Meet the 2017-2018 team!

We are ready to start a new semester and there are a lot of new faces around. We will start a series of blog posts so you can get to know the TWF Leadership Team better. In the meantime, here you have a list of names and roles!

Ministry Leadership Team 2017-2018

President
Sarah Smith

Vice President
Elsbeth Tafferner

Treasurer
Sarah Price

Secretary
Sarah Price

Crowns Blog Team
Sarah Price, Pam Stevenson and Chelsey Hernandez

Publicity
Pam Stevenson

Welcoming Coordinators
Melissa Harris and Amy McCausland

Large Group Coordinators
Melody McCumber and Rebekah Just

Small Group Coordinator
McKenna Rishmawy

Mom's Ministry Coordinator
Brielle Stauffer and Suzanne Silva

Faculty Wife Advisors
Suzanne Kilner, Ruth Scharf, Kristen Johnson and Sylvie Vanhoozer

 Small Group Leaders 2017-2018

On Campus Groups

McKenna Rishmawy
Amanda Kirkman
Hannah Velez
Catherine Denney
Dana Luckey
Sarah Tank
Suzanne Kilner

Vernon Hills Group

Abby Larson
Shyan Xiong

Highland Park Group

Stephanie Luck

Devotional: Galatians 6:2

As I  sat down to prep for this, I realized God has been priming me for this specific devotional. A little over a month ago, Bryan (my husband), gave a dramatized speech in church as if he was Paul preaching the book of Galatians in response to the Judaisers of that time. A week after that, a newly believing coworker asked me about this verse specifically and how I would explain it to a non-believer. So, I feel like this passage has been set in my mind for a while now!

We are looking at Galatians 6:2:

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

The first thing that I will touch upon is the second half because it’s not the focal point of this passage, but it establishes the context of the book’s theme. “..., in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ.” What is the Law of Christ? When reading the book of Galatians as a whole, the main discussion is the fact that we as Christians are no longer under the old law. In fact, the law of the Old Testament now places us into slavery, because we cannot keep the law in its entirety. Instead, we have found freedom under the new covenant, through Christ’s sacrifice and His fulfillment of the Law. The Law of Christ is simply put—love one another. That is our requirement as Christians. Because Christ loved us and made salvation available to us, we are commanded to love others. So, we’re going to keep that in mind as we dive into the other section of this verse.

“Carry each other’s burdens…” This is one of the verses that gets spread around by itself. When you hear it, you think about coming alongside someone with emotional support, delivering meals to someone in need, letting people talk through their troubles with you, etc. You think of shoulders to cry on, encouraging notes, and bringing flowers to hospitals or funerals. But reading this verse in context brings a deeper meaning and weight to this passage.

Galatians 6:1-5 reads:
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

This section of scripture is focused upon morality and moral weaknesses, not merely about the physical and emotional struggles of life. It is talking about encouraging and supporting fellow believers in regards to their struggles with sin.  The burdens that Paul is referring to are the sins that believers find themselves slipping into. As followers of Christ, and to obey the law of Christ, we should be coming alongside believers who are struggling with sin and helping them get back to a right spiritual standing.

This is a hard teaching for us! As a society, we place a great emphasis upon our privacy. What we do is no one’s business, but our own. We don’t like people poking into our lives, and we, most often, don’t like poking into someone else’s.  Now, this verse isn’t saying we have to have an intense, sit-down intervention whenever we see a fellow believer slipping into sin (although in more advanced stages, this may be needed). But, it is a reminder that we do have a responsibility to each other to help guide each other in a correct walk with the Lord.

Paul does give a warning alongside this command. While we are correcting our fellow believers and helping them to understand , we are not to lose sight of our own morality. We each are responsible for our own sin. By helping someone else see the sin in their life, that doesn’t mean the sin in our life has lessened. We are also suppose to be scrutinizing ourselves and our own actions to see if there is sin in our lives. Verse 4 says “test your own actions. Then you can take pride in yourself.”

