Philippians 2:3-5 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. ![]() Some people think that in order to be successful you need to push others to the bottom so that you are able to climb to the top. This is especially common in American culture. The thought is that if others are as successful as you are, then you are not successful; you are average. No one wants to be average. However, the reality is that if everyone was raising each other up, the world would be a much better place. God warns us of the dangers of trying to be successful for recognition or glory. He tells us that we are to value others more than we value ourselves; their needs are to be more important than ours. Taking the time to care about others and putting them before ourselves seems hard. Everyone is busy with work, school, kids, and family, but it is important to remember that God wants us to love each other more than ourselves. Therefore, we ask the question: How can we value others?
Leah Whitson is a junior Human Social Services major at Wisconsin Lutheran College, and the Resident Support Intern here at New Beginnings. After college she plans to pursue a Master's in Social Work, and one day she hopes to use her experience at New Beginnings as a good foundation . During her free time Leah likes to travel, play with her dogs, and spend time with her fiancé.
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It has been a busy few weeks at New Beginnings as the Resident Assistants (RAs) and residents have all started their spring semester classes. This is the residents' first semester of school since coming to New Beginnings, so it has been a major adjustment in their schedules- one that brings both challenges and opportunities.
To learn more about Carin Clark, click on the button below. It will take you directly to her website. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10 A Former Resident Supervisor
At New Beginnings, we do our best as staff and Resident Assistants to provide a family and community feel for our residents. However, no matter how hard we try, the residents, staff members, or RAs may feel lonely at times, just as anyone can. Valentine’s Day is occasionally referred to in jokes as “Single People Awareness Day.” This is an unfortunate outcome from a holiday based on showing people love and affection. However, as Christians we must remember that we are never alone. God constantly reassures us in his word that we are not alone. God is always by our side, so no matter what hardships come our way, he is still there to strengthen our faith through word and prayer. ![]() Naomi Brandt is a resident assistant from Salt Lake City, Utah. While her major at Wisconsin Lutheran College is in Business Administration, she hopes to go to law school after graduation, and work in either law, politics, or public relations. New Beginnings has been a great opportunity for Naomi to expand her work experience, grow in her faith, and have a home away from home. Have you ever said anything that you regret? Perhaps you lost your temper and said some things better left unsaid, or maybe you were hurt and wanted to hurt someone else so you damaged their reputation by spreading gossip. How often have you gotten upset or angry about something that was done to you and went to complain or "vent" to a coworker or friend? Do these situations sound familiar? We all have been guilty of letting our tongue and temper get the better of us. More often than not, the hurt and anger comes from misunderstanding or lack of communication; This is especially true among people with different backgrounds and cultures. I know this is a challenge among staff and residents here at New Beginnings. Individuals from different cultures and backgrounds are living and working under one roof and what might be acceptable and said in innocence in one culture, might be annoying or insulting to another culture. It is a challenge that we can all overcome with patience and understanding. ![]() We should look to God when we have these issues. What does He say about our words? I know that in the Ten Commandments, God says "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." You might argue that it is all true! I am just exposing this person for what they really are! We must ask ourselves, what does this commandment really mean? In Luther's Small Catechism, it is explained like this: "We should fear and love God that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, or give him a bad name, but defend him, speak well of him, and take his words and actions in the kindest possible way." This is difficult I realize. When we have been hurt or offended, the easiest thing to do is react instantly. We must control our words and think before we speak. Let us see what else God's Word has to say about it. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Amen!) – Psalm 19:14, ESV Here we are asking that our thoughts and words are pleasing to God. That must be a question that we ask ourselves before we react. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs 15:1, ESV We must be aware of others and their feelings. We should think of others first.
