Witness Issue (November/December 2020)

oh

beloved

one

volume 9, issue 6

WITNESS no 6

november/december 2020

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020

STAFF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR &

HEAD EDITOR

Amanda Brown

WRITERS

Janelle Martin / Angela Dawne

/ Olivia Nickerson / Kara

Linaburg / Rebecca Caraway /

Julia Findley / Katie French / Jo

A. Ruth / Korin Linaburg

BRAND STRATEGIST

Allison Joiner

MARKETING MANAGER

Kayla Johansen

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR

Victoria Lynn

PHOTOGRAPHY

Amanda Brown

MODELS

Emily Furtney / Grace

Llewellyn / Abby Marasigan

ILLUSTRATOR

Lisa Elis

PROOFREADERS

Lisa Elis / Rebecca Brown

Volume No. 9, Issue No. 6

WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM

CONTENTS

WITNESS: proclaim hope to the hopelesss

kingdom creatives: victoria lynn 04

mission trips: raw & unfiltered 08

mission possible 12

JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 1 15

good news 16

mission

possible

12

songs about witnessing 30

outside of my comfort zone 32

new pray tote bags 35

books on witnessing 36

the none zone 38


outside of my

comfort zone

32

how to encourage a missionary 42

the reluctant missionary 21


biography: elisabeth elliot and gladys aylward 27


what is salvation? 48

credits 49

cover: photo of Grace Llewellyn

visit

WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM

to purchase previous magazines

EDITOR’S NOTE

Amanda Brown

EDITOR - IN - CHIEF

I grew up in a safe, cozy, conservative Christian community

. . . and I still live here. So when people start talking about

witnessing, I get uncomfortable. This is mainly because I don't

get many opportunities to witness; where I live, it's assumed

that everyone is a Christian and goes to church.

And yet I have to remind myself constantly that I am still very

definitely surrounded by lost people. Whether people at school

or behind the coffee shop counter, we all smile and act like

decent people on the outside, but on the inside? We're all a

mess whether we're saved or not.

We've been living in a state of nominal Christianity for a while

now. And maybe that's why our country is in so much trouble.

The floods have finally hit, and we've looked down only to find

that we're on sinking sand.

Being a Christian in name only isn't enough now. It's not

enough to assume the people around us are saved. When you

realize that the person driving past you at a green light or your

locker buddy at school could be in danger of an eternity apart

from God, it's really truly terrifying.

And it's shamefully selfish to keep the good news to ourselves.

If we were in a desert and found a giant, never-ending oasis,

wouldn't it be human decency to share the good news with

others?

photo by abby marasigan and amanda brown

That's what we're calling you to do. That's what we're calling

ourselves to do. Let's witness, beloved ones.

amanda brown + team

there is a Lord

who came as a servant

to save us from the sins which we created

He came for the poor and the rich

for the sick and the mighty

He came for the old and the young

and shook the world

with silence at times and parables at others

we did not know

or else we did not want to know

because submitting to Someone

means giving up yourself

and you see

that's the whole point

cuz that's what Jesus did

up on that cross

don't forget the pain He endured

so that God will now look at us and see His Son

we are trash

He is glory

we are dirt to be tossed to the wind

He is Lord to be worshiped for eternity

He died for our sins but lives now

— julia ryan

I will scream this until I die

bc what if we forget

don't

simply remember this

and that my dears

is breathtaking

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM KINGDOM CREATIVES

k i n g d o m

c r e a t i v e s

meet victoria lynn

graphic designer & author

CREATIVE

OUTLETS

I love working with my hands in many

forms. Some of my favorite ways to get my

creative juices flowing is writing, sewing,

and graphic design.

OH BELOVED ONE | 4

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM KINGDOM CREATIVES

GOD-GIVEN

CHARACTERISTICS

how God has prepped me for my purpose

I feel like I’ve been given an eye that is

artistic and put things together, whether

it be through photography, design, etc.

in a beautiful and aesthetic way. I’ve been

really grateful for it because I feel like

it has helped me in so many different

creative pursuits. I also feel like I’ve been

given a heart for encouraging others and I

love that He has given me such a passion

to encourage others in the gifts and talents

that He has given them.

how I use my

creative abilities

to

WITNESS

I believe that God has given us each specific talents and

gifts that we can use to bring glory to His name. One of my

favorite verses is 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Or whatsoever ye

do, do all to the glory of God.” We can honor the Lord and

serve His glory in everything that we do. By honoring Him

throughout our triumphs and failures, He is glorified and

others see Him in us. By doing what He has called us to

do creatively and doing it well, without fear, excellently, as

unto the Lord, others are drawn to Him through it.

BEST

ADVICE

for fellow creatives

Practice! Don’t be afraid to dive in and try

things. Don’t feel like you can’t do it because

you don’t have experience. Start playing

around, putting words to the paper or

designing images and graphics. If you have a

desire to do something, don’t let fear cripple

you. It doesn’t have to be a perfect business

model to get started. Just dive in and start

using the creativity you already have and learn

through your practice!

Find Victoria . . .

Instagram: @victorialynnauthor

Website: www.victorialynnblog.com

OH BELOVED ONE | 5

WIT

photo by hannah davis

OH BELOVED ONE | 6

NESS

But in your hearts honor Christ

the Lord as holy, always being

prepared to make a defense to

anyone who asks you for a reason

for the hope that is in you . . .

1 Peter 3:15

OH BELOVED ONE | 7

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM MISSION TRIPS: RAW & UNFILTERED

There are so many things we tend to take for granted on

Mission Trips:

Raw & Unfiltered

a daily basis. Running water, three meals a day, a house—we think of th ese as necessities, but in some places they are luxuries.

by janelle martin

OH BELOVED ONE | 8


It was life-changing for me. I wept. My heart was broken.

illustrations by lisa elis

I

can’t even begin to describe

how going to another country

changes our worldview.

