Hope@Home – May 15, 2020

AnnaUncategorized

DAILY DEVOTIONAL:

Thanks for joining us on the blog! Check out today's devotional from Kyle Knight.

UNITED PRAYER:

Father help us cling to You fiercely during this time. I pray that we are able to spend much needed intentional time together with You. Will you give us strength to press into You today. Help us to look to You in moments of need and weakness. Lift our gaze to You our shepherd and lead us today. Please help us hear Your voice and follow Your ways.  

FAMILY RESOURCES:

Today we have some fun, at-home activities for you to do!

Plan a staycation!

This is the perfect time to do a home campout or a retreat filled with fun things. This could include things like setting up a tent in the front or backyard, creating an indoor fort to sleep in, roasting marshmallows, making s'mores or eating camp food (hot dogs, burgers, etc.). You can get super creative and use your imagination in this. Take a hike around and try and look for things you typically overlook, make it special! 

-An encouragement page:

You can write someone's name at the top of the page and pass it around to everyone and it can be as simple as a sentence or as long as you want but fill it up with encouragement or good things you see in them. Focus on what you love most about them and when you are done, gift it to them at some point in the week. You can do this with as many people as you want. You can mail them out, or simply give it to them if they are within your home. 

-A time of solitude:

Find a place to be alone with the Lord (it could be in your closet or outdoors super early or right before bed if getting time alone is particularly difficult). Sit with Him and bring your Bible, a pen or pencil, and journal. You can simply soak in the sun if you are outdoors and start by being still: set aside distractions, thoughts, and intentionally clear your mind to focus on the Lord. As you find stillness, just share how you feel (talk about all that happened in your week, or day). Talk with the Lord about what you are struggling with and ask Him to help you give them over to Him, share how you feel about His creation around you if you are outside. Talk with Him about the joy you've been finding lately. You can go through Psalms if you are not sure what to say and pray through those as well. Ask Him to simply just be with you and give you peace. You can use this time to journal how you are feeling, what stands out to you in the Psalms you read, and write prayers down (sometimes that is easier than to simply speak it or pray it). You can also tell Him if this is hard for you and express why to simply be alone with Him. It is always nice to just be and try to slow your thoughts down and simply just be with Him.  

FAST AND PRAY:

As we fast & pray on Fridays, let's meditate on this passage from the Psalms.

Psalm 104 NLT
1 Let all that I am praise the Lord.
O Lord my God, how great you are!
    You are robed with honor and majesty.
2 You are dressed in a robe of light.
You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;
3   you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds.
You make the clouds your chariot;
    you ride upon the wings of the wind.
4 The winds are your messengers;
    flames of fire are your servants.[a]
5 You placed the world on its foundation
    so it would never be moved.
6 You clothed the earth with floods of water,
    water that covered even the mountains.
7 At your command, the water fled;
    at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away.
8 Mountains rose and valleys sank
    to the levels you decreed.
9 Then you set a firm boundary for the seas,
    so they would never again cover the earth.
10 You make springs pour water into the ravines,
    so streams gush down from the mountains.
11 They provide water for all the animals,
    and the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds nest beside the streams
    and sing among the branches of the trees.
13 You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home,
    and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.
14 You cause grass to grow for the livestock
    and plants for people to use.
You allow them to produce food from the earth—
15  wine to make them glad,
olive oil to soothe their skin,
    and bread to give them strength.
16 The trees of the Lord are well cared for—
    the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests,
    and the storks make their homes in the cypresses.
18 High in the mountains live the wild goats,
    and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes.[b]
19 You made the moon to mark the seasons,
    and the sun knows when to set.
20 You send the darkness, and it becomes night,
    when all the forest animals prowl about.
21 Then the young lions roar for their prey,
    stalking the food provided by God.
22 At dawn they slink back
    into their dens to rest.
23 Then people go off to their work,
    where they labor until evening.
24 O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!
    In wisdom you have made them all.
    The earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the ocean, vast and wide,
    teeming with life of every kind,
    both large and small.
26 See the ships sailing along,
    and Leviathan,[c] which you made to play in the sea.
27 They all depend on you
    to give them food as they need it.
28 When you supply it, they gather it.
    You open your hand to feed them,
    and they are richly satisfied.
29 But if you turn away from them, they panic.
    When you take away their breath,
    they die and turn again to dust.
30 When you give them your breath,[d] life is created,
    and you renew the face of the earth.
31 May the glory of the Lord continue forever!
    The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made!
32 The earth trembles at his glance;
    the mountains smoke at his touch.
33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.
    I will praise my God to my last breath!
34 May all my thoughts be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the Lord.
35 Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth;
    let the wicked disappear forever.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!

