aumc_transformations

NewVisionStatement
Developingallgenerations
forsignificantlivesinChrist
Jesus changed my life when I was a teenager. I entered ministry to help others
know His grace, too. This brochure tells a few of those stories which are happening
within our congregation. Asbury is developing people of all ages in our church,
community, and around the world with the love of Christ. While our new vision
statement was unveiled in January 2013, we believe it only reveals who we’ve
been for 50 years. As we launch into our next 50 years, we are poised to develop all
generations for significant lives in Christ. Thank you for your prayers, presence, gifts,
service, and witness! Come and join us in something big!
In Christ,
Tom Harrison
Senior Pastor
2 2012 Transformations
Congregational and Worship
Jesus changed my life when I was a teenager. I entered ministry to help others
know His grace, too. This brochure tells a few of those stories which are happening
within our congregation. Asbury is developing people of all ages in our church,
community, and around the world with the love of Christ. While our new vision
statement was unveiled in January 2013, we believe it only reveals who we’ve
been for 50 years. As we launch into our next 50 years, we are poised to develop all
generations for significant lives in Christ. Thank you for your prayers, presence, gifts,
service, and witness! Come and join us in something big!
In Christ,
Tom Harrison
Senior Pastor
2 2012 Transformations
Congregational and Worship
6 2012 Transformations Congregational and Worship 72012 TransformationsCongregational and Worship
P
reston Merrihew has gained some hard earned wisdom
in his young life. A high school senior planning to graduate in the
spring, his sage advice to anyone would be, “No matter how far away
you get from God, make that turn. Pick up your Bible.”
Preston has been attending Asbury for about two years and has been a
member since February of last year. After running afoul of the law, he found
himself faced with some gloomy scenarios. He began to read God’s Word
and his “eyes were opened.” He realized he was making poor decisions,
choosing wrong friends, and heading down a wrong path. It was then that
Preston asked Jesus Christ to come into his life, set him on a new course,
and be his Lord.
He now is a “regular” at Asbury and appreciates the relationships he
is developing. He enjoys Venue’s modern service. “I feel welcome and
included,”hesays.“Someofthepastorshave‘friended’meon Facebook, and I
feel their care and concern for me.”
Recently, Preston chose to be baptized. His younger brother, Andrew, also
wanted to be baptized so the two brothers arranged their schedules so they
could be baptized together.
Mom and Dad, Ginny and Cooper, as well as Sandy, their grandmother, are
very supportive. “I couldn’t be more proud,” Ginny beams. “This is a perfect
example of God’s faithfulness. He uses anything to draw us to Him.”
When asked about his favorite Bible verse, Preston cannot settle on just one
verse. But some of his favorite chapters are Psalm 23 and 69, and I Peter,
chapters 1 and 2. A young man building his life on the bedrock truth of the
Holy Bible—what an excellent foundation for a bright future!
PrestonMerrihew | New Believer
W
hen the 50-Year Celebration committee began to
plan the celebratory activities for 2012, Jennifer Points realized
that Asbury was in the year of Jubilee. In the Old Testament, God
instructed His people to proclaim liberty throughout the land during the
year of Jubilee, which occurred every 50 years. Forgiveness was to be given
and restoration was decreed.
As she contemplated the significance of Jubilee and the value of each
generation, Jennifer was especially stirred in her soul because Asbury
has been central to her and her family. In the 40 years that she has been a
member, she has found life-long friends and experienced some of life’s most
treasured moments within the Asbury community. Her parents attend here
still, she was married here, and all three of her children were baptized here.
“Our family evolved at Asbury,” Jennifer says. When she and her husband,
John, were first married, he taught middle schoolers. He still teaches high
school Sunday school and until recently, Jennifer led a small group. Their
daughter, Emily, now fills that position that her mother once held.
Jennifer is especially appreciative of the wise, older women who poured so
much into her and many other young women’s lives. She recalls that when
her first child was born, she quit her job. While she was glad to be home with
her son, she soon was at loose ends and felt that she was beginning to lose
her sense of significance and identity. Being a wife and stay-at-home mom
really was wonderful, but there seemed to be a void that she could not fill.
Then she discovered Mother’s Fellowship, a women’s Bible study led by
Esther Gene Morrison. Studying and growing in God’s Word and developing
friendships with other moms were exactly what Jennifer had been seeking,
even though she didn’t realize it at the time. Mrs. Morrison was gracious and
knowledgeable—and an excellent teacher. She was 65 years old when Jennifer
first joined the class; she is now almost 90 and still teaching!
Jennifer subsequently became involved with United Methodist Women and
is a past president of the organization. She also has been active in numerous
service efforts—fundraising, hands-on ministry programs, and various
Walt Whitman projects, to mention a few.
With her children out of the house (Alex and Andy have graduated
college and are pursuing careers out of state; Emily is now a student at the
University of Tulsa), empty nest status has been thrust upon her.
During this time, Jennifer is seeking God and looking forward to the next
chapter He has for her. “In this transition year, I am trusting Him for hope
and joy and peace,” she discloses. “I know that God’s Word is true and I am
standing on it.” The passage that is so dear to her right now confirms that
her confidence is well placed:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so
that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. –Romans
15:13
As she explores new territory and further pushes out the boundaries,
Jennifer dares to ask a bold question of herself and others:
“What if we were 100% obedient, what would that look like?”
jenniferPoints | 50th Anniversary
What if we were
100% obedient what
would that look like?
My relationship with
religion ended and
my relationship with
Christ began.
O
n spring break 2012, I made the extensive journey to Guatemala along with many other high school students from Asbury.
Before I left for this trip I felt that something good was going to happen, but that did not mean I wanted to go. When my mom came into my bedroom on
the morning I was leaving, I started to cry. I was scared, but also I was being selfish. I didn’t want to miss out on the fun I could have been having at home
with my friends. Reluctantly I went to the airport and got on the plane anyways.
When I arrived in Guatemala, I experienced a culture shock. I missed the mission trip training, so I had no idea what to expect. I had never seen anything like
Guatemala. When I stepped out of the airport, I could hardly breathe. The exhaust from vehicles and other air pollution consumed the sky. As we left the airport,
I started noticing the major differences. The roads were filled with street vendors trying to sell whatever they could find just to make a few cents for their families.
The buildings and houses were stacked so high on top of each other that I imagined they would all come tumbling down any second. People would stop on the
sidewalk and squat to use the restroom through their clothes whenever they had to go. As we drove down the road, I kept looking for something familiar; the only
glimpse of familiarity I found was an old Taco Bell. Before we even arrived at our destination my perspective of the world changed.
I could tell you a hundred stories about the amazing works Asbury’s youth did in Guatemala, but instead I want to tell you how Guatemala changing my life.
Before the mission trip, I was selfish and lonely. When I got to Guatemala, I prayed for God to help me understand why He chose me to be a part of Asbury’s
mission team and for God to help me step out of my comfort zone and make the most out of my experience in Guatemala. The next night I found my answer;
it was so God could change me. After hearing a sermon one night, I understood things I had never understood before. I realized God loves me because I am
not perfect, and God is the only one who is truly good. I was able to forgive myself for my mistakes and accept that I would never be perfect. I didn’t feel lonely
or like an outcast anymore because I knew that I did not have to be perfect to be a Christian. That night I asked God to forgive me and to fill me with his love
and goodness. That night is the night my relationship with religion ended and my relationship with Christ began. I finally understood what it meant to be a
Christian. After I accepted God’s love, I never stopped smiling. I was the happiest I had ever been. I felt peace for the first time in my life. When I let go of my
past and focused on the present, I was able to see what God was doing in Guatemala. I was also more thankful for my family and for what I had. Being on the
spring break mission trip to Guatemala changed my life forever.
jansynMcKinney | New Believer
Asbury United Methodist Church
2012 Transformations: Year end highlights
Responsibilities: Design, layout, print production
Page Size: 10”x8”

14 2012 Transformations Children
Students
N
ina Kazarian realizes that she is a different person
today than she was last January. Now 17 and a junior at Jenks High
School, she grew up with an alcoholic father, who is two years
sober, has remarried and is making a new life for himself. But instead of
celebrating her father’s hard fought victory over alcohol and its destruction,
she just felt angry and sad. An important person to her was stepping into a
new role, and she wasn’t sure how she would fit into his life.
As she grew closer to her youth pastors and observed the relationships they
have with their children, she was overcome with jealousy and confusion.
Then last summer, a junior high youth pastor, making plans to move with
her husband to Uganda, asked Nina to help lead Life Hurts, God Heals. The
eight-step program is designed especially to help teenagers dealing with
problems in their lives. She and a co-leader worked with seventh–ninth
grade girls this past semester.
God used Life Hurts, God Heals to begin the healing in Nina’s life. Though
she had been in the program for three years and was now a leader, as she
listened to others’ stories—from victim to victorious—her own problems
slid into perspective.
“God is faithful. I’ve said those words my whole life, but the truth I was
teaching suddenly became personal truth for me,” she acknowledges.
Nina let go of some big issues with her dad and just gave them to God.
Immediately her soul was flooded with the knowledge of the Lord’s
immense love for her. “I quit trying to carry my problems, which in turn has
allowed me to see God as my Father, and it is awesome,” she beams. “Before,
I could never call God my Father because of the way I had perceived my
earthly father. But now, the relationship I have with my loving Heavenly
Father—it is beautiful! I never knew how much He loves me.”
Nina is thankful that Asbury is, for many, a place of comfort and restoration.
“Asbury has established itself as a place where youth can share their
testimonies. If certain people had kept their testimonies to themselves, I
know I would not be where I am today,” she confirms. “In a trustworthy
environment, young people can share their problems, insecurities, and hurts,
knowing they will receive prayer and the healing truth of God’s Word.
