Jay’s parents went through a messy divorce when he was 13. Jay often played the “messenger” between his parents, hearing many hurtful words his father said about his mother along the way. At his father’s urging, Jay later moved out of his mother’s home, in order to build a closer relationship with his dad. Jay knew this hurt his mom. So, he spent the next 30 years doing everything he could to make the women in his life happy in a fruitless effort to make up for the pain he caused his mom.

Jay was understandably fearful of repeating his parents’ mistakes in his own relationships. His first attempt at marriage ended before it began when the engagement was called off in 1997. At the time, Jay was a self-described, part-time Christian – changing churches often and never investing in relationships with the Lord or other believers. In 1998, Jay met another woman and married a year later. Soon, they had three kids. With a good job, Jay provided for his family and felt things were going well. What he realized later is that in his obsessive preoccupation with his wife’s happiness, he neglected his own spiritual health.

That happiness began to fade when Jay was laid off in 2004. He told his wife they’d have to make some lifestyle changes, and that caused a lot of stress in their marriage. They lived off his severance and a few consulting jobs during his job search. Jay says he did not lead well during this chapter of his life. “I didn’t live my faith on a daily basis,” said Jay. “I was part of a Bible study, but didn’t really study God’s Word, or pursue accountability. I lived by flesh, and it wasn’t rewarding.” Then in 2007, Jay’s mom passed away unexpectedly.

Shortly thereafter, Jay’s wife filed for divorce. Jay says he did everything he could to save the marriage; but, to no avail. “We went to three counselors, trying to find the answers, rather than turning to the Lord. I knew divorce was not the answer, and I sometimes wonder what would have happened if we’d gone to something like Watermark’s ReEngage ministry.” Attempts at reconciliation failed, and the couple divorced in 2008. After the divorce, Jay was at his lowest point. “I felt like a victim. I wasn’t a fun person to be around.”

A business colleague who was also divorced understood Jay’s pain and encouraged him to go to DivorceCare at Watermark. At Watermark he met many other single parents with stories like his. He also met leaders like Richard McCauley, Scott Michael and Wes Butler who encouraged Jay to let others care for him. Jay had always lived to make others happy, so allowing people to minister to him was a transforming experience. Jay learned to take his anger and sadness to the Lord and move toward forgiveness, using the Bible as his guide. He finally talked to God through prayer, not as a husband or father, but simply as a man, saved by grace, who wanted to know his Heavenly Father.

As Jay grew spiritually, he also learned more about what leadership really meant. Jay got involved with Summit Men’s Bible Study and a community group, where he experienced greater accountability. Inspired by the godly men in his life, Jay began investing more time leading his children spiritually – praying with them and memorizing Scripture. “It’s important that my kids see my faith through my actions. Community and application of God’s Word – specifically James 1:19 – have taught me what it really means to lead my family.”

Today, as a leader in DivorceCare, Jay says, “it’s a privilege to serve the newcomers. I listen to them and share the process I’ve gone through. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my story, and to say that divorce is sometimes the equivalent of giving up. And through Christ, forgiveness and reconciliation are possible. I wish I had friends who’d held me accountable and told us that. It might have made a difference. Today, I see reconciliation and forgiveness changing people’s lives when they become open to the possibility of what God can do.”

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” – James 1:19

CURRENTLY SEPARATED OR DIVORCED?

DivorceCare, an informational support group for people who are separated or divorced, is aimed at encouraging real, biblical healing. Our next session begins Tuesday, September 7, at 6:30 pm at the Watermark Building on the 4th Floor. Register at www.watermark.org/events. DivorceCare for Kids also available. Details at watermark.org.

“My first wake up call came when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. The first year she underwent treatment, we thought she’d be OK. I moved back home the following year when they found her cancer had spread. She died a month to the day the doctors found cancer cells in her brain fluid. During her last days, we were blessed to be able to say everything we needed to say to each other. I finally had a full understanding of what a godly woman she was, and the grace she’d experienced from the Lord throughout her life.