There are so many things we tend to take

for granted on a daily basis. Running

water, three meals a day, a house—we

think of these as necessities, but in some

places they are luxuries.

I just want to share a few sentences

and moments of some of my personal

experiences while traveling overseas. Raw

and unfiltered.

been something that I have been

passionate about, and while I’ve been

blessed to have traveled to quite a few

different countries, I want to share one

trip in particular with you.

In January of 2020 I had the opportunity

to fly over to Kenya for two weeks with

7 other women from a local church. We

went to visit the widows, to hear their

stories, and pray with them.

It was life-changing for me. I wept. My

heart was broken.

It’s been said that most children don’t have

a favorite memory. There are no “days to

the beach,” no “I love you” and hugs, no

joy. Just the same mundane routines.

This is their life. It’s all they know.

Sitting in the tiny, crumbling-down

houses, listening to story after story of

heartbreak, hardships and perseverance

against all odds, my heart was changed.

I want to share one story with you that

touched my heart so deeply.

Serving on the mission field has always

The sadness and hopelessness was written

in most faces.

This is their life. It's

all they know.

by janelle martin

OH BELOVED ONE | 9

What astounded me was the love of Jesus shining through her eyes.


I’ll never forget this one older

widow we went to visit one

afternoon. Her name is Respa.

Her house is in the bush, halfway

up a steep mountain. Her story

is heartbreaking. As we sat

down on the few rickety chairs,

she began. Twenty years ago her

husband and 10 children were

killed during a political uprising.

The only reason she wasn’t killed

as well was because she had gone

to their local village for groceries.

In one afternoon her entire life

was changed forever.

I remember my heart breaking as she

spoke. I can’t even imagine the grief and

sorrow she must have felt, everyone she

loved suddenly and violently gone.

But what astounded me was the love of

Jesus shining through her eyes!

You could feel the peace when you walked

into her house. She overflowed with

it. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve

ever seen. She has probably had more

hardships than you and I ever will, yet her

joy and love for Jesus was like nothing I

had ever experienced before.

And as we walked back up the mountain

I couldn’t help thinking that she was so

much richer than I.

I could

not help

thinking

she was

so much

richer

than I.y janelle martin

OH BELOVED ONE | 10

I have become aware how selfiish a nd privileged my life is. I don't deserve it. But I'm grateful for it.


photos by janelle martin and unsplash

I left Kenya changed, although I didn't

know how I was changed. There were

insane amounts of emotions, culture

shock, and trying to process what I just

went through. My worldview had

been altered.

I have become aware how selfish and

privileged my life is. I don't deserve it.

But I'm grateful for it.

Grateful for a loving family.

I'm grateful that I know Jesus and His

amazing love.

I'm grateful for opportunities that

make me realize just how small and

insignificant I am . . . and how

great and magnificent God is.

One last thing. I want to say something

to all of you who have come back from a

hard mission trip.

It honestly took me seven months to

process this trip . . . and that’s okay. It’s

okay to not know what you're feeling.

It’s okay to feel broken but don’t know

why. It’s okay to not understand. It’s okay

because slowly, one day you’ll realize how

much you learned and have grown.

So give yourself

time and grace,

even if you don’t

understand what

you're feeling at

the time.

You will . . . one

day you will.

meet the

author

Janelle believes traveling, classic books and a good chai tea are some of the most beautiful blessings. She is currently living in

upstate NY (when she isn’t wandering over the earth). She has a deep love for Jesus and is passionate about living a BOLD

prayer life! Find Janelle and her well-loved journaling Bible on Insta @exploringboldlove.

OH BELOVED ONE | 11

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM MISSION POSSIBLE

When I signed up to write this article I had no idea what 2020

would look like. I had no idea that most of us wouldn’t be able to

travel. That plans would have to be postponed and even canceled.

And that’s hard. It is really hard. But regardless of how our world is right

now, you can make a difference right where you are.

If you know me, you probably know that I have a deep passion for missions

and ministry. My passion lies in pleasing my King, sharing God's love for

others, teaching others how to have a powerful relationship with God,

equipping others to build His kingdom, and traveling all over this beautiful

world to give Him glory.

Maybe that's not your passion. It's not why you wake up in the morning.

I mean, you want to share God's love with others and, I mean, you would

like to travel overseas. Mission trips sound cool, but really, are they practical?

They're noble, but are they really for you?

You might be thinking:

Mission

Possible

by janelle martin

• I can't afford to travel this world.

• I don't have the time for mission trips.

• I have responsibilities here that limit me.

• I'm scared to go overseas. Aren't there dangerous people over

there?

• I don't want to leave my comfortable home and safety.

• Ummmmm, don't they have diseases over there?

• I have no idea where I would go, how to find an organization

to go with, how to plan, etc.

OH BELOVED ONE | 12


note 01. You're made for it.

God places a desire in every heart that is His. Our

calling and purpose is missions, our hearts beat for

missions, our souls long to do missions.

Traveling, seeing new things, and loving others

has always been and will always be some of the

most basic human characteristics. Think about

it. What are the 5 most important things in your

life? What's on your bucket list? I daresay all of

them point to missions.

note 02. You're commanded to go.

As Christians we have been given the command to

share the gospel, whether that be in Africa or your

home town. Wherever you are, wherever you go,

share God’s love with the people around you.

There is evidence of this all throughout Scripture:

Isaiah 52:7

illustration by lisa ellis

How beautiful upon the

mountains are the feet of him

who brings good news, who

publishes peace, who brings

good news of happiness, who

publishes salvation, who says

to Zion, "Your God reigns."

Mark 16:15

And he said to them, "Go into

all the world and proclaim the

gospel to the whole creation."

