P A S T O R. Holly Tree Chapel Newsletter January Contact Us South FM 2869 Holly Lake Ranch, TX Pastor: Dr.

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1 Contact Us 1620 South FM 2869 Holly Lake Ranch, TX Website: hollytreechapel.com mail: Pastor: Dr. Tim Mink We seek to glorify God as the Gospel of Jesus Christ transforms our lives, our church, our community, and our world. Holly Tree Chapel Newsletter January 2019 This past year we spent most Wednesday evenings studying the book of xodus. After Moses and Miriam (the brother and sister of Moses) died in the wilderness, the LORD said to Moses from Mt. Sinai, And now...what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD s commandments and His statues which I am commanding you today for your good (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). The LORD follows up with this statement in Deuteronomy 11:12. It says, "...the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon (Israel), from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." P A S T O R The LORD will help us to say goodbye to filled with "yesterdays" and whatever it consisted of: disappointments and surprises; losses and gains; failures [broken bones, or accidents, or illnesses] and successes [recovering and rehabilitation]; defeats and victories was a year which may be remembered with fleeting memories of delightfully good times; and perhaps the sobering reality of missed opportunities; the insight gained from daily living---including the moments of stress and tension as we grow older; the unexpected surprise of reconnecting with old friends may have been a year when we experienced the joy of sins forgiven---and forgotten (Hebrews 8:12...their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more ). It may have been a year when we experienced golden words fitly spoken from friends, family, or pastor (Proverbs 25:11); and a year where we experienced the fruit of obedience and being pleasing to the Lord. The old year 2018 is a time we can remember with gratitude...the blessings, protection, and rewards from the Providential hand of God; the grace that was sufficient for our every need; His mercy which we received when His justice might have been welldeserved; and a year we can recall, realizing that even bad things that happened could have been worse...much worse. 1

2 May we productively transition from 2018 into 2019 as we experience the delight of lessons which have been hard learned; the fading sunset of the painful memories that we long endured while living through them; the priceless value found in genuine friends---including our precious church family members. Spiritually, may we embark on the glorious journey of finding the unmatched wealth in reading and studying the Bible; the blessing of Christian fellowship; the enjoyment of serving the Lord The New Year! May we experience the challenge of new goals (call them resolutions if you wish---mine is to do 300 crunches every day); and experience the desire for spiritual growth; the continual burden for lost souls---bringing them to faith in Christ, which may include bringing them to church with us; and the anticipation of answered prayer may fulfill the eager expectation of Christ's soon return for His Bride, the Church. What a joy to be swept up in that glorious event, as described in I Thessalonians 4: The New Year, 2019, may only be lived one moment at a time. It is replete with the unknown and rife with opportunities to trust the Living God; there will be unexpected moments of blessing and delight; there will be satisfaction for spiritual truths learned and hunger for the Word of God. Relish those times. May we have motivation to give of our time and effort to help others, and serve those in need. May we all experience the joy and privilege of giving to the Lord in new and exciting ways. Remember I Corinthians 15:58 as we experience this New Year together: Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. Pastor Tim W O M N S F L L O W S H I P 2

3 M M B R N W S Birthday Dave vans 1/25 ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL We invite you to join us each Sunday morning at 8:45 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall for prayer and fellowship. Gentlemen of Holly Tree Chapel Our usher teams are in need of assistance. We are looking for men to usher on Sundays. If the Holy Spirit moves you, and you could pre-dedicate one Sunday or more a month to help us it would be a blessing. For information on joining the usher team, please contact us: Usher Captain Leon Ward Usher Captain Jim Armstrong MN S FRIDAY BIBL STUDY Men s Bible Study begins each Friday at 7:50 a.m. The men are continuing their study in the book of Luke Holly Tree Chapel 2019 Board of Deacons Jeannette Pyle Secretary Francine vans Finance Chairman &Treasurer Nancy Weaver Chris Overby Dr. Tim Mink, Pastor Welcome The new 2019 Deacons: Francine vans as Finance Chair and Chris Overby as Inside/Outside Facility Chair. Deepest Thanks To Suzan and Dennis who have completed their terms and served faithfully for many years! 3