Hope@Home – May 14, 2020

AnnaUncategorized

DAILY DEVOTIONALS:

One of our interns, Lilly Van Sickle, is sharing with us today! Let's listen to this truth.

UNITED PRAYER:

Below is a famous prayer by Thomas Merton. You can pray this prayer with your family, by yourself, or send it to a friend & pray together. Take the time to lean into the Lord during this uncertain time. Make it specific to yourself & your community as you pray through line by line. The Lord is ever present & listens to you. 
 
"My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."
-Thomas Merton

FAMILY RESOURCE:

Family Time Capsule

If you're looking for a family activity right now, try making a quarantine time capsule! This can be super easy and really fun activity for everyone to do together. Start by making a list of things to remember during this time, each person can share something different. Add other things that are important to you, funny items/memories, favorite scriptures, or maybe even a letter to your future self! Many people who make time capsules prefer to put all the items in a jar or old coffee tin, get creative! If you're wanting a real time capsule for your items (who knew they even made these, right?) we've linked some below!

Some more ideas of things to add to a time capsule:  

-A local daily newspaper clipping (or a printed article from online news)
-Letters From Mom
-Letters From Dad
-Handwritten prayers
-A list of current popular expressions (slang)
-A menu from a favorite restaurant
-Items from your job or school (business card, etc.)
-Photos of the family 
-Photos of your favorite things
-Photos that capture what's going on in your area right now- empty beaches, quiet scenes, things that look different today compared to 3 months ago

STORY OF HOPE: TRISHA'S STORY OF HOPE | Community & Connection

Trisha, a member of our Hope Chapel 'Ohana, has continually witnessed the Lord's provision for her and her son Koa during this time in various ways. She is so thankful to all of those who help make the Thursday food distributions possible! Trisha and Koa have remained connected through Celebrate Recovery's daily Bible study and Zoom meetings, and through the Youth Ministry's Zoom groups and daily Instagram posts.

Hope@Home – May 13, 2020

AnnaUncategorized

DAILY DEVOTIONAL:

Brandon McAlister, one of our Children's Interns, leads us through a devotional in Hebrews 4 today. We can come confidently to Jesus in our time of need!

UNITED PRAYER:

Pray for the unity of the Church, that all believers in Christ would unite together despite differences in opinion, location, or even language. Pray that we would be a united beacon of light for all to see! 

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." John 17:20-21 NIV

FAMILY RESOURCES:

10 fun family activities to "play it forward"

World Vision, an organization whose mission is to “go to the ends where no one else goes,” has compiled some great ways to teach kids about paying it forward. From learning about how other people around the world get water, to a “stone soup” recipe that comes with a story, check out this link for some amazing ways to teach your children about generosity! 

https://www.worldvision.org/charitable-giving-news-stories/fun-kids-family-activities

BIBLE VERSES:

Let's read Job 38-42. In one of the most hopeless situations in the Bible, God spoke to Job. He knelt down and answered Job’s cry. Job’s response? Worship. 

Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do all things;
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.
4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you
    but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
    and repent in dust and ashes.” 

God loved Job. He loves you too and wants to meet you! No plan of his can be thwarted!

Hope@Home – May 12, 2020

AnnaUncategorized

DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Ben

Let's hear today from Lead Pastor, Ben Prangnell!

UNITED PRAYER: 

Take some time to look at one of David’s prayers in the Psalms. You can so clearly tell that this is a prayer in the midst of chaos. David crafts and pleads prayers like these all throughout the Book of Psalms. Take some time to read it over line by line and piece by piece. Meditate on what David is saying, feeling, and proclaiming to God in Psalm 3. You can do this individually or as a family.

Psalm 3
Lord, how many are my foes!
    How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
    “God will not deliver him.”
3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the Lord,
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.
5 I lie down and sleep;
    I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
     assail me on every side.
7 Arise, Lord!
    Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
    break the teeth of the wicked.
8 From the Lord comes deliverance.
    May your blessing be on your people.

Take some time to process what David is praying and then pray yourself line by line, verse by verse or section by section. Try to pray or write your own prayer, as you go. It can be short or long, whatever is best for you. Remember this prayer is personal. This is for you and for you community around you. Spend this time at the feet of the Father. For more clarity we've written a prayer below to guide you.

