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Happy New Year
Thoughts from Rhonda Jackson, Co-Editor
When my son started college in 2005, I sent an email to a friend, lamenting our impending empty nest. His college had a full day of planned orientation events that ended abruptly with: 7:00-7:15: Say Goodbye to Your Freshman.
“Fifteen minutes??” my friend wrote back, “That’s hardly enough time to get a good grip on his ankles!”
As the year draws to a close, many of us are inclined to look back; “gripping the ankles” of previous years – before the kids moved away, before Covid, back when my husband/mother/child was still alive, before I lost my job...and to feel wistful or depressed. It’s natural to look back - through reminiscing, reflection, and rumination, we learn lessons, solve problems, and relive good memories. What’s unnatural is staying there, living with a perpetual backward glance. The enemy would love nothing more than to keep a firm grasp on our ankles as he whispers to us, nothing will ever be the same(which is absolutely true)... so you have nothing to look forward to(a bald-faced lie). As believers, we live in HOPE - what my pastor recently defined as the confident assurance that Jesus is enough.
Rather than grieving the past as we watch the “ball drop” in Times Square, let’s reflect on the shepherds who dropped everything and hurried in haste to see the newborn babe, and the fishermen who dropped their nets to follow Him. Rather than being downcast about what has passed, let’s shake the devil’s bony fingers from our ankles! Instead of grieving his history as a pompous theologian and Christian killer, the apostle Paul opted to take hold of “ONE THING...forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14). Press on! Jesus is making all things new!
Celebrating Sue Kline
Charlotte Eliopoulos, Co-Editor
As Sue is a professional writer, we thought it would be great for her to offer her story in her own words.
I met Kim through Terry Lewis (previously featured inPerk Up), one of the women who met around Kim's kitchen table before there was the Lodge or any books or radio or TV. Kim expressed to Terry one day how much she wished someone could help her get the message of Burdens to Blessings into a book. And Terry said, "Well, my niece is an editor and writer who just moved back here. Maybe she can help." So that's where the connection started. I'm the niece!
My first memory of that meeting is of Kim running down the sidewalk after one of her pups who had decided my arrival was a good time to make a break for the wild outdoors. My second memory is of the gigantic three-ring binder she placed in front of me. Many of my prior freelance experiences involved people who were convinced they had a book in them but had never written a word of it. I had wondered if Kim would be like that. But no! That bursting-at-the-seams binder held the preliminary content for Burdens, Infinitely More, Cherished, and several Cup booklets.
Full disclosure: I’ve never been a big fan of women’s ministries. So I still had some reservations about whether I was the right person to help Kim. But I soon discovered that our heartbeats were in sync. For the three decades prior to meeting Kim, I had been on staff with The Navigators, a ministry with a focus on helping you know Christ, make Him known, and help others to do the same. The “helping others do the same” bit was what drew me to The Navigators - not just focusing on my own spiritual growth, but passing along what I was learning so others could grow too. I saw that same desire and determination in Kim.
I also saw in Kim a shared love of the Scriptures. Though I had grown up in a church-going family and had asked Jesus into my life at a fairly young age, I wandered off in my college years and beyond - intrigued by all the new “truths” I was hearing and by the possibility of doing things my way. But by my late 20s, I was sensing the emptiness of that life and, one day, I walked into a bookstore and spontaneously bought a Bible. God was waiting for me in those pages, and I have never stopped looking for even more of Him in His book.
I like to think that, back when I bought that Bible, God was already anticipating that Kim would need an editor one day (albeit a bossy one!) who shared her heart to help people move into a life-changing relationship with Jesus and a hunger for His Word. As it turns out, before becoming that editor, I wore many different hats - tennis instructor, secretary, loan officer, insurance underwriter, office manager - in many different places including the Philippines (where I led a weekly Bible study in an illegal gambling parlor and managed a cafe) and Singapore. I can look back on all of that coming and going and doing and see that none of it was wasted. How faithful God is to guide and provide. You just never how God will bring us together for His good purposes when we keep taking those seemingly mundane baby steps into His plans for us. Some matches are indeed made in heaven!
A Comment from Kim:
Sue Kline walked into my life and changed my world! I had been writing my story but I knew I couldn't take things any further on my own. From her willingness to take a chance on me right where I was, we now have 13 books and/or workbooks! Sue demands excellence in the work, but in a way that you don't feel you're alone. I knew if I could meet her standard, our product would be biblically correct, presented in a fashion that would be bold in its accuracy but compassionate in its delivery.
Through our professional relationship, Sue and I have developed a strong friendship. She has even been a champion to one of my sons as he was going through medical school. One of my favorite mental pictures of Sue is of her throwing her script pages up in the air when we were filming Burdens to Blessings in California. Sue's role was to ensure that my on-camera teaching covered what we had written in our scripts. I was on camera at the time, but the team told me how Sue smiled as the pages fell down around her. She knew I had gone totally off-script...but she knew it was all God!
My respect for Sue Line, and for her wisdom, has NO limits. What I love most is that she's always challenging the world to dive into God's Word, not as a how-to book but as a way to meet Jesus!
Thoughts from Kim:
THANK YOU, THANK YOU! We are soooo grateful for each and every end-of-the-year donation to our ministry! We have a $75,000 budget and every penny is spent sending out God's hope!
This year, the theme for our ministry is "Living Free in '23"
It starts for me with 1 Peter 2:16 that says, “Live as free people.”
What does that mean to us today? Are we to be “freed from” something or “freed to” something?
This is so exciting! We're going to spend this year having conversations with churches, ministry groups and organizations...of women and men...who have invited us in to talk "Living Free!" We still have a few dates available and we'd love to talk with you. Email karen@kimcrabill.org.
2023 IS ALREADY AN EXCITING YEAR!
Princess TEA
Princess TEAs are TALKS based on God's Word to EMPOWER girls in their own lives and help them be AFFIRMING in their peer relationships. Our program is for girls ages 5 to 11 to introduce them to God's Word while teaching them how deeply loved and supported they are by their heavenly Father. We memorize scripture and talk about it together, then we do a fun craft or other activity that helps to etch the Scripture's meaning in their hearts and minds.
It is never too early to introduce young girls into God's word so they have reliable, relevant truth for their own growth and for helping others. The group gives the girls a safe place to open up about issues they are facing with friends, family, school, and sportsmanship. The girls also learn to pray for one another, which helps them give and receive support from friends in the group as well as deepen their relationship with their heavenly Father.
Zooms are held on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00 PM eastern Email kim@kimcrabill.org to register
"Living Free in '23"
Join Kim Crabill and friends as we dive into Biblical principles that will help you practice "LIVING FREE in '23" Monthly Gatherings Baltimore: 3rd Wednesday of each month Augusta: 2nd Wednesday of each month Register each month at www.kimcrabill.org
Visit www.kimcrabill.org for registration and information about all of our ministry programs and activities.
Now Available!
Are you looking for a biblically-sound study to empower you and your group during times when discernment and discipline are needed? You’ll find that and so much more in this study!
"Girl You've Got This!"
Girl, You've Got This! Why It's Too Soon to Give Up"is now available as a 6-week study with a participant's workbook, facilitator's guide and teaching videos. Girl You've G.O.T. This! Why it's too Soon to Give Up: Crabill, Kim: 9798351794853: Amazon.com: Books
Become a monthly partner with our ministry! Whether it's $25 or $1000 per month, every dollar goes directly into the ministry of sharing hope and healing.
Beware of Multitasking
Healthy Living Tips from Dr. Charlotte Eliopoulos, Co-Editor
Performing many tasks at the same time, commonly known as multitasking, often is viewed as an essential part of a busy life. How else do we get everything done? In reality, multitasking not only causes us to produce less, but it also can have negative effects on our brain.
Our brains need time to recover from one task before confronting the next one. Studies have shown that multitasking reduces the time available to recover from a task which results in our thinking being slowed. In addition, the ability to learn is impaired and memory is overtaxed, thereby reducing creativity. Needless to say, the risk of making mistakes increases.
You may not think that you’re guilty of multitasking but consider the times that you may have used a cellphone while driving. Research has shown that activity is comparable to driving while intoxicated!
Yes, there is much to do and not enough time to get it all done. But consider the importance of the various tasks facing you and prioritize. Avoid taking on more than you can realistically accomplish, take breaks between tasks, and remember that you are not superhuman.
Cooks Corner with Nancy Spicer
Well after the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season, during the long cold days of winter, this is an easy recipe to enjoy by the fire perhaps accompanied by a warm mug of hot chocolate.
This recipe was featured in the COFFEE with Kim Christmas show. Check it out if you would like to see the recipe made live.
Fudgy Coconut Almond Brownies Make up an 18-19 oz brownie mix according to the instructions EXCEPT reduce the oil to 3 Tbsp. (For extra coconutty deliciousness use melted coconut oil). Spread batter into a nonstick foil lined 13X9 pan. Spread with 1 cup sweetened condensed milk. Sprinkle with 14 chopped miniature Mounds candy bars. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup chopped almonds. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 36 minutes until no longer jiggly. Easy and Delicious – Enjoy!
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