What is the Eurasia Experience?

The Eurasia Experience is a special dramatic presentation coming to Bethel Assembly of God in Martinsburg, WV! It makes up a cast of over 60 people dressed in authentic Eurasian costumes who will present the sights, sounds, smells, and stories of Eurasia!! Eurasia comprises the traditional continents of Europe and Asia. It makes up almost 4.8 billion people which is more than 71 % of the world's population.

Join us in visiting Eurasia! During the interactive experience, we will take a walk through airport customs, a Eurasian marketplace (watch out for pick-pockets!), experience various cultures, and hear powerfully re-enacted dramatic monologues- authentic testimonies from Eurasian missionaries and locals. Our time together will be concluded by a meaningful message by a missionary to Eurasia.

You are invited to join us for the Eurasia Experience Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 7 PM at Bethel Assembly of God, Martinsburg, WV!!!


Come and see several moms from Mom’s Connection who are in the production. Dress comfortably as you would on any tourist outing. Childcare is provided for ages 12 and under! Check this out: www.iamnotatourist.org/eurasia_experience. I hope to see you there!!

The Jack-O-Lantern Gospel Story

A Christian tradition has started, in recent years, of telling the gospel story while carving a pumpkin. It goes something like this:

On the outside a pumpkin looks good and strong and beautiful. But, after cutting off the top, we look inside and see that it is full of slimy gunk. Similarly, on the outside, we may look good, but God can see inside our heart. "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7b).

All of us have "gunk" inside. The Bible tells us, "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10). As we remove the inside of the pumpkin, we can share the Good News! The Bible teaches, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). God can make us clean on the inside! As we carve a happy face on the pumpkin, we are reminded that we should smile and be thankful for God's great goodness and love. ,he Bible says: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:5).

As we place a candle or a light inside the pumpkin, we can explain that Jesus doesn't want to leave us empty inside; He wants to fill our hearts with His love and His light. "For God, who said, `Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts" (2 Corinthians 4:6a). And remember, we need to let our light shine for others to see, so they too can know Heaven's eternity. "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

"I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:16-19).

Sincerely,
Allison Adams

Getting to Know....Missy Beard

I want to start by saying how honored I am to have a friend like Missy. Missy Beard is a loving person, and like all of us has her ups and downs. But I have rarely seen her without a smile on her face. She is a great mom of 2 beautiful boys: Matthew, 10 and Aidan, 6.

She is a very strong person. She turns to the Lord for things in her life. In Missy's words this is what a relationship with the Lord means to her, “Jesus Christ is the reason I live. He's peace amidst the storm, calm during the chaos, joy, strength, and happiness, and the best Lover ever!”
One of her favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:28 " For we know that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." She also likes Romans 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God; which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Also, Psalm 31:24 "Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." These are words to live by. Nothing like the word of God for encouragement.

Some of Missy's hobbies are reading a good book, writing, and baking yummy goodies with her boys. There is nothing like time with mommy. The music of choice for her is TobyMac, KJ-52, Newsboys, Skillet, Hawk Nelson, Kutless, Aidan's make-believe band "The Cryboys" (Aidan's make-believe band). There is also nothing like a child's imagination.

Her favorite things about being in Mom's Connection is being able to connect with other moms with similar interests, abilities, etc. and "being able to completely be yourself with no discrimination or judgement." Which is how it should be in a group of women, that even though we are different, are all alike in alot of ways. We share a bond together.

Tiffany Bowers

Holding Your Heart

I am 28 years old and headed to the cardiologist with a heart monitor strapped to my chest and stomach. Something is definitely wrong with this picture. Since my heart palpitations have begun it has been really easy to down play them or ignore them. I mean nothing serious could possibly be wrong! Yet here I am after having an ECG done on my heart and wearing this monitor for 24 hours heading in for a "consultation".

As I was driving the devil was really trying to hammer my spirit down by bringing up thoughts of what could be wrong and definitely not allowing me any thoughts of peace. So I flipped on the radio only to hear the singer praising the Lord by singing "You will be safe in his arms, safe in his arms the HANDS that hold the world ARE HOLDING YOUR HEART". At that moment the spirit of God fell so heavy in the car and I had such an immeasurable peace! As the radio kept play it finished with "when everything is falling apart you will be safe in his arms". How wonderful to know that my "heart" which has been acting up is safe in the arms of our God and Saviour who spoke our entire world into existence. Surely he can take care of my heart! I wonder how many of us are holding on to things and worrying when we just need to let God hold our "heart"!

Janine DiGiovanni
To hear the song Janine was listening to in her car, check out the playlist. The song is "Safe" by Phil Wickham. ~Lisa

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do,and he will show you which path to take."
Proverbs 3:5-6 New Living Translation

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
Matthew 6:25-27 New International Version

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
Psalm 46:1 King James Version

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation."
Isaiah 12:2 KJV

Happy Fall!

