Is This Really Camden?

Carol Riley remembers the tears running down her face as she watched her 7-year-old grandson Aziz Goode swim for the first time. 

"The biggest thing [The Salvation Army's Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center] did for me besides keeping him in a safe place, was you taught my child how to swim," Riley said. "Aziz learned how to swim here. We came to watch him – his mother, his father and me – and all we did was cry. Aziz can swim, and then he also went scuba diving? Where are we? Is this really Camden?"

Seeing her grandson at all is a gift that Riley counts her blessings for every day. After what she has been through, seeing Aziz born, let alone seeing him grow up, seemed unlikely. Ten years ago, Riley suffered a stroke; and then another and another. All told, Riley has suffered five strokes over the course of the last decade. The days lost to hospital beds have been far too many to count. Yet whatever toll those strokes have taken from here physically, they have done nothing to disrupt her mentally or slow her hunger for her family to succeed. 

"This is something on my bucket list – to spend valued time with my grandchildren before I go to sleep," Riley said passionately. "But before I go to sleep, they are going to have to tie me down. Thanks to this place and Life of Lords – which is where I go for medical and is the reason I'm alive – between mentally here and physically there, I might be here for a while."

Riley became aware of what the Kroc Center had to offer shortly after its opening. Her nephew had been going through health problems and hoped the fitness components the building had to offer could help him become healthier. 

"He's lost fifty pounds since coming here," Riley said. "I knew I had to come check it out."

As summer approached, she also knew she had to find a way to get her grandson into the six-week summer camp offered at the Kroc Center. So with the help of Aziz's father, Riley made the financial investment necessary to ensure Aziz's summer would be one to remember.   

 "The most positive thing that I have seen here this summer is that children in Camden have somewhere to go," said Riley. "I have lived in Camden for over 50 years and used to sit and watch the fireman come here (the Kroc Center site which used to be a landfill) because the fire would be coming out of the ground. I've been here a long time. Children have somewhere to go now. You really don't know how many lives you have saved here. These kids come in here in droves. They love this place, and I like it too."

"I had to find somewhere for my grandson to go for the summer where I knew he could be safe,” Riley continued. There are so many children and young black males, and Hispanics and whites killed on these streets every day.”

Riley paused before speaking about two young men in their 20s who were killed in Camden the night before. 

"I don’t care what city or town you are in - things happen, and I don't want my child to be out there. I thank God for his blessings for allowing us to be here."

In addition to learning how to swim, Aziz has improved on his math skills thanks in small part to the café. Riley makes sure her grandson can count change before allowing him to order a meal.

Despite seeing so many tragic things in her 50-plus years living in Camden, Riley's outlook is one of extreme positivity. She believes things have made a serious stride in the right direction in recent years and that the Kroc Center is a major step in the right direction for the city's future. 

"I have friends that come here from Voorhees," she said with a raised brow. "That's interesting to me. People never wanted to come through (Camden) on the bus, but they come here to the Kroc Center because they always know they are safe. You see people walking here, you see people coming in buses, cabs. People are coming to this place. This place is awesome."

After being through so much the last 10 years, Riley has a true appreciation for life and the time she gets to spend with her family. Having a place where that could happen this summer was the ultimate gift.  

"I couldn't have anything better," she said. "Kids always ask me what I want for my birthday, and I always tell them 'love, peace and happiness.' And God knows this has been my love, peace and happiness to have my grandson with me."


Written by Eric Schwartz
Operations Assistant
The Salvation Army Kroc Center - Camden

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What Do I Do? My Parents Don't Love Me!

Have you ever felt that you were born by accident?

Have you ever felt like you are not part of the family you are in?

How do we love ourselves when we do not feel loved or wanted by those who brought us to this world?
 
Everyone at some point, especially during our youth, has faced situations where we feel unloved, unwanted and unaccepted. We at different points in our lives could form very negative ideas about our parents. In our society, often times, young couples have babies without much knowledge or experience in parenting. For many babies, the most common noises that they are exposed to are those of their parents yelling insults to each other; way before they learn to walk, they have already been exposed to abuse.

Many mothers, in times of great stress, caused by poverty or abandonment by their partners, have cursed the fruit of their wombs, and this affects many children, even in adulthood. Nothing causes more pain than feeling that the most important people in our lives - our parents - do not love us. Nothing causes more resentment, bitterness and depression than feeling that nothing we do can win the love of our parents.

