thirty, flirty, and thriving

engagement photos

2009-02-04T19:58:00.004-05:00

Jeff's friend, Eric, took our engagement shots in Tuscaloosa on Monday. We had so much fun! Check out our shoot on Pictage.

i'm engaged!!!

2009-01-08T09:42:00.003-05:00

i know. i've been a bad blogger. i got engaged 3 weeks ago and i have yet to post details! here is the website my very talented and detail oriented fiance created to tell our story:

www.theknot.com/ourwedding/jessicataylor&jeffbeecham

and here is a link to some pictures from our engagement night:

http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2013156&id=1006481986

we're having our engagement shots taken on feb. 2, so i will post those once i get them back!

so exciting!!!

why worry?

2008-11-21T22:44:00.003-05:00

Andy Stanley just finished a 3 part series called, "Why Worry?" He said, “Today’s worries often wipe out God’s past faithfulness.” This statement struck me and I asked myself this question, Where, when and how has God has been faithful to me in the past? It was an amazing exercise that led to great worship:

1. He has protected me from unhealthy, dead end relationships that could have resulted in marriages doomed for failure.
2. Can we get candid? He has spared me from physical abuse, unwanted pregnancies and STD's. Thank You, Jesus.
3. He has restored and renewed in me a new love and desire for a personal relationship with Him.
4. He has redeemed me from the pit of depression and rebellion.
5. He has saved me and promised me eternal life with Him in heaven.
6. He has given me second, third, and millionth chances.
7. He has replaced the father who abandoned me with 3 amazing and godly stand-in fathers: Uncle John, my step-dad, and
my sister's father-in-law.
8. He has brought women into my life who love me unconditionally, speak truth into my life, and hold me accountable on a
daily basis.
9. He has been faithful in His provisions in helping me get completely out of debt in 2/2008.
10. He strategically placed me in a family who loves the Lord their God with all their hearts, souls, and minds.
11. He brought me to NPCC in 10/2003 and provided a job within the first week of arriving.
12. He has provided abundantly above all I could ever ask or imagine without full-time work for the past 7 months.
13. He has brought a new and exciting opportunity into my life recently in starting a new business.
14. He brought the Pehrson and the Elmer families into my life. They have loved on me and taken me in as their own.
15. The closer I get to 30, the more I feel like I am comfortable being the person He created me to be.
16. He has provided me with several community groups in the last 5 years to walk through life with.
17. He created Andy Stanley and brought me to his church in 2003. Enough said.
18. He has recently brought THEE most amazing man into my life to demonstrate God's love to me most... when I deserve it the least.

so I ask, “Why Worry?” God has been ridiculously faithful in all of my life. I am deeply thankful.

The World Must Be Shown

2008-11-17T14:35:00.001-05:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

When Jesus was speaking with His disciples before His crucifixion, He gave them His parting gift: peace such as the world can never give. But He went on immediately to say, "Set your troubled hearts at rest and banish your fears.... I shall not talk much longer with you, for the Prince of this world approaches. He has no rights over me, but the world must be shown that I love the Father and do exactly as he commands" (John 14:27, 30-31, NEB).

A young mother called to ask for "something that will help me to trust in the Lord." She explained that she had several small children, she herself was thirty years old, and she had cancer. Chemotherapy had done its hideous work of making her totally bald. The prognosis was not good. Could I say to her, "Set your troubled heart at rest. God is going to heal you"? Certainly not. Jesus did not tell His disciples that He would not be killed. How do I know whether God would heal this young woman? I could, however, remind her that He would not for a moment let go of her, that His love enfolded her and her precious children every minute of every day and every night, and that underneath are the Everlasting Arms.

But is that enough? The terrible things in the world seem to make a mockery of the love of God, and the question always arises: Why!

There are important clues in the words of Jesus. The disciples' worst fears were about to be realized, yet He commanded (yes, commanded) them to be at peace. All would be well, all manner of things would be well--in the end. In a short time, however, the Prince of this world, Satan himself, was to be permitted to have his way. Not that Satan had any rights over Jesus. Far from it. Nor has he "rights" over any of God's children, including that dear mother. But Satan is permitted to approach. He challenges God, we know from the Book of Job, as to the validity of His children's faith.

God allows him to make a test case from time to time. It had to be proved to Satan, in Job's case, that there is such a thing as obedient faith which does not depend on receiving only benefits. Jesus had to show the world that He loved the Father and would, no matter what happened, do exactly what He said. The servant is not greater than his Lord. When we cry "Why, Lord?" we should ask instead, "Why not, Lord? Shall I not follow my Master in suffering as in everything else?"

Does our faith depend on having every prayer answered as we think it should be answered, or does it rest rather on the character of a sovereign Lord? We can't really tell, can we, until we're in real trouble.

I never heard more from the young woman. I neglected to ask her address. But I prayed for her, asking God to enable her to show the world what genuine faith is--the kind of faith that overcomes the world because it trusts and obeys, no matter what the circumstances. The world does not want to be told. The world must be shown. Isn't that part of the answer to the great question of why Christians suffer?

Discerning the Call of God

2008-11-07T05:10:00.000-05:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

As a little girl I especially loved the story of God's call to the child Samuel as he lay sleeping in the temple. I wondered if God would ever call me. Would I hear Him? What would He say? Throughout my growing years I read missionary stories and heard them told at our dinner table by guests from many lands who came to stay with us. I was always eager to know just how they were called. As a college student I worried much about whether I would fail to follow the Shepherd, would be deaf to His call. I thought it such a bewildering matter.

It is not a worry anymore. Experience has taught me that the Shepherd is far more willing to show His sheep the path than the sheep are to follow. He is endlessly merciful, patient, tender, and loving. If we, His stupid and wayward sheep, really want to be led, we will without fail be led. Of that I am sure.

When we need help, we wish we knew somebody who is wise enough to tell us what to do, reachable when we need him, and even able to help us. God is. Omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent--everything we need. The issue is confidence in the Shepherd Himself, a confidence so complete that we offer ourselves without any reservation whatsoever and determine to do what He says.

What He says? But how shall I know that?

He calls us every day, "o'er the tumult of our life's wild, restless sea." He comes to us in the little things, in the ordinary duties which our place in life entails. When I was a child He called me. The duty which my place in life entailed was obedience to my father and mother. In school and Sunday School He called me through the teacher. What she said I knew I was supposed to do. In first grade (yes, in public school) we sang the hymn, "Father, We Thank Thee." The second stanza says, "Help us to do the things we should, to be to others kind and good, in all we do at work or play to grow more loving every day." God's call again.

It's alluring to think of our own situation as very complex and ourselves as deep and complicated, so that we waste a good deal of time puzzling over "the will of God." Frequently our conscience has the answer.

My friend Jim O'Donnell tells how he, a hard-headed, hard-hearted man of the world, found Christ. His conscience was awakened. The call of God was immediate: "Go home and love your wife." The change was so sudden and so radical, Lizzie could not make head or tail of what had come over him. This self-confident and self-interested man had quit living for himself. He had died. An altogether new kind of life was now his. The first difference it made was the difference that mattered most--in his private life. It was there that he began to obey.

We are not talking here about audible voices. Although people in Bible times often heard God speak, we can expect that He will usually speak today through conscience, through the written Word, through other people, and through events. Events themselves, the seemingly insignificant happenings of every day, reveal the will of God. They are the will of God for us, for while we live, move, and have our being here on earth, in this place, this family, this house, this job, we live, move, and have our being in God. He "pulls strings through circumstances," as Jim Elliot said, even the bad circumstances (see Genesis 45:8, 50:20).

Three questions may help to clarify the call of God. Have I made up my mind to do what He says, no matter what the cost? Am I faithfully reading His Word and praying? Am I obedient in what I know today of His will?

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul" (Psalm 143:8, NIV).

A New Thanksgiving

2008-10-26T20:32:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Those who call Thanksgiving "Turkey Day," I suppose, take some such view as this: Unless we have Someone to thank and something to thank Him for, what's the point of using a name that calls up pictures of religious people in funny hats and Indians bringing corn and squash?

Christians, I hope, focus on something other than a roasted bird. We do have Someone to thank and a long list of things to thank Him for, but sometimes we limit our thanksgiving merely to things that look good to us. As our faith in the character of God grows deeper we see that heavenly light is shed on everything--even on suffering--so that we are enabled to thank Him for things we would never have thought of before. The apostle Paul, for example, saw even suffering itself as a happiness (Colossians 1:24, NEB).

I have been thinking of something that stifles thanksgiving. It is the spirit of greed--the greed of doing, being, and having.

When Satan came to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, his bait was intended to inspire the lust to do more than the Father meant for Him to do--to go farther, demonstrate more power, act more dramatically. So the enemy comes to us in these days of frantic doing. We are ceaselessly summoned to activities: social, political, educational, athletic, and--yes--spiritual. Our "self-image" (deplorable word!) is dependent not on the quiet and hidden "Do this for My sake," but on the list the world hands us of what is "important." It is a long list, and it is both foolish and impossible. If we fall for it, we neglect the short list.

Only a few things are really important, and for those we have the promise of divine help: sitting in silence with the Master in order to hear His word and obey it in the ordinary line of duty--for example, in being a good husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, or spiritual father or mother to those nearby who need protection and care--humble work which is never on the world's list because it leads to nothing impressive on one's resume. As Washington Gladden wrote in 1879, "O Master, let me walk with Thee/In lowly paths of service free...."

Temptation comes also in the form of being. The snake in the garden struck at Eve with the promise of being something which had not been given. If she would eat the fruit forbidden to her, she could "upgrade her lifestyle" and become like God. She inferred that this was her right, and that God meant to cheat her of this. The way to get her rights was to disobey Him.

No new temptation ever comes to any of us. Satan needs no new tricks. The old ones have worked well ever since the Garden of Eden, although sometimes under different guises. When there is a deep restlessness for which we find no explanation, it may be due to the greed of being--what our loving Father never meant us to be. Peace lies in the trusting acceptance of His design, His gifts, His appointment of place, position, capacity. It was thus that the Son of Man came to earth--embracing all that the Father willed Him to be, usurping nothing--no work, not even a word--that the Father had not given Him.

Then there is the greed of having. When "a mixed company of strangers" joined the Israelites, the people began to be greedy for better things (Numbers 11:4, NEB). God had given them exactly what they needed in the wilderness: manna. It was always enough, always fresh, always good (sounds good to me, anyway, "like butter-cakes"). But the people lusted for variety. These strangers put ideas into their heads. "There's more to life than this stuff. Is this all you've got? You can have more. You gotta live a little!"

So the insistence to have it all took hold on God's people and they began to wail, "all of them in their families at the opening of their tents." There is no end to the spending, getting, having. We are insatiable consumers, dead set on competing, upgrading, showing off ("If you've got it, flaunt it"). We simply cannot bear to miss something others deem necessary. So the world ruins the peace and simplicity God would give us. Contentment with what He has chosen for us dissolves, along with godliness, while, instead of giving thanks, we lust and wail, teaching our children to lust and wail too. (Children of the jungle tribe I knew years ago did not complain because they had not been taught to.)

Lord, we give You thanks for all that You in Your mercy have given us to be and to do and to have. Deliver us, Lord, from all greed to be and to do and to have anything not in accord with Your holy purposes. Teach us to rest quietly in Your promise to supply, recognizing that if we don't have it we don't need it. Teach us to desire Your will--nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

Thanksgiving for What is Given

2008-10-25T15:57:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Some people are substituting "Turkey Day" for Thanksgiving. I guess it must be because they are not aware that there's anybody to thank, and they think that the most important thing about the holiday is food. Christians know there is Somebody to thank, but often when we make a list of things to thank Him for we include only things we like. A bride and groom can't get away with that. They write a note to everybody, not only the rich uncle who gave the couple matching BMWs, but the poor aunt who gave them a crocheted toilet-paper cover. In other words, they have to express thanks for whatever they've received.

Wouldn't that be a good thing for us to do with God? We are meant to give thanks "in everything" even if we're like the little girl who said she could think of a lot of things she'd rather have than eternal life. The mature Christian offers not just polite thanks but heartfelt thanks that springs from a far deeper source than his own pleasure. Thanksgiving is a spiritual exercise, necessary to the building of a healthy soul. It takes us out of the stuffiness of ourselves into the fresh breeze and sunlight of the will of God. The simple act of thanking Him is for most of us an abrupt change of activity, a break from work and worry, a move toward re-creation.

I am not suggesting the mouthing of foolish platitudes, or evasion of the truth. That is not how God is glorified, or souls fortified. I want to see clearly what I have been given and to thank Him with an honest heart. What are the "givens"?

Thankless children we all are, more or less, comprehending but dimly the truth of God's fathomless love for us. We do not know Him as a gracious Giver, we do not understand His most precious gifts, or the depth of His love, the wisdom with which He has planned our lives, the price He pays to bring us to glory and fulfillment. When some petty private concern or perhaps some bad news depresses or confuses me, I am in no position to be thankful. Far from it. That is the time, precisely then, that I must begin by deliberately putting my mind on some great Realities.

What are these "givens"? What do I most unshakably believe in? God the Father Almighty. Jesus Christ His only Son. The Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, the life everlasting. Not a long list, but all we need. "The necessary supplies issued to us, the standard equipment of the Christian." We didn't ask for any of them. (Imagine having nothing more than we've asked for!) They are given.

Take the list of whatever we're not thankful for and measure it against the mighty foundation stones of our faith. The truth of our private lives can be understood only in relation to those Realities. Some of us know very little of suffering, but we know disappointments and betrayals and losses and bitterness. Are we really meant to thank God for such things? Let's be clear about one thing: God does not cause all the things we don't like. But He does permit them to happen because it is in this fallen world that we humans must learn to walk by faith. He doesn't leave us to ourselves, however. He shares every step. He walked this lonesome road first, He gave Himself for us, He died for us. "Can we not trust such a God to give us, with Him, everything else that we can need?" (Romans 8:32, PHILLIPS). Those disappointments give us the chance to learn to know Him and the meaning of His gifts, and, in the midst of darkness, to receive His light. Doesn't that transform the not thankful list into a thankful one?

these are a few of my favorite things

2008-10-16T21:13:00.000-04:00

Charmin Plus Toilet Paper

Tender care for derrières! Charmin Plus is the only bath tissue that contains soothing lotion. It’s just right for pampering your skin. Charmin Plus with lotion leaves skin soft and smooth.
I am NOT kidding, ya'll! I am IN LOVE with this TP. Ask anyone who has ever lived with me how much I rant and rave about it! It makes my hiney very happy!

Aveda Dry Remedy Conditioner

Drenches even the driest, most brittle hair with moisture, leaving it soft, supple, touchable.
It's hard to spend $24 on a conditioner but you get what you pay for. My hair THRIVES with this goodness and a little goes a long way!

Dove Deep Moisture Facial Cleansing Cloths

Designed to reveal skin that looks and feels renewed, Deep Moisture Facial Cleansing Cloths leave your skin soft, smooth and completely clean. Use them as part of your normal face care routine instead of makeup removers, cleansers, exfoliators and toners. Soft cloths release a luxurious lather. I use these every night!!!

Votivo Deep Clover Glass Candle

A gentle blending of recently mowed fescue and rye grass, the clean fresh scent is enlivened with the tangy appeal of red clover peppered with wood chips and earthen moss perfect for a day of self pampering under a blanket of white billowy clouds contrasted against a lush lawn of youth. I am a huge fan of scented candles and this is my all-time favorite! It burns perfectly and lasts and lasts! The packaging makes it a perfect gift! (For anyone turning 30.) (On 1/28/09.) ahem.... ;-)

OPI Nail Polish in "Your Royal Shyness"

I love natural and clean looking nails and this is my all time favorite color polish for my fingers and toes!!

kids say the darndest things

2008-10-16T19:54:00.004-04:00

4 year old Tatum: "Miss Jessica, what is that blue stuff on your eyes?"

jnt: "It's called eye shadow!"

Tatum: "Did you wear it at your wedding?"

jnt: "Well, seeing as I've never been married, no, i didn't."

Tatum: "Why aren't you married?"

jnt: "That's a GREAT question, Tatum. I ask God that very question all the time." :)

bless her heart.

Humdudgeons or Contentment

2008-10-13T16:59:00.002-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

The word humdudgeon is a new one to me and I like the sound of it. It means "a loud complaint about a trifle." Heard any of those lately around your house? One mother thought of an excellent antidote: all humdudgeons must be presented not orally but in writing, "of two hundred words or more." There was a sudden marked reduction in whining and complaining.

Parents, by example, teach their children to whine. No wonder it is so difficult to teach them not to! Listen to conversations in the elevator, at the hairdresser's, at the next table in the restaurant. Everybody's whining about everything--weather, health, the president, the IRS, the insurance mess, traffic, the kids.

Human life is full of trouble, which doesn't come from the dust, said Job's friend Eliphaz, nor does it sprout from the ground. Man is born to trouble. Compare your list of troubles with one famous man's:

He had a difficult childhood
Less than one year of formal schooling
Failed in business at age 31
Defeated for legislature at 32
Failed again in business at 33
Elected to the legislature at 34
His fiancee died when he was 35
Defeated for speaker at 38
Defeated for electorate at 40
At 42 married a woman who became a burden, not a help
Only one of four sons lived past age 18
Defeated for congress at 43
Elected to congress at 46
Defeated for congress at 48
Defeated for senate at 55
Defeated for vice president at 56
Defeated for senate at 58
Finally elected president.
He was Abraham Lincoln, of course. When I look at his list of setbacks, I wonder if I've ever had a problem.

