Category: Serving Others

New Perspective…Part Two.

· 4 Comments ·

(See part one here…)

Yesterday, as I was talking with a dear friend about her potential job opportunities (very prestigious and impressive jobs for which she is perfectly suited), all of the above-mentioned things started to run through my head. As I listened to her speak, I realized that I, too, long to be admired for what I can do–for my God-given gifts and abilities, for what I worked so hard to accomplish in college/post-college. I long to be known as someone who “did something” with her life, whatever that even means. I, too, tend to put my value and self-worth in my career, in how people view me, and what I’ve done, which explains so much about why I have felt so miserable in recent jobs. That hasn’t changed since 2001.

But you know what has changed? In the past year, my desire to be a mother (a stay-at-home one, at that) has increased exponentially (considering that I never saw myself doing that, it wasn’t hard for it to increase drastically). I have come to realize that raising children to love Jesus and to be productive members of society is the greatest possible career that I could ever have. What a stark contrast to how I felt even one year ago.

And last night, it became very clear that God has used the circumstances of the past few years to prepare me for being a mom (No, this is not a pregnancy announcement 🙂 ). From what I hear, being a mother is often a “thankless” job as you continuously and often sacrificially serve your children. Someday, they might recognize the amazing job you did to prepare them for life and to take care of them, but humans are naturally born selfish. They aren’t going to say “thanks, mom, for changing my diaper so that I don’t get diaper rash” or “thanks, mom, for staying up all night with me when I was sick”…that’s just how it goes. They don’t care how accomplished you are and they certainly aren’t going to marvel over your talents. Being a mother is going to require humility, sacrifice, unconditional love, and lots of grace…and I know now that I am much better equipped for motherhood because of the circumstances of the past few years.

Much of the past twelve years makes so much sense now. I was in desperate need of humility, and God brought circumstances into my life to teach me how to be humble. I wish I had been a faster learner! Haha. Not that I’m completely humble–definitely not. But, given where I was in 2001, I have come a long way and my perspective has completely changed. I was so unaware of the grip that pride was holding on my life!

I now view the word “rewarding” completely differently. It no longer means being recognized and praised–it means offering recognition and praise expecting nothing in return, all for the benefit of others.

So, now I have something new to embrace, and something hard with which to grapple. God doesn’t want me to be “famous”–He wants me to make disciples, including my own future children.

I need to remind myself constantly that it doesn’t matter what the world thinks of me, and it doesn’t matter if they notice how “awesome” I might happen to be…

What matters is that I live my life according to the Gospel, and that I share it with others at every opportunity.

What matters is that I find ways to use my God-given gifts and talents to further the Kingdom of God, especially within my own household, without doing it selfishly or for recognition.

What matters are the eternal things, not the temporal.

What matters is that my value and self-worth come from God alone and not from anything that I have done or will do.

Guest Post: “Fighting to Forgive and Forget the Former Things”

· Leave a comment ·

 Featured authors

Fighting to Forgive and Forget the Former Things
 By Sheri Rose Shepherd
Bestselling Author and Bible Life Coach
learn more â–¶
 
 

How do we forget the former things? Is there some magic prayer that wipes out our memories so we won’t feel the pain of our past? I wish I could say that this is the way to find a new foundation for your life. Yet God teaches us through Isaiah 43 that our past does not determine our future. He wants us to embrace the new beginning He offers us and to stop living in yesterday. However, to let go of our past, we will have to leave it where it belongs . . . at the Cross.

I was powerfully reminded of this again through Alice, whom I met recently at a retreat. I had been talking about rebuilding relationships, and when I finished, I walked over to the door to say good-bye to each of the ladies. I loved hearing how God spoke to them throughout the weekend, and Alice gave me renewed hope. She was seventy years old and had been married over fifty years.

I was captivated by the joy that lit up her face. She radiated from the inside out, and her smile made me feel at home. I thought Alice must have lived a wonderful life to glow with God’s glory the way she did. I had to ask her what her secret was. Her response reflected a woman who was beautifully broken.