“Losing my mom actually connected me back to faith in Christ. It moved me to continually seek time in God’s Word and pray. I started asking God about the choices I was making and the people I spent time with. I went back to church. God changed me slowly, and every day He seemed to be writing something new into my life.

“The next wake up call came when the division of the company I worked for was sold. Because I was in human resources, I was part of over 200 layoff conversations. I had to lay off people I’d coached, trained and worked with for almost 10 years. It was a defining moment – one that made me realize my whole identity was wrapped up in my career. I wondered what would define me if I didn’t have work. So one day I asked God to help me slow down and show me what He really wanted me to be about. Over the next seven months, God built in to me. In a lot of ways, He got me ready.

“It sounds funny, but I never really thought I would lose my job. I’d always thrown myself into work and prided myself in my performance. But in June of 2008, I was out of a job at a company I loved. Even more surprising –  I felt at peace, because God had prepared me. I knew He had something for me. I just didn’t know what.

“Unemployment made me reevaluate my life and opened my eyes to how much I had that I didn’t necessarily need. I started looking at how I could steward my resources better, and asking God what a godly woman really looked like. God gave me a greater understanding and more comfort with the role He gave me as a woman. I started spending  daily time in God’s Word and getting back to the discipline of prayer. The two verses that I found myself going back to were Proverbs 3:5-6 and Matthew 6:25.

“God also used this time to allow me to pour into others. I spent time with my family and got involved with a Bible study for women. I helped with a summer camp offered by Voice of Hope, a mentoring ministry that Watermark partners with in West Dallas. Those were all things I would never have been able to do had I been working. I also participated in Careers in Motion, the jobs ministry at Watermark. That gave me spiritual support during my job search and the chance to use my gifts and experience to help others who were looking for jobs. The relationships I built there helped remind me that God’s hand was always at work.

“Today, though my job search has taken unexpected turns, I live with so much less fear.  Other passions are coming to life for me, and God is giving me opportunities much bigger than what I was doing before. I’m leading a community group,  serving at Mercy Street in West Dallas and mentoring a 13-year-old girl named Alexis. It’s such a humbling experience being trusted to help shape her into a godly young woman.

“I don’t doubt that all of this is in God’s plan. He has helped me break free of titles and companies and think about making an eternal impact by serving others. Work is now a function of my life — it doesn’t define me.

“Now that I strive to put God at the center of my life and decisions, I’m starting to understand where the grace that I saw in my mom comes from. And I can tell you it was worth it to have lost a job but to have gained peace from the Lord.”

AGE: 36

OCCUPATION: “After 12 years in the real estate business, I left to serve full-time in Watermark’s Children’s Ministry. I’ve volunteered for many years at Young Life and at Watermark and found real joy in seeing life-change in the kids I serve.”

WHERE HAS GOD HELPED YOU TAKE THE MOST GROUND IN YOUR LIFE?

“I’m a pretty prideful person. I’ve taken pride in being a ‘Jack of All Trades’ in my career and the things I’ve accomplished over the years. Sometimes, my pride has come through when I’ve tried to serve. One of the
reasons I served was the desire to be known by others.

“What God has been teaching me lately is that life is not all about me. I need to fully submit my plans and my abilities to the Lord, and He will show me what He wants from me, rather than doing what I want. I’ve discovered how much more joy there is in serving others strictly for their needs, rather than my own. Humility is just one of the benefits that has come from learning this lesson, and several people in my life have noticed the change in my attitude.”

Where HAVE YOU SEEN GOD AT WORK?

“In mid-2009, I made a trip with others from Watermark to share the gospel in rural communities in Ethiopia. In one of the villages, we met a man named Geda. Unlike most of the people we met, Geda spoke English. A student at a local university, he had several questions about Christianity and how it differed from the beliefs of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, where the Bible plays a very minor role. I wasn’t able to spend a long time with him, but I was able to give Geda a Bible, encouraged him to read it, and prayed that he’d become a believer in Christ. He asked for my email address, but I wasn’t really sure I’d hear from him again. I thought of him regularly once I was back in the U.S.