I found that this passage was a tougher pill to swallow than I thought. While being hospitable and supportive to our fellow believers includes the emotional support, the listening ears, the delivered meals, and the inviting over for tea, gentle instructions and advising are also an important aspect of showing love to our fellow believers. Paul instructs us that being a part of the family of Christ, the correcting and restoring of fellow believers is also a demonstration of love.

By Rebekah Just

Large Group Coordinator

Unseduced and Unshaken by Rosalie de Rosset

A summary of the book...
     Unseduced and Unshaken: The Place of Dignity in a Young Woman's Choices is a thought-provoking book. The purpose of the book is to help women who are "trying to make their way as Christians in a complicated and confusing world." The book contains ten chapters covering a range of topics. Each chapter includes some quotes and definitions as well as discussion questions and a suggested reading list. De Rosset is joined by three co-authors. Here is a brief look at the chapters.

     "Minding Your Dignity" explores the meaning of dignity as well as examining what it means to live a life of dignity.

     "Finding Your Voice," written by Pam MacRae, discusses what a person's voice means as well as how a person's voice is encouraged or silenced.

     "Longing: From Disparity to Desire," by Linda Haines, explores the meaning of the divided self and how one can subdue the darkness without being overwhelmed by it.

     "Everything Is Theology" is a call to study the truth of God and think beyond the mundane things of life.

     "Distracted or Dignified: Solid or Ghostly" explores the ways in which women are tempted to the obsession over appearance and the "pursuit of the trivial."

     "Mindful or Mindless: A Theology of Play" challenges the reader to reflect on how she uses her leisure time either as escapism or a means of sharpening her mind.

     "Reading as a Spiritual Exercise" helps to distinguish classic wholesome books from wispy books without lasting substance.

     The next two chapters explore sexual dignity and modesty - which are reviewed below.

     The final chapter "Is It Worth It? Is He Worthy?" challenges us to ask if God is worthy of this life of dignity we are called to. There are two appendices which are student essays reflecting on how this discussion of modesty has refined the way they view their culture and generation.

A quick dive in...
      Linda Haines wrote the chapter titled "Sexual Dignity: Not by Accident." In this chapter, Haines begins by reflecting on the meaning of chastity. As believers we are called to practice our sexuality by total faithfulness to our spouse or through total abstinence. This is in contrast with society's call to be free sexual beings seeking only what brings pleasure or gives meaning. Though chastity is not popular, it "really is God's best for us, the best from the one who wants to protect us from objectification, who wants us to be cherished, who wants us to know the joy of living dignified, holy lives and the true joy of desire. We cannot break God's rule of chastity without wounding our souls.

     The reason this is true is that we are not divided beings. Our sexuality is an integral part of our selves, not some detached aspect of us. Haines, then, discussed the effect of the sexual revolution of the 60s and how it "set a precedent for the trend of women being only sexual." She ends the chapter with a discussion of the dangers of female pornography, masturbation, and same-sex attraction.

     One of the most powerful quotes from this section says, "[Pornography] freezes the soul and heart in a cold indifference to the human dignity of others and of oneself." She then calls women to action by challenging them that sexual dignity is not "by accident." Instead sexual dignity must be a lifelong pursuit of holiness.

     In the chapter "A Theology of Modesty: Naked Yet Unashamed" by Stacie Parlee-Johnson, she argues that an "understanding that modesty comes from holiness" should provide us with the internal encouragement towards being modest without the "three-finger rule." She begins with the reason for clothing and how its use began in the Garden of Eden after sin. After all, "[a] list of rules for dress is not the same as understanding why we put on clothes in the first place." Unashamed nakedness in the garden is an expression of a right relationship with God. So, clothing is our declaration of the necessity of covering our shame.

     She explains how our souls are clothed in righteousness through the nakedness of Christ on the cross. However, she goes on to show that this does not mean nakedness and sexual desire have no place in the life of Christian women. "[H]oly desires have sacred places; in marriage men and women can sexually desire one another and be naked and unashamed, but only in marriage." As Christian women, we are asked to consider the link between modesty and our union with Christ.

