instructions that work when we follow them.  Thank you, Lord, for that.

Edie R  

’43 / ‘55   New Holland    PA

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

Those who show mercy have been shown mercy. Haddon Robinson says “Grace is Gods reaction to our sinfulness, mercy is his reaction to our misery” God’s mercy understands our situation, feels our pain, and moves toward treating our hurt. We should do the same for others! This is why Jesus taught in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” The trouble in Jesus’ day and today is not whether folks have heard about mercy or even accept mercy as an admirable attribute. The problem then and now is to find someone who will show mercy. Will we be that someone?

Paul W  

 ’86 / ’03  Oxford  PA

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

      Context is important for this verse. “They” are the first disciples Jesus called – Simon Peter, James, and John, and “this” is to listen to Jesus when He instructed them to put their nets down one more time. Experts in their trade, they had already been fishing all night and hadn’t caught a thing. They had already allowed Jesus to use their boat as a platform to preach to them and the crowds on the shore. In verse 5, Simon explains their predicament, but also says that at the word of Jesus, he would let down the nets again. And we see in verse 6 the fruit that came out of that faith in this man they had just met. This event preceded Jesus calling them to be fishers of men (v. 10), something that He was the expert in, and they had to completely depend on Him in that new life purpose.

As a missionary, raising support is a never-ending task that often feels like a distraction from the work God is calling us to do. It can be stressful and bring me to a place of worry, doubt, and sometimes even fear. Did I misunderstand what the Lord wants my family to do? Will He bring other believers alongside us to help us do this important work? Will we eventually run out of funds and have to leave our home? But this verse brings me peace and clarity. It reminds me that even if I were an expert in fundraising, had all the right words and all the right connections, I still may not bring in any fish. Not on my own strength and ability. But if I can have the daily faith to let down our nets, believing that Jesus has indeed called us to serve the least of these, then He will be the one to fill the nets with our daily bread, the resources to keep serving. If and when He chooses, the nets can overflow to the point of breaking! And so that is my prayer, that my faith would grow, and I can let down those nets, not worrying about God’s timing for when He will fill them but trusting that He will. And that is my prayer for you as well – that Jesus would fill you with assurance and a supernatural peace in what He has called you to – in whatever way you are to be fishers of men. May your birthday and all this year be filled with making fishers of men!

Brittany H      

’94 / ’08    San Jose Costa Rica

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

   I remember as a small child the excitement I felt when I had the opportunity to visit  my Grandparents. Being so young, the only way that I could tell that we had finally reached their house was an ornate, all black sign with white lettering that read Hynson’s Hope which sat at the end of their lane. At the time, I really didn’t understand the significance of that sign. Now that I am an adult, I learned that Hynson’s Hope was much more than just a property marker. My grandparents faced many trials and tribulations as they struggled to raise 5 kids. (My dad included.) They worked extremely hard in various types of work to make ends meet. Through it all, they maintained their hope in Jesus and His provision. Finally, they reached a point where they were able to buy their very own property to finish raising their family on. This is why Hynson’s Hope was the perfect sign to put at the end of their lane. 

   That is why Romans 5:5 comes to mind every time I think about that very special sign. The hope my grandparents held in God’s provision was not put to shame. He never let them down. He guided and cared for them through thick and thin. This hope found in verse 5 was the product of first rejoicing in our tribulations, which built a strength of character that built a confident hope (Romans 5:3-4). They passed that hope down through our family down to me. I encourage you, don’t give up hope. No matter what may be happening in your life. The good times and especially the hard times. Holding on to hope will not put you to shame. God is with you, He loves you, and He cares about everything that is happening in your life. Please keep that in mind as you enjoy your special day. 

Frank H    

  ’80 / ‘94    San Jose    Costa Rica

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

Do you ever need a victory in your life, or want to know who is going to win the battle? This verse tells us right away everyone who believes in God will become victorious over this world. Verse 3 tells us if we love God, we keep his commandments which are not burdensome. Jesus says that if we love God with everything we have and love others that it is his commandment. (John 13: 34) We are his if we love God and love people. Verse 5 – Who is it that overcomes the world? The one who believes in Jesus is the son of God. If we are born of God, if we believe in Jesus then we have victory over the world no matter what is going on in our life. We can always be looking at Jesus to overcome this world for us. We have a future that is better than this world so with all the stress and all the bad stuff that is happening we can look at Jesus because he overcame this world, and we will do the same as Him if we are born of God. We know that Jesus has already overcome the world through His death and resurrection and will one day in the future come back to take His children home. Today is a great day because our future is going to be awesome.

Dan R

’96 / ’01 Jacksonville FL

Doris Jean H 44′ / ’55 Manheim PA

Birthday gifts.  It’s one of those things each family have their own way of handling.  Growing up, my siblings and I did not have a clue what we would get from our parents for our birthdays.  Our parents tried to surprise us as much as possible.  As parents with our own kids, we tried to get them specific things they would like. My wife and I would listen for hints or ideas long before their birthday so it would be more of a surprise when they opened their gifts.