“I was really surprised a few months later to receive an email from Geda. His words were a great reminder of the huge need to tell people about Christ – whether I’m here in Dallas or traveling somewhere else. People want to know about Him, and it’s my job to be bold in sharing God’s Word. Geda’s letter also reminded me that the Lord is always at work and the things He has us do are never in vain.”

Here’s what Geda wrote:

“Hello D.K.! When we met, I told you I’m a first degree student at Adama University in Ethiopia. The things that
you showed me when we met have been imprinted forever in the core of my heart. Now, I believe that God sent you to show me the real way. “After I met you, some questions came to my mind: ‘Which way is real?’ and ‘Why not find the facts for myself by going through each chapter of the Bible?’ I began to go through the Bible every night. Later,
with help from one my friends I trusted Jesus as my only Savior.

“After I trusted Christ, I began to face strong challenges from some of my family who are from an Orthodox background. I’m still trying to settle things between us, but they don’t want to speak to me. When I call my father, he is not willing to talk, but my little brother secretly calls me.

“Now, I dream of bringing my family to Jesus, and I desire to make an impact for Christ at my university and
with the folks I come in contact with. I hope with the support of Christ, I can change all these dreams into glorious reality. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD JESUS shall be saved’ (Romans 10:13).”
God bless you,
Geda

“For whoever calls on the name of the Lord Jesus shall be saved.” – Romans 10:13

“Brother Bill’s is a local neighborhood ministry that meets both the practical and spiritual needs of people living in West Dallas,” said Jeff Ward, Director of Watermark’s External Focus Ministry. “Many of the seniors living near Brother Bill’s are not able to do their own yard work, so Operation Clean Sweep can help take care of that need. Because Brother Bill’s believes in developing people, they are asking younger neighbors who receive services to work alongside us and give back to their community. Afterward, we’ll enjoy a chuck wagon lunch and connect in a deeper way with our new friends in West Dallas.”

Here’s how you can be part of Operation Clean Sweep:

SERVE!

When: Saturday, July 24 • 8 am – 1 pm

Where: Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, 3430 Odessa Street, Dallas, Texas 75212

What:

• Coordinate landscape teams

• Help with landscape and yard work (must be 15 years or older)

• Engage with neighbors/invite them to lunch

• Serve lunch/work the Chuckwagon

• Answer phones at Brother Bill’s

How to Sign Up: email externalfocus@watermark.org

OTHER NEEDS

Volunteers are needed to provide use of:

• Lawnmowers
• Weed-eaters
• Brooms
• Clippers
• Trash bags
• Bottled water
• Chainsaws

What is Brother Bill’s Helping Hand?

• Builds one-on-one relationships with neighbors in West Dallas
• Meets practical needs in the community by offering groceries, healthcare services, childcare, educational resources, resume building, Bible studies and ongoing encouragement to families
• More than 30% of the volunteers and many of the staff at Brother Bill’s are actually people who live in the community and are served by the ministry
• In 2009, residents from 991 households in West Dallas made more than 30,000 visits to this community ministry.

To find out more, visit www.bbhh.org

“I was raised in a loving, supportive Christian family,” said Gaye Jackson Price. “At eight, I trusted Christ as my Savior. I was blessed with a wonderful childhood and really didn’t experience many struggles growing up.”

“When I was 31, I met Joe, a gentleman whose wife had died within the past year. Since the only loss I’d ever experienced was the loss of my elderly grandmother, it never occurred to me that  he probably hadn’t grieved his wife’s death in a healthy way. But Joe swept me off my feet. We met in November, and then with New Year’s Eve balloons raining down from the ceiling, he asked me to marry him, and I said ‘yes’.

“We were married the next April, and 11 weeks and two days after our wedding, he committed suicide. I didn’t know why then. I still don’t know why today.

