The Rollercoaster--Then God

               As amazing as it is in today’s society, Michelle and Travis Swift were high school sweethearts and are still happily married even though they have had some disappointments and tough decisions to make. They elected to not have children because the doctors said Michelle would probably not be able to walk afterwards if she became pregnant because a pregnancy would put too much strain on her fragile spine.

                Travis and Michelle were very happy and content as a childless couple. But they saw how much Travis’ brother enjoyed his brood. So they decided to explore adoption. Little did they know this decision would become a four and a half year ordeal. Because they were a responsible couple and wanted to go about adopting in the best way possible, they consulted two couples who had successfully adopted children. Both couples advised them to go through a social worker. What an experience that was!

                The Swifts busily started making the necessary preparations. The home study was completed, reference letters were submitted, adoption money was set aside, and the nursery was made ready. When it unexpectedly came to their attention that a young couple was not going to keep their baby, they excitedly contacted the social worker.  Their hopes were high. It looked like a sure thing. Then suddenly it all fell apart, and the child went to another couple. Devastation.

                Time passed without a word from the social worker. Unexpectedly a call came.  A teenage girl was putting her child up for adoption. An interview with the teen and her mother was scheduled for the next evening. They arrived early to discover another couple was also being interviewed. However, after their interview Travis and Michelle were excited because it had gone extremely well. They were sure the baby would be theirs. But no. The baby went to the other couple. Devastation again.

                Because the process with the social worker had been so discouraging, they decided to investigate being foster parents with the intent to adopt through the Youthville program. At the first meeting with Youthville, it became apparent that the foster care/adoption program was not an option for them.

 Travis and Michelle had met with numerous frustrations and a rollercoaster of emotions. They had paid expenses and had spent considerable time pursuing the opportunity to raise a child.  Each possibility for adopting a child had resulted in failure. It seemed as though they were meant to be a childless couple even though they were sure the Lord had placed a desire for a child in their hearts. They asked themselves if they were truly hearing God or were they misinterpreting God’s answer to their prayers for a baby. They were more than willing to provide a loving home to a child in need, but no sign of this possibility was in sight. They grew increasingly mad and frustrated at God. Why had God not honored their good intensions and efforts? They could not bear the thought of any longer enduring the emotional rollercoaster of excitement then the devastating sense of loss. Their search for a child came to an end.

Because they believed parenthood was not going to happen for them, Michelle and Travis resolved to be the very best uncle and aunt they could be.  They sold their house in Wichita and happily assumed a larger mortgage in Benton where they could be close to nieces and nephews.  They were shaken a bit when shortly after moving Travis was laid off. But within two weeks he had a job. They celebrated their good fortune and settled into a routine. They did not know that church friends were still actively praying that an adoption would be in their future. Michelle and Travis had given up, but their prayer warrior friends had not.

 Unexpectedly a friend of the family contacted them. He was acquainted with a couple who had decided to make their soon-to-be-born daughter available for adoption. They were an older couple and had grown children. This couple had discussed raising the child, terminating the pregnancy, and putting the child up for adoption. They decided that adoption was the best option because of their health issues and financial situation. The family friend arranged a meeting at a restaurant, introduced the two couples, and left. After a few awkward moments, the two couples exchanged information. Before long, both couples realized that the baby girl was meant for Travis and Michelle. A lawyer was contacted and the necessary papers prepared.

Amazingly, the only concern of the birth parents was that their birth child would have a good, loving home. The birth mother even invited Michelle to attend the final doctor appointments of the pregnancy.  The birth mother repeatedly told Michelle that Michelle was the real mother and that she as the birth mother was only the oven. Michelle and Travis were in the hospital when Abby was born. While still in the hospital, the birth mother signed the papers, brought them to Travis and Michelle with a smile on her face, and enthusiastically congratulated them on the birth of their daughter.

As they reflect on all that happened, Travis and Michelle can see God’s hand in the whole adoption process. They see how God was preparing them for this very special little girl who has brought immense joy into their lives. They believed they would save a child, but now know that God had a special plan to enrich their lives beyond their wildest dreams with this very special little girl.

