Category: Resident Assistant/Intern - NEW BEGINNINGS - A HOME FOR MOTHERS

God has Children but no Grandchildren

9/7/2017

I think we hope that our faith will becoming someone else’s faith.
Please do not confuse what I am communicating. We always need to encourage another spiritually. We cannot have faith for someone else. We can tell someone what we think, believe, or we behave by our morals but in the end of the day they will do whatever they desire to think or do.

The saying God has children but has no grandchildren is something that I heard from someone close to me. The saying means that God has a personal relationship with all of his followers. Jesus’ followers have their own personal faith through the Holy Spirit not because of a parent or grandparent. Parents have good intentions and desire the best for their children but cannot have faith for their children in place of the children’s faith. I am not saying that children do not need to be trained and brought up in the Christian faith on the contrary I am stating the opposite. The point that I am trying to make is that eventually the children need to have their own personal relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The children need to be raised up in the church where they will be encouraged by other Christians and where they will learn about God through Bible reading and devotions. Furthermore, they need to learn about God at home both by example of the parent or parents through daily Bible reading, devotions, words, and behaviors.

In Matthew 19:14, “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these’” (NIV).

1 Timothy 4:8 “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (NIV).

Elyse Kipfer was an intern at New Beginnings July through September of 2017 and is now a current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is a Psychology Major and Communication Minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. She aspires to be a Christian counselor for victims of sexual violence. Her free time consists spending time with her horse, dog, family, and friends. Furthermore, she enjoys having deep conversations and digging into God’s Word.

We Learn From Others

8/31/2017

I am learning at New Beginnings that being able to build relationships with different individuals from different experiences. I am also learning about myself and how I want to continue or how I want to change.

The idea that I am learning more about myself from other people than simply saying that I am learning about another person or that we are becoming friends is because I learn from other people more than they learn from me. I am learning that even though communication is one of my top five for my StrengthQuest that I still need to clarify questions. I have usually rephrasing questions when I am leading devotion. Additionally, I find myself giving examples out to the questions that I am asking. I am even asking more leading questions because my questions are not as clear to everyone as my own questions about God’s Word are to me. In order, my top five strengths are belief, analytical, input, restorative, and communication. Although, I think and know that these top five are my strengths these are labels that are able to help to describe a person but do not give the full picture of an individual.

Coming into New Beginnings I know that I was concerned about if I would talk the day and night away because I love to talk to people and I know that about myself. I have found that there are times that I have really good conversations and time to work, for me it is usually homework. I have also learned that some people need more time to think to themselves or do not talk about everything and that is normal too. I thought that if other people did not want to talk or tell jokes that was something against me. I have come to appreciate that some people do not want to talk about a personal issue or have different experiences with reading the Bible. The more that I am learning from the amazing women here at New Beginnings, that more I am growing in how I am able to relate to other individuals who come from a different place than me and share the Bible in an entirely new way. I know that everyone is a part of New Beginnings for different reasons, but we are all learning from each other. We learn that we need to grow closer to God together and that we change constantly because we want to be more Christ-like and we learn that from reading the Bible and living life together.

Elyse Kipfer was an intern at New Beginnings July through September of 2017 and is now a current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is a Psychology Major and Communication Minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. She aspires to be a Christian counselor for victims of sexual violence. Her free time consists spending time with her horse, dog, family, and friends. Furthermore, she enjoys having deep conversations and digging into God’s Word.

What to Expect as a Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings – A Home for Mothers

8/31/2017

I think that I was very prepared for being a resident supervisor (RS) at New Beginnings – A Home for Mothers because one of my friends told me about her internship and some of her experiences at New Beginnings. Additionally, one of my classmates told me that she was leaving New Beginnings and that I would be taking her place. She gave me some advice which has stood the test my first few months here.

Rule number one is do not pick up a child without permission. Although this is a good rule for everyone everywhere it is difficult to remember when I like to pick up little children and babies and hold them. No matter how much a person likes children it is important not to pick up any child unless handed that child.

In addition, she gave advice about being firm to my own guidelines meaning that if I am going to set a side time for me or to spend with the residents that I need to stick to the plan. Once a person deviates then it is difficult to go back to the routine. For example, if a RS offers to take someone grocery shopping one day then the person may expect to go grocery shopping with the same RS.

