YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART WITH ALL YOUR SOUL & WITH ALL YOUR MIND Matthew 22:37 Rusk Crumbs November 2019 November Greeters November 3 A.M. Allen & Laura Overweg, Brian & Kristi Curtis family P.M. Paul & Donna Schipper, Roger & Sandy Headley November 10 A.M. Duane & Jan Harsevoort, Harold & Barb Headley P.M. Ed & Winn Holstege, Scott & Heidi Mesbergen family November 17 A.M. Jon & Laura Holstege family, Brian & Sheri Hunderman family P.M. Randy & Diane Klunder, John & Diane Hunderman November 24 A.M. John & Bev Kuyers, Cal & Gret Kuyers P.M. Vern & Linda Meyers, Keith & Nichole Nienhuis family, Jan Vander Zwaag November 28 Kevin & Dollie Knott, Harv & Jackie Koetje November Song Leaders November 3 Congregational Favorites November 10 Josh Schreiber November 17 Congregational Favorites November 24 Josh DeWitt November Nursery Schedule November 3 A.M. Heidi Mesbergen, Glenda Neymeiyer, Blakelee Hunderman P.M. Carmen Schreiber, Ellie Schippers November 10 A.M. Sarah Steenwyk, Jessica DeWitt, Westen Headley P.M. Michelle Wittingen, Desiree Kuyers November 17 A.M. Ruth Kuyers, Diane Meyers, Easton Wittingen P.M. Ruth DeGroot, Kyah VanKoevering November 24 A.M. Diane Hunderman, Jackie Koetje, Pearl Warolin P.M. Sheri Hunderman, Liz Curtis Jessica Headley, Whitney Meyers, Madison VanEerden November Ushers A.M. Jacob Nienhuis (Center) Lucas Nienhuis Jaden Nienhuis P.M. Keith Nienhuis November Spanish Church Visitation November 3 Harv & Jackie Koetje November 10 Kevin & Dollie Knott November 17 Ike & Jeannie & Amie Spriensma November 24 Bruce & Loie Volkers November Birthdays November Anniversaries 1 – Vern Meyers 6 – Jerry & Mandi Alkema 2 – Mary Holstege, Jay Kuntz 7 – Bernie & Carolyn Jager 3 – Andy Katt 10 – Harv & Jackie Koetje, Al & Sue Steenwyk 5 – Ruth DeGroot, Kathi Vugteveen, Rosie Ver Wys 19 – Brent & Candace Nienhuis 7 – Cadence DeGroot 27 – Kevin & Dollie Knott 11 – Josh Schreiber 12 – Carla Hill 14 – Hilda Holstege, Diane Hunderman 18 – Bob Quick 19 – Phil Meyers 20 – Jerry Alkema, Judie Holstege 23 – Kyah VanKoevering 24 – Riley Headley 25 – Dwight Vugteveen 29 – Kristi Curtis, Ben Neymeiyer 30 – Burandyt Holstege 2019 Prayer Challenge Here’s a reminder to be praying for these things as a unified church body: → That we all would return to a daily reading of God’s Word and listen to Him speak to us → That God would continue to use Scott Geurink in the Spanish community and lead our Classis in future plans for ministry → That the CRC would experience a revival and submit to the authority of the Bible That healing would occur for those with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health concerns Let us all continue to pray for these things. “You do not have because you do not ask God.” James 4:2b Family in Focus Mark & Ruth Kuyers How can we be praying for you? Mark and I would like prayers that we can be godly examples for our 4 daughters and that they each will be shining lights for Jesus wherever they are. What was a great vacation experience—where was it and what happened? In 2017 we went to a wedding in Minnesota. It was the first time the girls had ever been out of the state or had stayed in a hotel. They thought it was so cool! Plus we had plenty of bonding time during the drive there and back. What’s a favorite hymn? Is there a reason it’s your favorite? “It Is Well With My Soul” because it's a wonderful reminder that we can be grateful in all things because He has given us grace and nothing is beyond His control. What do you like most about Rusk or being a member of Rusk? We love how close our congregation is. We support each other and help one another grow in our faith. Musings from Your Editor Loving Him with All We’ve Got by Jessica DeWitt Have you ever had a time God was trying to get your attention? Like, by repeating Himself over and over again until you finally took notice? For me, it began with my son’s memorization of his Bible verse for school. Each day we practiced it together until he was finally able to proclaim with no hesitation, “[Jesus said,] ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Matthew twenty- two, verse thirty-seven.” He was ready to recite it to the teacher and so be done with it, but I wasn’t. Over the next few weeks, those words seemed to follow me everywhere! It didn’t take me long to realize that