Experiencing the love and power of God

God is so much more powerful than we can ever imagine, said Devon Van Hoffen, Class of 2012. Speaking at a recent chapel at Smithville Christian High School, Van Hoffen told students how his 2012 trip to South Africa with the school had a profound impact on him.

After graduating from high school, Van Hoffen returned to Africa with an organization called Hands at Work in Africa, which uses local care workers and volunteers, like Van Hoffen, to develop care plans and provide support and encouragement to meet people’s needs. Van Hoffen has served in Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Malawi, and is currently working in South Africa and Swaziland.

Van Hoffen said he has seen the power of prayer and God’s hand at work in powerful ways.

“The things you read about (in the Bible) are happening now,” Van Hoffen told students. “Things that seem impossible, God is doing.”

As he lives and works among some of the world’s poorest people, Van Hoffen said he regularly encounters God. “God shows up when you are in a place like that, with nothing, because when you have nothing else, all you can do is look for God,” he said.

Van Hoffen said he used to think God was angry and or upset with him, but he has come to know “how much God actually loves us. His work (through Jesus) is finished, and we are free to go and care for people.”

Van Hoffen told stories of the generosity and hospitality of the people he meets, and of the way God heals people.

“We have God’s love, and we can go and give it to other people, and show the love that only God can give.”

Van Hoffen said when he was a student in high school, sitting in weekly chapels, he had no idea of God’s calling in his life, but during a short-term trip to Belize he found himself praying one night that God could use his voice.

“I felt an arm come around me” and even though up until that point Van Hoffen had not been a good singer, the next day he was able to play the guitar and lead in worship. “It’s weird that God can use a gift I never knew I had,” he said, but God can do the same thing in the lives of all of us.

Quoting Psalm 139:13-16, Van Hoffen said he now understands “the depths of God’s love. It’s so amazing that God thinks about us and knows about us, deeply and personally.”

Van Hoffen encouraged students to make themselves available to God.

“God will make it known to you. God will be able to use you to serve him.” 

Van Hoffen played and sang “No Longer Slaves” by Bethel Music’s Jonathan David and Melissa Helser. 

* * *

Devon Van Hoffen, who has to raise his own support, is holding an information and fundraising event on December 28 at 6 p.m. at Rose City Kids Theatre in Welland. This is a casual, all-ages event featuring praise and worship. Come and learn more about how God is at work through Hands at Work. Refreshments provided.  

Read more about Hands at Work: visit their website.

  

How deep are your roots?

Your ability to withstand tough times or to flourish is directly related to how deeply you’re rooted, students at Smithville Christian High School were told at this week’s chapel.

Building on this year’s spiritual life theme of “Thrive,” Park quoted Jeremiah 17:7-9 and told students they are like trees.

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Park said a tree’s roots are important in four ways:

1. They anchor the tree.
2. They draw up water.
3. They store strength for the future.
4. They promise new life.

Anchor

A tree’s roots anchor it and give it stability, no matter how strong the winds might blow, Park said, quoting Ephesians 6:13. If you are rooted in your identity in Jesus Christ, “You may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

But God does not force us, he does not pull our roots out of us, he invites us to dig in, Park said. When we are rooted in the Word of God, when we read the Bible, when we worship, when we pray and when we think about him “with purpose and desire, not because we have to, but because we are compelled to, we desire it,” that’s when our roots go deep. Then, when bad things happen, our minds will be able to think about the promises of God because those promises will be an ingrained part of our identity.

Draw

In Scripture, water imagery is powerful, Park said, such as the image of Old Testament priests pouring water over the altar, or Jesus offering living water to the Samaritan woman at the well. Just as a tree’s roots will automatically grow towards water, we should also seek out living water, he said. Jesus said “whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Store

A tree with deep roots can survive a drought and so can we survive tough times if we have deep roots, Park said. Spiritual Emphasis Week or an exciting Serve project or a good church service can serve to nourish our faith, but dry times will inevitably come and that’s when we need to have deep roots. “What a blessing it is to have the word of God impacting you every day,” he said, but in addition to experiencing it now, we know that “a day will come that what is getting stored in your roots right now will come back to you when you need it.” When trouble comes, you can pray that God will bring it to mind, “and he will, because he loves you that much.”

New Life

When a neighbour’s landscaping crew cut down a flowering bush on Park’s front lawn by mistake, Park and his wife were devastated, but within a short time, that bush had sent out new shoots and was flourishing again. “At least there is hope for a tree,” Park said, quoting Job 14:7. “If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.”

We all mess up, we say things we shouldn’t say and fail to say or do the things we should do, Park said. It’s like we are chopping off our own branches. But if we are deeply rooted, and especially if we are deeply rooted with each other, like the roots of sequoia trees, we will revive, he said.

