T H E W O R D

T H I N K A B O U T I T

“So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

—2 Corinthians 5:16-17

My New Year’s Revelation List:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Let the New Begin! It’s January, the start of a new year and time to dust off the treadmills we use as clothes hangers, analyze our bad habits, and make those New Year’s resolutions. And here’s how those resolutions usually work: we make ’em and we break ‘em! In fact, studies suggest that fewer than 12 percent of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Yet we’ve been making them for thousands of years. It’s true! Records suggest that as far back as 4,000 years ago, the Babylonians were making (and undoubtedly breaking) New Year’s resolutions.

Why have we been making resolutions for so long? It’s our human nature to constantly evaluate and want to change things. We ask “What’s wrong with me?” and then we vow to give up our favorite coffee shop in the morning and head for the gym. But history has a way of repeating itself, and soon our steering wheel is inching its way back toward luscious mocha, whipped cream, forgo-the-skinny land. After 4,000 years with an 88 percent failure rate, it’s obvious that resolutions are long overdue for retirement.

This new year, say goodbye once and for all to the old way, and let a new way begin. Because a better way of looking at things has come. The Message translation of 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 makes it plain that we don’t have to ask “what’s wrong with me?” or evaluate ourselves (or others) the same way anymore:

“We don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons!”

Time to get rid of the old mirrors and start looking at a new reflection! Our human way of evaluating ourselves just doesn’t work. It really is what’s on the inside, not the outside,that counts.

Stop looking to the same old resolutions to change your life this new year, and look instead for the new change—the inside-out change—that is your new life. Not in what you do but who you truly are. Rather than a list of resolutions, make a list of revelations! And celebrate the true joy of a happy new year!

January 2014

Go Girls! A ministry of:

FUMC Berkeley Springs 49 South Green St. Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 304.258.2766 | gofirst.org Pastor Andrew Cooney

JANUARY 2014

New Study on Philippians – STARTS 1/14/14 More Christ…and joy…in Your Life!

Soup’s On! Cold day? Enjoy a hot bowl of this indulgently

creamy soup that’s surprisingly low in calories at about 125 calories per serving. Yum!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash

4 cups fat-free chicken broth

2 cups fat-free plain yogurt

1 cup diced apple

1 cup diced sweet onion

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Salt and pepper

Sunflower seeds for garnish

To roast the squash, heat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place cut side down on the cookie sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool slightly before separating the squash from the peel to add to the soup.

To make the soup, heat the oil in a soup pot, and sauté the diced onions and curry powder over medium low heat for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the roasted squash, diced apple, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Puree the soup with a hand blender, season with cinnamon, add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the yogurt just before serving, and sprinkle with sunflower seeds to garnish. Serves 6-8.

Color Your World! Manicures and massages, move to the back of the line! The newest and most popular activity at a recent Girls’ Night Out event was coloring! Women lined up for a spot at a table filled with colored markers and black and white posters. Why? Here are a few of their comments: “This is so relaxing;” “I love to color, but I would never give myself permission to do this at home;” “Now I remember why I loved this so much as a kid;” “I wish I could come back and do this again!”

Put some color in your world this winter by gathering your girlfriends for a coloring party! Pick up books or posters at a craft store (or even the grocery store), pour out piles of crayons, and let the fun begin!

"To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain" by Matt Chandler.

Join Sarah and some of your sisters for an in-depth study of the book of Philippians (aka the epistle of joy) by Matt Chandler. Gain a better understanding of how we can mature in our spiritual life and the riches of a closer walk with Christ.

Starts Tuesday, January 14 at 9:30 at FUMC…but come anytime!

Study guide is $12.00, copies of the book are available for $12 (not necessary for the study).

Contact sfisher@gofirst.org for more information.

FUMC

Holiday Market Report

19 vendors, lots of visitors, great shopping and

$543 raised for Women’s Ministry Scholarships.

to all who participated!