Monday, October 25 Mom's Night Out- Join us at Bethel Assembly of God in the Mace building, room 109 at 6:30 PM for games, food, and fun! Bring an appetizer to share and a friend!

Tuesday, October 26 Topic Meeting- Join us at Bethel Assembly of God in Martinsburg, WV in the Mace building, room 109 from 9:45-11:45 AM for a time of brunch, discussion, and prayer. Childcare is provided!

Care Circles are discussing the book, The Worn Out Woman, When Your Life is Full and Your Spirit is Empty by Dr. Steve Stephens and Alice Gray.

Saturday, October 30 Trunk or Treat- You are invited to join us at Bethel Assembly of God for trunk or treat from 6-8 PM. Participants will park their cars in the parking lot, open up their trunk or the back of their vehicle, decorate them in a theme (no scary!), and pass out candy or other goodies (provided by the participants). Also during this time, in the gym, there will be some carnival games, a moon bounce, and the "Velcro" wall. There will be a hayride, so don't forget to save time for that!

A Mother's Love

My oldest daughter believes that I love her best. She is right. After all, she is my firstborn. When they put her in my arms, I could hardly believe that there was a more perfect being in the world. She looks just like her dad, but thinks more like me. We love to shop for antiques together, take in an art show, while away hours together in a bookstore. Besides being dazzled by her beauty, I am constantly amazed by her talent. She is funny and smart. She was a wonderful child; she is a spectacular adult. I am in awe of her.

What she doesn't realize, however, is that it is my second daughter that I love best. The moment I laid eyes on her, my heart opened up in a way I could not imagine. She has all the beauty of her sister, but with a heart that is more open to the world than anyone I have ever known. There is a legend in our family that she was born smiling, and those of us who were at her birth know that it is true. She is the sunshine our family revolves around. She makes me a kinder person. It is an honor to be her mother.

What my two daughters don't know is that I love my third child best. He is everything that a mother could ever want. A kind and sentimental son, one who is not afraid to give a hug or say a nice thing. He looks like me-I can actually see myself staring out of those clear brown eyes. He has an ability to see the world with a clear-headed insight I could never imagine in one so young. His views amaze me. I can't wait until he comes home, so I can listen to him talk.

Of course, none of them realize that I love my fourth child best. He is quite literally the soul of our family. He has his dad's blue eyes that turn brilliant when he laughs and deepen to a soft gray when he is thoughtful. He has a beautiful mind that never ceases questioning and searching. I am always learning something from him. The depth of his understanding astonishes me.

It is one of the paradoxes of motherhood that one child comes and fills your heart completely, but when another comes, you find your heart filled again. A mother's heart seems to have the ability to expand endlessly so that each child finds a place there that is theirs and theirs alone.

Every one of my children is my favorite. I love every one of them most of all. Each one is perfect to me. It is my right. I am their mother.

An excerpt from The Quotable Mom by Kate Rowinski

This excerpt about a mother's love touched my heart so much. I have only two children but I love them equally and yet differently for who they are as individuals.
Can you imagine our Heavenly Father writing something like this about each one of us? What would He say about you? I know for certain He would say the last paragraph: Every one of my children is my favorite. I love every one of them most of all. Each one is perfectly created and designed uniquely. It is my right. I am their Father in Heaven. I hope your heart will be touched today by God your Father in Heaven who truly loves you and thinks of you as His.
Blessings,
Lisa

Pumpkin Patch

On Tuesday, October 19 at 12:30 in the afternoon join us at Old McDonald's Pumpkin Patch in Inwood, WV. There is lots to do with a playground including the kiddie korn kastle, hayride, double barrel tube slides, antique tractor display, corn maze (8 acre), and sorghum maze (5 acre), and petting zoo with chickens, sheep, goats, rabbits, llamas, and pigs.

For $6.50 per child and $5 per adult you and your child(ren) can enjoy all the activities and each pick a pumpkin to take home. Be sure to check it out yourself at www.oldmcdonaldspumpkinpatch.com.

If you are planning to join us, contact Amanda Dagostino at aeasunshine@gmail.com so we can be on the lookout for you!

Happy Birthday, Loutie!

Trunk or Treat

Saturday, October 30 Trunk or Treat at Bethel Assembly of God from 6-8 PM. Participants will park their cars in the parking lot, open up their trunk or the back of the vehicle, decorate them in a theme such as a favorite sports team, at cartoon character, etc. (Please not scary!!) and pass out candy or other goodies (provided by the participant). Also during this time, in the gym, there will be some carnival games, a moon bounce, and the "Velcro" wall. And there will be a hayride, so don't forget to save time for that.

Amanda's Baby Shower

Thank you to everyone who came to Amanda's baby shower! We had a great time. We look forward to meeting baby Sofia!