Many young people are prone to fits of anger and violent outbursts because they feel their mother or father prefer their romantic interests or even another sibling over themselves. Young people often feel displaced by friends that their parents would rather hang out with, or by their parents drinking or other addictions.

I first wrote this article in Spanish, and over the years, I was amazed about how many young people identified with it. I have received hundreds of comments from young people of different ages stating their suffering, their desperation and isolation brought about by those feelings of abandonment and neglect from their parents. Often times, the question they have is, "How can we find courage to live productive lives when those we love do not expect anything good from us?"

The Bible tells a story that I'm sure will provide encouragement to us; Genesis 35:17-19.

This is the story of a woman name Rachel who died while struggling to give birth to her son. She had a very difficult delivery, with such pain that in her last words, she decided to call her son Ben-oni, which means "son of my sorrow." Imagine growing up with a name like that. Imagine being known by everyone in your school, the place you live, your soccer of baseball team as "Son of sorrow" because you caused the death of your own mother. 

Thankfully for this baby, his father was there and immediately changed his name from Ben-oni, son of sorrow, to Benjamin, which means "son of my right hand." Hardship and pain had caused that mother to call the fruit of her womb a name that reflected her suffering, rather than her hope. This mother wasn't thinking about this baby's future - she was focused on the pain she was experiencing, but the baby’' father wouldn't let this happen. He saw the baby and rather than focusing on his loss, he decided to focus on his gain and called his baby "Son of my right hand."

This story we've read is thousands of years old, but it is repeated again and again in homes devastated by poverty, ignorance, irresponsibility and vices. Often times, men and women filled with bitterness because they had thoughtlessly fell for a man or a woman who didn’t love them, see their children as a reminder of their past and as a source of pain and suffering. Rather than seeing their children as a ray of hope and a source of love, they insult them and call them names that don't reflect at all how God our father see them.

The book of Psalms 27:10 (NIV) says: "Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me."

Without a doubt, the pain of rejection is real. The lack of acceptance and love can make us weep to the point of wishing to die. One can often question God about why were we born. The emotional pain can cause many to follow the wrong path to self-destruction or fall pry of one bad relationship to another. But today, I want to tell you that although you feel alone in this world, even when you feel that no one loves you and the whole world doesn't care that you exist, God knows you and He knows your pain. God wants you to come to know him and He wants to be that mother or father who has not cared for you.

I know how difficult it is to even imagine that someone will actually care about our hurts and pain. I know how difficult it is when we are feeling lonely to believe that God can be anywhere near us. I know how difficult it is to believe that we could be loved by someone else when those people we were supposed to be the most important to don’t seem to care about us, but God does. God will not leave us not forsake us. I once read in a commentary that this word means that God will not leave and neither let us go; He will be there by our side, even in the days and times when don't want Him. He is a faithful friend. The first and most important thing to begin the journey of freedom is to forgive our parents. But it is not easy to forgive if we are focused only in our present circumstances - that is why we need God to give us hope.

In reading the stories of those young people who have sent me comments about their own experiences, I have come to realize something I didn't know when I was going through my own bad experience -I am not the only one who has experienced rejection. I am not the only one who has felt rejected or unloved. In fact, it is more prevalent than I never imagined. It seems that it is very much part of growing up. Now that I have my own children, I can see how often my wife or I have inadvertently said or done things that one our kids didn't think was fair, but after a few loving words, everybody was happy again.

Give God a chance, and let him love you today! Give God a chance.

Written by Lt. Giovanni E. Romero
Union City Corps

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My Brother’s Keeper

Am I my brother's keeper?

Well, that depends. In reality, just because I say I am, that doesn't mean I'm effective in the role. First, let us take a moment to consider what exactly a keeper is. My good friend Google defines a keeper as: a person who looks after something or someone. Synonyms include: guardian, steward and caretaker. So let's ask ourselves again this way:

Am I my brother's guardian?

Am I my brother's steward?

Am I my brother's caretaker?

We read in Genesis 4:8-10, "Now Cain said to his brother Abel, 'Let's go out to the field.' While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' 'I don’t know,' he replied. 'Am I my brother’s keeper?' The Lord said, 'What have you done?' …"

The arrogance of man leads us to ask God ignorant questions, practically mocking Him. Understanding God knows all, Cain retorts to God's inquiry of his brother's whereabouts with, "Am I my brother’s keeper?" No Cain, you weren't.

In Batman Begins, Batman was on a doomed train with his adversary and says, "I don't have to kill you, but I don't have to save you either." Often times, this fits our lives. We may not have killed our brothers like Cain, but have we saved them?