Psalm 96:3

Declare his glory among the

nations, his marvelous works

among all the peoples!

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power

when the Holy Spirit has come

upon you, and you will be my

witnesses in Jerusalem and in

all Judea and Samaria, and to

the end of the earth.

OH BELOVED ONE | 13


note 03. You will know God more intimately.

When you go to another country and see things

from a different perspective, you start to see God's

heart more clearly.

He whispers to you and shows you His beauty

and power. He leads you closer to His heart. He

steps out of the box you've stuffed Him in and

shows you the reality of His glory.

There's something about holding a little girl in

your arms who doesn't speak your language and

knowing that God is using her to teach you about

Himself. It's beautiful, and it so catastrophically

wrecks your heart.

“It costs

$0.00

to be a

missionary

right where

you are.”

note 04. You can serve right where you are.

Friend, I think short-term mission trips (or hey,

jump right in and go on a long-term trip if that’s

what God has put on your heart!) are so good

for your walk with Christ. But you don’t need to

wait until you save enough for an expensive plane

ticket—you can start small.

Reach out to your community: bake cookies for

your neighbors, invite people for dinner, help the

poor in any way you can, study the Bible with

your friends.

There are many ways we can live out the command

to make disciples of all nations. Certainly invest

all-in wherever God has you currently, but also be

on the lookout for opportunities God gives you to

reach out to other parts of the world.

OH BELOVED ONE | 14

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 1

made for a

mission?

What are your thoughts on going on a mission trip? Is it on

your bucket list? Does it terrify you?

What's in the way of you going on a mission trip? Finances?

Fear? Time?

Can't go on a mission trip? No worries. How can you serve

right where you are? List five things you can do over the

next month.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

OH BELOVED ONE | 15

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM GOOD NEWS

by angela dawne

I’m sure we’ve all heard the

story, seen the Nativity, sung

the songs. The baby born of a

virgin and lying in a manger. The

angels announcing His birth. The

shepherds rushing to be the first to

lay eyes on the Savior of the world

(Luke 2:1–20).

Of course, it doesn’t end there.

Thirty-three years later sees the

Son of Man taking on the sins of

the world and dying on the cross,

only to resurrect three days later,

conquering death (Matt. 27:45–50,

Matt. 28:5–10).

To me, this is the greatest story

ever, and not just because of what

it means, but because it’s true.

Unfortunately, not everyone has

been as blessed to have heard the

Gospel message. It’s a simple but

life changing story, yet not all have

heard it.

Sure, you probably hear that a lot,

and odds are the first thought is of

those in third world countries or

otherwise overseas. However, you’d

be surprised how many are within a

one mile radius of you right now.

Less than 60%

of people in

America even

claim to be

Christians.

OH BELOVED ONE | 16


How then will they call on him

in whom they have not believed?

And how are they to believe in him

of whom they have never heard?

And how are they to hear without

someone preaching? (Romans 10:14)

You don’t have to go to seminary to

become a missionary; you don’t have

to have the title of “missionary” to

share the Gospel. If you’re breathing,

you can share the gospel.

Now, of course, this will look

different depending on who you’re

with. For one person, the Roman

Road might work just fine! For

others, you might need to be more

delicate with a quick 5 Minute

Gospel Presentation.

No matter what method you prefer,

there are a couple things to keep in

mind regardless.

OH BELOVED ONE | 17


Don't get

carried away.

The sad truth is that not everyone is ready to accept the Word, and

not everyone is open to hearing about it. You can share a bit if you feel

prompted, because seeds must be planted before the plant can grow, but

oversharing can come across as overbearing which is one of the biggest

switch-offs for non-Christians.

An easy way to tell that someone has had enough of a conversation, or

that they aren’t interested, is by just watching their body language. Are

they looking around? Have they crossed their arms? Have they stopped

nodding and asking questions?

Those are basic signals that you should probably wrap it up. Don’t end

there though! Continue to keep the person in your prayers, and maybe

you’ll get another opportunity to share in the future, or maybe God will

lead someone else into their path to take them to the next step.

OH BELOVED ONE | 18


R

espect

their

opinions.

Most people believe in something. Even if they

believe in nothing, that’s still something. Make sure

you listen to, and respect, what they have to say.

Don’t take sharing the gospel as a task that needs to

be turned into a debate. Share in love, and listen in

love.

As a general rule, if you hear someone else out first,

they will feel more obligated to hear you out- Not in

a bad way, just common courtesy. Plus, they’ll respect

your words the Gospel more when you’ve shown you

know how to listen.

So listen to them, and show the love that Christ

showed you.

Don't get

discouraged.

Rarely, do people become Christians the first time they hear the

Gospel. If you share the Good News with someone, and they

don’t accept it, it’s not anything against you. The act of saving the

lost is a group effort. Some people plant the seeds, others nurture

them, and others reap the harvest.

So don’t get discouraged. Instead, feel encouraged and blessed

that God saw fit to allow you to be in that person’s journey.

OH BELOVED ONE | 19


How do I share

the gospel?

I mentioned before things like the Roman

Road or 5 Minute Gospel Conversations.

Really, each person is subjective, so you have to

find A) what works for you and B) what works

for the person you’re talking with.

Most people don’t want to be preached to,

but they are interested in hearing your story-

Especially if they’re your friend. The easiest way

into a Gospel Conversation is through a quick

testimony (here’s my personal example):

Once I was lost and alone, I felt helpless and

unwanted, but then I met Jesus and gave my

life to Him. Now I’m held in His arms, wanted

and protected. Do you have a story like that?

It’s quick and easy. Leaves out enough details

for the other person to ask questions, but

covers enough to lead into a conversation.

I would suggest searching the web for “The

Bridge Illustration,” “The Roman Road,” and

“The Circle Gospel.” These are all great tools to

have, but I can’t explain them in detail.