God was deliberately putting that verse in my path. And I’ve come to recognize that whenever a certain idea or Bible verse is repeated, I had better pay attention because He is trying to teach me something. I admit I hadn’t really focused on the words when it was part of Caleb’s homework; the verse is so familiar that I mindlessly repeated it when he practiced it. The verse seems like such a simple statement, so basic. We already know we are to love Him with our heart, soul, and mind; that idea is a well-worn one for those of us who have long known the Lord. But when God kept pointing me to it, I slowed down and began to wrestle with it, wondering how He was trying to use that familiar verse to speak to my heart in a new way. First, I tried to break down the verse in parts, but before long, I hit a wall. So I prayed that God would give me some clarity; if He was drawing me to the verse, why did I feel stuck in deciphering it? The following day He showed me what was wrong in my approach: I was making things too complicated. The whole point of Matthew 22:37 is Jesus taking the complicated pharisaical system of numerous, stringent rules and honing in on the heart of the matter, on what’s truly important in following God. What was (and still is) the greatest commandment, the main requirement God has for us? Jesus makes it simple: it’s all about Him. That is, God is to be the foundation and ultimate priority of our entire lives - all aspects of it, heart, soul, and mind included. It sounds straightforward enough, doesn’t it? Jesus is to have precedence in our lives. But how do we implement that? What does that actually look like? Abiding It seems pretty obvious that if God comes first in our lives, then we need to spend time with Him, abiding in Him. We often hear how relationships require time and effort to grow, our relationship with Jesus is no different. It means regularly dwelling with Him in prayer, listening to Him by reading His Word and meditating on it, quieting ourselves before Him in order to hear His Spirit speak to our hearts. Building the relationship with Him should be our greatest purpose; He should be the love of our lives. These aren’t likely new or different concepts to most of us in the church; we’ve heard it all before in our devotional readings or from over the pulpit. But are we doing it? Are we showing up each day before Him, the Word open before us, hearts and minds receptive to what He has to tell us? Are we taking time to listen for His response when praying, or are we just presenting him with a laundry list of requests for health and provision and safety? The real question then becomes: How can we expect this relationship to thrive if the time we spend with Him is a brief few minutes here or there, distracted, barely squeezed into our overly-packed schedule? I can’t speak for you, but I know I need this reminder. I am pulled in so many directions by all that needs doing. There is always too much to be done in this busy life, and I so often feel like there’s simply not enough of me to keep up. Yet the Lord has continued to impress upon me the importance of spending those blessedly precious quiet minutes with Him. I find myself too much like Martha, racing about trying to get things done, when He is calling me to be more like Mary, choosing the better thing of sitting at His feet. It is what He desires of us: to dwell with Him, draw near to Him, be renewed and refreshed by Him. Let us not forget, Matthew 22:37 is Jesus stating the greatest commandment. We try to make it a negotiable suggestion, but it isn’t. He commands us to love Him. And we aren’t loving Him if we aren’t drawing near to Him by taking the time to speak to Him, listen to Him, walk with Him. Ultimately, this verse is Jesus calling us to obediently make Him preeminent in our life and abide with him, today and every day. Applying If we are making abiding with our Lord a key part of our life, is that enough? I would argue it’s not. While abiding is vital and foundational in obeying Jesus’ command to love Him, I think it is just as vital to also be applying that love for Him to everything else in our lives. If we are loving God with everything we have, then that same love we have for Him should touch every single thing we do. And that means obeying the laws and guidelines He’s laid out for us in His Word.