“At the same time, my father was dying of terminal colon cancer. I pretended everything was okay. I pasted on a brave smile and told him I was fine because I didn’t want my father worrying about me. About a year later, he passed away. But rather than explore my grief, I just held on to that smile. I did things that I thought would make me feel better. I got really busy working all the time, volunteering at church and partnering with local charities. My reasoning was that by working every weekend, I wouldn’t be alone. Or have to face my sorrow.

“The denial spilled over into other areas of my life. I began making bad relationship choices. But I refused to let anyone truly know me, or they’d have seen that I was drowning in my grief. I say it took me nine years to get over Joe, but it really took me nine years to realize that I needed God to lead my life, not the things I was throwing myself into. The foundation I’d built my life on was crumbling. I was just frantic all the time.

“Finally, one day God got in my face and I realized that He had always been right there. He never had forsaken me. If I had just looked to Him, everything could have been different. I finally turned to Christ and asked, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ The answer was obvious: let Him be the center of my life.

First, He gave me the gift of my current husband, Dave, when I was 48. We moved to Dallas after we got married, joined a small church, and true to form I dove right in, thinking the church needed me. But I knew I was repeating an unhealthy pattern somehow. A friend told me about Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered recovery ministry at Watermark. Dave and I went.

“Once I got there, the Lord revealed to me that I was deeply concerned with the opinions of other people. As I got more perspective on my struggle, I realized that by pretending everything was ok, I’d never allowed Him or anyone to minister to me in my time of deepest sorrow. If I have any advice for someone who’s grieving, it would be to just get honest about where you are and let God, through the body of Christ, walk with you through your grief. By being concerned about what others were thinking, wanting to look all together on the outside, I missed out on that blessing.

“The second gift He gave me was motherhood. One of the things I had had to come to terms with as a widow was that Joe had taken with him my dreams of motherhood. Dave and I today are the parents of a wonderful son, Jackson. I am blessed!

“The third and unexpected gift God gave me was the chance to comfort others with the comfort I’d received from Him (2 Corinthians 1:4). At Watermark I found out about its grief recovery ministry and knew right away that God had a role for me to play there. GriefShare is for anyone who’s lost a loved one, and it is founded on the promises of hope and healing in God’s Word. This time, rather than seeing ministry as a way to run from my pain, I saw it as a way to use my pain to encourage others and glorify God.

“What a blessing it has been to help others who are dealing with loss and give them a safe place to let their guard down and grieve. To show them they are not alone. That they have God and His people to walk with them through their journey and God’s Word as their foundation. I love reminding them – and myself – of Psalms 62:5-6: ‘Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.’

“I’ve been surprised by a couple of things. I could never have imagined wanting to share my story, my pain, my shame, my poor choices… As so many of us who serve in this ministry often say, I never would have chosen it for myself but it’s clearly where God has me, and I am so thankful that He is transforming my ashes into something beautiful and useful.

“The second thing: I could never have imagined being grateful for what I’ve gone through. But I can truly say now that I am at rest. When I watch joy starting to return, anger melting away, and countenances changing as these friends at GriefShare begin to rest in God’s goodness, I see that I am receiving a much greater blessing than they are.” – written by Sara Olivieri

Name: Tamara Smith

Work: Professional Makeup Artist

Hair and Makeup coordinator for “Seasons of Gray”

Where did you grow up?

“I grew up in a Christian home in Jackson, Mississippi. I got baptized at 12 years old, but I’m not sure I knew exactly what it meant. I left home at 18, and went around the world from a spiritual perspective. I tried Catholicism, Astrology, Judaism and a lot of other stuff.

“After college, I pursued a career in broadcast TV. Later, I got burned out and moved into the ad agency world. I had a cool business card, a good job title and was running a pretty good race by the world’s standards. But on the inside I was dying. I had no quality of life and was hurt by failure, rejection, loss, poor choices and broken relationships. My solution was to buy something, smoke something, move, take a class, or invest in something of no lasting value. But I can see all along that God constantly protected me and drew me back in.”

What was your turning point?

