Serve Issue (July/August 2020)

volume 9, issue 4

SERVE no 4

july/august 2020

JULY - AUGUST 2020

STAFF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR &

HEAD EDITOR

Amanda Brown

PHOTOGRAPHY

Rebekah Vijay / Anna

Bradford

WRITERS

Kara Linaburg / Janelle Martin

/ Rebecca Caraway / Olivia

Nickerson / Lisa Elis / Angela

Dawne / Sarah Cnossen /

Ghevont Panosian

BRAND STRATEGIST

Allison Joiner

MARKETING MANAGER

Kayla Johansen

MODELS

Celine Mutzke / Madison

Pott / Makayla Daniels

ILLUSTRATORS

Korin Linaburg / Amanda

Brown / Heather Dixon

Wallwork

PROOFREADERS

Lisa Elis / Rebecca Brown

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR

Mahayla Rishel

Volume No. 9, Issue No. 4

WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM

CONTENTS

SERVE: is your towel ready?

kingdom creatives: mahayla rishel 04

spiritual gifts 10

JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 1 15

love in action: serving 16


doing it

for God

22

it's the little things 28

the right time 20

books on serving 34

quotes on serving 36

how understanding love languages helps you serve 38


creative ways

to serve

46

motivate 42

4 tips on being better than mary poppins 19

the serve issue playlist 21

doing it for God 22


do: creative ways to serve 46

credits 51

cover: photo of Celine Mutzke and Madison Pott

visit

WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM

to purchase previous magazines

EDITOR’S NOTE

Amanda Brown

EDITOR - IN - CHIEF

Ever since freshman year of college, I've gone to work at a camp

all summer. The camp workers often have long conversations

about the beauty of camp: the accountability for being in

the Word, the multiple daily services, and the bounteous

opportunities for serving others.

And at the end of every summer, we've had the same

conversation, often tearfully: "I want to keep serving." It's

"easy" at camp. As a counselor, you're with kids 24/7. Some

people like those waitressing and making food are literally

serving.

But once we get back home, we have to be intentional about

serving. Instead of coming to things with a camp mindset of

"I'm here for others," we arrive back at school or our jobs with

a me mindset. It's my class schedule, my grades, my career.

And that's not necessarily wrong. That's life. Life can't be

one big summer camp for most people. Character is built in

difficulty. Those people who set aside their own desires and

schedules to serve others at school? Those are the people who

stand out. Not only to others, but to God.

And amidst a pandemic, serving can be even harder. Everyone

is suspicious of one another; many people are still isolated at

home. How are we possibly supposed to serve in a topsy-turvy

world such as this? Read the Word. The Christians in Acts

weren't living in a fairytale world either, yet they still found

ways to serve. God's commands are profitable for every time

and every age. Amen for that!

amanda brown + team

photo by abby marasigan and rebekah vijay

i firmly believe

that it doesn’t matter what you do

or even who you are

but how you do it

that matters

you have to give it your all

focus

and be who you are

bc when you do you can go far

so don’t just sit there wondering

what to do

or where to go

just.

do.

it.

— julia ryan

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM KINGDOM CREATIVE

k i n g d o m

c r e a t i v e s

meet

mahayla

rishel

OH BELOVED ONE | 4


CREATIVE

OUTLETS

Does learning new creative outlets count

as a creative outlet? I love learning new

things and so the artistic side of me always

seeks new ways to create. I have dabbled in

bead making, bread-making, photography,

writing short and incomplete fiction

stories, graphics, the science of latte art,

playing banjo, weaving on a handmade

cardboard loom, and creating a digital

magazine for Bold Girl Ministry.

GOD-GIVEN

CHARACTERISTICS

how God has

prepped me for

my purpose

I think that God prepares me by giving

me the tools I need to learn whatever skill

I need to accomplish a project. I believe

that is where my love to learn comes

in handy. When I decided to start my

magazine, I actually had no graphic design

skills. I just sat down and started doing

graphics on Corel Draw and looking up

YouTube videos on how to do what I

thought up, until I had something of a

magazine. I continued to learn, allowing

myself grace for the many, many, many

things I did not know about necessary

to start a magazine. Another thing God

has used to prepare me is people. He has

sent me mentors to teach me and serving

opportunities would just show up to

grow my creativity and skills.

OH BELOVED ONE | 5


BEST

ADVICE for fellow creatives

“Just do it!” I tell myself this

all the time. Whatever God is

calling you to do, seek Him first

and then just get started!

One of my biggest hurdles is that

hesitation before I get started.

Like when asking someone to

write for my magazine a bunch

of questions bubble to surface.

“Should I message this person?

What would they think of me?

Would they want to write for

my magazine?” Instead, I try

to dive in and just ask them,

“Would you like to write for

my magazine?” It’s not like

hearing them say “no” would

kill me. There is also a higher

chance of a “yes” than if I never

asked at all.

If feeling unqualified is holding

you back from just doing it

then know this: Solomon was

mentioned as “unqualified”

when God chose him to build

the temple because he was

young and inexperienced.

But the fact that God chose

Solomon for the job far

exceeded the fact that he did

not have the experience that

would qualify him for the job

(2 Chronicles).

God wanted Solomon to build

the temple and would be with

him every step of the way. Just

like God will be with you every

step.