Don’t forget to end the conversation with,

“Would you like to accept Jesus as your

personal savior?”

illustrations by janwillemsen via flickr

meet the

author

Angela Dawne is a 17-year-old homeschooled MK who loves book classics, dark chocolate, and rainy days. Her highest goal

in life is to bring honor and glory to her Creator. When not working on writing projects, or scribbling late-night poems, she

can be found chilling in her hammock or researching random interests. You can find her online at https://adawne.wixsite.com/

angeladawne.

OH BELOVED ONE | 20

the

reluctant

missionary

by kara linaburg

> > > > >

OH BELOVED ONE | 21

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM THE RELUCTANT MISSIONARY

I

once thought you had to be

a missionary (as described

by the world) to spread the

gospel and make a real difference.

I once thought I would never be a

missionary.

Today I am a missionary, but not

in the way I thought.

I remember being probably twelve

years old listening to the radio

and a song began to play where

the singers were worshiping in all

kinds of languages. As I sat there

humming to the lyrics I couldn’t

understand, I felt God whispering

to my heart, “You are going to

spread the gospel to many different

groups of people, especially the

ones who think they’re outcasts.”

A missionary. Different kinds of

people. A feeling of dread seeped

through me. I just knew God was

going to call me to the jungle to

live in a hut, and I wasn’t ready!

I wanted to stay in West Virginia,

to find a job here and one day

move in a home or apartment in

the area I was currently growing

up. I didn’t want to go spread the

gospel to the ends of the earth.

Fast forward about ten years, and

I’m standing in my current jobplace.

A pastor is standing with

me and says suddenly, “This is

your mission field; you know that

right? Here in this place you are a

missionary.”

His words transported me back to

long ago when I rejected the idea

of being a missionary, and I smiled,

because it was like validation on

what I’d felt God telling me years

before. The calling God placed

This is your

mission field;

you know that,

right? Here

in this place

you are a

missionary.

OH BELOVED ONE | 22

> > > > >


Our lives

are the

mission

field,

regardless

of where

we are.

on my life was taking place in the

here and now, not some far away

country.

Living my

ordinary,

everyday

life was

enough.

Who I am today as a follower of

Christ is enough.

Looking back over my high school

years and to this point, God has

brought me in contact with people

at just the right time. People

emailed my blog seeking advice.

I mentored some teenage girls in

high school. I continually found

ways to be a light to the people

in my life at the right moments.

> > > > > > >

OH BELOVED ONE | 23


> > >

He gave me opportunities to be a

missionary that transformed me

and didn’t require me to move or

to even wait until I was an adult.

It didn’t take

moving away

to be exactly

where God

called me.

Maybe one day that will change;

maybe one day I’ll find myself

away from my home state.

Maybe . . . but that doesn’t make

it impossible to make a difference

right where I am now. We are each

missionaries regardless of where

we’re at. Our lives are the mission

field. Our jobs, where we go to

school, our social media pages:

we can make a difference and be

a light.

Don’t be fooled and think the

world isn’t watching us: because

it is.

I’ve found that sometimes we can

simply go about our daily lives,

living life as we are called to,

and people will see Jesus in us. It

doesn’t take me trying to string a

bunch of spiritual words together

to know Jesus is in my life.

Somehow, people just know.

Back in junior high I was at

a birthday party at the roller

rink. I met a girl who looked

vaguely familiar, and we talked

for a while about school and our

> > > >

OH BELOVED ONE | 24


I don't know why I'm saying

this, but you're different.

> > >

>>>>OH BELOVED ONE | 25

meet the

author

Kara Linaburg is passionate about finding beauty in brokenness, heart-to-heart talks, and hugs. When she's not planning

her next adventure, she's probably reading under a tree somewhere. Find her young adult fantasy books and read her blog

at www.thebeautifullybrokenblog.com.

lives, not mentioning anything

Christiniaty-wise but just in

general our home life. As we

parted ways, she looked at me.

“You’re different,” she said. “I

don’t know why I’m saying this,

but you’re not like the other

people out there.”

We tend to go with the cliché

idea here in the American

churches, that missionaries

are the ones who know what

to say, who constantly say

religious things and quote Bible

verses for every occasion. We

tend to assume they have to

move far from home to make a

difference, that they need to do

heroic deeds and save the world

or write books that move us to

tears.

And while these are good, solid

things, in all honesty, we’re each

just ordinary humans, each

living life as God designed for

us. Maybe I’m not called to live

in Africa or fly halfway around

the world and live in a hut while

others are. Maybe my life won’t

be full of courageous deeds or

euphoric moments of victory

while others’ life stories hit the

news or go viral.

But I am living life as I’m

designed, and that will always

be enough.


be all there.

List all the places you go in a typical week: school, coffee

shops, sports practices, etc.

Take these apart. Choose three places from the list above

and describe how you can approach it as a mission field.

1.

2.

3.

OH BELOVED ONE | 26

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM BIOGRAPHY

Elisabeth Elliot

gladys aylward

a biographical piece by rebecca caraway

OH BELOVED ONE | 27


Elisabeth Elliot

Author and public speaker Elisabeth Elliot

studied classics at Wheaton college where

she met her husband, Jim Elliot, in 1948.

The two didn’t marry until 1953 and soon

began their ministry. They were both

passionate about reaching the unreached.

They ended up going to Ecuador to

minister to the Aucas tribe who lived deep

in the jungle.

With the help of four other men, Jim

would fly over the Indian island to see

the state of the village. The men began to

drop down gifts for the Aucas as a peace

offering. They also began to drop down

materials for a treehouse. The missionaries

were hoping to build a treehouse in order

to get closer to the Aucas.