She credits her mother for much of her growth and strength. “My mom is
my dear friend. She is strong, which is so much of the reason I’ve become
strong,” she insists.
In large part because of her involvement with the girls in Life Hurts, God
Heals, Nina is considering going into social work or a related field. She has
a real desire to work with orphans, perhaps in an orphanage. “My biggest
dream,” she confides, “is that anyone and everyone would know they can
come to me. I want kids who don’t have all the comforts of life to feel they
have a home. Our Heavenly Father loves them with an everlasting love, and
I want them to know He has good plans for their lives.”
NinaKazarian
I quit trying to carry
my problems which in
turn has allowed me to
see God as my Father.
16 2012 Transformations Students 172012 TransformationsStudents
H
anna Wallace is a young woman with a heart full of
gratitude. She is grateful for her parents, for her health, and for the
faithful Asbury people. She is also very grateful that she knows her
Lord loves her just as she is.
Hanna wasn’t always settled with the truth that God loves her. There was a
time when, to her, the Christian life was a matter of keeping the rules. Being
godly just meant obeying a list of do’s and don’ts. The only way to please
God was to be good (whatever that meant).
Then some time before she went away to college, her heart was flooded
with the understanding that she could never be good enough on her own,
but that Jesus had died on a brutal cross and shed his blood to cleanse her
from all her sin. He had done everything needed. She only had to accept the
gift of His grace. It was at that point that she trusted in His goodness and
committed herself to Him and His plan.
Now a senior at Oklahoma State University, expecting to graduate with
three majors—marketing, Spanish, and entrepreneurship—her future looks
promising. And she is, day by day, fulfilling her desire to become more
grounded in God.
But there have been other obstacles to overcome. Not all of her instructors
were positively inclined toward God. Because she had recently come to
the personal knowledge of God’s love and acceptance, her spiritual roots
had not had time to go down deep and they were buried in shallow soil.
Consequently, after being in a particular sociology class, she found that her
faith was shaken.
Then last year, she began to have health issues from a relapse of mono and an
undetected gas leak in the house she rented at college. “It was scary,” she says. “I
did not know what was wrong, but I was hit with symptoms on a daily basis.”
God showed His faithfulness to her, she recovered her health, and she began
to build her life more and more on the Word of God.
Hanna is currently a part-time youth director at a church in Stillwater. She
gives much credit for her spiritual and emotional growth to her pastors and
the members at Asbury. “The Asbury people are so supportive, and they stay
in touch,” she remarks. “And the pastors‘ hearts are in love with the youth.
They have modeled healthy relationships, discipleship and service to God
and others.”
Hanna’s #1 priority now is to trust in God’s will. She knows His plans
are greater than anything she could imagine. Even in faithlessness, He is
faithful. She quotes Deuteronomy 7:9 as a daily reminder to her:
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping
His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and
keep His commandments.
A good exhortation to all of us for 2013.
hannaWallace
18 2012 Transformations Students 192012 TransformationsStudents
Brett Connally is 17 years old, and he is a worship leader. It is his
calling and his passion. He leads worship for the youth group on Wednesday night.
Brett is also a gifted musician and a song writer. He knows his talent comes from God,
and he sincerely wants to use that talent to glorify God. But he confesses that sometimes
Brett gets in the way. “There are times,” he says, “when I struggle with prideful thoughts.
I don’t want them, but they’re hard to stop. We’re highly visible when we’re on stage, and
when people come up to you and tell you how great you are, it can inflate your ego.”
Last year, when he was wrestling with pride and arrogance issues, Christ showed
him during prayer time that humility was to be desired. Then his mother set it all in
perspective with this question: “If Christ came to you and said he would do whatever you
asked, what would you say?” When Brett replied that he didn’t know, his mother said,
“Wrong answer. You should have responded with ‘Not my will, Lord, but yours.’ You are
to serve Him—not vice versa.”
From that point, Brett began to conquer that rebellious, prideful spirit that wants to steal
the glory from Jesus. He started alone-time at home—just him and God. He reminded
himself that he was not the leader, but that he was simply worshiping with everybody else.
And he asked his Lord to give him pure motives so that he could help others to come into
God’s presence.
He mentions an experience that inspired him to write a song about God’s wonderful
presence. On a missions trip to Jamaica, he and friends were lying on beach towels in a
grassy field, staring up at the star-filled sky. It was then, acutely aware of the majesty and
splendor of the Creator, that he realized God is everywhere—in the country, in the city, in
a foreign land, and in a single heart.
Brett isn’t sure what he wants to do after high school. But he does know that he wants to
continue on the path that he chose while still a boy, at New Life Ranch, when he gave his
life to Jesus.
“As long as I remember how great and awesome God is, I think I’ll stay grounded,” Brett
concludes. “When I focus on Him, I can’t see myself.”
brettConnally
20 2012 Transformations Students
Adults
22 2012 Transformations Adults 232012 TransformationsAdults
MoniqueHarps | FPU
M
onique Harps, at the age of 31, has accomplished a
goal that very few people her age have ever even attempted. She has
just paid off her student loan debt—to the tune of $104,616, plus
$30,000 in interest! Monique points out that if she had paid off her loan over 30
years (as many choose to do), the interest would have ballooned to $90,000!!
The catalyst for Monique’s financial breakthrough came when she was 26
and enrolled in Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU) course offered
at Asbury. Actually, she went through the training on three separate occasions
because she wanted to be around other like-minded people who had a desire
to improve their financial situation. And each time she attended, she picked up
new information from the class and the people in the small group discussions.
One day it all came together, and the knowledge just seemed to settle into her
spirit, changing her spending habits, her financial priorities, and her life.
Monique found the 7 Baby Steps in the course particularly helpful:
1. Start $1,000 emergency fund
2. Pay off debt
3. Establish 3–6 month emergency fund
4. Maximize retirement investing
5. Pay into college fund
6. Pay off home mortgage
7. Build wealth like crazy
“Of course, the formula can be revised to fit the individual,” she emphasizes.
“Not everybody has a mortgage, for instance.” The diverse group of people
participating in the program always fascinates her—all ages, ethnicities and
walks of life are involved.
Monique believes the principles she learned and the discipline she
developed have increased her confidence. “After paying off $130,000, you
feel like you can do anything,” she says.
Her acumen for personal finance has led Monique to become a trained Dave
Ramsey financial coach. She has also recently started a part-time business
to help provide clients with financial guidance.
Keenly aware that statistics indicate seven out of ten people live from
paycheck to paycheck and could not cover even the most minor emergency
financially, she strongly recommends budgeting. I budget every payday,” she
states matter-of-factly.
Monique has set her sights on other goals. The daughter of a military man,
she has “lived in many places.” Perhaps the wanderlust took root, because
in the near future she would like to see some of the world. She also has
marriage and buying a home “when the time is right” in her plans. At some
point, Monique would like to be accepted into the Edward Jones Financial
Advisor Training Program.
Obeying basic principles that adhere to God’s stewardship plan, Monique
transformed her situation by conquering the debt in her life. She now wants
to share with others, offering assistance to many caught in the maelstrom of
financial woes, and help them, too, experience victory over debt.
24 2012 Transformations Adults
Care and Marriage
12 2012 Transformations Children 132012 TransformationsChildren
Children

Mike& ChristinaLee | Couple2Couple
M
ike and Christina Lee are very committed to healthy
marriages—theirs and others. Thus, for 11 years, they have been
mentoring couples planning to enter into marriage.
The Lees, now in their 15th year of marriage, use a workbook program
designed by members of Asbury known as Couple2Couple. Those planning
to be married at Asbury are required to complete the program. In the
comfort of their home, Mike and Christina pour their encouragement and
experience-based advice into the lives of the engaged couples. Through
discussion and testimony, the couples are inspired to do personal inventory
and determine areas for growth. “We strongly urge them to invest in their
marriage rather than just the wedding day,” Christina points out.
As Mike and Christina have grown in their walk with Christ, more and
more they have had the opportunity to share biblical truths with the
couples. Friendships are often born out of the group that promote further
involvement in Christian training. “Some of the couples have now joined us
in Bible study,” Christina comments.
Mike will freely admit that he did not have the strong spiritual leadership
qualities his family needed at the beginning. “I’ve had to learn and grow in
that area,” he says. But Christina is quick to affirm that he now models godly
father and husband attitudes and actions.
Both Mike and Christina come from divorced homes, and their strong
desire is to stop the divorce cycle. Their prayer is that God will start in
them a legacy of righteousness that will flow to their children and their
children’s children.
Approximately ten years older than the couples with whom they work, Mike
and Christina are seeing the next generation brought forth. When their
third child was baptized, a couple they had mentored also were having their
baby baptized. “It was a special moment,” Mike remembers.
They laughingly report that the Couple2Couple ministry has gone interstate.
When they agreed to work with a couple that lived out of state, Mike and
Christina realized that there would be geographic and communication
barriers. But with the marvel of technology, those challenges were quickly
overcome. They Skyped. “It was great,” they both agree.
Mike and Christina very much wish to continue the relationship—even
after the program participants have finished the course. “Christina has the
gift of hospitality, so she knows how to affirm others and make them know
they have value,” Mike volunteers. She sends cards, stays in touch with the
women through texts, and delights in seeing them when their paths cross.
In the past year, the Lees have come to realize with greater clarity that
their involvement with other couples can have eternal consequences. With
renewed zeal, they share with others how important their Lord is to them.
Their great desire is to demonstrate the love of Jesus. “We are so grateful
for the opportunity to be servants of Christ,” Christina proclaims. “We just
want His light to shine out of our lives so that others will know He is real.”
We strongly urge
them to invest
in their marriage
rather than just
the wedding day.
30 2012 Transformations Care and Marriage 312012 TransformationsCare and Marriage
32 2012 Transformations Care and Marriage
Countless lives are touched every Monday night,
and transformation becomes a daily way of life.