Adler said, "It is a categorical demand of the neurotic's lifespan that he should fail through the guilt of others and thus be free of responsibility." That sobered me. Is my response to failure instantly to lay the blame on somebody else? Is there always an excuse, a complaint, an inner whine!

A spirit of calm contentment always accompanies true godliness. The deep peace that comes from deep trust in God's lovingkindness is not destroyed even by the worst of circumstances, for those Everlasting Arms are still cradling us, we are always "under the Mercy." Corrie ten Boom was "born to trouble" like the rest of us, but in a German concentration camp she jumped to her feet every morning and exuberantly sang "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus!" She thanked the Lord for the little parade of ants that marched through her cell, bringing her company. When Paul and Silas were in prison, they prayed and sang. It isn't troubles that make saints, but their response to troubles.

Even miracles can't make us holy. Paul reminded the Corinthians that the Israelites were all guided by the same cloud, all had the experience of passing through the sea, all ate the same supernatural food, and all drank the same supernatural drink. "In spite of this, most of them failed to please God and their corpses littered the desert" (1 Corinthians 10:5, JB). The reason for His displeasure came down to a single root: discontent, which included "wicked lusts for forbidden things (idols and illicit sex, for which 23,000 were killed in one day) and complaining because they wanted things perfectly legitimate in themselves which God had not given--leeks and onions and garlic and cucumbers and fish--and stood at their tent doors, parents and children together wailing "Here we are, wasting away, stripped of everything; there is nothing but manna for us to look at!" Numbers 11:6, JB). Many were struck with a plague and died.

When Paul's flesh was tormented by a sharp thorn, he naturally wanted it removed. He made this request known to God, but the answer was No. God didn't change Paul's physical condition, He changed his spiritual one. He gave him what he needed more than healing. He gave him the high ministry of heaven called grace. Paul not only accepted the answer, he learned even to be very thankful for weakness itself, for "power comes to its full strength in weakness."

Everything about which we are tempted to complain may be the very instrument whereby the Potter intends to shape His clay into the image of His Son--a headache, an insult, a long line at the check-out, someone's rudeness or failure to say thank you, misunderstanding, disappointment, interruption. As Amy Carmichael said, "See in it a chance to die," meaning a chance to leave self behind and say YES to the will of God, to be "conformable unto His death." Not a morbid martyr-complex but a peaceful and happy contentment in the assurance that goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives. Wouldn't our children learn godliness if they saw the example of contentment instead of complaint? acceptance instead of rebellion? peace instead of frustration?

May ours be the spirit of the seventeen-year-old Lady Jane Grey, who prayed this prayer in her prison cell before she was beheaded in 1554:

O merciful God, be Thou unto me
A strong Tower of defence,
I humbly entreat Thee.
Give me grace to await Thy leisure,
And patiently to bear
What Thou doest unto me;
Nothing doubting or mistrusting
Thy goodness towards me;
For Thou knowest what is good for me
Better than I do.
Therefore do with me in all things
What Thou wilt;
Only arm me, I beseech Thee,
With Thine armor,
That I may stand fast;
Above all things taking to me
The shield of faith;
Praying always that I may
Refer myself wholly to Thy will,
Abiding Thy pleasure, and comforting myself
In those troubles which it shall please Thee
To send me, seeing such troubles are
Profitable for me; and I am
Assuredly persuaded that all Thou doest
Cannot but be well; and unto Thee
Be all honor and glory. Amen.

Where Will Complaining Get You?

2008-10-12T20:37:00.003-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

When we were in Dallas for a visit, we were the guests of our dear friend Nina Jean Obel. As we sat one morning in her beautiful sunshiny yellow and pale-green kitchen, she reminded us of how, in the story in Deuteronomy 1, when the Israelites were within fourteen days of the Promised Land, they complained. Complaining was a habit which had angered Moses, their leader, to the point where he wished he were dead. "How can I bear unaided the heavy burden you are to me, and put up with your complaints?" he asked. They headed for Horeb, but when they reached the hill country of the Amorites they refused to believe the promises and insisted on sending spies to see what sort of a land it was. The spies came back with a glowing report, but the people didn't believe that either. Never mind the lovely fruit the land offered. There were giants in the land; they'd all be killed. There were huge fortifications towering to the sky. How would they ever conquer them?

It was the neurotic's attitude. No answer would do. No solution offered was good enough. The promises of God, the direction of Moses, the report of the spies--all unacceptable. The people had already made up their minds that they didn't like anything God was doing. They "muttered treason." They said the Lord hated them. He brought them out only to have them wiped out by the Amorites. O God, what a fate. O God, why do you treat us this way? O God, how are we going to get out of this? It's your fault. You hate us. Moses hates us. Everything and everybody's against us.

Nina Jean said she made up her mind that if complaining was the reason God's people were denied the privilege of entering Canaan, she was going to quit it. She set herself a tough task: absolutely no complaining for fourteen days. It was a revelation to her--first, of how strong a habit it had become, and second, of how different the whole world looked when she did not complain. I get the impression when I'm around Nina Jean that the fourteen-day trial was enough to kick the habit. I've never heard her complain.

It's not just the sunshine and the colors that make her kitchen a nice place to be. It's that Nina Jean is there. I'd like to create that sort of climate for the people I'm around. I've set myself the same task.

---------------------------------

i am taking this on as my newest challenge too... ABSOLUTELY NO COMPLAINING for 14 days! care to join me?

What Do You Mean By Submission?

2008-10-11T08:57:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

People are always asking me this. What is this business of "submission" you're always talking about? We're not really very comfortable with this. Seems kinds of negative. Sounds as though women are not worth as much as men. Aren't women supposed to exercise their gifts? Can't they ever open their mouths?

I wouldn't be very comfortable with that kind of submission either. As a matter of fact, I'm not particularly comfortable with any kind, but since it was God's idea and not mine, I had better come to terms with what the Bible says about it and stop rejecting the whole thing just because it is so often misunderstood and wrongly defined. I came across a lucid example of what it means in 1 Chronicles 11:10, NEB: "Of David's heroes these were the chief, men who lent their full strength to his government and, with all Israel, joined in making him king." There it is. The recognition, first of all, of God-given authority. Recognizing it, accepting it, they then lent their full strength to it, and did everything in their power to make him--not them--king.

Christians--both men and women--recognize first the authority of Christ. They pray "Thy will be done." They set about making an honest effort to cooperate with what He is doing, straightening out the kinks in their own lives according to His wishes. A Christian woman, then, in submission to God, recognizes the divinely assigned authority of her husband (he didn't earn it, remember, he received it by appointment!. She then sets about lending her full strength to helping him do what he's supposed to do, be what he's supposed to be--her head. She's not always trying to get her own way. She's trying to make it easier for him to do his job. She seeks to contribute to his purpose, not to scheme how to accomplish her own.

If this sounds suspiciously like some worn-out traditionalist view, or (worse) like a typical Elisabeth Elliot opinion, test it with the straightedge of Scripture. What does submission to Christ mean? "Wives, submit yourself to your husbands, as to the Lord." Compare and connect.

The 8 Day Challenge Day 8

2008-10-08T08:18:00.003-04:00

Thought of the Day
"I am drenched with the joy of God and all is well."

Congratulations for sticking with the challenge for eight days! How did it go yesterday with building up and multiplying joy in the life of that one special person? What about the other 4 people who have participated with you? Have you checked up on their progress? Bear in mind that the 4:8 principle tends to impact your relationships more than anything else.

Your eight day experiment of deliberately searching for and cultivating the good stuff in your life officially ends after you drift to sleep this evening. Of course, I hope and certainly encourage you to continue filtering your thoughts, words, and actions through Philippians 4:8 indefinitely. For a quick reinforcement, reread this powerfully simple verse from The Message:

"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse." Philippians 4:8 (MSG)

Recently, I was asked by a nine year-old about The 8-Day Challenge. I explained that it was a little game to see how many grown-ups could think and talk only about the good stuff in their life for eight straight days. The little boy then asked me what happened to the losers...

The single most effective method for extending the benefits of The 8-Day Challenge is developing the habit of asking, re-asking, and then answering 4:8 Questions. A 4:8 Question is a question about your life that extracts a positive response. When you change the questions you consistently ask yourself, you start thinking differently. The 4:8 Questions are a simple tool to displace negativity in the short term and help you take conscious control of your repeated thoughts over the long haul.

These questions reroute your attention to the best things in your life. Even on tax day, you'll find that 4:8 Questions immediately change what you're focusing on. Consequently, they affect how you feel, as well as your level of creativity, excitement, and joy at any given moment. When you ask better questions, you receive better answers. Do you believe God wants you to launch into each day with joy? Try these questions immediately upon waking, during your Early Morning Joy Ritual (EMJR):

What are 4 things that I'm grateful to God for this morning?
What are 4 of my strengths, and how can I use them today?
What are 4 of my recent victories, and who was blessed as a result?
What 4 relationships could I influence positively today?
What are 4 things that I'm excited about experiencing over the next twelve hours?
Each of the questions above demands a positive response, and by asking for four answers to each, I am compelling you to dwell on the positive. After all, you cannot completely control the thoughts that are triggered from your surroundings, but you can unquestionably control what you choose to dwell and fix your mind upon.

To get these questions working for you, put a copy where you can see them often, such as on a bathroom mirror, a night table, your computer screen, the refrigerator, or the steering wheel of your car. You could even make a screen saver containing your 4:8 Questions or tape them to your treadmill, Stairmaster or exercise bike. Keep them "top of mind" as much as possible throughout the day, almost like you're advertising reasons to be joyful. Remember that your potential for joy is limited only by your preparation for joy.

Question of the Day
In what ways could you better prepare yourself to live, give and love with joy, regardless of what is going on around you?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...or the extra mile)
Design, in writing, your ideal Early Morning Joy Ritual (EMJR), emphasizing the First Fifteen minutes of your day. (See page 141)

1. read Scripture, listen to worship songs, pray
2. avoid TV and negative thoughts
3. prepare for my EMJR the night before by setting out a journal, a book, my Bible, going to bed early enough to give me at least 8 hours of sleep
4. the instant i wake up, tell myself "this is the day that the Lord has made; rejoice! and be glad in it! i am so incredibly blessed." thank God for another day of grace.
5. the instant i wake up, avoid telling myself "it's gonna be a long day..." or turning my thoughts to what i DON'T have
6. intensify my gratitude in the First Fifteen by journaling my answers to the 4:8 Questions and journaling 5 things each day that i am grateful for
7. use prayer and Scripture to talk and listen to God
8. carry my answers to the day's 4:8 Questions around with me all day to keep my mind on 4:8 Thoughts

a devotion i read today...

2008-10-07T20:20:00.002-04:00

A few years ago, I sat with a beautiful young woman and watched the tears stream down her face. Six months before our meeting, her world was filled with so much. A loving husband, a healthy toddler, fun friends, and a new starter home that her mom helped her decorate.

Life was full.

But some part of her heart still felt restless, unsettled, a little empty. She couldn't put her finger on it. She tried talking to some of her friends but they laughed it off as something related to hormones that would pass.

Only the feeling didn't pass.

She started to feel detached from her husband and disappointed that his love didn't fulfill her. Why couldn't he make her feel loved? She'd always thought of marriage as the ultimate love. He was going to be the one to right her wrongs, fill up her insecurities and give her a lasting feeling of love, or so she thought.

Questions bombarded her constantly... What is wrong with him? Why didn't he say what he's supposed to say? Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm not pretty enough, witty enough, good enough?

Then one day she met a man that said things she'd longed to hear her husband say. He made her feel pretty and witty. Soon, she rationalized that she'd never really loved her husband in the first place. She'd made a mistake marrying so young. This new man was her true soul mate.

She fell into his arms. A web of lies was spun. The thrill of new romance clouded her every decision.

She had not wanted to come to the women's retreat. She knew it might make her feel guilty and she was past any guilty feelings. She was just waiting for the right time to leave her husband and start over with the real love of her life.

But her friends had started to grow suspicious of her pulling back from so many church activities. So, to appease them, she went.

Over the course of the weekend, the walls she'd so carefully constructed to keep everyone at a distance and her secret safe started to crumble. By Saturday night, she sat down with me and confessed her secret.

She desperately wanted to know how I felt so full of God's love. She'd never known that kind of relationship with God. She was now convinced it wasn't the love of another man her heart craved, it was the love of God.

I think this is true of many people. We spend years chasing things in this world that we think will make us feel loved. But everything this world has to offer is temporary. Everything. The kind of love our souls crave is lasting, eternal. And only God can fill up our hearts with that kind of love.

The sad thing about chasing love outside the will of God is it invites so much into our lives that is the exact opposite of love. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 is picture of God's perfect love. It is patient. It is kind. It does not envy... it is not self-seeking... it does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth... it always protects... it always perseveres. Love never fails.

This is not a description of what is inherently ours when we fall in love with another person. It is a description of God's love. This kind of love can be ours as we become more Christ like and decide to give this kind of love. It is never focused inwardly. It is never about what I'm going to get from another person. It is deciding this is the kind of love I will give away.

The things we chase in this world are so opposite from God's love. False attempts at love will make us impatient, unkind, envious, self-seeking, resistant to the truth, reckless and temporary.

I am challenged by this. Because our souls were designed for God's fulfilling love, if we aren't staying closely connected to Him everyday, our hearts will start to feel empty. Restless. Unfulfilled.

Let us never get to the place where we think we are strong enough to not be tempted in this way. If we are all completely honest, we are only a few bad decisions away from the same kind of mess my sweet friend is now trying to untangle herself from. While I have complete hope in God's ability to restore her, the consequences of her chase for love will be severe on many levels.

Oh sweet friends, can we make a commitment together today? Can we commit to be women who recognize how crafty Satan can be and how vulnerable we are when it comes to our need for love?

And if something or somebody in this world seems appealing enough to draw our hearts away from the truth of God, we commit to being women who will readily admit it to another godly woman and ask for help.

The kind of love our souls crave will never be found in the things of this world. The only lasting and perfectly satisfying love will only be found when we stop chasing and start living out the truths of God.

The 8 Day Challenge Day 7

2008-10-07T08:31:00.003-04:00

Thought of the Day
"I bring out the best in the people I appreciate the most."

Good morning and welcome back!

What's going great in your world? I expect you're doing awesome and you still have two days to make even more progress.

For today, I want you to focus on building up one particular person with your prayers, thoughts, words, and actions. This is your 4:8 target for the day. Only one rule; don't let this person know that they are your "target." I don't know who this individual is, but I believe you do.

Pick one person to concentrate almost all of your 4:8 energy on... just for today. This could be your spouse, a child, sibling, friend, parent, business partner, boss, top client, or someone else that is special in your life. Maybe this individual really needs your attention because they are facing challenging circumstances or possibly you decide to focus on this person simply because they are so important to you. Before you go any further, ask God for guidance in selecting your target.

So who is it going to be? Who in your life could benefit the most right now from some 4:8 power and affection? Take a brief moment and crystallize an image of this person in your mind's eye. Picture your target with a big smile on their face, feeling terrific about themselves and their life, in part because of your 4:8 efforts on their behalf. Don't tell your target what you are doing, but ask God to use you this day as an ambassador of joy in this person's life.

There is enormous power in concentration! Often times, we spread ourselves thin diluting our potential for influence and impact with the very people we love the most. Too frequently, we unintentionally give our prime-time energy to the "Optional 80%," leaving only leftovers for the "Required 20%" whom we value the most. For this one day, make sure this does NOT happen. Go all out and make multiplying joy for this one person your absolute top priority. Remember, this is just one day, not one week... Ask God to multiply their joy through your thinking, speaking and acting today.

Looking for ideas? Here are a few that will get your brain moving in the right direction, but the rest, though, is up to you. What will you choose to do today?

Compliment and encourage your 4:8 target beyond the norm.
Leave a special handwritten note of general gratitude.
Ask your target "how they would like you to pray for them."
Plan a future tribute or surprise that is excellent and noble.
Leave a short voice mail appreciating your target in some specific way.
Pray for joy to increase in this person's life beyond all measure.
Shower your target with mini-prayers of blessing throughout the day.
Brainstorm 8 ways to "lighten the load" and reduce stress in your target's life.
Verbalize something very positive about your target to 4 other people.
Question of the Day
Are you spreading way more joy than you hope to receive?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...or the extra mile)
Make a firm decision that you will treat this special person like you did today...for the next 8 days.

The 8 Day Challenge Day 6

2008-10-06T10:13:00.003-04:00

Thought of the Day
"With God's help, I leave the junk behind."

Good morning everyone! Five days down, three to go.

For this sixth day, I want you to focus on forgiveness.

To live with maximum joy, you must forgive everyone in your life, past or present, for all the silly, spineless, nutty, nasty, gutless, cruel, spiteful, harmful, insensitive things they've ever done to you, both real and imagined. (Did I leave anything out?) As I mention in the book, life is way too short to be negative.

We're all human and stuff happens. Move on. Never let an old wound fester due to excessive attention. When you carry around bitterness, hostility, and other emotional baggage, you live in the past and cannot possibly realize your potential for joy. It is impossible to feel terrific about yourself when you are lugging around resentment toward another person. I may be wrong, but I suspect this is by divine design. You must either develop an ultra-thick skin or become a perpetual forgiveness machine--preferably both.

Forgive yourself early and often--and mean it! It is imperative to forgive yourself, without mental reservation, for your stupid choices, inappropriate thoughts, limiting words, foolish behaviors, negative beliefs, and all the other self-defeating things you've ever done. Because you are not perfect, forgiving yourself will be an ongoing process. Remarkably, you only have to do this . . . forever! That's okay; you're not alone.

