Hearts Afire: Finding and Fueling your Passion

What is your passion? For the last three years I've been privileged to do something that combines several of my passions - working with women, teaching God's Word, and cross-cultural ministry. I feel like this is an opportunity hand-crafted for me! And it is!

In early January I was privileged to go with the team from Valley to India to be part of their annual women's leadership conference. Here is a photo of a little gift we brought back for our supporters. I love it because it so beautifully represents all that the conference is about. It depicts a very Indian looking woman and was created in Jaipur, Rajasthan where some of our conference attendees live. Interestingly, it is colored with jewel-dust -remnants from the jewelry making industry of that area. It is a beautiful illustration of the truth that we are nothing but dust, yet God has chosen to make us his jewels - his treasured possession, and together He crafts us into the bride and body of Christ - a beautiful picture made out of many diverse and individual pieces - women (and men and children) from the US as well as India, and the rest of the world.      

At Valley we have been hearing about aligning our heart with God's heart. In scripture the words "heart" and "mind" often represent the same idea: the place that is the control center of our attitudes, thoughts, feelings and actions. Rom 12:2 says that we must be transformed by having our minds renewed. They must be transformed to see as God sees, to love what He loves, to act as He acts. His passion is to bring people into relationship with Him so that they can praise and enjoy His perfection. Because God is infinite, his heart is very big. He has only one passion, but the ways He works through us to express and achieve that passion are as diverse and individual as His creation. Your passion won't look or act like mine. It might be to work with children instead of women, with peers rather than immigrants, in serving or giving rather than teaching. We only have to look at the world around us to see how much our God loves diversity. Yet each part reflects His glory and His purpose.

So, do you know what your passion is? And is it aligned with God's? If not, how do you find your passion and ensure that it is aligned with God's? Here are some practical steps.

1. Study to know God. Our source and goal is God Himself. His Word reveals His character and purpose. Ask Him to teach you and give you His passion. Commit yourself to a lifelong study, not just to know about God, but to really experience His beauty, wisdom, power and love in your life. Our Women's Ministry Bible studies are one way you can do this. They are structured to help you and give you some accountability as you take this journey with your sisters in Christ.
2. Study to know yourself. What are your gifts, interests, desires, experiences? How have they shaped you? What is your personality type? There are many good books, and even studies, available to help you learn these answers. Family and friends can also give you insight.
3. Study from other people who are pursuing their God-given passions. Read biographies. Look around for people who seem to know and be actively pursuing their passion. Ask them questions about how they discovered their passion. Prayerfully consider someone to mentor you in this area.

One last word of advice: be patient. God is not in a hurry. And expect to be surprised along the way! Sometimes He changes our direction and even reshapes our passions. I thought God's plan for me was to be a full-time missionary. Living and serving Him in Des Moines, Iowa, was never in my wildest (or tamest) dreams!! But I am enjoying being surprised by Him!

Becky was raised in Malawi, Africa by missionary parents, graduating from high school there before coming to the states to attend university, where she met her husband, Dave. Becky and Dave have three children, Dave, Rachel, and Andrew. The Staabs have lived all over the world, including Detroit, Orlando, Bangladesh, Knoxville, and finally Des Moines! Wherever they have lived, God has given Becky a place of service where she feels she has received much more than she has given, and learned more than she has taught. It is a joy for her to learn from the women of Valley as we share our faith journeys and reach out to the world around us together!

Many women at Valley are pursuing the passion God has given them. One of those women is Brenda Knollenberg, executive director for the Agape Pregnancy Center. Spend just five minutes with her talking about Agape and you will hear her passion loud and clear. Their mission is "to demonstrate the Truth and unconditional love of Jesus Christ to girls, women and their families experiencing unexpected pregnancy or the effects of sexual relationships, in a safe and confidential environment." Brenda radiates love and wisdom as she talks about the many practical ways they offer help. Most importantly, Brenda is passionate about offering hope through Jesus Christ. Talk with Brenda if you get a chance. Perhaps this is something you are also passionate about. Check it out at  http://www.agapepregnancycenter.com/. 