She said, “When I lost the husband I loved to my best friend, I lost everything that was dear to me, including my children. However, I discovered how much my Lord truly loves me because of that loss, and I have never been the same because of His love.”

My eyes welled with tears as she shared with me the story of how her husband had served her divorce papers on their fortieth wedding anniversary. Devastated and overwhelmed by grief, she set the papers aside without signing them. She fought to understand why God did not protect her marriage after all she had sacrificed to remain faithful, even in the hard and unhappy years.

Despite their challenges, she said she loved this man and never dreamed she would be alone in her older years. Though they lived apart for seven years, something inside her soul continued to keep her from signing those divorce papers. Late one night, though, she finally decided to move on and let go of the man she loved. With sad resolve, she signed the papers. Once she had done so, she felt free for the first time in many years.

Until the doorbell rang. It was 2 a.m., and she was a little fearful of who might be at her door in the middle of the night. When she opened the door, she was shocked to see her husband, Bill, on his knees with tears in his eyes and torn-up divorce papers in his hand.

He looked into her eyes and asked her for something he did not deserve: “a chance to finish my life with you.” Bill told her he had just awakened from a dream he believed God had given him, showing how his actions were crumbling the foundation of the faith of his children and grandchildren―all for the sake of his own pleasure. When he woke up, he could not wait until morning. He had to run to his wife.

He knew he owed her a sincere apology, but he wanted so much more. He wanted a second chance, and he was willing to do whatever it took to rebuild what he had broken in her heart. She stood there silently until she heard the Lord whisper to her, “Today, Alice, is the day I am giving you a choice between life and death for your family. I am asking you to trust Me with this broken man and choose life, so that your legacy of faith can live on in your children through your obedience to Me.”

She asked for a few days to pray; Bill told her to take whatever time she needed to decide.

Alice said she fought through the biggest internal battle she had ever experienced as she reflected on the past seven years away from this man. After all, she had finally healed from his betrayal and feared she might reopen the wound that had taken so long to heal. She wrestled through every emotion—from feeling ripped off, being rejected, and now receiving an offer to be rescued.

Alice knew her choice would write the rest of her life story and her husband’s story. After many tears and much prayer for the strength to forgive her husband, Alice surrendered to God’s will and gave up her rights to take revenge. God blessed the hard choice Alice had made to forget the former things and finish her life with her husband in spite of all he had done. And they finished strong!

Yes, Bill was wrong, and yes, he was unfaithful and caused much damage to many lives, including his own. There is no excuse for his actions, and Alice had every right to make him suffer for what he had done. However, her extremely hard decision to forget the former things will leave a legacy of love that will live on long after they are gone.

For more teaching videos from Sheri Rose, go to www.biblelifecoaching.com.

Watch the trailer:

Watch the trailer

Guest Post: “From Gangs to God”

· Leave a comment ·

Featured authors

From Gangs to God
By Sheri Rose Shepherd
Bestselling Author and Bible Life Coach
learn more â–¶
 
 
 
I once heard a pastor say, “If you are struggling to respect your husband, find the strength to respect him as your brother in the Lord.” That comment really woke me up as I realized that none of us really deserves honor or respect except the Lord. Honor and respect are powerful tools to rebuild a broken society, but how do we show respect and honor to those who act disrespectfully and do dishonorable things? What can we do to cultivate honor and respect between men and women again, and how can we influence our children to live in a way that is honorable to God and respectful of people?Yes, our men may have done many things that certainly do not deserve to be honored. But they are God’s children just like we are, and they are imperfect just like we are. We women are not responsible for their dishonorable actions, but one way we can each help rebuild our broken men is to treat them like the men they want to become.

Years ago my husband and I owned a Christian production company, which produced talent showcases for aspiring models, actors, and singers. But more important than exposing these potential stars to Hollywood was the ministry time that took place during the week of rehearsals and workshops, as we would share God’s love and plan of salvation for their lives.

