“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)

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

“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)

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’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)

“This is much more than a day of beauty,” says hairstylist Paul Schmidth who has led the GLOW team for several years along with his wife, Tiffany. “GLOW is an opportunity to share what Christ has done in your life with women who need hope. It is humbling to see how grateful women are to be pampered and to spend time with people who truly care. If you enjoy reaching out and serving others, please take the time to help make this day possible.”

The women who will attend GLOW are from ministries where Watermark members have been building relationships all year long. The participants will come from Cornerstone Baptist Church, Center of Hope, Exodus Interfaith Housing Coalition – all ministries that help women put their lives back together. Watermark members serve every week at all of these ministries, building into the women both spiritually and practically. GLOW is an opportunity to provide personal care for women in a way many have never experienced.

“For many of the women we serve in South and West Dallas, life is a daily battle for survival,” said Watermark External Focus Director, Jeff Ward. “They’ve not just experienced a lack of food and resources. Their greatest problem is spiritual poverty. Until now, many women have never been told that they matter to God. GLOW is all about strengthening relationships that have already been built between women in need and Watermark members. It’s an opportunity for more of us to tell women that they are loved by the Lord.”

The group of women who will participate in GLOW from Cornerstone Baptist are struggling to survive in a tough neighborhood south of downtown. Some of the women have been homeless or are trying to break free from addiction or prostitution. Susan Coy, who has been part of a team working with women at Cornerstone, has seen how hard it is for women to avoid returning to the struggles that have kept them down for too long. She’s also seen how demonstrating Christ’s love in practical ways can change lives.

“Sarah Mae is one example of how Christ-centered relationships can really change lives,” says Susan. “At one time, Sarah was just surviving in the ‘hood, and she didn’t live an exemplary life. But, many women serving at Cornerstone have been part of teaching her the Word of God. As a result, Sarah Mae has become self-sufficient, and is a great role model to other women in her community and in her own family.”

“There will be many women at GLOW who have stories similar to Sarah Mae’s,” says Susan. “Serving women at this event gives us an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ. We will be able to tell women who have either been incarcerated, homeless or addicted, that they have not been forgotten, and to share more about the hope found in Christ.”

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40)

WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP

Volunteers are needed for:
• hospitality and greeting;
• set up and clean up.

Beauty, health and nutrition professionals are needed to:
• shampoo, cut, color, and style hair;
• apply makeup;
• give manicures;
• provide facials, and massages.

Interested? Contact Tiffany Schmidth at tschmidth@mac.com to sign up.

“For a long time, I didn’t understand that. When I was younger, I knew God was loving and forgiving. But He seemed very distant. My mom and sister were always very faithful women. But for me, the heart connection with Christ just wasn’t there. My parents split up when I was four, and my dad’s role was to do fun things with me on the weekends. As a kid, I coped with the divorce and the tension in our home by trying to stay out of the way. But as I got older, I tried to fill the dad void with relationships with men. “I don’t think I ever understood what healthy relationships were. I deeply desired relationships, and worked hard to satisfy that longing. In high school, I had an inappropriate relationship with a close friend’s boyfriend. It was devastating that I could know the Truth about God, and yet decide to hurt a friend like that. I cried out to the Lord and asked Him for help. Crying out for help really became a pattern that followed me throughout college. I relied on the Lord in bad times. I was thankful for the good times. But I didn’t have a daily relationship with the Lord, or really fully understand the grace of God and what a sinner I was.

“When I moved to Dallas after college, I came to Watermark and quickly got involved. But my heart wasn’t fully engaged. I had one foot in the church and the other in the world. I was still partying and continued a destructive relationship. I was sacrificing a lot of who I was and what I know God wanted to be. “God used community with other women and the study of His Word to open my eyes. I started going to the Thursday night Women’s Bible Study at Watermark. The women there encouraged me, for the first time, to begin seeking what God wanted for my life. I had always prayed for an extraordinary marriage – something much different than the divorce my parents went through. The Lord really tugged at my heart, and it became clear that I needed to end the relationship I was in. My community of friends at Watermark really prayed for me, and walked with me through this dark time.

“Time in God’s Word and participation in Watermark’s recovery ministry (now called re:generation) helped me see my struggles with people pleasing, codependency and my absolute need for a Savior. I began to see a picture of what God intended for my life. It was much more than just calling on Him in the bad times. It was a deep abiding relationship with Christ. I always worried that God might rob me of the fun I was having or never provide a deep relationship that I yearned for. Actually, He gave me a sense of worth as a daughter of Christ and deep connectedness with Him that satisfied. God set my heart free in a way that I never imagined.

“I also decided to make contact with the friend I had hurt in high school, so that I could be reconciled with her. When I first called her and asked if we could meet, I was terrified. But on the night we met, I had this weird peace that could only come from Christ. I asked her for forgiveness for the big betrayal. We both cried and she forgave me. That day I saw Christ in my friend, in the way she was gracious and forgiving. We actually hung out together a couple of other times, and thanked the Lord for the healing that He can do.

