May/June 2017 Shepherdess Voice

Shepherdess
Voice
T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R F O R M I N I S T R Y W I V E S I N
T H E M I C H I G A N C O N F E R E N C E
May/June 2017
Casting Bread
God's Growing Plan
Neighborly Love
How do shepherdess' reach
Not just to the ducks...
Sow, Grow, Hoe!
out to their neighbors?

Highlights
God's Growing Plan
Sow, Grow, Hoe!
Neighborly Love
Shepherdess' share how they reach out
to their neighbors.
Peace In the Midst of
Trials
"To every life will come 'the most
difficult chapter.'..."
Meet Your Sisters
Get to know the facts behind the face!
This month, we talk with Amanda
Walter

TRUE
SANCTIFICATION
COMES THROUGH
THE WORKING
OUT OF THE
PRINCIPLE OF
LOVE.
A C T S O F T H E A P O S T L E S , 5 6 0

CASTING BREAD
UPON THE WATERS
B Y J A N I C E S C H M I D T
Seven years ago, when we left the churches
We had some contact with them through the
where we did Bible work in California, I was
subsequent years. Maria joined the church and
concerned about all the babies we were
recently became the head deaconess of a large
leaving behind. Spiritual babies. The ones we
church. We rejoiced! But Veronica admitted
had studied with, prayed over, and watched
they didn’t go to church anymore.
take their first tentative steps.
This March we returned to California for the first
Maria and Lorraine both attended a prophecy
time since we left. We planned our vacation to
seminar we conducted. When Lorraine was
hopefully coincide with the wildflower bloom in
baptized, Maria was there, and she began to
the desert. On Sabbath, we returned to the two
attend church but was very shy and didn’t
churches we had worked with. We invited our
want to talk to anyone. When we moved away,
old friends to meet up with us. Maria and
Maria still had not taken her stand, and we
Veronica came. I rejoiced over Maria’s
worried about her.
faithfulness. Her love for the Lord, His work, and
His church were evident, and it was a sweet
Then there was Edgar and Veronica. Veronica
reunion. It made all the years of work worth it to
started attending our prophecy seminar by
know someone had remained faithful.
herself, because Edgar was in prison. As soon as
he was released he began to attend our
We were able to encourage Veronica and later
meetings with Veronica. Soon after, they were
visit Edgar at their home too, but that evening
baptized, but the work was far from over. They
what filled my heart the most was to see Maria
finally got into a routine of regular church
reaching out to Veronica. Veronica admitted
attendance because we constantly encouraged
that the only reason they stopped coming to
them, visited them, invited them to our house,
church was that they had no friends there and
and did social things with them. But when we
no one made them go. Maria said, "Then come
moved away, we were concerned that they still
to the church where I go on the other side of
hadn’t been able to make the same kind of
town. It will be closer for you, and you will know
connection with anyone else in the church.
someone there."

She continued, "Lorraine still
comes to church there. You
know her. My husband doesn’t
come to church either. There
are lots of us ladies who are
there by ourselves and we stick
together.”
“I will come,” said Veronica,
and it was the best thing ever
to see Maria, who took so long
to make her stand, who used
to be afraid to talk to anyone
at church, come full circle and
do for someone else what we
did for her.
We spent a second whole day
connecting with people we had
known during our time there,
visiting with a dying man whom
we had studied with who later
joined the church, having a divine
appointment with his daughter
whom we had only met once who
was struggling with his
approaching death, and
encouraging Edgar to return to
church also when we visited him.
We saw some wildflowers, not as
many as we had planned to have
time to find, but it hardly
mattered. There will be
wildflowers in heaven. And we
pray that there will be souls we
have touched there also.
Truly, “cast thy bread upon the
waters: for thou shalt find it after
many days” (Ecclesiastes 11:1).
Issue 27 | 234

We Asked.
You Answered.
COLLECTED FROM SHEPHERDESS'
We asked how you reach out to your
neighbors. Today, we are sharing some of
the responses with everyone!

LINDSEY MILLS
I TAKE BREAD TO THEM, GO
FOR A WALK FOR EXERCISE
WITH ONE, ASK THEM TO
WATCH MY CAT WHEN
WE'RE GONE (BELIEVE IT OR
NOT, THAT IS RELATIONSHIP
BUILDING DEPENDING ON
THE NEIGHBOR!), STOP AND
TALK WHEN WE'RE OUT
WALKING. WAVE AND SMILE
WHENEVER I SEE THEM OUT.