During one particular showcase in Seattle, a group of gang members hung around outside the room where we were holding the auditions. They made fun of each of the participants as he or she walked out of the audition. It was obvious they were there to cause trouble. I struggled with fear and anger as I prayed for protection over the young adults walking out to their cars. Then something happened as I made eye contact with one of the boys through the glass doors I was standing behind. My heart began to break with compassion, and my faith overpowered my frustration. I thought, Maybe these boys have never seen men and women honor and respect one another. Maybe they just need someone to treat them like they were made for more.

God grabbed hold of my mother’s heart, and I began to look at these boys through different eyes. I realized I didn’t know their pasts, their parents, or their present circumstances, but I did know they were truly loved by God, no matter how disrespectfully they were behaving.

I took a step of faith and invited these boys to spend a week taking acting workshops at no charge. Their first response was, “Why would anyone do something for us?” However they couldn’t resist the offer.

Each day when they would walk into the room for their workshop, I would stand to my feet, walk over to greet them at the door, and treat them like guests of honor. The first day I took them around and introduced them to each of our staff members. The next day I decided to make lunch for them. Although I did not like the way they acted or the words that were coming out of their mouths, I decided I would make every effort to use whatever influence I had as a woman to inspire them to live honorable lives. To my surprise the power of prayer, honor, and respect paid off as I witnessed these boys begin to transform. Not only did they begin to act differently, but I learned a valuable lesson that week: honor is not something someone has to earn. It is an attitude I need to learn to give to all those God has created.

For more teaching videos from Sheri Rose, go to www.biblelifecoaching.com.

 Watch the trailer:

Watch the trailer

Day Nine: I’m Thankful For…Mr. Milton S. Hershey.

· 1 Comment ·

Preface: I thought it was fitting to express my thanks during the month of November for something new each day, as so many others have done before me. I’ve never taken the time to do this, and it will be a challenge to blog each day, but it’s so important to recognize the blessings God has given us! 🙂 These are in NO particular order…

I used to say that if I could meet any historical figure it would be James Madison. While I would still love to sit down with Mr. Madison, I have a new answer to that question: Mr. Milton S. Hershey, truly one of the world’s greatest men.

In a world filled with greed and selfishness, hearing stories and accounts of truly amazing and generous people is very refreshing. Mr. Hershey fits the definition of selflessness.

In the past two years of working for one of his companies (and now for his school), I have learned so much about the man and his vision. The more I learn, the more I love and respect him, even though I’ve never had the privilege of meeting him. Without Mr. Hershey’s vision and determination this would likely still be a rural area with a struggling economy, and thousands of boys and girls would never have been impacted by the school that he and his wife began. And it all started with chocolate. 🙂

Now that we work for the Milton Hershey School (caring for HIS kids), I am even more thankful for what he left as a legacy (to read more about why we love working for MHS, see this post). He was a man determined to put others before himself and he was always focused on giving his wealth where it was most needed. These kids have a safe, loving environment to grow up in at no cost to them or their families…all because Mr. Hershey didn’t see wealth as something to hold on to, but something to give to those in need.

He built the entire town of Hershey for his employees–that they might have a great place to live, work, and play. I have loved living in Hershey for the past 14 months, surrounded by such a rich history.

There’s so much more that could be said about him. I’m so thankful that he was not blinded by his wealth, nor was he selfish. Instead, he gave it all away so that “his kids” would be funded indefinitely and ensured of a better life. And that’s a great reason to buy Hershey’s Chocolate 🙂

Why We Work for the Milton Hershey School…

· 3 Comments ·

Both Brennan and I have the great privilege of working not only for Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, but also for the Milton Hershey School–both started by Mr. Milton Hershey for one great purpose: to educate and provide stability for children in poverty/orphans. After being on duty this weekend as a houseparent, I decided that it was time to educate my blog readers on why the school exists, who Mr. Hershey was, and why you should buy Hershey’s Chocolate products. I’ll try to keep it brief. 🙂

Milton Hershey has become one of my role models and heroes, even though he passed away 37 years before I was born. More than any other figure in history, I wish that I could sit down with this man and just listen to him speak. He only had a fourth grade education (if I remember correctly), and yet he built one of the greatest cities in the world (in my opinion) that all works together for the well-being of children in need. His vision and his compassion were remarkable, and he was well before his time with his ideas and his values.

