Watermark Blogs

“Sometimes it makes me mad when I hear people saying that they need to go out of the country to be on mission,” said Ashley Marie Eckstein. “There’s a field right here in Dallas. I really view my job as a mission… and that mission is in the classroom.

“I started teaching in 2006, and now teach English as a Second Language. I’ve worked in areas where poverty is a big problem and had the opportunity to teach children of all different backgrounds. Sometimes the kids I teach don’t have a lot of love at home, and I get to serve and care for them.

“As I’ve done free tutoring outside of school for kids who need extra help, I’ve had a chance to build relationships with families outside school. Several families ask questions about who I am and what I believe. That gives me an opportunity to share my faith and plant a seed. I’ve had two students come to church with me, and both have trusted Christ.

“It’s painful for me sometimes to see the big needs of the kids we serve and know that we just can’t help everyone. You see a kid at school who is one of ten siblings, and he’s walking around in jeans that are too small. You know he needs more than he’s got, and it’s heartbreaking. I love these children like they’re my own kids. That’s why, at the end of every school year, I write each child a personal note, and sign every letter with the same phrase: ‘I believe in you! Mrs. Eckstein’.

“There’s actually a little irony in that, because for a long time, I believed a lie. I had a lot of people convinced I was a Christian. In fact, I was devoutly religious, went to daily mass and led a Bible study. But I had no understanding of what salvation was. I didn’t trust that the Bible we had was the real Bible. I’d missed the most important thing: grace.

“I’d always heard that Christ died for my sins. But salvation really seemed dependent on what I did or didn’t do. I went to A&M, a campus where there are a lot of Christians. In college I was a very moral person. But I would pick fights with evangelists or people who would say they were ‘saved’ or ‘born again’. It seemed so wrong for them to say that there was only one way to Heaven.

“I felt the same way when I came to Watermark and heard the pastor say that Christ was the only way. I actually went to Connecting Point, Watermark’s membership class, just to pick a fight. I ended up meeting with Rachel Shelton, who is on staff at Watermark with the Young Adults Ministry. I argued with her and asked a lot of really hard questions. She continued talking to me and didn’t back away. That day, she asked me a question that kind of froze me: ‘If you don’t have to be a Christian to go to Heaven, why are you here?’

“That question was pivotal in my beginning to question and seek. For the first time, I really asked myself why I was here, at a church. Why wasn’t I at a mosque or a synagogue? What if the list of good things I had done was not good enough for God?

“I met with a girl from my Watermark community group and kept talking about my questions. She shared Ephesians 2:8-9 with me. That verse, along with the picture she drew of Christ’s work on the cross bridging the gap between my sin and God, really helped me understand what grace means. I had been reading the Bible for several years, and the crazy part is that I missed grace for so long. I’d heard the gospel hundreds of times and had always rejected it. But finally, it became clear that there was no way for me to earn my way to Heaven. I had to stop trying and start trusting. So on November 7, 2008, I trusted Christ as my Lord and Savior.

“One week later, I discovered some spots on my arm, and I was waiting to find out whether it was cancer. It turned out not to be cancer. But the strange thing is, I wasn’t really scared. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I’ll see God’s face in Heaven. The assurance of salvation rocked my world.

“My life today is very different this side of grace. Before, God was up there and I was down here. I respected Him, as if I was a peasant and He was a king. Now, God’s grace has given me a desire to live in the light… to maintain a pure relationship with Scott (who is now my husband)…and both to be discipled and make disciples. In some ways, life this side of God’s grace is a beautiful curse.

Grace changed my life, and also caused me to start looking at other people as souls for the first time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wept for those I love who don’t know Christ. It breaks my heart. I’m fully aware of how undeserving I am. And I’m really overwhelmed by God’s grace. He loves me and has blessed me so much. That’s what encourages me to share about Christ with the people in my life.”

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

GLOW: A Day of Beauty at Watermark was much more than a day of pampering for women served by our partner ministries throughout the city. It was a day for volunteers at Watermark to help further ongoing relationships we have with women at Cornerstone Baptist Church, Union Gospel Mission’s Center of Hope, Exodus, and other ministries for women in need.

The 65 women who participated in GLOW on June 27 at Watermark, were treated to haircuts, dental cleanings, nail treatments and makeovers – all provided by volunteer stylists, makeup artists and others. There was also a budget management class and a time of teaching and encouragement from God’s Word. The goal of the day was to deepen the discipleship relationships the women were already experiencing through our partnership with ministries throughout the city. Here are just a few of the women and volunteers who made GLOW such a special day:

“I was born and raised in Dallas by a faithful mother who taught us about God and gave me a spiritual foundation. But later in life, I started spending time with the wrong people, and began smoking weed, and later, crack. Drugs and alcohol were total devastation. I got into prostitution and things I usually never would have done. It took my marriage and everything else.

“I remember crying out to God and telling Him how tired I was. Finally, I just got sick of life on the streets. It wasn’t an overnight – God changed me gradually. Through different ministries, I learned to dispel the myths I had about God and started to see Him as my Heavenly Father. Today, God’s Word has become a heart matter with me. I’m sober almost three years and free in Christ. “For me GLOW is a manifestation of God’s love. Before, I was never taught that God cares. But now I know God really cares – enough to do something like this for me.” – Bonita Williams

“I love being a part of something like this. I was so impressed because it is not just beauty treatments; I saw classes on nutrition and finances. These are real tools that women can use after today. When I was talking with one “I love being a part of something like this. I was so impressed because it is not just beauty treatments; I saw classes on nutrition and finances. These are real tools that women can use after today. When I was talking with one of my clients, Charlotte, I was telling her how much I loved being here. She got choked up saying how much it meant to her to have all of these people here working on her.” – Ryan Sabel, Stylist

“I had a relapse with alcohol a while back. I was homeless for about three months. My life was so hollow it was indescribable. When I went to rehab, I finally realized I couldn’t live in sobriety without Christ. He helped me get rid of my false idol: me.

“Today really has been overwhelming. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a hair cut. The people here also made me feel respected and not looked down upon. You don’t get that on the streets. It feels like God’s love is being bestowed on me today.” – Melanie Graham

“I belong to Cornerstone Baptist Church and this is my first time here. I’m loving every minute of it! I couldn’t wait for the day to get here; I have been up since 5 am. I have been really excited about my hair. I wanted it blond and short. I don’t even know if my husband will recognize me when I get home. Everyone has just been so nice. This is awesome.” – Alice Mahoney

“I heard about GLOW and thought it would be a great outreach opportunity. Normally, I teach kindergarteners so this really challenges and enables me to use the gifts God has given me in other ways. I love how Watermark has established relationships and laid the foundation with the partner ministries the women at GLOW are coming from, so we are really aware of what their needs are.” – Jan Knecht

“In the last couple of months, the news has been filled with images, posts and conspiracies regarding Osama Bin Laden’s death. These images take me back almost 10 years ago when I was a new college graduate working in New York. My first job was as a stockbroker working in the World Trade Center,” said Nathan Harness.

“The morning of 9/11, when most people were watching the news unfold on television, I was at work on the 61st floor of 2 World Trade Center (the south tower). Employed for two days, I’d just taken the picture for my employee badge in the lobby. I was so proud of myself as I looked out from the 61st floor to the streets below. I remember thinking how impressed everyone back home would be if they could see the view from my office. Less than an hour later, I would look out those same windows in shock as I saw fire in the streets and office paper floating in the sky. It took time before our floor was evacuated, and I was able to get into a stairwell with thousands of others. The problem with a stairwell full of people is that you are at the mercy of those in front of you. You have no control over how quickly you move, and those who are slow create a resonance of delay throughout the line.

“It was at the 42nd floor that our tower was hit by the second plane. For the first time in my life I was truly scared. The shake of the building took me to one knee as I held on to the stair railing. It almost felt like falling as the reverberation of the plane impact ran throughout the building. With the noise, shaking and screams, I was certain that I was in the top of a building that was about to break off and take me with it. My brain raced quicker than I thought possible, desperate to squeeze out as many thoughts as possible before the final moments. I remembered my grandfather telling me that during WW2 as he pulled men off the beaches in Normandy, they would cry out for their mothers. So were my thoughts. I wanted to be comforted, loved and told it would be OK as I passed from this world into the next. But God had other plans for my life. The building slowly began to right itself, giving me the precious minutes I needed to get clear.