“I remember one night, sitting on the kitchen floor and crying. I called my Dad, who said, “You’ve tried a lot of other things. Now, try the Lord.” So I got up off the floor, went to church the next morning and sat on the very back row. The sermon was about the Prodigal Son. At the end, the pastor said, ‘I don’t know what’s brought you here this morning, but welcome home.’ That was four years ago, and God has dramatically changed my life through the disciplines of prayer, Bible study and by living in community. But most of all, I have peace and contentment because of my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. ”

Where is God using you most now?

“It’s actually in my job doing makeup. I moved into this business almost eight years ago, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Makeup brushes are tools that connect me with others. People talk to me like they would a bartender or their hairdresser. I hear a lot from strangers, and I’m able to share my story as well. God turned my job into a ministry. And now He has given me the opportunity to serve as the coordinator of the hair and makeup department for “Seasons of Gray”, the movie Watermark Films starts shooting tomorrow.

“Originally, I signed up as a volunteer for the film. Now I’m taking several weeks away from my full-time job to lead a team of volunteer artists and vendors who are donating their time and resources for the project. The message of the movie — a modern-day look at the life of Joseph — has opened doors I never expected. People who’ve never been interested in church or God’s Word want to help because a film is something they’re interested in and understand. There’s a curiosity factor with this whole project. Asking people to volunteer their time and resources has given me a natural opportunity to share the heart of this mission and ministry. ”

How has God changed your life?

“For most of my life, I looked to people, new experiences, things, or the next job to fulfill me. When I finally trusted Christ with my daily life, He showed me that I’d been thinking way too small. He gave me an abundant life – one that I could share with others. Here I am at 36 years old, and I’ve gotten my wish! In terms of experiencing life, I’m plugged in to the biggest amp I could find. I’m helping to make a movie, and I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to share what I know about the God I love. ”

For more information on Watermark Films, visit SeasonsOfGray.com.

It’s hard to believe that one of the biggest needs in our community is something many of us often take for granted every day: food. Consider these facts.

• Almost 120,000 students in the Dallas Independent School District relied on the free or reduced-price lunch during the last academic year. That’s 77% of the district’s total enrollment.

• US Department of Agriculture researchers, using data from 2005-2007, found that almost 15% of Texas households experienced food insecurity during that time.

• The average annual income for a family that seeks help from a Texas Food Bank is just $9,000.

Because the need in our community is so great, Watermark is focusing on hunger outreach during the month of June. And there are many ways you can help:

GIVE

Stuff the Truck Food Drive

When: June 13 * 20* 27  Before and after all services

Where: Watermark (look for the truck parked between the Worship Center and Watermark Tower)

What to Bring: Nonperishable items. See list included with this article.

GO

1. Help Receive Food Dona­tions at Watermark

When: June 13 * 20* 27  (before and after all services)

Where: Watermark

What to Do: 10 people per service needed to set up, receive donations, load the truck, etc.

What Else: Sign-up by email: externalfocus@watermark.org

2. Deliver, Unload and Sort Donations

When/Where: June 15 @ Brother Bill’s

Week of June 20 @ Network of Community Ministries

June 29  @ Brother Bill’s

What to Do: drive truck, deliver food, unload, sort donations

What Else: Sign-up by email: externalfocus@watermark.org

SERVE

Brother Bill’s Helping Hand – Grocery Store

Wednesdays/Thursdays 10:30-12:30 (family friendly)

• Unload truck Monday mornings
• Wednesdays /Thursdays visit with neighbors and help with distribution of food during Grocery Store
• Restock shelves in the afternoons

Network of Community Ministries – Big Meals for Little Kids

June 14 – July 23

• Prepare and pack sack lunches for children in the RISD school district that would normally receive food at school.  25 volunteers needed.
• Deliver sack lunches to apartment complexes in the area – drivers needed!