May He grant us patience and control over our words and actions that we may be witnesses for His love. ![]() Christina Pritzlaff is married with two children. She has completed Early Childhood 1 & 2 classes, Infant Toddler classes, and completed the coursework for her Associates degree in Child Development. Christina splits her time between spending time with her family and working at NewBeginnings. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, camping, fishing, reading, and doing counted cross-stitch. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:9 When we think of Cain from the Bible, we think murderer. After all, he killed his own flesh and blood. He retorted to God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” when God asked Cain where Abel was. Yet, when we think of Cain, we should really be thinking of how easily we relate to him. No, maybe we’re not jealous, cold-blooded killers, but we all justify our self-focused nature that leads us to care only for ourselves. God doesn’t directly answer Cain’s counter, but throughout the Bible we see that God’s answer was clearly a yes – you are your brother’s keeper. We are commanded to love one another, serve one another, and go and make disciples. All those things require one thing: a relationship – a relationship with God and a relationship with others. Yet this is impossible when we merely focus on our own wants and needs. Often times we use the excuse of being too busy to have time to worry about anyone but ourselves or our closest loved ones. We complain, Why me? Isn’t there someone else who can help? Doesn’t God know that I already have so much going on right now? I just need to focus on myself before I can help someone else. While setting a solid foundation in our own life is very important, it is critical to be a cornerstone in someone else’s. Who knows what God is doing through you? New Beginnings is the perfect opportunity to show Christian love and service in two key aspects. First, as staff we support our residents individually to be the best version of themselves. Whether it’s finishing their education or excelling in the program, we want our moms to always know we are here for them! Second, all of our moms are completely unique, fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Although they come from different places in life, they are brought together to start a new chapter through our program. They never have to worry about going through this life-changing step alone because there is a mom right by their side going through it with them. With supportive residents and an encouraging staff, it’s an honor to be our brother’s keeper. ![]() Cait Seastrand All the way from San Diego, California, she is a Junior Sports and Exercise Science major at Wisconsin Lutheran College. God-willing she will be a physical therapist for children, soldiers, or academy cadets for the police and fire departments. Until then, she is very thankful for the opportunity to have a family away from home here at New Beginnings. Before you become a first-time parent, you expect to feel overwhelming amounts of LOVE! JOY! HAPPINESS! EXCITEMENT! ADVENTURE! And you’re right to feel those things. However, if you are now a mom or dad to a precious little one (or several!), you know that other feelings come along with parenthood. Guilt. Insecurity. Failure. And those nagging voices in your head… Do I read to them enough? Do I play with them enough? Do I encourage and praise them enough? Should I be more flexible with their sleeping schedules? Or are they staying up too late the way it is? Am I too strict with their diet? Or did I just give them WAY too much sugar? Is it bad that I’m letting them watch (yet another) show so that I can have a little quiet time? Was that punishment too harsh?... or too lenient? Do I yell at my kids too much? Do they KNOW that I love them? We’re late to school again. How is everyone else ALWAYS on time?! I forgot to make sure my kids did their homework. If any of the above thoughts have run across your mind, you’re not alone! They are all genuine concerns that I have had at times, and I guarantee there are other moms out there with them as well (anyone willing to raise your hand??). I fail every single day as a mother, but guess what? Christ’s love never fails us! He takes all of my imperfections and covers them with His cleansing blood. When the feelings of mommy-guilt consume me, there is nothing more comforting than the words Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. Grace. Thank you, Lord, for the grace you have shown me as a mother. Thank you for the forgiveness you’ve given me when I fall short, and for helping my children forgive my daily shortcomings to them. Grace. It’s all we need to remember when we feel like the mom next to us at the school pick-up has it all together perfectly. Her daily mess-ups with her kids are covered by God’s grace, too, and maybe that’s the reason why I don’t see them. Grace. The more weaknesses we have, the more of God’s grace we receive. Grace. I knew there was a reason we gave our first-born this middle name; it’s a reminder of what I need each and every day to survive this thing we call parenting. May God’s grace also cover you as you navigate this winding road, and remember that you are not alone. ![]() Beth Shiels is married to her husband, Zach, and together they have three charismatic daughters, with a fourth baby arriving in December. Beth splits her time between staying at home with her children, working at New Beginnings, and assisting in Zach's chiropractic clinic. She loves this crazy busy life Gods has blessed her with and is thankful to have the opportunity to share His love with the moms and babies at New Beginnings. I would like to ask you a question. What are you afraid of? Instantly a little voice inside your head might be telling you things. You could be thinking I'm not afraid of anything or I'm afraid of everything. I hear many things from many different people; some are afraid of getting laid off work, while others are afraid of an illness or death in the family. Everything that we are afraid of has one thing in common: fear of the unknown and fear of change. If you have a fear of the dark, you fear not knowing what is there that you can't see. If you are afraid of moving, you fear not knowing what is going to happen or what it will be like when you get there. When I was hired on at New Beginnings, I was terrified. I knew I would have to change so many things, including my ride to work. What if I got lost on my way there? My coworkers would be different. What if they didn't like me. My work and purpose would be different. What if I couldn't meet those goals and I let everybody down? This was all a change for me and I was afraid. We need to look at why we are afraid of change and what God says about it. Did you notice that every single fear that I had about starting a new job involved something bad happening? Getting lost and letting people down were preparing me for the worst. I knew all these bad things could happen but I still went for the job anyway. Why? I