Celebrate Recovery
Because of CR I
no longer live in a
self-made box.
352012 TransformationsCelebrate Recovery34 2012 Transformations Celebrate Recovery
2
012 has been a challenging year. Many trials, tears and triumphs have occurred, bringing me closer to God, more
connected with others and very thankful for Asbury and Celebrate Recovery. I came into 2012 with a sense of dread, feeling overwhelmed by my
marital situation and fully prepared for divorce. If you had asked me last January about my marriage, I would have said we would not be celebrating our
35th anniversary come March 2012. My accountability team and sisters in CR encouraged me to “let go and let God,” not to rely on my own understanding or
my own ability or inability for the situation or outcome.
When I first expressed my feelings with my husband, I was pretty determined to proceed with a legal separation. I had been mentally dividing belongings and
looking at housing options to coincide with when the lease was up and our son would marry and leave home. The celebration of his marriage was bittersweet
because I had determined in my heart that my own marriage was over. At that time, I was in a CR 12 step group which kept me focused on what was real in my
life as I fought through feelings of fear, doubt, denial and shame over breaking my vows to God and my husband. I am so thankful for the prayers and support
of my step sisters who did not judge me, who encouraged me and kept me accountable to stay on the path of Truth. I needed to hear over and over “there is no
fear in love,” I John 4:18a.
By the time our son left home, I agreed to an in-house, informal separation. After all, we had been physically and emotionally separated for quite some time.
A three month lease extension, with us in the same home but separate rooms, should give us time to communicate and resolve some issues. I was going
through the motions, enduring those days. One of the things CR taught me is that in Christ I do not have to live just enduring today. There is love, joy and
peace, and a hope for tomorrow thru Jesus Christ. As I walked in the support of my CR team, and closer to my Lord, I was able to overcome my fears and take
steps to move out.
In August when the time came to move, my housing fell through at the last minute. With boxes all around me and no where to go, instead of crumbling and
throwing in the towel, I prayed and sought out a step sister who God-cidentally was looking for a roommate. God knew it would be a mistake for me to be
alone in an apartment where it would have been easy to isolate and separate from my support team. I stand strong now as Ecclesiastes 4:9–11 says “two are
better off than one…if someone is alone there is no one to help him…a cord of three strands is not easily broken.”
At this time I do not know the outcome for my marriage. I do know with God’s grace we are dating and doing a Bible study together. Because of CR, I no
longer live in a self-made box – by myself, or expanded to include my spouse. I have gained a sense of freedom with the Lord sustaining me through these
months apart from my spouse. I continue to serve out of joy and gratitude for what God has done for me. My CR family knows my story and loves and accepts
me just as I am. They help me share my heart and not wear a mask by saying, “I’m FINE, (feelings intentionally not expressed)” when I am hurting. I take one
day at a time as God continues to work in my life and my relationships and I look forward to what 2013 will bring.
AndreaLivingston | Marriage Recovery
His children are his delight, and after the break-up of his marriage, he and his former wife had joint custody, while he was the primary custodial parent.
“My kids were with me 99% of the time. And though it was a joy to be with them, it also added more pressure on me,” John concedes. “I felt I may have been
sinking further.”
He was encouraged to try Celebrate Recovery (CR) and hesitantly agreed to visit. The first few times he attended a meeting, he was disdainful. “I just kept
thinking, ‘What a bunch of people with problems. They are nothing like me,’” he confesses. “Then I got to know some of the guys and realized they are just
like me, and I wasn’t alone.”
CR became a treasured resource in John’s life. And some time later, though he had to juggle his schedule somewhat for childcare, he began the 12-step
program. He only needs one word to describe the 12-step experience for him: amazing!
“God brought about great transformation in my life when I started being honest with myself—and with Him—and owned my responsibility in all this,”
John divulges. He believes that transformation does not happen just once, but that on a continuing basis, he is being changed into the image of his Lord (II
Corinthians 3:18).
As he built friendships with other men in CR, he also participated in other activities. He went on a missions trip to Rio Bravo, Mexico with almost 30 men. “It
was a wonderful experience,” he says. And on that trip, he cemented even more firmly the bonds of brotherhood between him and fellow CR members.
John now knows that God has a plan for his life, and he has given his own plans, his dreams, his relationships—everything—to God. He speaks with conviction,
“I feel the unconditional love of God stretched out to me through the lives of my CR mentors and friends. There can be only one response to that level of love:
surrender.” When asked to share his favorite Bible passage, he immediately replies that it is I Corinthians 13, the love chapter.
“I want to help others by sharing my story. As I learn to get better each day, my hope is that somebody will recognize himself and say, ‘Whoa, this is me,’ and
reach out for help,” John volunteers.
“I laugh more now, I smile easier, and my heart is happier. Just make that next best decision,” he urges. “If unsure what to do, open this awesome book called
the Bible and do what Christ wants you to do. You’ll never regret it.”
J
ohn Cook does not, on first impression, seem
to be the typical alcohol abuser. In his words, he “has a
great family, great friends, and great children.” Even he
and his ex-wife get along great. There are no apparent hurts or
losses in his background that caused emotional damage. He
has a drinking problem because he started drinking in high
school and through his college years, which formed a lifestyle
that lasted over 35 years, he believes.
But “peel back the layers of this onion,” as he says, and a more
complete picture begins to emerge. He has had to deal with
mental illness in his family and drinking became an escape, as
well as a way to fit in with his friends. Increasingly, he found
that he could not “just drink a little.”
“God did a miracle for me,” John announces joyously. “I know
now that I am loved by Jesus and I love Him back.”
On February 25 of this year, he will have been sober for three
years. Since that time, he has been learning and growing more
in love with his Savior.
John has been a member at Asbury for 18 years. He loves the
church, its pastors, and the people. At some point, however,
his life was falling apart. He felt he could not contain his desire
to drink, he experienced divorce, and he was facing financial
issues that often accompany divorce.
JohnCook | Alcohol Recovery
36 2012 Transformations Celebrate Recovery 372012 TransformationsCelebrate Recovery
T
he story of Skip Wrightsman is a story of God’s
wonderful grace, of Him doing for us what we cannot do for
ourselves.
Skip is not a member of Asbury; he attends another church in town. But he
has been going to Celebrate Recovery meetings that are held in the church
facilities. Skip has a drinking problem.
Although he was faithful in his CR attendance, he never stopped drinking.
Realizing his need, and so filled with guilt, shame, remorse, condemnation
and self rejection, Skip attached himself to godly mentors early on. They
welcomed him with open arms and unguarded hearts.
But the battle continued to rage inside Skip. Then in a bout of
discouragement, he dropped out of the CR program. He was absent for
about two months, and his life took a dramatic downward turn. Things
became much worse, and he ran back to CR. He connected with the guys
again, and again they immediately pulled him back into the circle of
acceptance and companionship.
He desperately wanted to get sober—he was reading his Bible, seeking God,
and crying out to Him every day, but Skip was also drinking on a daily basis.
He had been drinking for several years, when driving down the road one
day, God spoke to him and said, “If you will do what I ask you to do, you can
have whatever you want.” He realized that it was the voice of God and that
He was working in his life, whether or not Skip was aware of it. He pulled
over to the side of the road and just wept for 30 minutes because he felt such
joy at hearing from God.
Two weeks later, however, he was sitting in the parking lot in front of a bar.
As he started to go inside, he thought “What am I doing?” And he drove
away and never went back. Since that moment in May of last year, Skip has
never had a drink.
His life is brand new. He is an avid reader of the Word of God, and he finds
that his thought process has changed. Skip says that his mind is being
renewed as in Romans 12:1–2 (his favorite passage). “Before God spoke to
me, I just could not understand the Bible, and CR didn’t really make sense,
either,” he discloses. “Afterward, it was as if the fog had lifted and the picture
suddenly came into sharper focus.”
Skip is in a 12-step program and is particularly committed to applying
certain principles to his life: 1) Surrender, 2) Personal Inventory, 3) Sharing,
4) Accountability and 5) Transparency.
He says he never had a friend who could be trusted to keep his confidences,
but now he has men in his life who allow him to be real, hold him
accountable, and encourage him in his growth.
Skip went to Mexico on a mission trip with a group of 28 men from Asbury
last year. He finds it so helpful to be around men who love God and are
committed to becoming more what the Lord wants them to be. “What a
great experience it is to be with a bunch of guys you enjoy and respect,” he
exclaims. “Playing golf, praying together, getting connected—that is so
important. And I’m so thankful to Asbury for making CR available.”
Keenly aware that there is a Skip Wrightsman (probably many) who might
find hope in his story, he emphasizes, “I just want to help somebody get out
of the pit I was in. Everything in life that used to cause pain no longer hurts.”
And it is evident on his face that he has been set free. Where once there was
torment, now there is a gentle peace that seems to permeate his being.
He knows the turning point. “It was like when I drove out of the parking lot
of that bar, God drove the desire to drink away.”
SkipWrightsman | Alcohol Recovery
I just want to help
somebody get out
of the pit I was in.
38 2012 Transformations Celebrate Recovery 392012 TransformationsCelebrate Recovery
ScottBender | Gambling Recovery
S
cott Bender, in his own words, declares that he is a
“grateful believer in Jesus Christ recovering from a core issue of
abandonment, which manifests itself in low self esteem, self worth
and an addiction to gambling, drinking, drugs, sexual impurity and a host
of other destructive behaviors.”
Scott grew up in Seattle, Washington, a middle child with two sisters. His
parents were divorced when he was 18 months old, and he recently came to
understand that this loss created in him a perception of abandonment that
plagued him for many years.
