White Breakfast starts at 10 a.m.

Calling all ladies of the community.

Don't forget - Tomorrow is the White Breakfast!

Join the Newberry United Methodist Women as they celebrate the 36th Annual White Breakfast tomorrow, Saturday, March 28. Beginning at 10 a.m. ladies who attend can expect to enjoy a traditional hot cross bun breakfast with juice, coffee and tea.

The program begins with the traditional welcome, followed by hand-picked selections of the Easter season performed by members of the United Methodist Church’s “Joy Bells.” Also scheduled to perform are flutist Dianne Neumann and soprano Jane Fuller.

This year’s special narration, written by local journalist Cheryl Withrow, A Quilt, A Cross and Jesus*, focuses on the story of Jesus Christ. Cast members will proclaim the biblical account of the risen Lord through a series of quilt blocks radiating from a center-placed tree of life. 

All ladies of the community are cordially invited to attend this annual ecumenical observance that jump starts Holy Week activities.

There is no charge for the celebration, which is held in the Newberry United Methodist Church fellowship hall, 110 W. Harrie St., in downtown Newberry.

*Copyright 2015 Cheryl Ann Withrow A Quilt, A Cross and Jesus All Rights Reserved

Is it time to follow Him?

Are you a follower?

My personal prayer for today
(and every day) –
Lord, help me to will one thing: to belong entirely and undividedly to you. Amen.

What about you?

Are you up for the challenge? Are you willing to commit 100 percent to the Lord? Well, are you?

As has been preached to me many times over my 63+ years on this earth, commitment to Jesus requires sacrifice. As a Christian, one must be willing to set aside the trappings of the world and invest oneself entirely in Jesus.

I wake up every day with a prayer on my lips to do just that. Some days I succeed. Some days I fail. But, I like to believe that every day I sincerely try. I make the attempt.

What about you?

My husband and I are members of First Baptist Church here in Newberry. I have found this vessel of the Lord to be a true reflection of what a church should be – committed to His Word. I admit there are some doctrinal issues with which I disagree, specifically concerning a woman’s place in the church – but that’s a subject for another day.

Bottom line, the leaders at First Baptist not only talk the talk, they walk the walk.

To give you an idea of what being a Christian is all about, I want to share the following message, which is printed on the back of every bulletin from this local house of God.

An Open Invitation

The invitation to come to Jesus and be saved from your sinfulness is open every minute of every day. Nowhere is that more true than TODAY as you join us for worship of the One, True and Living God. The Bible says, [Romans 10:17] “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Today you have heard the Word of God, won’t you call on the name of the Lord and be saved?

 

Please understand:
• The decision to follow Jesus is costly, so it must be carefully considered. Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)
• The decision to follow Jesus is urgent, so make it soon. Jesus said, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” (Luke 12:20)
• The decision to follow Jesus is worth it, so you want to make it. Jesus said, “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)

What about you?

Is today the day you make the commitment to follow Him?

Think about it. Pray about it.

As you ponder your decision to follow Him, remember Luke 9:23 – Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

And, as I do every day, I will pray with you – May God bless you every day in every way and may today be the day you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Amen

Today is Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. Lent begins today, bringing with it a season of reflection and somber thought about our sin and Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.

Throughout Lent, Christians wait patiently to exchange the Easter morning greeting, “His is risen!” He is risen, INDEED!”

In my humble opinion, repentance and reconnecting are the key words associated with Lent.

During the weeks ahead, Christians throughout the world take time to reflect on the days leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus as foretold in Isaiah 53:12 (NIV)
[Bolded words from the scriptures are my emphasis.]
Therefore, I will give him a portion among the great,
   and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.

Many Christians sacrifice a significant pleasure during the season of Lent. Some give up chocolate, some smoking, others give up alcoholic beverages or gambling. When I was a youngster, my Catholic friends were required to abstain from meat during Lent. I can remember the public school cafeteria always had a fish choice during the Lenten season.

