Information and

Information
and
inspiration forfor
the the
inspiration
women
of of
Spring
women
Lake Church
Spring Lake Church

A Second Cup

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. -Col. 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love,
which binds themWomens
all together
in perfect
unity.
Fall
Retreat
2014-Col. 3:14
What a precious time was had at the Landmark Resort in Egg
Harbor the weekend of November 7-9. We were blessed to have
In Harmony from Neenah provide worship for us and prepare
our hearts to hear Gods Word from Tammy Muller of Menasha.
We had 62 ladies attend this event and had the opportunity to
meet new friends and develop deeper relationships throughout
the weekend.
May God continue to bless those that attended and put to use
the knowledge that was presented out of His Word into every
life. Thank you to everyone who prayed for this event, helped
put everything together and stepped up to help when asked to
make this event one to remember.

JulyWinter
2008
2015
INSIDE THE
ISSUE:
From the
Editors Cup

Festival of
Tables &
Titus 2

He Chose
Her by
Rachel
Hollenbeck

The Link

Sleep in
Heavenly
Peace by
Jeanette
Gerke

Titus 2 &
7
Pecan Recipe
Mothering
Moments by
Tina
Hollenbeck

Winter Bible
Study Info

Meatloaf
Recipe

12

Church info

13

Profile:

14

Rene
Umnus
Recipe for a
Good
Marriage by
Casey Fayas

15

Page 1

From the Editors Cup

Lorrie Blaylock

I recently met up with a couple friends that I hadnt seen in a while. We exchanged hugs and
pleasantries and tried to catch up on the past months that we hadnt spent time together. I
was asked, So what have you been up to? Sounds innocent enough, but I dont like that
question. What should I say? No matter what comes out of mouth, it cant capture what I do.
What I really do. My mind raced as I formulated an answer. How to synopsize 4-5 months of
my crazy, busy life into a sentence or two. Not possible. So I answered, Wellits my busy
time of year. Thats the truth. From Labor Day to New Years Day, time just flies for me,
because Im involved in many activities and events where I do a lot of planning and preparation. I do these things, because I love to help people live better lives. I want to make a difference. Thats the real reason I serve, volunteer and share my time and talents with our community, our church and beyond. To share Christs love and message of hope to those in need.
I definitely dont do it for accolades or notoriety. Its just a heart thing.
Spring Lake has many women who serve, but I spent time recently with another woman who
graciously shares her time, talents and encouragement--Lisa Goetz. If youve ever wondered
about the greeting card rack that sits just inside the entrance to the lobby at church, you have
seen what Lisas ministry does. She designs and makes the beautiful, hand crafted note
cardsone by oneand provides them for attendees to take, at no cost to them, to encourage
or love someone who receives them.
At this years fall retreat in Door
County, Lisa brought her card making supplies and a number of ladies
helped her assemble cards while talking about what she does. Lisa shared
that early on, she felt God drawing
her to card making and she felt
maybe it would be her career. However when doors closed for her in
that area, she knew that He wanted
her to use it as a ministry instead. So
that is what she does. She feels that
each and every card can bless and
touch someone with the love of her
Savior. Her story touches me. What
a neat way to share the love of Christ!
And thanks Lisa for sharing your
Lisa Goetz (left) and Tracy Vanderlinden
cards with us!
Lorrie Blaylock is a member of the Womens Ministry team and serves as editor of
A Second Cup. She works in human resources, is very active in the community and loves
God, animals, her friends and her family! She and her husband Joe are long-time members
of Spring Lake.

Page 2

Festival of Tables 2014

Dont Just Survivebut THRIVEthis season!

Lina Abu Jamra was the speaker at this years Festival of Tables on December 4 th. Almost 270
women attended this jam-packed event which featured 32 individually-decorated tables, food,
fellowship, worship and a message of hope. Lina reminded women that without darkness, we
wouldnt realize the need for the light. She shared about her work as a Pediatric Emergency
Room doctor in Chicago and how God has led her to expand her own personal ministry. The
gospel was shared and several women made first time commitments to the Lord. It was a
great way to start out the busy season. Merry Christmas!!