PATSY TOWAR
AT CHRISTMAS TIME, WHEN
THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS
HOME, WE RAKED THE
NEIGHBOR'S LEAVES...HUGE
YARD AND LOTS OF THEM. WE
HAD A GREAT TIME AND THE
NEIGHBORS WERE VERY
GRATEFUL. BEFORE A HEART
SURGERY, WE HAD A SPECIAL
PRAYER WITH ANOTHER
NEIGHBOR.

TAMARA CONWAY
BAKE BREAD, OR TREATS.
WE ALSO HAVE
NEIGHBORS WITH
ANIMALS SO WE TRY TO
DO SPECIAL THINGS FOR
THEIR FURRY FRIENDS
TOO. THE KIDS LOVE
THAT!

AMY AUSTIN
ONE OF THE THINGS
WE'VE TRIED IS TO SCOPE
OUT NEW NEIGHBORS
THAT MOVE IN AND TAKE
THEM A WELCOME TO
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
GIFT...USUALLY A FOOD
TYPE GIFT.

CASSANDRA MCNULTY
WE TAKE FAMILY WALKS AND
TAKE TIME TO STOP AND TALK.
OUR SON AND DOG ARE BIG
CONVERSATION STARTERS. WE
KNOW MOST OF OUR NEIGHBORS
BY NAME AND WE ALL PULL
TOGETHER TO HELP WHEN ONE IS
IN NEED. AT CHRISTMAS WE GIVE
SMALL GIFTS (BREAD AND
PRESERVES). WE ARE ALSO ON THE
NEIGHBORHOOD APP WHICH
HELPS WITH BUILDING
COMMUNITY AND RELATIONSHIPS.

NANCY LARSEN
RANDOM ACTS OF
KINDNESS WHEN
THEY LEAST
EXPECT IT.

ALICE: MY HUSBAND LETS PHONE CALLS DISTURB OUR DINNER
DEAR
FREQUENTLY. CAN YOU HELP ME?
HOUR
ASK ALICE
Dear Concerned,
Having a spouse on his cell phone must be very frustrating as it takes precious time away from your
family and the quality conversations you would hope for during meal time. You are not alone in this
frustration. In fact, it was reported in the US that 11.4 million tech devices such as smartphones, tablets,
laptops and iPods are brought to family meals. Researchers at the Boston Medical Center went
undercover at 15 local fast food restaurants to observe parents dining with their children. They found 40
of the 55 families they observed to be absorbed with their devices continuously throughout their meal.
Some children ate their meals in silence, others begged for their parents' attention, and others acted
out.
A parent talking on the phone during meals sets a negative example for his kids. When a parent checks
cell phone texts or emails during family meals, family members agree it communicates to the them
that the person on the phone is more important than they are. It can communicate a lack of respect.
Many mentioned the offending party was being rude. With so little time to connect adequately with
our family during the day because of crazy schedules, I would recommend agreeing to lay down our
phones down during meal times.
The best time to have a discussion regarding this is when you have private time together and not at the
same time the offence is occurring. Set an appointment to talk before the next situation occurs. Create
boundaries for these devices so meal times can be about family bonding, developing social skills, and
sharing stories about that day. Enjoy just spending time with each other while participating in
conversations regarding your kid's lives, their personal and spiritual interests, table etiquette and telling
of your love for them. This is critical for your children's healthy development.

GOD'S PLAN: SOW,
HOE, GROW!
B Y D I A N E K O B O R
Growing up on an 80-acre farm, our family yearly blocked
and thinned 10 acres of sugar beets and used our hoes
and sickles on 20 acres of navy beans. Although the farm
has been sold, I’m glad our parents put farming and
gardening into our educational program.
Agriculture is the most important manual training we can
give to our children. Let them have their own plot this
year! “It was God’s plan for man to till the earth; . . . the
first man, the ruler of the whole world, was given a
garden to cultivate” (CG 356). After the Flood, God
promised us “seedtime and harvest” until the end of the
world (Genesis 8:22).
Gardening includes landscaping, small fruits, and
orchards. Plant flowers, shrubs, and trees for joy and
beauty. Try God’s natural planting schedule provided by
the daffodils, forsythia, flowering quince, lilacs,
honeysuckle, and peonies. When these are in full bloom,
they are planting signals! Put in your sweet peas in when
the daffodils bloom, plant corn during lilac season, and
let the peonies tell you to put in your eggplant, peppers,
and tomatoes. Check out this article by Dr. William Eyster
from Organic Gardening at
http://amazinghealth.com/AH-natures-planting-table