Example Prayer:
God, everything feels like it's collapsing with a single gust of wind. Those I trusted in and confided in turned their back on me. They betrayed, they denied, they forgot, they lied, they cheated, they stole, and they purged me of their kindness. They did not love like you, though they pretended they would. I know You Lord and I know Your greatness, Your power and Your Presence. I know that I by no means whatsoever am perfect. I am far from it on my own. I know that I am in need. I need grace upon grace. But I am broken at the thought of my brother as an enemy. I do not wish to be against them.

So, I am calling out to You now. Knowing that in You, any and all things can happen. Knowing the grace and mercy you have for me and every man. Knowing that Your strength is what holds me up. Knowing that Your love extends to me, for you sent Your only Son to die for my sins. In Christ and Christ alone, the living God, I can find life in abundance. Whoever my enemies say I am, I count as lies. Stand by my side and lift me up just as You did David! Show me Your light, give me Your energy, and provide me with Your peace. Thank You for being my wall, my shelter, and my protector. All I have and all I need. Amen.

FAMILY RESOURCES:

Easy, No-Bake, Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies 

Ingredients

2 c sugar
1/2 c butter (1 stick - salted)
1/2 c milk
4 Tbsp cocoa
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 c oatmeal (use quick oats, not old fashioned or steel cut oats)

Instructions

Combine the sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium high to high heat (enough to bring the syrup to a rapid boil). Stir frequently to prevent burning or boiling over!

Once the syrup is at a full rolling boil, stir and cook for 1 minute then remove from heat.

Add the vanilla and cocoa, stir until the syrup is smooth. Add the quick oats and stir until evenly coated with the syrup.

Drop tablespoon-sized portions onto waxed paper, use the back of a spoon to make a cookie shape (rather than a no-bake cookie mound) if desired. Allow to set up for one hour, can freeze for later.

STORY OF HOPE: MICHELLE'S STORY | The hands & feet of Jesus

Michelle Amster shares with us how the generosity of so many of you is making a difference in the Maui community.

Hope@Home – May 11, 2020

AnnaUncategorized

DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Brad

Welcome back to Hope@Home! We hope you had a restful weekend and that all of you moms were loved greatly. Our devotional today is from staff member Brad Thuerbach. Let's listen!

UNITED PRAYER:

Let's speak this prayer over our country today. This was first shared by Billy Graham, written in 2001. Even though it's almost 20 years old, it speaks over similar hardships that we are enduring right now.

"Our Father and Our God, we praise You for Your goodness to our nation, giving us blessings far beyond what we deserve. Yet we know all is not right with America. We deeply need a moral and spiritual renewal to help us meet the many problems we face. Convict us of sin. Help us to turn to You in repentance and faith. Set our feet on the path of Your righteousness and peace. We pray today for our nation’s leaders. Give them the wisdom to know what is right, and the courage to do it. You have said, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”. May this be a new era for America, as we humble ourselves and acknowledge You alone as our Savior and Lord. This we pray in Your holy name, Amen."
-Billy Graham’s prayer for the nation, 2001

FAMILY RESOURCE:

We are called in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
This can seem like a lot when there are days where we don’t have the opportunity to set aside a real quiet time; but think of it as more of being mindful of His presence in your life at any given time. We can be caught up in the material or superficial distractions of life that we often don’t give God acknowledgement. There’s not one perfect way to do this, but it’s good to find what works best for you to grow in your relationship with God. Here’s a few exercises to implement to grow in this practice of “praying without ceasing”.

Thanking God for the little things

In the moment when you notice something you’re thankful for, tell God. Are you thankful for your family? Your home? Maybe you’re just thankful for a good cup of coffee. Give thanks to God for all of His blessings in our lives regardless of how minute they might seem.

Be real with God

The Lord knows everything you’re thinking and feeling. Hebrews 4:15-16 puts it this way, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Since God empathizes with our struggles, you can be real in your emotions to God. He wants to hear your heart where you're at. Biblical lament and questions of doubt are all over the scriptures showing us that God allows us to come to Him even with the messy things. So when you’re frustrated, scared, tempted or any other variety of emotions, come to the Lord in that moment.

Plan certain times to pray

Maybe you're a planner, some of us are and some of us are not! It can be helpful for us to have a set time(s) throughout the day or whenever you perform a certain activity, to prompt yourself to pray habitually. You could try praying every time you get in the car or every day after lunch. Whatever schedule you can make to build the habit, eventually you’ll be spurred on to pray without even being aware of it.