By Sarah Price

Crowns Editor

Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas

A summary of the book...
     In this book, we are asked the thought-provoking question, "What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?" This book seeks to persuade us that marriage teaches devotion and sanctifies the couple in ways singleness cannot, as well as showing us how sex can enhance our spiritual lives, and vice-versa.

     How does marriage, passion, and romance point us more fully to God? God uses marriage as a picture of His pursuit of His people all throughout the Old and New Testaments. Marriage, as a covenant, shows the unconditional and unwavering love God has for His people. It also is a picture to the world of the gospel and the ways God has pursued His people.

     Marriages often become hollow because one or both spouses are looking for fulfillment in one another. Rather, marriage is a journey to knowing God more and reflecting His Son more fully. Marriage forces each spouse to learn to forgive, to become selfless, to learn to be humble, and to be confronted with sin.

     The more we learn about how to love our spouse, the more we learn about how to love God. One of the ways marriage teaches us all of these things is through sex and intimacy.

A quick dive in...
      Sex teaches and represents loving one another, humility, selflessness, and even worship. Sex can teach us about prayer. By physically enjoying and pleasing our spouse, we better understand what it means to fully give yourself to God in worship, to speak softly to Him, and to wonder how we can please Him in ways He wants to be pleased.

     Marriage teaches us what it means to come together, "falling" towards one another in intimacy. This means not only sexual fidelity, but actually becoming one with each other, to "commingle our souls." In order to do this, we must share our inner self through communication - spoken and physical. We cannot have true intimacy if we avoid physical communication through sexual and non-sexual touch and we cannot share our inner selves without taking the time to talk with each other and listen to one another. This means truly understanding what the other spouse is talking about! Surrendering our demands and our wishes to please our spouse, so as to meet their needs.

     We must understand that apathy is the opposite of Christian love, and doesn't fulfill our marital duty. Even conflict can provide an avenue to become more engaged (which is why "make-up sex" is something real) as conflict is overcome and forces the couple to "fall" towards one another.

     Sex bestows a great amount of relational power which can be used to serve and sacrifice for one another. This means manipulation is completely out of the question for Christian marriages. When a spouse denies the other of physical intimacy, there is no other outlet. On the other hand, placing a great sexual burden in an attempt to meet other unmet needs is another use of power. We shouldn't use our bodies to manipulate or destroy.

     Sex can be used as a spiritual discipline, if we become theologically grounded in our view of sex. Thomas suggests praying through the sexual experience, thanking God for sex. If either spouse is struggling with shame and guilt surrounding sex, he says that "gratitude can replace guilt."

     Marriage causes us to focus on internal beauty. Though we should upkeep our bodies, we can have the grace of acceptance towards one another, knowing that our bodies will not always be in great shape. Married men and women can know each other intimately, and this allows each spouse to love the body that is real, rather than fantasies or images.

     Sex also teaches us to give what we have to one another fully, whether we are happy with ourselves or not. Practicing this in marriage and in sexual intimacy allows us to better understand giving ourselves fully to God - giving what we have whether we like what we have or not.

By Sarah Smith

Highwood/Highland Park Small Group Leader

Five Scriptural Principles for Wives

**I recently gave this devotion at the bridal shower of a beloved sister in the Lord.

A few details have been edited, but I pray that these words

will still be edifying to other Christian women preparing for marriage

and even those already experiencing its joys!**

      Marriage is such a glorious gifts and blessing, but there are times where it can feel like there is an overwhelming learning curve. Thankfully, the Lord has not left us alone in this, but He has given us His word, which is living and active and complete for all instruction in righteousness.

      So without further ado here are five clear principles we see laid out concerning marriage in Scripture.

1) Leave and Cleave

      And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:22-24)

      God designed marriage. He instituted that it involve only one man, one woman, and the Lord. They were to leave all their other earthly allegiances and hold each other above everyone else in their lives even fathers and mothers.