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 1 Samuel 1:27  NIV

Youthful Blessings

Spending time with teenagers can be challenging, rewarding, energizing, and sometimes discouraging. The discouraging part comes when a teen is unable to fully participate in special youth activities because of something that is out of the control of the teen such as the parent’s current financial situation. It is just not right. Our youth leaders work to make sure this does not happen.

The youth leaders at The Benton Church are gifted at involving the youth in meaningful fundraising events. The benefits to the youth are that they learn responsibility, they learn the value of doing a job well, and their parents can afford to let them be involved in special events. Sometimes a youth will join after the fundraising events are over. Or the youth may be getting very little help from their parents and need extra money-making opportunities. For those youth, a last minute smaller project is often arranged by the leaders. One teen helped in fundraisers and added fifty dollars received for Christmas gifts, but still was short of funds. An anonymous donor had provided four hundred fifty dollars as scholarship money to assist any youth who found themselves in this type of situation.  One special project was provided by the Butler County Conservation District who asked for six youth to serve at one of their dinners.  One of the ladies at that dinner was so impressed with those six teens that she donated two hundred fifty more dollars for youth activities. Instead of sitting at home feeling rejected, through the scholarship donations and the extra money-making opportunities, several youth were able to fully fund their trips and will be a part of the fellowship and fun on the mountain in Colorado. What a blessing.

One teen confided to the leaders that going on the trip would be impossible because of the cost. During the conversation, it was revealed that things were very bad at home. One of the problems mentioned was that the pipes in the home had frozen and burst so the water had to be turned off.  When leaders learned of this need, an anonymous donor was found, who even though he had already donated scholarship money for the ski trip, he volunteered three hundred dollars to be used toward repairing the plumbing in this house.

One of the youth had been attending youth group off and on. More off than on. Part of the reason was that his home life had been volatile lately. His parents had separated and recently divorced. This teen really wanted to be a part of the ski trip even though it would be almost impossible to get the necessary permission form returned and the money paid in time. The youth leaders worked with the parents. The teen is thrilled. As a result the parent volunteered to pay half the ski trip expenses for any youth who still needed some financial help.

The sporting clay shoot event each fall is another example of generosity. Last fall a gun valued at eleven hundred dollars was donated. It was an important drawing card. Through the work of youth to conduct this event and the active participation of church members and friends, these teens cleared two thousand dollars.

One family donates five hundred dollars every year to provide for the various cost of running a youth program which not only is fun, but also emphasizes responsibility and learning about God. Yes, youth go on a ski trip, but they also participate in 3-In-One Christian Camp, Kansas Christian Ashram, a YWAM mission trip, and various service projects in the community.

Whether it is bidding at the Youth Chili Feed and Auction, preparing Wednesday evening supper, providing transportation, or donating money and merchandise, each and every person’s generosity is important to the success of the youth program whose main goal is to expose youth to Jesus Christ and biblical principles in a safe environment.

We give a special thank you to our youth leaders: Don Hoover, Jarod Pirtle, Jeffrey Schiesser, Katy Schiesser, and Mike Wallace. We appreciate the dedication of Aubrey Pirtle and Dana Schiesser who are our regular “kitchen moms.”

Guns and God—Breaking the Mold

“Do you want to get a Kansas hunting license? Then come on over to The Benton Church for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT) hunters education course.” That was the invitation this fall. And what an event it was!

Why would a church allow a hunting course to be taught in the church building? Because hunting is a family activity in our community. It is an excellent way for fathers to build relationships with their sons (yes, mothers and daughters enjoy hunting too). The actual course is taught by KDWPT approved instructors, but local volunteers are needed for a successful event.

Ken Taber saw the need for a local hunter education course. He checked the church calendar for availability, secured permission to hold the event, and arranged for the instructor. Of course he enlisted the support of his wife Kim. Ken’s friends Don Hoover and Todd Crouch were eager to help him in planning and conducting the event. Naturally there were doubters who said no one would attend an event in our small town. Wrong. Our location on a major highway meant easy access, and The Benton Church was glad to promote our location to the outlying communities

One of the disadvantages given for holding the event in Benton was the lack of fast-food restaurants in our town.  The closest one is over fifteen minutes away so people would have very little time for lunch on Saturday. However, that was no obstacle for the Tabers. They sought donations for lunch and refreshments. Dustrol in Towanda and Ditchwitch in Wichita provided money for food as did the church and some friends. For the free lunch Saturday, tacos with all the fixings were served. Kim’s mother, Mike Erikson, Laurie Pfeiffer, Barb Crouch, and Aubrey Pirtle helped with cooking and serving food. Snacks and bottled water were available for breaks in the sessions.