4 Stair test may predict your risk of dying of heart disease, cancer; study finds Dec. 6, 2018/7:00 AM CST/ Source: TODAY By A. Pawlowski For a glimpse into the state of your health and longevity, just head for some stairs. How people perform on an exercise test that requires them to move very briskly can predict their risk of premature death from heart disease, cancer and other causes, a study presented Thursday at a meeting of the uropean Society of Cardiology found. Those with good exercise capacity capable of high levels of physical exertion, say, on a treadmill had less chance of dying early of any cause. The participants in the study underwent an exercise echocardiogram, but there s a much easier method to check your exercise capacity in a similar way: See if you can climb four flights of stairs at a fast pace in under a minute without having to stop, said Dr. Jesus Peteiro, the study author and a cardiologist at University Hospital A Coruna in A Coruna Spain. If you can do it, you have good functional capacity. If not, it s a sign you need more exercise, he noted. Peteiro wasn t surprised by his study s findings. Physical activity has positive effect on blood pressure and lipids, reduces inflammation and improves the body s immune response to tumors, Peteiro told TODAY. For the study, 12,615 participants with known or suspected coronary artery disease underwent treadmill exercise echocardiography a medical test to see how well a person s heart tolerates activity. Their effort levels were measured in metabolic equivalents, or MTs. One MT is equal to the energy it takes to sit quietly. Walking briskly requires about 3 MTs, while jogging takes more than 6. This study defined good functional capacity as achieving a maximum workload of 10 MTs. Being able to climb four flights of stairs in about seconds would be equivalent to 10 MTs, Peteiro, estimated. When the study participants were followed up over the next five years or so, each MT they achieved during the exercise test was associated with a 9 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death, a 9 percent lower risk of cancer death and 4 percent lower risk of other causes of death, the uropean Society of Cardiology noted. In people with poor functional capacity, the death rate from heart disease was almost three times higher and cancer deaths were almost double compared to participants who had good exercise capacity. Cardiologists already know a patient who has a significantly abnormal heart stress test, but shows very good exercise capacity, has a better prognosis, said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, and a member of the American College of Cardiology s Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Section Leadership Council. Freeman was not involved in the new study, but said it would encourage him even more to push his patients to exercise regularly and vigorously. He recommended 30 minutes a day of breathlessness When people say, I can t exercise because I m short of breath, I say, Great, what a wonderful thing, I want you to use that to your advantage, Freeman said. I want you to warm up and get right to that point where you re breathless not passing out, but challenged. And I want you to stay there for as long as you can. Take a break when you need to and then resume. Continued page 5 4

5 The latest exercise guidelines for Americans say adults need at least 2 ½ hours to five hours a week of moderate intensity exercise; or 1 hour, 15 minutes to 2 ½ hours of intense activity every week. As for stairs offering clues to a person s heart health, doctors already ask patients whether they can go up a flight of stairs without symptoms before clearing them for major surgery, Freeman notes. Other tests found to predict longevity include being able to get back up without support after sitting on the floor. Try walking, running, bicycling and swimming to boost your exercise capacity, Peteiro advised. Freeman just wanted people to pick an activity they enjoyed that would make them breathless. We know that in some ways exercise is a medicine and it has a dose response, where typically more exercise is better, he said. Follow A. Pawlowski on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Name Change ote On Sunday, January 13 a vote will be taken to select a new church name from the list of suggestions submitted recently. Holly Tree Chapel Members may pick up a ballot in the foyer, make their selection, and turn the ballot in to Jeannette Pyle. The existing Holly Tree Chapel name will remain as our legal incorporated name, however, this vote will select the name by which HTC will do business as DBA. Start saving items that you would like to donate. Coming soon! MARCH

6 B N V O L N C THANK YOU! For your generosity in giving extra to the Benevolence Fund. We were blessed to receive and distribute $1200 more to our missions in the 4 th quarter of 2018 than in the 3 rd quarter distribution; for a total of $2700 Continue to keep our Missions and Missionaries in prayer, as well as the mission we have right here at the Chapel to reach the community with the good news of Jesus Christ. Keep each other in prayer so that we are sensitive to God s leading to be generous. Be Thankful to our God as He multiples our gifts and does amazing things. Nancy Weaver, Deacon Benevolence New Mercies very Morning What s the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning? For most of us, the first and most natural things that flood our minds when the alarm goes off do not produce praise or comfort. More often than not, the burdens of the day come rushing in before we can even take a couple breaths a struggling relationship, some conflict, that meeting, the mistake you made, the task list that s too long for today, the pain you re feeling, that sin you can t seem to shake. And underneath them all, there s the nagging feeling that we won t find the strength to make much of a difference about any of it. If we re not careful, those first few groggy, heavy minutes can define the rest of the day. We re not naturally prone to follow the command to set our minds on things above, where Christ is (Col 3:1-4). It has always seemed ironic and foolish that the first few moments after a full night of total, unaware dependence, we immediately wake up and go into independent, self-trust mode. We often trust quickly in our own horses and chariots instead of in the sovereign love of our Lord (Psalm 20:2). Searching Our Anxious Hearts At the core of these anxieties lies an unhealthy, unhelpful, and unbiblical self-reliance that simply cannot bear the burdens of life. God never meant for self-reliance to carry that weight for us. Why, after a night of complete dependence on God in sleep, do we so often wake up in anxious self-reliance? A mentor once said to me, Anxiety comes when we look at our circumstances and then look at our ability, but faith comes when we look at our circumstances and then at God s ability. This advice has served me well in my fight for faith, and helped me to see and diagnose the complexities of my sinful, self-reliant heart. Continued page 7 6