God asks, "What have you done?"

Again, knowing full well the actions Cain had taken, God asks him that question. Being a keeper is more than being there - it's being present. It's more than talking to someone - it's speaking into them. It's more than instructing - also correcting them. You are their phone call in the middle of the week that encourages them. You are their coach, teammate and referee. You are their keeper ,and being their keeper is doing!

What have you done?

Are you killing your brother? Are you not saving him?

With so much turmoil in the world, here in the US, in our communities and even in our homes, the world is in desperate need of keepers!

(That goes for you too sisters ;-) God bless)

Prayer
Father, my prayer is simply this, help me to be a keeper. 

Written by Lt. Darell Houseton
Newark Ironbound Corps

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Count Your Blessings

In preparation for a garage sale, I recently went through boxes stored in my basement. In one of those boxes, I came across my high school yearbooks. I took a moment to pause and look at my senior portrait. I reminisced a bit about that year and what has transpired since. 

The first thought I had was, "Wow, was I really that young?" I then started thinking about all the places I had been and things I had done since that photo was taken. I realized that while I had one idea of how my life would go, God had another.

I have continued to ponder this over the past few weeks and, while I shouldn't be, I am amazed at how good God's plan for my life has been. I have been blessed beyond measure with a wife who takes me for who I am without judgment and for three wonderful sons who are growing in their relationships with God. Don't get me wrong; I'm not always as positive about what's going on in my life as I am at the moment, but I cling to Exodus 15:2 (NASB) -

"The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will extol Him."

And, when times are especially tough, I remember the chorus of Song #396 in The Salvation Army Songbook (http://bit.ly/1rUmNLp) -

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Perhaps, today, you are struggling with life and feeling overwhelmed. Why not pause, take a breath and count your blessings? It just may surprise you to see what God has done in your life!

Written by Richard Pease
Divisional Controller

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Keeping Connected

Recently, my family decided to switch cell phone carriers in an effort to reduce our monthly cost. A result of this change has been a different level of connectivity for my smart phone. Most of the time, I don't notice a difference, but there have been occasions where I have wanted to check Facebook or post a photo to Instagram only to be stymied by a lack of network coverage. Initially, I was frustrated by this; however, I recently had an epiphany – whenever this has happened, I've been with my family, and the lack of coverage caused me to actually talk to my wife and kids rather than connect with them through social media. Needless to say, this has been a pleasant by-product of the change that I don’t want to give up.

As well as improving the connection to my family, I have also been reminded that I need to improve my connection with God, too. I recently reread 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (NASB)

and I had a renewed sense of what the Apostle Paul was saying. Prayer, as I see it, is communication with God, and Paul seems to be saying that we should be in constant communication with the Lord. There are so many benefits to maintaining this connectivity that I don't have the time to record them all, but here are a few that I see:

1.    There is a sense of peace that comes from telling the Lord how we feel.

2.    There is a sense of protection that comes from sharing our temptations with the Lord.

3.    There is wisdom in asking the Lord's opinion when facing decisions.

How is your connection with God? If, like my smart phone, you are sometimes disconnected, I encourage you to improve your connectivity by praying without ceasing and strengthening your relationship with the Lord. Unlike my wireless provider, improved connectivity is not dependent on external factors like cell towers and antennas; instead it is wholly dependent on your willingness to reach out to the Lord and talk.

Written by Richard Pease
Divisional Commander

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Did You Know: The Salvation Army Brings Families Back Together

The Salvation Army is an international organization, operating in more than 125 countries around the world. One of its little-known ministries is the Missing Persons Bureau. The Eastern Territory-USA, of which the State of New Jersey is a part, has its Missing Persons Bureau at our Territorial Headquarters in West Nyack, NY. The latest statistics (for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012) show that 137 applications were received. Each case was opened and 113 persons were found.

Can you just imagine the joy of those reunited families? Because of our unique internationalism, family members have connected with each other all over the world through modern technology. Let me tell you one story.

Mary Jane Shaw is a retired officer who lives in Ocean Grove and worships at the Asbury Park Corps of The Salvation Army, just as I do. As an active Officer, she was Director of Missing Persons for 16 years. While she was Sirector, an inquiry came from Sweden. A recent widow went to The Salvation Army’s Missing Persons Bureau in Stockholm to ask about a brother living in the United States. She had had no contact with him for more than forty years.