OH BELOVED ONE | 6


NOW

SERVING

how I serve others

with my creative

abilities

I try to use all my creativity to

glorify God in unique ways, like

in hospitality. For example, with

my latte art I will make pretty

teas, coffees, and hot chocolate

to love on my family and

visitors show God’s love to them

through the gifts He gave me.

Through a blurry vision to

encourage young women to

step out in God’s call and God’s

gift of the love to learn, I

would learn to create Bold

Girl Ministry and then the

Equip the Called magazine. The

magazine consists of amazing

stories of young women, each

using their unique gifts to

serve God. My hope is that

the magazine will encourage

you and me to step out in our

calling, knowing God is near

and we are not alone.

Find Mahayla . . .

Website: http://www.boldgirlministry.com

Instagram: @boldgirlministry

OH BELOVED ONE | 7

OH BELOVED ONE | 8

SERVE

For even the Son of Man came not to

be served but to serve, and to give his

life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

OH BELOVED ONE | 9

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Spiritual

Gifts

art by jordan raquel

by kara linaburg

OH BELOVED ONE | 10


Prophecy

Prophecy means speaking a prediction

or proclaiming the truth. We can speak

predictions in the lives of those around

us by giving truth, being attuned to the

brokenness in the world around us, and

edifying and inspiring people to be more

than they were before. This is a tricky

gifting and some believe that the time for it

has passed. If you have questions, I would

recommend you research in your Bible and

find a trusted pastor to talk to.

Serving

Strengths She is attuned to the likes of

others, a hard worker, and will go out of

her way to help another. She will often

work for free, is affectionate, and not

selfish.

Weaknesses Has trouble saying no, is often

discouraged easily, and longs for approval

and appreciation. She may focus too much

on practical needs instead of spiritual ones

and take on more than she can handle.

OH BELOVED ONE | 11


Teaching

Strengths Has a heart for researching

truth and showing people what is

false. She often checks to make sure

the message being shared is biblically

accurate and presents her information

in a logical manner.

Weaknesses Unintentionally boastful

about her knowledge and can become

so focused on gathering facts that

others’ feelings are ignored. Argues

over minor points and struggles to

find unity. Can often struggle on

listening to another’s point of view,

and becomes frustrated when people

fail to see her own.

Encouraging

Strengths She is committed to her own growth but also

the growth of others. She sees a plan for everyone’s life.

Encouragers are normally prayer warriors, those able to

deliver a note that lifts you up just when you need it.

Weaknesses Needs patience when she fails to see

the change she desires and is discouraged when

prayers don’t seem answered. Can spend too much

time investing in people who just refuse to change

and needs to be aware of when people are being bad

influences.

OH BELOVED ONE | 12


Giving

Strengths Financially

knowledgeable. Aware of the

needs of others and how to

help. She invests in others

through gifts (often in secret)

and enjoys meeting needs that

are often overlooked.

Weaknesses She can forget to

give God the glory, measuring

success (and sometimes even

love) by how much she has

given and struggles to see a

person’s spiritual needs.

Leading

Strengths The planner with strong, laid-out

goals who easily organizes a group and motivates

them to complete projects. She often tackles big

projects without getting panicky, and is not overly

worried about failure. Normally the leader is a

bold extrovert.

Weaknesses She has to be mindful of how easy it

is to abuse her power as a leader and how she can

come across as bossy or selfish. Often she forgets

to show appreciation to her helpers.

OH BELOVED ONE | 13


Mercy

Strengths She is able to relate emotionally with

others and is passionate about walking through

someone’s trials with them. She’s a good listener

and is often sensitive and loyal. She’s attuned to

when someone needs to sit and just talk, doesn’t

take sin lightly, and has a humble spirit.

Weaknesses Fails to be firm and avoids

confrontation even when it’s needed. She is

often taken advantage of, can take her feelings

as a sign from God, and normally worries about

her failures.

To each is given

the manifestation

of the Spirit for

the common good.

meet the

author

Kara Linaburg is passionate about finding beauty in brokenness, blogging (www.thebeautifullybrokenblog.

com), and writing YA fiction (The Broken Prince). You can often find her planning her next adventure.

OH BELOVED ONE | 14

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 1

MY SPIRITUAL

GIFT.

Go back and highlight, underline, or write below the attributes

that sounded like you.

Which gift(s) could you have?

How can you use them for the benefit of others?

How can you cultivate the other gifts in your own life? Just

because they don’t come naturally doesn’t mean we can

dismiss them.

OH BELOVED ONE | 15

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM LOVE IN ACTION: SERVING

Love in

Action:

Serving

by janelle martin

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 interest

of others . . . learn to

do right; seek justice.

Defend the oppressed.

Take up the cause

of the fatherless;

plead the cause

of the widow . . .

But I tell you, love

your enemies and

pray for those

who persecute

you, that you may

be children of your

Father

in Heaven . . .

Philippians 2:3, Isaiah

16:5,

Matthew 5:44

Let me ask you a

question.

How easy is it for you to serve other people?

How easy is it to let go of your own personal

wishes and let someone else have their way? I

mean, honestly, there are times when the last

thing I want to do is drop all the plans I so

carefully made to do something for someone

else.

But then I’m reminded of Jesus. How He

served with a love and compassion, with no

thought to his own physical needs. He is the

perfect example of selfless service.