       "Leaving and cleaving" can often be one of the most challenging things in early marriage. Understanding that the Lord has united you to one man and you are building a new life with him can be difficult to put into practice. While you love them all dearly and are thankful for their wisdom in years past, your marriage will not look like your parents', your sibling's, your friends', or any other godly couple you may know. The Lord is creating something new between you and your husband. While the foundation of the Gospel must remain the same, your marriage will present a beautifully unique picture to a watching world. Embrace that, my sister, and hold fast to your man alone! Don't try to replicated anyone else's marriage or family life. Love and enjoy your own!

2) Be your husband's helper

       "For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man." (I Corinthians 11:8-9)

       Men and women are of equal worth before the Lord, but we each have different roles. As you enter into the covenant of marriage, you take on a new chief role in life: that of helper to your husband.

      I'm sure thousands of pages have been spent in various marriage books trying to spell out exactly what it means for a wife to be a helper to her husband. There are some basics that apply to all marriages based on Scripture's commands like those to pray for our husbands, exhort them in love, respect them, and give our bodies freely to them in physical intimacy, but outside of Scripture's explicit commands, being a helper to your husband looks different in every marriage. A farmer's wife will help her husband in different ways than a pastor's wife or a computer tech's wife. Every man is different. Every wife is different.

      Honestly, ignore the lists in all the marriage books, and regularly ask your own husband what he needs and desires from you as his wife. Seek to please your own husband, not the husband of the woman who wrote your favorite marriage book. Seek to love, serve, honor, and please your beloved husband until one of you dies or Christ returns!

3) Submit to your own husband.

       "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." (Ephesians 4:22)

      Before I was married, this Scriptural command seemed so simple and clear. I was sure that submission would be no problem at all for me. Four years into marriage, I now know why this command is in the Bible. The Lord knew that we women needed this, and He know we needed it to be so incredibly clear.

      The Lord had commanded wives to submit to their own husbands not just any man, but their own husbands in the loving covenant of marriage. This is a glorious thing!! In submitting to our husbands, we get to image Christ in a small way as He submitted to His Father unto death. Maybe your struggle with submission will be over a job decision, a budget category, or a parenting style for your children. When the day comes when your flesh cries out against this command (and sadly it likely will come), get down on your knees and cry out to God. Ask Him to enable you to submit joyfully and lovingly to your husband, all the while resting peacefully in God's perfect sovereignty. The Lord has given you to this man. My sister, the Lord will be faithful to enable you to do all that He has commanded in your marriage.

4) Count children as gifts from God.

       "Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward." (Psalm 127:3)

        One of the chief lies our culture tells married couples is that children are burdens to be put off indefinitely or only endured for short times. Sadly this view can be shared even in the church when newlyweds are told under the guise of wisdom to avoid pregnancy at all costs till they have "spent x number of years getting to know each other," "have x number of dollars in their banks accounts," or "have reached a certain place of stability in their educational pursuits/careers."

        Scripture never gives us these worldly prerequisites to having children. If it did, most believers outside of the US now and most believers throughout history should not have children. There may be times when a Christian couple may deem it wise to try and prevent pregnancy for a season. Even in seeking to prevent pregnancy though, our underlying attitude must be one of welcoming children if the Lord sees fit to give them.

        God says that He alone opens and closes the womb and that He alone knits a child together in its mother's womb. We are not as in control as we think. Furthermore, He says that He will always provide for us. If/when/how the Lord gives you children, He will provide!!

        Choosing to walk in the face of these cultural lies from the world and believe God's word about children will often lead to ridicule. If you get pregnant "too soon" after the wedding, "too soon" after a previous birth, have "too many" children, or are willing to spend thousands for the sake of adoption the world will indeed laugh at you! Remember though my sister the word of God. Children are treasured gifts and blessing from the Lord. Do not reject them. Be a married couple that joyfully welcomes children as rewards from the God, not burdens or interruptions to your life plans.