Another Valley girl is pursuing her passion much farther from home. Krista Taylor and her growing family just returned to Kenya to serve another four years at the Rift Valley Academy. Even though they originally went for just one year, God has expanded their hearts and vision and led them back to continue to serve the children of missionary families from all over the continent of Africa. Read their latest adventures since their return in late December on their blog at  http://www.chrisandkristataylor.blogspot.com/.   

My True Passion 

I am just shy of 30 years old, and my passions have changed over the years. As a little girl, my passion was baby dolls, being like big sister, and playing outdoors. In high school, I was passionate about sports, basketball in particular, and twirling was the most fun and least stressful of all my extra-curricular activities. In college, I became very passionate about being my own person. I took a leap of faith and transferred colleges to the one I really felt at home with, even though everyone in my family attended a different one. Then I graduated, moved to the east coast, fell in love and became passionate about having a great relationship and making a future I could be proud of.

Tim and I have been married for 3.5 years now and have a 2 year old and a 2 month old. There are days I question my ability to be a good wife and mom (I believe I just had this conversation with God last night in prayer, come to think of it!), but I know my passion is, and forever will be, family.

Not that I am always great - or good for that matter - at being a wife and mother, but I try every day because I love nothing more than to hold my sleeping baby, read Tyler to sleep and talk to my husband during the 30 minutes a day we have to ourselves. (If only Allison would go to bed earlier!) If I were not passionate about family, I might throw in the towel. It is not easy juggling relationships and meeting needs. I thought as Tyler got older, life would be easier. He would sleep through the night, eat his food, and gain more independence, but just last week I learned that as my child gets older, the parenting becomes more complex. How am I supposed to react to another mom who disciplined my child because I apparently did not get to him fast enough? What I really wanted to say and do would not have been a good example, and I am passionate about providing emotional stability to my children, so I chose to walk away and talk with Tyler in private. Right or wrong, I still do not know.

Situations such as this remind me that my actions and words are a direct result of my passions. I know I can always improve on being a better wife. My husband sometimes gets the "leftover" me at the end of the day and that is not so pretty. If my children don't nap, they get a mom who is less patient and short with her words. But my heart is always on fire to be the best wife and mother I can be because that is why I am here. God blessed me with a wonderful husband and two children, and I love them more than I could ever explain. Now, if only I could live up to this role as I expect myself to, my life on earth would be complete.

...One way to help me live up to my potential is attending MOPS. The first and third Fridays cannot come quickly enough during the week. I refuel my brain with lively conversation, empathy, and time away from my children. Our next meeting is Feb 17 (my 29th birthday!), and our speaker is a mentor mom speaking on chore charts and rewards. My chores used to be gathering eggs from the chicken coop...guess I will just send Tyler to HyVee!

In closing, I hope everyone gets to experience their passion in life. It took me almost 30 years to realize my true passion, but now that I have it, I thank God every day for the gift of family. Whatever your passion, give it your all with a happy and open heart.

For any questions, please contact Meaghan at mops@valley-church.com. Meaghan and her co-leader, Julie Lors, look forward to meeting new moms, reconnecting with old moms, and discovering the joy of mothering with one another. See you soon!

Don't Let Your "Measurements"  

Steal Time  

Whenever I take someone's measurements for sewing an outfit, I am reminded of how critical we women can be of ourselves. We don't want our waist size to grow. We want a proportionate body. And, when we go to buy jeans, we want to be the same size (or smaller) than we were the last time. The point is, we measure ourselves all the time; the way we look, the way we feel, our size, and our shape. We want to measure up to some mythical standard that doesn't even exist. After all, what size is the perfect size? There is no perfect size. There is no perfect face. Actually, there is; every face is the perfect face, because God created them all.

When we are consumed with our "measurements", we get distracted.

· We are distracted from His truth; that He made us, we are His, and He makes no      

   mistake

· We are distracted from what He wants to do through us. The time we could have    

   used thinking about Him has gone to something far less constructive.

· We loose the opportunity to receive "positive encouragement".  He wants to place   

  on our mind.

· We can be distracted from the people around us.