Mark 9:35 says, “If anyone of them would be

first, he must be last of all, and servant of all.”

This is a pretty significant remark that Jesus

made. As children of God, we are expected to

act with love and compassion, helping others

before we even think of ourselves.

Loving someone is serving them. I know this

sounds simple; I mean that’s a pretty easy

thing to figure out. But, when we stop and

actually put it into practice, we find that

love is not just something we say. we can

tell someone we love them, but without the

actions backing it up our words are empty.

You see, when we freely give our time to those

around us, we show our love by our actions.

By our sacrifices, by our desire to love the way

Jesus loves. A love that was not just of words

but actions.

Ask God to show you how to cultivate a

serving heart.

illustration by lisa elis

OH BELOVED ONE | 16

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM LOVE IN ACTION: SERVING

Your

turn

beginning today . . .

Do at least 3 things for someone else.

Support a ministry financially.

Sponsor a child.

Write an encouraging note to a friend.

Volunteer at your local church.

Bake cookies and give them to your neighbor.

Take someone who may be new to your

community out for coffee.

Pray for

others

Find out what your friends’ prayer requests are. Write them down and

put it somewhere you can easily be reminded to pray for them.

Ask if you can pray with them. Depending on how close your

relationship is with the person this may seem uncomfortable. Don’t push

or try to force anything, but if you feel the Holy Spirit leading, you be

sure to act upon it.

This is a super practical way to serve others.

Some of the sweetest prayer times in my life have

been spent praying for a friend.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so

fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

“Therefore, confess your sins to one

another and pray for one another,

that you may be healed. The prayer

of a righteous person has great

power.” James 5:16

OH BELOVED ONE | 17


LET’S GET

SERVING.

What three people do you want to intentionally serve this

week?

What will you do for them?

Visit www.ohbelovedone.com/serve for a free printable calendar

to plan out how you’ll serve people for the next month. If

you set aside time to cultivate a life of serving, it’ll become

second nature in no time!

OH BELOVED ONE | 18

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM BETTER THAN MARY POPPINS

4 Tips on Being Better

Than Mary Poppins*

*SINGING AND DANCING NOT INCLUDED

by rebecca caraway

AWANA has been a big part of my

life for as long as I can remember.

If you don’t know, AWANA is a

Christian club organization for kids. It

encourages them to memorize bible verses

and understand what those verses mean.

I started in AWANA as a clubber when

I was in third grade. Then in seventh

grade I became a leader in training for

the kindergarten age group. A leader in

training meant I helped out the adult

leader of our small group, I handled

paperwork, made sure the room was set

up, and ran around outside with the kids.

illustration by heather dixon wallwork

After two years with the kindergarten kids,

I was moved up to the elementary girls

group. I served with girls from third grade

to sixth grade, which was a huge change

from working with kindergarteners. After

five years of being a leader in training I

felt I was ready to become a full-on adult

leader. I was entering my senior year of

high school and knew it would be my last

year serving in AWANA. Thankfully the

leaders of the club agreed to let me run my

own group which was such an amazing

experience.

In total I spent five years as a leader in

training and one year as a leader to my

own group. All of this is to say I learned

a lot about kids and working in children’s

ministry, so I thought I would share a few

things I learned.

1

No two kids are the same.

While some kids excelled with

their memory verses, other kids

had a harder time. Some kids

loved taking part in the games, and

OH BELOVED ONE | 19

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM BETTER THAN MARY POPPINS

others needed a little encouragement to

participate. You can’t serve every child the

same because they aren’t the same. You

have to learn who the kids are and what

they need from you, and how to talk to

them when something goes wrong. Some

kids need to see a stern authority figure,

while others just need someone they can

complain to.

2

Never

brush off a kid

when they’re trying

to talk to you. Kids talk a

lot—like, a lot. Most times it

can seem mundane as they go on and on

about what kind of lunch they had that

day. Other times they need someone to sit

down with and talk about the hard things

going on at home. In both situations it’s

important to sit down and listen. Serving

in children's ministry is chaotic. There's

never a dull moment. It’s still important

to take time to listen to what the kids

need to say, even if it seems boring. You

may be the only person they can open up

to. So even if the kid just wants to tell you

about the goldfish they ate, listen and let

them know you care.

3

Troubled

kids are just

looking for attention,

so pay attention. We all

have that one kid in children's

ministry who is just a handful. Now,

serving in the ministry does not mean

you have to be their parent. Let parents

do their job and handle discipline. But if

there’s a kid who seems to be acting out

all the time, usually it means they’re just

seeking the attention they don’t get at

school or home. If a child is acting out,

try sitting down with them and calmly

ask them to explain their actions. Then

ask them to calm down and try to get

along with the other kids. Honestly,

most of the time they won’t listen, but

don’t give up on them.

4

You don’t have to

be Mary Poppins or

Miss Frizzle. Working

with kids is exhausting.

You don’t have to be the leader always

full of energy who comes up with crafts

and songs to sing. It’s okay if you aren’t

always on your A-game. Let yourself

breathe and accept that it’s okay if you

aren’t the best leader in the world. Be

patient with the kids and yourself.