Guilt isn't practical anyway. It forces you to experience the present moment while paralyzed by past mistakes. When you have setbacks or slip a bit, you aren't any less valuable. You simply have something to learn from slipping. Make sure you learn it, as learning from the past is much better than reliving it. Make forgiving yourself a mandatory element in your daily joy ritual. Forget your failures and relive your joys.

Don't expect to feel any different instantly. The emotional blessing often lags behind the actual act of forgiveness. Just accept God's grace and restoration for the incredible gift that it is. Leave the junk behind so you can make room for the joy. Practice forgiving yourself regularly--and mean it sincerely.

Question of the Day
Have you given yourself permission to live life to the fullest?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...or the extra mile)
Pray the following today...

Heavenly Father,

How awesome it is that you know everything about me and love me anyway! Upgrade my opinion of myself and my vision for the future so I never feel the need to protect and preserve the past. Allow me to see myself today with as much significance as you see me. Keep my focus ahead of me rather than behind me.

Grant me the courage to push beyond previous boundaries in all areas of my life. Show me how to be a faithful steward of my one and only opportunity to magnify the greatness you have placed within me. Lead me away from complacency and any temptation to settle for less than what you know is my absolute best.

Restore me this day, and make me whole and complete.

In His name,

Amen

The 8 Day Challenge Day 5

2008-10-05T09:52:00.003-04:00

Thought of the Day
"I feel what I dwell upon...and I feel fantabulous."

A joyful morning to everyone and welcome back!
We're on day five and today I want to highlight the connection between Philippians 4:8 and the strength and quality of your emotional life. Positive attitudes do produce positive emotions.

To put it rather mildly, the Apostle Paul was well ahead of his time when it came to understanding the human condition and in particular the mind of man. Paul knew that the root of destructive emotions is destructive thinking. As a proactive measure, he instructed us to think on noble things so that we would experience noble emotions.

No doubt about it, our Creator wants us to experience the bliss of His love, peace and joy. If you believe that negative emotions are outside God's will for your life, it provides a wonderful incentive to get really picky about the thoughts you allow to occupy your mind. Remember that the quality of your emotional life right now reveals the quality of your most recent thinking patterns.

There are strings attached. Your emotional life can advance only after your negative thoughts retreat. You will most definitely feel what you dwell upon. This is exactly why Paul, knowing we would have a choice to do otherwise, urged us to fix our minds on what is lovely, pure, excellent and worthy of praise. And consistently thinking about the good stuff supercharges your capacity to experience the richness of life that God wants for all of us.

Your current feelings reveal what you've recently been dwelling upon. So, if your emotional life today is not where you ultimately want it to be, then your top priority should be shifting your attention to your blessings, to your strengths, and to the aspects of your life that are working.

Refuse to fuel negative emotions by constantly talking about what is wrong with your marriage, your oldest kid, your sore back, your strange neighbors, and the world in general. This is 8:4 thinking. Instead, broadcast your blessings to anyone who will listen. Verbalize your exciting vision for the future to trusted friends and allies. This is 4:8 thinking!

Question of the Day
What would have to happen for you to improve your emotional life by 30 percent?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...or the extra mile)
Make a list of the eight emotions you desire to experience most often. Then, next to each, identify the sort of thoughts that would naturally precede such emotions. Give specific examples for each. Decide whether or not these emotional blessings are worth pursuing.

1. passion: thinking about my future husband!
2. joy: my nephew's smile, spending time with my family
3. confidence: trusting that I am who God says I am, words of affirmation, learning thru reading scripture or hearing sermons
4. gratitude: counting my blessings
5. peace: knowing that God is in control and I'm not
6. satisfaction: doing what i was made to do- loving on others..
7. awe: being outside in nature, worshiping
8. excitement: the little things- it could be scented candles, wine & cheese, a candlelit dinner, deck sitting, dark chocolate, fall
weather

The 8 Day Challenge Day 4

2008-10-04T09:39:00.001-04:00

Thought of the Day
"Thanks for everything."

Good morning 4:8 thinkers!

Welcome back! We’re on day four and today I want you to practice being exceptionally grateful for your life just as it is at this moment. Remember, this challenge is about focusing on the good stuff! Today, I want you to pray, think, speak and behave like a highly appreciative human being.

When you experience a sense of gratitude, it means that you have been harboring thoughts of appreciation for the abundance in your life. When you feel a sense of deficiency, it does not necessarily mean that you are lacking something important. What it does mean is that you have recently been dwelling upon what is missing, very likely to the exclusion of what is present.

You might have been thinking about your spouse’s annoying quirks and overlooking all the reasons you married him or her in the first place. You might have been thinking about being under financial pressure and forgetting that you have just about everything money can’t buy. Gratitude involves channeling your energy and attention toward what is present and working rather than toward what’s absent and ineffective.

Gratitude is like a mental gearshift that takes you from turbulence to peacefulness, from stagnation to creativity. Gratitude brings you back to the present moment, to all that is working well in your life right now. Gratitude is the cornerstone of an unstoppable, 4:8 attitude. And gratitude can be cultivated and then experienced at ever-deepening levels.

Gratitude is also an effective antidote to most negative emotions. For example, you cannot experience gratitude and hostility at the same time; you have to make a choice. Which one is it going to be? The more you appreciate today, the more things you will notice tomorrow to be grateful for.

On the flip side, the less appreciative you are today, the fewer blessings you will tend to acknowledge tomorrow. You are going to draw more joy out of your business, out of your marriage, out of your family life, and out of all the other aspects of your existence when you make a commitment to become a genuinely grateful person.

Question of the Day
Are you certain that the people you love the most know how grateful you are for them?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit…or the extra mile)
Today, make a list of four people in your life who have pushed you to become a better person and call, email, or write a personal note of appreciation to each within the next 48 hours.

The 8 Day Challenge Day 3

2008-10-03T21:38:00.005-04:00

Thought of the Day
"A healthy mind produces joy like a healthy body produces energy."

Good morning 4:8 thinkers!

What do you think? So far, has it been easier or harder than you expected?

Regardless of how well you've done to this point, remember that living consistently with Philippians 4:8 is not just an 8-day challenge, it's a permanent pursuit, a way of life. Like the first two weeks of a famous diet, this 8-day mental fast was designed to eliminate unhealthy cravings for unhelpful thoughts.

Similar to the physical diet, you've decided in advance to reduce certain "High-Carb Thoughts" and increase other lean, healthy thoughts. Even better, this relatively short exercise allows you to make significant progress quickly so that you'll be motivated to stick with this mindset for the rest of your life and, of course, spread joy indefinitely.

If your goal is to lose weight, then you know what you have to do. You must change your diet. You have to decide in advance what kind of food and drink is consistent with your weight-loss goals and what kind is not. And for this change in diet to be effective in the long run, you'll probably need to remove the junk food and unhealthy snacks from your environment and replace them with healthy, energy-producing choices.

Likewise, if your goal is to experience maximum joy, you have to change your mental diet. If you are serious about making progress in this area, you must alter the exposures that trigger negativity in the first place. You must toss the junk thoughts that oppose God's promises, and instead, stock your surroundings with joy-producing inputs that encourage right thinking and discourage negative, lazy thinking.

Questions of the Day
How much joy do you think you can stand? How much junk are you willing to put up with? What do you really want?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...or the extra mile)
To build awareness of your joy-producing inputs, make a very specific inventory in writing of the most constructive exposures in your life in a typical week. These are the influences that make it easier and more natural to live in sync with 4:8. Then do the same on negative side. For both lists, consider daily rituals, certain people, chronic conversations, TV habits, reading material, weekly traditions, news consumption, etc.

Constructive Exposures-
1. reading and meditating on Scripture and other Christian books
2. spending time in prayer and gratitude
3. spending time with people who build me up instead of bring me down
4. worshiping
5. being outside in nature, reveling in God's creation
6. listening to sermons while i work out
7. Elisabeth Elliot's daily devotionals

Destructive Exposures-
1. gossiping or being exposed to gossip
2. watching TV
3. focusing on my feelings instead of on truth
4. looking through woman's or gossip magazines
5. comparing myself to others
6. certain websites

7. negative self-talk

SCL#413. Trying to find a cause.

2008-10-02T19:14:00.002-04:00

I found this entry on one of my favorite blogs, Stuff Christians Like, and I just had to post it on my blog because it is SO where I'm at right now...

Have you ever doubted your purpose in life? Have you ever thought, “What am I supposed to be doing?” Or why am I here? Why don’t I have a mission in life?

I have, with increasing intensity these last two weeks. I’ve been wrestling with the question, “What’s next God?” I’ve been reading books about purpose and listening to great sermons like Craig Groeschel’s “Warrior” series. I started asking God, “What do you want me to do? What would you have me do for you? What did you put me on this earth for? What is my cause?”

I wanted him to tell me to start a ministry or be a spiritual warrior in faraway lands on a faraway adventure. I wanted him to give me a big cause so that I could do big things for him in big ways. But last Monday, in the midst of working through the weight and burden of feeling like I didn’t have a cause, I felt like God reminded me that he doesn’t think like I do. Maybe, when he hears me crying out for a cause, when he hears me asking him to transform me into a spiritual warrior, he wants to cry back:

"You want to be a warrior? Be a warrior of need and surrender. Make fighting for a relationship with me your greatest cause and see what other causes come out of that. See what other causes I put in your path. I can bring you adventures, but those things are small. Those are tiny compared to the cause of surrendering your heart and soul to me. That's your cause right now. Daily, hourly surrender of your heart and soul to me. You are on an adventure, make no mistake, but the real adventure, the big one that I cheer loudest about from the bleachers of heaven is for your heart. The adventure that begins every morning. That is the adventure I care about. Don't miss that one."

And I do, I miss it all the time because I focus on "what's next" instead of "what's now." I get so lost thinking I need to “do something for him” instead of “be in a relationship with him.” Like it says in Revelation 2:4, I forsake my first love. Repentance. Forgiveness. A minute by minute, all consuming need for God.

I don't want to miss that adventure. I don't want you to miss it either. God has big, crazy things planned for all of us. But the biggest adventure, the greatest cause, the grandest purpose, is the one that starts in our heart.

The 8 Day Challenge Day 2

2008-10-02T09:35:00.002-04:00

Thought of the Day
"I am responsible for the words I speak."

Welcome back to the challenge! How did you do with Day One?

Regardless of how well you did yesterday, congratulations on coming back for day two. Remember that today is a fresh start. You can't change yesterday any easier than you can change World War II. So make the very most of this day and push yourself a little further.

The words we use reflect our thinking. Listen more closely than ever on this second day, to the choice of words and phrases used by the people you are hanging around. Of course, I am referring to those who aren't committed to this 4:8 challenge. Don't comment on them. Just listen. The quality of the words they speak reveals the quality of the thoughts they are thinking.

You don't think excellent thoughts and then uncontrollably speak with gloom, doom, and disapproval. And you also don't think mediocre thoughts and then impulsively lift up others with positive, encouraging words. Remind yourself that the words you speak indicate the aggregate character of your thought life at the particular moment. Your words matter.

You can do it. Make the effort, just for today, to filter what you say to others and to yourself. After all, talking about what you do not want can never bring you what you do want. Instead, for today, speak about what is beautiful, valuable, praiseworthy and awesome. Search for the good stuff in every moment on this wonderful Wednesday. Your words matter.

Make it a game with yourself to find something virtuous in every experience and with every person you interact with...and then talk about it. Imagine that every word you speak today will be recorded and later expressed in your life in some way. Train your mind with your mouth. Start today. Start right now. Your words matter.

Question of the Day
In what ways have you tended to talk about your fears and worries more than your goals and dreams?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...or for the extra mile)
Write a brief letter to God, thanking Him for all of your blessings of course, and then asking Him to reveal to you any areas of entrenched negativity so that you may become aware of it and begin to overrule it with joy-filled, 4:8 thinking. Date this letter for future reference.

Heavenly Father, today I am humbled to be entrusted to care for Isaac as his parents fly to Ireland for 8 days. What a joyful gift he is! I am constantly reminded of how much more You must love me than I love him when I spend time with him. It doesn't matter what he does, I never stop loving him. Is that how You feel about me?! I am so incredibly blessed. Thank You for letting me be a "mom" for 8 days. What a huge responsibility that I don't want to take for granted. Oh, how I love him. Thank You for a family who loves You and one another more than life itself! I can't imagine being in any other family. Thank You for Your provision for the last 6 months. I love all the free time I have had to enjoy my life more and to grow in grace and knowledge of You. Thank You for this gorgeous fall weather, my favorite time of the year!

Lord, will you please make me aware today of any area in my life that is entrenched with negativity and help me to overrule it with joy-filled thinking? Break me of my critical spirit and help me to find the good in others. Give me eyes to see and a heart to love others the way that You love them. Amen

Moonless Trust

2008-10-02T07:38:00.002-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Some of you are perhaps feeling that you are voyaging just now on a moonless sea. Uncertainty surrounds you. There seem to be no signs to follow. Perhaps you feel about to be engulfed by loneliness. There is no one to whom you can speak of your need.

Amy Carmichael wrote of such a feeling when, as a missionary of twenty-six, she had to leave Japan because of poor health, then travel to China for recuperation, but then realized God was telling her to go to Ceylon. (All this preceded her going to India, where she stayed for fifty-three years.) I have on my desk her original handwritten letter of August 25, 1894, as she was en route to Colombo. "All along, let us remember, we are not asked to understand, but simply to obey.... On July 28, Saturday, I sailed. We had to come on board on Friday night, and just as the tender (a small boat) where were the dear friends who had come to say goodbye was moving off, and the chill of loneliness shivered through me, like a warm love-clasp came the long-loved lines--'And only Heaven is better than to walk with Christ at midnight, over moonless seas.' I couldn't feel frightened then. Praise Him for the moonless seas--all the better the opportunity for proving Him to be indeed the El Shaddai, 'the God who is Enough."'

Let me add my own word of witness to hers and to that of the tens of thousands who have learned that He is indeed Enough. He is not all we would ask for (if we were honest), but it is precisely when we do not have what we would ask for, and only then, that we can clearly perceive His all-sufficiency. It is when the sea is moonless that the Lord has become my Light.

The 8 Day Challenge Day 1

2008-10-01T21:30:00.002-04:00

Thought of the Day
"I am free to choose from an infinite number of potential thoughts."

Welcome to the challenge!

This eight day experiment of deliberately searching for and cultivating the good stuff in your life will not only help you make this month great, it will also be a springboard for many ultra-positive years to come. Remember, this 8-Day effort is about you and your resolve to let go of thinking patterns that are no longer useful or productive.

Few people have experience with intentional, focused thinking. In fact most people hardly ever evaluate their thought life at all, at least until a crisis strikes. It's not uncommon to go through days-even weeks and months-filled with hyperactive commotion while giving very little notice to the quality and accuracy of the thoughts passing through your mind.

If left unchecked, however, more than 90% of your inner dialogue and self-talk will tend to revolve around your own dissatisfactions, insecurities, worries, and fears. The compounded effect of negative self-talk can cap your potential far beneath God's plans and intentions.

Question of the Day
Since you are free to choose what you think about, and you have billions of options, what specific thoughts should you increase in order to reach your most important goals?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...if you need it, or if you just like going the extra mile)
Today, rewrite Philippians 4:8 in the Amplified version as shown below on 4 separate note cards that you can post in four high traffic areas for the duration of the eight days. (Bathroom mirror, steering wheel, gym or school locker, laptop keyboard, refrigerator, Bible)

"...whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]." Philippians 4:8 (AMP)

I caught myself all throughout the day biting my tongue. This challenge is making me aware of how much I actually speak BEFORE I think about what I'm about to say...BAD HABIT of mine!! Lord, help me be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

the 8 day challenge

2008-09-30T21:07:00.003-04:00

I have been reading The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry and so far, it has been life changing! My friend, Holly, said she was doing the 8 day challenge and so I am joining her in it, starting tomorrow. In the grand scheme of life, 8 days isn't long AT ALL, but I'll bet this challenge turns out to be harder than I anticipate...

Here's what it is......

You will receive a short email prompt from me each morning, containing inspiration, encouragement and the 4:8 Challenge of the Day. Your objective will be to THINK, SPEAK, AND ACT all day long in a manner consistent with Philippians 4:8. The challenge will be to keep your mind as well as your mouth preoccupied with what is beautiful, excellent, true, just, and worthy of praise.

Throughout the 8-Day Challenge, you can expect to see the people and situations in your life differently because, as Thoreau wrote, "we find only the world we look for." During this brief eight day period, you will be looking for, and consequently finding, fresh value in your relationships and circumstances and especially, new virtue within yourself. After all, it's so easy to get consumed with your obstacles that you forget about your goals. It is so easy to entertain hostile thoughts about the future and end up missing the gift of the present.

Here Are The 4 Ground Rules

Avoid any and all negative energy for eight days. During this 8-day challenge you'll be asked to steer clear of specific thoughts, words and deeds that violate the 4:8 principle. You'll also be encouraged to increase other thoughts, words, and behaviors that are in harmony with Philippians 4:8.

First, let's identify some of what you should INCREASE during the challenge:

Prayer and forgiveness beyond the norm for you
Verbally encouraging your spouse, friends and family
Thinking and reviewing your goals
Smiling and laughing
Dwelling on the character of God
Reviewing your blessings, especially the little ones
Defending a victim of gossip
Predicting a positive outcome aloud

Now, let's pinpoint the most negative behaviors that you MUST temporarily SUSPEND during the challenge:

All forms of whining and complaining
Talking about fatigue, boredom or aches and pains
Gossip-based conversations
Condemning language of any kind
Exasperating body language
Criticism of spouse, kids, coworkers and even politicians
Worrisome thoughts or words
Nursing old wounds
Can you think of anything else that should be avoided?

