Cycles | Friendships

Mike D'Eliso September 24, 2021

Some friends are for a season, some for a reason, and others for a lifetime.

I’m not sure where I picked this up. I want to say a teacher along the line. It’s seemed to hold water throughout my experience of friendships, and it undoubtedly stuck in my head. The concept was helpful for reconciling my disconnection with friends who have been particularly close in other “seasons” that seem so distant today.

My natural instinct has been to say between reason, season, and lifetime, that lifetime must be the ideal, right? With a dear friend, who would want that season to end? But seasons in my life like high school or college, you know, the “good ol’ days,” were special. And that team at work who tackled that serious challenge or the small group who truly cared for each other in a sweet Christ-like way. Those friend groups have been paramount in my life. I am who I am today because of those different seasons. Although I hardly see those friends anymore, we do have the joy of picking up right where we left off when we do get to catch up.

What about reasons? When you look back over the friendships that have shaped your life, do you also have those people who, for better or worse, taught you something? From the mentor who imparted wisdom and the coach who imparted courage, to the neighbor who taught you sharing or the difficult person who taught you long-suffering, we’ve had people in and out of our lives that seem to encapsulate a particular lesson.

Finally, there are those relationships that last a lifetime. The soul-connected friendship of a close friend like that described in John 15:13. The committed covenant relationship vowed in marriage. The unwavering love of a parent that doesn’t wane, no matter the age of their kids.

However, while relationships can add meaning to our lives, they can also be a source of heartache.

Perhaps one thing that can be so painful is the end of some relationships— especially when they don’t match the intended purpose. In particular, the relationships that are fundamentally intended to be life-long. The early death of a partner or parent. Divorce. Siblings cutting off from family. For those assumed longterm relationships, when incongruent or cut short, the pain is substantially deeper. Albeit from either conflict, brokenness or disaster.

This brings me to Jesus. Jesus’s abiding spirit is not seasonal. And while we have lessons we learn; His love, commitment and connection is forever. The book of Matthew ends with Jesus’s final words before ascending, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20)

Any other relationship will have an end. Jesus’s commitment to us is that he’ll never leave. That he’ll never give up on us. That nothing can ever separate us from His love. And this is good news.

About the Author

Mike is currently serving as CitySalt's Transition Pastor during this unique season of our church. Mike is married to Britni D'Eliso and together they have two awesome elementary school-aged children. He loves working in his garden and connecting with people over coffee. One of his greatest joys in pastoring is helping others discover the fullness that God has for them through His Scriptures and His Spirit.

Cycles | Deciding What to Do with the Time That is Given to Us

Ursula Crawford September 10, 2021

As we’ve lived through the past 18 months of this pandemic, my emotions have cycled through disbelief, panic, despair, anger, and gratitude for the blessings that I do have. This summer, I began to approach a more steady emotional baseline, but that has changed recently as the Delta variant has surged through our community and overwhelmed our health care system. In recent weeks, I’ve found myself more stuck in negative emotions and struggling to feel hopeful.

One morning I was half-heartedly praying for God’s help through this mess, and I felt nudged to consider shifting my focus away from myself. Despair about the pandemic had led me to negative self-talk about my life in general. So, I felt God reminding me that this pandemic is not only a difficult time for me, and that I should shift my focus on finding ways to be an encouragement to others.

With that in mind, I called my friend whose preschool daughter recently tested positive for covid to check in with her and offer my prayers. I spent time helping my son clean his disaster-zone bedroom. I baked zucchini bread for my family and took my dog for a walk.

The times we’re living through are challenging and it’s easy to become discouraged. We may wish that others would make different choices. We may wish we ourselves had made different choices in the past. None of those things are within our control. I’ve been reminding myself that I can only control my own choices, today.

Last winter, I read the Lord of the Rings trilogy aloud to my daughter. Traveling a dangerous path to Mt. Doom felt like a good parallel for life in the pandemic. One scene has stood out to me in particular. Frodo says to Gandalf, “I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish it need not have happened in my time.”

And Gandalf replied, “So do I. And so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us.”

How then, should we respond to the time that is given to us? Should we give in to anger and vitriol over personal freedoms vs. safety? Should we give in to despair and stop even trying? Or should we try to keep moving forward and attempt to live from a place of kindness, respect, and hope?

I hope I will always choose to keep moving forward, even when we’re unsure of the path in front of us, just like Frodo and his friends did in Lord of the Rings.

I’ve read that the pandemic in the U.S. may start fading away in October, as the Delta surge recedes. I’ve also read that the pandemic may not end for several more years. Which is closer to the truth? We don’t know.

It’s so hard to live within this uncertainty. I wonder, how do we keep moving forward when the ground beneath our feet keeps shifting? I’ve run out of answers, yet it seems there must be a way.

We need to be honest and acknowledge the tragedies of the last eighteen months and the challenges we continue to face locally and globally. Let’s give ourselves a break and recognize that many of us may not be able to function at our best right now. Our feelings of grief, anger, denial, and resilience will come in cycles. At the same time, we can draw inspiration from literature, scripture, and history and recognize that humanity is no stranger to dark times. Our ancestors have lived through world wars, natural disasters, smallpox outbreaks, and the bubonic plague. God put us in this time and place for a reason, and will not abandon us now.

Isaiah 43:1-2
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God.”

About the Author

Ursula and her husband Spencer have two young children, and their family enjoys playing hide-and-seek and dancing in the living room. She works as a communications and events coordinator with the University of Oregon.

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Community Prayer Guide | September 2021

Darla Beardsley September 9, 2021

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

Community Prayer Guide September 2021

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Luke 11:9

Church
Pray for the love and power of Jesus Christ to be demonstrated and proclaimed by every Jesus-follower.
Pray for times of refreshing, rest and encouragement for your pastoral team and their families.
Pray for the leadership of every local church to receive renewed direction & grace to lead Jesus’ church.
Pray for local pastors & churches to love each other more & more, being unified as Jesus & the Father are.

Education
Pray for unity within each school building, between administration, staff, families, and students.
Pray for teachers to have wisdom and discernment, to rise above controversy and have freedom to focus on the students and their passion for teaching.
Pray for all believers in education to be strengthened with grace, love, and power to bring peace and hope into their environment.

Government
Pray for the Holiday Farm Fire Recovery: for barriers to be removed and the process to be expedited.
Pray for God’s wisdom to be upon every local governments’ mayors, commissioners, councils and staff.
Pray for the increase and effectiveness of transitional, supportive housing for homeless adults and families.
Pray for God to direct government, church and non-profits to effectively shepherd people who are homeless.
Pray for the protection of single parents, kids, the elderly, and youth without stable housing.

Business
Pray for God to raise-up business leaders with vision & boldness to advance God’s purposes through business.
Pray for business & government leaders to find effective ways to increase the local housing supply.
Pray for business leaders to have God’s wisdom to lead now, and into the next season.
Pray for more workers to enter into the workforce; pray for the right workers/businesses to find each other.

“For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Luke 11:10

“It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens;
I marshalled their starry hosts.”
Isaiah 45:12

Arts
Pray for the Lord’s Spirit to guide the leaders of the Wildish Theater into a new season.
Pray for art classes (music, drama, visual, creative writing) to have new vitality and focus.
Pray for God-honoring writers to have God-inspired thoughts and new opportunities.
Pray for local musicians to discover Jesus and experience God’s provision.