I loved serving in AWANA. It was one

of the most fulfilling experiences of my

life. It’s a part of my life I treasure and

miss deeply. If you feel called to serve in

children’s ministry I highly recommend

it. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it to be

an example of Christ’s light to younger

kids.

meet the

author

Rebecca Caraway is a freshman at Allan Hancock college on the central coast of California. When she’s not writing,

reading, or watching Netflix, you can find her in a coffee shop drinking a salted caramel iced latte with her friends.

OH BELOVED ONE | 20

JULY/AUGUST 2020

OHBELOVEDONE.COM

the

serve

playlist

Take serving beyond the pages

of this issue by checking out

our Spotify playlist "Serve." Use

the QR code below or check out

ohbelovedone.com/current-issue.

OH BELOVED ONE | 21

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM DOING IT FOR GOD

DOING IT

photography by rebekah vijay

FOR GOD

by olivia nickerson

OH BELOVED ONE | 22


You aren’t too young

You aren’t too poor

Amy was troubled. Although she loved to serve, she worried

that she was too young to do anything of importance. What

could a teen do for God? She took her problems to her best

friend, Cade, who also happened to be her brother. She sat

on the edge of his bed as he worked on an assignment.

“I don’t know what to do, Cade,” Amy began. “I want to

help, somehow. But I just don’t know how to other than with

financial support, you know? I just feel like I’m too young to

actually make a difference or serve well.”

“Hmm,” Cade said.

“Hmm? Is that all you’re gonna say? Cade, I need help

here,” Amy exclaimed. She jumped off the bed and sighed,

realizing that her brother was a hopeless cause.

“Hey, Ames,” Cade said as she was about to leave. “I

think something you should remember is that you can do

something. Right now. Just because you’re young and still in

school doesn’t mean that you can’t do something. Remember

Titus from the Bible?”

Amy thought for a moment. “Yeah, I think so. Wasn’t he the

apostle Paul’s apprentice or something?”

Cade smiled. “Something like that. I was actually reading

OH BELOVED ONE | 23


in the book of Titus this morning for

devotions, and a verse said, ‘Let no one

despise you for your youth, but set

the believers an example in speech, in

conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.’ See?

Even if you’re young, you can still do

so much to serve and be an example to

others. And those things don’t have to be

big and showy. For example, interning at

a pro-life organization. Although you may

not see it first hand, your help may help

to save a baby from abortion or allow a

mother to support her child.”

Amy sat down. “I didn’t think of it that

way. Doing a little with the right motives

is more than if someone did a lot with the

wrong motives.”

Cade gave her a squeeze. “Yep. Amy, you

have a gift for helping others in need. You

can use it in big and small ways. And you

have. But don’t give up. There are always

people who need help, and you can do it

in so many ways.”

“I think I know just what to do,” Amy

declared.

“What?” Cade asked.

Amy’s eyes glinted with excitement.

“I’m going to pray about it first, but if it

is what God wants me to do, I’m going

to give that pro-life organization a call

about their internship this summer.”

“Atta, girl,” Cade grinned.

Do you ever feel like Amy did? Like you can’t do

much for God? Or the things that are available

for you to do just aren’t enough? God created

all of us uniquely with different talents. And

just like Cade was telling Amy, the book of 1

Timothy says do “not let anyone despise you

because of your youth” but to “set the believers

an example.”

You have talents that the Lord has gifted you

with. You can do so much with them to serve

the Lord and others. Perhaps it is painting,

crocheting, singing, dancing, writing, or

speaking. Or perhaps it is serving, ministering to

others, teaching, exhorting, or being hospitable.

Be creative with what you can accomplish with

your talents for the Lord, and look around for

opportunities to do so.

For example, my church supports one prolife

organization in particular. Every year the

organization hosts a banquet in order to raise

funds for the furthering of their help to families

OH BELOVED ONE | 24

Making meals and offering

to babysit for those who

have just suffered the

lost of a loved one,

had a new baby, or are

struggling at some place

in their life

Picking up

groceries

for those

who can’t

get out

Donating your

work of art to a

charity sale

Using your writing

or grammar skills to

help with editing,

proofreading a friend’s

paper, or

volunteering to assist

with office work

ways you

can serve

Playing piano

for a nursing

home or for an

event

Offering to tutor

a friend or

younger sibling in

a subject you take

an interest in

Volunteering at an

organization

Organizing an event or

leading a prayer group

Fixing broken or out-oforder

items for others

Collecting garbage

from the ditches

and sidewalks

Providing dance or

music lessons to

those who would

love to learn

Signing up for an

internship and reaching

out to others (e.g. a prolife

internship that does

outreach in the community)

OH BELOVED ONE | 25


facing unexpected pregnancy

crises.

The youth from our church

usually go and help with serving,

performing tasks such as opening

doors for the guests and guiding

them to where they need to go.

In the past we have also helped

by serving food and hanging up

jackets and coats. It has been a

great way to minister to others

and assist an organization with a

Christ-centered cause.

Serving does not just have to

be outside your home, either.

Your family is a great place to

start if you need some ideas or

motivation. Make your dad his

favorite dessert. Offer to vacuum

the floor for your mom and mop

it. Help your sibling with their

homework. Take your sister out

for coffee and a fun day trip. Read

a book to your younger siblings

before bed.