Because Ken and Kim wanted people to feel comfortable in the church setting, they made sure class members were greeted in the parking lot and volunteers were available to assist at various times throughout the event. Karsten Reilly, Don Hoover, Curt Ghormley, Jeff Schiesser, Joel Fox, Todd Pfeiffer, and others provided help with technology, security, training assistance, and answering questions. These church members not only provided help for the event, but they witnessed to the people present. It was not an in-your-face witnessing but the very relational, friendly type of conversations which take place each Sunday between services. Some of the people had not been inside a church in many years. The church men could easily talk with these people about hunting and sprinkle in some information about church activities and praise to God. Both the ladies and men who volunteered were skillful at putting people at ease in strange surroundings. Several Benton Church middle school church youth were attending the course. These young men confidently worked to make the visitors in their church feel welcome.

Serving others is natural for Kim. Because she is a teacher, Kim was asked to read the test to a couple of boys who were difficulty with reading.  This course was not about reading skill. It was about knowing how to hunt safely. So Kim took the boys to a location where she could read the test to them. The boys were able to demonstrate that they knew the material well.

Over one hundred people were at this event because parents bringing children chose to stay. They saw how our men controlled misbehaviors in a friendly relational manner before the behaviors became a problem. They saw church men and women having a joyful time serving others.

Quite often God works in ways which seem illogical to us. People who seldom, maybe never step inside a church, found being in a church building to be a pleasant experience. This event demonstrated that Christians are relational and caring. It was promoting family activity. God provided an opportunity for the un-churched to have contact with Christians who are not stuffy do-gooders but are real people who love to have fun.

Jesus prayed to God the Father, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” John 17:15  ESV

It's Not About Weight!

“I am so glad you are here today.”

“Come sit with us.”

The genuinely warm greetings from Phyllis Umscheid, Allison Patton, and others worked. This friendliness is one of the reasons Jarod and Aubrey Pirtle were persuaded to continue attending TBC after their initial visit.

It is somewhat odd that they visited a TBC church service because the Pirtles did not know many Benton people. Aubrey had been encouraged to visit TBC by a good friend who is an active member of another church. Because Pam Hendrix’s teenage son enjoyed the TBC contemporary-style service, Pam thought Aubrey and Jarod would also. Pam was sure the Pirtle children, Cameron and Raegan, would fit into the children’s ministries.

They had not been attending The Benton Church very long when an Alpha Bible Study group was formed, and the Pirtles become involved. They started developing friendships with other couples who had children and were seeking to learn more about Jesus. Then a new Alpha Bible Study group formed. This time, instead of participating, they became part of the leadership team by volunteering to lead the children. Aubrey and Jarod grew in their faith as they prepared Bible lessons and activities for the children. They loved getting to know them and their parents as they interacted on Alpha nights.

However, there was one major problem in Aubrey’s life—her weight. The stresses of life, pregnancies, and a thyroid problem had resulted in her becoming overweight. She had tried several times to lose the weight. Nothing worked. But now she needed to lose a large amount of weight fairly quickly for health reasons. Aubrey investigated weight loss programs. One sounded promising, but it was too expensive for her budget. She mentioned her frustration to a church friend hoping only to find empathy. Aubrey found much more.

Noreen Templin quietly talked to some of Aubrey’s church friends. A plan was born. A fund was created. A group of church people started to regularly contribute money to pay for the cost of Aubrey’s weekly appointment at the weight loss clinic. Aubrey is amazed the fund always had ample money to cover the fee. Church friends have supported her in numerous and unexpected ways. For example, Holly Crawford prepared special food for her any time there was a church function where food was served. Aubrey is so deeply grateful for the love demonstrated by her church friends. With tears of gratitude Aubrey laments that she cannot thank all the people involved because she has no idea who they all are.