How deep are your roots? Are you digging in? Are you going after the water of life?

 * * *

The “Jesus Jammers” student praise team also led in worship with “I Surrender,” “Brokenness Aside,” and “Holding Nothing Back.”

Park said when we thank a praise team with applause we are commending the talent and dedication of the student musicians who are leading us, but we are also thanking God that the words we are singing are true. “We’re not just thanking our praise team, we are thanking God it’s true.”

Highlights from the Grade 12 Retreat

Grade 12 students led chapel at Smithville Christian High School, sharing stories and music from their three-day retreat to Silver Lake Camp last week.

Chapel began with Grade 12 student praise team leading in worship with “Multiplied,” “My Redeemer Lives” and “Hallelujah – Grace Like Rain.”

Spiritual life director Gord Park then took over, thanking the Grade 12 students for the privilege of playing, worshiping and growing with them.

“You are an awesome group of people,” Park told them, urging the students to allow the spirit of community and cooperation from the retreat to infuse the entire year.

Park described the great weather, team-building activities and healthy food they enjoyed at the camp, and shared a few photos from the trip. 

(See more photos in the Grade 12 Retreat album on Facebook).

As part of the worship time at the retreat, students had an opportunity to share what God is doing in their lives. Sabrina accepted the invitation to share her story again for the whole school, at chapel.

She spoke of a ministry trip she made this summer to Los Angeles, working as a volunteer at the Dream Centre, helping at a local food bank and praying with people who requested prayer.

Sabrina said she was profoundly affected by the experience, and knows that “God is calling me back. So that is what I am going to do, go back for nine months,” she said.

Sophie shared a devotion about relying on the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, in good times and bad.

“On our grade 12 retreat, we talked about being in relationship with God and what that meant,” Sophie said. “The pivotal point of being in relationship with someone is communication. Good communication involves asking and answering questions, as well as listening to the other person speak. In your faith walk with Christ, it is so important to remain connected with Him. He speaks to us in personal ways, we only need to make ourselves aware of His voice and how He chooses to connect with us.”

Sophie urged students to dig into God’s word, to worship him and be used by him “in radical ways.”

“Awesome things can happen,” she said.

The Grade 12 student praise team led in two more songs, “Build Your Kingdom Here,” and “Thrive,” inviting their entire class forward to join in leading.

Mr. Robb presented Jay and Sam with their prizes for reading the New Testament this summer.

Oh, and Mr. Robb also shared two stories from his recent trip to Israel. He said while he was in the Holy Land he met a mathematician who hated negative numbers. He said the mathematician hated them so much, he would stop at nothing to avoid them.

Robb also said that in the airport he met a young boy who had a box of animal crackers. Instead of eating the crackers, the boy was lining all the animals up. When Mr. Robb asked the boy what he was doing, the boy replied that he was looking for the seal. Why? Because a warning on the box said “do not eat if seal is broken.”

Chapel is (usually) held on Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m. All are welcome.

All of life is worship

All of life is worship, students at Smithville Christian High School were told at this week's chapel.

As an example, spiritual life director Gord Park used the story of the Israelites who were facing an attack from their fierce opponents, the Moabites and Ammonites, as told in 2 Chronicles 20.

In response to the threat, the people sought help from God, and were told: "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's."

God still asked his people to meet their enemies on the battlefield, Park said, which they obeyed -- "but they put the worshippers out in front" leading the way.

"That's faith," Park said. "They go out thanking God for what he promised them he is going to do.

"We read these stories knowing how it's going to end, but they didn't. Of course they were afraid! They were normal human beings."

Park said our lives are often like that. We can face difficulties, despair, evil, or other troubles, but the promise spoken by the messenger Jahaziel "belongs to you too."

The battle is not yours, but God's," Park said. "We are more than conquerors," (Romans 8:37), and nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:39).

God invites us into intimacy with him, into a relationship, Park said. When we encounter God, his omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience are revealed and we become aware of his greatness. He becomes present in our lives and offers us healing and hope. But doing this is an act of will. God does not force us to worship him — it's a decision we make.

"When you are having a bad day and it's hard to worship, you just don't feel like it, that's the best time to worship," Park said.

How you write a test, how you are with your friends, all of life is worship, Park said. We are to be living sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1).  

He then issued a challenge to students to consider ways in which they are gifted, whether it's in art, music, drama, dance or any other way in which they can lead others into worship.

He said the March 11 chapel will be a worship chapel, led by students who are feeling nudged to write a song, paint a picture or to share in any other way they can.