7 Most of us believe, fairly easily, in the sovereign power of God (phesians 1:11), but often neglect or forget that it actually applies to us: to our lives personally and to our circumstances specifically. Perhaps part of the self-deceived self-loathing inside of us blinds us and keeps us from believing the truth. Yes, God is sovereign, but I m too messed up or too insignificant to deserve that kind of power. So, we need to remember that the power of God is now ours through Christ (phesians 1:19-20), and that he promises us new mercies each morning: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. (Lamentations 3:22-24) In Christ, the steadfast love of God for you will never cease. Never. His mercies will never come to an end. Never. They will be new every morning, and he will be faithful to bring them to you. If God is your greatest treasure, if God is the thing you love most, your portion, then you can hope in him with these unbreakable (almost unbelievable) promises. The Lord Is My Portion The Lord is not just a portion generically, but the author of Lamentations recognizes that the Lord is his portion. On the other side of the cross, we know better than anyone in history that the gospel purchases this portion for us: eternity with full joy in the presence of God (Psalm 16:11). Lamentations 3:22-24 reminds us that, in Christ, the Lord will be faithful to be there every morning with enough new mercy to get us through today s troubles, sin, and pain. The book is filled with pain, misery, and the consequences of a sinful and broken world. Yet, breaking through this is a glimmering gospel-hope that points to the sufficient, powerful, present, and faithful care of God for each child that belongs to his blood-bought family. God feeds every bird of the air and clothes all the lilies of the field, and his care for us supersedes by far his care for nature (Matthew 6:25-34). He will be there with us every morning until the moment we fall asleep that night, and he won t leave us or neglect us, even while we enjoy his good gift of sleep (Psalm 4:8). Help and Protection Are Nearby My son has struggled recently with fear more than ever before. He s scared to go to sleep at naptime and at bedtime. We ve reassured him that we have a safe house, that all the doors are locked, and that Mommy and Daddy will do everything we can to protect him. His child-like trust in us wasn t gone, but when he wasn t assured of our presence, of our closeness, very near to him while he laid in his little crib in the corner of our house, he easily forgot our faithfulness and fixed his heart on fears. So, we sit outside his door until he falls asleep with a smile on his face, not thinking about his fears, but thinking about our care being close by. New Mercies for New Burdens What does all this mean for today s burdens? First, the very reality of these new mercies from God each morning means we shouldn t be discouraged by barely making it through a day. Many days leave us broken, beat-up, and barely hoping. That s okay. There was enough mercy for that day. There will be more in the morning. Fix your eyes on Jesus, and cast your burdens on him, again (1 Peter 5:6-7). He can handle them better than we ever could anyway. Continued page 8 7

8 It is good to praise the LORD, and make music to your name, O Most High Second, we cannot rely on yesterday s mercies for today s burdens. Go to Jesus afresh each day. Go to the word of God in prayer each day, and ask him to help you see wonders and promises that make your heart sing. Relationships take constant work and training. One of the reasons we may not feel like Jesus is with us, sitting with us when we fall asleep or when we wake up, is that we keep all of our appointments in a given week except the daily appointment we ought to prioritize with the allpowerful God of the universe. Ask him to show you more of himself, and plead with him for the new and unique grace you need today. December Fellowship Dinner & Bell Choir Lastly, we cannot kill anxiety, despair, or fear with well-written to-do lists and well-planned schedules. Rather, in all of our circumstances, it would be good for us to heed the words of December Paul with newmorning mercies in mind: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer 16 and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 5:30 (Philippians pm 4:6-7) God is with us through Christ and, by the Spirit, his promises for new mercies are as real and trustworthy today as they were yesterday. So, let s go to him often, cast our cares honestly, and trust him for the peace that far surpasses our limited understanding and that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Rest well tonight, and tomorrow morning, in Jesus. By Dave Zuleger. Source: desiringgod.org 8