Family
Pray for families to thrive and walk in their God-given purposes in life.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for parents to cultivate health in their lives and the lives of their families.
Pray for senior citizens to be connected with, cared for, and loved.

Health Care
Pray for Christian healthcare providers (HCPs) to be salt, light and loving Christ-ambassadors.
During higher COVID-19 cases, pray for our community to be unified in our health care efforts.
Pray also for the protection, health & strength of HCPs.
Pray for HCPs to have peace, wisdom and biblical solutions to treat those suffering from mental illness.
Pray for God’s healing hand & wisdom to be upon COVID-19 treatments and the administration of the vaccine.

Police & Fire Departments
Pray for the Oregon State Legislature to allocate abundant resources for local first responders.
Pray for our local first responders to have strength, encouragement and perseverance.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for God to move people of noble character to apply and be hired as first responders.
Pray for God to protect our land from wildfires (winds, temperatures, electrical, accidents, etc).

Media
Pray for God to raise up media leaders who love and follow Jesus.
Pray for those in media to have first-hand experiences of God’s love through the Church.
Pray for local radio, newspapers and television to release stories that highlight virtue and character.

Sports
Pray for God’s blessing of health to be on all school athletics during the Fall season.
Pray for Christ honoring athletes to be empowered to live, love and speak like Jesus.
Pray for God to lead the plans & community preparations for the World Athletics Championships in July 2022.

“Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it.” Isaiah 45:8

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Cycles | Kintsugi

John Rice August 27, 2021

Have you ever experienced a season of goodness long enough that you started taking it for granted? Or that you started to believe that maybe if you kept living an exemplary life, it never would have to be interrupted?

I used to think life was supposed to be something always within my comfort zone, something kind of easy peasy, with just a bit of challenge thrown in to be interesting. If life happened to throw me a major curve ball, it was certainly from the devil.

Whether it is the devil on the other end of the imperfections, disruptions or catastrophes of our lives, I can’t say for sure, but one thing I do know is that life is full of good and bad, easy and difficult, joy and sorrow - and no one is exempt. Sometimes our own choices lead us down the wrong path and we end up injured, addicted or broken in some way.

Have you ever gotten trapped in an unhealthy habit which you felt powerless to escape from? I have. And I know many people who have as well. In those entanglements, people often have to “hit bottom” before they will finally reach out to find the help and resources they need to get free. And often when we think we (or someone we know) has hit bottom, we haven’t quite yet, and have to fall even deeper before we hit it. This is such a hard thing to experience for ourselves or watch happen to someone we love. It is really like a series of small deaths: a death of dreams and expectations, a death of our belief in rational solutions and spiritual platitudes, a death in believing that we are better than this.

I now no longer expect life to always be easy and happy, though thankfully sometimes it is. I know we will all experience “small deaths” while we are living on this earth. But I’ve seen enough of these that I’ve learned a very important truth: God’s grace is always deeper than we could ever fall. Hitting bottom is really falling into His hands, though it might not feel like that at the time. As we let God help us recover, we also can notice an amazing consequence: He fills in the broken areas of our lives with His “Gold Glue”.

In Colossians 1:17 it is written,
Jesus is before all things and in Him all things hold together.

He holds all things together and certainly that includes us and all our broken pieces! An ancient Japanese technique illustrates this well for us. It is called kintsugi and it is a practice used to restore broken pottery. Kintsugi is founded on the principle that just because something is broken does not mean it should be thrown away. Rather, it should be honored for its life and beauty by restoring it to wholeness through applying a glue filled with gold flakes. The effect is stunning. Though one will always be able to see where the piece of pottery was once broken, it now serves the purpose it was intended for with streaks of gold that “hold all things together” and now shines with an interesting and exceptional beauty.

Jesus is before all things and after all things, the Alpha and Omega. He holds all things together during our life here on earth, during our transition to the after-life, and in the heavenlies as well! There is nowhere that His grace is not present.

Isaiah states it so beautifully in Chapter 61:
God has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for 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.

To God, absolutely no one is a “throw away.” Not only does God restore, repair and honor His broken people, sometimes He even allows us to participate with Him in this work by helping others we know who are experiencing brokenness of some kind. This all sounds like pure gold to me!!

About the Author

John lives in Pleasant Hill with his dog, Gunnar, and a multitude of guests who enjoy the peace and beauty of the Cascade foothills. With three children and three grandchildren all living in Oregon, he is continually blessed with their company and the good food that always accompanies their get-togethers!

Cycles | Fire Season

Mark Beardsley August 13, 2021

The Earth orbits the Sun and the seasons change. The cycles of the world come and go, as do cycles of loss, grief and recovery.

The summer season is again upon us and with its hot, dry weather and the possibility of wildfires. Last year’s fire season was one of the worst in a long time in the McKenzie Valley, destroying many homes and businesses. I remember those days very clearly, even though our home wasn’t in danger, some of my coworkers did have homes in areas of evacuation that crept closer and closer as the days went on. Finally, two of my coworkers had to stop work and get ready to move as their area was elevated to “Be Ready” status, meaning they could be told to leave their homes and belongings at any moment. We wished them well and prayed that they would be okay.

I later learned that one of the casualties of the fire was a resort in Blue River where I had spent many writing retreats over the years. In fact, most of the town of Blue River had burned, leaving burnt out cars and charred chimneys standing alone.

In the midst of this year of destruction, I received a phone call. My son had died. Alex was not my biological son, but I dated his mother for several years and he had started calling me dad and so I called him son and, so in my heart he was my son. And now he is gone. We had not spoken to each other for a long time as we had drifted apart, but now there was no hope of reconciliation on this side of Heaven. I pray that I will meet him there someday and we will have our chance to make broken things right.

As the fires burned through our forests, they also burned through my life, my heart and my mind. I, too, am left with charred remains inside my soul, some with lonely, solitary chimneys left standing to remind me of the structures that once stood there.

When the Holiday Farm Fire was finally contained and the area deemed safe, my wife and I went up the McKenzie both to escape our confines during lockdown and to see the remains of the resort. Some of the buildings were gone, but others still stood in the capricious way that good things can also happen in this world. People were working to tear down the wreckage and build anew. Many trees still stood and were still green, and the river still flowed nearby. These were signs that all was not lost and of hope for the future.

Now that the fires of that season have ended, I, too, feel hope and love building in my heart. I feel the support of my wife and family and friends and the love of the Lord to repair that which was lost to me and I hope resides in a better world to come. Wildfires can be healing as well as destructive as they clear out the dead undergrowth and give the trees room to grow and be healthier.

I pray that the fires that have burned through my soul will also be able to help me heal and grow in spite of the pain and destruction that it feels like this past year has wrought. I pray that you also can feel the healing and growth for yourselves in the coming new season.

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. 5 They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

About the Author

Mark lives in Oregon with his lovely wife, Darla and enjoys reading, writing, playing games and working to make the world a better place. He currently serves CitySalt church as a sound engineer and on the church council.

Community Prayer Guide | August 2021

Darla Beardsley August 1, 2021

Community Prayer Guide August 2021

“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.”
Psalm 96:1

Church
Pray for God’s love, power and protection to be upon staff and students at summer camps.
Pray for kids and families to come to follow Jesus through summer outreaches.
Pray for times of refreshing, rest and encouragement for your pastoral team and their families.
Pray for the leadership of every local church to receive renewed direction & grace to lead Jesus’ church.
Pray for local pastors & churches to love each other more & more, being unified as Jesus & the Father are.

