The Clothes Horse

"In Christ we serve to meet the physical needs of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Graduate students and their families."

The Clothes Horse is a small thrift store on the Trinity campus. We provide clothes, toy, food and small household items free of charge to all graduate students and their families.  Faculty wives began this ministry nearly 30 years ago  and it is stronger today than ever before.  Each week many families are blessed to find just what they need at the Clothes Horse.

Following God's call to prepare for ministry is a leap of faith.  Students and their families take oon many financial burdens in order to pursue graduate studies at Trinity.  Tuition and living costs are expensive, and a full course load leaves little time to earn money.  many students are also responsible for a spouse, children, or a church.  We have numerous international students in our Trinity community, for whom adjusting to the American economy can be a struggle.

The ministry of the Clothes Horse is make possible by the work of many people.  A committee of three faculty wives oversees the entire operation.  A student manager assists in the care of administrative tasks and running the store on a daily basis.  Trinity college and graduate students work oat the store to fulfill volunteer and internship requirements.  Additional volunteers from both the campus community and area churches cover regular shirts, waiting on customers and sorting items.

Hours:

Tuesdays 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Extended hours: 3:30-5:30 p.m. 1st Tuesday of every month)

Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 11: 30 a.m.

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Currently on the food shelves, there are several cans of sweet potatoes. Lily from our welcoming committee has provided a few favorite recipes from her Indonesian culture. Go visit the Clothes Horse and try out one of these great recipes!

Sweet Potato in Coconut Mild Dessert Soup (Kolak Ubi)

1 can of cubed sweet potatoes (include the syrup)
1/2 can of coconut milk
2-3 lumps of cane sugar (piloncillo) or more according to taste
1 tsp cinnamon powder or one piece of cinnamon bark
1/2 tsp salt

Mix everything together and bring to a boil. Remove from fire and serve warm, or cold with ice
Note: you can add ripe plantain, cubed.

Sweet Potato Balls (Bola Ubi)

1-2 cans of cubed sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
1 cup of tapioca or corn starch
2 Tbs brown sugar
a dash of salt

Mix all ingredients together and shape into balls. Deep fry the balls until golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.

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If you are interested in volunteering, doing a special project, donating items, or have any qeustions about the Clothes Horse, please call the store at 847-317-8182. Thi swill put you in contact with the manager or a committee member.

Would you like to share a story, article, or recipe on the TWF Crowns blog? Email us at twfcrowns@gmail.com. Do you have questions about TWF, Mom's Ministry, or Bible Study? Email us at twf@tiu.edu.

Juggling Life & Enjoying God

By Renata Lee

You know you’re a Trinity wife living on campus if you’ve learned how to carry ten or more grocery bags, your purse, your mail, and a coffee to your apartment at one time so you don’t have to make a second trip to the car.  I was recently sitting in my car and witnessed two other Trinity wives doing this minutes before I did the very same thing.  I just chuckled to myself as my arms were about to fall off as I neared the top of the stairs. 

In all seriousness though, you rock Trinity wives!  I pray this brief blog will encourage your heart and passion for the Lord and your ministry.  I’m more and more convinced that Trinity wives are amongst the world’s busiest people: some work full-time to support the fulfillment of their husband’s vocational training, others are full-time career mothers, raising up the next generation to love Jesus with incredible passion, and some do both!  We do the laundry, wash dishes, wash kids, clean the house, do the accounting, grocery shop, prepare meals, run errands, pick up the kids, drop off the kids, love our husbands and children, minister to people in the church and community, and do countless other important tasks unique to each one of us.

Enjoying God

May I encourage you with these words from our beloved Lord Jesus:  “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30). 

There are numerous truths we could gain from this passage, but the one I want to note is that as ministers with our husbands, we carry a special, unique yoke and burden.  Not our own burden, or even our husband’s burden for ministry, but the Lord’s yoke - His burden.  In this passage, Jesus promises that His yoke is “easy,” and His burden is “light.”  Is this how you feel?  If you’re anything like me, you are trying to do 1,000 things every day.  Let us examine the different types of yokes and burdens we carry during this season of ministry preparation.  Let us focus on how to find rest and refreshment for our soul, not from anyone or anything else but Christ alone.  To do this we must first and foremost vigilantly stoke and protect our first love for Jesus – this is the key to an exciting and enduring life in ministry (as well as for our marriage and parenting)!  Jesus promises that if we do these three things: (1) come to Him (2) take His yoke, and (3) learn from how Christ lived His life, then we will experience true refreshment for our soul! 

Now Go For It!

In all the ways we serve the Lord, our husband, family, and the church, let’s never forget to take the time we need to find refreshment from Christ.  He will nourish our heart, strengthening our passion and zeal for Him and our ministry, and help us thrive in the season of vocational preparation that we are in.  Be blessed Trinity wives!  You’re a special group of ladies! 

 Renata Lee and her husband, Beau, moved to Trinity at the beginning of the summer semester 2013 from Madison, WI. They live on campus and really enjoy the wonderful community of people. Beau is working on his MDiv and is the editor of the graduate campus newspaper, the Trinity Graduate Scrawl. Renata is also working on her Master's Degree in Biblical Studies online through Dallas Theological Seminary and taking online courses through Trinity. She also keeps busy managing their two businesses back in Madison, a residential and commercial cleaning firm and two music lesson studios. They are still actively involved in their church in Madison and travel back each weekend so Beau can teach the Sunday morning Bible study. Renata thoroughly enjoys being a helper to her husband, a homemaker, and encouraging the body of Christ.