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

John 10:10

Titus 2 Kids Project

Submitted by Gayle Frame
The Titus 2 homemaking group led by Gayle Frame and Lydia Storby recently made tulleembellished sweatshirts for the daughters of the Titus 2 mentees at their September 2014
meeting. In this picture, here they are, wearing the finished product. L to R: Olivia (daughter
of Liz); Eden (daughter of Ellen); Hallia (daughter of Heather); Jocelyn (daughter of Jackie)
and Esther (daughter of Sarah).

And she
brought forth
her firstborn
son, and
wrapped him in
swaddling
clothes,LORD,
and
you have
laid him
in a
assigned

manger;

me my

because there
portion

was no room

and my

for them in the

cup;

inn.

you

Luke 2:7 have

KJV
made my
All five of these beautiful girls were born within about a year of each othera fun time for this
Titus 2 group! And someday these little girls will be mentored just like their mommies.

lot secure.
-Psalms
16:5

Page 3

He Chose Her

By Rachel Hollenbeck

When the world fell, God knew it would be revived; it was his wonderful
plan. So he decided to send his only son. He looked down for a suitable
mother for his son to be born of. He looked past queens; he looked past
empresses. He passed over hundreds of important women. Then He
came to Nazareth.

He looked over the women there until he saw Mary. A sweet, pure virgin, she was dedicated to
God. This this virgin will carry my son, God decided.
So over queens and women of power, Mary rose; a pure virgin would carry Gods son. She would
bring him into the world to save all mankind. She would care for him, and raise him. All because
God chose her.
Rachel Hollenbeck daughter of Jeff and Tina Hollenbeck has attended SLC for her entire life and currently
serves in the nursery and library. She is educated at
home and especially enjoys reading good books, studying history, and writing.
She regularly blogs at One Girls Words with Meaning
www.onegirlswordswithmeaning.blogspot.com
and seeks to glorify the Lord with everything she writes.
Rachel Hollenbeck

The Library Lady

After a long & fruitful run, the Library Lady has decided to retire.
We appreciate her regular reading suggestions over the past few
years and wish her the best as she enters this new chapter in her
life.
Just because she wont be writing a column each quarter, doesnt
mean you should not continue to read and visit the Spring Lake
Church library between services for great reading materials,
media and literature.
Page 4

A SECOND CUP

The LINK
SLCs Virtual Womens Bulletin Board
Spring Lake Church has a weekly virtual womens bulletin board that keeps
women connected with each. If you arent receiving it, sign up today. Below are
the guidelines:

As the deer
pants for
streams of
water, so my
soul pants for
you, my God.
Ps. 42:1 NIV

A pre-link reminder is sent out by Monday of each week. Email Lisa LeSage at
denmarkfive@yahoo.com with any announcements you wish to post to the
group. From these, a bulk email will be compiled consisting of the information
from all the emails received. By Wednesday noon of each week, the information
will be sent from whatever emails were received to that point.
This email chain is for edification and sharing of personal and/or original
information, encouragement and resources within the group. It is not the place
to forward those entertaining emails you have received from others, no matter
how fabulous they are. Also include NO photos, graphics, or attachments.
Please avoid the posting of home shopping parties or school fundraisers.
Please limit announcement of garage sales and items for share, sale, or trade
to one or two post occurrences for any given announcement.
Comments or questions about good local businesses (including your own),
walking partners, parenting advice, extracurricular options for kids etc., etc. are
welcome.
When you run across an announcement that you want to respond to, please
do so directly to her with the contact email or phone number provided in her
announcement. Do not reply to the group.
For items for sale or give-away, it's best to assume that unless you hear back
from the one who posted, someone else responded to them before you did.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Send your emails in the following format:
From: NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS
TEXT OF MESSAGE type it exactly as you want itthere will be no editing done.
Everything will be simply cut and pasted into one document without having to
do any additional editing.
If you no longer wish to subscribe to the LINK, please reply to this email and
write "Unsubscribe" in the subject line. Allow two weeks for processing.

Coffee Fact: The average U.S. worker

spends $1,092 on coffee each year.

