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Raise Each Other Up

2/24/2016

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Philippians 2:3-5 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
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​Some people think that in order to be successful you need to push others to the bottom so that you are able to climb to the top.  This is especially common in American culture.  The thought is that if others are as successful as you are, then you are not successful; you are average.  No one wants to be average.  However, the reality is that if everyone was raising each other up, the world would be a much better place.  God warns us of the dangers of trying to be successful for recognition or glory.  He tells us that we are to value others more than we value ourselves; their needs are to be more important than ours.

​Taking the time to care about others and putting them before ourselves seems hard.  Everyone is busy with work, school, kids, and family, but it is important to remember that God wants us to love each other more than ourselves.  Therefore, we ask the question: ​How can we value others?  
We are to look to Jesus as our model for how and when we should help others.  The Bible tells us of Jesus feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and comforting the sad.  Jesus was perfect, and although we could never be perfect, we should aim to do everything that we can to help others. God demands it, but we also want to give with joyful hearts, not out of obligation or for recognition, but for God’s glory.  Prayers, materials, time, and emotional support all can be directed to make other people’s lives more positive and show our love to others. Money isn’t the only way that we can be supportive to people who are less fortunate. 
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Leah Whitson is a junior Human Social Services major at Wisconsin Lutheran College, and the Resident Support Intern here at New Beginnings.   After college she plans to pursue a Master's in Social Work, and one day she hopes to use her experience at New Beginnings as a good foundation .   During her free time Leah likes to travel, play with her dogs, and spend time with her fiancé.
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Finding A Common {School} Ground

2/17/2016

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It has been a busy few weeks at New Beginnings as the Resident Assistants (RAs) and residents have all started their spring semester classes. This is the residents' first semester of school since coming to New Beginnings, so it has been a major adjustment in their schedules- one that brings both challenges and opportunities.
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​As RAs, it has been really neat to have this new area that we can relate to with the residents. After the first day of classes, one of the residents expressed concern over how she would be able to get everything done for classes while keeping up with the New Beginnings program and being a mom. While our commitments are a little different, we know what it is like having to balance school with jobs and personal lives. It can be overwhelming sometimes, so I definitely felt for this resident’s initial nerves. My fellow RAs (Naomi and Cait) and I have all been in school for three or four years, which has given us some experience in time management that we’re always happy to share with the residents when it is needed. 
The staff at New Beginnings is continuously looking for ways we can connect with the residents and build our relationships with them. Although we all come from different backgrounds, being students at the same time has given us a new way to bond and come together as a family even more. Over time, we have found that becoming a family is more about finding the common ground we share as believers in the family of Christ. We are all blessed to have this opportunity to share experiences with others completely different from us and learn and grow from each other.
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To learn more about Carin Clark, click on the button below.  It will take you directly to her website.
Carin Kilby Clark
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:10
A Former Resident Supervisor
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Live a Life of Love

2/12/2016

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Typically, when someone thinks of February, the first thing that comes to mind is Valentine’s Day, the holiday of love. Valentine’s Day is somewhat of a debated holiday; you either love it or you hate it.  Some people look forward to this holiday, and the gifts and memories that come with it.  However, some people in relationships may feel overwhelmed with the pressure to make sure the day is special, whereas single people may feel the holiday just serves as a reminder that they are single, or alone. No matter what your personal opinion of Valentine’s Day is, the day can serve as two reminders to Christians; first, we should make showing Christian love a priority, whether it be to your significant other or to a stranger crossing the street; and second, we are never alone, even if a holiday can make us feel that way.
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My confirmation verse was Ephesians 5:2a, which says, “Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us.”  Christ showed love to the whole world by being our Savior.  As we begin Lent this month as well, we hear about Christ’s suffering and sacrifice.  Christ dedicated his entire life to us and calls us to dedicate our lives to him, which means living a life of love.  Although Valentine’s Day is typically about couples, the true purpose behind Valentine’s Day is showing someone that you care about them and love them.  Valentine’s Day may have become a secular holiday narrowed to just couples, but it can serve as a reminder that we should show love to all around us, especially when it seems impossible, because Christ showed love to us by saving us from our sins.
At New Beginnings, we do our best as staff and Resident Assistants to provide a family and community feel for our residents.  However, no matter how hard we try, the residents, staff members, or RAs may feel lonely at times, just as anyone can.  Valentine’s Day is occasionally referred to in jokes as “Single People Awareness Day.”  This is an unfortunate outcome from a holiday based on showing people love and affection.  However, as Christians we must remember that we are never alone.  God constantly reassures us in his word that we are not alone.  God is always by our side, so no matter what hardships come our way, he is still there to strengthen our faith through word and prayer.  
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Naomi Brandt  is a resident assistant from Salt Lake City, Utah.  While her major at Wisconsin Lutheran College is in Business Administration, she hopes to go to law school after graduation, and work in either law, politics, or public relations.  New Beginnings has been a great opportunity for Naomi to expand her work experience, grow in her faith, and have a home away from home.

