Scriptures of Encouragement for Inspiration and Strength

  I love gardening and God's beautiful creation, and so I wanted to share these beautiful photos and special scripture verses with you. Of course you'll notice I couldn't help sneaking in a coffee shot :) Hoping these gentle truths help bring you joy today!

Sharing is Caring: an Interview With Tammy Schellenberg

Last week our church hosted a Jr/Sr High boys’ basketball camp which was coached by Assistant Coach Don Schellenberg from West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, California. Coach Schellenberg spoke at our Wednesday evening service, and one of the things that caught my attention in his message was his deep gratefulness for his wife, Tammy. I think he called her “his hero.” He spoke of her devotion to their family and to the Lord, and mentioned that she has a close walk with Christ AND works full-time for WCBC in the admissions office. She is a Proverbs 31 woman to her husband! I immediately thought her story would be so encouraging to share, and Tammy graciously agreed to an email interview. I think you will be encouraged as I am by the way the Lord has led in their lives and used them in unique ways as they have followed Him. I am privileged to share her thoughts with you here. 

Tammy, could you please share a little of your personal story?

Tammy: I was raised in a Christian family and accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour at the age of 5. After high school I really didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, worked as a secretary, and then was introduced to my husband through Christian friends on a blind date. We were married in December 1981 and had our first son in December 1982. After the birth of our second son, with the need to purchase a home, we moved to the Antelope Valley in 1986. We attended a local Baptist church, and our children attended the Christian school. Once our children began school I chose to go back to college and earned my RN. Over the years we would have kind people knock on our door occasionally and invite us to Lancaster Baptist Church, but we were already members of a church. During a season of our lives when we weren't attending church regularly and even then we would go on Saturday night so as to not interfere with our sons’ ice hockey involvement, we once again got invited to Lancaster Baptist Church. This time my younger son Justin and I decided to go since my husband and Chris were gone that Sunday morning and we didn't have anything to do until they got home. This was Open House Sunday in May of 1994, and we have been attending faithfully ever since. Once Don and Chris attended LBC with us we realized ice hockey had to go. My husband had his own business and he was asked to join the staff about 14 years ago as the grounds keeper (of our beautiful campus, I might add) and 11 years ago I was offered a position in the college offices. Our children are grown and married and now live in San Diego, we have added six beautiful grandchildren, and we are coming up on our 22nd year at Lancaster Baptist Church.

Please share with us about your position in Admissions at WCBC, your typical work day, and what you like best about it.

Tammy: I serve in the admissions office at West Coast Baptist College. My job is to reach out to those who have applied to come to the college, follow-up with them regarding the application process, make sure we are on target for the semester they have applied for, and encourage them (and their parents) along the way. My day is filled with the processing of the applications and other necessary paperwork in the application process, along with a lot of personal contact with the students and their parents and at times their pastors. Everything that concerns a new student coming to West Coast comes across my desk, from the processing of I-20's for our international students to the awarding of scholarships. The admissions department is the clearinghouse for student contact information for the whole student body and keeping tabs on who is returning each semester. I also get to be involved in banquets and other student activities.

Can you share any practical advice or tips about how you balance home & family with work & ministry?

Tammy: Balancing home and family with work and ministry has certainly evolved over the years. I wasn't working at the college until my children were both out of high school; however, I did work as an RN at our local hospital during their school years and we also have always been very involved in the ministry at Lancaster Baptist Church prior to working here. I have always felt that my role as wife and mom is #1 - no one can fill that role to my husband and children, and they always were and are my priority. We have been able to do a lot of blending of family and ministry as my husband and I have had the privilege of serving in the youth ministry at Lancaster Baptist Church almost from the beginning, before my children were even old enough to be in the youth group. My husband also coached many of the teams they played on—baseball, football and basketball—during their junior and senior high years, which again allowed us to blend ministry with family. Today we are "empty-nesters", but my husband is still my priority. I try to always have dinner on the table for him by 6:00 (just so that he knows he is really, really important to me and I know that he is going to be really, really hungry after working all day) and consult with him on any and all "extra-curricular" activities I have a desire to do or am asked to do. 