During his early years, he started attending (by himself) a Baptist church
that was next to his home. The people were gentle and loving, and he
responded to their invitation to accept Jesus into his heart. At the age of 8,
he was born again and baptized. He says his life didn’t change much, but he
knew Jesus was real.
When he was 10, he went target shooting in the mountains with his family,
grandfather and favorite uncle. His uncle walked off the trail, saying he
wanted to shoot some rabbits. When he heard a shot, Scott started to run
down the road to see if his uncle had gotten a rabbit. But his grandfather
arrived first and, with a look of horror on his face, stopped Scott, telling him
to get his stepfather. The uncle had taken his own life. Scott loved him very
much and to his young mind, another person had chosen to abandon him.
He cried for days.
School was not going well. Desperately needing attention, Scott was sarcastic
and annoying. He was often bullied, fearful almost every day that he would be
beat up.
One day he went to a classmate’s house where he and his friend found the
father’s stash of Playboy magazines. Scott says that something happened
inside himself, and he started down the long road of self gratification as a
coping mechanism to deal with the pain.
At the age of 12, Scott’s mother threw his stepfather out of the house, and it
was not until years later that the reason came to light—he had raped Scott’s
older sister. Now there was fresh pain—that of his sister and another instance
of abandonment.
“About a year later, we moved in with my mom’s new boyfriend,” Scott
recounts. This new boyfriend was a former boxer and an alcoholic. “He was
very quiet, until he was drunk—then he was surly and would brag about all
the people he had beat up and how he had guys on the ground, beating them
until his knuckles were bleeding. I was terrified of him!”
With no one to encourage him and show him the love he so vitally needed,
Scott began to hang out with the bad kids and was introduced to pot. He
also began to experiment with other drugs. School was becoming even more
difficult and he was expelled.
His biological father had come back into his life, and although the reunion
was short lived and disappointing, Scott’s dad did get him interested in
bowling and bought him a bowling ball. At the bowling alley, he met a 19-
year old guy from California named Russ, who invited Scott to look him up
if he was ever in California.
Two weeks later, he was again thrown out of school and, afraid to go home,
he started hitchhiking from Seattle to California at the age of 15 with the
clothes on his back and his new friend’s phone number. Scott admits, “I was
praying vigorously, asking God to please help me. I was so scared and knew
that no matter where I ended up, it was better than living at home.”
He lived with Russ and his mom for a couple of weeks. Russ helped him get
a job in a bowling alley. He soon moved into a hotel across the street from
the bowling alley and started meeting the wrong people. Every paycheck
went to rent, drugs, and alcohol. In a short while, he was out of money and
couldn’t even afford to pay his rent. Scott started sneaking into the bowling
alley at night and sleeping in a small room on a piece of foam rubber on a
cement floor until he got fired for sleeping on the job.
Its about growing
in my relationship
with Christ and
helping others.
412012 TransformationsCelebrate Recovery40 2012 Transformations Celebrate Recovery
J
eff and Lisa Thomas were both newcomers to Tulsa when
they met in a new community primarily for singles. They were married
in April of 2003.
From the time they first started their relationship, they have surrounded
themselves with like-minded people who want to serve the Lord and be in
Christian fellowship.
In 2005 Lisa, who is a CPA, went to work in the finance department of the
church. In 2006, Jacob was born. Addison came along in 2009, and Ben
arrived in 2011.
They had always been active church members, but as children came, their
involvement changed. They began to volunteer with the children’s ministry.
This year Jeff works with first graders, and Lisa helps with Addison’s age
group. They have found that being in the children’s ministry helps to reinforce
the training for their own children. “We are able to implement in our home
what our kids were taught on Sunday,” Lisa says.
Jeff and Lisa strive to teach their children, even at a young age, to be
disciples of Jesus, and they try to surround them with the things of God and
scripture, particularly the words of Jesus, so that they begin to recognize
God’s calling on their young lives.
In the past year, a conscious decision has been made to slow their lives down and
get back to basics. “We are intentional about doing things well,” Lisa declares.
“We have chosen to do less but to commit to doing well whatever we do.”
They have also made the decision to live more simply. Early on at Asbury,
Lisa was taught the principles of tithing and giving. What she learned
impacted her life.
Jeff is also a tither. As a couple, they have committed to live conservatively
so they can support ministries and give more to those in need. They support
a child through Compassion International. “We have seen how even a small
donation is huge. We are so rich as Americans,” Jeff points out, “but to
whom much is given much is required.”
After their first child was born, Lisa felt that God was calling her to be a
stay-at-home mom. The family saved for three years so that she could afford
to leave her job. But the cost of living had risen significantly and everything
costs more than they had expected. Still, God has provided faithfully. “We
are so blessed,” Lisa summarizes.
One of the most personally beneficial resources available through the church
has been the Marriage Enrichment Program and 8 Great Dates with Your Mate.
In this program, couples are encouraged to have a date night. They drop their
children off at the church with workers who know the children by name and
any special medical needs, food allergies, etc. Then they hear a speaker address
a topic of interest to them as spouses and parents. Afterward, they go out to
dinner and during that relaxed time, take the opportunity to actually have some
time to themselves, enjoy each other’s company, and reconnect.
Jeff and Lisa are full of praise for the children’s staff. “They do things
with excellence and make it so easy for us,” Jeff relates. “We always feel
comfortable leaving our children in their care,” Lisa adds.
They both agree that 8 Great Dates with Your Mate sometimes helps to
relieve the normal stresses of family life and recharge their batteries. They
want to stay alert and available.
“With His strength, we will do everything that Christ wants us to do,” Lisa
pledges. “Because, Jeff continues, “there is a neighborhood, a city, a whole
world waiting.”
jeff& LisaThomas | 8 Great Dates with Your Mate
With His strength we
will do everything that
Christ wants us to do.
janetHall | S.M.I.L.E.
“I
’ll never get divorced,” Janet Hall used to say when she saw other marriages floundering. “Well, I’ve now been divorced
eight years,” she says wryly. Janet discloses that when she found herself no longer married and a single parent, she was overwhelmed. In the midst
of upheaval and with huge change confronting her and her child Brooke, she simply wanted to provide as “normal” a childhood for her daughter as
possible. “But being a parent is the most challenging thing I have ever done and doing it by myself was almost impossible,” she admits.
She continued in Storm Shelter (her community) after the divorce and remembers, with gratitude, that they was very supportive. “However,” she points out,
“no one in my community was a single parent of a young child. None of my friends were single parents, either. I didn’t know of anyone I could turn to so I shut
myself off from most of the world and went about figuring it out myself.” It was a hard, lonely life she built for herself, but she was convinced she had no other
option. “I still went to church and tried to help with the children and youth, but I never committed my work to God. It was something I knew I should do, but
I never engaged,” she acknowledges.
Fast forward to 2012. Janet had studied Nehemiah and Paul in Storm Shelter, learning about godly leadership and action. She had also finished a course
called One Degree, which helped her to identify and focus on God’s specific purpose for her life. “I felt God nudging me to get out of my comfort zone,” she
confirms. “Being isolated was no longer an option. But what could I do? When would I have the time?”
But our God always has the answers. And he did in Janet’s case. SMILE (Single Moms in the Lord’s Embrace) was started by Kellie Austin, whom Janet had
met during a Financial Peace University course at Asbury. When Janet greeted her in the hallway one Sunday morning, she reluctantly asked Kellie if she
needed any help with the group. Kellie responded that her co-leader was quitting, and she would welcome Janet’s help. Simultaneously, her daughter’s many
activities were slowing down, and Janet suddenly had nothing scheduled in the time slot when SMILE met. She was available.
As the older, more experienced mom, Janet assumed she would be the source for help and answers for the other moms. She soon realized that she was
receiving just as much from the group as she was giving. As they studied and learned to apply to their lives the 21 Principles of a Healthy Single Mom (hope,
identity, victory, etc.), she quickly realized that she did not have all the answers. With new perspective, she became aware that each child is different and each
family is different. “Some single moms are divorced, some never married, and some have adopted,” Janet observes. “But the one thing we have in common
is a desire to bring up our children according to God’s will and to be the best moms we can be.” They laugh, cry and celebrate together. And they support
each other with an understanding that can only come from someone who has been in the same situation. “Humbly,” Janet announces, “I will step into the
leadership role as Kellie prepares for her upcoming marriage.”
Janet now recognizes that through it all, God was working in her life. He was building in her a passion and preparing her for this ministry in this season.
“Reflecting on my past, I see how God has used my life experiences to transform me into a woman of purpose—His purpose. I’ve always had the ability to be
used by God, but not until this past year did I have the desire,” she reveals. “God has given me such a strong desire to support other single moms, and I can’t
wait to meet up with these ladies each month.”
God has used my
life experiences to
transform me into a
woman of purpose.

L
auren Burke believes that showing the love of Jesus
means loving and teaching children in faraway places, going into
psychiatric hospitals simply to bring a little cheer, and smiling and
touching someone who has had very little, if any, physical contact for a very
long time.
She loves traveling, experiencing different cultures, and helping others. It makes
sense, then, that missions are her passion. In the last couple of years, she has
made a couple of trips to Central Asia and one trip to Northern Europe. She
went on her first trip in 2009, and the most recent was last summer.
She tells of going into a psychiatric hospital for women who have been
abandoned by their families. The youngest “patient” was 21 and the oldest
was probably in her 50s. Because women age so quickly in those conditions,
it is difficult to accurately determine ages, Lauren explains.
Many of the women being held in the hospital had no mental issues. But because
their husbands no longer wanted to be married to them, or their families
wanted their pensions, they had been forced into institutional living, many
of them left penniless. There was little medical service and not enough food.
When Lauren and her friends came in to spend some time with the
forgotten, lonely women, the women were overjoyed. They received
manicures and facials, and everybody got to play with the makeup. Then
each woman had the cosmetics applied to her skin and soon little shrieks
of delight were heard and pleased smiles and nods were seen. The visit
quickly turned into a party, with limbo dancing and snacks that Lauren’s
group had brought.