Page 5

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

By Jeanette Gerke
I recall a bedtime prayer from
childhood that caused me some
anxiety and raised unanswered
questions in my young
mind. Now I lay me down to
sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to
keep. If I should die before I
wake, I pray to God my soul to
take.
What would happen to me if I
would die before morning? Like
most people, thinking about
death causes fear, unease, and
other negative emotions. Although it is a natural part of life,
we tend to deny and avoid the
subject of death until eventually
we must face its reality. My Mom
passed away this spring and it
was difficult, but at the same
time it was a privilege to be with
her as she made the transition
from this world to the next. By
going through this experience of
seeing her courage, she gave me
a giftthe gift of walking the
tough road ahead of me, modeling for me what will most likely
be a similar journey. As a child I
feared the thought of leaving this
world. But by reading Gods
word in the Bible, I am reassured
of several things: that this life
isnt all it, that we can look forward to spending eternity with
God in heaven, and that God has
removed the sting of death.
When the perishable has
been clothed with the
imperishable, and the
mortal with immortality,
then the saying that is
written will come true:
Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Where, O death, is your
victory? Where, O
death, is your
sting? The sting of
death is sin, and the
power of sin is the law. 1
Corinthians 15:54-56
Page 6

As a child I prayed for the Lord to

keep my soul in case of death. Now I
have the assurance that God does
indeed have my soul because of what
is said in Scripture. Because Christ
was raised from the dead, death has
been defeated and we too can be
raised to live glorious lives in the
presence of God in heaven.
It says in 1 Corinthians that the last
enemy that Christ will subdue and
abolish is death, and that we are not
to feel hopeless in this futile world.
Paul, who wrote this letter to the Corinthians, compares our lives as
Christians to the life cycle of a plant.
A plant dies and decays after the season is done, and its seeds are planted
in the ground. We are like the seeds,
which are transformed as they germinate, sprout, and rise out of the
dirt. We will be transformed! What a
wonderful future we have with God!
Throughout the Bible it reminds us
to get our focus off of our present
troubles which are only temporary in
the big scheme. As it says in Psalm
90, our years on earth are filled with
hard work and pain, then before we
know it, our season on earth here is
done and we fly away.
I recommend reading what the Bible
has to say about your future with
God so that your mind can be refreshed with the truth. With online
technology, Biblical word searches
and daily readings are easy. You can
bring Gods word into your daily life
with apps for your smart phone or
PC like MySword.info, or the Holy
Bible by YouVersion.

Jeanette Gerke and her husband

Rick have two sons, Jon and Tim.
They are long-time attendees of
Spring Lake. Jeanette is a regular contributor to A Second
Cup.

Jeanette Gerke

Women Mentoring Women Mentee Coffee

(Opportunity for involvement is limited)
Saturday, January 24, 2015
8:30 AM Registration & Refreshments
9:0011:30 AM Program
For Women College Age & Older

Are you interested in being mentored?

Would you like to acquire some homemaking skills with a small group of
young women, led by one or two older women?
Are you curious as to what biblical womanhood looks like in our post-modern
American culture?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, join us on January 25 for a morning of vision-casting, information, and testimonies. This will be your opportunity to join a book
group, homemaking group, or a one-to-one relationship.
A group of older women has gone through the SLC Titus 2 Womens Ministry Mentor Training this fall and is looking forward to establishing relationships with younger women, encouraging them in their faith, and equipping them to live for Gods glory. For more details,
you may contact members of the Titus 2 Leadership
Team: Lynda Thompson, Rene Umnus, Marybeth Geissler, Amy Watzka, Donna Powers,
Laurie Sukowaty, or Neoma Cooper.
RSVP is necessary as space is limited!
Contact Linsay Tinberg at linsay.tinberg@yahoo.com or (920) 737-5074 OR
to register online, visit www.springlakechurch.org

Recipe

Spiced Candied Pecans

Ingredients
1 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 pinch salt
Directions:
Toss nuts with other ingredients in a plastic bag
until they are coated.
Arrange nuts in a single layer on a nonstick
foil lined baking sheet
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees or until maple syrup begins to darken (dont burn it)
Allow to cool in a single layer. Pack in an airtight container.