On January 8th, 1956, the male

missionaries decided to go to the Auca’s

village and invite them to a worship

service. They promised to radio their wives

by 4:30 p.m. with an update. That update

never came.

Despite her grief, Elisabeth did not give up

on her passion to spread the good news.

Along with the other wives of the deceased

missionaries, they continued to reach out

to the Aucas tribe. For two years, Elisabethe

shared the gospel with the same men that

murdered her husband. I don’t know about

you, but that takes a kind of strength I don’t

think I have. She even lived with the tribe.

She taught them about the love of Christ

and how to read the Bible.

In the end, her forgiveness is what led

tribe members to accept Christ as their

Savior. The tribe renamed themselves with a

powerful message of transformation.

After two years, Elisabeth left the island and

became a public speaker. She told others

about her experience and how to reach out

to the unreached. Elisabeth and Jim’s legacy

lives on today as the village is still Godfearing.

The wives of the missionaries sent out a

search party who discovered the men’s

plane had been completely torn apart.

They then found four of the men dead in

the water with spears in their backs; the

fifth was found later.

her forgiveness led

tribe members to

accept christ.

OH BELOVED ONE | 28


Gladys aylward

Gladys: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladys_Aylward#/media/File:Gladys_Aylward.jpg

Elisabeth: elisabethelliot.com

Gladys Aylward was a female missionary

born in the early twentieth century. Alyward

didn’t have much money but she worked

hard and saved up for a voyage to China.

Aylward’s journey to China wasn’t easy.

Her ship went across Siberia and she was

detained by the Russians. With some

local help, she was able to escape and take

another ship to China.

Once in China, Aylward worked with an

older female missionary, Mrs. Lawson.

Together they founded The Inn of the Eight

Happinesses. This inn was used to provide a

safe haven for travelers and an opportunity

to share Christianity.

For a while Alward even worked with

the Chinese government. Alward worked

to enforce a bill to end foot binding on

young Christian girls. Despite being met

with violence from inspectors, Aylward

persevered. She advocated for prison reform

and intervened in prison riots, risking her

life for change. Aylward was also passionate

about helping orphans, taking in and

adopting several of the orphans herself.

During World War II, when the area was

being invaded by Japanese forces, Aylward

led over a hundred orphans through the

mountains to safety. She personally took care

of each of them despite being injured.

In 1949, Aylward returned to Britain to flee

from the ever growing communist party.

After her mother passed, Aylward longed to

return to China but was denied permission.

She ended up settling in Taiwan in 1958

where she founded an orphanage named

after herself. She worked there until her

death in 1970.

Elisabeth and Gladys are great examples

of how we as women can help others while

sharing the gospel.

While we don’t all have to travel to China or unreached tribes, these women show

how important it is to reach out to those who are often forgotten by mainstream

Christianity.

meet the

author

Rebecca is a college student and aspiring author living on the central coast of California. She is the oldest of 10 kids

and is passionate about sharing her faith through writing. You can find her in a coffee shop with friends or in the

Chick-fil-A drive thru.

OH BELOVED ONE | 29

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM SONGS ABOUT WITNESSING

songs about

witnessing

by julia findley

I

remember sitting in Sunday school. Every week

when we sang songs I would beg for the college

students to let us sing “Be a Missionary.” I

didn’t really know what it meant to be a missionary,

but I knew I loved the song. As I grew older I

realized that I could be a missionary no matter

where I was, that as a Christian I was a witness

of the gospel. That changed my perspective on

my faith and how I could make an impact just by

talking to somewhere. Your mission field doesn’t

have to be some far-off land. It is the ground that

you walk on, the people who see you and observe

you are a witness to your character. While that is a

terrifying thought, it is important.

Here are more songs that have made an impact on

me through the idea of witnessing.

OH BELOVED ONE | 30

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM SONGS ABOUT WITNESSING

"Here Am I, Lord" by Ron

Hamilton

The idea of giving your life to Christ to allow

Him to use you as He sees fit. It’s a scary

thought but being used as God's vessel is

something that has a comforting aspect. God

has everything in control and putting your

trust in Him to witness to others is honoring.

This song reflects the idea that you do not

have to go across the world to share the

gospel. “Let me see my mission field, all around

each day.”

"Jesus Saves!" by Priscilla Owens

This song is so joyful! It shares the excitement that

comes through spreading the truth that Jesus saves.

This song encourages people to share what they know

is true. “Spread the tidings all around . . .”

"Take My Life and Let it Be" by Frances Ridley Havergal

Living a life of a Christian is not always easy. Sometimes it feels like you have been

placed under a microscope. It gets incredibly discouraging, but asking for our lives to

be filled with praise helps remind us of the joy that comes through Christ. “Take my

moments and my days, let them F low in ceaseless praise.”

"Standing on the Promises" by R

Kelso Carter

Shouting from the rooftops might be my favorite

way to describe the feeling of sharing the gospel. It

is exciting to share that you are standing firm in the

truths that are in the Bible—knowing that you can

rest in the arms of God, and that He has saved you.

"He Will Hold Me Fast" by Ada Habershon

My choir sang this song for one concert. The message behind it is so powerful: having a mission from God

is not always going to be sunshine and rainbows. Through our Christian journey there will be times when it

feels that the tempter is going to prevail. But it is important to remember that God protects His children. We

are precious in His holy eyes. This song will forever be one that has impacted the way that I view my personal

mission field.

meet the

author

Julia is a student who loves to travel and loves to use her words to impact others. When she is not working you can find her

sipping coffee, strumming her ukulele Bucky, studying or napping.

OH BELOVED ONE | 31

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE

OUTSIDE

of my comfort zone

by olivia nickerson

Something I have struggled

with for most of my life is

going out of my comfort

zone . . . and therefore sharing

the gospel with others.

o1. Think about sharing the

gospel in light of eternity.