The Stewpot – Summer Survival Kits

• Fill gallon zip lock bags with non-perishable items that will make this summer a little easier for the homeless.
• Write notes of encouragement, inspiration and support with scripture inside the bag.
• Deliver to The Stewpot, 1822 Young Street, Dallas 75201

To Sign Up, Email: externalfocus@watermark.org

WHERE WE’RE HELPING

Food drive donations will be delivered to:

Network of Community Ministries

• Serves the 14 zip codes that reside in the RISD district
• Assists 600-700 families a month
• Distributes more than 10,000 pounds of food a week to families
  • 45% are single parent households
  • 60% of all children living within the RISD district are below the poverty level

Brother Bill’s Helping Hand

• Builds one-on-one relationships with neighbors in West Dallas
• Meets practical needs in the community and offers relationships, education services and encouragement to families in West Dallas

In 2005, 687 households in West Dallas made more than 13,000 visits to this community ministry, which offers everything from a clothes closet and food pantry to ESL classes and Bible studies

NAME: Maryann Wahhab

AGE: 27

OCCUPATION: coaching and mentoring kids through Hurricanes Basketball

What has God used to mature you?

My vision for my life is to love others the way Christ loves them. My friends and family are important to me, so it’s essential to communicate well and resolve issues quickly. One of my biggest regrets is a

broken relationship that took a long time to heal. I had a serious conflict with one of my closest friends when I was 17. A lot of hurtful things were said, and for years there was no forgiveness or contact between us. But during those years, I began pursuing a relationship with Christ and hanging around with other believers who mentored me. People in my life began asking why I was not reconciled with my old friend. That gave me the courage to take a leap of faith, contact my friend and apologize. When I reached out and said I was sorry, she responded, and over time, we’ve started to rebuild. Our relationship is different from what it was before, but God’s plan worked. The Lord has shown me that my willingness to biblically resolve conflict is an indicator of my spiritual health and growth.

Where have you seen God’s faithfulness in your life?

When I was 24, I moved to Dallas and started a new business in a town where I knew no one. It was a real risk. But it was an opportunity for me to see how God would provide.

God provided for me by giving me a community of friends and a church home at Watermark. I have a very competitive, stubborn nature and am tempted to think that I can do things on my own. But if I walk in this world alone, I know I’ll never make it. I need a solid group of friends — fellow disciples — to walk along this journey with me. When I gave up fighting things alone and let friends come around and help, I grew in ways I never imagined. I also felt the joy and peace that God longs for us to have.

In Dallas, I helped start a basketball program for students, and I do everything from coaching to investing in and mentoring the kids we serve. Our organization is about building relationships and helping kids develop a foundation of character and respect that go beyond the basketball court. God has blessed my work with these kids ten-fold.

Where are you challenged the most now?

It’s definitely in areas of patience, battling self-sufficiency and taking my thoughts captive. That’s why community and mentoring have been a pot of gold in my life. I’m young, impatient and sometimes want a ‘quick fix’ to a problem – whether it’s a conflict in my personal life or my business. God’s Word has given me the wisdom to see that I don’t have all the answers. I need people to call me out when I’m headed in the wrong direction. So I have friends who give me counsel on everything from conflicts at work to big decisions in my personal life.

Input from other believers plus what I’ve learned from God’s Word have helped me model what biblical conflict resolution looks like at work. It could be an issue with kids who are learning about the importance of teamwork, or a parent who is unhappy about the amount of time their kid is playing in a game. God has helped me learn to face conflict head-on, be positive and persistent regardless of how the other person responds, and show unconditional love and encouragement.

Learning to take every thought captive is the greatest piece of wisdom God has taught me recently. If I can look at situations through the wisdom of God’s Word, I can get to the root of the problem, slow down and ask whether I’m trying to please other people, or if my goal is to truly please God. When I have the discipline to take my thoughts captive, God reminds me that I’m here to please Him first, and the way I work and treat other changes. God is faithful.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-6)

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” – James 1:22

Stepping off the school buses onto Homeland Avenue in West Dallas you see rows of dilapidated houses – neglected, forgotten and in disrepair. In many ways, the houses were a reflection of people’s lives – in need of work just to be brought to stable ground.