“Today, I am married to my best friend, Greg Crooks, who I met serving at the Launch retreat. While we were dating, he pursued me purely, as Christ’s daughter. I couldn’t believe that a guy who was so excited about the Lord was also excited about me. Marriage has been hard, of course, but also my biggest joy. I really feel like Greg and I are on mission together. Years ago, I would never have believed that today, I’d be happily married, deeply connected with other believers and serving other young adults at Watermark. But my whole life has changed because of Christ’s redemption.

“I continue to struggle with people pleasing, family conflicts and other things. But in a lot of ways, I’m thankful that I still struggle, because it reminds me that I still need Christ’s saving power, which is stronger than I am. Really, I’d go through the heartache, uncertainty and pain again to discover what abiding in Christ was about, and experience the faithful love of my Heavenly Father who wanted the very best for me.”

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! (Ephesians 3:17-21)

The daily battle to make ends meet is the plight of many Karen people (pronounced kuh-ren), a group of refugees who have fled their homes in Burma. A group of Karen families now live in the Lake Highlands area. Their struggles prompted Watermark members Jeff Hewitt, Julie Anders, Lynn Henry and others to reach out with the love of Christ.

The team from Watermark was first introduced to the Karen families living in Lake Highlands in late 2009. The families’ overwhelming needs went far beyond the lack of basic essentials.

Jeff Hewitt began working with the refugees, after learning about the Karen people from a family member who had served people living in a Thai refugee camp. Last February, Jeff started an ESL tutoring program for the refugees.

“What we try to do is keep their spiritual needs first and foremost. That’s extremely important,” Jeff said. “But meeting some simple physical needs has opened the door to other great conversations. You can go over there with a bag of socks and be a hero. Often they only have one pair of shoes, so you can go over there with very little and just make someone’s day, which is really cool.”

External Focus Coordinator Julie Anders explained that many of the adults wake before dawn and travel to Sherman to work for minimum wage at a poultry processing plant – arriving back at home late in the evening. So providing some connection to the larger community plus tutoring and assistance learning English has been a real benefit.

“None of us wanted to just show up and dump our stuff and our culture on these families and leave. We wanted to show them the love of Christ in practical ways,” said Julie. “Our greatest opportunity has been through things like mentoring and tutoring in subjects like English and Math.”

“As we have gotten to know the children, it’s been encouraging to see how the Karen people really demonstrate what community is,” said Julie. “They watch out for one another and they share out of their excess with each other. They care about their neighbor’s need as much as their own, so it’s been a real privilege to get to know the families, and teach the children more about Christ.”

Julie’s sister-in-law, Lynn Henry and her family started volunteering as part of a summer school program for Karen children. Lynn and her kids saw a need and acted on it when they began mentoring two sisters (one preschooler and one 6th grader).

“My daughter, Kelly and my son, Noah and I went to the apartment complex where the Karen people live every day last summer,” said Lynn. “We would sit with kids and read books or do flashcards or that kind of thing. My kids were really into it. They even learned to speak Karen. It’s been great to see the Karen kids building into my kids, and my children building into them.”

Lynn and her children are part of a larger group from Watermark that launched a Bible study for the Karen students. Using the curriculum developed for 1st – 3rd graders at Watermark, the team of volunteers is working to help the Karen children understand more what faith in Christ really means. Today 20 – 30 elementary-aged refugees attend the Bible study each Saturday.

As this ministry has grown, lives have been changed, for both the Karen people and other members of the community. “A full-time missionary to the Karen people has actually decided to start coming to Watermark after seeing the dedication that our families had in this ministry,” said Julie. “She told me that her draw to our church had a lot to do with the Watermark families’ willingness to serve the refugees.” Lynn agrees that God has used this ministry to work in the hearts of her own family. “It’s been good for my kids to see that you don’t have to go to Africa to find people who are in need. They live a mile away – practically in our backyard. Serving God through this ministry has captured our hearts.”

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

If you live in the LH area and you’re interested in participating in the Summer Tutoring Program please contact Julie Anders at j2anders@sbcglobal.net.

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 NLV)

“I was baptized as an infant, and of course remember nothing. I’ve always been a believer in Christ as my Savior. But through the course of my life, several life-changing things happened…which affected my dependence on God each day. In March 2010, I received the news I had breast cancer for the 2nd time. I believe God used this very difficult time to bring me closer to Him and help me realize I could no longer live my life without being dependent on Him and His grace and mercy.

I wanted to be baptized by choice so I could publicly declare my faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ.” – Terry Case

“At a very early age, my life revolved around anything I could find that would mask my pain – drugs, alcohol, anger and hate. Ultimately, I was miserable and hopeless, so much so that I was ready to end my life. By the grace of God, I got sober in high school. However, I still tried to replace drugs and alcohol with just about anything that would distract me from the way I felt. Growing up, I believed in God and that Jesus was His son. But I didn’t have trust in Christ. I didn’t understand what it meant that Christ paid the penalty for my sin. I still felt like peace and eternal life were gained through works.