There are many ways to serve

God, little or big. Even if you

don’t see the immediate results

from your service or you feel like

you just keep giving and giving

with no one noticing, remember

this: God notices. Keep Him as

the center of your motives and as

the motivation of your heart. That

will bring you more joy than the

greatest acclaim here on earth.

And by doing so, you are “storing

up treasures in heaven, where

neither moth nor rust destroys

and where thieves do not break in

and steal.”

Serving does

not just have

to be outside

your home.

meet the

author

Olivia Nickerson is a high-school student, growing writer, and a Christian saved by grace. She loves Lindt chocolate, being an

aunt to little Jasper, spending time with her family and friends, and dreaming. Besides writing, Olivia loves spending time with

her family and friends in almost any way, playing board games, sports, and music.

OH BELOVED ONE | 26

the smile on her face - priceless

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE

grab goodies at ohbelovedone.com/shop

you are beloved sticker - $1

grab goodies at ohbelovedone.com/shop

OH BELOVED ONE | 27

photography by anna bradford (insta @popcornparty100)

by kara linaburg

OH BELOVED ONE | 28

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

For my twentieth birthday a few

years ago, a younger friend of mine

decided (unbeknownst to me) to

surprise me with a cake and treasure

hunt leading to a handmade card.

For some this may seem a simple gesture,

not one of the grandest things one can

do on their big day, but it will always

be one of my favorite celebrations. That

crayon drawing with the words “I love

you” scrawled inside remains in the front

of my Bible, a reminder that while we

may one day lose contact with those

around us, we continue to touch each

other’s lives.

The definition of what it means

to serve is simple, but knows

no bounds and is not limited to

race, religion, the “perfect moment,” or

on-the-whim gestures. It’s not limited to

price or quality or how grand (or simple)

a service may seem.

We tend to underestimate the little

things, how the smallest actions can

affect and brighten another’s day. I once

read where scientists say that you need

to hear “I love you” at least once a day

to truly believe it. And acts of service,

going out of our way for another, can be

the biggest “I love you.”

I

remember that the day I turned

twenty, the sun was shining as I

drove to pick up my friend when she

called and told me she had a surprise.

I remember that, as she made me close

my eyes as she loaded her surprise in

my car to take back to my house, her

grandmother seemed embarrassed at how

her granddaughter was seemingly overly

dramatic about the whole ordeal.

It’s easy to underestimate the power of our

actions. We can thrive on creating grand

gestures, on doing the perfect thing for

our friends and family. We like to outdo

the other, to find just the right gifts when

someone truly means the world to us.

And it can become frustrating when our

actions just don’t seem to measure up.

Yes, it’s easy to underestimate the ability

God has given us to serve others. I’ve

realized that when I don’t limit who I

serve, when I remember that sometimes

the smallest things can mean the most,

and when I refuse to overthink and just

do, then we can truly begin to change the

world.

OH BELOVED ONE | 29

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

When we smile at a stranger, call a

faraway friend even when we’re busy,

leave a kind book review to a lesserknown

author; when we write a letter

to a hurting friend, put change in an

expired meter, babysit for free, give up

our bed for a house guest, or wash the

dishes even though we’re the visitor, we

are beginning to see that a true servant

comes in many shapes, forms, and

fashions.

It’s keeping an eye out for how you can

serve and who you can serve no matter

where you are or the time of day or

how you’re feeling. It’s mirroring Jesus,

allowing His light to reflect through us

every day.

And it’s remembering the small gestures

can mean the most.

“. . . let us not love in word or talk but

in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

OH BELOVED ONE | 30

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM THE RIGHT TIME

The

You know that feeling of

excitement when you hear

someone speaking of the various

mission opportunities in third world

countries or the importance of serving

local communities? It’s easy to get fired

up, but the second you step out of the

room the fire seems to flicker . . . then

fade.

It’s so easy to lose interest in serving

once reality hits, and we find ourselves

wondering what on earth we’re supposed

to do—or even if we’re able to do

anything. Serving always seems to be put

off until “the right time.”

Well. News flash: there’s never a better

time than now.

Right

Time

by angela dawne

illustration by korin linaburg

Jesus, the prime example of what

servanthood should be, was always

serving and helping others. Obviously

we can’t heal the sick or feed thousands

from just a few fish and loaves. We can

do other things though.

How about making cinnamon

rolls and mailing them to a

young family in your church?

(Yes, mailing food is a thing)

How about sending a “get

better” card to an unwell

friend? Give them a reason

to smile, and surrender a bit

of your time to the service of

others.

“For you were called to

freedom, brothers. Only do not

use your freedom as an opportunity for

the flesh, but through love serve one

another.” Galatians 5:13

OH BELOVED ONE | 31


In the Bible book

after her own name,

Ruth gave of her

own life to serve

her mother-in-law

Naomi.

Perhaps you can take a lesson from

her and make an effort to reach out

to the widows around you. Or even

just women who are like mothers to

you. People are relational—especially

women and girls.

Sometimes serving someone is as

simple as offering to get them a drink

or just sitting down for a little chat.

Don’t overthink it, just do it.

“In all things I have shown you that by

working hard in this way we must help

the weak and remember the words of

the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It

is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Acts 20:35

Esther went a step

beyond family by

saving her entire

nation with the help

of God.

She risked her life to rescue her people.

She served them by selflessly risking her

life to save theirs.