“Hershey had the genius to develop the chocolate industry in the right place at the right time. His personal convictions about the obligations of wealth and the quality of life in the town he founded have made the company, community, and school a living legacy.”

Milton chose Derry Township, Pennsylvania as the location for his factory because of the rich farm land and the abundance of dairy farms. He soon realized that in order to attract workers, they would need a place to live. So, he created Hershey, PA as we know it today. He built homes, parks, services such as banks, a laundry, a transportation system, etc. so that his workers would have a great life living in Hershey.

Milton and his wife, Catherine, were unable to have children of their own. Both Milton and Catherine believed that wealth was meant to be shared and to be used for the benefit of others; when they realized that they had far too much money on their hands for their liking, his wife suggested that they start a school and make that their family. And so they did. In 1909, they started the Hershey Industrial School and took in orphaned boys to educate them and teach them skills (such as farming) to ensure that they would succeed in life.

Milton continued to grow the chocolate company to ensure that the school would be funded. He also began organizing his other ventures into the Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company (not what it was called while he was alive) to secure additional funding sources, and he separated the chocolate company (Hershey Foods) from the entertainment division to protect the school. Most amazingly, he and his wife loved these children so much that they gave their entire fortune TWICE ($4.5 billion dollars, I believe) to ensure that the school that they founded for orphan boys in 1909 would exist in perpetuity. Today, the school largely operates off of the interest from this endowment, and the endowment is invested by The Hershey Trust.

One of my favorite quotes from Mr. Hershey is this:

“If we had helped a hundred children it would have all been worthwhile.”

During Mr. Hershey’s lifetime, he saw the enrollment increase to 1,000! Today, the school is home to 1,850 students with a plan to increase enrollment to 2,000 in the next five years. There are 159 student homes (each housing 10-12 students). This school is an incredible place and it has changed the lives of thousands of children in the past 103 years!

“Well, I have no heirs – that is, no children, so I decided to make the orphan boys of the U.S. my heirs.” –Mr. Hershey

The students live at the school in student homes, under the care of a married couple (houseparents). Brennan and I serve as “Relief Houseparents”–which means that we serve every other weekend to give the houseparents a much-needed break after being on-duty for 12 days. It is an incredible opportunity to impact the lives of students in a very tangible way.

When you buy Hershey’s Chocolate products, when you visit Hersheypark or stay at The Hotel Hershey (or The Hershey Lodge, or golf at our golf courses, or visit The Hershey Gardens, etc.), you are helping to ensure that his legacy will continue forever.

I realize that Hershey has received some bad (and usually misguided) press lately, and that’s partly why I wanted to share this with my readers. The school has to make choices that are beneficial for the entire student body, and that sometimes means saying “no” to applicants for specific reasons.

MHS has had its struggles over the years as it has tried to navigate the changes in culture and yet still maintain the school according to the Deed of Trust that Milton and Catherine wrote in 1909. The Deed of Trust dictates how the school is run to this day. I believe that the school is even stronger now because of the struggles that it went through in the early 1990’s, and it still is striving to provide the best possible environment for the students in its care according to the wishes of Mr. & Mrs. Hershey.

The mission of the school is still to help children lead productive and fulfilling lives and to carry out Mr. Hershey’s legacy for generations to come. That’s the mission of all of the Hershey entities–including Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. It is wonderful to work for a company that still carries on such an incredible mission! If you are ever in Hershey, please take the time to visit The Hershey Story museum–you will learn SO much about Mr. Hershey and what a remarkable man he was.

If you are at all interested in becoming a houseparent or a relief houseparent for the school, there are ALWAYS openings! You can check out the job postings here. Or, if you know any children who are ideal candidates for the school, you can see information here.

We have both become very passionate about this school and its purpose. When we are there, we are taking care of HIS children, and that is an honor. I am so thankful for Milton and Catherine Hershey!