On another occasion, Lauren and her teammates were allowed to take the
women to the mountains for a picnic. There was music, food and much
laughter. “It was very rewarding,” she recalls, “and was the highlight of their
day, or maybe month or year.”
She also had the privilege of working with vulnerable children in a school
that would be similar to a vocational-technical school here in the U.S.A. “I
loved the idea that I was helping to prepare these kids for a more promising
future,” she enthuses.
Because of what she has seen, Lauren had a watershed moment last year. She
realized that she must simplify her life. “Material stuff just doesn’t matter
anymore,” she asserts. “I have seen people who are so happy, and yet they
have so little.”
She no longer cares about having expensive clothes or shoes or jewelry. She
just wants to live a life of love and compassion, being with those she loves.
Lauren is very grateful for her church family who helped her with funds
and encouraged her interest in missions. She has been at Asbury her whole
life and is now on staff. “They allowed me to go and were so supportive,” she
says.
“When we travel into certain countries, we are discouraged from identifying
ourselves as Christian.” Lauren notes sadly. “We can, however, say that we
believe in God, and are followers of Jesus. In these situations, our actions have
to do the talking. Hopefully, the love they see in our faces will propel them to
Christ, but we have to be there before they can see Christ in us.”
She hopes to return to the mission field soon and continue some of the
work that has been started. There is much work to be done, she points out,
because love just keeps hoping and reaching and helping. “The title of a
popular song says it well,” Lauren specifies. “Truly, LOVE IS A VERB.”
LaurenBurke | Central Asia
Hopefully the love they
see in our faces will
propel them to Christ.
46 2012 Transformations Global Missions 472012 TransformationsGlobal Missions
M
att and Jennie Hester moved back to Tulsa in August of 2012, bringing with them their toddler, Emmalynn, and their
baby boy, Josiah. But they won’t be here long—if their plans work out—because they hope to soon be in long-term missions in Central Asia.
Prior to returning to Tulsa, the Hester family was in Kentucky so Matt could attend Asbury Theological Seminary. He learned, of course, many
disciplines and principles of God’s kingdom, but in light of his desire to be on the mission field, this truth resonates within his soul: his need for incarnational
living, or living as Jesus lived when He was on this earth. “Incarnational living,” Matt explains, “presents the perfect model as we live and minister among a
people untouched by the western world. We have no intent to force our American culture on the people. Rather, we want to come alongside Jesus and relate to
others as He did—learn their culture and their ways. We want to eat with them, laugh with them, cry with them, and become an acceptable outsider.”
In the midst of the study of theology and caught up in homework and exams, Matt began to realize that unless his heart was involved, he was just going through
the motions. He feels that the Lord has brought him back to this simple understanding, as expressed by the Apostle Paul, “I know nothing but Christ crucified.”
In knowing the crucified Christ, the Hesters have given up everything they own and are ready to leave everything they know.
They recognize that the community of Asbury believers was pivotal in their lives. Matt and Jennie first came to the church in 2005 and came to Christ 7–8
months later. The love and encouragement they received from the members just seemed to usher them into a relationship with Christ.
“Their love has been a constant,” Matt says, “and there has been a mountain of support, not only financially but also spiritually. The prayer has been powerful
and consistent, even when we were away.”
They now want to share with those in Central Asia that love that was so constantly poured out on them. And they have a heartfelt message for the Asbury
congregation: Thank you!
mattHester | Central Asia
T
he people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
On those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9:2
I believe that we are all in somewhat of a relationship with something, be it
a job, a friend, school or family. There is no limit to what a relationship is. It
can go as far as you wish, as long as you are willing to put in the time. I, with
truthful regret, nurtured a relationship of a darker sort…
I was a victim of physical and verbal abuse throughout my young life, not
on a consistent basis, but enough to have a long-lasting impact on my life.
The environments that I grew up in were plagued with bad situations and
very negative influences. And as a young man I was very easily influenced.
I wanted to feel a part of something but was unsure how to get there. So far,
my experiences in life had left me angry, and I felt very much alone. And
very much alienated.
As the years continued, I ran into many more issues that just stacked on top
of one another. My feeling of being a victim became more of an excuse to stay
stuck in a place of sorrow, and my desire and hope of equality were slowly
fading away. I had simply given up. And I ignored anyone’s attempt to throw
me a lifeline. My heart had hardened. I stuffed my pain deep within myself.
I found myself involved in heavy drug use and distribution of the same drug
I used. It was an opportunity for me to make lots of fast cash while fueling
my addiction. There is so much sorrow and detachment from reality in that
lifestyle. When you spend years of your life involved in it, your morals and
conscience simply become depleted. You want to turn back and have a redo,
find a new path, but after so much time spent doing the opposite, you feel as
if there is no way to right your wrongs to yourself or to society.
I have been to jail off and on my entire life, for a variety of reasons. I was
given chance after chance to make adjustments and change my way of life.
That is where being a victim as a child and making a decision as a young
adult separates. I knew the difference between right and wrong and decided
to stay where I was comfortable. I was too scared to try to succeed for fear
of failure and too comfortable to leave the normality of the dark life I had
lived for so many years. This paved the way for my temporary but lengthy
incarceration. Although I was spiritually incarcerated my whole life up to
that point, adding the physical incarceration was sending me even further
to the breaking point. I was consumed with hatred. Time suddenly stood
still. I was forced for the first time to take a long, clear-minded view at my
life, what I had done and myself. Apparently the first look at things was not
enough. Ten months later I was to take another look in the mirror, another
round of losing my freedom. This time, I believe I had some company.
Something, or someone, was trying to make a connection.
I had heard about God, Christ and the Holy Spirit throughout my life.
I even on occasion found myself in the midst of believers at random
churches when I was younger. And for some weird reason, I even got
baptized!!! It was a mass baptism, but I participated all the same. I just
did not have the consistency of attendance for church to have any kind of
impact on my life. I also felt so distant from everyone else that I met there.
All of my prayers seemed to have gone unanswered. It was either not real,
or I just was not paying attention; the obvious answer now is that I was not
paying attention. A little over five years ago, He finally got my attention.
I can’t explain the courtship between the two of us. It was more like a
weight bearing down on my heart, something foreign walking around in
my mind. It went from a small emotion to a very extreme one. This was
toward the end of my second incarceration. This time I knew…. I knew…
it was God.
steveAdams | Men’s Rio BravoThis is the most
important part of
my life story: the
transformation of
being completely lost
to finding a place in
the family of God.
512012 TransformationsGlobal Missions50 2012 Transformations Global Missions
sized projects, no matter how it looks, everything works out.
The workers got more out of that experience than the people at
the Center did.”
Chris credits much of the strong student involvement to the
culture of missions and service at Asbury. “Kids are used to going
on missions trips—since seventh grade,” he reveals. “Over
spring break, the seventh graders will be going to Houston to
work with the homeless; the eighth graders will go to Kentucky to
help with construction projects; the ninth–tenth graders plan to
go to Jamaica, and the juniors and seniors will be in Guatemala.”
He believes that the spirit of camaraderie and unity contributes
significantly to the success of the church and its programs. “We
have leaders who are careful to reach out and let the members
of this church know they are appreciated,” Chris points out. He
then details how Tom Harrison, the senior pastor, diligently
calls Asbury members to wish them happy birthday on their
special day. “That is a lot of phone calls,” he observes. “On my
49th birthday, I was working on a 2nd Saturday project, in
a cold warehouse with a group of 14 year olds, freezing. My
phone rang, and it was Tom, calling to send his regards. I was
encouraged, and the boys were impressed.”
With everybody doing their part, the work gets done,” he
suggests. “We all have a function—much like the Body of
Christ that Paul describes. I’m not very good at door-to-door
visitation and evangelism. But I can pick up a hammer. For
me, the best way to preach the Gospel is to not use words.”
C
hris Martin has an intriguing story to tell about the
origins of 2nd Saturday and the generous hearts of the Asbury
members. It seems that a few years ago, the idea was conceived for
a volunteer community service project. The organizers were hoping for a
handful of people to turn out and were stunned when 150 people showed
up to lend a hand. The program continued because of the huge support that
undergirded it.
As small group leader of the same group of boys since they were in sixth
grade, Chris wanted to encourage their involvement in the work of the
church. His desire was that they see with their own eyes how faith is lived out.
He got a message out to everybody in his group, advising them that a 2nd
Saturday event was planned. To his surprise, several showed up at 8:30 am
on a 20 degree day to plant trees with Up With Trees.
Now observing these 15–16 year old young men (class of 2015), he is
humbled and yet proud to see the character that is evident in their lives.
“They are very faithful,” Chris says. “If they don’t come out with me, they
come out with their parents to volunteer. Many are now driving, but they
still prioritize 2nd Saturday.”
A couple of years ago, the decision was made to tackle a 9-11 project vast in
scope. The plan was to launch 30–35 projects around town with volunteers.
Approximately 1,000 people took part in what was possibly the largest
service project in Tulsa history. Because that 9-11 work day fell on a Sunday,
the schedule was adjusted somewhat. The volunteers went to church, ate
lunch at the church, and then got on the bus at 12:00 noon to head out to
their various assignments.
Chris helped to manage a volunteer crew of about 60 at the Oasis Adult
Daycare Center as they tackled a giant landscape project. The finished
product was so impressive and so lifted the spirits of the residents that some
burst into tears, unable to contain the sheer joy of having a welcoming,
comfortable place made possible by kind strangers.
Last year they did the exact same landscaping work on the Oasis Adult
Daycare Center in north Tulsa. As the work was progressing, people would
drive by, see the activity and stop to ask what was happening. Several asked
if they could help and a few actually went through the process of filling out
the application and being approved as a volunteer for 2nd Saturday.