I am ready for the challenge!!!!!

Are YOU in?!?!

Maybe This Year...?

2008-09-28T14:32:00.002-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

"I hardly know where to start," a letter begins. "My story is not one involving men. That's the problem. Male companionship seems not to be found, and, I fear, may never be found. They never ask me out twice. I'm always 'dumped.' The problem is I want a relationship. I have this overwhelming desire...."

Someone else said to me, "I fell deeply in love. He fell deeply in love, too--with someone else."

Another letter tells of the agonized yearning of one couple for a child. Since God has not removed the desire, they ask, may we not conclude that He wants us to employ whatever means we can (e.g., in vitro fertilization) in order to have a child?

God's not having taken away a perfectly normal human desire does not by any means indicate that we are free to pursue its fulfillment in any way we choose. A woman who had, after years of struggles, quickly lost sixty pounds told me that she had been expecting God to take away her appetite. When she realized He did not intend to do so (she had been asking for the removal of our God-given protection from starvation!), she stopped gratifying that appetite in the wrong ways.

Will the young woman find a mate? Will the couple have a child? Maybe this year will be the year of desire fulfilled. Perhaps, on the other hand, it will be the year of desire radically transformed, the year of finding, as we have perhaps not yet truly found, Christ to be the All-Sufficient One, Christ the "deep, sweet well of Love."

"Why won't God let someone into my life? I feel left out, abandoned. When will it be my turn?" The petulant letter goes on. "I feel deprived! Will He deny me the one small desire of my heart? Is it too big a treasure to ask? I sit in torture and dismay."

Life is likely to continue to hold many forms of torture and dismay for that unhappy person and for all who refuse to receive with thanksgiving instead of complaint the place in life God has chosen for them. The torture is self-inflicted, for God has not rejected their prayers. He knows better than any of us do what furthers our salvation. Our true happiness is to be realized precisely through his refusals, which are always mercies. His choice is flawlessly contrived to give the deepest kind of joy as soon as it is embraced.

Joseph Eliot, in the seventeenth century, said, "I need everything God gives me, and want [or feel the lack of] nothing He denies me."

In Moses' review of God's leading of the children of Israel he said,

"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart.... He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.... Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.... For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land--a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing."

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 5, 7-9, NIV

The cause of our discontent: We simply do not believe God. The wilderness experience leads to the Promised Land. It is the path God chose for us. His Word is established forever, and He tells us in a thousand ways that His will is our peace, His choices for us will lead to fulfillment and joy, the way of transgressors is hard. Do we suppose that we could find a better way than His?

One of George Eliot's characters says:

"You are seeking your own will, my daughter. You are seeking some good other than the law you are bound to obey. But how will you find good? It is not a thing of choice; it is a river that flows from the foot of the Invisible Throne, and flows by the path of obedience. I say again, man cannot choose his duties. You may choose to forsake your duties, and choose not to have the sorrow they bring. But you will go forth, and what will you find, my daughter? Sorrow without duty--bitter herbs, and no bread with them."

Instead of seeing His everlasting love, tenderly bending down to our humanness, longing over each one of us with a father's speechless longing; we sometimes think of Him as indifferent, inaccessible, or just plain unfair.

The worst pains we experience are not those of the suffering itself but of our stubborn resistance to it, our resolute insistence on our independence. To be "crucified with Christ" means what Oswald Chambers calls "breaking the husk" of that independence. "Has that break come?" he asks. "All the rest is pious fraud." And you and I know, in our heart of hearts, that that sword-thrust (so typical of Chambers!) is the straight truth.

If we reject this cross, we will not find it in this world again. Here is the opportunity offered. Be patient. Wait on the Lord for whatever He appoints, wait quietly, wait trustingly. He holds every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year in His hands. Thank Him in advance for what the future holds, for He is already there. "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup" (Psalm 16:5, NIV). Shall we not gladly say, "I'll take it, Lord! YES! I'll trust you for everything. Bless the Lord, O my soul!"

Ever Been Bitter?

2008-09-26T08:50:00.002-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Sometimes I've said, "O Lord, you wouldn't do this to me, would you? How could you, Lord?" I can recall such times later on and realize that my perspective was skewed. One Scripture passage which helps me rectify it is Isaiah 45:9-11 (NEB): "Will the pot contend with the potter, or the earthenware with the hand that shapes it? Will the clay ask the potter what he is making?... Thus says the Lord, would you dare question me concerning my children, or instruct me in my handiwork? I alone, I made the earth and created man upon it." He knows exactly what He is doing. I am clay.

The word humble comes from the root word humus, earth, clay. Let me remember that when I question God's dealings. I don't understand Him, but then I'm not asked to understand, only to trust. Bitterness dissolves when I remember the kind of love with which He has loved me--He gave Himself for me. He gave Himself for me. He gave Himself for me. Whatever He is doing now, therefore, is not cause for bitterness. It has to be designed for good, because He loved me and gave Himself for me.

Is it a sin to ask God why?

It is always best to go first for our answers to Jesus Himself. He cried out on the cross, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" It was a human cry, a cry of desperation, springing from His heart's agony at the prospect of being put into the hands of wicked men and actually becoming sin for you and me. We can never suffer anything like that, yet we do at times feel forsaken and cry, Why, Lord?

The psalmist asked why. Job, a blameless man, suffering horrible torments on an ash heap, asked why. It does not seem to me to be sinful to ask the question. What is sinful is resentment against God and His dealings with us. When we begin to doubt His love and imagine that He is cheating us of something we have a right to, we are guilty as Adam and Eve were guilty. They took the snake at his word rather than God. The same snake comes to us repeatedly with the same suggestions: Does God love you? Does He really want the best for you? Is His word trustworthy? Isn't He cheating you? Forget His promises. You'd be better off if you do it your way.

I have often asked why. Many things have happened which I didn't plan on and which human rationality could not explain. In the darkness of my perplexity and sorrow I have heard Him say quietly, Trust Me. He knew that my question was not the challenge of unbelief or resentment. I have never doubted that He loves me, but I have sometimes felt like St. Teresa of Avila who, when she was dumped out of a carriage into a ditch, said, "If this is the way You treat your friends, no wonder You have so few!" Job was not, it seems to me, a very patient man. But he never gave up his conviction that he was in God's hands. God was big enough to take whatever Job dished out (see Job 16 for a sample). Do not be afraid to tell Him exactly how you feel (He's already read your thoughts anyway). Don't tell the whole world. God can take it--others can't. Then listen for His answer. Six scriptural answers to the question WHY come from: 1 Peter 4:12-13; Romans 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:9; John 14:31; Romans 8:17; Colossians 1:24. There is mystery, but it is not all mystery. Here are clear reasons.

a note from North Point Resources:Letters to the Next President

2008-09-19T17:08:00.001-04:00

On September 1, North Point Resources launched a national campaign featuring Andy's recent sermon series, Letters to the Next President. We wanted to let you know about the campaign and how you can help.

The campaign consists of several web banners that ask the question "What would you say to the next president?" These banners are strategically placed on dozens of Google web properties such as Huffington Post, MySpace, Facebook, and Drudge Report. The banners lead to North Point Ministries' YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/northpointministries). The channel has been re-skinned to reflect the LTTNP series and includes a special introductory video by Andy that addresses the campaign. In addition to the banners and our YouTube site, we've also made some changes to the Letters to the Next President website (www.letterstothenextpresident.com.)

The campaign has already generated millions of web impressions and thousands of clicks, and we've had many new letters posted since the launch. But, we still need your help.

Two Ways to Participate

1. Facebook: If you visit www.letterstothenextpresident.com, you'll see we've included a Facebook "badge" enabling site visitors to add the LTTNP logo to their Facebook profile. If you have a Facebook page, we would love for you to add this to your profile and help spread the word. Additionally, for those of you who are willing to post a letter, you'll get a different badge - one that says "I wrote a letter to the next president." This badge will link directly to your letter, allowing your friends on Facebook to read your submission.

2. Invite friends and family to participate: Our goal is to generate thousands of new letters through this campaign. Ultimately we hope these visitors will bookmark NPM's YouTube channel and come back later to hear more of Andy's messages.

This campaign is running through October 31 and any help you can give us during that time is appreciated.

If you have questions, you can contact Jessica Duquette at jessica.duquette@northpoint.org.

Thanks!

Don't Follow Your Heart...Lead It

2008-09-09T21:10:00.003-04:00

my mentor sent me this quote the other day and it came in perfect timing. i have a tendency of following my feelings more than i do logic. i even spent time in counseling learning that my feelings CAN and WILL lie to me. i know i am to focus on the truth... that i am a beautiful, precious, cherished daughter of my Heavenly Father. i know, i know, i know....but i don't FEEL that way. especially not this week.

i am a flaming 'F' on the Meyers-Briggs temperament profile. this means:

I believe I can make the best decisions by weighing what people care about and the points-of-view of persons involved in a situation. I am concerned with values and what is the best for the people involved. I like to do whatever will establish or maintain harmony. In my relationships, I appear caring, warm, and tactful (ok...maybe tact is one thing i lack...)

The following statements generally apply to me:

I have a people or communications orientation.
I am concerned with harmony and nervous when it is missing.
I look for what is important to others and express concern for others.
I make decisions with my heart and want to be compassionate.
I believe being tactful is more important than telling the “cold” truth. (not so much)
Sometimes I miss seeing or communicating the “hard truth” of situations.
I am sometimes experienced by others as too idealistic, mushy, or indirect.

i am so tired of myself. does that even make sense? i am so sick of following my heart. i want to lead it. i want to lead it in truth. Phil. 4:8 says "...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." why is renewing my mind with truth so hard sometimes? why does it come so natural for me to rely on my feelings to make decisions?

Heavenly Father, i am such a mess. i am having such an emotional week. help me to find a balance between my emotions and logic. i don't want to be completely lacking of any feelings but i don't want to rely so heavily on them throughout my days. please show me in a way that i can understand that You love me just as i am. remind me once again, that there's nothing i can do to make You love me more and there's nothing i can do to make You love me less. i need constant reassurance that You still love me, that You have a plan for me and that You haven't forgotten me. i'm sorry to be so needy; i'm just being real. help my unbelief. love, jnt.

Seed and Yeast

2008-09-09T21:08:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

When we see things we believe need to be changed, most of us are impatient to see them done at once. The kingdom of God does not operate spectacularly, with a sudden rush of irresistible force, but rather like seed and yeast. These are small and wholly unimpressive and go to work only when buried. They need an appropriate medium in which to generate change, but the life-principle is there, latent but powerful, ready to begin the slow and marvelous process of transformation.

Our prayers for change--in people, in situations--are summed up in the old petition, "Thy kingdom come"--but when we ask for that we are asking for what may seem an excruciatingly drawn-out business. We will need the patience of the farmer and the baker who, having done the one thing needful, then quietly (and with calm faith) wait for the thing to happen.

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

2008-09-05T11:16:00.005-04:00

this morning, i prayed that God would show me in a way i could understand his grace, mercy, and forgiveness. an hour later, reading through the chapters of the day for my 60-day challenge, i read this passage. i love when my faith and God's faithfulness intersects.

Luke 7:
36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."

40Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.

41"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

48Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

50Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Prayers That Move the Heart of God

2008-09-04T23:34:00.003-04:00

How to cultivate a meaningful conversation with the Lord.
by Nancy Guthrie

My teenaged son, Matt, always has a great time when he visits my parents. And why shouldn't he? Matt gets out of bed whenever he wants, eats whatever he wants, and watches whatever he wants on TV. In fact, Matt made a grand discovery at Grandma's house during his last visit. My mother keeps a bucket of chocolate-chip cookie dough in her refrigerator that Matt enjoyed eating by the spoonful! When he returned from that visit, he began asking me to buy cookie dough from Sam's Club, just like my mom. I know having cookie dough easily available isn't good for either of us, so I said "no" over and over … until last week. Matt's repeated requests finally wore me down.

That's one of the big differences between God's parenting and mine. God doesn't give me everything I repeatedly ask for when he knows it's not best for me. But a shallow reading of Luke 11:9-10 could lead me to think otherwise. There Jesus says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Is the way to get what I want from God through wearing him down, or getting as many people as possible to ask God for it? What kinds of prayer really move the heart and hand of God?

Secret-Formula Prayer vs. Seeking Prayer

As his parent, I don't want Matt to try to get what he wants by constantly begging me for it or getting everyone he knows to gang up on me. I want to hear his heart on the matter, and I want him to hear mine. I want us to have a conversation. Isn't that how it is with our heavenly Father? Prayer is about a conversation with our loving God—not about wearing him down to get what we want.

There's so much to want—healed bodies, restored relationships, changed circumstances. But asking, seeking, and knocking aren't secret formulas for getting what we want from God; they're ways to get more of God. As I listen to God speak to me through his Word, he gives me more of himself in fuller, newer ways. Then, if healing doesn't come, if the relationship remains broken, or if the pressures increase, I have the opportunity to discover for myself he is enough. His presence is enough. His purpose is enough. If you truly want to move God's heart, put aside secret-formula prayer and instead begin to practice prayer that seeks the Giver more than the gifts. Prayer is changing me from someone who knew a lot about God into someone who's experiencing God in deep, though sometimes difficult, ways.

Superficial Prayer vs. Significant Prayer

Sometimes I catch myself "chatting" with God, limiting my prayers to superficial things and surface issues, never getting to the heart of the matter. And I've noticed that when others offer prayer requests, they're rarely about spiritual needs. We ask God to heal physical ailments, provide safe travel, and to "be with us."

Of course God cares about these things. But prayer is spiritual work toward a spiritual end. God wants to rub off our rough edges and clean up our character. So why do we settle for talking to him only about the superficial stuff? When our prayers move from the superficial to the significant, we invite God to do no less than a deep, transforming, igniting work in our life and in the lives of those for whom we're praying.

I've often found myself slipping into superficial mode in my prayers for Matt—asking God to keep him safe or to bless his day at school. But I really don't want to settle for those things. So my prayers have moved from the superficial to the significant. I'm asking God to shape Matt's character—even if it requires some struggle. I'm begging the Holy Spirit to ignite in Matt a passion for holiness and a love for God's Word. These are things that really matter. This is what significant prayer is all about.

Showy Prayer vs. Secret Prayer

Several years ago, at a friend's wedding, a college friend described me to her other friends as "a prayer warrior." Her comment surprised me because I knew it wasn't true. I guess I'd made a great impression with my public prayers at our weekly Bible study group in college. But the truth was, there wasn't much private prayer going on in my life.

If I'm not careful, I still can make prayer all about impressing others with my pseudo-spirituality. That's "showy prayer"—prayer that's more for others' ears than for God's. Jesus warned against this: "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the doors and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:5-6).

Showy prayer uses put-on voices, lofty words, and spiritual-sounding phrases; simple prayer is authentic and humble. I can perform public prayers or make claims of private prayer, and settle for the applause of people; or I can go to a secret place, shut the door, and commune with God. It's in that secret place with him you and I find our most blessed reward—not impressing others, but cultivating true intimacy with him.

Insistent Prayer vs. Submissive Prayer

Nothing's taught me more about prayer than Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. According to Hebrews 5:7-8, "during the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered."

This moves me, because I know what it's like to offer prayers with loud cries and tears, to come before God with a broken heart and a desperate need. Several years ago, physicians told my husband and me that because of a rare metabolic disorder, our newborn daughter, Hope, would live for only two or three months.

Time seemed to be slipping away so quickly when one day, as I rocked Hope in the nursery we'd prepared for her—tears spilling down my face—I thought, I'll ask God to give Hope more time. It seemed such a modest prayer; I'd already surrendered any insistence God heal her completely. But even as that prayer formed in my mind, I sensed God calling me to submit to his perfect timing. So my prayer instead became, Give me strength to make the most of every day you give me with Hope. Show me how to rest in your plan for her life and mine.
In Hope's life and death, I learned what it is to pray to a God who has the power to make another way … but chooses not to. It helps to know Jesus understands what this feels like. Like Jesus, I've wrestled with God's plan for my life even as I've sought to submit to it. But Jesus shows me how to obey when God's answer to my sincere, reverent prayer is "no." I also see Jesus' example of obedience.

I've learned that submissive prayer is prayer that welcomes God to work in and through my suffering rather than begs him to take it away. It's thanking God for what he gives me rather than resenting him for what I lose. Submissive prayer is changing me from someone who knew a lot about God into someone who's experiencing God in deep, though sometimes difficult, ways.

Too often I still find myself merely going through the motions of prayer, but I want to pray in a way that's authentic, sincere, and effective. I'm learning to go to my heavenly Father in the way I want my son to come to me. I want to hear what Matt wants and needs. I want to respond. I want to be active in his life, doing what I know is best for him.

Our heavenly Father's no different. He has no need for a show or secret formulas, and he's not interested in keeping things superficial. He loves it when we come to him—and he simply wants to talk with us.

Nancy Guthrie is the author of Holding On to Hope: A Pathway Through Suffering to the Heart of God and The One Year Book of Hope

What's Left?

2008-09-02T16:51:00.001-04:00

by Micca Monda Campbell

"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him." Nahum 1:7 (NIV)

Times are tough. People everywhere are losing their jobs, their homes, and their hope. If it has happened to you, then you know how devastating loss can be. You know what it feels like to be at the mercy of a job interviewer, or enslaved to a credit lender. It can leave us feeling less than.