This semi-fasting experience is not designed for depriving oneself of something, or as a means of atonement for our sins, it’s more about devoting yourself to God, fulfilling His purpose for us in this world.

I approach my sacrifice by reasoning that if I can take my mind off just one of my guilty pleasures for the next 40-odd days, perhaps the fast will result in a better relationship with the One who truly matters – Jesus Christ!

What are you giving up for Lent? Will it impact your relationship with Jesus? Think about it.

While you're considering the question, I'll close with a prayer that opened a devotional I am following during the Lenten season -

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. — The Book of Common Prayer

And, AMEN!

Use your talents to spread His teachings

Been thinking a lot lately about Christian discipleship and what that means in my daily life.

I found a definition that addresses my discipleship ponderings on this website. If you clicked on the link, you found a page dedicated to following Jesus.

As I read that page I came across one sentence that summed up the whole idea of discipleship for me.

The statement? “Christian discipleship is more than being a believer - it's about being a follower!”

Since starting this blog the first of the year, I know that I have written a lot about being a follower of Jesus. Even though I have always been a believer in the Bible, God and Jesus, I have not always been a follower, at least in the manner of which He would have me follow Him.

Retreat to Belief is all about being a sinner in God’s sight. It’s about how to change my sinning ways, and perhaps yours too. It’s about sharing my loving relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with other sinners like me.

Basically, Retreat to Belief is a sinner’s journal of how I accomplish the Great Commission by walking the path to being a true follower. It’s about using my God-given aptitude for writing to share that journey with all of you.

The apostle Paul wrote extensively about using our talents for God’s purpose. Most of you are probably familiar with Paul’s often-quoted teaching on this subject. If not, Romans 12:3-8 (NIV) titled Humble Service in the Body of Christ, reads, 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

I believe Paul’s message is that using our expertise in the capacity for which we are led by Him is a form of discipleship, agreed?

Have you ever used your flair for (insert your God-given talent here) to disciple others for Christ? Why not use that talent to share your knowledge of Him with others? Why not use your God-given talents to become a true follower of His Way?

Sometimes that can seem like a daunting task; I know.

Jesus even labeled it so, as retold in Luke 9:23 (NIV) Then he [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

In the verses immediately following, Jesus gave some very good reasons to take up that cross – 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Jesus said it; I believe it. I am a follower. God will take care of me. Jesus promised to do just that if I take up His cross. If I take on his yoke and learn…

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Praying God will take care of all of you, directing you in the path of Christian discipleship. Amen

Blessings sometimes come in strange packages

Nasty weather prompted togetherness in the Withrow household.

“Train your mind and heart to see the good in everything. There is always something to be grateful for.”   ---Author Unknown

Came across this quote on Facebook yesterday and thought, “Yes, there is always something to be thankful/grateful for in my life.”

Someone told me a long time ago that if you just stop and count your blessings every single day, there won’t be much time left over to gripe.

Then I thought about blessings and how to turn even challenging situations into grateful ones.

Take the Arctic cold we experienced this weekend – while it was not conducive to outdoor activities, the extreme weather prompted us to clear off the coffee table and get started on a jigsaw puzzle we’d had sitting around for a couple years.

Charlie and I spent literally hours this weekend pouring over a challenge of birds and fences and lots and lots and lots of blue and green puzzle pieces.

For the record, I left those to Charlie’s capable eye while I concentrated on the songbirds!

Now that situation, at least to me, is turning a challenge into a blessing.

We stayed inside; we stayed warm; we enjoyed each other’s company; we made a lot of headway on our birds-on-a-fence puzzle; and, bottom line, we experienced gratefulness in His plan to reconnect with one another through a blizzard.

Thank you, Lord. We are blessed.

Can you remember a time where a challenge turned into a blessing? I am sure if you thought about it for a few minutes some test that you thought would be daunting ending up making you grateful that it had the audacity to intrude on your life. Right?