On a particular 9-11 Day of Service, Chris witnessed the hand of God as he
rarely has. He had been asked to be in charge of a large project and had been
preparing for about six weeks. Anyone interested in joining his team could
sign up online. He checked online about a week before the Day of Service
was scheduled, and two people had signed up. On Thursday, four people had
committed to help.
He sent out a text to his small group asking for help and one of the young
men who had just gotten his driver’s license drove around and recruited
some of his friends. Then a family came in at noon and signed up to
participate. But there were still only ten people ready to help at 12:15 pm.
Suddenly, someone came rushing in to tell Chris that a football coach
was outside who wanted to help. He walked out of the building and found
the Union football coach with 35 junior high school football players. The
number of volunteers immediately jumped to 50. Thirty minutes earlier,
that number had been six, but according to Chris, “When you attempt God-
ChrisMartin | 2nd Saturday
54 2012 Transformations Local Outreach 552012 TransformationsLocal Outreach
principles. “The teachers are wonderful,” she says, “and I’m just there to
help them. I spent 30 years teaching elementary kids, so I can communicate
on a very basic, simple level, which is helpful to some of the students.” On
Tuesday and Thursday nights, she tests. She is at the Tulsa Technology
Center Lemley Campus on Tuesdays and at Asbury on Thursdays.
Last year she had the privilege of attending the graduation at Union. Of the
almost 600 who graduated, a significant number were students from Asbury
Corner. “This is such fulfilling work,” she champions.
Marcy shares a couple of incidents regarding students that have touched her
since she has been at Asbury Corner.
She gives an account of a young man who started attending classes last year.
In Marcy’s words, “He seemed kind of lost, he kind of stuck out, he was
running with the wrong crowd, and he was making no effort in school.”
When school started again last August, she took him aside and said to
him, “I want us to set a goal that you are going to get your GED this year.
I want you to commit to regular attendance and punctuality, and I want
you to apply yourself to your studies. Turn your homework in on time and
participate in class.” He agreed to try.
“He has not missed one day,” Marcy gladly reports. “He is shy and speaks
very little, but there is a connection between us. When his eyes meet mine,
we exchange a small smile, then each of us quickly looks away because I
don’t want him to feel awkward. I think just knowing that he has somebody
in his corner has motivated him to make an effort.”
She also tells of a young female whose phone rang in class. (The students are
allowed to have phones in the classroom, but they are required to keep the
volume low.) “Turn your phone down,” the teacher instructed, to which the
student loudly exclaimed, “Jesus Christ!” She was asked to leave the class.
As she “huffed and puffed” out the door, Marcy followed her out. The girl
angrily whirled on her and snapped, “I am not of that religion. I can say
anything I want.”
Marcy looked her in the eye. “Perhaps you are not of that religion,” she
replied, “but many people are. And your words are offensive. Imagine
interviewing for a job at some point in the future. If your language turns off
your would-be boss, you will have a tough time getting a job. Plus, I want
you to know—He is important to me, and I don’t like hearing His Name
used irreverently.”
The young woman’s face suddenly softened. “I’m sorry. I won’t let it happen
again,” she apologized.
“I taught school for three decades,” Marcy reflects. “Many times I went home,
thinking I made no difference in anybody’s life. Now, almost every day, I
realize I’m helping to make a difference.”
Every time she goes to church, Marcy prays, “Just lead me and let me know
if somebody needs encouragement.” Over and over again, He has answered
that prayer.
M
arcy Stephens was alone, frightened and stranded on
a dark downtown Tulsa street. She had been on her way home
from work when she had car trouble. She had no phone—only
twice in her life has she ever forgotten her cell phone at home—but she had
that day. She flashed her lights and honked her horn to flag down a passing
policeman. But he explained that he couldn’t help her because he was
transporting felons to prison.
The policeman did allow her to use his phone to call for assistance, but she
was unable to reach anybody who could help. So she sat for over three hours,
uncertain what to do.
Finally, that same officer came back through to check on her, and she was
rescued. Amazingly, no other public servant—no policeman or ambulance
driver or fireman—had driven past during her ordeal.
It was then that she decided to retire. She had spent 30 years in the classroom
and had gone to a second career in higher education. Her current job,
however, involved a two-hour commute each day, and she was just tired of the
transportation hassles. She gave notice and happily left public education.
But then, through a series of circumstances, she was led to Asbury Corner,
a partnership between Asbury and Union Public Schools, to assist high
school dropouts in obtaining their GED. She works with adults whose ages
range from 16 to almost 70.
Marcy loves her work. She volunteers in the classroom three hours per day
on Monday and Wednesday, helping students to understand concepts and
marcyStephens | Asbury-Union
Learning Center
After I accepted that, the tightly wound noose around my heart began to
loosen up a little. Not a lot, just enough to for me to put myself out there and
try and make a connection. I attended a service or two while in prison, and
those old feelings of alienation began to rise up again. I realized this was
going to be so much more difficult than I thought. I went a few more times
and won a Bible while I was there—the exact same Bible I carry with me
today. I decided I needed to seek Him out more on my own when I got out.
Not while I was in that place. So that’s exactly what I did.
This is the most important part of my life story: the transformation of being
completely lost, to finding a place in the family of God. Regardless of my
understanding or sometimes lack thereof, one thing is for certain—when I
felt the presence of God reach across the blurred reality of heaven and earth
and touch my heart, I had no choice but to be submissive and give thanks
for all of the blessings and amazing people He put into my life. No matter
how many times I mess up and make mistakes, which I still do, I will always
remain faithful and always work on being His obedient servant.
There are so many divisions among us in this world: money, life experience,
age and social circles. With all of that division the one thing that should
bind us together is God, the direction given by the Bible, the presence of the
Holy Spirit and the effort to be a light in the world for others to see. For me
it’s sharing my imperfections and struggles; sharing intimate stories of my
past and trying to not let it embarrass me or minimize me as a person but
closing a gap to someone who felt or feels the same why I did. Which is why
I am sharing this with the people of Asbury.
I spoke of relationships in the beginning of this story. We should make time
for a nurturing relationship with God within our busy schedules. We get out
of it what we put into it, and I feel even if we do just a small part, it pleases
Him. There is a reward in how good it feels to do something well in His Name.
A special thanks to Tom Harrison who urged me to keep moving forward
in grasping a better understanding of spiritual freedom. In addition to that,
Tom also provided an opportunity to speak with young adults (high school
students), and I was able to share some of my life with them. I have been
doing this for the last four years.
It was a brilliant way to see Tom’s dreams for the church in action. The
dream of generations coming together instead of generations divided. As
Tom has been a mentor for me, I had the opportunity to mentor these great
kids. Such a beautiful way for it to come together on its own, without me
even realizing it at the time.
In May of 2012, I was speaking to the high school students for a brief
amount of time. A few months later, they came together and raised the
money to send me on a mission trip to Rio Bravo, Mexico. What a splendid
gift! Not only did I get to experience great ways to be active in the church
but also to see it come back in such a great way.
My experience in Rio Bravo was a great way for me to see the funds raised
by the church in action. It allowed me to be a part of spreading the Word
of God to people who were there and ready to learn, hungry for the desire
to start a relationship with God. My part in that was my time and work to
build a church, a place that will continue to spread the Word of God for
many years to come.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Asbury for all of
their kindness and welcoming smiles. While being a part of Asbury, I was
provided with opportunities to learn about the Bible through Disciple Bible
Study, what it means to pray, the power of prayer, why we celebrate baptism
and the good things that come from giving to the church. A thousand
blessings to all of you and your families.
52 2012 Transformations Global Missions
Local Outreach
elements, women would sometimes hang their saris on sticks to make small
tents. The whole family, from the youngest to the eldest, was indentured and
forced into hard labor. There were often many families being held in slavery
at the same location. The wages for the work of the entire family was $2/day.
They were beaten and underfed, and the women were raped. “The youngest
child rescued,” Rachel discloses, “was four years old!”
After the rescue, the IJM team would have a meeting called Freedom
Training with the newly liberated slaves. Medical check-ups were done, as
well as training given to help them adapt to their newfound freedom. They
were also taught how to apply for government resources that were available.
IJM was always instrumental in helping them get their own homes.
The most basic knowledge regarding personal decisions and general hygiene
had to be taught, i.e., what foods to eat, how to brush teeth, wash hair, etc.
For human beings who had never before made a decision regarding their
lives, it was sometimes overwhelming to be in control.
But they evolved. Men got jobs in the village doing manual labor. The
comment heard most often was, “The best part of being free is waking up
when you want.”
Rachel worked with the children to help them learn to have dreams for the
future.
Some of the men became entrepreneurs. An Indian temple once sat at the
edge of the river, but it had deteriorated and been removed. One day, a
former slave was digging in the soil of the riverbed and found some valuable
coins from the temple. Word soon spread of the discovery, and now several
men make a livelihood from the coins they find at the site.
In another instance, Rachel recounts a harrowing experience during a
rescue. As the rescue team was preparing to leave with the slaves that had
just been freed, the people of the village formed a mob and would not allow
them to pass through. They had to wait two hours, surrounded by a hostile
gang, before the police arrived to give them safe passage.
The entire group of liberated victims, which included many children, had
to be placed in “safe houses” for protection. But they were soon moved to
another village and are adjusting very well to their new independence.
“They have good food and homes and the children are now in school,”
Rachel joyously reports.
Approximately three months before she returned home, Rachel went to
Calcutta. There she saw almost 300 women who had been brought out of the
sex trafficking industry. They were busily at work making custom bags and
t-shirts. Thanks to Freeset, an organization offering employment exclusively
to women trapped in the sex trade, these former abuse victims are able to
provide for themselves and are empowered with life skills needed in their
new environment.