I know that watching the children is not in the job description but it is important to note that children may run into RS apartment any time the door is open especially since the door has to be open while on duty. It is important not to have magnets on the refrigerator door. I learned this the hard way. Thankfully I always got my magnets back. On a serious note, it is important to keep the RS apartment fairly child proof also since a child could come in and grab something and put it in his or her mouth before a RS realizes that he or she is in the apartment. It is a learning process and it is fun along the way.

Elyse Kipfer was an intern at New Beginnings July through September of 2017 and is now a current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is a Psychology Major and Communication Minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. She aspires to be a Christian counselor for victims of sexual violence. Her free time consists spending time with her horse, dog, family, and friends. Furthermore, she enjoys having deep conversations and digging into God’s Word.

Schedules, Priorities, and Values, Oh My!

8/30/2017

Schedules.

We all have them, and we like or dislike following them to a degree. When you look at someone’s schedule, or if you know what he or she does each day, you get a good sense of what he or she values in life. Someone who wants to be the best student he or she can, will have time set aside each day to study. An athlete who wants to get better at his or her chosen sport, will make time to work on it each day, even if that means getting up earlier, giving up additional time to socialize with friends, or making other sacrifices. On the other hand, someone who values music or any other fine art, will be willing to make a similar commitment.

As Christians, we are constantly told that we should make time in our schedule for worship and prayer. This advice is true. There is an acronym that spells out JOY, using the words “Jesus, Others, Yourself.” I believe we can apply these principles to our life by including each of them in our daily schedule. First of all, we can make room in our schedule for Jesus. That may involve going to church more often, studying Scripture more, or simply spending a few more minutes in prayer each day. We make serving Others a priority by intentionally volunteering, or simply going out of our way to help someone. Just stopping to ask a friend or family member how he or she is really doing goes a long way as well. Lastly, you should make Yourself a priority too. Of course, you shouldn’t desperately chase after each and every little thing you want, or take from others to benefit yourself, but giving yourself some time to relax and take a break from your hectic schedule leaves you well-rested and better able to serve others and God.

In summary, your values reflect themselves in your priorities, and your priorities can be seen in your schedule. So, next time you’re planning your daily itinerary, stop and think What would bring the most JOY to God, others, and myself?

Elizabeth Scheibl is a former intern and current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is still an English major and History minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. In her spare time, she likes reading, writing, and standing on chairs and singing.

5 Life Lessons I've Learned At New Beginnings

8/1/2017

For my next blog post, I decided to shake things up a little bit, and deliver my post in the form of one of our culture’s most celebrated writing formats: The Top 5 List. Since life is all about learning, I decided to make the list about life lessons I’ve learned at while serving at New Beginnings. Enjoy, and feel free to leave comments about life lessons you have learned, through or with New Beginnings, or otherwise.

1. Sometimes what appears to be the end is really a new beginning. I know this is basically our motto, but it bears repeating. We may reach a point in life where we think everything is ending, but the truth is, every ending is also a beginning, and sometimes a beginning to a much, much better future.

2. Groups are good. Sure, we all remember the cliques that formed in high school and middle school; they weren’t the greatest. However, if you want a group or organization to have any kind of unity, then you have to do something together. The group that prays together stays together, but at New Beginnings we do a lot more together, including going to church and doing other fun activities.

3. A group of women CAN exist in harmony. While women can be extremely harsh on each other, especially in a group setting, at New Beginnings the opposite is true, as we do our best to encourage and support one another.

4. Sharing is caring. Our fourth item on this list is something that we were all told when we were four, but that we struggle with throughout our life. New Beginnings benefits enormously from the cash, items, and time that donors and volunteers share with New Beginnings. However, within New Beginnings, each person benefits from time wisdom, knowledge, food, or anything else shared by an employee, resident, or resident supervisor.

5. God is great. You know what else makes New Beginnings great? God does! Everything we do is for the glory of God, and we have experienced His many blessings firsthand.

Elizabeth Scheibl is a former intern and current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is still an English major and History minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. In her spare time, she likes reading, writing, and standing on chairs and singing.

The Bible: The Best Book

6/19/2017

Although we live in a society that offers countless digital forms of entertainment, such as Netflix, YouTube, platinum edition DVD’s, and cable TV, there are still many, many people who turn to books as a primary or valid supplementary form of entertainment. A brief glance at the Harry Potter fandom reveals that the books are just as popular today as they were a decade ago (if not more!), while countless teenagers root for protagonists like Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, or Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief.