A quick inventory of the freezers and jars helps
“A prudent man foresees the evil,” and gets
ready for the evil days (Proverbs 27:12).
us decide which vegetables to emphasize in
this year’s garden: no more Jerusalem
artichokes needed, still plenty of frozen
Like salvation and soul winning, gardening
requires that we cooperate with our Creator.
zucchini, but our canned and dehydrated
tomatoes are running low. The local farm
Faithfulness in the little duties of watering,
weeding, thinning, and pest control will bring
supply store has the best prices for seed per
ounce or pound, and the Amish raise good
rich rewards while giving us many spiritual
object lessons. Because we share our
starter plants for us. Adding large amounts of
manure, leaves, grass clippings, and other
vegetables and advice, our friends have also
begun gardens of their own.
organic matter every year will improve both
clay and sandy soils.
Gardening provides better exercise than the
gym, plus you’ll receive the added benefits of
We use a modified “bed and path” system with
the “beds” of dirt one to two feet wide,
sunshine, fresh air, deeper sleep, and organic
produce! Remember, God met Adam and his
depending on the vegetable, separated by
paths about 18 inches wide. This gives plenty of
wife each evening in the garden. Don’t forget
to meet Him there!
room for Bela to run the Mantis tiller down
each path for most of the growing season.
Gardening prepares us physically, mentally, and
emotionally for these last days. “Again and
again the Lord has instructed that our people
are to take their families away from the cities,
into the country, where they can raise their
own provisions; for in the future the problem of
buying and selling will be a very serious one”
(AH 14)

TO KNOW YOUR FELLOW SISTERS AND PUT
GET
THAN A FACE TO A NAME
MORE
MEET YOUR SISTERS:
AMANDA WALTER
Amanda and
Jonathan Walter
serve in the Grand
Haven and Wright
churches
Briefly, what are your passions,
If you could go on vacation
your work and your interests?
anywhere in the world where
would you go and why?
I always have a hard time
are always growing and
interests
depending on my
evolving
and I often joke that I’m
situation
“jack of all trades, master of
a,
I love and have always
none.”
that I would like to travel
say
whole world - and
the
land on every single
eventually
to explore a little. I
continent
that is not much of a
suppose
"I would like to
travel the whole
world."
answering this question. My
This is hard, but I’ve settled to
loved reading and writing and,
“vacation” type thing, but I’m
since high school, anything to do
pretty confident I could find
with design and website
something relaxing and
development. I’m passionate
beautiful anywhere. Some
about travel, ministry, music and
country names that come to
teaching and do all of these
mind are New Zealand,
things on a daily basis in many
Iceland, and Japan.
different capacities.

is one of the most impactful
What
you’ve learned in your role as
things
know it says one, but I have a few
I
than one: That service is a joy, it
more
okay to say, “no,” and I should never
is
sight of who I am through Christ
lose
my ministry because meeting
in
expectations is
everyone’s
you mind sharing with us a
Would
quote or Bible text?
favorite
have so many favorites, it’s hard to
I
Lately, I’ve been claiming the
choose!
any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
“If
who gives generously and without
God,
BY DAKOTA
SUBMITTED
MORGAN
cup quinoa
1
cup vegetable broth
1
cans (15 ounces EACH) black beans
2
can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes in
1
juice
tomato
can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
1
can (15 ounces) corn
1
tablespoons or 1 packet (1.25 ounces)
3
seasoning
taco
or flour tortillas
Corn
the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve to
Rinse
bitter saponin coating. In a large
remove
add in the quinoa, vegetable
crockpot,
drained and rinsed black beans,
broth,
diced tomatoes in tomato
undrained
enchilada sauce, drained corn, and
juice,
taco seasoning (or homemade
packet
seasoning).
taco
Cover and cook on high 2.5 hours to
Stir.
hours depending on the heat of your
4
cooker.
slow
notes with cooking quinoa in
Important
cooker: slow cookers cook at
slow
temperatures! You'll want to
different
this carefully if you have a slow
watch
that runs hot so the quinoa
cooker
get mushy.
doesn't
recipe doesn't work on low because
This
will get mushy when cooked on
quinoa
for long time periods.
low
quinoa is cooked through, serve
When
corn or flour tortillas and top with
on
desired toppings.
your
with a squeeze of fresh lime,
Garnish
a diced avocado, and lots of
cilantro,
fresco cheese!
queso
& Picture Source:
Recipe
http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/crockpo
"...service
is a joy"
a pastor’s wife?
promise in James 1:5:
reproach, and it will be given him.”
impossible.
CROCKPOT MEXICAN
QUINOA TACOS
t-mexican-quinoa-tacos/