Give yourself reminders

Set aside ways in order to remind yourself to pray. Put sticky notes around your house, set notifications on your phone, whatever works to make you mindful. Even an object can be a reminder to prompt you. For example, if you decide, “Every time I look at Haleakala, I will be reminded to pray.”, you might find yourself praying a whole lot more every time you set your gaze Upcountry.

Start small

Every prayer doesn't have to be eloquent in words or dance around the real feelings (Jesus in fact warns against this, not that it’s necessarily wrong but it’s the heart behind the prayer that matters). The smallest thought can be enough, such as “God I’m tired” or “I give you control”. It doesn’t take much to start dialogue with your Heavenly Creator, in fact it takes very little! To conclude here is a beautiful excerpt from Tom Junod’s phenomenal article on Mister Rogers. "But Mister Rogers, I can’t pray,” he said, “because every time I try to pray, I forget the words.” “I know that,” Mister Rogers said, “and that’s why the prayer I’m going to teach you has only three words.” “What prayer is that, Mister Rogers? What kind of prayer has only three words?” “Thank you, God,” Mister Rogers said… “

MESSAGE RECAP:

If you didn’t catch the livestream this weekend you can still get it online! Watch Craig's message here.

Hope@Home – May 8, 2020

AnnaUncategorized

DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Mila

Thanks for joining us on the blog today! As a reminder, we are fasting & praying together as a church every Friday. This is our way of honoring God & listening clearly to Him as we navigate this new season. Today let's hear from our 'Ohana Groups and Missions Intern, Mila Espinosa, as she encourages us in our faith!

UNITED PRAYER:

Pray for contentment for all believers in Christ during this time. Pray that we remain content in the midst of uncertain conditions and focus on the One who sustains us. Pray that we can shift our heart postures to find true joy in Him despite our circumstance, and to rejoice in Him always. Pray that we dive into what that means for us, and how we can live it out today as the body of Christ.

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” Philippians 4:11-12

FAMILY RESOURCES: Journaling Resource

Whether you've been journaling for a long time or haven't ever tried it, it is important to find a way to process your thoughts & emotions with God. Journaling is a great resource and many people find that it's a great addition to their personal devotional time. Find a journal that you already have in your house, purchase a new one, or create a journal with material you may already own. A great start is this exercise: On each page, write a prompt at the top of each. Each of your family can choose to discuss these prompts out loud in order to verbally process. Or, they can choose to each write their answers. Some prompts include: 

-When was a time you saw God move in your life? 
-When has He answered your prayers? Give specific time He has answered.  
-Who is someone you admire? Share a story of how they inspired you.
-What are you learning about God’s character right now? 
-What is a day you would relive again if you could and why?
-What was a hard time you went through that you made it out of? How did you see God in that or after it ended?
-What are your prayers right now? Where would you like to see God move in your life?
-What do you feel like you do well in?
-What were things you were thankful for before quarantine? Why?
-What are things you are thankful for now? Why?
-What do you want to praise God for and end this season of quarantine praising God for?

Some other ideas we have for journaling:

  1. Start a journal together with someone you love. This way you can keep your letters all in one place. You can doodle or draw and let each other know how you are doing and what you are learning. It is special because the more you send it back and forth, the more memories you are creating. (You can do this within the home, or by mailing it back and forth).

  2. Do a special meal together to simply rejoice together or find good in things. Write these things in your journal afterwards! That way you can go back and read about these special moments. Making good of bad situations can lighten tension some may feel and draw them close to you. This meal could look like a picnic in your front or back yards or having a meal in a different part of your home than normal (picnic indoors on a blanket, or in your living room if you usually only eat at the table). Do something different than your normal routine and be sure to record how these memories impacted you and brought you closer to your loved ones.

  3. We use the Life Journal as way to read through the Bible in a year, and use the simple SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) to develop a strong daily habit of reading the Word and journaling your thoughts and prayers. Some of us on staff have been journaling this way for over 20 years! You can get a Life Journal here.

FAST AND PRAY:

Let's meditate on this scripture as we fast and pray together as a church on Fridays.

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9

Hope@Home – May 7, 2020

AnnaUncategorized

DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Wes

Have you needed some encouragement lately? Listen to our latest devotional from Wes Thomasson.

UNITED PRAYER:

A harsh reality of our time in isolation is that incidences of abuse and harm are rising in our communities. Let’s pray for safety and deliverance for those that are experiencing abuse during the quarantine. For many this has been a time of great trial & difficulty. Let’s pray ultimately for their safety and the courage and the resources to seek help from these situations. Pray for God's protection over those that need his intervention. If Hope can help please let us know. 