In some families we know, the birthday boy or girl is encouraged to have a list of wishful items.  It certainly makes it easier for choosing gifts.

The psalmist laid his requests before God in the morning and would wait. Today what requests would you lay before God?  Would they be big things or small things?  Would they be for you or for others?  Whatever our requests may be, God hears us.  He knows exactly what we need. And notice what the psalmist did. He waited expectantly. Just like a child waiting to receive a gift, not knowing exactly what it may be.

Bret A.

‘63 / ’79  Stewartville  MN

          Every time I get behind the wheel of my luxurious 2010 Toyota Sienna, I am happy that there is an order to things, most of the time. Other drivers typically drive on the correct side of the road, stop at red lights, go on green and speed up for yellow. When we get in our vehicle we usually have an order of things we do to prep to drive; we probably don’t try driving away before the car is started (although some mornings I do that). When people or animals ( thank you to the deer who hit my Sienna) stray away from the order and rules of the road; that is when most accidents happen. (A side note – the turn signal is best used prior to turning, not after you start turning)  Imagine if there were no order and everyone could go wherever they wanted? Chaos – confusion – anger – despair – deaths.           

Thankfully, our loving, perfect and Holy Creator in heaven is not a God of chaos, but order. From the beginning he created our planet with all its creatures and eco systems to fit perfectly together. That also included the divine creation of man and woman. In Gen 1:26-27 & 5:1 it states He made us in His image / likeness.  Adam & Eve were part of God’s “good” celebrated creation. Unfortunately, Adam & Eve chose to reject God’s commandments and so has all of mankind ever since. The good news is that God has a plan so we can be considered “good” again and be allowed into a perfect and flawless heaven. Even though we have all rejected God by our attitudes and actions at some point in our life, we can accept the forgiveness God offers through His son Jesus Christ. We can have a new life, one where our destination is heaven. When we make that decision to accept His gift of salvation (we cannot work our way to heaven – Eph 2:8-9), all of heaven rejoices – Luke 15:3-10. God does not celebrate our sin but He did celebrate your birth and He definitely celebrates your 2^nd birth as a new creation. John 3:16 & 2 Cor 5:17.   Enjoy your birthday and hopefully you have already made the decision to have a spiritual birthday – one you can celebrate every year and for eternity.  If you do not know your eternal destination, please contact us.

[email protected]

Dave R

’69 / ’83 Quarryville PA

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

Who wants to be a Millionaire or least feel like a Millionaire? I used to work with a guy that would go out of his way to greet me, and he usually made me feel like a “Million Dollars”. Out of all the people he could choose to “make their day” he chose me. Therefore, I am always looking for ways to make someone’s day. It’s not hard to be nice and complimentary to others and it could make them feel like a Millionaire.

Jesus went to Jerusalem in John 5:1 because the Passover was in progress and all Jews were required to go to the Passover. So, if all Jews had to go, there were probably more than a million people in Jerusalem. There’s that word again, million. The scripture tells us that Jesus went to a pool and found a man who was lame and couldn’t walk for a long time. This is a picture of Jesus meeting us where we are in life, seeking us out to save us and heal us.  Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to be healed?” But the man provided an excuse to Jesus, “Sir I have no one to put  me in the pool.” Even with an excuse Jesus heals this man and tells him later, “sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” So, we see there are consequences for sin but there is something neat about this. Out of all the millions Jesus picks one person and heals him. This is a beautiful picture of how much our Heavenly Father loves and adores His children. He really does love us as if we were the only person on earth.

I really believe that if you place your faith in Jesus as your Savior and trust Him as the Lord of your life it is better than being a millionaire. 

Today, your birthday, would be a great day to go out of your way to make someone feel like a millionaire. God Bless you and Happy Birthday!

Mike R

’67 / ’83 Jacksonville FL

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

(The following was published in the bulletin at St Charles Bible Church – Feb 16th, 2020, St Charles MN)

     Today, Jan and I are visiting with our little families on a short weekend outing north of Duluth, where they are hoping to spend the day skiing at Lutsen Mountain.  When I visited with my friend, Pastor Jerry, and he told me what God had laid on his heart for this morning, I thought, “Really! God wants to talk to our hearts again about His power in us!”   

     I stopped to think about the challenges that are facing members of our church family, and I understood better why we need so badly the amazing, life giving, problem solving, resurrecting power of God in our church.  You won’t see the frustration and sadness on our Sunday morning faces; but out of sight, in our personal “caves”, we cry out for God’s power in our lives.  The challenge is not believing that God is all powerful, it is knowing how to harness the power available to us.   

