PMS
Physical *
Mental
* Spiritual
IN THIS NEWSLETTER
"The Ministry of Obscurity"
By Miltinnie Yih
"Nurturing Your Children's Spiritual health" Summary of Talk with Miltinnie Yih
UPCOMING EVENTS ON SPIRITUAL HEALTH
Thursday 7/21
7-9pm
Newton Campus
"Spiritual Health at Work?" with Virginia Viola
OTHER MINISTRIES AVAILABLE
Summer Mom's Playgroup
An Eternal Reward
We are in our last installment of our PMS series,
and are currently on "Spiritual Health". Whereas nurturing our
Physical Health and Mental Health might take care of aches and
pains and the blues right now, taking care of our Spiritual Health
has also eternal rewards. Miltinnie Yih came and spoke to us on
"How to nurture your child's spiritual health", and later this
month, Virginia Viola will speak to us on "How to maintain your
spiritual health at work."
On Stay-at-home mothers
Excerpted
from an article by Miltinnie Yih
I still remember the
dread I used to have when I attended business functions with
my husband when I was a stay-at-home mother. I felt a distain
and disinterest from people I met when I revealed that I was
a homemaker. People could hardly move away fast enough. It was
obvious that I couldn't be of help to their networking or business
and therefore in their eyes, I had little worth.
So I have always distrusted the interest people showed me later
when I was working outside the home and was perceived to be
useful or influential. While others may have begun to value
me more, I knew that this was not what increased my value to
God. "The Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks a the
outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the hear" (1 Samuel 16:7). He
sees and counts differently.
The world is impressed by numbers. One's occupation is often measured by how much money is earned. Since staying at home to raise a child doesn't bring in any income, the job of raising a child seems devalued. Successful people are measured by how many and what kinds of people one influences, so staying home with a child seems insignificant. There are no colleagues to recognize your work, and it will be a long time before your child will thank you for the job you've done. (I was forty years old before it occurred to me to write my mother a long letter thanking her for all she did for me. She told me that she carried that letter in her purse for over a year.) Job satisfaction is measured by how stimulating the job is and what opportunities it offers for both personal and professional growth and development. Raising a child is considered menial and boring, because the work at home is unglamorous and doesn't seem to lead anywhere. When measured by the world's standards, the job of the stay-at-home mother loses out every time.
Upcoming Events on Spiritual Health
Spiritual Health at Work
Thursday July 21, 7-9pm, Newton Campus
Please join the BCEC English Women's Ministries to hear Virginia Viola, Board Member in charge of Women's Ministry and Church Partnerships at Marketplace Network, a Christian organization dealing with workplace issues, and an Elder at Park Street Church. Ginny has been involved in campus ministries, was on the Board of InterVarsity, ran her own Medical billing company, and has been a faithful and effective minister to women of all ages. Ginny came to speak to us last year on "Mentoring". This time, she will speak on how we can integrate our faith with work, maintain our spiritual health, and be a witness in the workplace.
RSVP Bernice Cheung
Our Ministry Team this year:
Jeanie
Chou
Ruth Chu
Julie Wong
Eun Ju Kim
Bernice Cheung
(Director of English Women's Ministries)
To find out more about our ministries, please contact us!
Summary of Talk with Miltinnie Yih
On May 1, Miltinnie Yih came to speak to us on the topic of "Nurturing Your Child's Spiritual Health". The following in a brief summary of her talk.
How to Nurture Your Child's Spiritual Health
We
seem to spend a lot of time trying to pass on to our children an earthly
inheritance of money, property, and achievements, but the most important
thing that you can pass on to your children is your faith and love
for God. This is an eternal inheritance.
Why is this so hard?
Having
children is a humbling experience, because it is so challenging. Why
does it need to be so hard?
The Bible records in Genesis 3 that Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden by eating the forbidden fruit. A curse was laid upon them as a consequence of their actions. The woman faced this curse:
To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." (Gen 3:16)
First, the woman was cursed with pain in childbearing. This pain begins with the onset of her menstrual period, through the pains of childbirth, and continues through childrearing and beyond. Frustration develops between the woman and her child.
Secondly, the woman was cursed so that her desire will be for her husband. The woman will look man for her fulfillment. But this word desire also means dominate or control, and so she will try to control her man so that he will provide her what she wants. Frustration develops between the woman and man.
To start reversing the curse, bring your children to the Lord at a young age:
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deut 6:5-7)
Other Ministries Available
Summer Moms' Group
All moms are invited to attend a Mom's Ministry playgroup for their children. Moms are welcome to bring a lunch to eat together afterwards.
Dates: Tuesdays from July 5th to August 30th (no meeting on August 23)
Location: BCEC Newton Campus, 218 Walnut Street
Time: 10:30am to 1:30pm
For further details or to RSVP, speak to Mary Lum or Karen Liao, or contact us.