Most of us seek identity in our jobs, dreams, talents, or peers. The people we love, the things we own, and the job we do often defines who we are. When we lose those things, we feel as though we have lost our identity. After that, what else is left?

The good news is—there is more left than we realize. This was true for Daniel after King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The king ordered for some royal family Israelites to be taken into captivity. The order specified those who were attractive, smart, healthy, and who would make good servants to the king. Daniel was among them. They were also told what to eat and what to drink.

I imagine most the captives were distraught by all they had lost. They had been taken from their home, their land, and their people. But Daniel and his friends responded differently than most. They chose not to look at what they had lost but rather what they still had left.

Daniel had faith. He knew that the true King was large and in charge. Nebuchadnezzar may have been king of Babylon, but God was the King of Daniel.

Trusting God to work on his behalf, Daniel asked that he not have to defile himself by eating the king's food. Despite the official's hesitation, he granted Daniel's request due to God's favor.

As children of God, we do not have to lose heart or succumb to the world's ways either. No matter what kind of situation we are placed in, God can make the impossible possible. The Lord also gave knowledge and understanding to Daniel along with his three friends. This caught the king's attention. No one else in the kingdom could compare to these four. So, they entered the king's service without violating their faith and remained there until a new king took the throne.

Unfortunately, everyone experiences times of loss—a job, a friendship, a dream. Even so, our worth and identity are not found in these things. Nor is it found in our failures or losses. Your value and mine is in God and the amount of faith we have in Him.

When we find ourselves in our own Babylons, let's not look at what we've lost but at what we have left—our faith! It may be shaken but it can't be taken. Faith, like Daniel's, provides hope in a God who is large and in charge over every authority. That, my friend, is no loss. That is great gain.

Dear Lord, My focus has been on my circumstances instead of on You. Today, I chose to put my trust in You. I believe that You are aware of my situation and are working on my behalf. Fill my soul with peace and help me to rest in Your care. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

baby bump contest

2008-09-01T11:41:00.006-04:00

my sister, Esther, entered a baby bump contest on parents.com, so i'm asking if you'll visit her link and vote for her!! her husband took these pictures and they are so beautiful, especially the one with her hands lifted in thanks to the Lord. baby Isaac is 4 months old now. he loves his mama's milk, his daddy's silly voices, and his aunt's sweet lovin' on. he likes to take long walks in the mornings and hates alone time. he cannot get enough face time. i get to take care of him for twelve days next month while his mom and dad go to ireland and i am counting down the days!!! everyone loves you, bonkdy wonks!!

Volunteer Slaves

2008-09-01T11:09:00.003-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

"Slave" is not a word most of us nowadays feel comfortable with. It is significant that most modern Bible translations use "servant" instead. For a slave is not his own, has no rights whatsoever, is not in charge of what happens to him, makes no choices about what he will do or how he is to serve, is not recognized, appreciated, thanked or even (except by his absence) noticed at all.

Once we give up our slavery to the world, which is a cruel master indeed, to become Christ's bondslave, we live out our servitude to Him by glad service to others. This volunteer slavery cannot be taken advantage of--we have chosen to surrender everything for love. It is a wholly different thing from forced labor. It is in fact the purest joy when it is most unobserved, most unself-conscious, most simple, most freely offered.

Lord, break the chains that hold me to myself; free me to be your happy slave--that is, to be the happy foot-washer of anyone today who needs his feet washed, his supper cooked, his faults overlooked, his work commended, his failure forgiven, his griefs consoled, or his button sewed on. Let me not imagine that my love for You is very great if I am unwilling to do for a human being something very small.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

man, have i been in a funk lately. i can't (or maybe just don't want to) put into words the thoughts and feelings that i have had over the last month. elisabeth elliot seems to put into words exactly what i need to hear most days, so i post her devotionals so i can go back and read them when i need a life lesson refresher. i have been asking, seeking, and knocking of the Lord, "what in the world do you want me to do with my life?!" i am so frustrated! and then i find this devotional about being a bondservant, and it all becomes clear to me: this is exactly what i want to do with my life. i'm tired of living for my own happiness, constantly telling God who i want, what i want, when i want it, where i want it, and how i want it. in the words of Dr. Phil "how's that workin' for ya?" IT'S NOT!!! so from here on out, i am a volunteer slave. it doesn't matter what i want. i am not here for my happiness, for my glory, or to collect as many words of affirmation as i can. i have no rights whatsoever. i am not in charge of what happens to me. i am making no choices about what i will do or how i am to serve. i will serve whether i am recognized, appreciated, thanked, noticed... or not.

"...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45

Immunity--No. Grace--Yes.

2008-08-30T10:22:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Someone asked last week, "When Jim died was your walk with the Lord close enough that His love and comfort and presence were sufficient at all times--or did grief and sorrow at times overtake and overwhelm you?"

My answer is yes to both questions. It is not an either-or matter. The psalmist, overwhelmed, prayed, "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" (Ps 61:2 AV).

Paul, plagued by a thorn, besought the Lord three times to remove it.

Jesus, "horror-stricken and desperately depressed," prayed "O My Father--if it be possible..." (Mk 14:34,36).

Of none of these--the psalmist, the apostle, the Lord--could it be said that his walk with God was not close enough. There was human suffering and divine sufficiency. This is the story of our life. The promise is "My grace is sufficient" (2 Cor 12:9 AV), not "My grace will abolish your thorns."

The Lust for Security

2008-08-29T14:19:00.002-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Once we have set ourselves to be pilgrims and strangers on the earth, which is what Christians are meant to be, it is incongruous for us to continue to insist upon the sort of security the world tries to guarantee. Our security lies not in protecting ourselves from suffering, but in putting ourselves fully into the hands of God. The desire for physical and material security makes us sly and hard. No. We must be like little children. The child in its father's arms is not worried. It lies quietly at rest because it trusts its father.

We disobey sometimes because we say it is impossible to do what God asks. Impossible? Perhaps what we mean is impossible to do that and keep our security, impossible to obey without tremendous cost, or at least tremendous risk. Where, then, will we find safety? Is it likely that we will find it elsewhere than in the arms of the Father?

Teach me to rest in your everlasting arms. Make me know that all other security is illusion.

Nothing is Lost

2008-08-28T11:23:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Paul was a man who suffered the loss of everything, according to his own claim. Yet any loss he counted pure gain. The key to this transforming of earthly losses into heavenly gains is love. What do we love? If our hearts are set on people and possessions and position, the loss of those will indeed be irreparable. To the man or woman whose heart is set on Christ no loss on earth can be irreparable.

It may shock us for the moment. We may feel hurt, outraged, desolate, helpless. That is our humanity. But the Lord can show us the "long view," the incalculable gain in spiritual and eternal terms, if we love Him above all. Everything that belongs to us belongs also to Him. Everything that belongs to Him belongs also to us. What, then, can we finally lose? If we lose not Christ Himself, we have finally lost nothing, for He is our treasure and He has our hearts.

Christ is Message and Messenger

2008-08-27T10:36:00.003-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Every word spoken by Jesus must be understood by the life of Jesus. The one cannot be separated from the other. If we attempt to understand what He said without reference to what He did, we do violence to God's revelation of Himself. Here are some examples:

"Give up your right to yourself." Can this mean self-destruction, masochism, obliteration of the personality? See the perfect Son of God, exercising his human will in the fullness of its God-given power, as He offers Himself, pours out his soul unto death. What life streams from that giving up. What strength springs from his weakness.

"The truth shall make you free" (Jn 8:32 AV)--words often wrested away from their context ("lf you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free") and also away from the Man who spoke them. His life, his every act, was perfectly free. It was free because He heard the Word of the Father, did what He saw Him do, and knew Him. His freedom was the result of his obedience. There is no shortcut to our freedom. We must live the life Christ lived--a life of faith, a will offered to the Father, daily obedience.

Content to be Weak

2008-08-21T02:18:00.002-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

What weakness are you feeling today? The inability to manage circumstances that cry out to be changed? Helplessness in the face of another's deep need, or of evil you have to watch perpetrated on others you love? A sense of inadequacy for some task laid upon you? Physical weakness or pain? The need for power to forgive an injury or keep silence about unjust accusations against you?

Christ has been there before you. Every form of human limitation He knew, and out of that utter poverty we have been made strong. Yet, again and again, in the life of each disciple, comes the experience of weakness in order that we may live His life for others.

"We who share His weakness shall by the power of God live with Him in your service" (2 Cor 13:4 NEB).

This sharing of His weakness is one aspect of the death of the cross, one of the conditions of our discipleship, and hence cause for joy rather than bitterness. For we walk the road, not alone, but with Christ, "well content to be weak at any time if only you are strong" (2 Cor 13:9 NEB). The mystery is constantly being worked out--strength out of weakness, life out of death.

Christ my Armor

2008-08-12T14:53:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

When faced with threat of any sort of invasion or attack, whether from human or spiritual foes, it is quite natural to draw back, throw up my guard, attempt to defend myself. The Christian has a far better defense--"Let Christ Jesus Himself be the armor that you wear" (Rom 13:14 NEB). Let me take my stand in Him, come to my enemy without fear, responding only in the power and with the love of Christ.

Who can hurt me then? And what hostility on earth or in hell can destroy me? That person whom I most dread to see, let me meet him as Christ meets him. Let Christ meet him. He is my armor, I am hidden in Him. My weakness, my fear, my hostility will be covered by his strength, his courage, his love.

Time for God

2008-08-01T12:00:00.002-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

It is a good and necessary thing to set aside time for God in each day. The busier the day, the more indispensable is this quiet period for prayer, Bible reading, and silent listening. It often happens, however, that I find my mind so full of earthly matters that it seems I have gotten up early in vain and have wasted three-fourths of the time so dearly bought (I do love my sleep!). But I have come to believe that the act of will required to arrange time for God may be an offering to Him. As such He accepts it, and what would otherwise be "loss" to me I count as "gain" for Christ.

Let us not be "weary in well-doing," or discouraged in the pursuit of holiness. Let us, like Moses, go to the Rock of Horeb--and God says to us what He said to him, "You will find me waiting for you there" (Ex 17:6 NEB).

Do You Want an Answer?

2008-07-18T07:11:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

This is the question we need to ask ourselves when we are seeking "solutions" to our problems. Often we want only an audience. We want the chance to air grievances, to present our excuses, to make an explanation for our behavior, rather than a cure. More often than not the clearest and most direct answer can be found in the Word, but it must be sought honestly.

"The way of the Lord gives refuge to the honest man, but dismays those who do evil" (Prv. 10:29 NEB).

We can approach God's word with a will to obey whatever it says to us about our present situation, or we can avoid it and say to anyone who would try to point us to it, "Don't throw the Book at me." The latter is an evasion, which supports our suspicion that our problems are, in fact, insoluble. The honest (i.e., humble) heart will indeed find the Lord's way to be a refuge.

Love of the World

2008-07-15T07:37:00.000-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

John tells us in his first letter that anyone who loves the world is a stranger to the Father's love. We are not to set our hearts on the world or anything in it. These words have been interpreted in many strange ways by different varieties of Christians, and I have puzzled much over them. The word used in the original is cosmos, which means the whole created order. Is there nothing here that I am allowed to love? What about the thundering, flashing sea that I see from my window? What about the rose on my desk, or even this house where I live with its warmth and pleasantness, the cup of tea in mid-afternoon, the books on my shelves? They are not going to last forever. If I love them, am I then a stranger to my heavenly Father's love?

It has helped me to think of John's words in this manner: To love the world in the wrong way is to love it without knowing the Father's love. It is when a man knows Him and receives everything from his hand that the world is redeemed for him, no longer a snare and in opposition to the love of God. We must love the world only through and because of the Father, not instead of. Our ultimate concern must be God Himself. He is eternal. His gifts are not always so.

Lord, may no gift of yours ever take your place in my heart. Help me to hold them lightly in an open palm, that the supreme object of my desire may always be You and You alone. Purify my heart--I want to love You purely.

STORE UP KNOWLEDGE AND HOLD MY TONGUE

2008-07-10T05:49:00.003-04:00

I am reading Proverbs 10 today and it is hard to choose just ONE power phrase to meditate on. I did notice how many verses just in this one chapter that talked about words. These proverbs are very convicting to me. I want to be so much more careful about what comes out of my mouth. I don't want to be knows as "a chattering fool" or one who "spreads slander".

Prov 10:8 The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

10 He who winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.

14 Wise men store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19 When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of judgment.

31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be cut out.

32 The lips of the righteous know what is fitting,
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

Oh Lord, may I accept Your commands: grant me a righteous mouth and discerning lips. May I store up knowledge and hold my tongue all the days of my life.

Wait Quietly

2008-07-09T12:51:00.000-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Few of us enjoy having to wait for something we want. It is human nature to desire instant gratification, and it is divine nature to do many things very, very slowly. Growth is always imperceptible. But the farmer exercises long patience in waiting for his crop. He has done his work and is assured of the result, hence he waits quietly. He is at rest because the outcome (barring disastrous "acts of God") is certain. If we could simply remember that this is true of everything--that God's purposes are slowly being worked out for his glory and our good--we would, like the farmer, keep faith and wait quietly.

Lord, take from us all fretting and hurrying and teach us to rest our hearts in the "ultimate certainty" (Jas 5:7 JBP).

Discerning the will of God

2008-07-09T02:08:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

The primary condition for learning what God wants of us is putting ourselves wholly at his disposal. It is just here that we are often blocked. We hold certain reservations about how far we are willing to go, what we will or will not do, how much God can have of us or of what we treasure. Then we pray for guidance. It will not work. We must begin by laying it all down--ourselves, our treasures, our destiny. Then we are in a position to think with renewed minds and act with a transformed nature. The withholding of any part of ourselves is the same as saying, "Thy will be done up to a point, mine from there on."

Paul gives four important steps to discerning the will of God:

1. "Offer your very selves to Him,"

2. "Adapt yourselves no longer to the pattern of this present world."

3. "Let your minds be remade."

4. "Your whole nature transformed."

"Then you will be able to discern the will of God" (Rom 12:1,2 NEB).

God's secret purpose

2008-07-07T09:43:00.000-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Whatever the enemy of our souls can do to instill doubt about the real purpose of the Father of our souls, he will certainly try to do. "Hath God said?" was his question to Eve, and she trusted him, the enemy, and doubted God. Each time the suspicion arises that God is really "out to get us," that He is bent on making us miserable or thwarting any good we might seek, we are calling Him a liar. His secret purpose has been revealed to us, and it is to bring us finally, not to ruin, but to glory. That is precisely what the Bible tells us: "His secret purpose framed from the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory" (1 Cor 2:7 NEB).

I know of no more steadying hope on which to focus my mind when circumstances tempt me to wonder why God doesn't "do something." He is always doing something--the very best thing, the thing we ourselves would certainly choose if we knew the end from the beginning. He is at work to bring us to our full glory.

remain disciplined

2008-07-05T08:17:00.002-04:00

Prov. 5:23 He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

what is discipline?
-behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control

Prov 5 has many warnings against adultery. Lack of discipline will kill me. I know firsthand what happens when I live according to MY rules and when I am out of control.

Lord, I want to live according to Your rules of conduct. Anytime I trust and obey You, You never lead me astray. I don't want to be an adulteress. I want to flee from all evil and not be led astray by my own foolishness. Thank You for the wisdom of this chapter.

guard your heart ABOVE ALL else

2008-07-04T06:25:00.002-04:00

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

What does it mean for me to guard my heart? The word guard is the word Nasar meaning "to guard, protect, keep, obey; to observe, behold, watch, inspect. Used to denote guarding a vinyard..., a fig tree..., and a fortress. Those who performed this function were called watchmen...In an ethical sense one can guard his mouth (Ps 141:3; Pr 13:3), his path in life (Pr 16:17), his heart (Pr 4:23), His lips (Ps 141:3), and his tongue (Ps 34:13)...Israel was likened to a vineyard and the Lord served as her keeper (Job 7:20). (Key Word Study Lexical Aids)

I would say part of guarding your heart means confession of your sins, examination of your heart, and a careful inspection of what you let in and out of your heart and mind. What you watch, where you go, who your friends are, what you listen to, what you set your affections on, and choosing obedience not based on feeling but on truth. Weeding out roots of bitterness, unforgiveness, disobedience, lust, immorality, gossip, and so many other things that seek to ensnare your heart. Knowing the truth is what will set us free from the deceitfulness of our own hearts.

Heart is the word leb here meaning "the center, the middle of something... Leb however, is more commonly used for the center of man's inner or immaterial nature...In the bible the whole spectrum of human emotions is attributed to the heart...Leb is used to signify the mind (2 Ch 9:23), good sense (Pr 10:8), and discernment (2 Ki 5:26). Wisdom and understanding reside in the heart (1 Ki 3:12, Pr 16:23). The heart can be deceived (Isa 44:20) and is the point of origin of moral evil (Jer 17:9). It is the seat of the will (Nu 16:28; Jdg 9:3; 2 Ch 12:14). To refuse to make the proper decision is to harden the heart..." (Key Word Study Lexical Aids)

So we are to guard the core of our being...the center of our emotions and our inner or immaterial nature. We do this by paying attention to His instruction (vs 20-22) that is what will keep our hearts with all diligence...the attention and application to Gods word.

Here is what The Bible Knowledge Commentary says: " The heart should be guarded for out of it (a wellspring) come one's actions (cf. Luke 6:45). Here the word "heart" means more than mental capacity; it also encompasses one's values (cf Matt. 6:21)."

These verses apply the command to guard one's heart (v. 23), including what one says (v. 24), sees (v. 25), and does (vv. 26-27).