Could you share any special hobby and why it is important to you?

Tammy: My hobbies would be reading and running and I feel so privileged that I can enjoy both of these activities. I love to read books on just how to be a better Christian; how to love God more, serve Him more. I love biographies of missionaries and also read biographies of people who have made a difference in the course of history. I do enjoy organizational "how-to's" and Christian books on leadership. The running was sort of an accident. I had read the book "Experiencing God" by Blackaby. And in it he talked about taking a walk while you talked to God to lessen the distraction of whatever was next on the list of "must-do's". So, I started walking and praying. Eventually I began alternating my walking and jogging - just for the fun of it. And, well, as they say, the rest is history.

Do you have a favorite book to recommend?

Tammy: With reading as a hobby, I don't know that I could recommend one book.:-) I love EM Bounds, Andrew Murray, and The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. I have the privilege of being a part of the "proofing" team for Striving Together Publications, a ministry of Lancaster Baptist Church, and I enjoy all of the books I get to read by an assortment of authors. I honestly do still read through the Chronicles of Narnia every few summers as well.

One of the greatest blessings is the gift of encouragement and example that others' testimonies have been to me. I hope you agree and enjoyed the interview! The way the Lord has faithfully led this family and is using them in the lives of young people (and no doubt countless others) is inspiring. It is so true that God is able to use our talents and abilities for His Glory. Truly, “A man’s gift maketh room for him…” ~Prov. 18:16

THE IMPORTANCE OF LIFE BALANCE

Life is busy, and almost everyone is prone to becoming too busy. Ask anyone how they are on any given day and see what their response is.  “Busy”, “too busy”, or even, “exhausted” are standard replies. It is sad that this has become so common.

Living a “too busy” life may seem noble in a desire to live a purposeful, productive life, but it has a negative side. For those of us serving in ministry, people are observing our example. The reality is that our schedule, in other words, how we spend our time, is a reflection of our priorities and our most visible example. Our hearts may be in the right place, but a too-busy calendar and resulting fatigue can fracture us. Our weakened condition influences others in a bad way, and painful things happen when we are sapped. Here is one result:

LIVING TOO BUSY STRESSES RELATIONSHIPS

Being too busy hurts our families and wears us out emotionally and physically. Being stretched too far hurts our ministry relationships and friendships too. It is difficult to live compassionately and patiently towards others we are trying to serve when we are emotionally drained. Everyone else truly does pay when we are too busy, especially those closest to us. The solution is:

LIFE BALANCE REQUIRES REFILLING AND RENEWING

It has been wisely said that to be able to give, we must be taking in, and taking in more than we are giving out! When we are drained our hearts may feel hopeless. When we are “filled up” we will have a hopeful, optimistic outlook. Regularly resting, reading a good book, disconnecting and drawing apart, taking extra time with the Lord, will all help refill an emotionally drained life. Do that which refuels YOU. Recently, after several weeks of ministry pressures, I was sharing with my pastor (and boss) that I was still feeling exhausted even after a “back to normal” week. He encouraged me to be patient— it also takes time to recover from exhaustion! So don’t be discouraged if it takes a bit to feel renewed—it will happen.

May I encourage you (and myself!) to make a balanced life your example? Yes, live sacrificially, and work hard. But also work to keep your balance. Be purposeful in building strong relationships. The results will be so worth it! You will preserve your own health and saneness. Your marriage and relationships with your children, family, friends, and co-workers will also be blessed much more abundantly.

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE BALANCE

Living a balanced life sets a biblical example that honors God and encourages those around you. A balanced schedule will help produce a fruitful life and make you more resilient and capable to serve others. Bless you as you choose to live a purposeful, balanced life.

“Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.” –Ecc. 4:6

A "coffee break" welcome

Thank you for visiting With Heart & Hands!   
It is my prayer that this blog will provide encouragement and practical help for your daily workday and life.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope we can become friends. Please feel free to contact me with any comments or suggestions. 

Live with joy and purpose for God's glory. Love to you,
 Leslie