Now, of course, we probably won’t ever

have to risk our lives for others. At least

not our physical lives. But what about

giving up certain parts of our personal

life?

Maybe instead of reading a book by

yourself, you could go help your mom

with the dishes. Maybe instead of

scrolling social media, you could go

hang out with some siblings.

Miriam gave up time

to serve two people in

her family.

She watched over her brother, making

sure to keep him safe. This allowed her

mother to go about her work without

raising any suspicions.

What can you do to help your mother

or siblings? How can you serve your

father? What about extended family?

OH BELOVED ONE | 32


“And whoever would be first among you

must be slave of all. For even the Son of

Man came not to be served but to serve,

and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:44-45

Think small, friends. You don’t have to

go out and plant a mission in the middle

of nowhere (though if that’s what God is

calling you to do, by all means go for it!).

You can simply serve from home.

In fact, the sooner the better.

So start thinking up ways to serve.

Anything from a craft in the mail to a

friendly text checking in on a friend who’s

down. Get creative and have fun with it!

Make it happen, my friend.

meet the

author

Angela Dawne is a 17-year-old homeschooled MK who loves book classics, dark chocolate, and rainy days. Her highest goal

in life is to bring honor and glory to her Creator. When not working on writing projects, or scribbling late-night poems, she

can be found chilling in her hammock or researching random interests. You can find her online at https://adawne.wixsite.com/

angeladawne.

OH BELOVED ONE | 33

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM BOOKS ON SERVING

1 2

4

3

OH BELOVED ONE | 34

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM BOOKS ON SERVING

books on

serving

by

janelle martin

servingcompiled

1A CHANCE TO DIE: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF AMY CARMICHAEL BY

ELIZABETH ELLIOT / This beautiful biography of Amy Carmichael has challenged and touched my heart. Her self

sacrificing love for the people she ministered to is truly incredible.

2IN HIS IMAGE BY JEN WILKINS /This was an excellent book on what holy means when God says “Be holy as I am

holy.” Jen Wilkin has a way of saying what you already know that makes it new. She gives insights into the holiness of God for us to be

like.

3DISCIPLINE BY ELIZABETH ELLIOT / Being a disciple means answering yes to God’s call, gladly surrendering

yourself to His orders. I found this book convicting, challenging and inspiring!

4THE BEST YES BY LYSA TERKEURST / I really enjoyed reading this book. It gives very practical advice and

examples on how to give the best yes and prioritizing what God wants you to do.

OH BELOVED ONE | 35


OH BELOVED ONE | 36


OH BELOVED ONE | 37

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM LOVE LANGUAGES K

HOW

UNDERSTANDING

LOVE LANGUAGES

HELPS YOU

SERVE

by amanda brown

OH BELOVED ONE | 38

01. gifts

02. physical touch

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM LOVE LANGUAGES

03. quality time

realized the author had stumbled

onto something.

I

never got why some people

didn’t seem grateful when I

bestowed lavish compliments

on them or gave them my time. But

then I read a book about the love

languages in the workplace (The

5 Languages of Appreciation in the

Workplace by Gary Chapman). At

first, I was rather incredulous. But,

as I continued through the book, I

This principle applies in serving.

First off, we have to understand

that everyone has a different love

language. There’s five: physical

touch, gifts, quality time, words

of affirmation, and acts of service.

Nerdy psychology people can

debate all day about how many

love languages a person has, but

I’m pretty chill about that. You

might have one, you might have

three—does it really matter? My

love languages are quality time and

words of affirmation.

People both give and receive their

love languages. So the way I’d show

you love is telling you that you are

doing an amazing job at life and

asking if you want to take a nature

OH BELOVED ONE | 39

JULY/AUGUST 2020

OHBELOVEDONE.COM

walk (we’d probably talk about

really deep, theological stuff). Now,

what’s especially fascinating in the

area of serving is the fact that I

unconsciously desire those same love

languages back.

If someone asks me to go to a

concert with them or have lunch or

go to the lake, I do an inner happy

dance because “I’m in.” When

someone tells me I look really great

today or I’m doing a good job on

our social media page, I practically

glow. Someone once sniffed at me

and said something quippy and curt

like “You know actions mean more

than words—why would you care

about empty words?” But they aren’t

just words to me.

Now, if someone gives me a gift,

it’s not like I collapse in a corner

sobbing “YOU DON’T LOVE

ME!” It just doesn’t connect. I

feel awkward, like perhaps I now

owe you something or maybe my

reaction wasn’t excited enough or oh

my goodness I so don’t deserve this!

I also often fall under that “I can do

it myself” category, so when people

offer to do things for me it usually

doesn’t connect. Moms are famous

for this: my mom loves offering to

make me lunch or dinner, and if

I don’t think about it, I’ll say no

because I love cooking and want to

do it myself. But I’m denying her

the chance to serve me; I’m denying

her the chance to love me.

After reading this book, it all clicked

for me. It’s important to understand

how we can best show people we

love them. It’s a communication

thing. You don’t have to take a

poll of everyone you know, but if

you feel like there’s a bit of a signal

mix-up, it may have to do with love

languages.

Now, obviously “acts of service”

would fall under serving. But

I suggest that all the other love

languages would count as biblical

serving because serving is love

in action. There’s no difference

between giving someone my

time, a gift, or 30 minutes of me

performing a chore.