"Do you feel a nudge?" Park asked. "Allow the Spirit of God to lead you in presenting something."

Park said he is "amazed" by the talent and gifts of the students at Smithville Christian High School, and by the atmosphere that lives at school.

"You guys are awesome and the Spirit is alive here," he said. "There are gifts, creativity and boldness that I have not seen for a long time. I urge you to let God be God. This is a safe and loving place and this chapel will be a day in which we all declare together: How great is our God!"

Members of a student praise team also led in worship with "One Thing Remains," "The Stand" and "Grace Like Rain."

Chapel is held every Wednesday at 9 a.m. and everyone is welcome.

Career Day Advice: take risks, expect the unexpected

There's a good chance the career path you choose or the field of study you pursue won't be where you end up, students at Smithville Christian High School were told at the Career Day Chapel.

"Over 70% of college and university students change their major within the first two years," said Heidi Kooiman Vanderkwaak (Class of 1998), who described how "torn" she felt about abandoning her long-held plan to be a teacher. "I felt that switching my major meant failure. Had I known that at the time, I would have been comforted knowing that I was far from the only one who made discoveries about my future" along the way.

Kooiman Vanderkwaak, who now works for the City of Hamilton as a Program Review Officer in the Ontario Works department, told students there is no clear vantage point from which they can see the road ahead. But she shared seven "Ah-Ha!" moments she had in the 17 years since she graduated from Smithville Christian High School.

#1 Do your research. If you have a career path in mind, investigate it, practice it, shadow someone who has been working in the field, interview people practicing in that profession. If you don't have a particular career in mind, find out about more jobs that you are interested in by reading, shadowing a professional, interviewing your parents' friends. Get a real idea of what each job is like on a day-to-day basis.

#2 Listen to others. There are people in your life who know you very well: they have seen you grow up, they know your strengths and weaknesses. Ask for their opinion and advice about your career path. Listen to a variety of opinions.

#3 Expect change. God will take you in directions that you can't see at the time. He'll  use decisions and sidetracks that you take to your advantage. You may graduate with one degree or as an apprentice in a trade and five years later be doing something completely out of your field. Your degree, your apprenticeship, your experience is not wasted. Almost everything you learned in life will come in handy at one point or another.

#4 Travel. It doesn't matter where you go — spending three or more months in another part of the world learning alongside your peers will change your life immeasurably for the better, even though it could be really difficult at the time. It will open up desires and passions you didn't know you had, and it will open a world of possibility and understanding that will serve you well wherever you go.

#5 Take risks. Try things you've never tried before. Step out of your comfort zone. God will speak to you as you learn what you love and have gifts at. If you don't try something, you may not discover a hidden talent or gift or passion you have. This means you have to try something that you are not normally drawn to, but it will stretch and challenge you.

#6 Rely on your values. Ensure your career or job complements your values -- which are shaped by your faith. For Kooiman Vanderkwaak and her husband, that meant taking an unpaid leave of absence from their jobs and travelling with their two children on a year-long bicycle tour of North America, cycling from Hamilton to Vancouver, to Panama and then back up the eastern seaboard through Washington, D.C. and New York City to home. "Throughout our year off employment, we deepened our relationships with each other and learned so much about God and his calling for how to serve him in our community in Hamilton."

#7 Be still and listen to God. God doesn't usually directly tell you what to do. It is not very likely that the heavens will open up and you will hear a loud voice commanding you to choose a specific career path. A relationship with Him means you are asking through prayer and questioning and listening through His word and his direction through other people in your life, and through the passions and gifts he has given you. Kooiman Vanderkwaak said God has often spoken to her through people in circumstances that at first appeared to be mere coincidences. "He spoke in my discovery of things that I am good at, and the gifts that developed as a result of practice and use. You often don't realize the 'God-is-speaking-to-me' moments until after they've happened, but if you tune in to Him, you'll start to hear it while it's happening and it's one of the most amazing and wonderful experiences."

Kooiman Vanderkwaak said she loves her job, "one I didn't even know existed when I was sitting where you are." She told the students she hopes the same for them.

"I want to wish each of you God's richest blessing as you make discoveries and enrich your understanding of who you are, who the Creator is, and how you are called to serve in this world."

A student praise team led in worship with "Oceans," "I Lift My Hands," and "Not Ashamed."

Career Day continued with workshops on topics such as:

• Rights in the Workforce
• Apprenticeships
• Transition to Life After High School
• English as a Second Language at the Post-Secondary Level
• Vocational Inventories
• Selling Yourself
• Finding A Job
• Interview Skills
• Applying for OSAP and 
• Discerning God's Will for Your Life.

After lunch, students each attended three different sessions with presenters from 35 different jobs or careers.