This brother, Eskil Strom, was born in America to Swedish immigrant parents. When he was just a child, the family returned to Sweden. Eskil and his next younger brother were born in America, but two more brothers and the only sister were born after the family returned to Sweden.  Eskil was raised and educated in Sweden. Then, at age 25, Eskil decided to travel to the land of his birth for a visit. He fell in love with the country and never returned to Sweden. Through the years, contacts diminished and eventually all contact was lost.  Now, recently bereaved of her husband, his only sister went searching for Eskil. She had an old letter, and through the return address and the work of the Missing Persons bureaus in Sweden and New York, Eskil was found, living in a small nursing home in Brooklyn Heights, NY.  Major Mary Jane Shaw visited this aging gentleman and told him of his relatives seeking contact with him. The invitation was given: "Would you like to go to Sweden?"

At first, this perfect gentleman declined the offer, fearing the unknown and the long-distance travel, but the Major continued to visit him. This sister wanted to offer a home for Eskil. Finally, when Major Shaw promised to travel with him, Eskil agreed to the trip.

A new suit was purchased for him and a new hat, too. Major Shaw recalls that she knew if the hat fit her, it would fit him as well. With the airline tickets provided by the Swedish relatives, the pair took off - this was Eskil's very first airplane trip – all the way across the Atlantic at that. 

When this unlikely pair, a Salvation Army Major and an aging gentleman, arrived at Stockholm airport, a large crowd awaited them. All of Eskil’s siblings, The Salvation Army Major-Director of the local Missing Persons Bureau and representatives from the Stockholm newspapers, who had heard of this fascinating reunion. They exited the plane with Eskil holding tight to the Major’s hand. Major Shaw remembers that she felt like arriving royalty as they presented her with flowers and grasped her hand and said, "We will never forget The Salvation Army for what you have done for us." Eskil lived several years with his sister until his death. He never regretted "coming home" and living out his remaining years as part of a loving family.

The Missing Persons Bureau of The Salvation Army is a unique international social service.  Its purpose is to help facilitate successful reunions between family members who have lost contact with each other. Searches are conducted utilizing a variety of methods, including government offices, credit institutions, social service agencies and law-enforcement personnel. Should you be interested in this service, please contact your local Salvation Army offices.

Written by Gloria Hohn
Asbury Park Corps

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What Love Looks Like

I am completely and painfully heartbroken.

The past 48 hours have been a whirlwind of tears, hope and despair.

Shaheed was driven down to Monmouth County on Saturday by his friend James and James’ son Tremaine, with the joyful expectancy of starting our documentary film on Sunday afternoon. After some GPS trouble, the trio arrived at my dad and stepmom’s house to a warm welcome. The six of us went out to dinner and had a blast sharing stories and laughs. While James and Tremaine headed back to Essex County, Sha stayed at my parents’ home for the night before joining us at Shore Vineyard Church on Sunday morning.

Sha smiled from ear to ear as countless church family members greeted him, praised his story and encouraged his walk with Christ. When our Pastor Brett Conover gave him a hug and a kiss during worship, my eyes welled up with tears, knowing how much that meant to Sha.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this. I want more.”

Overcome by his contagious grin, my heart softened as I watched a man learn what love looks like.

After church, we set out with my dad to start filming in front of the Neptune house Sha grew up in. Thankfully, this didn’t bother the current owner! As wonderful as the weekend was so far, it became clear that Sha wasn’t quite himself. He looked drained and sickly. When I asked him what was wrong, he hesitated to answer.

“Sha, it’s just me. It’s ok. You can tell me the truth.”

And finally, on the curb of a sun-drenched street, the truth came out. Sha is a heroin addict.

He held his head in shame and admitted to lying about parts of his story. As easy as it would have been to react in anger, I actually grew excited. God had brought a 53-year-old homeless, handicapped, heroin-addicted black man and a 27-year-old none of those things white girl together for a purpose - what we thought was just a short film. Instead, it seemed God had paved the way for Sha’s freedom from addiction. What an honor to play even the smallest role in this!

“I’m ready because you believe in me.”

Not entirely sure what to do next, my dad and I drove Sha to Jersey Shore Medical Center’s Emergency Room, where he remained for two days, detoxing without any medication. Sha’s social worker at the hospital said they don't provide the services he needs. She gave me a list of numbers to call with a warning that he would have to leave the hospital this morning.

I’m quite certain I’ve gone cross-eyed from calling every possible detox/rehab number that I could find statewide. To my sorrow and stress, absolutely no one would admit Sha into a program. Some had several week-long waiting lists, some weren’t handicap-accessible. For one reason or another, it seemed every door was closing, and Sha would end up back on the street. Thank God for my coworkers who saw me crying on numerous occasions today as I sunk into helplessness.