05. acts of service

04. words of affirmation

OH BELOVED ONE | 40


IN THEIR

LANGUAGE.

Take a look at the relationships in your life. Brainstorm (or

ask!) about the love languages of your family members or

closest friends.

Have you felt a disconnect in how you serve them?

How can you serve better by understanding their love

language?

OH BELOVED ONE | 41

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM MOTIVATE

MO

TI

VA

I don’t know

about you, but

by the end of

the first week of

quarantine life

my motivation

was at an alltime

low.

What motivates you? Is it

crossing things off in your colorcoded

planner, finishing all your

schoolwork so you can watch that

chick-flick, or eating all your veggies

so you can move on to the piece of

chocolate cake in the fridge?

We are all motivated by something.

What about in service? What

motivates us to look outside of

ourselves and help others? What

motivates Christians to serve? Are

we motivated by a desire to be seen

TE

by others or by what we perceive as

some kind of personal gain?

Webster defines a

motive as “something

that causes a person

to act.”

As a Christian having the

right motive is essential to

serving effectively. Christ,

the Greatest Servant, laid down His

life for sinners. Matthew 20:28 says

that “Even as the Son of man came

by ghevont panosian

photography by rebekah vijay

OH BELOVED ONE | 42


not to be ministered unto [served],

but to minister [serve], and to give

his life a ransom for many.” What

are we willing to give for Christ?

David Livingston depicts Christmotivated

service perfectly in his

timeless hymn “Lord, Send Me

Anywhere.”

“O Lord, since Thou hast died

To give Thyself for me,

No sacrifice could be too great

For me to make for Thee.

Lord, send me anywhere, Only

go with me;

Lay any burden on me, Only

sustain me.

Sever any tie, Save the tie that

binds me to Thy heart—

Lord Jesus, my King, I consecrate

my life, Lord, to Thee.

I only have one life,

And that will soon be past;

OH BELOVED ONE | 43


I want my life to count for Christ,

What’s done for Him will last.

I follow Thee, my Lord,

And glory in Thy cross;

I gladly leave the world behind

And count all gain as loss.”

© 1978 by Majesty Music, Inc. by David Livingstone

and Frank Garlock

True, Christlike service is selfless at its

heart. I think one of the most selfless acts

of service in Scripture, aside from Christ’s

death itself, was His act of washing Judas’s

feet. Christ knew Judas would betray Him,

yet He still served Judas because service

centers not around what we can get but

what we can give. Christ did not turn

His back on Judas but rather, loved him

selflessly to the end.

Our motivation to serve is Christ. Are you

a selfless servant?

meet the

author

Ghevont loves Shakespeare, coffee, and traveling. She is currently training to be a high school English teacher, and you can find

her editing the BJU Vintage (yearbook) with a tight group of fellow creative minds! Check her out on Instagram @gheovanni7.

OH BELOVED ONE | 44


NOTATE your

MOTIVATE.

What motivates you in life?

What motivates you to minister?

Find a verse to be your motivation in the next couple months.

OH BELOVED ONE | 45

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM CREATIVE WAYS TO SERVE

Do

creative ways

to serve

We are meant to become more and

01. Art

more like our Lord Jesus each and

every day, right? While attempting

to reach His perfection is an impossible task on

our own, it is a goal we should work towards no

matter how daunting. Jesus was the epitome

of a servant-hearted Child of God. He was

the Master and the Slave. What better example

to model our lives after than that of our Savior

Himself?

Do you enjoy art and crafts of any kind?

Music? Dance? Is hospitality one of your

spiritual gifts? Do you have some mad baking

skills? Are you good with children?

Use those talents and hobbies! God gifted those

abilities to you with purpose. And He never

tires of seeing you use them for His good.

by sarah cnossen

If you are particularly gifted with art, consider hosting an arts “class” or

a craft day—be that with children, a night with a group of church ladies,

or family fun. You could even ask your church leaders for help with the

supplies. Whether you feel gifted to teach or are entirely uncomfortable

speaking publicly, this is a beautiful and fun way to develop those skills

AND step out of your comfort zone. Remember, we are not meant to have

a spirit of timidity (2 Timothy 1:7).

For God gave us a spirit

not of fear but of power

and love and self-control.

02. Journaling

Do you love Bible journaling? Offer a ladies’ night out to the women

and young girls of your church and share the variety of techniques you’ve

learned and used, as well as the supplies you would recommend. Bible

journaling is a lovely way to study God’s Word. (And what better way than

to share and grow with your fellow sisters in Christ? See Titus 2.)

OH BELOVED ONE | 46


03. Babysitting

Offer to babysit for a family or two! This could be the parents’ one day a

month where they can rest and relax on a date night with no children on

hand. And if you are so inclined, give all glory to God and volunteer free

of charge. You will be blessing the parents and serving both them and your

Lord through such a selfless act.

04. Music

Musically gifted? Host jam sessions at your house for anyone interested!

That’s an incredible opportunity for fellowship. And if you have particular

skill, offer to teach classes for your preferred instrument. (Requesting a

little compensation for something like this is not wrong and would make

for a great part-time job through the summer! Plus you’ll be serving a

family by teaching what you love.)