Page 7

Mothering Moments
By Tina Hollenbeck
I am a unique, one-of-akind, unrepeatable, neverto-be-seen-again, created-in
-the-image-of-God miracle.
This is what my friend and mentor Dr. Kathy Koch of Celebrate
Kids (www.celebratekids.com)
teaches in her seminars for parents, teachers, young adults, and
children. She believes the truth
of the statement to the core of
her being. So do I. In fact, this
reality has been one of the driving forces in my adult life - a
principle by which I endeavored
to function when I was a classroom teacher and by which I earnestly seek to live now as a parent.
Its not easy. Its so much simpler
to put children in boxes to
think in factory mode and attempt to standardize them in
this way and that. After all, if we
know the normal parameters in
any sphere of life, we can evaluate a child against them and do
something about it. Namely, we
can gloat when he exceeds expectations and take steps to
remediate when he fails to
measure up. After all, without
an ability to categorize, classify,
and rate, how would we maintain
control?
But therein lies the rub. Children
are not products on an assembly
line. They are not nuts and bolts
or widgets, each needing to
measure precisely the same as its
predecessor and peer. Were not
supposed to be able to mold
them into the image of our current cultural ideal, each one the
same as the next in an attempt to
manufacture some sort of utopian society. Were not meant to
be in control like that.
Thats Gods job. He as the
Creator of the universe and the
sculptor behind the intricate design of each individual human
being (see Psalm 139) is in
Page 8

charge. He chose the particular DNA you might find Tina on stage or
sequencing the blueprint by which in the video booth, serving on the
each individual functions intellectu- worship team.
ally, physically, emotionally, and
spiritually for each child. And He
chose in His wisdom to insure that
each individuals sequence is unique
and never-to-be-repeated. When we
dont like what we see in a childs
innate being, we can push and prod
and poke all day long, trying to remold her according to our preferences. But playing God is always
wrong. Playing God destroys.
Tina Hollenbeck & family
So what does leaving things to God
look like in day-to-day reality?
It means choosing to stop pushing
your ballerina toward track or your
chess champion toward football. It
means choosing to cease and desist
from thinking of your child as
behind in math, and deciding instead to say, This is where he is
now, and well make daily progress at
his pace. It means choosing to stop
bemoaning your shy child in favor
of accepting and nurturing her quiet,
self-smart nature. Bottom line, it
means choosing to study the design
intricacy of the masterpiece God has
set before you to facilitate His intentions instead of throwing the
child onto an assembly line or banging away with your human chisel and
hammer.
Do you believe Dr. Kathys summary? Then prove it in your daily
actions toward the unique, one-of-akind, unrepeatable, never-to-be-seen
-again, created-in-the-image-of-God
miracles He has entrusted to your
care.

Tina Hollenbeck and her husband

Jeff have been at SLC since 1999,
and are raising and home-educating
two daughters, Rachel and Abigail.
She also currently operates a small,
in-home daycare business, through
which she has provided care to more
than a dozen young children since
2003. And, prior to becoming a
mom, Tina served as a missionary
to the public schools for nine years,
teaching English to immigrant teenagers. On any given Sunday at SLC,

Womens Bible Study Update

By Rebecca Nicholas
Winter/Spring Womens Small Group Bible Studies
Registration is available on-line for our winter/spring offerings
for women only small group Bible studies. The Womens Ministry team is excited to offer a variety of options to meet various
life seasons. If you are not presently in a small group and/or are
looking for a way to connect with other ladies at Spring Lake, take the plunge and join one of our
small group Bible studies where we build community through focus on the Word and discipleship.
You wont regret it! Register under the Events section of the church website.
Specific details can be found under Ministries/Women at the Spring Lake website and in the brochure
located at the Information desk in the main lobby. Below is a quick overview of what is available:
Women's Weekly Small Group | Thursdays 9:30-11:30am | Leader Kristin Van Lannen
Topic Women of the Bible
Women's Bi-Weekly Small Group | Mondays 6:30pm | Leader Anita Ohlson
Topic Proverbs
Women's Virtual Weekly Small Group | Postings on Sunday
Leader Rebecca Nicholas Topic Navigators Life Change Series starting in February
PRECEPTS Offerings | Tuesdays 6:45 pm | Leader Linda Gamerdinger | Location Spring Lake
Church, Room 233 |Books: A Love That Will Not Let Me Go, Understanding the Anger of
God, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Oasis | Thursdays 9:00-11:00am | Leaders Andrea Schad & Lisa Lemirand| Topic A Walk thru the
Book of Ephesians
Appreciation
The Womens Ministry team would like to extend a huge thank you to Linda Gamerdinger, Lisa
Lemirand, Andrea Schad, Anita Ohlson and Kristin Van Lannen for leading womens small group Bible studies this fall! Please pray for these ladies and everyone in the Spring Lake family who is involved in creating discipleship opportunities.
Save the Date:
Womens Connection Event, Saturday February 14 th, 8:30am 10:30am
Connection Events are coming back. Join us as we kick off 2015 with an amazing time of fellowship
and teaching from Dave and Rennie Garda of Cadre Ministries. Well enjoy a light breakfast, have
time to re-connect with old friends and make new ones and learn about Kavanaha Biblical look at
disciple-making friendships. You wont want to miss this. Register on-line under Events. As always
womens connection events are free and all are welcome!