Lord, please give me wisdom to know what's right for my heart and the courage to do it. Please stand at the door of my heart with the truth of Your Word and guard it for me when i am incapable. You know my innermost thoughts and desires, the "feelings" I describe often. Please help me to focus on Your truths and not my feelings, today and every day.

(thanks to Jenny Hope for the clarity.)

wisdom & understanding are better than silver and gold

2008-07-03T06:17:00.003-04:00

Prov. 3:13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gains understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.

Do I place more value on wisdom & understanding or on money and possessions? What does my lifestyle and the way I manage my money say about me?

Lord, I want to find wisdom and gain understanding all the days of my life. Thank You for this reminder today that these traits are more valuable than earthly riches.

be discrete and understanding

2008-07-02T05:30:00.001-04:00

Prov. 2:11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

What is discretion?
-the quality of being discreet, esp. with reference to one's own actions or speech; prudence or decorum

Am I discreet? Am I careful, cautious, controlled, and guarded with my words, thoughts, and actions? Being so will protect me.

What is understanding?
-superior power of discernment; enlightened intelligence

Am I understanding and discerning? Seeing and recognizing people and things for who and what they are will guard me.

Heavenly Father, please help me to be guarded with my words and actions and more understanding. Guarding and protecting myself does not come naturally to me. I desperately need Your help. I am so dependent on You today. Thank You for this wisdom in the book of Proverbs. I am a fool without it.

Fear God and Fear Nothing Else

2008-07-01T05:58:00.002-04:00

I am reading a chapter in Proverbs once a day for the month of July. This morning, my power phrase is fear the Lord and nothing else.

What does it mean to fear the Lord?
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Prv 1:7 NIV)

by Elisabeth Elliot

The world is shaking with fear. "What will become of us? Where will it all end? What if Russia...? What if cancer...? What if expression...?" The love of God has wrapped us round from before the foundations of the world. If we fear Him--that is, if we are brought to our knees before Him, reverence and worship Him in absolute assurance of his sovereignty, we cannot possibly be afraid of anything else. To love God is to destroy all other fear. To love the world is to be afraid of everything--what it may think of me, what it may do to me, what may happen today or tomorrow for which I am not prepared.

"The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps 27:1 RSV).

And yet, Lord, the truth is that I am often afraid. I confess it. All the weight of your promises seems sometimes to be only a feather, and the weight of my fears is lead. Reverse that, Lord, I pray. Give me the healthy fear that will make light of all the others--"The fear of the Lord is life; he who is full of it will rest untouched by evil" (Prv 19:23 NEB).

Ragamuffin Top Challenge -Week 5

2008-06-28T10:58:00.014-04:00

i really slacked off this week.

#1 reason why: this is where i've been staying all week. i've been a little distracted.

#2 reason why: i got eaten alive by an ant(s?) on my toes on Friday and i literally can NOT bend them now. i tried getting on the treadmill saturday and said a few deserved cuss words before i had to give up. i forgot how i allergic i am to those beasts. i tried putting some Benadryl cream on my bites but got no relief. (maybe because it expired in 1999, UNCLE JOHN, AHEM....) desperate means call for desperate measures so i put hemorrhoidal cream on them to maybe relieve the swelling. lovely.

i only walked 10 miles, did my Jessica Simpson workout one day, and did 550 crunches.

i did NOT stay within my WW points. :(
i am housesitting this week, so assuming all scales are accurate:

starting weight 6/1: 140
current weight 6/29: 135.1ish
goal: 125
lost this week: .7
total lost: 4.9

how is everyone else doing?

Accountability: the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable for one's actions

2008-06-27T10:29:00.005-04:00

Until recent years, since I discovered what having a personal relationship with Christ was like, I had no use for accountability. I lived my life according to whatever the heck I wanted to do, with whomever I wanted to, wherever I wanted to, for whatever reason I thought good enough. But as I long to align my desires with God's desires for my life, I discover more and more how crucial accountability truly is. To know what accountability IS NOT, you can read about it here.

The Bible says that God holds us accountable. Romans 14:12 says, "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God." This is personal accountability.

Christians are also called to be accountable to one another. In 1 Corinthians 12, we read that Christians are all part of the same body - the body of Christ - and each member needs or belongs to the other. This Scripture suggests the importance of strong accountability between fellow believers. It is important for every believer to have at least one other person in which to confide, pray with, listen to, and encourage.

Galatians 6:1-2 gives a helpful principle, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." If your accountability partner has done something contrary to the Bible, you're called to confront him gently, forgive him, and comfort him. It also admonishes you to consider yourself because no one is above temptation.

Another aspect of Christian accountability is encouraging each other to grow in their spiritual maturity. Hebrews 10:24 says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says to, "…encourage one another and build each other up…"

Lord , You have placed so many godly women in my life and I feel blessed to have the level of comfort that I have with them, to open up and be honest about with my struggles. But I'm asking You to bring a woman into my life who I feel a degree of uncomfortableness, someone who will ask me hard questions. I want to live my life Your way and that does not come natural to me at times. Please bring someone who is a step ahead of me in life to hold me accountable and I ask that You bring someone a step behind me in life, whom I can encourage and challenge. Thank You for caring about the details of my life...even the areas I struggle with.

Are you accountable? Do you have a friend to whom you can go? Will that person hold you accountable in your spiritual walk? Are you the type of person that people can come to when they need accountability?

**update: why can't God always answer my prayers this quick? ;-)

my dear, sweet, and godly friend, Heather Leeds has offered to step up to the plate for me and keep me accountable. Thanks, friend.

the desires of my heart

2008-06-26T06:59:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

I had been praying for something I wanted very badly. It seemed a good thing to have, a thing that would make life even more pleasant than it is, and would not in any way hinder my work. God did not give it to me. Why? I do not know all of his reasons, of course. The God who orchestrates the universe has a good many things to consider that have not occurred to me, and it is well that I leave them to Him. But one thing I do understand: He offers me holiness at the price of relinquishing my own will.

"Do you honestly want to know Me?" He asks. I answer yes. "Then do what I say," He replies. "Do it when you understand it; do it when you don't understand it. Take what I give you; be willing not to have what I do not give you. The very relinquishment of this thing that you so urgently desire is a true demonstration of the sincerity of your lifelong prayer: Thy will be done.

So instead of hammering on heaven's door for something which it is now quite clear God does not want me to have, I make my desire an offering. The longed-for thing is material for sacrifice. Here, Lord, it's yours.

He will, I believe, accept the offering. He will transform it into something redemptive. He may perhaps give it back as He did Isaac to Abraham, but He will know that I fully intend to obey Him.

ghostwriter

2008-06-25T15:45:00.003-04:00

Some of you may or may not have read two blog entries I had written in the past 2 days. Due to fear of vulnerability (and thanks to the ever so permanent 'Delete' button), I removed said posts off of my public diary. I have been trying to come up with the perfect words to explain right where I'm at and alas, I have found them on my new friend, Annie's blog from today. With every new day, I learn she and I have A LOT in common... for two people who have never met face-to-face. So from Annie's mouth to God's ears, word-for-word...this is how I feel today:

Some things have happened lately - some things that have left me feeling really lousy. Worse than lousy. I would say "shitty," except then some people might get upset. So I'll just leave it at lousy.

What are these "things" that have happened? Well, take your pick - there's a panoply. But I don't want to talk about them, because then you'll know how lousy I am. And that would only make me feel lousier. But they involve miscommunication, and pride, and fear, and insecurity, and rejection. Aren't those the worst things ever? Maybe not worse than war and famine and death. But still, pretty bad feelings.

Times like this make me want to throw in the towel. I feel like throwing my hands up in exasperation, and saying, "Fine, I GIVE UP." I'm tired of trying, tired of tripping, tired of failing, tired of disappointing.

Sometimes I wish that Jesus would just come back.

I feel lousy. But today, I'm going to try to choose hope instead. I'm only a little ragamuffin, making my way as best as I know how. None of us will escape the hard times and the pain and the quiet moments where we question the value of who we are at our very core. But we are called to a long obedience in the same direction, day after day, no matter what. So...

Courage. Onward. And praise the Lord, really.

Spiritual Playpens

2008-06-22T06:55:00.000-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Love is the way to maturity. Selfishness stunts growth and keeps us in a spiritual playpen. The world is full of emotional babies, crawling over each other, screaming, "Mine! This I want, and this I shall have, and never mind what it does to anybody else!" What a relief, what peace, when one who has reached spiritual adulthood, who by love has grown out of himself, comes along. He freely gives up his own aims and ambitions, his safety and his cherished plans, his possessions, his feelings, anything at all that will help and says my life for yours. Such a one comes as a rescuer.

To give myself up is the last thing I think of doing. It looks like weakness. In God's eyes, though, it is power.

"We who share His weakness shall by the power of God live with Him in your service" (2 Cor 13:4 NEB).

Ragamuffin Top Challenge- Week 4

2008-06-22T06:17:00.001-04:00

i biked 27.5 miles this week, walked/jogged 12.5 miles, did my Jessica Simpson workout once (it's a killer), and did 300 crunches.
i stayed within my WW points.

starting weight 6/1: 140
current weight 6/22: 135.8
goal: 125
lost this week: 1.2
total lost: 4.2

i'm feeling pretty good. my lower region is pretty sore, but it's a good sore. let's see who is still in the challenge.

the best father's day ever

2008-06-15T22:53:00.010-04:00

Today, I had one of the most special days I've had in a long time. Father's Day is usually a hard day for me since I do not have a relationship with my own father. I do have three men who God has put in my life to teach, model, and pray for me and they were ALL here in Atlanta to celebrate with me today.

My precious uncle John, who spoke to fathers today at NPCC, made me incredibly proud to be his niece. You'll have to go listen to his sermon here. My stepdad, Sid, who has been a God-send to our family and Dad Elmer, (my sister's father-in-law) who has taken me in as his own daughter, both came to church and we all went out to brunch afterwards.

To top the day off, I actually got a call from my dad, who I haven't heard from in over a year. It was a tough conversation and even in my hurt, all I wanted to do was reach through the phone and love on him. He is so desperate for grace, love, and forgiveness. We all are. He can't give me back the last 11 years, but I told him there's nothing more that I would love than to move forward and reconnect. I honestly don't know if he is a changed man. Although he did apologize for all the hurt he's caused me, I didn't hear any true humility, brokenness or repentance in his voice. Now that I have his address and phone number, I'm gonna go out of my way to pour into him and just meet him where he's at. We'll see how it goes...

Here are some pictures from the day...

this is Grandma and her husband, Wayne

my mom and her husband, Sid

mom, me and Gwamma

we visited Uncle John backstage after the service. IN ANDY'S PERSONAL GREEN ROOM. here i am looking and feeling much wiser in his chair. i feel a sermon coming on...

the Griffins, Elmers, Mays and the Taylor

Ragamuffin Top Challenge- Week 3

2008-06-14T11:26:00.009-04:00

i biked 40 miles this week and did 700 crunches
i almost stayed within my WW points budget- went over 3 flex points (i get 35 a week)
i am on day 37 of my 40-day fast (nothing to drink but water, no chips, no sweets)
i'm not gonna lie...i think i might wake up wednesday and have a mimosa...just because i CAN!

starting weight 6/1: 140
current weight 6/14: 137
goal: 125
lost this week: 1.6
total lost: 3

see for yourself:

let's go check in on the other ragamuffintoppers

thought for the day

2008-06-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

"Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away." -Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

Spiritual Equilibrium

2008-06-12T05:20:00.001-04:00

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

Sometimes a hope or desire lays hold on one with such power that it becomes almost burdensome, even though the thing is a delight to contemplate. The ordinary business of life must be attended to, but this thing carries a lot of weight in soul, mind, and heart. It has a strong pull. And when you are carrying a heavy weight, you have to compensate in order to keep your balance. The best means to spiritual equilibrium, I find, is to look repeatedly at the things which are not seen, that is, at things which are eternal. What Evelyn Underhill calls "the pressure of the Divine Charity" forever urges me forward, counteracting the pressure of my emotions and human desires, reminding me with great patience and great persistence that this thing--this love, this longing, this huge desire--is the very thing God Himself gave, in order that I might have "somewhat to offer." He will see to it that it does not come to nothing, provided we lay it before Him, put it at his disposal.

Lord, all that I long for is known to you,
my sighing is no secret from you...
I put my trust in you, Yahweh,
and leave you to answer for me, Lord my God.
--(Ps 38:9, 15 JB)

Ragamuffin Top Challenge Week 2

2008-06-07T23:00:00.009-04:00

starting weight 6/1: 140

this week's weigh in 6/8: 138.6

i used a different scale this week, since I was in Charlotte last week, so assuming both scales were accurate:

1.4 down, 13.6 to go!

-i stayed on track with my weight watchers' points

-biked 35 miles

-walked 5 miles this week

2 WW recipes i used this week that i really loved:

Frozen Watermelon Virgin Margaritas
Substitute other fruit for the watermelon for an almost endless variety of great drinks!

4 cups watermelon chunks, seeds removed
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cup ice cubes
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/2 lime, cut into wedges for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a blender; pure until smooth. Divide among 4 glasses. Garnish with lime wedges.

Servings: 4
Points: 1

Avocado-Cucumber Toss

POINTS® value | 3
Servings | 4
Preparation Time | 11 min
Cooking Time | 0 min
Level of Difficulty | Easy

side dishes | This cool salad is a fun addition to Mexican food, and it's much healthier than refried beans covered in cheese.

Ingredients
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup cherry tomato(es), quartered (about 12 tomatoes)
1 cup avocado, peeled (about 1 medium)
2 cup cucumber(s), chopped
Instructions
Combine first 4 ingredients in a jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously. Place tomato, avocado and cucumber in a bowl; add vinegar mixture, and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 1-cup servings.

check back in with the others to see how they did this week!

kid's artwork turned into photographs!

2008-06-07T07:51:00.004-04:00

check out this site i stumbled onto today. Yeondoo Jung creates photos of children's drawings. this is one of my favorites! there are a ton more on the website. i just love this concept and could only dream of being this creative. i love it!!!

what's my story? what's my glory?

2008-06-06T14:52:00.004-04:00

I had a few precious minutes with my Uncle John yesterday, before leaving for work. He reminded me there is only ONE of me, one jnt. I cannot compare myself to my cousins, my friends, my sister. THIS is the story He has written for me. I can either choose to look in my rearview mirror and focus on the pile of ashes of my past, or I can look straight ahead to the beauty He has in store for me. So it got me thinking, what IS my story? What IS my glory? The one I can call all my own...

1. I was thought of before I was born.

Jer.1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...that is such an amazing thought to me. It blesses me with a sense of value.
2. I was formed and fashioned by God in my mother's womb.

Psalm 139:15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
3. 1979

-I am the 1st born of David & Lisa Bumbier born in Bryn Mawr, PA.

Acts 17:26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
4. I have a precious sister who loves the Lord, is walking with Christ, and is married to one of the most amazing men after God's own heart I have ever known.
5. 1979-1980

-I lived in PA as a wee babe.

6. 1980-1990

-I lived in Orlando, FL.

-My grandma led me to the Lord and I invited Jesus into my heart when I was 6 years old.

-My parents got divorced in 1987, when i was 8.

-My mom was remarried in 1988; my dad remarried in 1989.

-I moved in with my dad and step-mom in 1990.

7. 1990-1991

-I lived in King of Prussia, PA with my dad, step-mom, and step-brother.

8. 1991-1998

-I lived in Orlando with my dad & family until 1994, when i moved back in with my mom and sister.

-My mom got divorced again in 1991, so when I moved back in with her, it was just mom, Esther, and me.

-My dad and step-mom had my half-sister, Michele, in 1992.

-They were divorced in 1997.

-Dated my high school sweetheart, Jeff, from 1995-1997.

9. 1998-2001

-I lived in Raleigh, NC and went to college at NC State, where I majored in Communication and minored in Psychology.

-I dated 3 guys during my college years and ran as far away as I could from God.

-These were years of brokenness as a prodigal in the wilderness.

-My mom married Sid in 2000.

10. 2002

-I lived in 3 different states that year. I lived in Atlanta from Jan-Aug., moved all my things back to Orlando and stayed 3 weeks until I decided to move everything up to Richmond, VA to be in the same city as my boyfriend.

11. 2002-2003

-I lived in Richmond, VA.

-Jay was the first Christian I dated and I thought for sure he was "the one". Unfortunately, I was wrong. We sought pre-engagement counsel from Uncle John & Aunt Debbie the summer of 2003.

-While we were in Alpharetta, we visited North Point Community Church. I fell in love. With Jesus. Broke it off with Jay when I realized I didn't love him the way I wanted to love my future husband.

12. 2003-2008

Atlanta, GA

-I moved to Alpharetta because I simply HAD to be at NPCC, listening to Andy Stanley every Sunday. I became a sponge and I finally learned how to apply biblical truth to my everyday life. I found out for the first time how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

-I took a year off from dating 11/03-11/04 and it was one of the best things I've ever done for myself.

-I regretted not taking a longer hiatus after falling fast and furiously in love with a man who broke my heart in 2005.

-I dated another man in 2007, but with lots of prayer and wise counsel, realized that he wasn't God's very best for me.

-I was baptized by Uncle John on my 28th birthday at NPCC.

-Worked for Dentistry at Northpoint and the best boss I've ever had from 2003-2008.

-Spent a year in counseling with Debbie Causey from 2004-2005, where she taught me how to replace Satan's lies with God's truth.

-I've moved 5 times in the last 4 1/2 years, gotten out of debt (FINALLY!), and am currently unemployed and BEGGING God for a new adventure.

