November 27, 2010
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
John 17:17
This month we are focusing on “Study God’s
Word”. By reading God’s Word, the Bible, feeds
the fire in our hearts because we learn how God
wants us to live. It’s important to read God’s
Word every day. Sometimes it is hard to find the
time to read God’s Word, but it is like anything
else…we need to make the time to read the Bible.
We seem to have the time to watch t.v., go to a ball
game, go out with friends, etc. Be sure to include
God and reading His Word in your daily activities!
If you don’t have a Bible, be sure to put one on
your Christmas list! What better gift to receive at
Christmas since this is the time we celebrate the
greatest gift God has given us…the birth of his son
Jesus.
Pray Constantly
And
Study God’s Word
Serve Others
Interact with God’s People
Open up and Talk about God
Notice God in the Ordinary
On November 3rd, the GEMS and GEMS
Counselors had their own special election. They
were able to vote for the main course for this
year’s Christmas Party. The choices were:
Lasagna, Maidrites, Walking Tacos, Pizza, and
Sloppy Joes. Girls also had the opportunity to
write-in their favorite. The winning choice was
Walking Tacos.
The GEMS Christmas Party will be held starting
after school on December 8th. Girls will be
picked up from the Oskaloosa Schools by their
counselors and arrangements will be made for
those that attend school outside of Oskaloosa.
The GEMS Moms are invited to join the GEMS
for supper at 5:30 and then go caroling with the
GEMS at 6:00 p.m. MOMS – please contact Linda
Van Donselaar by December 6th to let her know
you will be joining the GEMS for supper. The
GEMS will be going caroling to their Generation
Gems. We plan on the GEMS being able to go
home around 8:00 p.m.
Linda – 673-3604
[email protected]
We’re on the Web
Now!
As of the first week of November, the First
Christian Reformed Church’s website was
turned on. Please keep in mind that the website
is still under construction. You will be able to
see all the events of the church in the church
calendar, find out more about the various
groups, or learn more about our church. Be sure
to check out the GEMS pages. God’s Sightings
that were currently included in this newsletter
will now be on the GEMS Photo Gallery. If you
loose the GEMS Newsletter, you can also access
them from the GEMS pages. Keep in mind we
will be only using first names with the photos
and only using photos that include the GEMS
that we have permission to post their image on
the website. If you have any questions, please
contact Virginia Pierson.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
5
8
10
11
12
14
17
18
20
26
29
Bea Moore 
Mary Van Engelenhoven
Nicole Strasser
Brooke Eveland
Elizabeth DeJong 
Delores Ryken 
Joyce Slagter 
Pat DeBruin 
Megan Eveland
Ashli Van Donselaar
Renee Visser 
June
June
June
June
5
23
24
27
http://www.firstcrcosky.org
Veldhuizen
Half-Birthdays
Emily Pfalzgraf
Kourtni Shelquist
Sawyer Meinders
Anna Vande Wall 
 denotes Generation GEM
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Dec. 1
Dec. 8
GEMS
Christmas Party – after school
Caroling at 6:00 p.m. End at 8:00 p.m.
Last GEMS event for 2010
Jan. 5, 2011 GEMS Resumes
For our GEMS ministry
For each one of the GEMS girls, their
counselors, and their families
Those serving in the military and the
freedom they are protecting for us
Thanks for all the blessings our Heavenly
Father has bestowed on us
For those who are struggling to heat their
homes and put food on their tables
For those that are suffering from an illness
or mourning the loss of a loved one
For the churches represented by our GEMS
That we are able to remember the true
meaning of Christmas – the birth of Jesus
Christ
In coordination with this year’s theme
“Feed the Fire” you can follow along with
the bookmark below in helping you read
God’s Word the month of December.
December focuses on Galatians and
Ephesians. Remember to “Study God’s
Word”!
Use this bookmark to read the entire book of
Galatians and Ephesians this month! Place this
bookmark in your Bible. Each time you complete a
day’s reading, put a checkmark in the box.
December
Date Passage
1 Galatians 1:1-5
2 Galatians 1:6-10
3 Galatians 1:11-24
4 Galatians 2:1-10
5 Galatians 2:11-21
6 Galatians 3:1-9
7 Galatians 3:10-14
8 Galatians 3:15-25
9 Galatians 3:26-4:7
10 Galatians 4:8-20
11 Galatians 4:21-31
12 Galatians 5:1-15
13 Galatians 5:16-26
14 Galatians 6:1-10
15 Galatians 6:11-18
16 Ephesians 1:1-10
17 Ephesians 1:11-14
18 Ephesians 1:15-22
19 Ephesians 2:1-10
20 Ephesians 2:11-22
21 Ephesians 3:1-6
22 Ephesians 3:7-13
23 Ephesians 3:14-21
24 Ephesians 4:1-16
25 Ephesians 4:17-24
26 Ephesians 4:25-32
27 Ephesians 5:1-21
28 Ephesians 5:22-33
29 Ephesians 6:1-4
30 Ephesians 6:5-9
31 Ephesians 6:10-23
God Sightings!
Check out the God Sightings on the First
Christian Reformed Church’s website at:
http://www.firstcrcosky.org/photogallery.cfm
PRAY CONSTANTLY AND STUDY GOD’S WORD
By Lenae Bulthuis, GEMS Training Manager
Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees.
Psalm 119:33a
During the 2010-2011 GEMS season girls and counselors are feeding the fire by making these PASSION
disciplines part of their day-to-day lives:
Pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
And
Study God’s Word (Psalm 119:105)
Serve others (Ephesians 6:7-8a)
Interact with God’s people (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Open up and talk about God (Matthew 28:19)
Notice God in the Ordinary (Jeremiah 29:13)
Although Pray constantly And Study God’s Word fit neatly within the acronym, the conjunction that joins
those two disciplines runs deeper than mere convenience. They’re dependent on one another! Prayer is talking
and listening to God and one of the primary ways that God speaks to His people is through His Word. And to
rightly hear and understand God’s Word, we need prayer. We should always ask the Author of the book and of
our lives to teach us to understand His Word. Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to
learn your commands (Psalm 119:73).
Each time you open your Bible, pray that God will meet you and that you will experience Him in His Word.
Be expectant that He will surprise you with a new insight. Anticipate that He will give you new discoveries
even within your favorite and most familiar passages!
Within his book When I Don’t Desire God, John Piper introduces the acronym I.O.U.S. to guide our prayers
before reading God’s Word.
Incline my heart to You, not to prideful gain or false motive. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not
toward selfish gain (Psalm 119:36).
Open my eyes to behold wonderful things in Your Word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in
your law.
Unite my heart to fear Your name. Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an
undivided heart, that I may fear your name (Psalm 86:11).
Satisfy me with Your steadfast love. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for
joy and be glad all our days (Psalm 90:14).
PASSION Step: Each time you open God’s Word stop and pray before you read. Expect God to speak to you.
Triumphant prayer is almost impossible where there is neglect of the study of the Word
of God. If we then let the words of Christ abide in us, they will stir us up in prayer.
Reuben Archer Torrey