“God, you brought all of this together. Now, we need you to make a way. You must make a way for Sha.”

While I attempted (and failed) to pull myself together at work, my dad and stepmom went to visit Sha at the hospital, only to find him sitting in the parking lot by himself. He had been discharged with nowhere to go.

My parents, who demonstrated heavenly grace throughout the weekend, brought Sha back to their house to clean up as we furiously prayed for a solution. James came up with some ideas, and they fell through. I found two potential leads, and they fell through. I grabbed my tissue box for the umpteenth time today as my phone rang.

“Nan found needles and drugs in Sha’s pocket. We kicked him out of the house.”

My heart sank. I had spent the past two days trying desperately to help a friend who gave me his honest-to-goodness word that he wanted to be clean. And now this.

The police came to my parents’ house to dispose of the drug paraphernalia and decide what to do with Sha. By God’s grace alone, an officer who is “human first” offered to take Sha to the train station and pay for his ticket to wherever, rather than arrest him. And just like that, Sha was gone.

I have no idea where he is. I have no idea if I’ll ever see him again, if he’ll die on the streets or if he’ll stay clean.

This is new territory for me. My emotions have never run this wild for a man who was a stranger only a few weeks ago. A man who has cheated death multiple times and passed on an opportunity for new life. I can only pray that Sha is safe and takes recovery into his own hands. I did everything I could do for him, and even knowing that truth still leaves me broken.

I’ve been saying over the past month that “this is kingdom stuff,” because it is. This is the stuff of faith. I have seen things in my parents this weekend that rival anything I could ever ask of them. I’ve even seen things in myself that scream true transformation. I could not have relentlessly survived this experience without Christ, nor can I get through the days to come without His steadfast love. Sha is in His hands, and I cling to the hope that someday soon, he’ll come home.

Written by Elyse Jankowski
Community Relations Associate

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Commit to Submit

If Dr. Seuss were to write a book about families, it might begin like this... 

"One kid, two kids, three kids, no kids.

Families Big; Families Small
Families Short; Families Tall
Quiet Families; Loud Families
Crazy families; Serious Families" 

Families come in all shapes and sizes and have all kinds of personalities, and all of us who live for Jesus are members of God's Family.

"Lord, make my family beautiful." That’s a prayer I regularly pray. My prayer means that I want each member of my family to love God more than anyone or anything else. I know that if each of us love God like that, we will act more and more like him and our family will increase in His likeness and characteristics of love, grace, peace, honesty, forgiveness, support and joy. 

I believe that God wants all of us to have beautiful families that reflect Him. I believe that God has the power to make and keep each of our families beautiful. And I believe God wants that for our church family too!

One thing that every family member must do to make and keep their family beautiful is submit to one another. The Bible tells says in Ephesians 5:21, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

This is a direct command of Scripture for every believer. If you are a Christian, you are to submit to God with a motivation that comes out of deep respect and honor for Christ and what he has done for you. This kind of submission is a voluntary attitude of giving in. It is not forced. It is acting in a spirit of cooperation with God. Throughout Scripture, the submissive life is taught:

Luke 22:26 "...the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves." 

Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

Phil 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourself." 

Bryan Wilkerson in his published sermon entitled "In God We Trust" shared this illustration and application about submission... 

"Taylor University is a Christian college in Indiana. Years ago, they were pleased to learn that an African student, Sam, was going to be enrolling in their school. This was before it was commonplace for international students to come to the U.S. to study. He was a bright young man with great promise, and the school felt honored to have him. When he arrived on campus, the President of the University took him on a tour, showing him all the dorms. When the tour was over, the President asked Sam where he would like to live. The young man replied, 'If there is a room that no one wants, give that room to me.' The President turned away in tears. Over the years he had welcomed thousands of Christian men and women to the campus, and none had ever made such a request"

Can you imagine the impact Christians would have on the world if we all submitted like Sam? What if Christians were to say...

If there's a job that no one wants to do, I'll do that job.

If there's a student that no one wants to eat lunch with, I'll eat with him.

If there's a piece of toast that's burnt, let me take that piece.

If there's a parking space that's far away from the church, I'll park in that space.

If there's a service time that's less convenient for me but better for others, I'll worship at that service.

That's the kind of submission that we are talking about. I like the way The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia sums up submission: "The general attitude that is to mark every Christian in relation to God, to other Christians, and to civil authorities is one of readiness to renounce one's will for the sake of the Others."