5) Humbly ask for help and instruction.

       "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." (Titus 2:3-5)

       Feeling overwhelmed yet? I know I have often felt the weight of marriage. I have desired so deeply to obey the Lord's commands for my life as a wife and mother, yet felt I was hopelessly failing.

       Praise the Lord that He doesn't leave us alone. He gives us His word to instruct us, the Holy Spirit to enable us, and godly women to talk beside us!!

       It seems to me, that the Lord doesn't expect us to have this all down pat our first day of marriage. He has given us godly older women to do life with us and instruct us on exactly how to flesh out these truths from Scripture.

       I am so thankful for godly older women in the Church who have helped instruct me on how to love my husband and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to my own husband. What a blessing this instruction is!!! I grieve for women outside the Church who in many ways have to do marriage stumbling along on their own.

       So my last exhortation to you, my dear sister in Christ, is to humble yourself and accept the instruction of godly older women in your life. Sometimes it will be sweet. Other times it will sting. But either way, praise the Lord for this provision in your life and use it to be spurred on to glorify God all the more in your marriage!!

       May we all seek to glorify God more each and every day in our marriages! Praying for you, my dear sweet sisters in Christ.

By Lexi Zuo
TWF Member

Lexi is a sinner saved by grace,
wife to Jeremiah,
mother to  three little ones,
and an avid reader.

How Can We Be Biblical Users of Social Media?

     I'd recently been asked to provide a brief discussion for Trinity Wives on how we as Christians can be Biblical users of social media. I've been an avid user of various social media platforms for some years now, and my husband and I have both been blogging for around five years. He blogs on theological issues, current events in Biblical perspective, and a variety of book reviews; and I blog on makeup, hair, skincare, and I love doing red carpet reviews. We sort of run the gamut topic-wise, but it goes to show the broad spectrum of things covered in social media. It reaches into each and every area of our lives.

     Before we move forward, let's get a couple definitions down. Social media is defined as "websites and application that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking." So, what's involved in this? It's Facebook, it's Twitter, it's Instagram, it's WhatsApp, it's YouTube, it's SnapChat, it's Pintrest. The main thing to remember is that the lifeblood of social media involved user-generated (so, you and me) content like texts or photos.

     Now, not every one of you are necessarily using every form of social media. Some of you may be using only one form, and the most common platform in the Trinity community from what I see is Facebook. I'm sorry I'm operating under the assumption that you all generally know what I'm talking about, but if you're totally unaware or uninvolved with social media then you can just bookmark this discussion and keep it in your mind's archives. And if you aren't involved with it at all, don't read me as encouraging you to be. I tend to say if it's not a part of your life, don't worry about making it so. It's simply less opportunity for temptation as we'll see in a bit.

     So, for the sake of this conversation let's consider social media as a gift, not unlike money or sex or family or beauty. Social media is a gift and a privilege given to us by our God, because everything is His, and He's placed it within our hands to be good stewards (users!) of it. However, because we're fallen humans, we tend to do a really excellent job making bad use of good gifts. We often struggle with making idols out of these good gifts that God has given us. We have a tendency to worship the created rather than the Creator. You see with every good gift we're given, there are opportunities and good uses for it within the framework of Biblical wisdom. However, there are temptations that come with it as well. Let's first look at some of the great opportunities we have with social media, and then we'll look at the temptations that come with it. And finally, I'll offer a couple tips, or more just questions to ask ourselves as we navigate how to be Biblical users of social media in general.


Opportunities

      Connecting - How many of you are here from another location whether within the U.S. or another country and you use social media to keep in touch? So many of us do! We can stay connected with friends and family through small but meaningful and consistent ways thanks to social media. My own mother-in-law, who is from Honduras, has been able to keep up ongoing conversations with her cousins back home thanks to WhatsApp. I'm able to see that daily goings-on of my friends' babies thanks to SnapChat. My dad, a social media skeptic, even commented on how blessed he was by all the birthday wishes he receive from friends of all circles thanks to Facebook. We're able to communicate, connect, and stay in touch with family and friends, especially those far away, in ways that were never available to us years ago.