After all, we all know God sends the storm so we appreciate the sunshine He sends afterwards.

Paul explained God’s process in his letter to the Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 1-5 (NIV), where the apostle counseled, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us,” [emphasis mine].

Bottom line – But your faith in Him. That way, the challenges that seem to destroy your life will only require you to turn to Jesus Christ, where you will learn to persevere, build character and revel in His hope for your life.

May God bless and keep you in all your challenges. May you always find the sunshine in the trials life sends to seemingly trip you up. Trust in Him. He is always there for you, no matter what! AMEN

Overcome failure through confession

When we fail, it can be an eye-opening experience. Failure comes in many varieties. Failed marriages. Failed dreams. Failed investments. Failing grades. Failure to communicate. Failing at sports. The list seems endless, doesn’t it?

As most of you who know me know, I am an avid football fan. In fact, I guess you could say I am now experiencing football withdrawal. Being a fan creates innumerable highs and lows. The high point was THE Ohio State University’s undisputed national championship win on Jan. 12. The low point? Yesterday’s unfathomable Seattle Seahawks loss, and to none other than Tom Brady’s Patriots, the perennial nemesis of both Charlie’s Colts and my Bengals.

But, life goes on, and the football diversion goes on the back burner until next year.

In the meantime, my focus to reach the unreached in Jesus Christ’s name continues as we expand this daily blog. Last week my husband and I discussed the future of my blog-based ministry.  His insight proved invaluable.

As a result of much prayerful consideration, Charlie has decided to join this ministry. As such, you can expect to soon see blog posts from a man’s point of view, with Charlie sharing his male perspective of life as a follower of Jesus.

Back to the topic at hand…failure seems to rear its ugly head when you least expect it. But, just like sin invades our lives from time to time, so does failure.

As the followers of this blog probably noticed, personal blog posts were missing last week. Although links to the devotional I read every day were provided to you, I know it was not the same as a daily dose of personal reflection from one sinner to another. Missing even one day of sharing His Word, is, in my opinion, a monumental failure.

When I started blogging on Jan. 1, I made a commitment to not fail, and there I was, less than one month into this ministry, experiencing a colossal failure. Woe is me.

Then I thought about failure and sin and what the Good Book says how failure and sin, at least in my mind, may be related.

Romans 3:22-24 (NIV) says ²² This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of (failed in our pursuit of) the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [emphasis and parenthetical meaning mine]

The apostle Paul writes that we are saved by grace if we believe in Jesus. But, even though we employ our best efforts not to, we continue to sin. Remember Jesus says that if we sin in our heart…

In fact, in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ cautions against all types of heart-/mind-based sin. Matthew 5 gives the details. Read His instruction on the subject in your Bible or by clicking here.

My take is that I failed Christ in my absence from this blog for the last week. Even though I was ill, I should have at least made the effort to share His Word. I failed as a true follower. I failed. But that does not mean I cannot seek His forgiveness and begin again, does it?

My granddaddy always said, “Cheryl Ann, don’t you know confession is good for the soul?”

As always, granddaddy was right. As the disciple John put it so well in 1 John 1:9 (NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

According to my study Bible, John wrote this letter to the churches in Ephesus to encourage their journey in the faith. The Bible remains a timeless vessel of unfathomable knowledge as witnessed in this passage which holds true today just as it did more than 2,000 years ago.

Amazing!

In today’s vernacular, God gives us “an out,” a way back to him. A way to process, and confess our failures/sins, a way to return to Him as a true follower.

Dennis Dehaan put it so well when he wrote, “Learning to benefit from failure is the key to continued growth in grace.”

Pray, confess your sin, ask for forgiveness, and work to do it better the next time. Grow in grace. After all, “…with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26(b) (NIV).

May God bless each and every one of you every day in every way. Amen.