Page 9

A Second Cup Profile

My name is Ellen Berg.
My family consists of my Mom, Dad, Kyler (19), Kevin (15),
my boyfriend Alex, and a 7 month old Goldendoodle named
Crosby.
I have attended Spring Lake with my family for 3 years. I
was in college for most of that, but have moved back to the
area and call Spring Lake my home since May 2014.
I spend most of my days working at Spring Lake and
spending time with my friends and family.
For enjoyment I read, run, cook, crochet, organize, and head
down to Madison to visit Alex and friends from college.

Ellen Berg

I am passionate about building relationships, being organized, music and helping

people.
In my spare time I enjoy organizing and being productive. So, Ill clean out a closet,
organize the pantry, catch up on shopping deals, shop J I also enjoy music quite a bit
(I have a music degree), so I will play my ukulele or piano and sing. I also put on Wildtree parties which I enjoy quite a bit.
The last book I read was Crazy Love by Francis Chan.
My biggest challenge as a woman, wife, mother, etc. I honestly cant think of
one. I have been blessed with opportunities in my life that have allowed me to feel
fulfilled and appreciated as a woman.
I like my coffee fresh and plain.
My favorite scripture verse is I can do all things through Christ who strengthens
me Philippians 4:13 and She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the
days to come Proverbs 31:25.
Anything else youd like others to know about you? I graduated from Carroll
University in December 2013 with a Music Business degree. I worked in the music industry while in college and after graduation. Last spring I moved back to the Green Bay
area and have been working at Spring Lake in Student and Childrens Ministry since
June 2014. I have enjoyed every minute of working with the Student and Children Ministry teams, and absolutely know that this is what Gods plan was for me. I am so
blessed by the people I am surrounded by every day and continuously thank God for
that.

Page 10

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.
Is. 41:10 NIV

Random Thoughts to End 2014

By Lesley Swanson

Ever have one of those days where you just feel like youre just spinning
your wheels?
Well, that describes my day today . . .which is not good when someone
is waiting for your article. (sigh)

Most of the time I try to write something that is relevant to what I see when I counsel women, but this Second
Cup issue I'd like to do just some random thoughts. I believe that it is good to take time to look back and be
grateful for what God has done as well as look ahead to what He might do.
2014 has been a good year in so many ways in my life, but the one thing that will mark this year above many
others is my new found love for the Old Testament! If you have never spent time studying our amazing God in
the Old Testament, I would suggest you make it your number one 'Bucket List' to-do in 2015. And I don't mean
to read the Old Testament . . . I mean study it. Slow down and dig into it! The nuggets you will find when you
slow down and really understand what is happening, why it's happening, and what God is doing on every page
will leave you falling deeper in love with Him!
2015 will be a pivotal year in my life . . . I will personally hit a milestone and we'll leave it at that! And for many
years I've had several dreams that have yet to come about; but, one Sunday this fall, while we were singing the
"Oceans" song, that I sensed Him telling me to step out on the water, where feet may fail & fear surrounds me.
Which is truly how I feel when I think about my dreams. His Spirit may just be leading me where my trust is
without borders. I'm still asking myself if I will in fact take that step . . . I won't unless I know for sure it's
where He wants me to go.
What will this next year hold for you? May I encourage you to do a few things . . .daily? (I hope you've said
'yes'. If not . . .feel free to skip to the end!)
Would you daily ask Him to 'search you and show you if there be any offensive ways' in you first?
Would you daily seek Him so He can 'add all these things to you'?
Would you daily delight yourself in Him?
Would you daily submit yourself to Him?
Would you daily seek to understand what He is trying to do in your life to make you look more like His Son?
Would you daily ask Him how you could be an instrument in His hands so others can come to know & love
Him?
Challenge yourself and encourage someone else to these couple of questions. 2015 could be one of your best
years! I'm praying it is for me!
Blessings friends!
Lesley Swanson has been the local Healing Hearts Core Group Leader since
April 2003 and feels privileged to see God do amazing things in the lives of
hurting women. Interested women can contact her at 920-360-2876. She and
her husband Dave have three children.