Education
Pray for refreshing and renewal for all school staff: personal, relational, professional and spiritual.
There are many job openings in our local schools. Pray that God would fill every position with quality personnel that will lead schools and students into His highest good.
Pray for students who did not return to school after the shutdown. Pray they would be brought into healthy, loving communities and catch up in their learning.
Pray for God to raise up mentors in churches to be weekly caring adults in students’ lives.

Government
Pray for God’s wisdom to be upon every local governments’ mayors, commissioners, councils and staff.
Pray for the Lord to guide Lane County leaders & staff as they assist the Holiday Farm Fire rebuilding efforts.
Pray for God to direct government, church and non-profit efforts to effectively shepherd people who are homeless. Pray that their efforts would unify, and not further divide our community.
Pray for the increase and effectiveness of transitional, supportive housing for homeless adults and families.

Business
Pray for God to raise up business leaders who have vision for advancing kingdom purposes through business.
Pray for business & government leaders to find effective ways to increase the local housing supply.
Pray for business leaders to have God’s wisdom to lead now, and into a post pandemic paradigm.
Pray for more workers to enter into the workforce; pray for the right workers/businesses to find each other.

“Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.”
Psalm 96:2

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
Psalm 96:3

Arts
Pray for the Lord’s Spirit to guide the leaders of the Hult Center as it reopens.
Pray for local visual artists to reengage their projects with God-inspired direction.
Pray for local musicians and concerts to be safe, prosperous, and rebuild a sense of community.

Family
Pray for families to have quality times together that are full of peace and harmony.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for parents to discern truth and have wisdom to lead their kids in life and in the education system.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and affordable resources that strengthen them.

Health Care
Pray for an increase of primary care providers in our community.
Pray for God to empower health care providers (HCPs) with stamina, courage and to provide hope.
Pray for HCPs to have peace and wisdom to treat those suffering from mental illness.
Pray for God’s healing hand & wisdom to be upon COVID-19 treatments and the administration of the vaccine.

Media
Pray for those in media to have first-hand experiences of God’s love through the Church.
Pray for local radio, newspapers and television to release stories that highlight virtue and character.
Pray that the local media would be empowered to report true stories that build trust.
Pray for strong, stable and prosperous local media: radio, TV and newspaper.
Pray for God to raise up media leaders who love and follow Jesus.

Sports
Pray for God’s protection to be on outdoor recreation (water, trails, roads).
Pray for God’s blessing to be on high school athletes as they train this summer.
Pray for God to lead the plans & community preparations for the World Athletics Championships in July 2022.
Pray for youth sports to have God’s wisdom & blessing: schools, Kidsports, YMCA and youth football.

“Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory & strength.”
Psalm 96:7

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Cycles | Fireweed: Beauty From Ashes

Jessie Carter July 30, 2021

Fireweed and Mt. Jefferson (photo by Jessie Johnson)

When I hear the word “cycle,” middle school science class comes to mind, with the life-cycle of an organism. Whether plant or animal, the cycle always includes death. So really, we should call it a “life and death cycle.” But that’s too depressing. Or too wordy. Or both.

Anyway, we all know that death is a part of life. But that’s really hard to accept sometimes. Death is the end of something. That thing is no longer alive, and that is sad. Really, really sad sometimes, especially when it’s a loved one. I haven’t yet lost anyone to death that was really close to me, but I’ve been told you never really stop grieving completely. In a lesser but still meaningful way, the death could be of a place or an item or a job that we cherished, lost to natural disaster or the economy, or death of a dream we’ve had to give up or grieve.

I’m currently grieving that last one, and I’ve done it before. It is very difficult in this stage to see the next one, the new-growth stage that comes after the death of something. But I am reminded of the beautiful passage in Isaiah chapter 61, verses 1-3. It says in the NIV translation:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord 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 for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—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.

I don’t know about you, but between my personal current grief and the state of the world, I am very tempted to despair. But I hold onto the promises in this passage, and I believe that God has given us signs of this in nature.

Last summer, I went hiking with a friend to Jefferson Park, a gorgeous meadow on the flanks of Mt. Jefferson. The trail had just reopened after a few years of being closed due to a previous wildfire. We hiked through woods that seemed to contain nothing more than the ghostly remains of trees. We could see the devastation all around us. But soon we saw things that we wouldn’t have seen if we’d hiked there before the fire. Open views of the majestic Mt. Jefferson were available to us between the burned trees, where previously the evergreens would have blocked the views. And in several patches, this giant, bright pink flower grew on the forest floor. Later I asked a friend who used to work for the forest service about it--she said it’s called Fireweed.

Then I understood. This flower is the plant world’s phoenix, rising from the ashes of the wildfire. And it was beautiful.

It seems like every time I go to a memorial service for someone I knew, I find out about someone else I know having a baby. The new birth does not cancel the grief from the death, no more than the pretty fireweed undoes the devastation of the forest. But both of these examples of the life-cycle give me hope. God doesn’t promise to keep us from experiencing death or loss. But in the passage above, He does promise to comfort us in our mourning and bring new joy.

Oregon is still mourning the losses of land and homes and even people from last year’s wildfires, including the beautiful Jefferson Park that I made it to just in time last summer. This year is looking to cause as much or more damage. I am not saying we should be happy for tragedy and grief because of a joy that is to come. But, we can rejoice in the hope that God will comfort us, and that he promises to raise something beautiful from the ashes in our lives.

For a couple of songs inspired by this passage that bring me much comfort, check out these links.

About the Author

Jessie is an educator, she currently teaches teens and has taught overseas. She is also a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a (long-neglected) blog about the journeys of women. She is very excited to be a part of the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her trusty sidekick cat, Arwen in the foothills of South Eugene, where she can go hiking within minutes of the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

Cycles | Well Rounded

Terry Sheldon July 16, 2021

A cycle is a wonderful thing. Full of symbolism and personal meaning that can be so easily grasped. Just look around, circles are everywhere--in our manmade structures, our technologies and the organic world. We identify a wedding ring for commitment, gathering a circle of close friends. And in nature, the rain cycle drops much needed moisture, only to make the long journey back to its beginning through evaporation.

Right now, I'm interested in our cycles of faith.

We all tend to think linearly about life in general. We're born, we grow and we learn along the way. We encounter trauma and we stumble badly. Then with God's rich understanding, compassion and grace, we get back up and try again. But our lives have a shelf life, and the learning is typically hard work. There's only so much time and energy given to walk through all this stuff.

Then we reach our earthly end.

Of course as believers, we have great hope in an eternal outcome, but painting that earthly picture in such vivid detail can make the journey seem so arduous...like we're stuck on a personal/relational treadmill. Successes - yes, but so many failures too. And then there's change. Love it or leery of it, it's coming and it's constant. Our fear or denial of it doesn't change the change.

Hang on, really, I'm trying to help here.

Maybe instead of a great, straight, rigid line stretching from beginning to end, we should think, hope and practice in cycles. A circle endlessly repeats itself, but a cycle seems like a segment - a story, with so much variation and possibilities. Maybe it's like a great ocean wave - an OPEN circle. It has an origin, builds up momentum, spins in a circle, but then breaks on the beach. Yes it does repeat itself, but in a different and organic fashion next time and every time.