On Sunday, May 2, three school buses carrying several hundred people from Watermark arrived at Homeland Avenue with willing hearts and hands. They were there to partner with Builders of Hope/2nd Saturday, an outreach ministry that helps with construction, home restoration and other projects in West Dallas. Builders of Hope acquires drug houses in West Dallas and converts these properties into homes for worthy families.

On Watermark Service Day, a total of four homes were worked on, repaired and cleaned out. There was painting, trimming, weeding, planting and landscaping. At one home, a wheelchair ramp was built for the elderly woman who lived there.

Barbara Owens, owner of a home on Homeland Avenue, had this to say about being served by the body of Christ: “I’m overwhelmed. This is a testimony house; it came by the Lord’s blessing. We’re sick and can’t work anymore, but we do have a home.” Because of the help from Watermark’s volunteers and others, Barbara and her husband Steven can

enjoy their home that came by the Lord’s blessing. In fact, when Barbara saw the first layer of paint going on the front of her home, she exclaimed, “That’s the color I wanted! God must have told them!”

While most of the Watermark members came prepared to pour into others through their work, many of them found that their hearts were fed in turn. Jenny Harris, who has been at Watermark for about five years, said, “I came today expecting to see people fixing what was broken; a lot like Jesus. This experience has made me see the reward in serving and puts all my worries into perspective.

For many people, serving was an opportunity to live out their faith in Christ. Hollie Adkisson, who has been at Watermark for just under a year, said, “I came today wanting to help, but ended up learning what it means to be a follower of Christ. It’s not just what you say you are, it’s how you live and what you do. My friend and I came to share our love for Christ.”

“I find it interesting,” said Jennifer Collella, “that all the affluence of North Dallas is merely 10 minutes from West Dallas, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country. I’m here because I want the people who live here to know that people do care and are willing to get their hands dirty for Him.”

For Wes Ffolkes, his first day ever at Watermark was on Service Day last year. He rolled up his sleeves as he boarded a bus that would take him to a site of service and he has been here and been serving ever since. It is Wes’ hope that, “We are here not just to restore homes, but to restore lives, neighborhoods and people.”

Hagop Bekarian, who has been at Watermark for over four years, came to Service Day with his 11-year-old son, Chad. Hagop was touched deeply as a result of being willing to show up and serve for Christ. In his words, “It’s different when you get to see the person you’re helping. When you see the eyes of the person you’re serving, it makes a real impact on you.”

Executive Director of Builders of Hope, Norman Henry, echoed that sentiment by saying, “You never know what kind of impact you can have. People might look back and say ‘Who would do all this for me?’ The answer is, ‘Christ did this for you! That was the love of Christ!’” For Norman, service to those in need of being loved, truly is, “faith in action.” – written by Bethany McDaniel

For more stories and photos, visit the External Focus Blog at http://watermarkblogs.org/serve/

What would you do if you were sure God had a plan for you, and you thought you knew what that plan was, and then that plan didn’t work out at all?

Chase and Elizabeth Hammon were on a self-imposed “five-year plan”. The couple met on a mission trip during college. It was during this trip that they began to develop a relationship and discovered some common hopes and dreams. They kept in touch after the trip, eventually started dating and married in December of 2005. “Our grand plan was to build our own hut and be international missionaries,” Chase says as he reflects. “We both loved that movie, ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’.” Even as early as high school, Elizabeth not only wanted to do Christian outreach internationally, she also wanted what she calls, “a rainbow-color” family. “There were at least seven countries from which I hoped to adopt.” Chase wanted a big family too, though his vision was more for a biological family.

Two years into their plan, Elizabeth began to have serious medical issues that would affect the couple’s ability to have children. The doctor advised that if they intended to have children, they would need to do so much earlier than planned. Elizabeth elected for a surgery that could increase the chances of conceiving. Less than a month later, and even as her body healed, the Hammons rejoiced at the news that Elizabeth was pregnant. Sadly, their joy was to be short lived. At their 10-week checkup, a sonogram revealed their baby had no heartbeat. Since November of 2007, the Hammons have endured four more painful losses. “Each time we praised God and celebrated every day we carried these precious blessings and then mourned when we found out God allowed death to take our babies before we could meet them.”