A friend, Johnny Hawkins, took me under his wing and began pouring into me. He shared a bit of his own journey with me, and quoted Ephesians 2:8-9. I’d never heard that verse before, and it hit me like a freight train. Afterwards, I understood grace and what Christ has done for me on the cross. That day, my faith was permanently changed. The gospel began to take on a whole new mean- ing to me, and I started pouring myself into God’s Word.

Now, I’m motivated to share my faith and help others know more about Christ. Since my eyes have been opened, God is placing more opportunities to share and love others.” – Dru Guillot

“For a long time, I operated from ‘head knowledge’ of my need for a Savior. While I knew that Christ paid the penalty for my sin, I played the comparison game. My sins weren’t as bad as others. I don’t think the enormity of MY sin ever registered. As a young adult, I thought life consisted of working, going out and trying to find the right boyfriend. Later, I began to see void I’d been trying to fill with meaningless things. Deep down I knew that what was missing was my relationship with Christ.

I started going to the Bible Study for Women at Watermark, and through community with other believers and consistent time in God’s Word, my head and heart knowledge really connected. I realized I had been given grace and salvation through Christ. It didn’t matter how hard I tried. I was free because He died for MY sin. Understanding God’s grace has changed every part of my life – from my relationship with my husband, to my job, to where I invest my time and money. My desire daily is to know Him more and seek my selfish needs less and less.” – Maggie Mayfield

As a young girl, all Amy ever wanted was to be, “the perfect mom married to the perfect man,” said Amy. “I wanted the ideal life I thought my parents had, so I orchestrated my life and choices around that plan. I went to church, attended a Christian college and dated guys who had the potential to offer me the life I was searching for. I married the summer after college graduation, and started working so my husband could go through medical school. After that, we moved and my husband began his residency. After our first of three sons was born, I became a stay-at home-mom.”

By the time Amy was in her early thirties, it looked to many like she was living the American Dream. “I was married to a successful doctor. I had three children. I drove a nice car. I was involved in a local church and had a beautiful home near a country club. I really believed that my life was built just right. But when it was tested, everything crumbled. Talk about an identity crisis.”  The home that looked so beautiful from the outside was in reality, a sad, lonely place. Amy felt alone, as her marriage grew increasingly cold, isolated and disengaged. “I thought I’d worked too hard to create the life I wanted and deserved more than I was getting,” said Amy. “I tried to control my boys and use my emotions to manipulate my husband. But after 14 years of marriage – seven of which were spent in a vicious cycle – the marriage ended. I felt like my life was officially wrecked.”

As a single mom in a small town with few job prospects, Amy’s life suddenly seemed like a dead end. “This was the point that I came to the end of myself,” said Amy. “All I could pray was, ‘God, help me.’ This was my prayer for quite a while.”

Part of the answer to that prayer came when an old friend drove all the way from Dallas to West Texas to see her. “My dear friend Keri Rice is an example of God’s provision,” said Amy. “She encouraged me to move to Dallas with my boys, keep my heart open to reconciliation and to surround myself with other believers. That’s how my boys and I found our way here to Watermark.”

The transition from a small town to Dallas was rough. Finding a house, a job and schools in an unfamiliar city was a big hurdle. Juggling the demands of raising three boys while maintaining the responsibilities of a new career was completely exhausting. “There were times I’d wonder if I could make it another day,” said Amy. “But when I wasn’t sure I had the energy to move forward, I would be reminded that Christ said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest’.”

Amy says, though her new life in Dallas looked nothing like the perfect one she’d always wanted, it was in imperfection that God’s provision and protection seemed most evident.

“God never left me hanging,” said Amy. “He brought us to a community group that loved and cared for us. He renewed my strength so I could get through every day. He put my boys in ministries like On Your Mark, Crossroad 45 and Wake, where men are pouring into them and showing them the love of Christ. Through community at Watermark, He gave us relationships with intact families so they could see men who were leaders in their families. Today, I see that God’s love and provision for us is so real.”

“When I came to the Single Parent Family ministry at Watermark, it was such a relief to see that I wasn’t alone. I met many people who had been through broken relationships, yet had such a strong faith. Friends like Kris Hopson and Ronna Cross helped me through the different steps I needed to take when grieving the loss of my marriage. They helped me see clearly that when life seemed hopeless, there was hope in the Lord.”

One of the biggest reminders of God’s powerful work in her family’s life was a comment from her son Graham who was baptized at Watermark last year. “My son said, ‘Mom, I’m glad we live in Dallas now. Because if we hadn’t moved here, we wouldn’t be at our church, and I might never have heard about grace.’ Honestly, he might be right. I do know I wasn’t grounded in Christ until now. Seeing the strong faith that my sons have really amazes me.” “I don’t want to pretend that life is perfect, or that being a single parent isn’t hard at times,” said Amy. “I’m still very much a work in progress. But God is so faithful. Christ really is the father to the fatherless. He is the one man I can trust. Christ is still changing me.”

“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6