Also, I think our American and western culture views our lives mainly as a competitive human race, full of individualism and bravado. But instead of a 100 yard straight line sprint, shouldn't our faith be a graceful, curved path? (Yes, we all NEED more grace!) The curves allow us to get a more rounded view of ourselves and others, with inclusion in community - without needing to look back over our shoulders. And maybe more importantly, a slower pace around the edges provides some rest for our weary souls - time to exchange stress for that joy and all other good Spirit fruits so beautifully promised to us in the Word of God.

So let's relax, we've been here before, haven't we?

And this time we can break through! Is there a crash? Hit the reset button and begin again. And again. And again. Maybe we can view failure in a different light - without ANY guilt and shame! Maybe we can view cycles as a refresher course, that really is refreshing. Time spent walking and talking with God once again. He is more than just interested. He is fully invested in our success.

About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Community Prayer Guide | July 2021

Darla Beardsley July 1, 2021

Community Prayer Guide July 2021

“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
Hebrews 9:14

Church
Pray for times for refreshing and renewal for local pastors and their families.
Pray for the leadership of every local church to receive renewed direction & grace to lead Jesus’ church.
Pray for local pastors & churches to love each other more & more, being unified as Jesus & the Father are.

Education
Pray for refreshing and renewal for all school staff: personal, relational, professional and spiritual.
Pray schools develop creative strategies to help students who are credit deficient from the last 15 months.
There are many job openings in our local schools. Pray that God would fill every position with quality
personnel that will lead schools and students into His highest good.
Pray for students who did not return to school after the shutdown. Pray they would be brought into healthy, loving communities.

Government
Pray for God’s wisdom to be upon every local governments’ mayors, commissioners, councils and staff.
Pray for the Lord to guide Lane County leaders & staff as they assist the Holiday Farm Fire rebuilding efforts.
Pray for God to direct government, church and non-profit efforts to effectively shepherd people who are homeless; pray their efforts would unify, and not further divide our community.
Pray for the increase and effectiveness of transitional, supportive housing for homeless adults and families.

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—”
Hebrews 9:15a

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1

Arts
Pray for the God’s hand of blessing to be on the first Blueberry Festival up the McKenzie, and the art facilitated by the PAC Rim Art Guild (a Jesus-following artist collective).
Pray for local visual artists to reengage their projects with God-inspired direction.
Pray for local musicians and concerts to be safe, prosperous, and rebuild a sense of community.
Pray for the Lord’s Spirit to guide the leaders of the Oregon Contemporary Theater as it reopens.

Police & Fire Departments
Pray for the Oregon State Legislature to allocate abundant resources for local first responders.
Pray for our local first responders to have strength, encouragement and perseverance.
Pray for first responders to be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for God to move people of noble character to apply and be hired as first responders.
Pray for God to protect our land from wildfires (winds, temperatures, electrical, accidents, etc).

Media
Pray for the leadership and staff of KMTR to be guided by the Lord in their reporting.
Pray for local radio, newspapers and television to release stories that highlight virtue and character.
Pray that the local media would be empowered to report true stories that build trust.

Sports
Pray for God’s blessing upon high school athletes as they train this summer.
Pray for God’s protection on outdoor recreation (water, trails, roads).
Pray for God to lead the plans & community preparations for the World Athletics Championships in July 2022.
Pray for youth sports organizations to have God’s wisdom & blessing: schools, Kidsports, YMCA, Little League.

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
Hebrews 11:3

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Special Announcement from Pastor Dusty | June 24, 2021

Darla Beardsley June 24, 2021

June 24, 2021

Dear Friends of CitySalt,

It is with deep love and conflicted emotions that I let you in on some upcoming changes relating to me that impact our shared-life as a church.

I want to take this time to share with you my decision to step aside as lead pastor in the weeks ahead. Though it has been rumbling in my heart for a couple of years, this decision has been wrestled out in prayer, processed through with loved ones, and has finally landed in my soul as God’s plan and way forward.

As you may know, I have had the privilege of being the lead pastor of CitySalt for the past 12 years. It has been a sweet and memorable journey that has marked my life for the good, and has taught me so much about God’s goodness and His presence among our community of believers. You may also be surprised to know that I have served in various full-time ministry roles as a Foursquare minister for 27 years. These years have been packed full of beautiful people and transforming experiences that have deepened my faith, seasoned my calling, and certainly influenced the person I am today.

I want to express my appreciation for the love, support and trust that you and others have given me (and of course, the grace when my immaturity may have been obvious ;). For me, this announcement is bittersweet—sad for the necessary ending, but exciting for the new beginning for CitySalt and for me. This change will allow me to explore new ways of contributing to our greater community and to be more intentional with how I spend time with my family. At first you might see this as unfortunate timing, given the impact of the pandemic. At moments, I thought that way too. But after much prayer and consideration, I believe it is actually perfect timing, as our church will need to come together with fresh purpose and vision around what God is doing in the days ahead. I will simply not be the one to lead it this time around.

As appropriate steps are taken to walk through this coming change, I have absolute confidence in our leaders. Pastors Mike and John have been close as I have processed this decision. They along with our ministry leaders and church council will be guided by our Foursquare District representative (David Eddy) who will come alongside us as we navigate this season together. My last Sunday will be August 29 and more information will soon follow. In the meantime, there is much to do. There will be tasks to undertake and conversations to be had. And there will be tears, hugs, laughter and tender words for sure. All of this is a necessary part of grieving, celebrating, and believing God for the new and good that will be around this corner.

As we move ahead, I would like to invite you to a couple of things: 1) Please be in prayer as we seek God together and prepare for the future. 2) I also invite you to join us this weekend for our Big Table Sunday on June 27, where I will take time to provide further details as we begin to walk through this together. It would mean a lot to me if you could be there to hear my heart, say some prayers, and partake in the Lord’s Table together. I love and appreciate you dearly and hope to see you this Sunday!

Gratefully yours,

Pastor Dusty (and Julia)

A physical copy of this special announcement has also been mailed and should be arriving soon (if we have your correct address.)

Click for more info on big table sunday

Resilient | Rebuilding the Broken Things

Ursula Crawford June 18, 2021

Earlier in the pandemic I had a mental image of entering a cocoon, with the hope of emerging transformed into something beautiful at the end. I tried to picture quarantine as an opportunity to rest and let God work deeply. That may have been wishful thinking. Now as the pandemic is slowly lurching towards an end of sorts, I think I am in fact emerging as a more exhausted and broken self. But, I have survived, and maybe that’s enough.

Recent changes -- thanks to the vaccine -- have allowed my life to resume some sort of normalcy and left me feeling more hopeful. My kids have been able to start going to school part-time, which I am immensely grateful for. My daughter joined a swim team. My movie discussion group was finally able to gather in person around my backyard fire pit instead of on Zoom.

I feel like I am rebuilding my life and I sense there is a general need for rebuilding as a society at this time. God invites us to partner in the rebuilding process.

Isaiah 58:12 (NIV)
“Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

There are several things I’m watching out for during this season of rebuilding.