wanted to give myself and everybody involved the chance for something better. I wanted to make a difference. I didn't want to do this just for me or just for my family but the bigger picture and for God's Glory. I knew that I couldn't make things better by staying where I was. It was time for me to start a new chapter in my life. The same is true with the mothers and babies at New Beginnings; in essence, the mothers are starting an entirely new life full of what ifs. Change is tough, but the mothers at New Beginnings can rest assured that they have the full support of staff and the other moms residing in the program. Not only do the mothers have our support, but they have the love of their Lord! So what does God say about my fear of change and the unknown? Psalms 115:11 says "You who fear him, trust in the Lord-he is their help and shield." Isaiah 41:10 says "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." I know that my fear was sinful. I did not trust the Lord like I should. I also knew that the Lord has promised to be there for me. He will be there for me and protect me and provide for me. Ultimately, I had faith. I trusted God in the end that things would work for His glory. Change was hard and always is difficult for me and many others. We need to make those changes anyway. This is how we grow and make things better. We need to trust God that he will guide us and protect us in everything that we do. "in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?" - Psalms 56:11 ![]() Christina Pritzlaff is married with two children. She has completed Early Childhood 1 & 2 classes, Infant Toddler classes, and completed the coursework for her Associates degree in Child Development. Christina splits her time between spending time with her family and working at NewBeginnings. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, camping, fishing, reading, and doing counted cross-stitch. As a new year opens for us, let’s remember that God works every detail in our lives into something good. A new mother was sharing with me how God had so magnificently brought together so many details in her life to bring her to New Beginnings, and how God continues to bless her and her child through the New Beginnings program. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8: 28 One of the things that means so much to me is the devotional every evening at New Beginnings. It is a time for the staff and mothers to share their meal time, and be encouraged as we read and discuss Grace Moments together. Do you think you can lose something worth keeping by God’s ordering of the affairs of the world? You can’t! What a blessing to be able to come to New Beginnings and learn about our Savior! He is our God, and has called us according to His own purpose. God works out everything in agreement with the purpose of His will. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:11). In Him, in everything that occurs we will gain something. It might be hope, or praise, holiness, faith, patience, wisdom, or something else. However, always our best interests are made sure. Everything is working for the good of those who love Him, and even if it may seem hard, it is the right way for us, the best way for us in the end. ![]() Karen O'Leary is an Assistant Home Manager at New Beginnings. She has her BA in Bible Theology and her Masters of Divinity. She has 8-years of experience as a Social Director at a non-profit organization helping those in crisis with financial assistance, brief supportive counseling, and being a spiritual presence in their time of need. In her free time Karen enjoys reading, cooking and traveling. The travel industry naturally booms around the holidays. Airports are swamped, traffic is outrageous, and people’s schedules are crazy, all because everyone wants to head HOME. The value of spending Christmas with family and friends, in a warm welcome environment is immeasurable, and the thought of spending the holidays alone is almost unbearable for many. Unfortunately, not everyone can go home for the holidays. At New Beginnings, a physical home is provided, both for residents and resident assistants. However, New Beginnings is much more than just a physical home, and this has been especially true for the month of December. A lot of what makes home so appealing around the holidays is the Christian loving environment, full of traditions, food, and God’s Word. As a college student, I sometimes miss out on the Christmas spirit, because I am far away from home. This year New Beginnings helped both the residents and Resident Assistants celebrate Christmas through our devotions, tree decorating, and Christmas dinner, and therefore gave me a Home for the Holidays. I am incredibly thankful for my earthly home for the holidays, and grateful for the daily reminders at New Beginnings that I can always look forward to my home in heaven as well. ![]() Naomi Brandt is a resident assistant from Salt Lake City, Utah. While her major at Wisconsin Lutheran College is in Business Administration, she hopes to go to law school after graduation, and work in either law, politics, or public relations. New Beginnings has been a great opportunity for Naomi to expand her work experience, grow in her faith, and have a home away from home. I think we can all relate to the familiar feeling of end-of-the-year stress. Whether it’s finishing up the school semester, getting important tasks done at work, finishing up shopping for presents, or planning family Christmas dinners and parties, there’s a lot going on this time of the year! Balancing work and personal obligations can be especially hard when there’s so many demands coming from both sides. It’s easy in times like this to become too productive and overwork ourselves, causing exhaustion and stress that affects our health, relationships, and even our spiritual lives. Jesus told his followers in John 9:4 to work while it is day, which reminds us to not waste the time we’re given here on Earth. However, we can’t forget how big of an advocate God is for rest! Even God, as powerful and almighty as he is, set aside the seventh day after creation to be a day of rest after seeing all the work he had done (Genesis 2:1-3). That’s how we got the Sabbath. And while designing and creating everything in existence may seem like a much bigger task than what is on our plates, he still wants the same thing for us. Setting aside time to peacefully rest and temporarily let go of commitments allows us to complete them and serve him even better afterwards. Jesus is our Sabbath, and in him we can find the peace and rest we need to feel rejuvenated after daily struggles take their toll on us. Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Remember during the Christmas season that God has blessed us with this time to be with our loved ones and to meditate on his love for us. It’s easy to worry about what still needs to be done or what’s coming up in the New Year, but rely on him to bring you through it and give you the rest that you’ve earned! A Former Resident Supervisor
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