     Sharing - How many of you have learned how to do something brand new through social media, like a recipe on Pintrest or one of those little Tasty videos through BuzzFeed? Or how many of you have read a really insightful and encouraging parenting article, or learned about news happening across the globe because someone shared it? It's incredible what we're able to share with each other through social media platforms. We're also able to build critical awareness about important causes and movements. As a Christian, it's been both heartbreaking and challenging to see news about the tumult occurring in countries like Turkey and Pakistan that might otherwise go unnoticed without social media. I believe awareness of such things is good, especially when it can prompt us to prayer and redemptive action.

     Creating - Social media has provided me with some of my most creative and inspired moments. I've loved using Pintrest to organize and better understand my personal taste in fashion and art. Instagram can provide an excellent creative outlet for those who love the visual arts and enjoy dabbling in photography. Unknown, everyday folks with great talents in music suddenly have the ability to share their music with us through YouTube. As someone who loves makeup, I've loved being able to see what others use and how they use it as inspiration for my own work. Social media can inspire great creativity, and it can be really fun!


Temptations - Let's now look at some of the temptations that can come with a social media presence.

     Comparison - I don't know how many times I've compared "my life" to "her life" just by looking at photos, or where acquaintances are checking in and the things I see they're doing. I compare looks, possessions, life stages, family, you name it. If you can share it, you can compare it. However, we're told in Proverbs that "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot." Envy and comparison are ultimately signs of ungratefulness to the Lord. We know it is good for us to praise Him and thank Him for what He has given us, and all that is to say nothing of the fact that social media often involves a veiled, filtered, partial look into someone's life. Additionally, we need to ask ourselves if we're prompting others to comparison. We need to be sure we're praising our husbands or celebrating our children and their accomplishments in humility.

     Unnecessary anxiety - Is it good for us to be aware of current news that's happening around the globe? Yes, I would say it's a fine thing. Would I say it's good for us to hear everyone's hot take on that news, and hear everyone's opinion on that news? No, I'd say not. It's important to know that we do not need to hear everyone's opinion on everything, for not everyone's opinion is righteous or of any good use! Paul tells us to cast our anxieties on Christ, and it can be difficult to do so when we're listening to do many voices shouting at us online, proclaiming doom and destruction. Anxiety can do a great job at keeping the Holy Spirit from being the loudest and most primary voice in your life, and social media can be a huge proponent of that.

     Addiction - We do know that, as is the case with many of God's gifts, we as humans are prone to twisting these gifts and becoming addicted to them. Addiction is defined as the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular thing, substance, or activity. If you are constantly checking your apps, if you are seeming glued to them and unable to take time apart from social media and are constantly glued to it, even during times you know you probably shouldn't be (i.e. your spouse is asking you not to, your child is trying to get your attention), you might be dealing with addiction. Know that it can also greatly affect your health. Studies have shown that heavy users of social media are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders and depression.

     Lack of wisdom in what we way and post - This is the trickiest one of all. We as Christians and particularly as leaders within church ministry are called to a higher standard when it comes to what we say. It's just the reality of things for us. One thing I've noticed about social media is that it can cause us to be much less thoughtful communicators, and less critical thinkers. We believe everything we see and hear, and feel the need to react to it. We jump on every bandwagon hashtag and display visceral anger at unconfirmed or incomplete news stories released seconds ago. Think of social media as a wave machine that is constantly pulsing out waves, and constantly prompting you to ride the ripples of those waves. We are literally tossed about back and forth by every wave and blown about by every wind that comes across us, and it deeply affects the way we interact with others.