Rachel’s favorite Bible passage is Isaiah 61:1–4:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim
good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness the prisoners…
and to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy
instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
Rachel has seen this kind of transformation with her own eyes. She knows,
whether in Southeast Asia or the United States, the risen Lord can redeem
any situation and any human being. With Him, nothing is impossible.
Rachel Read spent part of 2011 and half of 2012 in India. She says that it was
one of the more challenging but also the most rewarding experience she has
ever had. She has amazing stories to tell about her adventures there.
Though she has a master’s degree in social work, and you would expect to
find her in service to the needy, the career she has chosen is nonetheless
astounding. Since she was a teen, Rachel has had a strong desire to work with
prostitutes and at-risk women. She describes an event that occurred when she
was a sophomore in high school and on a missions trip to Reynosa, Mexico.
As the young people and their sponsors were walking through the town one
day, they passed a very large brothel. Rachel remembers the fortress-like
appearance of the place and the barbed wire at the top of the high fence. At
that moment, her commitment to help oppressed women was born.
Some years later when she was at college, she received a call from her dad.
“Rachel, I’ve found your dream job,” he said.
He had been attending a conference and had heard about International
Justice Mission (IJM), a human rights agency that brings rescue to victims
of abuse. She applied with IJM, and after going through the interview
process, was accepted into a one-year fellowship.
Rachel was sent to Southeast Asia, a place where the population is
approximately 12 million people.
She tells of a rescue mission from a rock quarry where the slaves worked 18-
hour days and lived in squalor. To provide some kind of protection from the
RachelRead | Human Trafficking
After a stint in the Marines, he went to work in a factory. He met a girl
and fell in love with her, but after about two years, she broke up with Scott
and went back to her old boyfriend. In Scott’s words, “this sent me into a
tailspin. All of the past rejections and abandonment issues were raging in
me. I was self medicating and went into a deep depression.”
In despair, Scott turned to church. He had never forgotten how God had
intervened when he ran away. The first time he attended a singles Bible study,
he walked in and thought, “I can see why you’re all here; you’re a bunch of
losers!” He stayed long enough to hear the message, but when invited for
coffee and dessert, he declined and headed for the bar. While standing at the
bar, he was jolted by this realization: “I’m the loser, not them.”
He went back the next week and joined them for coffee after church. He stayed
connected and really felt that he had found something that was missing. He
stopped drinking and could not get enough of church and of God’s Word.
Like a sponge, he absorbed all that he could and was in church 3–4 times each
week, as well as hanging out with his new friends on the weekends.
When Scott went on a short-term mission trip to Russia to help plant a
church there, his heart was riveted. He prayed earnestly, asking God to show
him if he was to return to Russia. When his company was sold, he spent the
next two years working with university students in the former USSR.
Shortly after returning home, Scott met his wife. They dated for about a
year, and he asked Cindy to marry him. She accepted his proposal, and
they were married six months later. A few weeks after their wedding, Scott
was overcome with the finality of his decision and his remorse. He knew he
was stuck in a marriage he didn’t really want. He began to weep; and when
his new wife walked into their bedroom and saw him in tears, she knew
why immediately. Each of them really tried to grow in love, but there was a
barrier between them from that day forward. They soon divorced.
He connected with a group of young people who thought he was cool. In
this environment, he met a young woman 21 years his junior. They began
to date, and he thought he had found his confidence and self worth in her.
They partied 3–4 nights every week. But it quickly became apparent that
she was not trustworthy. All the old self worth, low esteem, abandonment
insecurities resurfaced.
It was an incredibly dysfunctional and toxic relationship. When they were
together, they were always drinking. Scott literally drank until he felt nothing
over and over again. He was going through severe depression and was incapable
of dealing with the wounds that had been opened up. In 2010 he totaled five
vehicles in serious accidents, three of them in the month of November.
Then a girl that he knew called him one day. She suggested that he get into
church and when he resisted, she mentioned a program called Celebrate
Recovery (CR). He agreed to check it out.
From the very beginning, he felt loved and not judged. He heard others’
stories of struggle and victory, and for the first time since leaving the
mission field of Russia 13 years earlier, he felt hope. He also felt safe. He
knew that he had to keep going back. When he was wrestling with the
strong desire to go to the casino one night, he called a fellow CR member
who convinced him otherwise. He insists that he has found the dearest,
most treasured friendships he will ever have.
Scott began a 12-step program shortly afterward and began to work through
his feelings without self medicating. He recognized his need to fill the
emptiness with God and began to attend meetings several times each week.
He also stayed accountable.
Scott has not gambled or done drugs since he walked in the door of CR in
March of 2012. He rejoices that his life has been “completely turned around,
thanks to CR, the men involved and my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
“My life now is no longer about me and finding happiness in my
circumstances,” he attests. “It’s about growing in my relationship with
Christ and helping others.”
“The miracle isn’t that I have stopped gambling, drinking, taking drugs, and
self medicating,” Scott marvels. “It’s that God never wastes a hurt. He will
always use it to help others.”
42 2012 Transformations Celebrate Recovery
Global Missions

The months passed and Rhonda continued to volunteer, occasionally doing
outside part-time work, when available, but she needed a job. She just kept
praying, as she learned how to trust God to meet all her needs.
As she attempted to live Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not unto your own understanding,” God’s plan for her began to
unfold. She was approached about coming on board as the Project Manager
for the Asbury mission project with Global Gardens. She was also asked
to assist the Global Gardens teacher in the 6th and 7th grade class where
she had been volunteering. She gladly accepted. Her Heavenly Father had
actually placed her in a position where she would continue the work she had
been doing, but now she would be paid!
In what Rhonda calls her second chapter where she is no longer doing what
she has to do, but has the privilege of doing what she wants to do, she is
overwhelmed with joy and fulfillment.
She now has the opportunity to work one-on-one with a child and pour
into that young person love, acceptance, encouragement and more. “I
feel that my little garden is these kids. Planting good seeds into their
lives, cultivating and then reaping a harvest—those are the principles of
gardening that also translate to their lives,” she observes.
Employing the teaching through discussion format, Rhonda finds that
any number of topics can be presented in an easily understood framework.
Some of the subjects that have been taught, using the principles of
gardening, are benevolence, hunger issues, nutrition, menu planning,
food preparation, critical thinking, and a host of other useful skills and
applications.
In her day-to-day interaction with the students, Rhonda is careful to affirm
and be on the lookout for unspoken needs. “I just pray that I will say what
God wants me to say to that child who needs to hear it,” she says earnestly.
Every day the teachers and the students have Community Circle where they
breathe in good thoughts and attitudes and breathe out negative thoughts
and actions of the day. At day’s end, they have a time of appreciation.
Everyone has an opportunity to say what they appreciate about each other.
“Through this program,” Rhonda explains, “kids have a chance to dream
and know they have the skills to make those dreams happen.” She tells of
one of the ideas a student had for a fundraiser, “Bike for Life,” to combat
cancer. They raised $10,000. There have also been other student initiated
community concerns tackled successfully.
Rhonda deeply appreciates the opportunity to teach children who are so
eager to learn. “Actually, they teach me so much, too,” she insists.
The teacher is also continuing to grow and learn. She is being stretched
beyond her comfort zone. She reveals, “I’m sometimes called upon to speak
publicly and I’m learning to wait on and trust in God more and more, none
of which seems to come naturally to me. But little by little, I’m listening
more, paying attention more, and hopefully becoming more obedient.”
Rhonda declares that she is profoundly grateful for God’s promise that
He will never leave us, but is with us always. She now can see His strong
presence in her life. “Quitting my job, waiting two years without a job, to
eventually find my place and my passion at Global Gardens—it all bears the
mark of a good, wise God, she proclaims. He is awesome!”
62 2012 Transformations Local Outreach
Small Groups and Communities
We make each other
strong because
we have a firm
foundation to
stand on.
I
started going to Venue about three years ago. In the beginning I was nervous about attending because I didn’t know anyone.
I tried to get my neighbors and friends to go with me, but no one was committed. I desperately needed to find lifelong friends that I could grow with and
who would help me build a spiritual foundation in Christ.
The first year was rough because I was suffering from depression. I was crying everyday. I tried to shake it off, but I couldn’t do it on my own. My friends were
telling me to go to the doctor, but I didn’t want to use meds or deal with their side effects. So, for the first time in my life, I chose to put my complete faith in
God to help me get through my situation. I was eager to seek Him.
When my world crashed, so many things were happening at once. My husband of 19 years was diagnosed with cancer and going through radiation. At the
same time our marriage was at a breaking point, but I was trying to hold on. My company was having layoffs, and my close friends were losing their jobs;
I was afraid I might lose mine. I watched a family member with two small children become addicted to pain meds, survive an overdose, and continue to
live in denial. My two teenage girls, 13 and 15, were hanging out with the wrong friends at school, and I was terrified at the influence I could see happening
before my eyes. I was loosing trust in everything and I felt alone and scared. My girls were slipping away, and everything started to go dark. I knew it was the
beginning of a battle I wasn’t prepared to fight. As time went on, I became increasingly aware of real evil around me.
Then, one Sunday I remember signing the attendance book at Venue. A few days later I received and email from the Venue pastors that said they were praying
for me. I remember feeling surprised and a little shocked because I had never had anyone actually pray for me before. I knew it was the beginning of God’s
healing power leading me out of darkness. From that day on I didn’t cry anymore, and I started to build hope and trust again. The feeling was unbelievable for
me to go from crying every day to an almost immediate feeling of pure joy. I attended church when I was young, but it never made sense. I always thought I
could do things on my own. I didn’t know what a personal relationship with Christ really meant until I started going to Venue regularly. I could easily relate to
the sermons, and I loved the worship. I started paying close attention to every word during the services and tried to do everything Todd, Jon and Spencer were
saying on how build a strong relationship with Christ.
