amy
Created on Mar 25 2007 | Tagged as:
Amy Ocker (Leader)
My name is Amy Rose Ocker (Duryee). One of my phobias is public restroom stalls – not because of the germs, but because I don’t like openness, so I always use the handicapped stall and feel bad for it. My weaknesses: I don’t talk very well, which is why I practice all the time (and yes, my husband says ALL the time), picking out movies, and I don’t like tomatoes even though I grow them. I love my job!! I love to learn and teach. My favorite thing in all the world is watching people who I’ve played a role in their life become better than me at what they do and who they are … or introducing people to the wonder of God’s amazing world. I love discovery – how can people walk around outside and see where they are going – there is entirely too much going on for me to pay much attention to things like lamppost, stop signs, or trees. I think nature is God’s love song written especially for me and to know others hear it – well … it’s amazing.
on 25 Mar 2007 at 9:18 pm 1 Amy said …
COMPARE/CONTRAST EXPERIENCE USA CHRISTIANS/OPPRESSED CHRISTIANS
I don’t think I answered the question but I tried. OK, so I’m a pessimist at heart. There it is, my big secret. =) For those of you who don’t know me, this may come as a surprise, for those of you who do – I know you’re laughing. I know about the hurt in the world it seems that even in suburbia, sadness tracks us down and hammers us with all kinds of pain. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I seem to draw myself to those who hurt and I feel blessed to stand in their shadow and to just know about their pain, to help lighten the load or just to be there. I love my job for that reason. Jagged edges and injustice find their way to my classroom every year. It never gets easier to know what people can do to one another. But through it all, God has stood triumphant. And I know, from personal experience, that what man may do with evil in their hearts, God can use for good. My pain has translated into a sour outlook on life, a “realistic” view of the world =), and a tremendous desire to help every child I come into contact with who is broken and hurting – which is basically everyone. I will never cease to be amazed at the resiliency of those who go through hard times. God gives these people a faith that is truer and more real, than those of us who have lived a fairly easy life. And for that I thankful because without them, we would see God less clearly.
on 26 Mar 2007 at 5:37 pm 2 Amy said …
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT/PLAN FOR GROWING
I hate that I have no self-discipline. I feel I have a healthy spiritual walk WITH Jesus. He is very real to me. I love Him with everything I have. But as far as the disciplines go – I am forever weak. To pray, to meditate, to read the Bible, to talk about my faith in a powerful way…. Always, always am I striving forward. Specifically, reading the Bible tops my priority list. Mostly cause I talk well, but have a harder time listening and the Bible helps me to do that. I pray a lot – one hour commutes are a good motivator. I love church!! And I feel I enjoy serving and do pretty well with it. I love hosting. Now reading the Bible – something at times I love and at times is discipline. Consistency is what I’m looking for and hoping for. Just talking about and being part of groups like this that are active in their service to Christ I think compels you forward.
on 26 Mar 2007 at 5:39 pm 3 Amy said …
HOPE: the bedrock of my Christian faith. The way I get up every morning. The way I cling to life, when it seems it isn’t worth living.
COURAGE: something I hope for, and something I envy. Courage means you risk the pain, you take the gamble, and you put your heart on the line. I have a hard time doing that. “Reality” seems to point out to me that my life is a continual set of unmet expectations for myself. I will never be good enough, smart enough, or courageous enough. Sometimes I feel I will never try because what if I lose?
RESCUE: only one can rescue. Only the One. And the pain never disappears, it just changes. You go from being the eternal victim to a survivor. Its about taking back your authority and refusing the burden laid on you or that you laid on self. It about rejecting the abuse of power. Its about acknowledging the tremendous work of God in your life. About how God has made you “fearfully and wonderfully”. And all the life events lead you to HIM. The darker the night the brighter He shines.
WEAKNESS: I hate it in myself. I wish I was perfect.
on 29 Mar 2007 at 9:19 am 4 Amy said …
“AMAZING GRACE” INSPIRATION
More and more how important his friends were to his movement. Wilberforce had to be coaxed into his position. He didn’t claim it right away. But the difference he made… the difference of God to use a person’s obedience for his glory. God is waiting to do miracles. I think we always must ask: can I do more?
on 29 Mar 2007 at 9:19 am 5 Amy said …
LIVING OUT MY RESPONSE TO OPPRESSION/INJUSTICE
I think part of what I will be doing is going out with my “I’m going to Thailand letter” in telling all of my family where I stand and why this trip is important. My response to oppression and injustice must include giving God “my lunch” – “in the face of overwhelming need and not enough resources”. Trusting God to use what I give him to bless others, both in Thailand and at home and by showing God’s true goodness in my life in spite of injustice.
on 30 Mar 2007 at 8:56 am 6 Amy said …
So my rice for a day… I made homemade muffins that day – bad mistake. I managed but man-o-man did I want a muffin! =) Today, I decided to finish my rice with seasoning though – and what a difference a little cinnamon sugar or sweet pepper sauce makes. Thank you Lord for spices!!