In 2008 the Hammons began looking toward adoption and got involved in Watermark’s Tapestry ministry, which serves families touched by a biblical call to care for orphans in accordance with James 1:27. Even as the Hammons reflected on their respective childhoods, they could see how God prepared and equipped them to handle the unique challenges of foster care and adoption. Chase came from a small family and longed for a large family. Both Elizabeth and Chase moved a lot as children, so they were accustomed to change and learning to develop relationships with many kinds of people with many different backgrounds. They were equally convinced that God’s plan was for them to love children. They wanted to glorify the Lord in this way and impact the lives of many for generations to come. When asked how they remain certain of this calling, despite what some would view as increasing evidence to the contrary, Elizabeth simply says, “Because Scripture says so.” With an attitude of faith and obedience the couple admits, “It’s extremely difficult to grasp God’s sovereignty in the midst of pain and heartache, and it’s very easy to question His love.”

The Hammons were learning to embrace God’s plan for their family’s future, even though that would mean letting go of their own plan and timeline.

Although it took time, a lot of prayer and many hard conversations, they were able to see His love and grace in their lives. With the help of other couples in the Watermark community, they learned about the many avenues to adoption and eventually decided to participate in a foster-to-adopt program. At the time the couple really had no desire to provide temporary care for children, but they felt God leading them to pursue this option. After several months of training, Chase and Elizabeth were certified as foster parents.

The next months were an emotional roller coaster as the Hammons prepared for numerous different foster children, only to find out at the last minute that other arrangements were made. “God used this time to change our hearts dramatically,” says Chase. The couple let go of their need to cling to specific gender, age or temperament criteria. They now wanted to parent whatever children the Lord had for them. They looked around at their empty extra bedroom and knew that the Lord wanted it filled, even if only for a short time. Chase spent time considering his motives for wanting a large biological family, and the Lord began to change his heart from “this is what I want” to “this is where the need is.” From that point forward, Elizabeth and Chase were unified in their desire for a large family, whatever that may look like.

The next foster opportunity was for two girls, an infant and a toddler. The girls needed care for just six weeks, but the Hammons were eager. They knew that God would form their family how He wanted, and they wanted to allow that to happen. Nearly a year later, they still have the girls and will soon be caring for their older sister as well. In August of 2009, the Hammons received a newborn baby boy with the understanding that they would be able to adopt him eventually. But after four months of care, the couple learned their boy would have to return to his biological parent. Again they were heartbroken, but this time they considered that the Lord was teaching them that attachment does not come from knowing a child is biologically yours, but from daily interaction, the constant contact and the meeting of that child’s needs. The Hammons share a picture of the Lord as caretaker to all of us, His adopted children; “It isn’t just calling ourselves Christians or knowing that we are His that develops our walk with Him. It’s the constant love, grace and provision for all of our [daily] needs that is the foundation of our relationship with Him.”

The process of foster care is rewarding despite its ups and downs. When they first received the girls, the 15-month-old was unable to socialize, and she never smiled or laughed like other kids. In 11 months, the Hammons have watched with joy as she has blossomed into a spirited little girl who loves to play dress up and laugh with her older sister.

The Hammons still don’t know what will happen with their girls or when their baby boy will have to leave, but they know God is sovereign, and He loves these children so much more than they ever could. Though the pain is coming and one day a child they’ve fully given themselves to will leave, they confess it is all worth the chance to love these children as Christ loves them.

“The Lord says we should ‘be fruitful and multiply’ and make disciples,” Elizabeth said. “And just because there is pain and there are roadblocks, it doesn’t mean His Word is untrue.” – written by Aaron Horton

Join us on Sunday, May 23 from 1:30 – 2:30 pm at Watermark for the National Foster Care Prayer Vigil. See the ad inside Watermark News for details. For information on Tapestry, Watermark’s adoption and foster care ministry, see the announcement in Watermark News or find out more at watermark.org.