Part of the cause for struggle is

my normal character. I can be

extroverted, but I'm sometimes

quite introverted.

I think the main reason for my

discomfort is fear. Thoughts

such as “What will they think

of me? I don’t want to offend

them. Maybe the opportunity

isn’t right. I’ll do it another

time. I don’t know what to say!”

have constantly bombarded my

mind. Those thoughts seem

insignificant right now, but when

you are in the situation, they

can seem huge. Although I’m

definitely not perfect, I wanted

to share some tips and, hopefully,

encouragement for you.

Often I think about sharing

the gospel in the light of eternity.

Thinking about that person’s

eternal destination without

Christ can give you motivation

and courage to speak to them.

Even if they don’t respond well,

you have done your Godgiven

duty. It’s not like you’re

trying to be mean to them or

threaten them into following

Christ; rather, out of love for

their soul you do it, that they

would be saved from the eternal

damnation that will surely await

them if they do not follow

Christ.

Another thing that I have found

helpful is trying not to worry or

think about what they will think.

Who cares if they’re offended? If

they are offended, it’s probably

a good thing. And I know that

sounds weird. Let me explain.

The gospel is truth. It’s not

supposed to be a warm, fuzzy

thing that promises you’ll always

live comfortably and happily.

That’s false teaching.

OH BELOVED ONE | 32


o2. Try not to worry about

what they will think.

Flowers from pixabay.com

Another thing that I have found

helpful is trying not to worry

about what they will think. Who

cares if they’re offended? If they

are offended, it’s probably a

good thing. And I know that

sounds weird. Let me explain.

The gospel is truth. It’s not

supposed to be a warm, fuzzy

thing that promises you’ll always

live comfortably and happily.

That’s false teaching.

On the contrary, Jesus promises

in His Word that all Christians

will suffer persecution of some

sort for following Christ. First

John 3:13-14 says, “Do not

be surprised, brothers,

that the world hates you.

We know that we have

passed out of death into

life, because we love the

brothers. Whoever does

not love abides in death.”

That should spur us to live more

fully for Christ with the time

that He has so graciously given

us.

o3. Remember whose

opinion is most

important.

We should be glad to suffer for

Christ, because He suffered for

us in the first place. So don’t

be scared if you think they’ll

be offended. Chances are, they

probably will—but that is

because it is actual truth. And

sometimes hearing the truth

hurts and is difficult to swallow.

OH BELOVED ONE | 33


Rather, remember whose

opinion is most important:

God’s. Second Timothy 1:7 says,

“For God gave us a spirit

not of fear but of power

and love and self-control.”

Rest in this promise and ask

God to give you the strength

you need. You can’t do it on

your own.

o4. There isn't a

wrong gospel-sharing

opportunity.

I’ve had my “Moses” moments.

I’m not always the greatest

speaker. Maybe you struggle

with that too. But no matter

how much you fumble with

your words, Christ is the one

that brings the growth. In 1

Corinthians, Paul talks about

how Paul and Apollos planted

the seed (the gospel) and

“watered” it, but that ultimately

God gives the growth.

You can’t cause them to follow

Jesus just by what you say or do.

So don’t be scared and let that

fear of fumbling keep you from

sharing the gospel. God can

take even the worst “mistakes

in sharing the gospel” and turn

it into something amazing. I

hope that encourages you!

meet the

author

Olivia Nickerson is a high-school student, growing writer, and a Christian saved by grace. She loves Lindt chocolate, being an

aunt to little Jasper, spending time with her family and friends, and dreaming. Besides writing, Olivia loves spending time with

her family and friends in almost any way, playing board games, sports, and music.

OH BELOVED ONE | 34

Tote your faith.

Grab yours at ohbelovedone.com/shop

while supplies last.

OH BELOVED ONE | 35

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM BOOK ON WITNESSING

3

1

2

4

5

6

OH BELOVED ONE | 36

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM BOOK ON WITNESSING

books on

witnessing compiled

by

korin linaburg

1GOOD NEWS FOR A CHANGE BY MATT MIKALATOS / Matt Mikalatos ranges from funny to

thoughtful in this book about witnessing, and imparts all he’s learned about sharing Jesus with others. (And yes, that is a chicken suit on

the cover).

2MORE THAN A CARPENTER BY JOSH MCDOWELL / When challenged to prove that Jesus was not

the Messiah, Josh McDowell was sure of what he’d find—but instead, his discoveries changed his life. Each chapter of this book explores

why Jesus is who He says He is.

3REAL LOVE IN AN ANGRY WORLD BY RICK BEZET / Even though Jesus is the embodiment of love

and cared for everyone around him, we as Christians tend to nitpick. It’s easy to care for our friends, family, and those in our church, but

what about the people who make us uncomfortable?

4THE CHRISTY MILLER SERIES BY ROBIN JONES GUNN / If you’re into YA Christian novels, then

you’ve probably heard of Christy Miller. It might seem a little cliché to add the series to this list, however from start to finish, the Christy

Miller gang can’t seem to help themselves from sharing God’s love with others. I can’t rave about this series enough!

5MERE CHRISTIANITY BY C. S. LEWIS / If you’re going to share your faith, you’ve got to know what you believe

and why. C.S. Lewis outlines what basic Christianity is, and explains some of the reasons why he chose Christ. As he says, “A Christian

is not someone who never goes wrong, but one who is enabled to repent and pick himself up and begin again, because the Christ-life is

inside him.”

6BRUCHKO BY BRUCE OLSON / He was only 19 when he went to the jungles of Colombia as a missionary. His

object: witness to the violent Motilone tribe. It’s a powerful story of how God loves to do the impossible.