FAMILY RESOURCES:

JD here again! As promised, I'm back with more delicious take out options for you and your family during this time. Here are some more of my favorites!

Da Kitchen:

Da Kitchen was my go-to place for informal meetings before the quarantine, and I’m incredibly thankful that they are still open for takeout! It tends to run a little more expensive than other places, but their local food is right there at the top of the list in my opinion. My personal favorite is the Kalua pork, but my buddy Jon swears by the deep fried spam musubi.

Teddy’s Bigger Burgers:

Teddy’s Bigger Burgers takes the cake for me as the best burger on Maui. I’m a big burger guy. When I first moved to Maui one of my first goals was to find the best burger and frequent the restaurant that served it. Teddy’s has a location on Lahaina side, but you can find their food truck in lot behind the Azeka Plaza in Kihei. This place is definitely worth a visit to get some takeout. 

Fork and Salad:

Fork and Salad is in fact open for takeout! I’ll be honest, salads are not my thing, but I’m told by many people that it’s a great place to for a good salad. The options a healthy and convenient. You can choose from soups, salads, sandwiches, or you can do a combo of all. I’ve heard their Maui Goddess salad is phenomenal, and their steak sandwich is something you shouldn't miss.

Story of Hope

Sydney Champion, from Assistance Dogs of Hawaii, shares with us what she's been learning in this season! Let's listen to this encouragement together.

Hope@Home – May 6, 2020

AnnaUncategorized

DAILY DEVOTIONAL:

Happy Wednesday! Our latest devotional is from our Youth Intern JD. Let's listen & think on these truths together.

UNITED PRAYER: God's truth to be spread

Let's pray for God's truth to be heard by all. In this current season it may feel difficult to share or evangelize like we used to, but the power of prayer in this aspect is still so important and in a season of struggle, people's hearts are more open than ever. Let's pray that the Gospel would continue to be shared and that people would continue to accept Christ. Ask God if there is anyone that He wants you to reach out to specifically. Has someone been on your heart for a long time but you haven't gotten in touch with them yet? Let's be obedient to these nudges in our hearts and follow through with them.

FAMILY RESOURCES:

Wanting to find ways to be resourceful and thrifty in this season? 

You’ve probably heard the advice to cook more at home and eat out less. This can be a difficult transition for some, but it can be easier than you think! Plan your meals for the week out ahead of time, buy ingredients in bulk, and shopping with a list can help you stick to your goal. Going to the store with a plan will help you to be more likely to succeed! Another helpful tip is to try to stock up on meat when it’s a good price and freeze it for later, or plan your meals around the sales. It may feel different, but with a little practice we can make the best of meals at home!

There are other ways to replace your disposable products with reusable ones! This saves you the consistent expense of replacing them, and is more eco-friendly as well. Paper towels can be replaced with microfiber cloths, cloth napkins can be used instead of paper ones, you can even make your own laundry detergent or deodorant. Look up recipes online, there are many creative ones that use items you may already have in your home.

If you struggle with online shopping (Amazon can be a dangerous place, we know), then try to implement these few rules: Only shop when you absolutely need something. Unsubscribe from store emails so you’re not tempted by sales and delete any shopping apps from your phone! Want to go a step further? Don’t let websites where you regularly shop save your payment info. That way you’ll think twice about a purchase while you get up, find your card, and enter it all in. Ask someone to hold you accountable in making only necessary purchases, this can be helpful in the long run.

What are you doing to save these days? Let us know in the comments below!

WORSHIP PLAYLIST:

Enjoy some mid-week worship by clicking the link below!

What is your favorite worship song? Tell us in the comments, we'd love to make a list of Hope Chapel favorites.

Hope@Home – May 5, 2020

AnnaUncategorized

DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Te'a Tylova

We love this devotional from one of our missionaries from the Czech Republic, Te'a Tylova! Let's hear what she has to say today.

UNITED PRAYER:

Take this time to choose a prayer from scripture to meditate on. This can be a passage that you love, or we have some suggestions below! 
Do your best to think about and meditate on this throughout the day. Try and pick a few times throughout the day to pray this prayer in your own words. God hears you!