“Desperation and instinct were the only constants for the next several hours. I remember crying out to God in my head as I came down each flight of stairs. I prayed that He would give me strength to face whatever was to come. I was able to make it down to the mezzanine level and ultimately to the basement that connected the north and south towers. My last obstacle was to make it out of the building without being sliced by glass. The heat on top of the tower was blowing out windowpanes, which were exploding all around me. I remember a firefighter saying, “Don’t look up. Just run.” I ran into a crowd of people and finally looked up to see the gaping hole where smoke and flame were pouring out of the tower. The impulse to just run was overwhelming. I ran through the crowds and down the street for 15 to 20 minutes before 2 World Trade Center collapsed behind me.

“My life was spared that day and God provided me, a small town boy from Arkansas, an opportunity to see what death and destruction look like. It has taken me some time to process my fear, anger, guilt and sadness. The question that kept creeping back like a cancer to my apathy was simply, why? Was this just a chance occurrence that statistically was bound to happen to somebody? Was God punishing me for past wrongs? Or had God in His perfect timing and mercy allowed me to take part in a trial that could be used for His glory? “Deep down I knew the answer, but reason and emotion were always at war in my heart. At the Watermark Launch retreat for young adults last summer I prayed that God would give me purpose and a deeper understanding of Him. The speaker at Launch spoke to me in a way no other could have. The quote I heard that weekend still touches me today: “My story is not about a man’s faithfulness to God; it’s about God’s faithfulness to a man.”

“For so long I had thought of 9/11 as my tragedy. The real tragedy has been my apathy and selfishness. But I serve a God who is faithful. The semester after the Launch retreat the university where I work signed an agreement with the Saudi government, and now my classroom is about 50% Muslim students. God’s timing is never an accident, as He has brought me to a place of forgiveness and strength to share the gospel with a group of people I was once embittered toward. God continues to give me opportunities to share with students and other faculty in ways I never thought possible. I have also been blessed with an opportunity to lead a men’s community group where I can share both my joy and trials and the pain that has come from isolation.

“Paul says in Philippians 1:12, ‘…what has happened to me hasactually served to advance the gospel.” I pray that the trials of my life become opportunities to empathetically and emphatically share the love of Christ in ways that complacent tranquility never could.”

“Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.” (Philippians 1:12)

Whether you donated one can or helped organize a delivery of hundreds of pounds of food, everyone’s contribution made a big difference during Hunger Month at Watermark in June. So much food was donated to the Stuff the Truck Food drive in the third week that the truck couldn’t be moved because it was so heavy! And Stuff the Truck was just one part of the Hunger Month initiative at Watermark.  Here are just a few of the highlights.

Stuff the Truck: Total: 25,000 pounds of food

“The goal of Hunger Month was to open our eyes to the needs around our city, nation and globe,” said Jeff Ward, Watermark’s Director of External Focus. “People throughout Watermark participated in unique ways – from taking the Food Stamp Challenge and discovering just how hard it is to feed a family on a food stamp budget, to helping deliver and unload food at North Texas Food Bank, as some Careers in Motion participants did. Hunger Month was also a great reminder of spiritual hunger in our community, and our responsibility to share Christ with others – the only One who can truly meet our needs.” – Jeff Ward, Watermark External Focus Director

“We handed out hundreds of door hangers, announcing the beginning of the Food on the Move program, sponsored by CitySquare. As we walked these large, low income apartment complexes, many cultures were represented: Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Northern African, African American and Anglo American. It was a reminder that poverty affects people of all backgrounds. As a Watermark group, we ranged from 2 years old, to middle age adults. It was great to see families and singles, working together, to share the news that food for children will be provided, FREE, from June to August, Monday through Friday. Now that the good news has been spread that help is on the way, isn’t it time to share the Good News that hope is already here? His name is Jesus and we don’t need door hangers to share that news.” – Emily Barina

“Our family of six ate on $42 ($3.50 per person per day) for two days. It was a very eye opening experience for all of us. We went to the store and shopped together. Had only the basics – baked potatoes one night, beans/rice the next. No snacks other than bananas, and no ice cream. Great insight from our 10-year-old son who said, “having enough food to eat makes me feel safe.” We also shared how people have to choose between food and air conditioning. It really challenged all of us to think about the comforts that we take for granted. Having the hunger pains made everyone cranky, so we used those times to grow in patience and pray for those who are truly hungry daily.” – Paul McCown