Acknowledge the losses. Many of us have experienced a range of losses this past year including sickness and death, mental health struggles, broken relationships, and economic impacts. Many children, including my own, may struggle to rebound from the social and academic losses of the past year. As much as we want to quickly put this season behind us, acknowledging the grief that goes along with these losses is a necessary part of the healing and rebuilding process. If you are feeling despair, I want to encourage you that it is not a permanent feeling. You can seek help from a friend or a professional counselor. God wants to redeem this season of grief, “to comfort all who mourn...bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning.” (Isaiah 61:3)
Maintain empathy and compassion. One of the things I’ve been most struggling with is maintaining empathy and compassion for those who have had a different response to the pandemic than I have. This seems to be the case for many folks. We’re in a heightened time of ideological divides, not just as it relates to public health, but also to general political views. It’s so tempting and easy to have anger towards people who are in active opposition to your views. Brené Brown cautions against what she calls “common enemy intimacy.” Having anger towards whoever you view as the out-group, be they anti-maskers, always-maskers, or OSU Beaver fans*, does not help us move forward. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive away darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive away hate; only love can do that.”
Be the change you wish to see. As we rebuild, things will not turn out the same as they would have without the pandemic. This is an opportunity for us to prayerfully consider our goals and work towards achieving them. You might be working toward big or small changes in your life. After a year of so much sameness, one of my goals is to be more open to trying new things. So, recently, I decided to be adventurous and purchase wasabi-soy snack almonds instead of my usual honey roasted flavor. They were surprisingly good! And today I went for a trail run in a new location (it was too hilly for me and I had to walk a lot, but it made me feel a bit closer to an elite athlete). Those are small things, but I’m hoping that the practice of trying new things will lead me to more fun and adventure over the long-term.

Where do you see the need to rebuild in your own life and relationships? What step is God inviting you to take today?

*Just kidding Beaver believers! The author does not endorse any sports teams (unless of course it’s a team her children are on).

About the Author

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Resilient | Resilience, My New Friend

Terry Sheldon June 4, 2021

I have a new friend. His name is resilience. More than a Friday night burger and milkshake buddy, our friendship is deepening. A few months ago it felt like we just met, but now - I kind of like this guy. In my last blog post I wrote that resilience doesn't get much respect. Merely enduring pain and loss but not, in our popular Christian vocabulary - overcoming, seemed a bit of a hollow victory.

Absorbing all the losses of 2020 (clearly my hardest year ever) has been so tough. It started with a death in my family, some health issues, then the isolation and fear of an unknown pandemic sank in. Add in our national political corruption and disillusionment, social strife enabled by toxic technology, and far-reaching environmental fears.

And here in our state, devastating wildfires torched many wonderful Oregon places I’ve cherished all my life. It all knocked my legs out from under me. I felt crippled. I felt I should be better than this, but I wasn't. I just couldn't get back emotionally.

Then my good friend brought me two gifts - courage and time.

I realized I was being disabled by fear of change and frightening future unknowns. Fear robs us of our courage. And it shortens time for us. The immediacy of loss and panic can obscure the big picture of our future. And that results in a short-sighted, negative life narrative. It's our story, but through our own narrow lens.

I discovered I had to give up my romantic notions of the past and expectations of the present and the way things should be, and look to my real future. I am not long for this world. None of us are, but we seem to suspend coming to terms with death for most of our lives, while we are busy building our American Dream.

And the push towards a secure retirement. And for me, time for adventure.

I've always been a goer, an adventurer, and the natural world's beauty is my happy place. Gotta see what's around the bend, and up over that ridge. I've answered the call of the open road, sought misty waterfalls at the end of the trail, and melted into an evening kayak float towards that golden, fading sun, at the end of a perfect day.

And photographing it all is the capper for me. It aligns me with our world, calms me, inspires me, and brings me intense joy. When work and life gets too hard, I go there, always churning out new plans for the next big trip.

Yes, my happy place is both emotional and literal.

But this has also blurred the lines of my own reality a bit - because let's face it, life can be hard and running for the hills is certainly an escape. Difficult people and unfulfilled expectations along with the tedium of daily repetitive tasks can drag us all down. If my day to day is full of pain and shame, I go there. Somewhere. Anywhere. I escape.

And now all this present tumult seemed to be threatening my earthly dream - my escape hatch. A healthy diversion can be a good thing, but so can standing tall and trimming our sails against the wind. We can adjust, and chart a different course.

Our God will always, ALWAYS use bad for good if we let Him. We just have to let Him. In facing my future and my fears, I am slowly learning to stand. And to walk. I am learning what to focus on, and what not to. As time stretches out, the learning curve is flattening. People aren't so scary, because they are just like me at heart. I accept that, and them. My wonderful wife is my best friend, just like it should be. My friends have surrounded me as much as they are able to, and I am returning the favor.

And my amazing God, my Creator and Savior is busy in the background, restoring me, and preparing all the spectacular mountains, deserts, lush green valleys and rivers in preparation for our real future. Unspeakably bigger, bolder and more beautiful, complete with the sunlight of his intense love and presence.

So all this will work out well, don't you think? We just need to trust, and walk with resilience.

About the Author

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Community Prayer Guide | June 2021

Darla Beardsley June 1, 2021

Community Prayer Guide June 2021

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit,
to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.”
Romans 15:30

Church
Pray for God’s love, power and joy to fill every pastor and their family.
Pray for the leadership of every local church to received renewed direction & grace to lead Jesus’ church.
Pray for local pastors & churches to love each other more & more, and be unified as Jesus & the Father are.

Education
Pray for the many job openings in the school districts to be filled with high-quality, Jesus-loving teachers who bring salt, light and solutions into schools.
Pray for summer programs to be effective in bringing students up to speed in their learning; pray that students access these opportunities.
Pray for many churches to begin new partnerships with schools; and that they have wisdom to plan strategically this summer to effectively serve next school year.

Government
Pray for God to direct government, church and non-profit efforts to effectively shepherd people who are homeless; pray their efforts would unify, and not further divide our community.
Pray for God’s wisdom to be upon every local governments’ mayors, commissioners, councils and staff.
Pray for the increase and effectiveness of transitional, supportive housing for homeless adults and families.
Pray for the Lord to guide Lane County leaders & staff as they assist the Holiday Farm Fire rebuilding efforts.

Business
Pray for business & government leaders to find effective ways to increase the local housing supply.
Pray for business leaders to have God’s wisdom to lead now, and into a post pandemic paradigm.
Pray for the local “workplace:” health, encouragement, good morale and healthy productivity.
Pray for more workers to enter into the workforce; pray for the right workers/businesses to find each other.

“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.
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.”
John 17:20-22

“And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.”
Jeremiah 29:7-8

Arts
Pray for high school students to have hope and vision for their futures as artists, and that they receive encouragement from their communities.
Pray for the CAFA Art Show in July: for the art pieces to communicate God’s heart, and for people to see how they can contribute to the healing process in our community.
Pray for God to inspire Jesus-following artist to create pieces about issues our community is passionate about, while also reflecting God’s character.

Family
Pray for peace and harmony in family relationships and homes.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for parents to discern truth and have wisdom to lead their kids in life and in the education system.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and affordable resources that strengthen them.

Health Care
Pray for God to empower health care providers (HCPs) to have stamina, courage and provide hope.
Pray for HCPs to have wisdom to reach all local populations, bringing healing in crisis.
Pray for God’s healing hand & wisdom to be upon COVID-19 treatments and the administration of the vaccine.
Pray for Jesus-following HCPs to demonstrate Jesus’ peace and words to staff, colleagues and patients.

Police & Fire Departments
Pray for God’s wisdom and plans to lead the Oregon State Legislature as they consider police reform.
Pray for First Responders to be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the Lord’s love, peace and blessing upon the families of our first responders.
Pray for God to move people of noble character to apply and be hired as first responders.

Media
Pray for the staff and volunteers who run KLCC radio to be guided by God’s presence.
Pray for local radio, newspapers and television to release stories that highlight virtue and character.
Pray that the local media would be empowered to report true stories that build trust.

Sports
Pray for God’s hand to be on the NCAA Track and Field Championships & the Olympic Track and Field Trials.
Pray for God to lead the plans & community preparations for the World Athletics Championships in July 2022.
Pray for wisdom & blessing on all local youth sports organizations: schools, Kidsports, YMCA, Little League, etc.

“pray continually…”
1 Thessalonians 5:17

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Resilient | The Resilience of Resurrection

Sara Gore May 21, 2021

I recently re-watched the action movie Captain Marvel and found this gem of a spiritual lesson:

Due to a jet-plane crash and the resulting explosion, US Air Force Pilot Carol Danvers absorbs super-human powers. These powers enable her to fly, shoot photon blasts from her hands, and to be mostly indestructible.

But she does not know she has these powers until the final conflict of the film. She is fighting the Kree military, who she thought were her teammates, but were actually her kidnappers and captors. As she fights to escape the force field that restrains her, the supreme leader of the Kree race taunts her with lies.

Kree Leader: “We found you. Embraced you as our own.”

Carol Danvers: “You stole me from my home, my family, my friends.”

Kree Leader: “But remember, without us you’re weak. You’re flawed. Helpless. We saved you.
Without us, you’re only human.”

Carol Danvers: “You’re right. I’m only human.”

This statement from the main character, Carol, is said sarcastically.

And at this point, the movie shows a montage of memories from Carol’s childhood, young adulthood, and military basic training.

Baseball Teammate: “Give it up, Carol! This ain’t a game for little girls.”
“You’re too emotional and too weak.”

Playground Bully: (After being roughed up and pushed to the ground by the bully.
“Stay down!”

Air Force Cadet: “You don’t belong out here. They’ll never let you fly.”

Air Force Officer: (After she falls from the top of a very tall, wooden climbing wall.)
“Are you trying to kill yourself?”
“You won’t last a week, Danvers.”

Whatever lies they used to discourage her into giving up, they couldn’t take away her God-given ability to get up and try again. They couldn’t take away her hopeful expectation.

This truth empowers me to reject situations that would try to deceive me into thinking I am anything less than a child of God--with an eternal future containing His fulfilled promises for me.

And each time she stood up again, she stood taller and stronger. She had a greater sense of who God made her to be. She was more determined to try again and succeed.

I get goosebumps every time I watch this part of the movie. And I thought, what could make a person be that resilient? I found my answer in Isaiah 53:

Isaiah 53:2,3 NLT:
“My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to Him.
...He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows and acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.”

Isaiah: 53:7 NLT
“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word.”

These verses help me remember that Jesus faced tremendous adversity and rejection, through-out his entire life, not just at the end.

Isaiah 53:10,11 NLT
“But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush Him, and cause Him grief…And because of His experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins.”

As I read further, I am reminded how He sacrificed Himself to give all people, including me, His resurrection life, to last us every day of our lives. I realize this gift of resurrection life from Christ is what enables me to stand up again in the face of adversity. I get right back up after a fall, to keep following Him and His example of a resilient life! I want to continue on the teachable path where Christ is leading me!

Philippians 3:10,11 TPT
“And I continually long to know the wonders of Jesus and to experience the overflowing power of His resurrection working in me. I will be one with Him in His sufferings and become like Him in His death. Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with Him in His resurrection from the realm of death.”

My battles are already won! I will still experience difficult times, but I can be comforted in His assurance that He will be with me through all of my trials and tribulations. And He will protect me so that I will ultimately live with Him in His eternal Kingdom!

Christ and His resilient life-example is my hope and my salvation! I will continue to stand back up again to follow Him. Will you join me?

About the Author

Sara has attended CitySalt Church since 2004, the year it was founded. She studied Journalism, wrote for her college newspaper, and is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Sara also enjoys singing hymns with friends: “there is a sermon in every hymn waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.”

Resilient | The Gift of Surviving

Jessie Carter May 7, 2021

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I am not the best person to write about resilience in the face of all the challenges we’ve had this last year. I’ve barely survived. Currently, I’m at my heaviest adult weight from all the stress/loneliness/working-my-day-job-too-close-to-my-kitchen eating (as well as the lack of chasing students around a school). I am missing my class, and am wondering if my friendships will survive the polarization of politics. I’m limping along on this crazy, slow-motion, surreal marathon that I know has an end but isn’t in sight yet. I’m still moving forward, I think. Barely. By the grace of God.

But maybe that’s the point. Maybe resilience is a gift from God. I sure couldn’t craft it, despite all my best attempts this last year to help myself survive pandemic and polarization with various gimmicks and plans like hosting Zoom game nights, convincing friends to let me come over and watch the movies you have to have streaming services for, and writing a short story and silly posts in my personal blog.

Truth is, even if I’m sick of working from home and can only fit into 3/5 of my wardrobe, at least I have clothes and a home to keep them in. I’m still frustrated with the world and feel like people are overreacting and overcorrecting each other and making things worse instead of working together. But God keeps reminding me that He’s still in control. Even if WWIII or a new Civil War breaks out, which is kind of my biggest fear these days besides being stuck in distance teaching forever, I know He’ll still be helping us crazy humans. Because He’s crazy about us.

In case you can’t tell, humor is one of the ways I’ve been coping. When I lived in Afghanistan, my coworkers and I developed a bit of dark humor. You kind of have to, to survive in a place where you practice insurgent drills with your students instead of fire drills. It’s happening again for me now. Lately, I’ve been grateful for things like reruns of M*A*S*H where the characters survive the mental stress of war by making fun of it, and by their companionship and community. I am so grateful for all the friends and family that have gracefully let me call them constantly.

So here I’ll refer you to a real article about resilience written by our own CitySalt friend, Chris. His alter ego, Professor Popinjay, knows a thing or two about using humor (and reliance on God and the people He puts in our path) to develop resilience. Normally he writes for the Springfield-based Free For All newspaper, but this one was published in my friends’ online literary magazine, Illumine: Collective Light. Enjoy!

https://illumine.collectivelight.org/2020/01/02/resilience-its-not-just-for-masked-vigilantes-anymore/

About the Author

Community Prayer Guide | May 2021

Darla Beardsley May 1, 2021

Community Prayer Guide May 2021

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”
Psalm 46:4

Church
Pray for every Jesus-follower in our community to actively represent Jesus in word and deed.
Pray for every Jesus-follower in our community to “have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that (we) may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:18-19

Education
Pray for school districts to have God’s wisdom to steward the stimulus dollars they receive.
Pray for Jesus-followers to be hired by schools; pray that they shine with God’s presence & truth.
Pray for students, teachers and parents to reflect on the year with joy and celebration, having overcome.
Pray for students and staff to be protected from COVID-19, so that uninterrupted learning can continue through the end of school year.

Government
Pray for God’s solutions to direct government and non-profit efforts to shepherd the homeless crisis.
Pray for God’s wisdom to be upon every local governments’ mayors, commissioners, councils and staff.
Pray for an increase of transitional, supportive housing for adults and families experiencing homelessness.
Pray for the Lord to guide Lane County leaders & staff as they assist Holiday Farm Fire rebuilding efforts.

Business
Pray for God to provide many more housing options in our community.
Pray for business leaders to have God’s wisdom to lead now, and into a post-pandemic paradigm.
Pray for the local workplace: health, encouragement, good morale and healthy productivity.
Pray for strength, perseverance and joy for business leaders.

“Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.”
Psalm 48:1

“As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God:
God makes her secure forever.”
Psalm 48:8

Arts
Pray for local art shows to experience God’s blessing, creativity and wisdom.
Pray for provision and guidance for those who lead “Art City” and the Hult Center.
Pray for Jesus-following writers to create new and inspired storybooks for children.
Pray for high school and college art students to be inspired by the Lord and encouraged to pursue their gifts.

Family
Pray for parents to discern truth and have wisdom to lead their kids in life and in the education system.
Pray for peace and harmony in family relationships and homes.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.

Health Care
Pray for blessing & wisdom to be upon Serenity Lane as they heal those dealing with substance abuse.
Pray for God to empower health care providers (HCPs) to heal people suffering with mental health issues.
Pray for Jesus-following HCPs to listen well, and then be sensitive & ready to speak about God’s love & truth.
Pray for God’s healing hand & wisdom to be upon COVID-19 treatments and the administration of the vaccine.
Pray for local nursing homes to be opened for families to visit, while remaining safe from the virus.

Police & Fire Departments
Pray for God’s wisdom and plans to lead the Oregon State Legislature as they consider police reform.
Pray for First Responders to be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the Lord’s love, peace and blessing to be upon the families of our first responders.
Pray for God to move people of noble character to apply and be hired as first responders.

Media
Pray for truthful, fair and accurate reporting in all areas of local media.
Pray for local radio, newspapers and television to release stories that highlight virtue and character.
Pray that the local media would be used to promote stories of hope that help build-up the community.

Sports
Pray for God’s guidance wisdom for all coaches in all sports: youth, high school and college.
Pray for wisdom & blessing on all local youth sports organizations: schools, Kidsports, YMCA,
Little League, etc.
Pray for God to lead the plans for the Olympic Track & Field trials this June, and the World Athletics Championships in July 2022.

“Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.”
Psalm 48:9-10a

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Resilient | Resilience is Hope

Mark Beardsley April 23, 2021

I don’t think of myself as resilient.

When I consider resilience, I think of Mother Teresa taking care of the sick. Or of Gandhi being beaten by English guards without raising his hand in defense. I think of Congressman John Lewis, marching across the Edmund Pettus bridge in support of civil rights and being beaten by police and thrown to jail, yet continuing to fight.

But, I was reminded today by one of my favorite webcomics that resilience can also be just getting out of bed in the morning. Getting to work on time. Getting the laundry done. Reading a story to your kid when all you want to do is lie down and take a nap.

In the past, I have lost a job. I have lost friends and loved ones. I have felt alone and miserable and without hope. And yet I do keep going, in spite of these things.

So I ask myself, “what does resilience mean to me?” Suffering loss and continuing on with your life. Loving again, in spite of being hurt. Moving on from tragedy and bad circumstances. Standing up after being knocked down. Resilience is the strength to continue the struggle long after others have given up. Resilience is hope. Hope for something more. Hope for something better.

I know I rely on my wife, family and friends for support through life’s trials and tragedies, but I also know that God has given me the gift of these connections to sustain me.

I think of Jesus in the garden Gethsemane, praying to His Father.

Mark 14:32-36
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Even Jesus brings his friends along for support in his time of need. Even Jesus faced distress and trouble. His Father is also my Father. And yours. Our Father is there for us in our times of fear, depression and need. He is why we can be resilient in the face of terrible things. This faith in these hard times can sustain us all.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

About the Author

Resilient | Walking with Resilience

Terry Sheldon April 9, 2021

Today we bring to you a new blog theme, Resilient. The word "resilient" has Latin roots and means "capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture." Many of us are feeling weary and broken after a long year of pandemic life full of social isolation, job losses, school closures, sickness and mental health issues. Resilience can help us forge a path to healing and recovery. Our blog team offers their ideas for how we can build resilience through our faith journeys.

We all like the idea of resiliency because, well, it's a good character trait, right? I get the feeling that resilience is not celebrated enough in our society, like it's the Rodney Dangerfield of suffering. Ok maybe it gets some respect for a while, but the longer we merely endure and not conquer our issues, we can succumb to an inevitable "loser stigma,” at least in our own minds.

We Americans are taught to fight and win. Is it at best, a hollow victory to merely bend, but not break? To be on the ropes for a while makes for good social theatre, or a Rocky movie, but the true star fights hard and avoids the death blow, then erupts in a sudden and dramatic turnaround victory. Yeah and pass the popcorn!

But this is real life.

And too often that life feels like a protracted foxhole struggle, with what seems like victory not assured. It can last and last ... and last. It can wear us down. And a resolution is likely not in our preferred way, or in our convenient time. Resilience can be birthed in trouble, but let's dig deeper.

Trauma hurts, but we don't have to wallow in suffering. We all know hard times can develop deep character traits, but only if we go through it with our head up and heart open. Entertaining its emotional depths without some perspective and ultimately, a positive response, is a very dark path to walk.

We all need some help.

Recently within my own journey, I've begun to notice someone. I look back and he is there, wanting to catch up. I am hurting, and I slow down. We share a smile and keep walking. He offers a few words and a smile, and I realize I might like his company. We small-talk a bit, then are quiet. I gaze up at the sunlight streaming through the forest canopy above. I breathe and give myself permission to feel. He feels like a friend.

He randomly brings up elasticity. I am curious why. He says he is kind of stubborn at times, with a clench-fisted toughness. He says this has seemed like a good way to be resilient, but flexibility is a better way. I joke that it's why cats have nine lives. My new friend laughs, and of course I am pleased at that.

He continues: Like a rubber band, we stretch out as we are pulled in different directions by forces beyond our control. But with elasticity, we return to our relaxed center - back to our core. I tell him I like the kind of "naturally, creative longevity" of that.

So now we're on the topic of resiliency, I guess. I mention a boat on the water. When it's calm, I say, it can be the picture of perfect serenity, but when a storm blows in - everything changes. Resiliency is our boat. It's built to bob and heave in the swells and waves. Our buoyancy allows us to stay above the tempest and not capsize!

I didn't plan on such a discussion with a stranger, but now we're getting somewhere.

I feel a twinge of pain in my lower leg and mention I'm trying to get it back to the way it used to be. He compliments me: But you're still hiking - that's great and recovery is coming! I tell him I hope so.

As we walk and talk, I realize that the cliche about it not being the destination, but the journey - is incomplete. Both are important. I thank him for walking with me and tell him I think we should all resolve to live, and even thrive, in our own resiliency. The tough lessons of the journey will make the destination that much sweeter, right? I look over but "Mr. Resiliency" has vanished. And I realize why. Someone else needs his friendship.

I love how Jesus shows up.

Resiliency is the long footbridge from despair to hope. Let's discover elasticity, buoyancy and recover. Grab a friend and walk.

Romans 5:4
"And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."

About the Author

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Community Prayer Guide | April 2021

Darla Beardsley April 1, 2021

Community Prayer Guide April 2021

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10

Church
Pray for new believers to be drawn to, well connected and discipled in local churches.
Pray for every pastor and church ministry team to have God’s wisdom and power to lead like Jesus.
Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be poured out on Jesus-followers & all people in our community.

Education
Pray for God to lead the process and selection of the next Springfield Superintendent.
Pray for Jesus-followers to be hired by local schools; pray they serve with peace and influence.
Pray for more quality counselors to be hired to meet the mental health needs of students, families & teachers.
Pray for the “recovery learning” process that will take place as students return: for creative strategies, patience, and peace to help students catch up.

Government
Pray for God’s wisdom to be upon every local governments’ mayors, commissioners, councils and staff.
Pray for Community Safety: for wise & well-coordinated efforts among local police, Cahoots & other agencies.
Pray for the increase and effectiveness of transitional, supportive housing for homeless adults and families.
Pray for God’s blessing and guidance for more youth emergency housing.

Business
Pray for God to provide more affordable housing options in our community.
Pray for business leaders to have God’s wisdom to lead now and into a post pandemic paradigm.
Pray for the local “workplace:” health, encouragement, good morale and healthy productivity.
Pray for an abundant supply and a fast vaccine distribution so business can reopen.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” John 10:14

Arts
Pray God’s blessing on local Christian Dance studios and ministries.
Pray for Jesus-following writers to create new and inspired storybooks for children.
Pray for provision and guidance for those who lead the Lane Arts Council & the Actors Cabaret.
Pray for God to touch the hearts of community members through the CAFA art show this Spring.

Family
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for parents to discern truth and have wisdom to lead their kids in life and in the education system.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.

Health Care
Pray for God to empower medical professionals (HCPs) to heal people suffering with mental health issues.
Pray for wisdom & blessing on the new leadership of Peace Health and the Lane County Medical Society.
Pray for HCPs to bring peace & provide true, accurate vaccine information in the midst of misinformation.
Pray for God’s healing hand & wisdom to be upon COVID-19 treatments and the administration of the vaccine.
Pray for Dove Medical, our local pregnancy center, to bring hope and peace as they expand their services.

Police & Fire Departments
Pray for the Lord’s love, peace and blessing upon the families of our first responders.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for First Responders to be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.
Pray for God’s wisdom and plans to lead the Oregon State Legislature as they consider police reform.
Pray for God to move people of noble character to apply and be hired as first responders.

Media
Pray for God’s Spirit to draw the hearts of local media leaders to follow Jesus.
Pray for the staff of the Register Guard and the Eugene Weekly newspapers to be guided by the Lord.
Pray for God’s hand to be on local TV and radio stations to cultivate greater community understanding.

Sports
Pray for wisdom & blessing on all local youth sports organizations: schools, Kidsports, YMCA, Little League, etc.
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletic programs, as they decide how and when to compete.
Pray for God to lead the plans for the Olympic Track & Field trials this June, and the World Athletics Championships in July 2022.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Love Your Enemies | How Do We Confront the Enemy Within?

Ursula Crawford March 12, 2021

When I taught a middle school writing class, I taught my students about the types of conflict that exist in stories. We learned body motions to go along with each type of conflict to help us remember. Every story has a conflict, both a protagonist and an antagonist. Person versus person is the most common type of conflict — think Cinderella versus her evil stepfamily. Person versus their environment is another one that can come up — Little Red Riding Hood versus the Big Bad Wolf. Conflict with the supernatural can be seen in stories like the Lord of the Rings. And finally, we have internal conflict, when a character’s primary conflict is with themself.

Something I’ve been pondering lately are the ways in which we can be our own worst enemies.

I think this may be the case more than we realize. While other people typically don’t care enough about us to put much energy towards actively opposing our interests, we can easily do this to ourselves. We may be able to avoid a neighbor we dislike, but we are always around to oppose or even sabotage ourselves.

I am my own enemy when I engage my mind in unhealthy comparison with others. I often find myself comparing myself to others in unflattering ways when it comes to my career, my parenting, my home, or anything else that I’m focused on at the time. Instead of appreciating myself for the strengths I have, I compare myself to friends with doctorate degrees and fancy houses and feel that I’ve fallen short. I tell myself that I should have made different choices in the past — gotten a science degree or maybe a law degree or a PhD in literature. On the other hand, I might compare myself to a stay-at-home mom friend who has more children than I do and who still seems sane, with children who listen to her and have clean clothes and brushed hair, and then feel that I’m falling short as a parent.

I need to practice loving myself by not making these kinds of destructive comparisons. One thing I’ve done to help counter this is to stop using social media. I can also choose not to dwell on these types of thoughts and try to bring my thoughts back to the present moment, grounding myself in gratitude for the blessings I do have. I’ve read that Olympic silver medalists are often unhappier than bronze medalists because they are focused on the gold medal they didn’t win, while bronze medalists are happy just to be on the podium.

Romans 12:2
“Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

We can be our own enemies when we tell ourselves the wrong story, like in the above example about how I tell myself I should have made different career choices in the past. This is harmful as well as not being very accurate. Instead, I could recognize the truth, which is that I am and have always been very hard working in both my personal and professional life. If I don’t have a big paycheck or a compliant, hair-brushed child to show for it, and my house looks like a tornado has recently blown through, then that’s just the way it is. Even when we’ve made genuinely poor choices that have actually been harmful, we have to seek forgiveness and move on, if not we become locked in our own mind prison. Again, I believe that practicing gratitude is key to stop ourselves from ruminating on unhealthy stories about ourselves.

We can also be our own enemies when we assume the worst in others, as this can sabotage our relationships when continued over time. I have a friend who communicates only via text message with a family member that he dislikes. He has read text messages to me from this person that seem completely neutral to me, but to him they seem to be full of negative intent. This was confusing to me as it’s impossible to read someone’s underlying intentions in a text message, with no facial expressions or even tone of voice to provide clues. I wonder if this relationship could be restored if my friend just started assuming neutral intent in these communications.

In general, it’s best not to take things personally and to assume neutral or even positive intent in our relationships with others. I’m very sensitive, but I’m trying to take this advice to heart and assume that even if someone seems rude, it’s not about me. There are a hundred different reasons someone may interact with me in a way that seems rude: they could be tired, hungry, sick, depressed, worried about something else, have poor self-control, or just be unaware of the way they come across to others. We should work to assume the best in others.

Even when someone is direct about telling us they dislike us, it may say more about them than it does about us. We don’t have to choose to focus on it. In high school, I heard that another girl disliked me because of the brand of shoes I wore. Did I hold a giant grudge against this person, or switch the brand of shoes I wore to something that might not offend her? I did neither — I felt that someone who didn’t know me and disliked me for such a silly reason was not worthy of my concern. But I bring this up now to say that people will judge us and dislike us for all sorts of reasons in our lives. We can be our own enemies when we fail to fully live because we fear other people’s opinions. We should live our lives the best we can regardless of the judgements of others. I’m reminded of the following quote:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena...who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

~Theodore Roosevelt

About the Author

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Community Prayer Guide September 2021

Community Prayer Guide August 2021

Community Prayer Guide July 2021

Community Prayer Guide June 2021

Community Prayer Guide May 2021

Community Prayer Guide April 2021

CitySalt Church

Celebrate Goodness