February 2011 Archives:
From Victim to Survivor
by Rebecca Halley
2/25/11
I had been dealing with my childhood abuse from my early 20's off and on, but as I read the notice in the bulletin about the Wounded Heart study, God pricked my heart. I contacted Kathy, and we talked. I really thought God was leading me to take the class, and then help Kathy by becoming a facilitator of the group eventually. Little did I know God had a purpose for me attending Wounded Heart, but it was not the purpose I imagined.
I still had many areas left untouched by God's healing. I was now in a safe and loving environment, and it was time to do hard work. I described the study to family and friends as being sliced with a knife from top to bottom, and all your insides laid out in the open.
Wounded Heart looks at every facet of being an abuse victim, to enable you to become an abuse survivor. Some areas are very hard to deal with, but the freedom you feel after wrestling with God, and the issue is worth the work.
I pray that if you are an abuse victim, you will consider taking this study. There will be much freedom and healing that you will gain. The study allows you to begin the process of truly becoming an abuse survivor, and not an abuse victim.
A New Perspective
by Rocky Dougherty
2/11/11
A couple weeks ago when pastor James asked "how many of you are rich?", did I raise my hand? No. Then when he went on to describe the typical "rich" person I kinda got it. I thought, yeah I am a lot better off when it comes to most of the world's population in other countries. I have a car, a home, food, clean water, a good job and am able to fulfill my basic, everyday needs. Yeah I have it great.
Then when my home group leader mentioned that he was going to serve at the Sonrise Shelter (S.O.S.), I asked if I could help too. I had been thinking about it because someone very close to me is homeless. My daughter. She is 19 and has lost her way due to addiction and mental illness. We have done everything we can to help her but she continues to choose her own destructive path. It really struck me as to how she lives her life now after watching and interacting with the men and women that were there at the shelter that night. Everything, and I mean, absolutely everything they have in this world is in a backpack or two.
I don't remember how many times someone thanked me that night for letting them stay there and for the food. I didn't know what to say. Then I realized later I should have been thanking them for letting me serve them, and giving me the opportunity to show them what kind of love Christ has for them and me.
I didn't really sleep that night and as I left the next morning, I just lost it. I realized how rich I really am with everything God has blessed me with in my life. Each day since then I have looked at my life differently. I remember to thank God for everything he has given and not given me in my life, several times a day.
Am I going to serve at the shelter again? Absolutley. This is just the beginning of change and I am looking forward to the next step.
A Glad Heart
by Mildred Wilson
2/04/11
When I moved from Portland to Hillsboro after my husband passed away in June 2010, I began looking for a church in this area, that would be close by. I hadn't attended church in over 33 years. Before that I was involved in a church in Dallas, OR. I had a good base and my faith in God remained strong. I didn't really know what I was looking for and I visited a couple of churches, but they didn't fit. One day I was driving over to Orenco Station and passed by Sonrise Church and I felt an arm point (my guardian Angel) and told me "that one"! The next Sunday I attended and became a member of Sonrise Church on Nov. 7, 2010. In the meantime I had heard of and found a Small Group and the GriefShare program with the help of the staff at Sonrise. And I found I was needed and could serve. I am a volunteer at the Clothing Closet. There are so many good things and programs at Sonrise. God has truly blessed me with a way for me to serve where I felt right away that I am needed.
The reason I am writing this is I have always wanted to be able to give, but in all my years of attending and working in my church in Dallas, OR, it seemed like I was never able to tithe. I felt that I gave as I could with work in the church and what I could give monetarily. I was a single mom at the time and raising four children by myself. Our Lord made it possible for me to change things for them and for me, but I still wanted to get to the point where I could tithe. Recently, I was convicted to trust in God and start giving MY church my tithe. It's not much compared to some, but it has given me such peace and a gladness that Our Lord has made it possible that I am able to give now and with a glad heart--something that I have always wanted to happen. But I had to learn to trust enough to "know" that God will always provide!