05. Dance

Love to dance? Consider offering a weekly dance class! Or simply get

together with your peeps and do Zumba. You could be teaching new steps

and fun choreography to any age group of your choice, while holding

each other accountable to get up and simply move. This totally counts as

serving your peers & those younger (or even older!) than you. Exercise

is an important part of keeping our temples healthy and strong. (You

could also make those sessions into mini times of devotions, incorporating

Scripture.)

OH BELOVED ONE | 47


06. Hospitality

If one of your spiritual gifts leans towards hospitality, be the

one to bring people together to fellowship. Game nights

are fantastic for making new friends and solidifying older

relationships. And there’s guaranteed to be laughter!

Be the one to bring

people together to

fellowship.

07. Baking

Show off those mad baking skills—in all grace and humility, of course,

haha—and prepare cookies, fresh bread, etc. for the elderly who may be

shut in for health reasons. Or make a meal for a cancer patient and their

family. That will mean the world to them!

Be an encouragement.

Most likely you have grown up with some kind of role

model. Someone who is always there for you no matter the

time or place. Whoever it may be, they’ve made a mark

on your life as one of your biggest encouragers. So pay

it forward! Become an Encourager yourself. This could

be your greatest form of service to God. Whether or not

anyone else sees it, He surely does.

Chances are extremely high that there is a younger girl in

your sphere who looks up to you. Her family life could

be similar to your own, or as far opposite as possible.

Regardless any age differences, everyone needs that

faithful Jonathan to their David. You could be the

servant-hearted friend who shines God’s Light with that

younger girl, sharing each other’s lives—the good, the

bad, and the ugly—and growing relationships.

OH BELOVED ONE | 48


But

don’t

get too caught up in your serving where

you become like Martha and lose sight of the true

meaning, or miss something so very important. As

with everything, there is a balance, and if you forget

the virtue of humility and giving from your heart—

without expecting something in return, then it’s time to

reevaluate.

Use your God-given talents by paying it forward. God

cannot use wallflowers. Your ministry for His glory

begins right. Where. You. ARE.

And sometimes, the greatest gift you can give is simply

your time.

meet the

author

Sarah Cnossen is a stay-at-home wife to Evan & mama to Gabe. She’s a native Tennessean, a daughter of the King, an aspiring

writer, and avid reader & reviewer of books. She blogs at sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot.com, and is 99.9% sure she’s a Disney

princess and that she married her Beast.

OH BELOVED ONE | 49

Because you are


beloved . . .

Our identity as daughters

of the King should move

us to action. Learn more

about your faith with

each issue of Oh Beloved

One magazine.

OH BELOVED ONE | 50


OH BELOVED ONE | 51


WHAT IS SALVATION?

Ever wonder why some people can be so bad? So mean?

Why sometimes even you succumb to these feelings

of anger, jealousy, and lust? That's because all people,

including you and me, have a sin nature. This sin separates

us from God. He's so perfect that He can't even be in the

presence of a tiny bit of sin. Not only does sin separate

us from God, but there's also a price to pay for it: death,

after which comes suffering in Hell, burning for the rest of

eternity.

But God wants a relationship with us and doesn't want

anyone to perish, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take

the penalty of our sin. He took our place when He died

on the cross for us.

But it doesn't stop there, because Jesus did something we

couldn't do: three days after He was crucified, He rose

again! He defeated death. And, when we accept His gift

of salvation, we become a Child of God and get to spend

eternity in Heaven with Him.

So how do you accept this gift, you ask? Believe that Jesus

Christ is the Son of God and He died on the cross for

your sins, raising on the third day and defeating death.

Confess your sins and repent (turn away) from them.

If you have any questions, please feel free to write us on

our Instagram @beloved.magazine or Facebook. If you

accept Jesus into your heart, praise God! We want to

celebrate with you, so please let us know! You may want

to look at our previous issues from this year which talk

about reading your Bible and praying. For the rest of the

year, we'll be going over more aspects of your Christian

walk in great detail, so we hope these issues will be a great

encouragement to you!

OH BELOVED ONE | 52


DISCLAIMER

Oh Beloved One is not responsible for any inaccurate information in

its magazine pages. Additionally, we are not responsible for plagiarism

on the part of our writers. We accept their work assuming that it is

their own. Please contact us if you have any problems.

Current reading material in our world today has been tainted and

darkened. In our pages, we strive to share clean and positive articles

that leave readers feeling blessed.

We will not stand down for our faith; however, we will not push our

beliefs on others. You are free to accept or reject things we say and

we will not discriminate against you for any reason. Additionally, just

because our pages are filled with positive articles does not mean we will

not stand up for what we believe in. However, we believe that at this

time it is best to look at the glass as half full.

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DEDICAT-

ED TO

This issue is dedicated to the people

on the front lines during the 2020

pandemic. We are in prayer for the

brave medical professionals risking their

own health to selflessly treat and save

patients. May God bless you for your

sacrifice and keep you all safe.

hey

look

it's the

page

no one

reads.

OH BELOVED ONE | 53


ohbelovedone.com

UP NEXT

EDIFY

We live in a world of ladder-climbers. People

stompers, honestly. But, as Christians, we're actually

called to the opposite: a life of building others up.

We're diving into the art of edification in our next

issue, coming your way September 2020.

OH BELOVED ONE | 54

Serve Issue (July/August 2020)

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