     James, however, tells us that we are to be slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger. We must prayerfully and carefully consider our words before we choose to post a tweet, post an update, or react to someone else's words. Even words that we see as a joke need to be carefully considered. social media poses the temptation to be impulsive with what we say, to be the first one to put out a "hot take" on the latest even, or to even speak on something when I believe there are times when the Holy Spirit is calling us to be silent, be still, and maybe not say anything at all. Proverbs tell us that whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper displays folly. There is freedom in the fact that we don't need to have an opinion on everything, and knowing that not everyone's opinion matters. In fact, the belief that we are entitled to a public reaction or word on everything is, in fact, unbiblical and un-Christlike.


Tips  - With these things in mind, here are a couple questions to be asking ourselves or things to be doing to keep ourselves in check as Christians navigating through social media.

     Can you do without it?  - Can you put your phone aside for a day or two, or delete any apps, even temporarily, that are causing you anxiety and comparison problems? Be a consistent self-evaluator and seek God's wisdom on these things.

      Have a cut-off time and a Sabbath.  - Remember that self-care is a form of worship and honoring the Lord. Take a day each week to Sabbath from social media, and have a cut-off time each night at least an hour before you go to bet. It's also not good to wake up to social media; I'd suggest waiting at least an hour after you get up before checking any apps. It's healthiest if your waking and sleeping moments belong to the Lord.

     Always be asking yourself why you're posting what you post before you post it! - Is what you're posting self-seeking, or an attempt for attention that should be fulfilled by God's love for you and your husband's affirmation of you? If you're posting something about your child (i.e. a frustrated mama moment), is is something that might hurt them if they were to see it in the future when perhaps they join Facebook or Instagram? And remember - we in ministry have a greater obligation. We are to be beacons of the Gospel first and foremost. This does not mean that all you should do is post Chris Tomlin song lyrics or articles from Christianity Today. I really, truly don't think that God cares whether or not you love sharing cat videos. Have fun with social media; it's a gift!

     However, I believe we most importantly need to be asking ourselves if what we're posting is something that might negatively affect you and your husband's present or future ministry endeavors. Titus tells us that we are to be ornaments of the Gospel, making it attractive to others. This means being conscious of our words, our pictures, and our online presence in general for the sake of ministry. For instance, it's fun to tease and be silly with my husband online, but I do know I have to be careful and consider that what I say to him is not read as disrespectful. Remember, not everyone hears a joke the way you do, and tone online is different than tone in real time. And various churches and seminaries that might hire your husband won't only be checking his profiles; they'll be checking yours!

     Read Proverbs! - If you want a play-by-play on how a fool speaks and acts, read Proverbs. The words of King Solomon tell us exactly what not to do as users of social media, and just how detrimental foolish behavior really is in our own lives and those we impact. However, Proverbs also provide converse instructions for the righteous. Consider Proverbs as your "Users 101" guide to social media. And if I could add one thing to King Solomon's wise words, it would be to never read the comments section!


      Considering all these things, let's commit to consistently turning over our social media selves to God. Who we are online is not separate from the rest of our being; every part of us belongs to Him. And be encouraged that we have great opportunities with social media for the Kingdom and our own personal joy. Be an encouragement to others with it. Share helpful words. Connect with friends. Create and share beautiful, thoughtful things with it. Have fun, and have boundaries. Be honest, yet wise. Know that we've been given a gift. Use and enjoy social media in wisdom and thankfulness, ultimately seeking His Kingdom first as we do in everything.

By McKenna Rishmawy

TWF Small Group Leader

Tomorrow's Dirt

     During my undergrad studies, I was wandering through the shelves of my school's library looking for a new book to read. I was scanning the biographies when a ran across a little book. To be honest I cannot remember the title or who the book was about, but I'll never forget one story the author shared. The biography was of a woman missionary. During her stay with the missions organization for orientation she was given the task of cleaning the restrooms. To this lady cleaning restrooms seemed like an unimportant task, but she still did as she was asked. One day she had just finished cleaning one of the stalls and begun another when one of her directors came in and used the restroom. As the director turned to leave, she sighed and went back to redo her task. The director stopped her and told her "That's tomorrow's dirt." She went on to explain to this new missionary recruit that in life there is always another thing that we could be doing, but trying to do everything all the time would leave a missionary exhausted and empty.