 

Today's devotional - Battling distractions

Today Our Daily Bread's devotion centers on the Gospel according to Luke, chapters 10, verses 38-42. Take time to digest the scripture before you read today's devotion. Reading the Good Book adds so much more to the essay. Read today's edition by following this link.

May God bless all of you today and every day. Amen

An Irish blessing

From this Irish/Scot to all of you...

May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel
So nothing can harm you.
Laughter to cheer you.
Faithful friends near you.
And whenever you pray,
Heaven to hear you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Terry Webb - A heartfelt tribute to a true friend

 

Today I write with a heavy heart because I have lost a friend and a long-time confidant.

Terry Webb was a man of integrity, a man of foresight, a man with a plan – for his life and for this village. I cannot begin to share with you the number of hours we spent discussing life in general as well as village business, hashing out solutions to problems, addressing village needs and considering the long-term impact of decisions made by him, as village president, along with the members of Newberry Village Council.

When the idea of selling the former 41 Lumber property came up, we talked at length about the consequences of taking the property off the tax rolls. We discussed the planned move of village offices to that location. We talked about our dogs, Terry and Vicky’s Newfoundlands and our German shepherd and Chihuahua, sharing their maladies and foolish adventures. We had conversations about the garbage service provided by the village and how the administration had been instructed to save money for future needs for that enterprise operation. We talked about Terry’s school years in Newberry.

We talked about his service to all of us as a member of the United States Air Force. We discussed his job in the service as a communications specialist. As a former telephone person myself, I could speak Terry’s language, making the conversations all the more meaningful. We talked about eliminating parking on Newberry Avenue during the annual July 4 parade. We talked national politics. We talked religion.

We talked about raising rabbits. We talked about gardening. When it was learned funding was not in place for all elements of the Tahquamenon Outdoor Recreation Park project, we talked about ways to pursue grant monies to get the park built to the perception drawings that were presented to village council members as a, presumably funded, done deal.

We talked about hunting. My husband and I visited the Webb camp, enjoying a day of exploring and storytelling and good food and drink. I will never forget that day. It was fantastic. We talked about the content of Terry’s newspaper column – Village Viewpoints. We talked about the Alice in Wonderland-themed wedding of his son and how Terry made the PERFECT white rabbit – clock and all!

It seems hard to believe that I just talked to Terry a little over a week ago. This time our conversation was about the good things of life, with Terry recounting the trip he made with Vicky to Kentucky to visit with Waylon and Tabby, their son and daughter-in-law. I recall his description of their apartment and its convenient location. “You could see the roof of Sam’s Club from their front door,” Terry said.

We talked about how their blind puppy was progressing and how the puppy had visited with them recently. We talked about one puppy that was coming home because the owner could no longer care for her (she returned to Newberry last week). We talked about the upcoming gardening season, praying together for warmer weather to create a better harvest. We talked about my daughter and her children. We talked about Christmas. We wished one another a happy and prosperous new year and said we would talk soon. Much to my chagrin, we never did.

And now this.

Even though I know it is part of His plan, I sometimes just want to shake my fist at God and ask, “WHY?”

I loved Terry. I love Vicky. I will miss him terribly. I will miss his wit. I will miss his level headedness. I will miss our long-winded conversations. I will miss his gentle and caring nature. I will miss Terry Webb. God rest his soul.

Today I end with the King James Version of the 23rd Psalm, as I know Terry made that walk yesterday, and I am confident that he resides in a better place now.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Amen

Your help can be as simple as serving at a soup kitchen.

Are you eager to do good in this world? According to the apostle Paul, we should all, if we are God’s people, be “eager to do what is good.”

Paul’s encouragement is found in Titus 2:11-14 (NIV) 11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

I try every day to do something good, whether it’s for my husband, or my daughter, or my grandchildren, or for a friend, or for a stranger. Even though God does not require works for salvation, (that only comes as a gift, through God’s grace) I pray continually for opportunities to show God’s love through my works of Christian charity.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) verifies our saving grace - 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Paul says a lot more about doing good in this world. In fact the third chapter in Titus addresses, in detail, “Doing What Is Good.” Titus 3:1-11 (NIV). You can read the entire text of Paul’s advice by clicking here.

James, another follower of Jesus, says that faith without works is dead. James 2:14-17 (NIV) reads, 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

What about you? Is today the day you actively pursue opportunities to help your fellow man?

Sometimes all that is required is sharing your dinner table with a lonely person. Sometimes it might involve a significant financial investment. Sometimes your time is the primary ingredient for assisting in a project that will benefit someone less fortunate.

As a matter of fact, my perennial prayer was answered yesterday when a sister in the faith called with a specific need, a need no one else in her circle of friends was able to provide. Although this assistance requires an entire day away from my home and travel on wintry roads, I saw an opportunity to help as God requires. I didn’t think twice.

Of course I said yes! How could I say otherwise as a Christian woman of faith?

Whatever the case may be, pray that you will find an occasion to assist someone in need. I promise the rewards will far outweigh the commitment of time, energy or funds. Just help out; you'll be glad you did.

Until tomorrow – God bless all of you as you help one another. Amen.

Thinking about a resolution?

Resolution; a resolve; a decision or determination: “to make a firm resolve to do something.”

Daniel refuses food from the king's table.

With the new year upon us, I could not help but think about the perennial act of making New Year’s resolutions. Many of us resolve to lose weight and get in shape. Seems I make that resolution every year! And, I always begin with good intentions, but then life happens. Living gets in the way of my resolve, causing me to break that resolution I was so intent on keeping.

Has that happened to you?

This year, my resolutions include the get fit and lose weight ones, as always, but I have added more resolutions that I feel are much more important to me, and maybe to you as well.

This year I plan to author these blog posts on a consistent basis, delving into God’s Word to learn more about his plans for us. When a blog subject comes to me, my first source of reference will be my Bible. Seems God has left his mark of guidance on every aspect of the human condition right there, in His Word.

My prayer is that you will be positively impacted by what I write, take the guidance provided in His infallible Word and use it to grow your faith and commitment to God.

 Understanding my commitment to God and you, I begin with…

 Who better to write about resolutions than Daniel?

Daniel, who was quite possibly a member of the Judah royal family, was one of those singled out by King Nebuchadnezzar to eat food and wine from the king’s own table.

Of course, the king had a reason for sharing his plenty with a captive. Nebuchadnezzar planned to train these young men from the royal family, men, “without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace.” (Daniel 1:4 NIV) After these men were trained for three years, they would enter into the king’s service.

Even though the royal fare would have been much more satisfying than that prepared for other captives from Judah, Daniel made a commitment to not drink or eat from the king’s table, thereby honoring the one true God.

You’ll find Daniel’s resolution in Daniel 1:8 (NIV)

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

One has to believe that food on the pagan king’s table would have included that which had been sacrificed to idols, which was forbidden fodder for the Jewish people (Exodus 34:15).

Also, Jewish dietary laws set strict parameters for food preparation and the Babylonian cooks would have never adhered to these rules, making it impossible for Daniel to eat the king’s largess (Exodus 12:8-9 NIV).

Not only that, but it would not be unbelievable to understand that the Babylonian diet would have included meats forbidden for Jewish consumption (Leviticus 11:4 NKJV).

Because there were no laws prohibiting the consumption of any type of vegetable, Daniel and three other Judean captives ate only vegetables and drank only water during their time of captivity.

Such resolve under less-than-optimum conditions makes me believe, that if we, as human as Daniel, really put our hearts, minds and souls to a resolution, especially one that involves growing our faith through reading and absorbing His Word, we will persevere and be the better for it.

Want to read more about Daniel and how he overcame a foreign environment through his faith? If so, you can read the entire Old Testament book by clicking here.

Make your commitment to God, and yourself, today. I did.

May God bless each and every one of you every day in every way. Amen!