on 30 Mar 2007 at 9:34 am 7 Amy said …
COURAGE IN AMAZING GRACE
4. How does this conversation differ from a youthful display of ambition?
Pitt states “Which is why we are too young to realize that certain things are impossible. So we will do them anyway.” I think this statement is at least some youthful ambition BUT because there is a plan behind it, it carries him through. It not some pie-in-the-sky idea. He plans for it and makes it his goal. He works for it.
on 31 Mar 2007 at 9:44 pm 8 Amy said …
“RESPONSE TO GOOD NEWS ABOUT INJUSTICE” I think Becky talked about this as well (from his sermon). I was most impacted by the fact that there isn’t a back up plan to us doing God’s will. When injustice wins it is because of a lack of obedient people, not for lack of a compassionate or just God. In my small group we just finished a book about how God doesn’t move (not often at least) without our asking and that prayer releases God to act in the world. I am challenged to pray (and act) with the knowledge that sometimes God is just waiting for someone to “stand in the gap”. I think this gives my prayers more fervor, more commitment, and more immediacy – knowing that God may just be waiting on me.
on 05 Apr 2007 at 7:45 pm 9 Amy said …
RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS
So Jared said I should try holding the door for others sometimes and see how it feels. So I opened the door for someone today…and they walked in the other door. I’m such a failure. =)
on 09 Apr 2007 at 2:08 pm 10 Amy said …
SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE
I’ve been writing down the bible verses that are “fitting” right now. Placing them where I see them helps, but just writing them down helps me to remember them and “store them up in my heart”. Not only do they challenge me, but with every look, I get to self-evaluate if I am living a kingdom life. Sometimes they speak words of comfort, sometimes words of perseverance, and sometimes words of hope; regardless, they have had a powerful impact on my day to day “valley” life.
on 09 Apr 2007 at 2:50 pm 11 Connor said …
Hi Mrs. Ocker, I am so excited that you are coming on the trip. You have such a cool way of looking at life and you have impacted so many students, I loved the last part of your spiritual discipline about living in the valley. Thanks for the encouragement!
on 09 Apr 2007 at 5:14 pm 12 Becky said …
Hey Teach! I just wanted to let you know that you writing down a verse has affected me too. I saw the one on your laptop a few days ago. I know that verse by heart and I’m sure many people do, but it was just the reminder I needed for that day. God works in some amazing ways and I thought it would be cool to tell you.
on 14 Apr 2007 at 7:15 am 13 Amy said …
AMERICAN VALUES
The American value I held most in line with is the idea of any action being superior to inaction. I like to do, not sit. It doesn’t mean I can’t relax but almost always I like to go, go, go. I also strongly value the realistic and practical side of life, and I do tend to belittle subjective evaluations (like feelings). Its not that I don’t appreciate emotion – it’s just if I am being completely honest I don’t think they can be trusted.
on 14 Apr 2007 at 7:25 am 14 Amy said …
BEING HUMBLE
I would say that whether you are Thai, American, or other, people generally say life is about glorifying yourself. Jesus would say “humble yourself”. I think that for any person it is difficult to humble themselves, everyone is selfish. That is why we have to lay down our life every single day. I think in America people think they deserve everything because they are so “unique” and “special” so they tend to expect everyone else to think so too. I know I do sometimes. =)
on 26 Apr 2007 at 3:39 pm 15 Amy said …
NIGHTLIGHT RESPONSE
A quote from Shining a ray of light on Thailand’s sex trade “When I press Annie whether churches can actually impact the global slave trade, she becomes resolute: “I grew up in the mission field in Zaire for most of my childhood, along with a couple years in Thailand, and I saw a great deal of injustice. But when I watch the darkness that destroys the lives of young children in the sex trade, I feel that I am confronting a profoundly evil spiritual force.”
In all my years of seeing abuse in all shapes and sizes there is something purely evil about the sexual abuse of children. A child can no longer be a child when this happens and I don’t know if they ever grow out of it… It is a type of living hell. I think dying would be preferable for most.
on 26 Apr 2007 at 3:43 pm 16 Amy said …
SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE
I did the Read, Think, Pray, Live. I spent time on Romans 5:3B-5. …Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. I’ve really been striving to live a daily hope, to be optimistic – something I am not usually familiar with…
on 10 May 2007 at 7:45 pm 17 Connor said …
Hey Mrs. Ocker,
It was great talking to you this week. I really enjoyed it. I love how you are seeking God, that is awesome. Thank you for being an encouragement to both me and your classes. And never forget our eternal hope, which leads us to a daily hope in Him.
on 14 May 2007 at 8:29 am 18 Amy said …
RESPONSE TO GOOD NEWS
Humility – As Haugen said, “ …without God I am as lost as the oppressor”. I think that thought helps keep one humble because I know I am as worthless and evil as everyone else. I think on this trip if we are to have God’s full impact then we need to know our true unworthiness without God. If you truly believe you have no worth (therefore nothing is due you) except for the worth God has given you, then perhaps you can be truly selfless.
The Cross – God suffered so we may live. So everyone may have life, and life abundant. No more words are needed.
Loving God – God allows man to become “horrors” to God and himself to allow a true love, not a forced love or love based on fear. And that is the kind of gift we should give and learn to receive.
Hope – I believe in the idea that the eternal hope can give us a hope for the future.