Aubrey’s tells her weight-loss story best.

I came to the realization that I was idolizing food about a year ago. Many times I had tried to lose weight with no success. I have to admit that it’s mostly because I have very little willpower, and ultimately I was not completely giving it to God. I am going to the Medi Weight Loss Clinic. They discovered that I have hypothyroidism and insulin resistance. It has been amazing to learn that my weight problem is not just because of my eating habits.

After a couple of months of denying the support that was offered and praying, my husband and a dear friend explained some things to me. All the while Jesus was showing me all the ways that losing weight could happen, but each time I was telling him that’s not how I wanted my prayer answered. At one point Susan Griem asked me, “Aubrey, how can you deny this blessing from your friends?” That’s when it started making sense to me. God was there knocking at the door, asking me to let him in the whole time.

Aubrey insists the telling of her weight-loss story is not about her. It is about her Lord and Savior. Aubrey says, “This journey is not about having a beautiful body or being able to wear cute clothes. It is about my past history of giving in to sin. It’s about tearing down the walls that sin creates and becoming closer to my Savior. I want to live my life for my Savior.”

This story is not just about Aubrey. It is about how her church friends lovingly serve others without expecting recognition. It is about how God works through others to bless us.

“…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 NIV

The Spiritual Journey of Aubrey Pirtle as recorded by Sandee

Need Church?

I did not think I needed church. It was amazing I even considered not sleeping in on Sunday morning and drinking several cups of coffee as I leisurely read the comics in the Sunday edition of the Wichita Eagle-Beacon. Making myself look good to others was the only reason I first attended the Benton United Methodist Church (as it was known then). I had taken the job of principal at the grade school, and I wanted positive exposure in the community. I wanted to meet people and to demonstrate that I was interested in the town. Little did I understand at that time, the decision to attend church with this congregation was God-directed and life-changing.

Even though I grew up in the church and accepted Jesus as my savior during childhood, my early adult years were not exactly exemplary. Yes I was a “good” person by society’s standards, but I was not attending church regularly, reading my Bible, or even praying except when my circumstances became difficult. I had no time for such things. I was busy living my life, having a fulfilling career, and watching out for my personal interests. My motivation for church attendance in Benton fit perfectly with my professional goals for community exposure. I had no intension of joining the church or of even becoming involved. I must admit that I felt I was far too busy educating children to participate in any of the church programs. However, God had plans for my life.

Over time our somewhat sporadic church attendance became more regular and important to Ray and me although we both remained very reserved in our participation. One week I started feeling an extreme dissatisfaction and an unusual need to talk with one of the ladies in the church. One evening I called the choir director to see if she would respond to a couple of religious questions. She did not answer the phone which I took as an omen that my religious convictions needed no enlightenment from anyone. However, God had created unrest in my heart which could not be extinguished.

The next Sunday as everyone was chatting and filing out of the sanctuary, I felt an irresistible urge to talk with the choir director immediately. This was very strange as we had probably not exchanged a dozen words during the previous months, and I had crossed her off my list of possible ladies to talk with about religion since she had not answered her phone when I called. I had to hunt her down and the words which came out of my mouth requesting a meeting were not what I had planned to say. She listened and proposed a time we could meet later that week. I will never forget that first meeting in her basement. It was the beginning of my spiritual growth. God had placed me in the hands of a person knowledgeable in how to study scripture. She taught me how to pray in ways and at a depth that I did not think possible. She nudged me into joining the church and becoming actively involved in church governance and ministry. I learned the difference between being religious and having a strong spiritual life through worshipping God. God worked a miracle in my life as a result of her skillful spiritual mentoring.

I have two questions. First, is God creating unrest in your heart? Is he telling you it is time for you to learn more about him? Ask God for a spiritual mentor. Our church has several strong Christian men and women who would joyfully and gently lead you into a closer relationship with our Lord.

Second, if you are strong spiritually, has God placed a person on your heart? Is God moving you toward mentoring a less mature Christian? Are you actively looking for someone you can encourage to grow in faith? Let the Holy Spirit work through you.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 NIV

The Spiritual Journey of Sandy Taylor as recorded by Sandee