OH BELOVED ONE | 37

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM THE NONE ZONE

The

None

Zone

by katie french

OH BELOVED ONE | 38


Map of America from mapswire.com

Mark 16:15 says, “Go ye into

all the world, and preach the

Gospel to every creature.”

Hearing this verse repeatedly in my

childhood, I envisioned only missionaries

who travel to remote villages. I imagined

that going into all the world referred

exclusively to this group.

However, in recent years, I have begun to

think differently.

All the world” refers to

every continent, every

country, and every area

on the planet.

I often used to exclude the United States

because in my opinion, our country does

not seem remote enough. However, I think

it is more “remote” than we might think.

Culture Shock

I live in a suburb of Seattle, Washington,

so coming to school in the southeast

two years ago held its own micro culture

shock. Instead of having maybe five to

ten church options in the area, I suddenly

had hundreds. Instead of wondering how

many Christians my own age I might run

across outside of my personal circles, I

suddenly had a myriad of godly people

to get to know and befriend. by Instead olivia nickerson of

seeing worldly symbols in storefronts and

on billboards, I was greeted by the Ten

Commandments hanging on the wall inside

an Arby’s restaurant.

Since coming to South Carolina, the

question that I have often mulled over in

my mind is “why?” Why is one corner of

the country so different from the other

regarding people’s response to Christianity?

Obviously, South Carolina is a hot spot

along the Bible Belt. I knew that, but why

else? After doing some research, I found

out why.

Why It's Different

The Pacific Northwest is known as “the

none zone.” This means that there is not a

significant influence of Christianity there.

Forty-three percent of

people are not religious,

which is much higher

than normal across other

regions in the United States.

New England compares similarly to the

Pacific Northwest and the middle regions

of the United States fall into the “average”

category.

North America: Your Mission

Field?

Ultimately, I am telling you all of this to

inform you of the needs of various regions

Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature

OH BELOVED ONE | 39


I remember my college president recently

noting that approximately 10,000 grads

from my Christian college live in our area

and what an influence that has had. In a lot

of ways, this is a good thing. My town is a

Christian “hub” so to speak that can largely

impact the region and empower Christians.

Maybe that is why so many churches here

are large supporters of missions. We are an

outlet that can support missionaries in great

capacity.

Though my town is a thriving, Christian

community, we need to remember that not

everywhere else is like that. Other areas

of the country are desperately in need of

Christians to come and plant churches,

teach in schools, and minister in other

capacities.

And who knows, maybe you could be

that person who leaves the region where

your family and friends live and embark

on a journey to one of the “none zones”

in the United States. I have no doubt that

God could use you in great ways for the

furtherance of His kingdom.

meet the

author

Katie French, a Washington state native, is currently a freshman at Bob Jones University in South Carolina with a

major in Journalism and Mass Communication. She endeavors to honor her Lord and Savior most of all, and desires

that her pursuits fall in line with that goal. She enjoys writing, and hopes that that may be a means by which she can

relay truth to others.

OH BELOVED ONE | 40


where is your

none zone?

Did this article change your view of your country as a

mission field?

Which places in your country have you visited?

What specific place in your country do you think you could be

a witness?

OH BELOVED ONE | 41

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM HOW TO ENCOURAGE A MISSIONARY

by jo a. ruth

“”Get off your phone!”

my uncle yells at me, throwing a

candy bar at my head. He crows

victoriously when it whacks my

face and nearly makes me drop the

aforementioned device.

Save me.

I’ve been living with him in

Boracay, Philippines, where he

and my aunt have been serving

as missionaries for a little under

a year. Their work here spans

a decade; their hearts for the

ministry, much longer.

At first glance, my relatives don’t

seem like the kind of people to

set up sponsorship programs

for underprivileged kids and

raise funding for churches and

schools— they actually kinda seem

like a pair of adrenaline junkies

slash mad scientists.

To be fair, they are.

(Case in point: one time

my uncle stuck my two

cousins and I on the same

motorcycle to go see the

last Star Wars movie . . .

without helmets. The force

was not only awakened but

also on-edge that day.)

(Yes, I almost fell off.)

It’s that incredulously goofy

side of them that led them to

serving here, and is what now

keeps them on this island. That

and the absolutely radical belief

that God’s love is best spread

by living among his people and

showing it emotionally and

tangibly.

In my case, that love is in the

form of a speeding fun-sized

Hershey bar to the face.

God works in mysterious ways

indeed.

OH BELOVED ONE | 42


Missionary Facts

Always serving per person

Serving size 1 person

Amount per serving

YEARS ~50

Total loneliness 100 hrs

Illnesses 80%

Community 20%

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise,

then, with all of this contagious joy

so freely given, to learn that this

missionary life is . . . lonely. To spend

so much time in service takes a toll; my

uncle has been officially struggling with

chronic fatigue since 2014. But you’d

never be able to guess from following

him as he dashes to this need and that

person and this program throughout a

single day.

One of the biggest problems I’ve

seen is the lack of help doing simple

tasks like set up fundraisers or make

programs for church, write emails, talk

to people, arrange events, tune guitars,

organize Sunday school supplies, basic

things that add up. Doing all of that by

oneself can drain a person. If you can,

offer to take over some tasks or call for

help; dividing the jobs among people

can save so much time and energy

and lets missionaries know that you

care and you are willing, not merely

sympathetic.

Missionaries aren’t expendable: nobody

is. They rely on fellow Christians to

support and encourage them, to reach

out, to be there. In a way, we are all each

other’s missionaries.

Since coming here, I’ve found some

ways to do that up close and far away

that hopefully, everyone can use at some

point.

That doesn’t involve physical harm with

sucrose, that is.

The coolest hours I’ve gotten to spend

were after church services playing

old games with the fam til midnight.

