By Kay Carey

Here are some descriptive words used by the attendees:

Informative, inspirational, connection, encouraging, positive, lively, animating, inquisitive, outreach, involvement, blessed, enjoyable, encouraging, eye-opening, challenging, growth, well-organized, fast-paced…

It was a blessing to see a multigenerational group of 37 women and 19 men participating in the workshop.  The Lord met our expectations above and beyond.  Praise Him for his faithfulness!    

Personally, it was a test of faith and endurance waiting on the Lord for His guidance and wisdom during the promotional time because we just didn’t know how many would sign up for our first attempt at this type of workshop.  As I was preparing my heart and seeking the Lord for His guidance, God assured me over and over that He was going to lead me and others who were involved in the event each step along the way.  Praise the Lord for His wisdom and guidance!

I would like to share some of the comments from the feedback:

“It is a good alternative to a more formal, structured relationship in which you have to adhere to some plan or schedule.”

“I wanted to find out what Organic Mentoring was about. Yes, I got an idea of what Organic Mentoring was from the various testimonies”

“I desired to seek new connections.  I have connected with a woman (younger than me) and we have already met for lunch and already plan a second lunch.  We both desired spiritual growth as well as mentor/mentee fellowship.”

“. . . it was very valuable to have people in the church who already mentor to share their honest experiences…It is important for them to know that despite our own insecurities God can still use us to make an impact in someone else's life.”

“receiving an overview of what mentoring is and is not, community building by meeting other mentors and mentees, sharing my testimony to attendees, group discussions, praying for each other's success and personal growth, getting a reading list of helpful books.”

I am so grateful for those who helped out in different areas of the event so willingly.  I especially am thankful for Sandy Hirashima who has been my ministry partner since mid 2016.  Praise the Lord for His amazing provision!    

We continue to pray for those who have been walking on this journey of mentoring and also for those who are waiting prayerfully to move forward in their next step of their journey of TxT (Transforming by Twos).   We look forward to our next steps of this ministry…

If anyone would like to know more about our ministry, please visit our website
https://evergreensgv.squarespace.com/txt/  or contact me or Sandy @ Transformingbytwos@gmail.com 

We are taking a look at four things that will never change no matter how simple or challenging a life change may be. We saw that in the midst of change, God never changes and that God’s Word never changes. Now we will take a look at a third thing that never changes.

In the midst of change, God’s plans never change.

1 Samuel 15:29 says, “…for He is not a man that He should change His mind.” The Psalmist wrote, “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.” Psalm 33:11

God’s plans do not change because they do not have to change. They do not have to change because of the following: God is omniscient or all-knowing. He is omnipresent or ever-present. He is omnipotent or all-powerful. He is sovereign.

Why do our plans change? Proverbs 19:21 states that “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord, it will stand.” Our plans change because we don’t have the perspective and we don’t have the power.

Our church family looked to property for ten years. We look at hundreds of sites. We put bids in on several pieces of properties. We purchased one parcel, drew up plans, submitted drawings and then sold it. But all of our plans failed to materialize. They kept changing. But, we knew one thing: God had a plan for us and His plan was never off track.

It gave us great comfort to know that in the midst of our plans constantly changing, God had a plan that was rock-solid.

And finally…

In the midst of change, God’s love never changes.

In Romans 8:38-39, Paul states, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Bible says that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God.

When we look at the list of things that cannot separate us from the love of God, we notice that the list is all-inconclusive. It covers everything. It is God’s way of saying that His love for us never changes.

So in the midst of life changes, remember that God Himself, God’s Word, God’s plans and God’s love will never change.

Something to think about…

by Courtney Fukushima                                         

I first started serving at Evergreen SGV when I was about 19. It started with VBC over the summer with the 6th grade girls, which was when God really began to grow my heart for the youth. People suddenly began asking me to cabin lead at youth retreats which eventually led to being called into ministry as a Surge Junior High advisor about 2 years ago. Soon after, the Lord provided the first mentor and Junior High mentee relationship into my life. Since then, I have been mentoring 5 girls; 2 who are currently in 8th grade and 3 that are freshman in high school. And what a joy and unique experience it has been.

These mentoring relationships have shown me how necessary it is to have our personal walk of faith. To have someone in your life to point you to Christ in every situation you are going through, and who can show you the light even when you can’t see beyond the present may just make all the difference. 

Despite knowing this, there were still moments when I doubted and questioned if I was adequate enough to mentor these girls. However, in these moments of doubt God would always step in and tell me that this is not about me. That these discipleships are not only for Him (or for me or my girls), but it is most importantly from Him. I am reminded that it is not my job to transform hearts, but it IS my job to walk alongside these girls and point them to the only One who can. And as the Lord continues to grow me as a disciple of His own, I find my focus centered less on having the “correct advice” to say, but rather on having the correct heart to mentor. “For out of the overflow of [the] heart [the] mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45), so with a right heart of worship, the words will follow.

Mentoring really is a humbling experience because as you learn to lean on the Lord more, you begin to see His power in the work of the other person’s heart. I think this is what makes mentorship relationships so special. With my girls and with my own mentor, we know that the foundation of our friendship is on Christ. And as a mentor, it is so vital and important to keep revisiting this and making sure that this is always true (a good reminder especially in the midst of having so much fun!).

