by Kalon Mitchell

From a very young age, I was taught to contribute. Whether it be at home in a family setting or in society, I was taught how to be useful.  Growing up, I remember having chores and being responsible for them. These chores helped me to gain useful attributes such as respect, work ethic and patience.

After losing my job over a year ago, I became aware of the fact that the need is built into humans to feel useful and be a part of something. When I was not actively working at a goal, I felt the tendency of becoming depressed and self-centered. But it is when I am working towards a larger picture, that I am really starting to excel.      

Now that I have a job again, I feel like I am once again useful. I am contributing to an organization, and I am contributing financially to my family and to the church.  When I was unemployed, I often felt frustrated with the feeling that I could not help or contribute. But the fact is that there has always been a way for me to contribute.

I am part of something that is so big. When I was experiencing feelings of doubt or despair, I took courage because I had the opportunity to contribute to the most important Work in all the world. Whether it be through tithes or offerings, prayers, technical support, special music, helping others, etc., there has always been a way to contribute.

by Shana Rank

This past weekend, at the Del Mar county fair, I had the opportunity to ride a very large ferris wheel. The perspective from the top of this is pretty incredible! To my left was the Pacific Ocean, and to my right was a sea of thousands of people, moving through walkways at the fair.

This was exactly the kind of perspective I needed–instead of focusing on my day, and often times my life under a microscope; this high up–and far back view gave me more clarity for the world around me. Riding this ferris wheel was a great reminder to take a few steps back when life gets too serious. I was also struck by the thought of God’s perfect view from up high, and His ability to look down on His creation–now that is an awesome example of perspective!

by Phyllis Bourque

I have just recently turned away from 50+ years of working for other people, and have finally embraced retirement!  But in doing so, I find myself keenly aware that there are more years of human life behind me than in front of me, something I hadn’t really thought about until now.  As I survey the landscape of life behind me, it is littered with mistakes, regrets, pain and sorrow, but also sprinkled generously with love, laughter and hope.  God has blessed me with many abilities, as well as opportunities to develop those abilities. He has allowed me to accomplish much in my lifetime, but He has also provided trials for my correction and learning along the way.  It has been a full life, and while retirement is a major turning point in my life, I needn’t dwell on regrets of the past.  I need to keep moving forward.

I am now engaged in reevaluating, reprioritizing, and refocusing my life.  I’m going through closets, drawers, and boxes, beginning to destash and purge what is no longer important, and bringing to the forefront those things that are of greater value.  Though my remaining years are shorter, I still have some goals I would like to reach. In particular, I want to pursue my interest in music, as well as other creative endeavors; I want to shore up certain relationships; and I want to improve my health.  I believe these are worthwhile efforts, and I also believe that this is an opportune time to make some course corrections in my life.

Yet for all the changes I have in mind, the most worthwhile effort of all is for me to continue to improve my character, with the help of God’s Spirit, each and every day.  I have come to see that, regardless of what situation I am in, I must always press forward in my personal conversion if I expect to be found faithful at Christ’s return. When I focus on the hope of eternal life just beyond my remaining human years, it brings a smile to my heart. I find it awesome to think about living a life in which I will always be progressing in the right way, working alongside many other Spirit beings, under the direction of Jesus Christ, to change the world from dark to light, from evil to good, from wrong to right.

And I think to myself… what better motivation is there to keep me moving forward?!

by Louise Amorelli

Each day, I just barely manage to get out of bed. As most of you know, I struggle with health conditions which bring extreme chronic fatigue, pain, flu like symptoms, and brain fog.  Since these ailments are at the forefront of my life and have taken such a huge toll on my husband and me, I tend to gravitate towards this facet of my being. I continually search how I need to learn, grow and bear Godly fruit through this health trial that God has allowed.   I would like to share what I think is the most important lesson I have learned which sums up all the others. In just a few words… “it’s the small things that matter most.”

Since I am in the minority, I tend to look intently (and with yearning) at those who work and have good jobs (since I am unable to work), to those who have limitless energy, and to those who are able to multitask with boundless activities and accomplishments.  I was once this type of person!  As I am not currently able to achieve many, if not any, of those undertakings, I have to refocus my attention on the small tasks at hand that on the surface seem so small, insignificant and routine; on tasks that might seem so effortless to others, but a personal arduous mountain climb for me, such as making a meal, driving or even a return phone call.

In studying God’s Word, I have learned that God looks at the small things in our lives and that gives me tremendous hope and encouragement with each new day. This theme that God is interested “in the small things” is found throughout the pages of the Bible. God watches how I seek Him in my small daily mundane chores, fully depending on Him to get me through the day. God watches how I handle the struggles and the trials. He observes how I utilize the fruit of His Spirit, while working on having a good attitude towards Him and others in the world who might not understand the daily challenges I deal with and misjudge me. I hope and pray that I can shine God’s light of longsuffering towards others in this regard as a witness to God’s way of life.

Knowing that it is God who will judge me mightily and righteously in the small things gives me hope for the big things…such as building Godly character and being a member of the God Family! That surely is not a small thing!

Shelly Bruno

While shopping before Passover last week, the checker asked me if I had any special recipes I was preparing. That is all he asked, but someone familiar with Passover traditions would know I wasn’t buying Matzos for just any reason. I knew exactly what he was referring to—the Passover Seder. I was quick to point out that I’m Christian and also observe Passover, but not in the same traditions the Jews do. I excitedly wanted to tell him what I do observe and celebrate, but in the 2 minutes that our paths crossed, there seemed little interest on his part. I was no longer Jewish to him, so our connection was lost.