I know it can be easier said than done to feel you are "beautiful"... but hear this, "Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite." (Psalms 147:5) Not only does God know you, His understanding of you has no end. He understands every insecurity you have, where it comes from, and how it affects your life. And most importantly, He desires to see you secure in Him.

Don't let your "measurements" steal time from God. We can all take that time back and start giving it to God. The more we do this, the more we will realize and believe we are truly beautiful. Remember, "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Phillipians 4:8) In my opinion, the best way to combat negativity is to replace it with positivity. The next time you sense you are becoming distracted by the way you look or anything else false in your life, go to God's Word and replace it with truth.

Annie Stec grew up attending Valley Church.  She and her husband Tony have two children.  Annie frequently shares her musings about God, fashion, and life in general on her blog: http://lovinggodthemost.com

Three of our Valley Gals had the opportunity to STEP OUT and UP on a recent trip to India.  They each found themselves Standing Firm with their Hearts On Fire!   

Becky Hines: This January I had the privilege of traveling to Ahmedabad, India for a ten day short-term outreach and compassion trip. The India team consisted of Christian workers from five different churches, including members from Valley Church.  

The most meaningful part of the trip were the times I spent with the Indian women listening to their prayers requests before praying for one another. For these women, the power of God as experienced through prayer is integral to their faith. There is a real cost to being a follower of Jesus in this culture. I now have names and faces to associate with real suffering and persecution. As they prayed in Hindi, and I in English, we praised the name of the Lord together, interceding on each others behalf.  I couldn't help but think of Psalm 142 as we prayed together on numerous occasions.     

I do not know if in this lifetime I will ever have the opportunity to see these Indian sisters again. But I will forever love these women, each and every one of them. I will give them more than a passing thought and I care deeply about what happens to them. I have their names, faces, and prayers etched in my heart. "Sister, pray for me......" I heard at the start of each request. And I have. And I know they are praying for me.

Angie Criger:

In college I took a Sign Language class with hopes simply of meeting a general requirement. It was difficult and challenging much of the time as I couldn't figure out how to accurately express what I wanted or needed to say. However, I had such a great time learning it I decided to take another semester of it unsure what God had in store but wondering if it would come in handy in my future. A few years later I moved to West Des Moines and joined Valley Church. Shortly afterwards I heard about a need the church had in children's ministry.  I decided to try out working with the Special Need Buddy Program and AWANA. I fell in love with the kids and serving small children. Watching their passion and understanding of Christ grow was exhilarating. Showing Christ's love to them was an overwhelming privilege. An added benefit was that I could use a little of my Sign Language in the Special Needs ministry.

Deanne Cornelison: Each day God sets my heart on fire for many different people and causes. We live in a broken world. All you have to do is open your eyes and see loneliness, heartache, hunger, poverty....the list goes on and on. Most recently, in January, I was in India with a group of Valley Church members. When the opportunity presented itself to me, my first thought was "What in the world could I offer or bring to this opportunity"? I  casually knew some of the people I would be traveling with and I didn't have a single stamp in my passport, but the most scary thing for me was that I felt I didn't have the Biblical knowledge to go on a mission's trip. I often feel like a preschooler when it comes to knowing the Word.

There is a lot of planning and fundraising that preceeds a trip such as our trip to Ahemendebad, India. What I didn't plan on was how the people I met in India would set my heart afire. The people attending and working at this conference were so beautiful inside and out. They are true believers with a passion for our Savior, Jesus Christ. They are faithful, loving, serving, geniune, and so much more. Their stories, testimonies, and experiences touched me on so many levels. The Indian people have truly become a part of my heart.

Not everyone will get to make such a memorable trip or even desire to. I would like to encourage you to open your eyes and your heart to others. It will most likely turn out that you will be the one that is truly blessed.

Becky, Angie and Deanne are not full time missionaries, they are women just like you and me...willing to trust God and actively live out the mission of Valley Church: Changing Our Lives, Changing Our World, All through Jesus Christ.  If you are interested in finding out more about Valley Church missions opportunities for women, contact Debi Lydic at: