Stained Glass Life

By: Kimber Nettis

Have you ever walked into an old church and immediately you were in awe of the beauty emanating from the stained glass window? It was not something you had noticed from the outside of the building, but now suddenly, it is the only thing you can see? Our lives can parallel this example as well. Our lives can be filled with trials and mistakes that we have made. From the outside we look stained and dirty. Our lives can look like to us through no fault of our own. But when we let the light of God shine through us and through our lives, suddenly those mistakes, those things that have scarred us look different. When we have been redeemed and set free from our sinful past, when we go through a storm and keep the faith, those scars can become our strengths. Our life can be this beautiful shining image to those around us. It causes unbelievers to say “why are you so happy?” It causes others to see the transforming power of Jesus Christ when they say, “weren’t you an atheist, drug addict, liar, fill in the blank…” When we embrace our past and turn it into a testimony for Jesus, we look like that stained glass window once the light comes pouring in. Beautiful.

Isaiah 61: 1-3 says: 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. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

God can use those hurts and trials to help others. He uses our mistakes and life lessons as a shining testimony to his glory. People can see how God has changed us and made us into new creations and they will want what we have. Yes it was painful, yes we would probably never go through that trial again, but looking back we can see how God used that circumstance to bring us closer to him.

Our lives can still look like the stained glass window on the outside of the church- broken and dirty. We must not hide our pasts. We have to embrace what God has saved us from and allow him to change us. We must let him shine through. We must be open and honest with those around us so that they can see the miracle God worked in our life. When we do that it will be as if they walked into the big old church and all they can do is stare at the amazing stained glass display all around them. God can use your painful past in powerful ways. Embrace it and embrace Him!

Kimber Nettis is currently an active-duty Major in the U.S. Air Force. She graduated from Baylor University with a BA in Communications and recieved an MA in Christian Ministry from Liberty University. She and her husband Michael founded Armed to Worship Ministries, a non-profit that serves to organize, train, and equip a lifestyle of worship.

 
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Air Force, Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.

Event Recap: Worship As One 31 March 2017

We were blessed with the opportunity to host Worship As One with Renegade Music Ministries at Schofield Barracks, in Wahiawa Hawaii. Over 150 members of the community joined us for training, fellowship, and a night of prayer and praise!

A big Thank You to the Schofield Chaplains for providing the location and resources!

 

God Calls You Out

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, 

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. – Proverbs 19:21

One year ago Kimber and I moved from our house on a military base to a house in the city. We lived on base for our first 2 years in Hawaii. We loved it – we had great neighbors, a wonderful house, and great amenities – my commute home was 5 minutes instead of 50. We were happy. And we were comfortable.

During those first 2 years we served in our Chapel on base, helped with the Youth Group, started our nursing home ministry, and helped with worship at several churches around the island.

The longer we lived in Hawaii the more we connected with the local community. We were spending more and more time heading off base to visit friends and volunteer. One challenge we had on base was opening our house to our non-military friends. As much as we wanted to deepen our relationships with our local friends, it was a major logistical hurdle trying to bring civilians on base. Our ministry potential had hit a roadblock. Eventually we started talking about moving off base. We talked about how nice it would be to live closer to the city. We talked about how we would be able to use our house for Bible study and host friends. But that’s all it was – talk. A nice daydream for us. Because we were comfortable. A big change like packing up our house and moving across the island would upturn our whole lives. It would be a challenge – mentally, physically, and emotionally. So we continued to talk, and went on living our lives.

We both felt like this was God’s call on our lives, that He wanted us connected with the local community. We were stalling, but God wanted us to keep moving forward in our lives. He had a purpose and we had potential. Valentine’s Day 2016 we got a call from housing – we had a choice: give up one of our dogs, or move off base.

We were definitely upset at first, we felt like we were being forced to act, because that’s exactly what was happening. What would we choose – comfort or calling.

We spent the night in prayer and reflection. The next day Kimber and I both had a sense of clarity. Although it would be a huge change for us, we both new this was the spark that would get us off base and into the community. No longer was it talk, now it was action.

As we started searching for a place to live we watched as God opened door after door. We saw the Father leading us, blessing us, and found comfort in His presence. Despite the challenges we faced, we knew that because we were following God’s calling, it would all work out for the best.

Looking back on it a year later it’s amazing to see the path God laid out for us. Sometimes we want God to give us all the answers for our future – but if God told me 1 year ago I’d be living in Honolulu with my house used as a ministry outreach center I’d be incredulous. If God told me 4 years ago I’d leave Texas and get married and live in Hawaii – I’d be in disbelief. Yet that IS the path God set before me.

I’m floored by how loving the Father is to His children.

I’m excited to see how God continues to use Kimber and I to spread the Gospel.

I’m encouraged to look back on this past year knowing that as hard as the move was, as much as we struggled through anger and sorrow and every other emotion dealing with the challenges of life – God was there the whole time, and is still by my side. 

God called us out in two significant ways. He called us out of our comfort zone and into the community. He also called us out in the sense of calling our bluff of wanting to move.

I’ve heard Faith described as : Faith = Trust + Obedience

The book of James in the New Testament puts it this way:

Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. – James 2:18

Faith requires action, not just talk. God will call you out. He will call you to action. Are you prepared to follow Him?

 

Michael is a servant of Jesus Christ and is currently an officer in the U.S. Air Force. He is a techy by trade, but a worshiper at heart. He founded Armed to Worship with his wife, Kimber, to equip the world for worship.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Air Force, Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Beginning – Genesis 2:1-3

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

God finishes what He starts. God has a plan for your life too. Maybe He’s revealed your lifelong calling, or maybe you can only see the next step along the path. What is important is that we are dedicated and persevere. When we struggle we can find strength and courage to continue on knowing that God is by our side the whole way. What we don’t want to find ourselves doing is constantly chasing the path of least resistance. When a project gets too big, or too hard, it’s easy to find some new challenge to keep us busy, instead of putting in the hard work to tackle the real challenges God is pushing us towards. 

Have you found yourself stalled on a project? Are you procrastinating completing the next step in your journey? How have you leaned on God for strength to push through to completion?

In Matthew, we see Jesus reveal his understanding of his calling in life. And we see how the world responds, even those closest to him rebuke him. Jesus knew the pain and suffering he would endure in Jerusalem, but faithfully he followed God the Father, knowing that God’s plan is greater than any plan of man.

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” – Matthew 16:21-23

Jesus could have taken the easier path. He could have went on healing and preaching. He could have avoided Jerusalem. His friends and family would have been happier, at least at that time. But Jesus knew the greater plan of God. Whatever Jesus could have accomplished on his own in that time of history, would never compare to the saving miracle of eternal Grace brought on by Jesus’s death on the cross and his resurrection.

 

Michael is a servant of Jesus Christ and is currently an officer in the U.S. Air Force. He is a techy by trade, but a worshiper at heart. He founded Armed to Worship with his wife, Kimber, to equip the world for worship.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Air Force, Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.

Prayer & Praise Psalms 3:3-4

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,

my glory, and the lifter of my head.

4 I cried aloud to the Lord,

and he answered me from his holy hill.

Every day the world is filled with Spiritual battles. We must be aware of our calling to be spiritual warriors for Jesus Christ. A good warrior is always equipped for battle, and without a shield a warrior is defenseless. The shield deflected attacks and protected the warrior from harm.

1 God is our shield

God is our loving Father and we are His children. He knows each of us by name. He has the power to guard and protect us from evil. Sometimes we face struggles to grow our faith and to strengthen, like a warrior preparing for battle, gaining experience and increasing in skill. God will not fight All of our battles for us, but he does equip us to prevail. The most important thing for us to remember is to lean on the Lord. When we are struggling and need help, we first should turn to the Lord. Where we fall short is when we turn to other people or things as idols, hoping they can protect us instead of depending on the Lord for our strength.

2 I cried aloud

The language here shows a raw emotional appeal to God. In desperation, in need of help, the writer “cried aloud” to God. Although God knows our every thought, our every desire, and our every sin, why do we still try to keep our guard up when talking with Him? Nothing is hidden from God. When you talk to Him be fully open, honest and truthful. Don’t resort to “Christianese”, trying to sound like a formal theologian. Instead speak directly to God, simply and honestly.

3 He answered me

God is always listening, He is always watching. It’s humbling to know that the Lord God, creator of the universe, still knows us personally. When you cry to the Lord, when you call on His name He will answer you. The challenge for you is to listen for Him. In the busy world we live in we can sometimes rush out a prayer and move on with our lives – treating our relationship with God like a one way demand insta-prayer reward system, instead of a loving Father-child relationship. We must find rest in the Lord, we must relax and pause from our business to listen to Him.

Coffee Cup Verse: Proverbs 3:11-12

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline

or be weary of his reproof,

12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,

as a father the son in whom he delights.

The Lord God is our Father, and we are his children. He wants us to grow, to mature, and follow Him. We are not perfect, we are far from it. Every day we strive towards becoming more Christ like – earning the title of “Christians” or “little Christs”. Discipline is a key part of that refinement. Ideally we will choose God’s glory over our own selfish pleasures. But when we struggle with sin and choose our own interests over God we can expect correction.

Have you ever been is a restaurant with a screaming child, where the child is throwing a tantrum and the parents won’t react. Maybe the parents have become immune to the tantrums, or maybe they can tune their kid out. Whatever the excuse, you find yourself mentally begging the parents to “Discipline your child”. In that same way God disciplines us when we act out, when we harm ourselves and others, and when we chose evil over love.