     The phrase "that's tomorrow's dirt" has stuck with me ever since. The director was right. In life nothing is ever finished. There's always one more shelf to be dusted, one more load of laundry to be done, one more coffee mug sitting on the table. But sometimes we need to say "that's tomorrow's dirt." Sometimes we need to look at the socks littering the floor, and say "they'll keep, but right now I have something else I need to do with my time." Maybe it's a long day and the kids are finally in bed and you need to sit down, read a book, and refresh your mind and soul. The socks will be there, but the moment may be gone. Maybe you have dishes in the sink, but your husband just came home from class and has something exciting he wants to share with you. Take the time to talk together. Dishes can wait.

     We live in a fast-paced world of perfection. Instagram makes our friends' houses seem spotless. Facebook shows us how our kids would be so much healthier if we made all our food from scratch with fresh ingredients from the farmer's market. God says "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Now there is nothing wrong with a clean house or healthy food, but if we pursue these things and miss that God wants us to rest in Him, we will come up dry and empty. Perfection brings weariness. God gives grace. One way we learn to accept God's grace is by giving up our plan to be perfect. When we say "that's tomorrow's dirt," we learn to live in today's grace. When we are willing to let things not be perfect, we open our eyes to the things that God has put in our life that have more eternal impact. So my sisters, when you are exhausted, take the time to rest. From a heart at rest we can best hear the still small voice of God.

By Sarah Price

Crowns Editor

Elohim

     The name Elohim simply means God. But is this name really so easily defined? Let us take a closer look and see.

     The name Elohim occurs over 2,000 times in the Bible and could possibly be the most used name of God. In earlier posts, we have been studying the different names of God: God the provider, God the creator, and many more. These posts have helped to show different aspects of God's character through the different names given to Him. So what can the name Elohim tell us about God, other than meaning simply God?

     To be honest with you, I had a very hard time finding something to share for the name Elohim. What could I possibly tell you about this name with such a general meaning? As I continued to study this name, I kept thinking to myself, "Why, Shyan, did you chose this name?!" As I continued to ponder the name Elohim, I really stared to wrestle with what it truly means to know God and all that He is. I think sometimes we can fall into a trap of defining and giving value to God based on the contexts in which we have come to know Him. Sometimes in different seasons of life, we really start to know one facet of God as healer,  or provider, or our refuge, and so on, and we forget that God is all of these at once.

     One example I can think of personally is in my prayer life. I have found that while I am in prayer, I have tried to appeal to the different facets of God based on what I might need from Him at that time or  an aspect of my life where I can fully trust God; but I forget that He is sovereign over all parts of my life. I am not trying to say that understanding other names of God or calling on a specific name of God isn't important, but I hope to convey to you that all those names of God make Him who He is to us and that sometimes just calling on the name of God is enough.

     The name Elohim is the name of God. Just like your name means all of you, with all your different characteristics. All aspects of God can be described in this name, Elohim.

     There are so many aspects to this name, that for me, I am still trying to wrap my head around it all. But let me conclude with what have become the important aspects of the name Elohim to me.

     1.     In the first chapter of Genesis, we see the aspect of Elohim as creator. Everything that exists in this world was the act of a sovereign, loving, and knowable God. He existed before and is independent of the world. He knows all that He has created, and we can rest knowing that we were made perfect by Him.

     2.    Through Job, we can see that God gives endurance to those who are faithful to Him. We can trust in God through our trials in life knowing that He who created us will sustain us.

     3.   Isaiah 42:5 says "This is what God the Lord says - the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it." Through this verse we are reminded that God is the source of all life. Nothing exists in this world without Him knowing. He is over all, and we can continue to rest in that truth.

By Shyan Xiong

Vernon Hills Small Group Co-Leader