Through these relationships, God has taught me how to truly trust and submit to His guidance before, during, and after every meeting.  As a mentor we have such a privilege and position to grow in love, listen well, speak in truth, and to relate to others in a Christ-like manner as we spend quality time with those in our life.

One of the defining moments I had in discipleship was when I realized that God was using the very specific trials from my past in order to bring hope into the next generation. Who would have thought God could use the most painful events in our past to bring Him so much glory? 

I’m reminded of a quote from one of Pastor Rocky’s sermons that says “God doesn’t call the equipped...he equips the called.” And we’re all equipped with a story and called to disciple and to build one another up. Mentorship has really showed me that everything we go through isn’t only to grow ourselves but God can also use our stories powerfully in someone else’s life. How will God use your story to impact somebody else’s?

by Anna Yee

On a recent ‘Date with Jesus’ (my name for Pastor Dan’s “A Day with Jesus”) our Lord shared his heart with me in a unique way.

These extended times with Jesus are opportunities to hear from him what may not arise during our devotional times. Because the discipline of solitude and silence have been life changing for me ever since I was introduced to it during the WELL Discipleship ministry, I’m grateful for the opportunity and accountability A Day with Jesus provides.

Though we are given time to spend any way we choose, I appreciate Pastor Dan’s guidance in providing a short devotional and some direction. As Pastor Dan spoke on Jesus calming the storm, we were invited to dwell on an area where we might be experiencing a challenging time or ‘storm’ in our lives.

As I took a break from my journaling, I waited to hear how Jesus might respond to what I wrote. I closed my journal and was drawn to the cover illustration designed by Irene Mar. She placed Romans 15:13 over an illustration we often share in the WELL Discipleship ministry which was shared with us by Vera Christian as she taught out of Chuck Miller’s book entitled “The Spiritual Formation of Leaders.” This image has ministered to me for over a decade and is now used in the WELL Discipleship.

“May the God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace as your TRUST in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” This verse illustrates the concept of God (the pitcher) pouring into us, (each a unique cup), his fullness and power of the Holy Spirit which overflows onto the saucer (family, close relationships), then the plate (ministries, programs, organizations, the world). Over the years, this illustration has guided, convicted, and encouraged me in many different ways.

This model for ministry revealed my need to position myself under the pitcher so I could receive from God and be filled. Ten years ago, my cup was not full as I was running around ‘doing’ what I thought were ‘good works’. I began to burn out from striving to ‘please/serve others’ instead of my Lord and Savior.

As I dwelt on Pastor Dan’s question regarding a storm/challenge in my life, I asked Jesus to show me how to find hope in an area where I was not experiencing a lot of peace and joy. My focus fell on the words in the middle of the verse that is enclosed in the banner on the cover, particularly the word “OVERFLOW.” I sensed he was asking me to review the ‘loving acts’ I felt were being misunderstood, or rejected and check if they were out of his overflow and love or something else. Did I ‘add’ other things into the cup (my ideas, expectations, extra touches) that alter the unconditional and pure love that He desired to pour out to others? Do I, as a cup, pick myself up thus taking over control and pour out the love before I’m even filled?

He reminded me of past instances where my ‘loving acts’ were met with indifference or even rejection, which then led to frustration and sometimes hopelessness on my end. I realized that even though I sought to do or say what I thought was loving, those actions were sometimes mixed with my ideas and ‘additives’ like of guilt, obligation, pleasing others, etc. The love that overflowed onto others was not the ‘holy, pure, unconditional’ love that originated as the perfect love of God’s pitcher. If I desired to pour out the free, overflowing love that is received well by others, it has to remain HIS. He was showing me how transformation takes place and how the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit truly blesses others.

During our ‘date’ although Jesus revealed and convicted me in an area of sin, he also restored and invited me to receive from Him the living water that can refresh not only me, but all who it overflows onto.

Is that a refreshing date or what?

We are taking a look at four things that will never change no matter how simple or challenging a life change may be. These four things are truths we can cling to in the midst of change.

We saw that in the midst of change, God never changes and how God’s consistency adds confidence in our lives no matter what. Here a second that never changes.

In the midst of change, God’s Word never changes. The Scriptures speaks for itself regarding this truth. Isaiah 40:8 states, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

Psalm 119:152 says, “Of old I have known from Thy testimonies, that Thou hast founded them forever.”

In Mark 13:31 Jesus declared, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

God’s Word never changes. It is inerrant. It is perfect. There is no need for it to change. On the subject of change, Charles Swindoll has written that “Many evangelical churches of this generation are making a grave error. Afraid of change, they have somehow connected yesteryear’s methodology with the timeless truth of the Scriptures.”

How can the timeless truth of Scripture help us in times of change?

The truth can prepare us for times of change. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” To be adequate and equipped means to be prepared for whatever comes next.

The truth can also guide us during times of change. The Psalmist wrote, “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105. Indeed, the truth of the Scriptures serves as a guide and a light as we live life.

One of the things that have helped me over 41 years of ministry is the timelessness of the Bible. When I began, I had little idea of what to do as a Senior Pastor. However, God gave me ten verses of Scripture to teach and inculcate into the fabric and culture of our church family. Those verses both prepared me for what I was to do and guided me in the doing.

I also had extreme confidence in what I was doing because I knew that the Scriptures never change and were as dependable in 1977 as they were when they were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and still dependable today.

Are you depending on God’s Word as much as you should? Remember, it never changes and is therefore, the reliable source of truth.

Something to think about…