Lesley Swanson

Page 11

Easy and Delicious Meatloaf

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Tomato Soup
1 envelope (1 oz) dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup water
Directions:
Thoroughly mix the beef, 1/2 cup tomato soup, onion soup mix, bread crumbs and egg in a large
bowl. Place the mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and firmly shape into an 8 x 4-inch loaf.
Bake at 350F. for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the meatloaf is cooked through. Let the meatloaf stand for
10 minutes before slicing.
Heat 2 tablespoons pan drippings, remaining tomato soup and water in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally. Serve the soup mixture with
the meatloaf.

Page 12

A SECOND CUP

Coffee Fact: Jim Henson, the creator of the

Muppets got his start doing coffee ads.

Church Info You Can Use:

And over all
these virtues
put on love,
which binds
them all

Small Groups: At SLC, the primary way we believe people grow more into Christlikeness is in the context of small groups. Are you a part of one? If not, visit
www.springlakechurch.org or call the church office at 983-9090 for more information.
Get involved: Looking to get more plugged in at SLC, the SLC Viewbook offers an overview of Spring Lake Churchs ministries. Pick one up in the lobby and see how easily you
can get involved.
House of Prayer: Throughout Scripture, we are encouraged to pray on our own, pray
for one another, and pray without ceasing. If you, or a loved one, would like prayer, we
have a team ready to intercede on your behalf.
Email prayer-request@springlakechurch.org with your praise report or prayer request
today.

together in
perfect unity.
Col. 3:14 NIV

Did you know we have a Women of Spring

Lake Church Facebook page to keep you up
to date on everything relating to the women
of SLC? Like us today!
www.facebook.com/womenofspringlake

Panera Bread: Panera Bread: Spring Lake Church is a recipient of Panera Bread's weekly
leftover bakery. Every Monday we will have bread, bagels, pastries, etc. whatever was
baked, but not sold on Sunday. If you or someone you know is in need and could be blessed
by some Panera Bread bakery, please send an email with the Family Name, # of people in
the family, contact information and a brief description of their need to
kristin@springlakechurch.org or call (920) 983-9090 for more info.

Page 13

My name is Rene Umnus.

A Second Cup Profile

My family consists of my husband of 23 years,

Mark; daughter, Hillary and the friendliest cat ever,
Java.
I have attended Spring Lake since 1985. It will
be 30 years in the fall of 2015!

I spend most of my days working as a fulltime

Administrative Assistant at Navigator Planning
Group, a financial planning firm, and loving my job.
Mark & Rene Umnus
For enjoyment I love to cook and meal plan. We also
enjoy entertaining and having a party for no reason. And I love traveling with Mark and
our friends.
I am passionate about sharing my faith with others and leading the lost to Christ.
I am also passionate about prayer. I love to pray and love to pray for those that dont
even know that I am praying for them and watch God at workits amazing!
In my spare timeI am hooked on Pinterest. I love to find creative food ideas,
decorating ideas and so much more.
The last book I read was I am currently reading Kyle Idlemans Gods At War
which is very convicting and such a good read (this is coming from someone who
doesnt like to sit and read much at all)

Be kind to
one another,

My biggest challenge as a woman, wife, mother, etc. is to constantly remind

myself that I cant be in control no matter how badly I want to fix things, change things
or take over. It is something I struggle with on a daily basis.

tender-hearted,

I like my coffee from Starbucks. A Grande Non-Fat, No Whip, 2 pump,

White Mocha. My husband will tell you that I can spot a Starbucks sign a mile away.

other, just as

My favorite scripture verse is Isaiah 41-:10 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. This verse has seen me through some difficult
times in my life and I hold it very close to me.
Anything else youd like others to know about you? Me and Active Dry Yeast
dont get along, I have tried and tried but I cant get it to activate to make any type of
bread, but I do make a mean Cajun Jambalaya.