SHEPHERDESS
OFFICERS
EVENTS
BIRTHDAYS
5/02 Julie Wise
President: Katie Chitwood
6.16-24 Camp Meeting
Vice President: Amie Hubbard
5/04 Amanda Walter
5/09 Jolene Messer
Secretary: Janice Schmidt
TRANSITIONS
Care Coordinator: Patsy Tower
5/07 Haejin Suh
5/10 Dalyn Roldan
Newsletter Assistant: Marion
5/14 Tammy Micheff
Nilton & Sara Garcia- Gulf States
Peppers
5/14 Tami Milligan
Editing Help: Diane Kobor
Conference to Senior Pastor Berrien
Newsletter Editor/Layout:
5/16 Sabrina Thompson
Springs Spanish & Associate
5/16 Goni Pastrana
Amanda Walter
Ministerial for Hispanic Ministries
5/19 Emily Gibbs
Christien & JoAn Hodet-Ann Arbor
Shepherdess Helpers:
5/19 Maria Flores
and Plymouth Churches to Fenton
5/24 Jharoney Gibbs
Angie Sparks
& South Flint Churches
5/25 Tammy Conway
Jeff & Kim Dowell- Kentwood &
Beth Hill
Stacy Schefka
5/26 Miae Choi
Hastings to Delton & Hastings
5/27 Sonya Howard
Carol Garcia
Leeroy Hernandez-Assistant Pastor
5/27 Petra Ferraz
Jewel Um
Grand Rapids Central & Lowell
5/29 Elsena Benson
Riverside Churches to Kentwood &
Jolene Messer
5/29 Lynne Nickless
Grand Rapids Spanish Maranatha
Sponsors:
5/29 Keara Roth
Garhett & Dakota Morgan-Bible
6/05 Jin (Lee) Kim
Laurie Snyman
Worker Lansing Assistant Pastor at
6/08 Judy Toms
Lansing
Linda Gallimore
6/09 Jeanne Nephew
Aron Crews-Assistant Pastor at
6/13 Laura Lee
Lansing to Assistant Pastor Metro
6/17 Michelle Sheridan
Mario & Milagros Reategui-
6/21 Marion Peppers
Southern Adventist University to
6/22 Ruthie Reeves
Assistant Pastor of Grand Rapids
6/23 Karen Gotshall
Central & Lowell Riverside
6/27 Chelli Ringstaff
6/28 Valeria Gonzalez
We love to hear your special news. If you have reason to celebrate or have any announcements, please let the editor know!
QUICK KID TIDBIT
BY MARION PEPPERS
Ever have trouble winding your kids down before
bedtime? For some reason, it seems my almost 5 and
almost 2-yr olds save up all of their energy right before
it's time to turn out the lights. I found myself getting
frustrated with my son as he would giggle,
procrastinate, and flop around as I tried to leave the
room every night.
Every night after worship and family prayer, I go into
each child's room and have an extra prayer of blessing
for them. Recently, the Lord impressed me to try
something to calm my son down before leaving the
room. One night after I prayed for him, I asked, "Levi,
would you please pray for me too?" He got a look of
shock on his face but with a sense of pride, quickly
offered up a simple but sweet prayer for me. The sillies
were gone, and I was able to turn the lights off and
leave the room without another fuss.
This has now become our habit every night. Try it and
enjoy the blessings of a prayer from your child.