What do the books I mentioned above have in common? They have all been made into movies. However, there’s another very popular book that has been made into dozens, if not hundreds of movies, including a miniseries. Yes, the book I’m talking about is the Bible. Like most bestsellers, each of its readers probably has his or her favorite character or story. More importantly, the Bible offers us the story of our Savior and the good news He brings, in pure, unadulterated form. We also get a behind-the-scenes look at the events leading up to His birth in the narrative of the Old Testament-a premier event that is not exclusive, but inclusive to all of humankind. As cool as franchises like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games are, you’re not going to have J.K. Rowling speak at your graduation or get a tour of the set for the Hunger Games movies without paying a hefty sum. The Word of God, in contrast, is completely free (especially if you’re at a hotel), and has been on the bestseller list for over two thousand years (waaay before the New York Times Bestseller List made its debut in 1931). So, why not find a cozy place to sit, grab your beverage of choice, and spend the day-or even just an hour-with some colorful characters in the greatest story ever told?

Elizabeth Scheibl is a former intern and current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is still an English major and History minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. In her spare time, she likes reading, writing, and standing on chairs and singing.

The Power of One

5/19/2017

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.” These words, spoken by Helen Keller, remind us just how much of an impact one person can make.

Take, for example, Varian Fry. Fry, born in 1907, wasn’t a particularly fascinating man. However, he was smart, and when he decided to do something, it got done. However, Varian’s greatest accomplishment wasn’t a professional or personal one; it was life-saving godsend for a number of Europe’s greatest minds, including Max Ernst, Franz Werfel, and Heinrich Mann. An American journalist with no espionage experience, he went to France in 1940, where he and his associates helped save over two thousand Jews from the Nazis by furnishing them with false passports and other documents to allow them to escape.[1]
[1] https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005740

If one person can make such a huge impact, imagine how much better the world could be if each person maximized his or her potential to make a positive difference in someone else’s life, whether friend or stranger. In the song “Change”, Carrie Underwood explores this concept, imagining what would happen if someone made an effort to give some loose change to a homeless woman and learn her story, or sponsor an impoverished child in a third world country after seeing an infomercial. While not all of us are called to or even able to give in the ways discussed above, the love of Christ is one thing that we will always be able to give to one another, no matter what the circumstance. Even more importantly, by allowing God to give us strength by filling us with the Holy Spirit, we are able become the healers of a broken world far beyond our wildest dreams.

You are only one person, but when it comes to making a difference, you have the strength of a crowd. Try it.

Elizabeth Scheibl is a former intern and current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is still an English major and History minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. In her spare time, she likes reading, writing, and standing on chairs and singing.

A Surprising Story

5/1/2017

God works in mysterious ways. Actually, He doesn’t just work in mysterious ways; He moves in mysterious ways as well. Let me tell you a story about how God’s mysterious workings saved the life of one of my relatives.

The story is called “How My Dad Saved My Great-Uncle’s Life by Dropping a Fridge on Him”.

Yes, you read that correctly. Before you ask, it’s completely true. I saw it. What better verification could you ask for?

To be fair, expecting an older gentleman, a fourteen-year-old girl, and one middle-aged man to effectively and safely move a full-sized fridge up a set of narrow basement stairs is asking a lot. True, my dad is an army veteran, but even he can’t fight my great-uncle’s enduring stubbornness. As a result, my dad and I were helping my great-uncle move the fridge instead of waiting for a more appropriate workforce, lest my great-uncle try to move the thing himself.

At first, things went pretty well. It was only when my Dad had reached the top of the steps and paused to adjust his grip on the dolly that the great fridge-moving endeavor got out of hand-quite literally. His hand slipped, the dolly lurched forward, and suddenly my great-uncle, who had been standing at the bottom of the stairs, was lying on the floor with his leg pinned under the fridge. Things moved pretty quickly after that: My dad moved the fridge off my great-uncle, my great-aunt called 911, and I got an ice pack to put on the nasty bruise that was forming on the back of his head. Oh, and did I mention the blood? In addition to the bruise on his head, my great-uncle had pretty big cut on his leg.