Page 14

forgiving each

God in Christ
also has
forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32

Holiday baking season is here and as someone who

loves to bake and cook, I know how important
proper ingredients, in the right amount, are to a
By Casey Fayas
successful recipe. Without the right ingredients, a
recipe can go from sweet to sour pretty quickly.
The same goes for our marriages. I admit, I love to experiment in the kitchen. Sometimes my experiments result in a new and improved version of a tried and true recipe;
other times--not so much. Improvement is a process of trial and error. Nevertheless,
when it comes to marriage there are a few ingredients that when incorporated into your
relationship, cant go wrong. Listed below are my ingredients for a happy and healthy
marriage:

Recipe for Good Marriage

Put God first: The key ingredient to a successful marriage is having the reinforcement of that 3 strand cord, and thats having God at the center of everything. Without
God at the helm of your marriage ship, you are bound to sink when storms and high
waters come. Keep God first, pray together and study His word together. A marriage
without God is like a recipe without the main ingredient.
After God, put each other first: Another important ingredient to any relationship
(this includes friendships too) is to put the other person first (after God of course!)
Philippians 2:3 says: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. When we think of our spouse as better than ourselves, we can look past our own hurts and the things we feel entitled to and see our
husbands needs instead.
Learn your love languages: Each person has their own special way in which we
receive love from others. For some, its acts of kindness such as folding the laundry,
mowing the lawn, etc. for others it is kind words such as praise on an accomplishment,
compliments on appearance, etc. When we learn how our spouse best receives love, we
can start loving them better and in ways that speaks directly to their heart. Gary Chapmans book The 5 Love Languages is a great resource for this.
Respect them: Respect is a gift that everyone needs, but more so our husbands.
When we respect our husbands and let them be who God created them to be--the leaders of the relationship--our marriage will improve tremendously. Let your husband be
the leader and youll see a huge improvement in his attitude in general.
Keep yourself pure: Temptation is inevitable, but we have the power through the
Lord Jesus Christ to flee from it. Some will say there is no harm in just looking, but
Jesus Himself called it lust and adultery. Keep your eyes and mind pure and only for
each other. If you do this the enemy will have little ammunition against your marriage
in this area.
Make time for each other: One reason that many marriages grow cold is the lack of
time spent pursuing one another. Dating does not end after the altar; in fact dating is a
lifelong pursuit. Continue to have date nights and have fun with your spouse. Laugh
together and be the others best friend. Married couples who do date nights have
stronger and happier marriages.
These items just scratch the surface, but by incorporating them into your marriage, I
know youll see an improvement over time by continuing to practice
them. No marriage is perfect, but we can improve things by having
the right ingredients. Stay Blessed!
Casey Fayas and her husband Trevor are members and regular
attendees of Spring Lake church. They live in Green Bay Wisconsin
with their two pets: a schnoodle named Ginny, and a big fluffy cat
named Joe.

Page 15

Casey Fayas

Be kind to
one another,
tender-hearted,
forgiving each
other, just as
God in Christ
also has
forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32

Any questions, comments, or

suggestions can be sent to:
Spring Lake Churchs Womens Ministry
2240 Klondike Road
Green Bay, WI, 54311
www.springlakechurch.org

A Second Cup

Submission Guidelines (revised 03/16/2013)

A SECOND CUP

Womens Ministry Team:

Lorrie Blaylock
Neoma Cooper
Rebecca Nicholas
Vanessa Roskosch
Lori Stuckert
Linsay Tinberg
Jeanne Wolf
Newsletter Contact:
Lorrie Blaylock, Editor
lorrie@rusticelegance.biz

A Second Cup is published four times per year by Spring

Lake Churchs Womens Ministry team. Articles should be
submitted as attachments to Lorrie Blaylock at
lorrie@rusticelegance.biz by the deadline each quarter. Photos should be submitted digitally with a minimum
pixel size of 1024x768, and should be submitted by email. A
Second Cup will not publish articles that would be deemed
as advertisements or business-promotions. The newsletter
will be disseminated by email to an e-distribution list and
will posted on the church website. As a result, information
in the newsletter may appear on the Internet.
As a general rule, articles should be 400 words or less and
must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document (Georgia,
11 pt. font). Contributors must be regular attendees of
Spring Lake Church. The editor reserves the right to edit articles prior to publication in the newsletter for any reason;
including space limitations, content, or any other reason. The editor also has the right to reject anything that she
feels is not beneficial to the newsletter or does not fall within
these guidelines or the newsletters purpose. She will consult with editorial and pastoral staff if questionable requests
arise.