     So, what virtues mark a disciple of Christ, filled with the power that Jesus promised?  To answer that, we need to evaluate what changes happened in the lives of the disciples—before and after Pentecost.  Several changes are quite easy to identify: 1) There is a change in the struggle for preeminence among the disciples.  Before Pentecost, there was a seemingly constant jockeying among the disciples as to who would be the greatest—none of that after the Holy Spirit came in power.  2) The “fear of man” was a constant companion of the disciples before Pentecost.  The disciples, who pledged their loyalty before the arrest of Jesus, forsook him and fled.  Of course, Peter’s denial by the fireside was “the final nail that pinned their cowardliness to the wall”.  But not after the power of Pentecost:  Peter suddenly announces to the Sanhedrin, “Do what you must, but we ought to obey God rather than men.”   Stephen speaks so confidently and pointedly that the Sanhedrin decide to get rid of him—by the Jewish form of capital punishment—stoning.  In Acts 4, when Peter and John do come back from public flogging, the church goes to prayer—asking God for more power.   3) Before Pentecost, the disciples and followers of Jesus were more concerned about their “kingdom on earth” than their “kingdom in heaven”.  They were concerned about bread (Mark 8), fish (John 21:3), money (Mark 10), clothing (Matthew 5), and creature comforts (Matt. 9:27).  “What about this man?” Peter asks Jesus about John (John 21:21).  4) The biggest difference in the “power-filled” disciples was their willingness to bear crosses without complaining.  Paul could say, “for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  Every disciple of Jesus gained heaven’s approval by being willing to lay down their lives for what they believed. 

     His power would suggest that lives can change, habits can be forsaken, attitudes can be like Christ’s; anger can be controlled—with His power.  His power is there, but we must turn the key!  Pastor Jim B

  ’47 / ’56 St Charles MN

 Tim Keller tells the following story about the power of Christ’s resurrection: 

“A minister was in Italy, and there he saw the grave of a man who had died centuries before who was an unbeliever and completely against Christianity, but a little afraid of it too. So the man had a huge stone slab put over his grave so he would not have to be raised from the dead in case there is a resurrection from the dead. He had insignias put all over the slab saying, “I do not want to be raised from the dead. I don’t believe in it.” Evidently, when he was buried, an acorn must have fallen into the grave. So a hundred years later the acorn had grown up through the grave and split that slab. It was now a tall towering oak tree. The minister looked at it and asked, “If an acorn, which has power of biological life in it, can split a slab of that magnitude, what can the acorn of God’s resurrection power do in a person’s life?”

Keller comments:

The minute you decide to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, the power of the Holy Spirit comes into your life. It’s the power of the resurrection—the same thing that raised Jesus from the dead …. Think of the things you see as immovable slabs in your life—your bitterness, your insecurity, your fears, your self-doubts. Those things can be split and rolled off. The more you know him, the more you grow into the power of the resurrection. 
          Nancy Guthrie, editor, Jesus, Keep Me Near the                             Cross (Crossway, 2009), p. 136

     It is so striking to me that the first ever witness/evangelizer/missionary proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah is a sinful Samaritan woman. Let’s give some context – the entirety of John chapter 4 is the story of how Jesus sought out one particular woman to bring her to a saving knowledge of Him. Jesus is traveling with His disciples, and verse 4 says He “needed to pass through Samaria”. In this time, Jews actively avoided Samaria and found routes around, so they didn’t have to mix with these ‘unclean people’. But Jesus made sure that they went there, and specifically stopped at Jacob’s well, sending the disciples away so He could be there alone. When the Samaritan woman approaches, we see how confused she is that Jesus would even talk to her, as Jews don’t speak to Samaritans. Jesus then turns His request for water into a moment to reveal Himself as Messiah, as the living water that leads to salvation (v. 14). He knows her intimately, even her past as someone with many husbands and currently living with someone who wasn’t her husband. She is so shocked and overjoyed that she drops her water jug and runs back into her city. And this is where we come to verse 29, which is her testimony, her witness of Jesus to everyone she knows – “Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?” Her testimony leads to Jesus and His disciples staying at that town for 2 days, and we see in vs 41-42: “Many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

     During this point of Jesus’ ministry, He was telling people who had received healing and other miracles not to tell anyone about Him, because His time had not yet come. But there was something different about this unnamed woman, and this city. The people group who had been cast off from the remnant of Israel, were the first to receive the Good News of Jesus, the first to believe in mass in His salvation. I see so much redemption in that! We cannot understand God’s ways, and at times we may not understand why He calls some to Him and not others, or the timing of it. It seems clear from the text that Jesus’ disciples didn’t understand why He chose this woman at this moment, but the fruit of that choice is so evident. She has gone down in history as the first missionary, and a sinful female at that! As a female missionary myself, it is so encouraging to put my life in the Lord’s hands, knowing that I can trust Him completely with my heart and future. I hope you can be encouraged in seeing how God can redeem any past into something beautiful and long lasting for His glory. Go out and share your story of redemption with the world, you never know what God will accomplish through your faith! 

Brittany H

  “94 / ’08 San Jose Costa Rica

CoLaborers International Missionary

www.colaborers.com/Hynsons

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA