Rays of Hope

What do you do when you don't know what to do? Psalm 46:10 says "Be silent and know that I am God..." Don't be afraid of what appears to be larger than life - this battle is the Lord's. Trials, trauma and transition come to push us to the next level of freedom. Frustration, discouragement and impatience come in like a flood - before your breakthrough! Take your position - STAND STILL.

Agape!
Desiree A. Eastland
First Lady, HOPE Church Pearland

Meet Janice Brown as she tells us a bit about herself and the Altar Guild Ministry.

Earlene Utsey & Janice Brown

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a server & educator by nature. These are the gifts God gave me and I am passionate about them. I love sharing with others about the goodness of God! I also enjoy gardening, quilting & entertaining.

What is your ministry's mission/vision statement?
Our mission is to ensure the sanctuary is prepared for service.

Who can participate in your ministry?
Anyone may participate in the Alter Guild.

How long have you been involved in the ministry?
The years have started to run together, but I think I have been involved with the Guild for about 5 years.

How long have you been leading the ministry?
For about 2 years.

What caused you to get involved and lead the ministry?
One of my best friends started attending HOPE, then Edgebrook Church, about 13 years ago & she remarked on how beautiful the communion service was. I began to visit, agreed and soon became a member. I had been a part of the communion service at my old church & was a little unsure of how to do so here. I sat back for years, but eventually, Earlene & I became friends through the HOPE Bible study when we were reading, The Purpose Driven Life. She had just became involved & through reading the book, I realized God was prompting me to get involved too. We both began taking on more leadership roles as needed & eventually we were asked to lead.

How has leading this ministry impacted your life?
Leading this ministry has helped me become more connected with our church as a family.

If you could speak to someone who is considering participating in the ministry, what would you say?
If God is leading you, please come! There is no greater joy than serving our God through serving His people!

If I were a participant in your ministry, what could I expect?
Expect to learn more about the purpose of the altar in the church & how to prepare it. We have about 4-6 meetings per year; in addition we are beginning a quarterly fellowship this year. Mostly, expect lots of love and support!

What kind of feedback do you receive from participants?
We receive positive feedback about being on the Alter Guild and valuable critical feedback on how to adjust our duties to make communion service better.

What is your most memorable moment as a ministry leader?
It has to be the day we were preparing for service & realized the cups we'd purchased were defective! Most of the cups were leaking, so as we were filling the trays, we began to see grape juice running everywhere. It took a minute to figure out what was going on, but once we figured it out, we prayed over the cups & God made sure we had enough good cups to make it through service. That was the funniest incident & we still laugh about it today.

Picture your ministry a year from now. What do you see? What has changed?
I see this ministry overflowing with members who are leading it to be more of a teaching ministry. People are learning more about the care of the church and the purpose of it's ceremonies.

Who are you when no one is looking? Who are you when everyone is looking? Do you know and are you familiar with yourself? I'm talking about who you really are, not who you want to be. Today, make a commitment not to allow your environment to alter your identity. Find your identity in Christ and through Christ for He is able to power you to be whom He created you to be. You are destined for greatness and are on your way the moment you release the facades, the roles you play and the fears that may plague you. Come out of hiding and live the life God has prepared for you.

Philippians 1:6 - "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

Be confident, because if God started it, He will finish it.

Philippians 3:13, 14 - "No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

Forget what's behind and press forward.

Philippians 4:6 - "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."

Stop worrying and allow God's peace to consume you. 

Philippians 4:13 - "For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength."

You are empowered.

Philippians 4:8, 9 - "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."

This is how you empower yourself. 

Philippians 4:19 - "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."

This is the Promise.

Peace!
Desiree A. Eastland
First Lady, HOPE Church Pearland

 

For All the HOPE Boot Campers, and those looking to get/stay in shape:

 

In order to get the best results from all the hard work you are putting in, your menu plan has to change. Here is your challenge for this 5 week program...no soft drinks (carbonated drinks), during the week no fast food, fried food or sweet(sugar) comsumption.

 

Your Pre-Exercise Fluid Needs
Being well-hydrated will make your exercise easier and more effective. Try to drink 16-20 ounces of water during the 1-2 hours before starting your workout.

 Some people do have a hard time exercising without eating first, especially if it’s been a long time since their last meal or snack. These individuals often are more sensitive to changes in their blood sugar levels, which fall during the first 15-20 minutes of workout. That drop in blood sugar can cause tiredness, mild dizziness, or even faintness—especially if your blood sugar was already low, but eating something beforehand can help prevent this.

Eat a small (100- to 200-calorie) snack about 30 minutes before you work out. This snack should include fast-digesting (high glycemic index) carbohydrates and very little fat (which digests slowly), so that you digest the meal quickly and the fuel is available during your exercise session. Here are some ideas:

• Fruit juice
• Fruit smoothie
• High-glycemic fruits like pineapple, apricots, banana, mango, and watermelon
• Sports drinks
• Pretzels or bagels (but not whole grain varieties, which digest slowly)
• Energy bars (look for 3-5 grams of protein, at least 15 grams of carbs, and very little fat)

Eat a nutritionally balanced meal 2-3 hours before your exercise and 1-2 hours after your exercise. 

Some good food choices and combinations for this kind of meal include:

• Fruit and yogurt
• Nuts
• Oatmeal
• Cereals (with more than 3 grams of fiber) and milk
• Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit
• Hummus and raw veggies
• Hard boiled eggs (or egg whites)
• Cottage cheese and fruit
• Half a peanut butter or turkey/chicken sandwich on whole grain bread
• Whole grain crackers with nut butter or cheese
• Whole grain fig (or fruit) Newton cookies
• Milk (especially chocolate milk)
• Tomato or vegetable juice
• Yogurt smoothie (with added protein powder, if desired)
• Most protein/energy bars

I hope this give you some ideas of what to eat before/after Boot Camp!

Glory To God on three!

 

Ronald E. Marshall
Minister of Sports & Fitness
713.589.4297 ext 264
sportsandfitness@harvestofpraiseexalted.org

 

 

What would you do if you were not afraid? Would you start a business? Would you leave an abusive relationship? Would you go back to school? Would you get help for that addiction? 2 Timothy 1:7 says God did not give us "the spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound mind." The sum of all fear is destiny delayed! God wants you to "flip the script." Instead of adding all your fears, think about what He has already done for you, and be encouraged by the sum of all your faith!

Agape!
Desiree A. Eastland
First Lady, HOPE Church Pearland