-I have had zero relationship with my father in the last 11 years. I think I've seen him a total of 3 or 4 times and have had limited conversations with him (his choice, not mine). It's been heartbreaking, but the Lord has blessed me with several replacement fathers, including my stepdad, my uncle John, and my sister's father-in-law, Mike Elmer.

There's my story. The much edited and G-rated version.

So, what's my glory? My special cause for pride or delight? Isaiah 61:3 says, "To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the Lord has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory." Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins write, "So often we wallow in the ashes of our sin. We roll in the dust of our failures and misfortunes. We allow ourselves to be covered with the soot of Satan's lies and the dirt of our own sinful nature. We live in regret and shame over past sins and pitiful habits. We struggle in the mire of our own self-doubt. But God never intended us to stay there. His intent is to free us!"

I get the most glory when I am doing what I feel like I was made to do, which is serving. I love loving on people; blessing them with my time, treasure, or talent. I glory in bringing God glory. When I get distracted and start focusing on myself and what I don't have that I want (a husband and children, a perfect body, chocolate without calories, an unlimited amount of money, a dad who who wants to be a part of my life, revenge), I become a self-absorbed wreck. I am at my finest when the focus is off of myself and on other people. That's why I love to serve. Is there anything I can do for YOU today? ;-)

Thank You, Jesus, for the story You've predestined for me and ONLY me. Thank You for the parents You strategically gave me, for the God-fearing extended family You put me in. Thank you for my health, my education, and the privilege to be an American. Thank You in advance for what the future holds, for You are already there. May any glory I receive, glorify You. You must increase. I must decrease. That is my hope and prayer today.

What's your story? What's your glory?

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

2008-06-03T18:56:00.010-04:00

Lord, here are my desires for my husband:

1. a man who is financially reliable and responsible
he's either debt free or on his way to being there; actively saves and gives; sticks to a budget

2. romantic
makes me feel special; very affectionate; thoughtful with his words and deeds; adores me and celebrates who God made me, even if I AM a little crazy; loves quality time....

3. forgiving
I have a past that may be unacceptable for certain men. If he can't forgive me and realize I am a different person, then he's not the one for me.

4. He is a strong spiritual leader and will be the "man of the house".

Definitely be able to say no to me and put me in my place.

5. He will desire traditional roles and it is my desire to live solely on his income.

If I choose to work, we will agree on that together but I don't want my income to supplement his.

6. He will want to have and adopt lots of babies, to raise up godly generations with me.

7. I desire a man humble enough to seek counsel when needed.

8. He is loyal and agrees with me that divorce is not an option. Ever.

After listening to Voddie Baucham's series Love and Marriage, I have added that he must be:

9. a man who leads in love: (true love = an act of the will accompanied by emotion that leads to action on behalf of its object).

10. a man who leads in the Word: discipling and mentoring me and the capability of doing the same for our children.

11. a man who leads in righteousness: doing everything in his power to preserve my righteousness and purity.

12. a man who leads in selflessness: understanding what it means to put others before himself; serves and meets my needs by treasuring, nurturing, caring, nourishing, valuing, and protecting me; being more interested in what he can give me than what he can take from me

13. a man who leads in intimacy: creating a hedge of protection and prioritizing our relationship above all others

P.S. Lord, since we're being honest, I might as well tell You EVERY desire. The following are negotiable but would be definite bonuses. I really want him to have dark hair. Brown is really good. I'm flexible on eye color. ;-) I'd love for him to have a brilliant smile, with great teeth. :) And I have to like listening to his voice. And I really want him to have a good relationship with his family (parents and siblings) and want to spend time with mine. Ideally, I'd like him to currently have a roommate so he knows how to compromise and share his space. And he has to be an amazing maker-outer, love Mexican food, and love to laugh. And desire to get to know my family and friends. And do crazy things with me, like sky-diving. I'm not naturally spontaneous, so I'd like him to be...but also likes to do nothing... cause that's important too. And i'd love for him to be adventurous and travel with me to new and exciting places as well as try new things with me, cause You know how much I love change. I'd love to marry an extrovert, since I'm an introvert, so we could balance each other out. (Ideally, an ESTP or an ESFP...i'm just sayin'...) Also, it would mean a lot to me if he went through my uncle John's men's group to learn how to live life on purpose, in balance. Wow. I think that about covers it. Thanks for caring about the details of my life, both the big and the small. I can't wait to meet him, Lord, the man You created for me. I'm really excited and I ask that You continue to shape and mold me into the woman he desires, as well. I already love him and I don't even know who he is.

the moment i wake up, before i put on my makeup, i say a little prayer for you

2008-06-03T18:37:00.003-04:00

Dear Lord,

You know that right now in my life I am struggling to be CONTENT in all circumstances, for in Philippians 4:11 it says..."for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances". You also know that my desire is to be married so I may be a godly wife and mother. I am learning to put my trust in You and know that Your timing is perfect (although it is definitely not what I would choose!) and that You have the perfect man for me. I want Your perfect mate for me. I know that ALL things work together for good to those that love the Lord. I do love You, Lord, and I turn this over to You. I give my future husband to You, whomever he may be. I'll pray for him knowing that You will bring him to me in Your timing.

I no longer will seek to find what I want, but what You would have for me. I give my desire to get married over to You. Do with me as You will...and with that I will be content.

...for I know God's smallest blessings are FAR GREATER than my greatest dreams...

the Ragamuffin Top Challenge

2008-06-01T03:54:00.007-04:00

Carlos, a complete stranger, whose blog i follow daily, has issued a challenge. i'm taking it. here are the rules:

1. You must have a measurable goal.

i will be 30 in less than 8 months. my birthday present to myself is to weigh 125 again. i weigh 140 now. i can lose 15 lbs. in 8 months, right?! piece of cake! wait. hold that..

i've already given up sweets, every beverage but water, and chips 24 days ago. i'm already walking/biking 25 miles a week. so it is back to counting points at Weight Watchers (20 points a day) again. and kicking it (or walking or biking it) to 40 miles a week. so there you have it. i'm hoping it won't take me 8 MONTHS to lose the 15 lbs...

2. You must place a photo or video on your blog each weekend and give us the scoop on how you did.

3. You must link back here so that the readers of your blog get to see how the rest of us are failing or succeeding.

4. You fill out the linky thing below and then people can get to your blog from my front page and we can cheer each other on.

let's get physical... physical...

heavy-hearted

2008-05-29T18:28:00.002-04:00

i got a call from my dad's sister today. she told me that my dad called his parents this morning, letting them know he has been in jail for the past 6 months and 3 weeks. he was calling to tell them he had just been released. the last time anyone in our family spoke with him was last July. my heart is heavy today. my dad just learned this morning that he is a grandfather. what a wake-up call. it breaks my heart on so many levels. please pray with me that he won't start drinking again. please pray that his time in jail will be a catalyst for change, for growth, for relationships to reemerge and be restored.

Lord, i want to love like you do. i can't love my dad on my own. he is so unlovable. he has hurt me more than words can convey. but he is Your child, Your beloved. You made him and You love him. help me to see him through Your eyes. please continue to heal my wounds, as only You can do. please open my heart and use me to love him through You. he desperately needs to be loved on. please show me how.

Is it good for me?

2008-05-29T11:13:00.000-04:00

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

Yesterday we looked at a piece of property on the sea. There were lovely woods to one side, two tall, scraggly, very picturesque pine trees on the other, huge rocks which turn pink in the sunset below, and in front miles and miles of blue ocean.

It is not always easy to know whether a thing we long for is a temptation from Satan to distract us from obedience and make us discontent, or something God actually wants to give us and therefore wants us to pray for. There is no such thing as something "too good to be true." God is loving and lavishly generous and has promised to give what is good--that is, what He who is omniscient knows to be good for us.

So today I asked Him to give me the prayers He wants me to pray and to give or withhold anything according to his plan for me. Nothing is too big to ask of Him, not even an ocean lot. It is God's business to decide if it is good for me. It is my business to obey Him.

"No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Ps 84:11).

Stars in a Dark World

2008-05-26T12:31:00.000-04:00

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

One of the letters the apostle Paul wrote from prison begs his friends to think and feel alike, to love, to have the "same turn of mind, and a common care for unity" (Phil 2:2 NEB). In such company there would be no room for rivalry or personal vanity. Each one would be thinking the others better, seeking to put their interests first.

Obedience, humility, cheerfulness ("Do all you have to do without complaint or wrangling") are rare in a warped and crooked world--nearly nonexistent, in fact, where each lives for his own ends. If a marriage counselor were to ask each partner, "What are your goals?" and the answer were "How can I best serve my husband or wife? What can I do to further his or her goals?" the counseling period would be over, the bill low. Any two people, any community of Christians who set themselves to look only to the other's interest would be a rare and radiant thing, shining, as Paul said, "like stars in a dark world" (Phil 2:15 NEB).

In that same sense, a Christian might well pray, "Lord, make me a star."

i'm an introvert? i'm an introvert. i'm an introvert!

2008-05-18T19:29:00.007-04:00

i took the Myers-Briggs personality profile back in college and was an ESFJ. but in the last couple of years, i have really noticed how much more introverted i have become! i just had to know for sure, so i retook the test the other day, and sure enough, i am now an ISFJ. i'm still processing the term "introvert" and i might even embrace the word someday... maybe.

maybe i've just wanted to be an extrovert, i was trying to be someone i thought i should be. but as i approach 30, i'm starting to care less what others think or what i think i should be. i'm approaching a new season, and i'm not gonna lie, i'm excited about it! i remember having a quarter-life crisis the morning of my 25th birthday. i thought, "what in the world am i doing with my life? who am i? this is so not what i pictured for myself at 25!" but as 30 looms in my near future, i'm more ready than i thought i would be. i still don't know what i'm doing with my life, but i know Who's calling the shots. i'm more in tune with who i am. i'm still not where i pictured myself at 30... but that's ok. i am no longer here for my own agenda. it's not a matter of where i'm going or what i'm doing. it's a matter of Who i am following. in John 5:30, Jesus said, "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."

Lord, i have my own ideas for what i want in life. but i want to know Your ideas. i want to know Your thoughts for me. make my agenda Yours. my time here is so short. i want to live it for Your glory, not my own. i'm sorry for the years i have spent trying to fit You around the plans i had for my life. i'm all Yours. Father, You say in 2 Samuel that if i find favor in Your eyes, You will bring me back and let me see it and Your dwelling place again. but if You say, "You are not pleased with me", then i am ready. may You do to me whatever seems good to You. i am fully surrendered to You.

blessed be Your name

2008-05-14T17:28:00.004-04:00

i don't believe in coincidence. i do believe that God speaks to us through His Word, as well as through other people, sometimes. and when a certain verse comes my way repetitively, i believe He's really trying to get my attention.

well, yesterday, i was reading my Uncle John's blog entry for the day. i read it right after writing the post about my dad. he talks about how much he loves the lyrics to the song, Blessed be Your Name. it brought tears to my eyes, especially the last part that says, "You give and take away; my heart will choose to say, 'Lord, blessed be Your name'".

not even an hour later, i am reading my daily selection assigned to me for reading the Bible in a year. (confession: i am on aug. 25. i started 1/1/06. i'm a little behind...) i happen to be starting Job this day and i stumble upon chapter 1, verse 21: "...Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Praise the name of the LORD."

ok, so i couldn't keep reading. i had to put my Bible aside and ask the Lord, "are you trying to tell me something? either You are about to give me something or take something away. ok. i don't know what it is yet, but i do know that whatever it is, (and i happen to hope it's giving me something, Lord... maybe a husband... or a job... just being honest!) i will choose to praise You. i feel like You are preparing me for something to be added or taken from me. and i need to make the decision NOW, to say "blessed be Your name".

it made me a little nervous; i'm not gonna lie. but i thought it was really cool how in the same hour, He brought both a song and a verse into my path that said the same thing.

stay tuned to hear about the imminent addition or subtraction. ;-)

high maintenance

2008-05-14T00:26:00.003-04:00

i love personality profiles. i don't know why. i just love filling out surveys. so i found this link that tells you what kind of person you are based on what drink you order at Starbucks. i usually order a grande raspberry mocha, nonfat, no whip, extra hot. and this is what i am:

Personality type: High Maintenance

You pride yourself on being assertive and direct; everyone else thinks you're bossy and arrogant. You're constantly running your mouth about topics that only you would find interesting. Your capacity for wasting other people's time is limitless. Your friends find you intolerable, that's why they're plotting to kill you.

Also drinks: Water. Bottled, chilled, with four ice cubes, a twist of lemon, in a crystal glass.
Can also be found at: Trendy martini bars

ok. so i know what i like. that doesn't make me high maintenance. does it?

p.s. i happen to like my water room temperature, yes, bottled is best, preferably with a packet of Propel, gently shaken.

what?!

so, what's your Starbucks drink of choice?

happy birthday, dad

2008-05-13T18:30:00.003-04:00

today is my dad's 53rd birthday. i'm sad though, because i can't call him or send him a card wishing him happy birthday. i don't know where he is. no one in his family knows where he is, what he's doing, or if he's even alive, for that matter. he has come in and out of my life for the last 12 years. his abandonment of me and my two sisters has been devastating. it's something i will never understand. for a long time, i struggled with anger and resentment towards God for assigning me the father He did. but i know that God doesn't make mistakes. and i know that He strategically placed me in the family He did because in order to be ME, i needed half of David's genes and half of Lisa's. and i'm pretty sure He made my mom extra amazing and loving, because He knew that i would need to be loved on a little extra without a dad.

i feel sorry for my dad. because of his pride, selfishness, and alcoholism, he has missed out on so many things. he missed my graduation from college in 2001. he wasn't at my sister's wedding in 2005. he doesn't even know he has a grandson. his absence has left a huge hole in his 3 daughters' hearts. it's a mystery to me...

but i know God is good. he has given me an uncle, a step-dad, and a surrogate dad who are men after God's own heart. they love the Lord, their wives, and their children with all their hearts, all their souls, and all their minds. they have all adopted me and love me just as if i was their own daughter. they each exude wisdom, strength, and honor and i am privileged to have them in my life.

Heavenly Father, You are the giver of all good things. thank You for Uncle John, for Sid, and for Dad Elmer. thank You for always taking care of not only my basic needs but also my need of a father-figure with not one, but THREE men. i cherish every one of them. i pray for my dad today, Lord, wherever he is. i pray that he returns to You and to his family. i pray he gets the help he needs to recover and live his life for You again. i know his dreams have been shattered. i pray that You will break him of his pride and that he will have a story that will glorify You. my heart is heavy for him today, Lord, thinking of how lonely he must be on his birthday. please love on him in a special way today. let him know that You hear him. let Him know Your touch. let him know that You love him. let that be enough...

self-discipline and order

2008-05-11T15:41:00.003-04:00

i am reading a book that Elisabeth Elliot wrote for her daughter called Let Me Be a Woman. in it she says:

"My job is over now. You are a woman, God's woman, autonomous before Him. But His disciplining of you is far from finished. If you love Him, you'll do what He says. And there can be no question as to whether He means it if only you will look at His face, be silent long enough to hear what he says. 'He calls his own sheep by name.' It was when Mary heard her name that she knew her Master in the garden after His resurrection. 'Master!' she cried, in recognition of His lordship over her.

The way you keep your house, the way you organize your time, the care you take in your personal appearance, the things you spend your money on all speak loudly about what you believe. 'The beauty of Thy peace' shines forth in an ordered life. A disordered life speaks loudly of disorder in the soul."

i struggle with the area of submission...i'm not gonna lie. i did not have a lot of discipline growing up. my mom raised my sister and me by herself and because she had to support us, she was gone a lot. i knew i could get away with just about anything. how are we to learn to believe and obey God if we have not been taught from earliest childhood to believe and obey the one(s) He puts over us? because i did not believe my mom would follow through with disciplining me, i didn't feel like i had to obey her. this way of thinking has affected my relationship with the Lord. i have no problem with believing IN God, but i do struggle with believing Him... which leads me to struggle with obedience. i know this issue will effect my future marriage if i don't work on it now. i want to be a submissive wife so badly. i want my husband to think he is the luckiest man alive. but most of all, i want my Father to look down and say to me, "Wow! It might have taken awhile, but I am so proud of the way you have learned to trust and obey Me."

if i can't trust God, who is perfect, never lets me down, never makes a mistake, never says "oops", always forgives, and loves me unconditionally, i am setting my future husband up to fail. who can live up to God?!

Lord, i want to trust You more than anything. i have the head knowledge, i just need to grasp it in my heart. i know i rely way too much on my feelings. i ask that when i'm feeling the need to take control because i happen to know what's best, You gently whisper in my ear, that You're in control. i surrender the right that i think i have to control my life. You have never let me down. You have always provided and protected me. i need order back in my life. i need discipline. i have so much free time on my hands right now and i want to use it wisely. i am an absolute wreck without you, God... a complete mess. i don't want to have circumstantial faith. thank You for sending Your Son to this earth so that i can have a personal relationship with You. thank You for strategically placing people and books in my path that help me to grow in grace and knowledge of Your love and trustworthiness. thank You for never letting go of me. thank You for my mom. i know she did the best she could. she rebelled and went her own way for awhile, like i did. but You have redeemed her, as You have, me. thank You for Your grace, love, and mercy. it scares me to death to think of where we'd be without You. thank You for not giving up on me when i am stubborn as all get out. i love You today and i will do what You say.

a 40 day fast

2008-05-09T01:47:00.004-04:00

my Uncle John has inspired me to do a 40 day fast. i will start today, 5/9, and go through 6/17. i want to pay a lot of extra attention to my relationship with the Lord. since being out of work, i have wasted hours upon hours and been convicted of going "booty, God, booty". i have eaten, drank, slept, and web surfed in excess. i know that being unemployed is just temporary, but i can be doing a lot more healthy and productive things with my time than what i've been doing for the last month.
over the next 40 days, i plan to...
drink only water
eat 4 small meals a day
eat no sweets or chips
fast weekly for 24 hours
sleep no more than 9 hours a night
limit internet time to 2 hours a day
walk/bike 25 miles a week
take multi/cod liver oil/calcium/super greens
be in the Word every single day
serve generously
i am hoping at the end of these 40 days to have a renewed walk with the Lord. i am so tired of living my life for me, me, me. i want to trust recklessly. i want to grow in grace and knowledge of my Savior. i want to rest in His unconditional love.

are YOU in?

power comes to its full strength in weakness

2008-05-07T22:35:00.002-04:00

i read Passion & Purity recently and there is a prayer Elisabeth Elliot prayed often. this is my prayer tonight...