Little things like eating together and

talking and just existing in the same

space can brighten the atmosphere for

weeks and be truly refreshing. For those

far away, this can be a video chat or

a vlog of church life if you support a

missionary. Spend time and chill. Write

a letter, make a call. If you don’t know

missionaries very well but would like

to, just reach out. They’ll be more than

willing to keep in touch.

OH BELOVED ONE | 43


Whoever declared laughter the best medicine is

absolutely right. Help some missionaries, crack some

jokes. Plain silly humor is kind to everyone’s souls,

and lasts a long time. If you can create a few moments

of just lighthearted fun joy, you’ve probably made a

couple of nights and then some. Go creative with this

and see what you can do to get some smiles spreading.

If you can! A surefire way to encourage a

missionary, especially one roughing it out?

Being given funds to pay the bills and have

gas to make visitations, and maybe a bag

of ketchup kettle chips as a treat.

Money isn’t everything, but it does help so

much to get things that do help, and most

often missionaries are so used to having

to ask for it and prove they are spending

it unselfishly. Giving them a bit when you

can, even for themselves at times, is a good

way to be kind.

The best ending I can think of is my uncle’s

birthday one year. A plethora of kind random

church members flew from Canada to the

Philippines to give him a week off and also let him

celebrate his birthday. What they weren’t aware of

was his loneliness and depression until they showed

up and surprised him.

He always refers to that time like angels intervened,

and I think he truly believes they did.

Caring goes a long way.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to dodge

a marshmallow cannon being aimed at my

unprotected arms as I type.

May your interactions and service to missionaries

be just as sweet and not half as painful.

meet the

author

Jo A Ruth is a problem, first and foremost. Following that invigorating title, Jo is a decent storyteller, creative, and

advocate for kindness who wants the world to be healed, theater to be more accessible, and two boxes of pepperoni

pizza. To find more of Jo's abstract writings, learn about the need for Asian rep in media, or have a chat with a

friendly (but insane) person, head to @joshootsphotos on Instagram and enjoy the chaos.

OH BELOVED ONE | 44


mission

encourage.

Find your church's directory of missionaries. Choose three you

can encourage over the next month.

1.

2.

3.

Write down specific things you could do to encourage these

people, taking inspiration from this article.

OH BELOVED ONE | 45

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE

Get

Wisdom

OH BELOVED ONE | 46

coming 2021

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE

We get it.

So we started writing.

January

March

Technology

May

July

September

November

God’s Got This! Giving Your Future to the Good

Shepherd by Kristin Rutledge

Future

stay tuned on our website www.ohbelovedone.com

OH BELOVED ONE | 47

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM WHAT IS SALVATION?

WHAT IS SALVATION?

Ever wonder why some people can be so bad? So mean?

Why sometimes even you succumb to these feelings

of anger, jealousy, and lust? That's because all people,

including you and me, have a sin nature. This sin separates

us from God. He's so perfect that He can't even be in the

presence of a tiny bit of sin. Not only does sin separate

us from God, but there's also a price to pay for it: death,

after which comes suffering in Hell, burning for the rest of

eternity.

But God wants a relationship with us and doesn't want

anyone to perish, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take

the penalty of our sin. He took our place when He died

on the cross for us.

But it doesn't stop there, because Jesus did something we

couldn't do: three days after He was crucified, He rose

again! He defeated death. And, when we accept His gift

of salvation, we become a Child of God and get to spend

eternity in Heaven with Him.

So how do you accept this gift, you ask? Believe that Jesus

Christ is the Son of God and He died on the cross for

your sins, raising on the third day and defeating death.

Confess your sins and repent (turn away) from them.

If you have any questions, please feel free to write us on

our Instagram @beloved.magazine or Facebook. If you

accept Jesus into your heart, praise God! We want to

celebrate with you, so please let us know! You may want

to look at our previous issues from this year which talk

about reading your Bible and praying. For the rest of the

year, we'll be going over more aspects of your Christian

walk in great detail, so we hope these issues will be a great

encouragement to you!

OH BELOVED ONE | 48

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM CREDITS

DISCLAIMER

Oh Beloved One is not responsible for any inaccurate information in

its magazine pages. Additionally, we are not responsible for plagiarism

on the part of our writers. We accept their work assuming that it is

their own. Please contact us if you have any problems.

Current reading material in our world today has been tainted and

darkened. In our pages, we strive to share clean and positive articles

that leave readers feeling blessed.

We will not stand down for our faith; however, we will not push our

beliefs on others. You are free to accept or reject things we say and

we will not discriminate against you for any reason. Additionally, just

because our pages are filled with positive articles does not mean we will

not stand up for what we believe in. However, we believe that at this

time it is best to look at the glass as half full.

geeky

printing

info

Body text set in Adobe Garamond Pro.

All verses in ESV translation unless

otherwise noted.

All photos and art not taken by an Oh Beloved One staff member were

checked to ensure they do not infringe copyright laws. Please contact

us if you have a question.

The ESV Global Study Bible®, ESV® Bible

Copyright © 2012 by Crossway.

All rights reserved.

PRINT IS

BETTER

We offer each issue online for free

because we want everyone to have

access to solid, practical, beautiful Bible

resources. However, purchasing print

magazines helps keep us running and

lets us know you support what we're

doing. Please consider buying a print

copy!

DEDICAT-

ED TO

This issue is dedicated to the pastors

around the world who are doing their

best to hold the church together, put on

church services, and even stand up for

their faith by holding services.

hey

look

it's the

page

no one

reads.

OH BELOVED ONE | 49

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE

ohbelovedone.com

UP NEXT

CREATOR

New year, new theme! We're taking a year to study who

God is . . . and we are beyond excited! Join us in January

2021 as we dive deep into how God is Creator . . . and why

we are too. Get ready to be inspired!

OH BELOVED ONE | 50

Witness Issue (November/December 2020)

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?