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The Effect of Spoken Words

2/10/2016

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Have you ever said anything that you regret? Perhaps you lost your temper and said some things better left unsaid, or maybe you were hurt and wanted to hurt someone else so you damaged their reputation by spreading gossip. How often have you gotten upset or angry about something that was done to you and went to complain or "vent" to a coworker or friend? Do these situations sound familiar?
We all have been guilty of letting our tongue and temper get the better of us. More often than not, the hurt and anger comes from misunderstanding or lack of communication; This is especially true among people with different backgrounds and cultures. I know this is a challenge among staff and residents here at New Beginnings. Individuals from different cultures and backgrounds are living and working under one roof and what might be acceptable and said in innocence in one culture, might be annoying or insulting to another culture. It is a challenge that we can all overcome with patience and understanding.
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We should look to God when we have these issues. What does He say about our words? I know that in the Ten Commandments, God says "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." You might argue that it is all true! I am just exposing this person for what they really are! We must ask ourselves, what does this commandment really mean? In Luther's Small Catechism, it is explained like this: "We should fear and love God that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, or give him a bad name, but defend him, speak well of him, and take his words and actions in the kindest possible way."

This is difficult I realize. When we have been hurt or offended, the easiest thing to do is react instantly. We must control our words and think before we speak. Let us see what else God's Word has to say about it. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Amen!) – Psalm 19:14, ESV Here we are asking that our thoughts and words are pleasing to God. That must be a question that we ask ourselves before we react. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs 15:1, ESV We must be aware of others and their feelings. We should think of others first.
Let us all remember what God's Word says about our words and keep them in mind. If a misunderstanding should happen. Take a moment to THINK. Don't react. Walk away if you don't have anything nice to say. Think about it and then talk about it. Key words are "I'm hurt because of..." or "I don't understand why you said....". Even "I felt angry because of ....". More often than not, expressing your feelings will allow the person to tell you what was really meant, only then can you come to a mutual understanding and resolve issues.
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​May He grant us patience and control over our words and actions that we may be witnesses for His love.
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Christina Pritzlaff is married with two children. She has completed Early Childhood 1 & 2 classes, Infant Toddler classes, and completed the coursework for her Associates degree in Child Development. Christina splits her time between spending time with her family and working at NewBeginnings. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, camping, fishing, reading, and doing counted cross-stitch.


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My Brother’s Keeper

2/3/2016

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Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”


“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
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Genesis 4:9
When we think of Cain from the Bible, we think murderer. After all, he killed his own flesh and blood. He retorted to God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” when God asked Cain where Abel was. Yet, when we think of Cain, we should really be thinking of how easily we relate to him. No, maybe we’re not jealous, cold-blooded killers, but we all justify our self-focused nature that leads us to care only for ourselves.
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God doesn’t directly answer Cain’s counter, but throughout the Bible we see that God’s answer was clearly a yes – you are your brother’s keeper. We are commanded to love one another, serve one another, and go and make disciples. All those things require one thing: a relationship – a relationship with God and a relationship with others.
Yet this is impossible when we merely focus on our own wants and needs. Often times we use the excuse of being too busy to have time to worry about anyone but ourselves or our closest loved ones. We complain, Why me? Isn’t there someone else who can help? Doesn’t God know that I already have so much going on right now? I just need to focus on myself before I can help someone else. While setting a solid foundation in our own life is very important, it is critical to be a cornerstone in someone else’s. Who knows what God is doing through you?
New Beginnings is the perfect opportunity to show Christian love and service in two key aspects. First, as staff we support our residents individually to be the best version of themselves. Whether it’s finishing their education or excelling in the program, we want our moms to always know we are here for them! Second, all of our moms are completely unique, fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Although they come from different places in life, they are brought together to start a new chapter through our program. They never have to worry about going through this life-changing step alone because there is a mom right by their side going through it with them. With supportive residents and an encouraging staff, it’s an honor to be our brother’s keeper.
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​Cait Seastrand
 
All the way from San Diego, California, she is a Junior Sports and Exercise Science major at Wisconsin Lutheran College. God-willing she will be a physical therapist for children, soldiers, or academy cadets for the police and fire departments. Until then, she is very thankful for the opportunity to have a family away from home here at New Beginnings.

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