Jesus gave up heaven for 33 years and came to earth covered in human flesh. He submitted himself to God's plan to become a human sacrifice to take the punishment for our sins. His submission included betrayal by friends, an unlawful trial by authorities, physical torture, humiliation, and separation from God for a period of time.

Jesus knew that his submission was paving the only possible road for sinful men to find their way to God, and he was willing to do whatever God asked of him to make that possible. When Jesus submitted to God's will in the Garden of Gethsemane and said, "...not my will but thine be done," he was saying, "It’s not about me, Lord. It's totally all about you and what you want."

How many of us have included something like that in our prayers recently? Submission is also how God designed the Christian family and the church to function. It is what sets us apart from the world and the world's "It's all about me" attitude. (Ephesians 5:22- 6:9)

The world teaches people to seek first place; Jesus says that the first shall be last.  The world teaches people that they must purchase the latest and greatest gadget; God teaches us that it is better to give than receive. The world teaches people not to associate with the marginalized; Jesus said, "Whatever you have done for the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."

God designed the family and church to function differently than the world! And we cannot obey God and function like the world. It doesn’t work that way. Jesus said, "My Kingdom is not of this World." (John 19:36)

Christians are to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ in every aspect of their lives. In addition, the Bible teaches that submission includes the specific duty of...

Wives submitting to their husband's leadership and wives respecting their husbands.

Of husbands submitting to their wives by loving them with the same tenderness and sacrificial love that Christ showed the church - a love to the death.

Of children submitting to their parents by obeying and honoring them.

Parents submitting to their children by taking the time to train them in the Lord and doing it with the same tenderness, mercy and grace God uses to train us.

Of students submitting to their teachers by respecting them, following their instructions, and working hard on their assignments.

Of teachers submitting to their students by treating them with respect, and not showing favoritism among them.

The body of Christ is made up of different parts. Christ is the head, and each of us is a Holy Spirit-gifted member of the body. The body of Christ consists of teachers, workers, healers, givers, those who show mercy, those who serve, those who preach, leaders, those who prophesy, shepherds and more. Just like our physical body is made up of different parts and all parts are required to work as a team to function well, each part of our church body must submit itself to the other parts of the body to function well. (I Corinthians 12:12-29)

If my brain sends a message to my hand to pick something up, and my hand ignores the message, the work is not accomplished. If my eye tries to start doing the work of my heart, it fails and loses sight of its original function. Have you ever tried to pick something up with your toes? While it is possible to pick some things up with your toes, it takes a lot more time, energy, and concentration to do it. If we as the body of Christ are unwilling to work with one another by submitting to the giftedness that God has given to each of us, we will not accomplish anything for his Kingdom. Submission is the oil that keeps the family and the body of Christ running the way God designed it: in reflection of Him. 

What would a Seuss book about your church family reveal about your level of submission to one another? Submission is not part of our human nature, but it is definitely a mark that the Spirit of God is alive and working in us.

When we commit to submit to one another, we are obeying the Bible, imitating Jesus, and following God's design for our family and church community.

The result is a beautiful family of love, peace, honesty, forgiveness, grace, support and joy. 

When we are not submitting, we're not acting any differently than the world around us and our impact for God is ruined. 

COMMIT TO SUBMIT SURVEY

Ephesians 5:21 

(Directions: Please fill in all the blanks that pertain to you.)

ALL BELIEVERS:  My level of putting the interests of others (without exclusion) above my own interests, on a scale of 1 to 10, is a ______.

CHILDREN:  My level of honor toward my parents and my level of obedience to them, on a scale of 1 to 10, is a ______.

PARENTS:  My level of taking the time to train my children in the Lord and my level of training them with the same tenderness, mercy, and grace God uses to train me, on a scale of 1 to 10, is a ______.

TEACHERS/SUPERVISORS/BOSSES: My level of treating my students/fellow employees/employees with respect and without favoritism, on a scale of 1 to 10, is a ______.

STUDENTS:  My level of following my teacher's instructions and working hard on my assignments, on a scale of 1 to 10, is a ______.

WIVES:  My level of submitting to my husband's headship and my level of respect for him, on a scale of 1 to 10, is a _____.

HUSBANDS:  My level of loving my wife with the same tenderness and sacrificial love that Christ showed to the church, on a scale of 1-10, is a _____. 

As a result of my submission score/scores above, I realize where my commitment to submission stands, and I believe God wants me to...

Written by Major Cheriann Stoops

Asbury Park Corps

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