“What I learned from the Food Stamp Challenge is that I always have enough food. So far, I have found myself somewhat hungry quicker than usual. I think I typically eat more than what I am eating now. I also typically eat as much as I want and for sure until I am full. It has been such a great reminder when I am hungry to remember and pray for those who are dealing with this on a daily basis… I know I did not do the Food Stamp Challenge to the fullest, but I am really thankful for what it is teaching me. I know for me it is even a luxury to get to choose to do this for seven meals. Most struggling with hunger do not choose it at all.” – Suzanne Sanderson

“I am a natural born Pharisee. Trying to justify myself through works is the greatest sin of my life,” said Matt Boswell. “I love to make new laws to prove my own righteousness — and occasionally so I can judge others for not keeping them. I’m both a rule maker and a rule breaker. There’s a part of my nature that hates the rules. It’s a battle…every day.

“I’ve never known a day where I haven’t been part of the church. I got my love for the church from my Dad, who was a pastor my entire life. By the time I was 15 years old, I was leading worship for youth ministry in our church, and a year later, I was leading worship at a large church in DFW. I learned very quickly how to talk the talk and play the game at church. I was taught a lot of things about God, but nobody modeled how to have a relationship with Him. I wanted to be discipled – to be taught how to relate to God. I searched but never found what I was looking for. I wanted to find out who I was and who God really was.

“My senior year of high school, I met a girl and against the advice of my parents and many others, we married right after graduation. The relationship was chaos. I didn’t know how lead well, and in isolation, got into something I was not prepared for. I had always been somebody who could make anything work. But I couldn’t control this or make the right decision for someone else.

“The marriage ended when I was 23. At the time I was working on staff at a church in Fort Worth, and really questioned whether I would be considered disqualified for ministry and leadership. Divorce felt like the unforgivable sin to me. There was a lot of shame, and I wanted to hide it to protect my image and validate myself personally and in ministry.

“But God was able to use this situation for good. For most of my life, I leaned on my ability to do what was right to justify myself in front of Christ. Now all the things I’d propped myself up with were gone. I had no defense and no justification. I’d always wanted to be used powerfully by God.

“But during this time, it became clear that I hadn’t really wanted God. I wanted God to make my plans work. “It was then – at 23 years old – that I first truly understood God’s grace. For a long time I was fighting my armor – like David walking around in another man’s suit of armor that never fit. I had to wear my own armor, and the armor I needed to put on was Christ. Understanding the gospel changed everything for me. Rather than searching for life in performance and rule-making, I found my identity in light of His grace — the driving force of salvation from beginning to end.

“During this season, God gave me a tremendous desire to disciple men – knowing that churches were full of men like me who had never been discipled. I began to see more clearly that church growth must equal disciple-making. I had a real desire to stand firm on the sufficiency of Scripture and never compromise on Truth.

“In 2004 I met Jamie, who is God’s grace to me in every way. When we first met, I knew she was the kind of woman I wanted to have as my wife. I wondered if her parents would allow us to marry since I’d been married before. I was joyfully shocked when they gave us their blessing. We married six years ago, and went on to have three kids in less than three years. We’ve loved seeing God build and bless our family life.

“Today I’m being discipled by a group of guys in my community group at Watermark. I’ve never been part of a reciprocal discipleship group before, but these guys are helping me in a lot of ways. They’ve helped me make decisions that scare the mess out of me at times. Community is helping us have a healthier marriage – to love my wife with no agenda or strings attached. In community, I’ve learned a lot from the other couples’ marriages. It’s been lifegiving, because there’s always ground for me to take in showing extravagant love to my family.

“I still battle being a Pharisee every day. But because I understand the gospel now more than ever before, I know God loves me, regardless of my performance. The resumé I’m handing to God is not my religious works, my track record, performance, or even how good my marriage is. I’m resting in Christ’s work on the cross, His grace and His resurrection. That’s allowed me to offer good deeds to God, not as self-justification, but as an act of worship. And wild freedom is found there.”

“Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. ‘I can’t go in these…I’m not used to them.’ So David took them off again. He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight…” 1 Samuel 17:38-40 (NLT)