Knowing you have a Father who watches over you every day, who loves you enough to want the best for you, should be a comforting thought. God loves us, each one of us, individually and specifically. He doesn’t hurt us, He doesn’t cause evil, but he will lovingly correct you when you wander off the straight path.

In the Beginning: Genesis 1:1-5

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

1 There is Power in our Words

In the beginning there was darkness. God created light, and He created light through the power of His words. The Lord God speaks creation into existence. There is power in our own words as well, the powers of life and the powers of death. We are called to speak life and can call upon the power of the Holy Spirit in the authority of Jesus Christ.

2 Be the light

After God created light He looked upon it and declared it was good. All that God creates is good. Light itself was created out of darkness – it cuts through the darkness and illuminates the world. Without light we wouldn’t be able to appreciate the beauty and colors of God’s creation. We are called to be the light of the world. We are called to shine through the darkness with love through our thoughts, words, and actions. Others will notice the difference in us as light, separated from darkness. Although they may not know the source or reason for our light, they will be able to visible see that the light is good. This presents an opportunity to share the Gospel message with others when they ask “why are you so joyful?”.

3 Light Comes After Darkness

Periods of light and darkness were separated into Day and Night. We see periods in our life where Light abounds and is followed by dark times of struggles. There will be times in our life when we feel overwhelmed by darkness, when we struggle and suffer and deal with pain. However the message of hope of the Bible is echoed here in two different ways. First, “there was evening and there was morning” – after darkness, light again prevails. We may go through cyclical periods of light and darkness. Secondly, the Book of Revelation shares this same message of hope and triumph. After dark times, the light comes again and Jesus triumphs. No matter how dark the night, the sun comes in the morning, and no matter how dark our world – the SON comes in our mourning.

Coffee Cup Verse – Jeremiah 29:13

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. –Jeremiah 29:13

 

What does it look like to seek someone with your whole heart? The simplest analogy is that of a romantic interest. Your thoughts are consumed with the other person, you want to get to know them, but not on a superficial level like everyone else—you want to know their heart and what makes them the way they are—their past, what makes them tick, their biggest fears as well as their hopes and dreams; you want to spend time with them, even if it means just being in their presence, not doing anything in particular; you want to shower them with displays of your affection, and you would do anything for them.

God desires a relationship like that with you. He wants to romance your heart, but you must desire Him with your whole heart to unlock the full potential of your relationship with Him. He’s all in and He wants to know that you are too. For those who come from broken homes or broken relationships, the thought of giving someone (yes, even God) your whole heart might scare you. Take comfort in 1 John 4:18, knowing that unlike the love you might have experienced in the past, God’s love is perfect.

As Christians, we know that true love is not based on feelings, but on a daily decision to love another in good times and in bad. Let’s choose to love God every day and find ways to show Him our affection.

Recommended additional reading: 1 John 4:7-21

Song: How He Loves by David Crowder Band (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCunuL58odQ)

Angela Naugle currently serves as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. She graduated from Baylor University and has her Masters in Social Work from Texas Christian University.

Prayer & Praise – Psalms 8:3-4

3When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? –Psalms 8:3-4

In the past few years, God has blessed me with many opportunities to travel the world. Still nothing takes my breath away quite like the unadulterated beauty of nature. When I behold the majesty of towering snow-capped mountains or the splendor of crystal blue seas or try to take in galaxies of stars filling the night sky, everything in me wants to praise God for his stunning creation. Really, He’s outdone himself time and time again and I can’t help but marvel at the level of intricacy and detail He’s put into His handiwork.

In the presence of such overwhelming beauty and splendor, I can’t help but feel so small. Just as God cares about the tiniest details of His creation, God also cares about you and I–as small and as insignificant as we are in the grand scheme of things–we are significant to God. How amazing is it to know that the God of the universe has put the same level of detail and beauty into each one of us, and that He views us as His crowning creation? What would happen if we saw ourselves and others the same way that God sees us?

 

Photo by: Angela Naugle

Angela Naugle currently serves as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. She graduated from Baylor University and has her Masters in Social Work from Texas Christian University.

In the Beginning – Genesis 3:8-9

8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” – Genesis 3:8-9

Before the fall of man, every day Adam and Eve would spend time walking with God during the cool of the day. They set aside a specific time to meet with God, speak with Him, and just be in His presence. Those who have successfully incorporated worship into their daily lives do the same: they set aside a regular time to meet with God and experience His presence through prayer and reading His Word.

God always intended for us to live a lifestyle of worship before sin entered the picture and separated man from God. We see God calling out to Adam and Eve in the scripture because God is faithful and He is constantly looking to spend time with His children. If you are struggling with incorporating worship into your daily life, I encourage you to examine your heart and your life to identify what sin is keeping you from spending time with God. God is always there; He is just waiting on us to seek Him.

 

Photo by: Angela Naugle

Angela Naugle currently serves as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. She graduated from Baylor University and has her Masters in Social Work from Texas Christian University.