This is the part of the story where God comes in. A few days after my great-uncle’s exciting afternoon and resultant ambulance trip, my family found out that multiple blood clots had been discovered in my uncle’s leg when his cut was getting patched up. Even though he was already on a blood thinner, the clots had formed anyways. If his leg wouldn’t have been injured by the falling fridge, the blood clots likely wouldn’t have been discovered in time to prevent him from having a heart attack. In other words, God took an adverse situation and used it for good. Though I have seen plenty of other instances where God intervened in mind-boggling manner, none of them were ever as dramatic as the situation I described above.

In short, if you ever find yourself wondering why God has placed you in a sticky situation, remember this: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV) No matter what God sends your way,

Elizabeth Scheibl is the Promotional Writing and Editing Intern at New Beginnings. A student at Wisconsin Lutheran College, she is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in History. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, and practicing martial arts.

Are You Listening?

3/29/2017

“Hi. How are you doing today?”
“I’m good. How about you?”
“Fine, thanks.”

This dialogue, or something like it, is such a common fixture in our society that we hardly even think when we say the words, let alone listen to the response. If we’re on the receiving end of these words, we say “fine” or “good”, no matter what’s going on in our lives. In the rushed, overscheduled world we live in, it’s easy to think about the next task, even as we are struggling to complete the current one. As a result, we don’t often make time to really listen to other people.

Sometimes I wonder if our prayer life isn’t much the same way. We have prayers we recite, and we may have a list of people to pray for, or a list of things for which we are thankful. Good though these practices are, how often do we take the time to have an in-depth, heart-to-heart conversation with God? As Christians, we try to go to church every week, but are we mentally, emotionally, and spiritually present, even as we are physically present? What is the status of your relationship with God? Take some time and think about it.

When we’re listening closely to God, we do a better job of empathizing with other people and showing them the love of Christ. The world is full of suffering people, but God is still present. Let’s live with an awareness of both of these truths.

Let’s listen.

Elizabeth Scheibl is the Promotional Writing and Editing Intern at New Beginnings. A student at Wisconsin Lutheran College, she is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in History. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, and practicing martial arts.

Life's Rollercoaster

3/20/2017

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: . . . a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4).

Life can be a real rollercoaster. Sometimes you’re at the very top about to rush into exciting and invigorating adventures, other times feel like you’re about to crash straight into the ground, and then there are the periods where you’re going loop after loop with no clue what’s going on around you. Yes, it’s cliche, but I think it’s something everyone can relate to at different points in their life.

The past year has brought some of the greatest moments of my life so far:

Graduate from college? ✔
Spend time traveling in the US and abroad? ✔
Find a fulfilling job in my dream industry? ✔

But alas, with the highs come the lows:

Watch most of my friends move away? ✔
Struggle with “adulting”, bills, and multiple jobs? ✔
Not get to visit family and home as often? ✔

If you’re anything like me, it’s often easier to spend time focusing on those low points instead of the highs. It’s hard to celebrate accomplishments or be grateful for all the good, when there’s change, stress, or struggles on the ride with you too! Sometimes it takes a little reminder that we can’t control the track--that’s in someone else’s hands--but we can learn to “maximize the best moments” while “minimizing the bad ones.” Check out these five tips for doing so from Lead Life Well!

Expect Ups and Downs. Knowing that highs and lows are “normal” softens the lows and makes you more mindful that highs are temporary.
Be Grateful. The ups and downs of life are a gift. The highs and lows of life provide opportunities to grow, stretch, and develop into the person you need to be in order to walk more boldly in the purpose God has in mind for you.
Lean into Your Feelings. Notice and validate your feelings. They are how you feel. Then step back and take a cold hard look at what’s transpiring. Investigate: are your feelings telling you the truth or has your imagination gotten a bit out of control?
Resist the Urge to Blame Others. In order for genuine growth to take place, you have to take responsibility. How have you contributed to your unfortunate moments? What can you do differently? What have you learned? Keep in mind that sometimes there really is no one to blame. Your fridge will break and things will get cancelled. It’s just part of life.

Resist the Desire to Take Credit. While no doubt your strengths and hard work have contributed, anything you are able to accomplish is because God has allowed you to. The more you take credit for your accomplishments the less you will depend on Him. If you are going to handle the wild ups and downs of life effectively, you will need God’s help!
(Source for tips: http://leadlifewell.com/blog/5-tips-help-survive-ups-downs-life/)

From a Former Resident Supervisor.