Every week the pastors encouraged us to build our own spiritual family through small groups. My husband still doesn’t go to church with us, but I knew I
needed to find a Godly family who would be as committed as I was in this continual walk with Christ.
My life started to change drastically when I became involved in a small group, Bible study and daily devotionals. I could also see the change in my girls’ lives
when they started going to church regularly. They are involved in small groups, missions, youth worship, camps and retreats. We make each other strong
because we have a firm foundation to stand on now as we take on life’s detours.
Asbury/Venue has everything you and your family could ever need to continually build a close relationship with Jesus.
deannaHausam | Small group member
652012 TransformationsSmall Groups and Communities64 2012 Transformations Small Groups and Communities
Asbury United Methodist Church
6767 S. Mingo Rd.
Tulsa, OK 74133
“Of course, Betsy and I both understand that there are all kinds of very
legitimate reasons why our girls have to miss—busy schedules, illness,
family commitments—the list could go on and on. I was just disappointed
because I had so been looking forward to what I believed would be our next
step in small group,” she details further.
She considered for a moment doing something different than she had
planned but decided to go through with her original ideas.
Tammy started with a couple of questions: “What makes you happy” and
“What makes you sad?” Both girls opened up and poured their hearts out—
private, confidential matters that were not easily shared.
The thought occurred to Tammy that perhaps Alli and Peyton would not
have responded as they had if others had been present.
Then she turned to the Bible passage and read it, and everyone realized that
it was perfect for what they had shared.
“Afterward, I went into selfish Tammy mode,” she recalls. “Why didn’t they
come? This would have been so perfect.” Then she looked at the verses again.
There it was. Trust in the Lord…
“I felt that the Lord was saying this was His doing, and it had all gone
according to His plan,” she reflects.
Tammy realizes that it had been Him “directing her path” that had brought
her to the small group.
She had worked in children’s ministry for years. “I had gotten burned out
and quit,” she says candidly. But after a while, she was feeling the need to go
back and work with the children again.
During that time, she got a call from Betsy asking her to help with the
freshmen young women’s small group. “I was so ready to get into an area of
ministry again,” she discloses.
Betsy had been shepherding the small group about a year when Tammy joined
her and realized that some solid groundwork had been laid with the students.
Going forward, the leaders hope that more and more, the girls will
encourage and support each other. “If they have problems, we want them to
know that there are people who will have their backs—their parents, us as
their small group leaders, and the other girls.”
After her experience, Alli more firmly believes in honest, transparent
relationships. “I was a little nervous at first because I had not shared any of
it with anybody except my two closest friends,” she concedes. “But after I
got that out, I just felt such a release. We’re supposed to be sisters in Christ—
family. That means we should learn to be real with each other.”
Some time later, after Betsy, Alli, and Peyton had gone home, Tammy went
upstairs to her office. She posted the following on Facebook:
Got on my computer tonight to send in the attendance for our small group. I
needed a box to check for God…because He was there. BIG TIME.
And God taught two women and two high school girls, some for the first
time, the truth of Matthew 18:20:
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them.
68 2012 Transformations Small Groups and Communities
T
ammy Dixon was in tumult. As small group leaders of
high school freshmen girls, she and Betsy Mitchell were accustomed
to receiving the curriculum that was to be taught from an Asbury
staff member. But she had just received an email from a pastor in the
youth department, stating that there would be no set curriculum for small
groups. The leaders were to make their own choices because, “You know the
students better than we do,” the writer explained. “This is an opportunity
for you to meet their needs and do what you think is best for them.”
He then added, “If you need help finding something or would like some
direction, then please contact me.”
“I freaked out,” Tammy confesses. “I appreciated the sensitivity of our
leadership to God’s leading and realized that this was just an effort to
encourage spiritual growth for all of us, but I felt totally at a loss. I went to
Mardel’s and looked at everything I could find. I found a couple of books
and took them home. But I wasn’t completely satisfied.”
Then she started to consider what the needs of the girls were. Tammy
determined their two greatest needs were to know and trust each other and
to know the Bible.
Tammy had become involved in Bible study in the last two years, and
she wanted these students to know Scriptures that would stand as a firm
foundation, even in the storms.
As she prepared for the next meeting, she began to write down questions
that would help to get the teenagers better acquainted. “I felt the presence of
God,” Tammy says, “the words just poured from my pen and I filled up four
pages with questions—from the serious to the silly.”
She had also perused Proverbs and made mental notes regarding topics she
wanted to discuss: gossip, wisdom, virtue, etc. For the next meeting, she
settled on Proverbs 3:5–6 for the message:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own
understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your
path.
The more she contemplated the promise of the verses, the more excited she
became about having the group come together. She felt so much was going
to be accomplished.
The first to arrive was Betsy. As the two leaders discussed the agenda for the
evening, two of the young women in the group entered: Alli Van Buskirk
and Peyton Weiss. They waited for the others to come, but no one else
showed up. There were just the four of them.
“I was bummed out,” Tammy admits. “Only two girls turned out. I had been
so excited about the program that would help the girls know each other
better, and now this.”
TammyDixon | Small group leader
672012 TransformationsSmall Groups and Communities66 2012 Transformations Small Groups and Communities
Rhonda Weaver and her husband have been married for 42 years and
are long-time members at Asbury. She recalls that they joined Christian
Explorers, a discipleship class, over a decade ago. When they first started the
class, there were 12 members. There are now 70 in attendance regularly.
The Weavers have two children and five grandchildren, with another one
expected soon. “Family is a big part of our life,” she smiles.
Gardening is also an important part of Rhonda’s life, and her testimony is
that God took her passion for gardening and turned it into a ministry that
helps others and benefits her as well—spiritually, physically and financially.
Rhonda had happily been an escrow officer for approximately 20 years
when she began to feel a desire to try something new. There was nothing
specifically wrong with her job—she just wasn’t enjoying it as much as she
once had. “Quit and find what you love to do,” her husband encouraged.
“Find your passion.” But she was reluctant to leave the security and benefits
of a long career.
Then a couple of years ago, someone in Christian Explorers mentioned that
Asbury would be partnering with Global Gardens, a science-based school
curriculum gardening program. Started right here in Tulsa, the intent of the
nonprofit program is to empower children through its hands-on learning
techniques. Each child is given a small garden plot and allowed to plant
vegetables, herbs, legumes, etc.
Rhonda knew immediately that she wanted to volunteer in this important
initiative. She took the plunge and gave notice at work. A short while later she
was working with a group of 6th and 7th graders in an afterschool program
Monday–Thursday. And she was loving it. Sharing her gardening skills and
experience with the children was so rewarding. She had found her passion.
RhondaWeaver | Global Gardens
Little by little Im listening
more paying attention
more and hopefully
becoming more obedient.
E
mily Carpenter is the same age her mother was when she
lost her battle with breast cancer. It seems natural, then, that women’s
health would be Emily’s favorite area of missions outreach. As a nurse,
she is keenly aware that timely checkups and treatment can actually save lives.
Because of her strong commitment to both women’s health and medical
missions, her path crossed with Good Samaritan Health Services, a mobile
medical clinic combining free healthcare with the gospel and providing
services to the needy.
It was a circuitous route that brought Emily to Good Samaritan (Good Sam)
several years ago. As a pharmaceutical representative, when she routinely
called on a doctor one day, he requested free samples for a local medical
missions. Emily supplied him with the samples and then, in her words, “I
begged him to allow me to help” in the missions effort. The medical mission
was Good Sam, and her life has never been the same since.
Good Sam offers both primary care and women’s clinic services. On a
regular basis, the mobile clinic is available at various churches in the area.
“It is a wonderful relationship between Good Sam and the church,” Emily
says. “With this two-pronged approach, both the physical and the spiritual
needs of people are being met.”
She and her husband joined Asbury over a year ago and they love being a
part of the community, so she was especially pleased last fall to learn that
Good Sam was partnering with Asbury to provide a day of caring. Bags
filled with groceries were handed out, and the mobile clinic was set up in the
church parking lot to provide medical services.
Emily had long functioned in the primary care and site coordinator role
for Good Sam, but she had recently undergone neck surgery and was very
limited in her participation. But God provided. He had prepared two other
Asbury members who were able to step in as site coordinators, and they
filled in seamlessly. “It was so cool to see Asbury people choosing to serve
and lead,” Emily reports. “Whereas I used to have to be in the leadership
role, designating and delegating and managing, God made me a worker
bee. He raised up leaders who did a beautiful job. For the first time, I was
free to help and pray with the women and not have to be involved in the
administration. What a blessing!”
Like ever widening ripples in a pond, other outreaches have been birthed.
Through her work with Good Sam, Emily became acquainted with the
Hispanic community and helped to start a Spanish ministry in Owasso. She
hopes still other ministries will spring forth.
While she was experiencing health issues and was on the sidelines, she
used that time to regroup. “When I was sidelined, God did a deeper work in
me,” Emily volunteers. “I think of the Bible verse in John where Jesus says
that every branch that bears fruit will be pruned by the gardener so that it
will be even more fruitful. Well, I think I have been cut back a bit, and I’m
ready to grow.”
She remembers vividly waking up on New Year’s Day, convinced that this is
going to be an outstanding year. “I have great hope for 2013,” she declares. “I
really believe we’re going to see a great revival break out.”
And she wants to be part of it. Where God is working His purpose, her great
desire is to be included. “I am not content to warm a pew,” she concedes. “I
want to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I want to hear ‘Well done,’ and know
that I will be in His presence evermore.”
EmilyCarpenter | Good Samaritan
I am not content to
warm a pew. I want
to be the hands and
feet of Jesus.
H E L L O @ T I M J U R G E N S E N . C O M

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