JANUARY 2014

So if the Son sets you free,

you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Resolution Revolution

First Things First By Isabella Yosuico

For many of us, the New Year heralds the arrival of a time-worn and often weary tradition of making

RESOLUTIONS (said with dread :-). No matter how many years they’ve failed me or I them (see cover

story), I sure do still like those lists, neatly printed, in categories even. Better still if I can check them

off as they year ticks by. Makes me feel good about myself. More often than not though, it almost

seems as though making the resolution leads me away from where I want to be. That’s because, as

Paul tells us in Romans 7, the law (or rules or goals or whatever…the law in its many disguises)

actually excite sin—a subject we’ll explore further later. As Christians, we are no longer under the law (Galatians 3:25).

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Alas! I revisited last year’s list and notice that of the dozen or so items on it, I’ve successfully attained only three. Bummer. I guess I

won’t be able to be smug this year and celebrate my self-discipline. Yet, I don’t need to sit around self-flagellating either. I can simply

rest in Christ’s completed work and his ultimate check mark. The complete and absolute approval Christ gained for us on the cross,

which I receive freely by accepting him.

Come to me, all 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

I know that I’ve exhausted myself and others, and often still do, trying to change the assorted things I find troublesome or to attain

goals of my own design. As exhausting as the effort to change myself, is the considerable

emotional energy I expend fretting about how I fail to meet my own or others’

expectations…including God’s. This practice extends far beyond New Year’s; it becomes a

lifestyle of endless checklists. My performance dictates whether I feel good (and even better

than others) or bad (or worse than others). Oftentimes, I go from feeling elated or proud to

condemned and critical several times a day. Christ died so I could be liberated from this cycle of

insanity (Luke 4: 18, Romans 8:1)!

I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness[c] were through the law, then Christ died for

no purpose.

Galatians 2:21

Why do we fail to see that our ongoing efforts to “improve” ourselves and others, often breeding

self-righteousness, judgment and condemnation, as any different at all than say, the law-keeping

Pharisees that made Jesus (and later Paul) so angry? The answer lies in our very sin nature, our

deep desire to control outcomes, to plot ourselves on some hierarchy of “righteousness,” to

depend on something, anything, other than grace, for our value. Some of us, including me,

bristle at the idea that I can never do anything to be more loved, favored or accepted by God (Phil 3).

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

Today, I say hurray that we’re off the hook for changing ourselves or manufacturing and attaining goals that are often of our own

misguided making (Prov 16:9). The Biblical Fruit is of the Spirit, not of the Isabella or the Jane or the Pam. As I grow in him, he will

change me and surely direct my paths (Pro 3:6). Am I now advocating for doing away with spiritual disciplines, abandoning goals, or

giving myself over to my sinful desires? Let me simply quote Paul in saying emphatically, “No!” (Ro 6:1) We can guard against having

them become an enemy of what we’re trying to achieve (Matt 23:37), by drawing closer to Christ, focusing on Him rather than an

outcome. We can be sure he will continue to grow us in the Spirit, loving us and accepting us all along the way. By drawing close to

Christ and marinating in his loving acceptance, godly goals and the ability to attain them emerge organically, day to day, little by little.

In the coming months, we’ll explore law and grace in practical terms, what they really mean to us as Christians in daily living.

Prayer: Jesus, please make the truth of The Gospel, the very good news, fresh to me today and every day.

Recommended Reading

The Bible in its entirety speaks volumes on the subject of Grace

and Christ’s completed work…and there are many,

many teachers and preachers who speak to this topic. Soak it

up. It will change your life.

Bible Books: Galatians | Romans | Philippians

Select Teachers & Preachers: Google to find books, podcasts,

websites and more. Steve Brown Matt Chandler Larry Crabb Bob George Tim Keller John Piper

Tullian Tchividjian

Design and base content © 2011 and 2014 Group Publishing, Inc., Loveland, CO, group.com/women. Permission to photocopy granted for local church use only.

A Taste of What’s Happening for Women

Women’s Ministry Leadership Team Sarah Fisher, Women’s Ministry Coordinator: sfisher@gofirst.org | 304.258.2766 Cindi Close: csclose@hotmail.com Gretchen Close: gclose2@gmail.com Linda Romano: mnpt12@frontier.com Bonnie Weber: bwweber@frontier.com

January

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

9:30a Women’s Bible Study FUMC

Stitches n Hooks 6:30p - 8:30p

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

9:30a Women’s Bible Study FUMC

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

9:30a Women’s Bible Study FUMC

26 27 28 29 30 31

9:30a Women’s Bible Study FUMC