Yet we almost had faith in common, at least it briefly seemed so. I couldn’t help but wonder as I walked away what it will be like when all people have true faith in common. I look forward to that glorious future! No longer will we encounter others and wonder how their traditions differ from ours—we will walk together and worship together. And depending on what the future holds, we might even buy Matzos together.

by Cali Harris
 
“When we know why we do what we do, everything falls into place. When we don’t, we have to push things into place.” This quote from writer Simon Sinek has given me food for thought and an opportunity for real-life application.
 
Recently, the work I was doing for one of my clients blossomed into a full-time job. The job is challenging me to blaze past my current skills in order to grow, learn and work on an entirely new level. There are moments each work day when the challenge feels daunting.
 
One thing is already becoming clear, and it surprisingly doesn’t have to do specifically with my day-to-day skills. Instead, it’s a bigger-picture lesson: I need to focus on why I’m doing what I’m doing. And that “why” is that the job is a tremendous blessing. A door I never could have imagined opening has opened, and now I have an opportunity to walk through it and have faith that I’ll be granted the wisdom and ability to succeed.
 
Like in the quote above, knowing the why means that instead of aimlessly pushing things around, I can trust that things at this new job will fall into place as they should.

by Eric Rank
 
Mondays have a bad reputation. They serve as a stark reminder of the burden of responsibility after the joy of a relaxing weekend. While I am extremely happy to have the blessing of a job to go to, Mondays can easily become overwhelming. Today was one that fit the mold perfectly.
 
With the time off I have scheduled for the Church Conference, there is a lot of work to do beforehand. Indeed, there is simply more work to do than I can possibly cram into the two days that I’ll work this week. Because of the lack of time available, I have to prioritize at nearly every step, carefully choosing what I will leave undone. Since I work closely with a team of others, the pressure is magnified by knowing that allowing my responsibilities to slip will directly impact the work of others. It’s frustrating to know that there are things I am leaving out of control that I would normally manage with much more order; or at least a little more order.
 
Just when I become overwhelmed with the volume of things I can’t handle, I am reminded of how little I really can control. Taking a step back, bowing my head in prayer, and trusting in God to take care of my problems makes this Monday, and every hard day, a gift that I am thankful for, no matter how impossible it may seem.

by Michael Link

After having been placed on a leave of absence from my job for three months, I returned to my work. However, my thought had been to start focusing on my music career by going into the studio with my band to record our first album, essentially being “hired” by the one who had discovered us. During that time it did not materialize, and I couldn’t understand what the reason was, but the time off proved to be of some value.

I was able to spend quality time with my son who is now a year old. My availability opened up to being able to help out more in other ways, whether it was for the church, for the family, and even for myself, by doing things I couldn’t otherwise have done as much. 

As I returned to work, I had to realize certain factors.  First of all, I still had a job and having been off work temporarily was a nice blessing as well. On the other hand, my benefits had run out during my time off, since the accumulation of funds into our health savings account had ceased and the money that was left in the account had been spent.

Right now, I am facing a day by day situation. In all honesty, that is really all I can say since my dream is very much alive, when it comes to the music, but the only unsure issue in my mind is the timing. I know that God is very much involved when it comes to that.  I may not know the actual reason behind the delay, but He does, and I have to continue to respect it, as I continue to pray His Will to be done.  Patience and faith is a continuous process that I can’t let go of and with certain matters in life that I don’t have answers for at this moment, this is exactly what I have to do – take it day by day.

by Laura Harris

In the book “The Unhealthy Truth: How Food is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It,” Robyn O’Brien discusses how companies have manipulated our food supply through genetic engineering and chemical additives.  These changes in our food system are linked to recent increases in allergies, cancer and other medical maladies, particularly in children.  In his sermon last year entitled “Signs of the Times,” Michael Bannen described the desecration of God’s perfect food source in the name of corporate greed. 

This revelation hit home when my family was diagnosed with food allergies, and we had to significantly modify our eating habits.  Instead of providing nourishment, the foods we ate were hurting us.  We have eliminated many common ingredients, such as wheat, dairy and eggs, from our daily consumption.  Although we are just beginning this dietary transformation, we are seeing some improvements in our health. 

To my chagrin, I have taken the food we eat for granted.  Often times I hear prayers that end with a blessing on the upcoming meal, yet I did not give it much thought or reflection.   Now more than ever, asking God to nourish and strengthen our bodies through the food He has provided has greater meaning for me.  I cannot take God’s blessings lightly, even the daily meal.

by Manuela Mitchell

In a very short time, it will have been one year since my husband lost his job. During this time, I have been blessed to be able to work part time, despite the slowing economy. My husband has been diligently looking for work and taking care of our 20-month-old son. Recently, as the amount of work has increased, I have been asked to work additional days/hours throughout the week. Considering the current circumstances, I agreed.

While I do enjoy my job, I have been battling thoughts in my mind. On numerous occasions, I have felt guilty for leaving my son, knowing how much he may need his mother. I often question why God permits me to have to work and not raise my son on a daily basis, and why He tolerates that potential employers are unwilling to employ my husband, mainly because of the Sabbath. On the other hand, I am glad that my husband has been able, during that time, to draw very close to our son.

In the end, I have concluded that I don’t know the ultimate reason. But, I do believe that I am working because I am able to do so. I have a gift that I can share with other people regarding animals. I have the ability to multi-task with work and my family. Now, I can see that my son has not suffered emotionally or physically in any way, due to me not being with him more often. He has a great support group and a father who has helped him learn and love more.

While I still wish things were different and I could be at home with my child, I have the faith that God will ultimately bless my husband with employment in these economically difficult times. I also understand that I don’t always get to choose my path and I know I can’t have it all.  God knows the reasons for what He lets happen, even if I can’t see His bigger picture at the moment. I will continue doing what He will have me do, even if I don’t quite know the initial reason.