A Prayer from Jehoshaphat- “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
A Prayer from Habakkuk- “Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vine, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.”
A Prayer from Jesus- “My father! If possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine...My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 
A Prayer from David- ’This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

FAMILY RESOURCES:

Nothing beats learning and creating! What better way to do this as a family than with fun experiments. You can use this fun experiment that we've written out to discuss with your family how God created life live in harmony with one another and how beautiful that can be. 

Baking Soda Rainbow

How does it work? When baking soda and vinegar mix, they release carbon dioxide (this is the same gas that is in the bubbles in your carbonated drinks). If you add soap, the carbon dioxide essentially makes it bubbly as well. To get the most bubbles, you want to be sure as much of the carbon dioxide gas comes into contact with soap as possible. The best and most foamy baking soda and vinegar eruptions are made by baking soda reacting with vinegar that has a few drops (about one squirt) of soap mixed into it.

To make these rainbow eruptions, mix baking soda with different shades of liquid watercolors (once you add a few squirts, mix well with a spoon or your hands until the color is evenly dispersed). You can either air-dry the colored baking soda, or you can use it while it is still damp (however dried works slightly better). If you don't have liquid watercolors, you can add several drops (5-15) of food coloring to a teaspoon of water. Add more water as needed to disperse the color.

Spend time talking about what you see happening together. It can also be fun to ask kids, "How do you see God in this?", and hear their individual answers.

STORY OF HOPE

       "For the past five weeks my 'Ohana Group and I have been meeting up online through Instagram. Throughout the week we text each other funny stories, we FaceTime when we’re getting our hair cut, we fan girl over Timothee Chalamet, and we do fun challenges together. A few weeks ago we tried out new recipes like snickerdoodles, carrot cake, and churros. One of our group tried making peanut butter cookies, but the mix was eight years old and needless to say, once finished, those cookies deserved to be burned. Be sure to check the date on the container before baking!
   We’ve also been meeting up on Thursday nights through Instagram video chat to go over the Romans Road series. We talk story, take prayer requests, and read Bible stories together. We may not be able to meet in person, but we are still finding ways to interact with and encourage one another. As it says in Hebrews 10:24-25 “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.” -Abigail Christopherson, HCMY Student

Hope@Home – May 4, 2020

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Linus

Our devotional today is from one of our missionaries here at Hope Chapel, Linus Morris, who works to equip believers worldwide with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Linus walks us through a passage in Ezekiel where we see God's sovereignty in a changing time.

UNITED PRAYER: Persistance

Let's pray for persistence during this time. Pray for God’s Spirit to encourage and equip you to continue to seek Him through any challenges. Ask that the Lord will reveal the ways in which He is using these circumstances to shape your growth. Pray for rest in God’s provision and understand that He gives us strength to persist in uncertainty.

FAMILY RESOURCES: Mother's Day gift ideas

Mother’s Day is coming soon! It is such a special day where we get to celebrate and show love to the most important women in our lives. Our mothers & spiritual mothers have loved us faithfully, so it’s the perfect opportunity for us to reciprocate the love towards them! Right now gifts may be hard to come by, but with a little creativity you can come up with something meaningful that will make them feel special! Here are some great options:

Write a card

This might sound too easy or obvious but never underestimate the power of a genuine heartfelt message. Let your mom know just how much she means to you and express your love in your own handwriting! Adding fond memories or inside jokes can be an extra personal touch to add some more joy to your card.

Cook a meal

Not everyone can afford to buy extravagant gifts this year and that’s completely okay! You can make special memories together through sharing a meal together. Surprise her by making breakfast or dinner for her and use the time to truly enjoy intentional time together! If you're not in the same household, but live near one another, you can drop a meal off and share from a distance or over Zoom! If you don't have the means to do either of those due to distance, a FaceTime/Zoom call over a meal can also be a great memory.

Buy flowers

A bouquet is bound to make anyone feel special. Flowers can bring a great splash of color to a household and is also a wonderful reminder of how loved and appreciated your mother is.

Make a memory scrapbook

Put together some of your favorite photos and give her an opportunity to remember all the precious memories in your family. If you have any old letters/notes you can add these as well to make a truly special gift!

Be crafty

Put your artistic (or not-so-artistic) skills to the test! You can let your creativity go wherever it takes you and see what you come up with. Even if it doesn’t turn out perfect, the effort and personal touch will be more than enough to make her day.

MESSAGE RECAP: Blessed are the meek

What does it mean to be meek? Our eternal inheritance is found in humility.

If you didn’t catch the message yesterday you can still stream it online! Check our videos section here or you can watch by clicking this link: https://vimeo.com/showcase/7058407