"For my loneliness, Lord - Your strength.
For my temptation to self-pity, Lord - Your strength.
For my uncontrollable longings for this man [my future husband], Lord - Your strength."

she says, "When there is real weakness, especially of the kind that surprises and humiliates us, it is our opportunity to learn what Paul had to learn through his 'thorn': the grace of God is all we need, for '...power comes to its full strength in weakness...'"

Does Prayer Work?

2008-05-05T10:11:00.002-04:00

The answer to that depends on one's definition of work. It is necessary to know what a thing is for in order to judge whether it works. It would be senseless, for example, to say that if a screwdriver fails to drive nails into a board it doesn't "work." A screwdriver works very well for driving screws. Often we expect to arrange things according to our whims by praying about them, and when the arrangement fails to materialize we conclude that prayer doesn't work. God wants our willing cooperation in the bringing in of his kingdom. If "Thy kingdom come" is an honest prayer, we will seek to ask for whatever contributes to that end. What, after all is said and done, do you want above all? Is it "Thy will be done"? If so, leave it to Him.

Is it "My will be done"? Don't waste your time and God's by praying. Have it your way.

by Elisabeth Elliot

i love it when people say it like it is! preach it, Lis..

welcome to the world, Isaac!

2008-04-24T15:06:00.004-04:00

My nephew was born on Tuesday, 4/22/08 at 12:45 MST. His parents (my sister & brother-in-law) wrote "Isaac Michael Patterson Elmer will bear his first name as a token of the joy he is for us and all he meets, his second name as the son of a son of a valiant and God-fearing man, his third to carry the name of his lineage, and his fourth according to convention in western culture. He weighed in a healthy 7.4 lbs and measured 20+ inches (51 cm)."

Mama & baby came home about 2 hours ago and are doing great. They're both napping and happy to be home. I'm loving lovin' on them, helping out with meals and cleaning, and just enjoying this precious time and celebration of life and love. Thanks for all your prayers. We truly felt them and are so blessed!

here comes the buns

2008-04-16T22:28:00.006-04:00

here is a picture of my nephew, taken yesterday. he is due on friday!!!!!!!!!!!! i'm going to Nicaragua with my mom to hopefully make it on time to be there for his birth! my sister has had a very easy pregnancy and we're all praying the birth will be just as easy and complication free. she sent me this video the other day to prepare us for the miracle. God is so amazing...
(you might want to hit pause on the pink music box to the right so you can enjoy the classical, relaxing sounds of birth)

for what do you want to be known?

2008-04-15T09:14:00.004-04:00

i read this prayer on my uncle's blog the other day and it got me thinking... what DO i want to be known for?

"Lord, as I grow older, I would like to be known as
available rather than a hard-worker;
compassionate more than competent;
content not driven;
generous instead of rich;
gentle over being powerful;
good listener over being a great communicator;
loving vs. quick or bright;
reliable not famous;
sacrificial instead of successful;
self-controlled rather than exciting;
thoughtful more than gifted.
I want to be a foot washer.
Amen."

i love this prayer. and these truly are things i want to be known as. besides these traits, i want to be known for being a woman of my word, an amazing lover, and a woman who submits with honor. here is an excerpt from an email that my friend, Elizabeth, sent me recently...

"love is but a SMALL part of marriage. at least emotional love anyway. what marriage requires is much deeper. much stronger. much more selfless. much more confident. much more secure. much more stable. much more dependable. and... WAY more full of grace than any emotional love can give. and until one can experience more than emotional love, no marriage will work.

it's hard, because most of us, when we hear a sermon or read God's word, we want to change, but we don't want to go through the process it takes to get there. for instance, i want to lose my baby weight, but i don't want to walk every day like i need to, in order to lose the weight. i read something this week that reminds me of this. it basically said that 'though we all applaud the thought of transformation, most of us don't appreciate the process that gets us there. To be transformed means we have to change, and change too often hurts. But as Paul W. Powell writes, God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. His goal is not to pamper us physically but to perfect us spiritually.'

Unfortunately, it is often easier to talk about obedience than to do anything about it. We'll dissect and analyze God's truth, debate it, and philosophize about it - anything but actually let it affect our lives."

i am someone who gets excited about change. i get hyped up after a sermon or after reading a motivational book but i am not always a big fan of the process it takes... and since i am such an all-or-nothing kind of person, if i can't do things perfectly, i give up quickly and completely. this frustrates me to no end. from exercise to diet to relationships... i want to be someone who says what she means and means what says. why is this so hard? i have been trying not to beat myself up about this but instead, searching God's Word to see what He says about words, about love, and about submission.

Matthew 12:36 "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

Ephesians 5:5 "For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them."

1 John 3:18 "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence."

Genesis 29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires you to fear him, to live according to his will, to love and worship him with all your heart and soul.

Psalm 32:10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.

Psalm 85:10 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Psalm 103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

Proverbs 3:11-12 My child, don't ignore it when the LORD disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

Proverbs 20:6 Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?

Proverbs 21:21 He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.

Matthew 5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...

Luke 7:47 "Her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."

John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

1 Corinthinas 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me."

Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Mark 8:34-35 If any of you wants to be my follower...you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life.

What about you?
For what do you want to be known?

Interrupted Plans

2008-04-11T17:21:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

We like things to go smoothly and as planned. Very often unexpected things intervene, and our plans go awry. We think we've got "problems." There is another level at which everything that happens is being engineered. "God has no problems," Corrie ten Boom said, "only plans." When ours are interrupted, his are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable) "toward the goal of true maturity" (Rom 12:2 JBP). Believe God. Turn the interruptions over to Him. He is at the controls.

my beautiful sister, Esther, 9 months pregnant

2008-04-07T11:27:00.001-04:00

an unfaithful bride

2008-04-05T00:03:00.005-04:00

I am reading a book right now called Completely His by Shannon Ethridge. In the chapter, An Extraordinary Proposal, she writes about an unfaithful bride. It really convicted me because I have been an unfaithful bride, time and time again. Especially after just having reread Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, the Scripture hit home for me. Shannon writes:

"Imagine a groom standing at the altar, watching his lovely bride glide down the aisle to pledge herself to him in holy matrimony. Dreams swirl in his head of putting the ring on her finger, taking her in his arms on their honeymoon, and spending the rest of his life with her by his side.

Do you think this groom would go through with the wedding if he knew his bride would be unfaithful to him, prostituting herself with other men and treating their wedding vows with about as much respect as one might treat the weekly trash? Would he still marry her if he knew she would be unfaithful to him?

Would you make such a commitment if the tables were turned around and you knew the person you were about to marry had quite the dark past, a past that would definitely repeat itself? Or would you consider it more reasonable to pass on this opportunity and seek a more qualified candidate down the road, one who would be faithful to you forever?

Now imagine for a moment that you are that unfaithful bride. When your groom is asked if he will love, honor, and cherish you forever, even though he knows you will give yourself to others, what will he say? Do you expect him to say, 'I do,' or is this reason enough for him to say, 'I don't think so!'?

It's hard to imagine that a groom would commit himself to an unfaithful bride, but this is exactly what God has done with you and me. In fact, many theologians and scholars agree that the Old Testament story of Hosea and Gomer is a picture of God's relationship with His spiritual bride.

In this Old Testament book, God calls the prophet Hosea to take Gomer as his wife even though she's an adultress. Similarly, God takes His bride, the nation of Israel (and ultimately us, the church) in spite of our unfaithfulness. Let's turn to the story and read of God's unreasonably passionate pursuit of His beloved bride.

13 "I will punish her for all the times she deserted me,
when she burned incense to her images of Baal,
put on her earrings and jewels,
and went out looking for her lovers,"
says the LORD.

14 "But then I will win her back once again.
I will lead her out into the desert
and speak tenderly to her there.

15 I will return her vineyards to her
and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope.
She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young,
when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt.

16 "In that coming day," says the LORD,
"you will call me 'my husband'
instead of 'my master.'

17 O Israel, I will cause you to forget your images of the Baal;
even their names will no longer be spoken....

19 I will make you my wife forever,
showing you righteousness and justice,
unfailing love and compassion.

20 I will be faithful to you and make you mine,
and you will finally know me as LORD."

(Hosea 2:13-17, 19-20)

"Without question, I find this to be one of the most extraordinary and comforting passages in the Bible. Why? Because I, like Gomer, have been an incredibly unfaithful bride. Perhaps I've never invoked the name of Baal, but I've been seduced by plenty of other gods, gods such as greed, selfishness, pride, and sexual immorality. If I examine how I've spent significant blocks of time over the years, I'd also have to say that I've bowed down to many other petty gods - the television, the telephone, inappropriate relationships, the computer and Internet, and shopping - in my futile efforts to satisfy my soul. After all, the essence of idolatry is looking to something or someone else to fill us up and satisfy us in a way that only our Creator God can.

None of us are faithful to our Bridegroom - not one - but He has known this about each of us all along. The Bible is filled with unfaithful brides, from Adam and Abraham in the Old Testament to Peter and Paul in the New Testament. Yet these sin stories often turn out to be success stories of how God cleansed these individuals and called them His own. He can do the same for us."

my life: 90 day review & preview

2008-04-03T17:12:00.003-04:00

my Uncle John loves to live life on purpose and in balance. watching him do this inspires me to live the same. to be honest, i want to live the next quarter of 2008 with a lot more purpose and balance. here's my review of the 1st quarter and preview of the 2nd:

1. What went well this past 90 days?
-i finished my time (4 1/2 years) as an employee of Dr. Pehrson
-i have loved living with the Elmers. i feel safe, affirmed, and loved every day.
-i spent a few precious days with my pregnant sister and my amazing brother-in-law in Nicaragua.
-i paid off my car early and became officially DEBT FREE!!!!!!!
-i celebrated the last birthday of my 20s.
-welcomed Pehrson baby #7, Witt, into the world on 1/18.
-i officially became a member of Buckhead Church.

2. What will you do differently for the next 90?
-walk or bike at least 100 miles a month
-find creative ways to make money
-spend more time in the Word
-talk less. listen more.
-grow in my trust and love of God

3. What are 2-3 things you will do in the following 5 areas of your life?

A. LIFE (For your spirit, soul and body)
-I will make my times with the Lord a top priority, delighting in and meditating on His Word day and night.
-I want to be full of the Spirit with a heart of love, joy, peace, patience, self control and more.
-I want to exercise 5-6 days a week

B. (FUTURE) MARRIAGE
-I will pray that God will continue to prepare my future husband and me for one another.
-I will fall more in love with Jesus.

C. FAMILY
-Mini family reunion in Charlotte 4/11-4/13 with Grandstaffs, Werners, Woodalls, Mays, Griffins and the Taylor!
-Flying to Nicaragua 4/20 to wait for the arrival of my first nephew!!!

D. WORK
-Continue to seek where the Lord wants me, Northpoint? Buckhead Church? Somewhere besides Atlanta?!
-Help out in Weekday as needed & babysit until I find something full time

E. CHURCH
-Continue investing in Waumba Land at Buckhead Church
-Get back into a women's small group

Eccles. 3:12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.

Looking forward to a great April, May and June.

For lives on purpose in balance.

hidden work

2008-04-03T16:53:00.000-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Few of us accomplish without delay or interruption what we set out to accomplish. Plans are made, and they fail. We dream dreams, and they are not fulfilled. Even what seem to be soberly realistic schedules are interrupted by unforeseen demands. Often we are tempted to quit our efforts altogether, to take a careless attitude, or to give in to helplessness, despair, and frustration.

When the apostle Paul's itinerant ministry was brought to a standstill by his imprisonment in Rome, he had plenty of human reasons for giving up. He wrote to the Christians at Philippi, who themselves were suffering persecution, reminding them of the humble obedience of Christ. "You too, my friends, must be obedient, as always.... You must work out your own salvation in fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you, inspiring both the will and the deed, for his own chosen purpose. Do all you have to do without complaint or wrangling" (Phil 2:12-14 NEB).

Imprisonments, persecutions, late planes, an attack of the flu, an uninvited guest, or an unpleasant confrontation--never mind. Be obedient as always! Such a simple directive. So hard to carry out--unless we also remember that we are not by any means alone in our effort. God also is at work in us, always accomplishing what we could not accomplish if left to ourselves: his own chosen purpose.

chicks in the garden

2008-03-31T09:40:00.004-04:00

last weekend, Leigha, April, and Nikki and i had a perfect saturday. we had brunch at Leigha's, a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden for Orchid Daze, had a picnic in Piedmont Park, dinner at Six Feet Under, and dessert at Leigha's restaurant, Repast. it was such a fun day!!!

how He loves us

2008-03-28T19:42:00.002-04:00

i have been asking for God to show me how He feels about me in ways that i can understand. this song has been a recent answer to my prayer. i LOVE this:

Forsaken? Impossible

2008-03-28T19:24:00.001-04:00

by Elisabeth Elliot

Twice in my life I have heard Christians claim, in all seriousness, that God had forsaken them. This is an impossibility. Does Christ live in us? He does. The living Christ dwells in the heart of every true believer--He in them and they in Him. There are no words which adequately describe the intimacy of this relationship. Jesus, in his last recorded prayer for those whom the Father had given Him, asked "that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and thou in me...that the love thou hadst for me may be in them, and I may be in them" (Jn 17:23, 26 NEB).

Jesus Christ, in the extremity of his agony on the cross, asked why God had forsaken Him. In becoming sin for us He experienced a terrible alienation from his Father, a sense of total dereliction. God did not and could not forsake the Son who was one with Him. He cannot and will not forsake us who are not only his sons and daughters, but also the dwelling-places of his only begotten Son. "I will never, never, never, never, never (the Greek has five negatives) leave you or forsake you," is his promise. At times we may be overcome with a feeling of helpless forsakenness. This is surely not from the loving Father, but from the father of lies. The best way to answer that "father" is the way Jesus answered when tempted by Satan: "It is written." Take God's own promise with its five negatives and hold on.

excerpts from "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World"

2008-03-26T13:08:00.003-04:00

i got this email from my friend, Elizabeth, on Sunday night. i just wanted to share it because it is so relevant for my life right now:

my small group is doing a study called "having a mary heart in a martha world". it has been great, and this week, has been no exception. the words are ALWAYS timely. this is what we studied this week. it ministered to me as i am still dealing with the loss of my mom and i hope it can minister to you as well.... i thought of both of us and wanted to share these bits and excerpts from chapter 8. it is called lessons from lazarus. this is regarding his death and how mary and martha handled it...

again... the whole chapter is wonderful... but these are just bits and pieces...

three things we can learn from the story of lazarus:

* God's will does not always proceed in a straight line.
that means that i will not always see a clear connection between point A and point B. i won't always see the pattern in what happens to me. i won't always understand the plan. one reason for this is that God is weaving together a greater glory than just my own. as paul explains in romans 8:28, we know that all things work together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. it is God's purposes, not mine, that must prevail. he is concerned not only with the individual need, but with the corporate need as well..... so don't be surprised if your personal plot takes a couple of twists now and then. don't get upset when point A doesn't automatically lead to point B. there are no detours in God's story line, not really. just complications that he's more than able to resolve.

the author of salvation does really know what he's doing even when we can't figure it out. God always has a plan. but it may not follow human logic.

these are the hard questions we must wrestle with in the story of lazarus. why would Jesus allow such sorrow to come to a family who loved him so much? why would he withhold his power to heal when he'd healed so often before?

trials are real. bad things happen - to good people an bad people alike. and we who are christians don't escape life, paul says. we overcome life! .... for while life may shake, rattle and roll, this rock-solid truth from john 11:5 remains: "Jesus loved martha and her sister and lazarus." just like he loves you....

the love christ has for you is a love you can cling to, for it will hold you. though we may not understand God's methods, that doesn't change the fact of God's love.

* God's love sometimes tarries for our good and his glory.
while we may never understand why God's love sometimes lingers, we can rest assured that God's love is always at work. he may not move according to our schedule, but he is right on time for what is best. and he has our ultimate good forever in mind.

* God's ways are not our ways, but his character is still dependable.
if you are struggling to hang on in the midst of your difficult circumstances, let me remind you to go back to what you know about God. open the bible and find scriptures to cling to - scriptures that reveal the heart and faithfulness of God. remind yourself that God is your strength. that he is your source of comfort. that he won't let you fail. that he loves you passionately and only wants the best for you. "we only trust people that we know", says martha tennison, popular women's conference speaker. "if you are struggling to trust God, it may be because you don't really know God."
however, God's ways are not our ways. his plots often don't take the direction we think they should. and even his grammar is not our grammar. for it is against this backdrop of despair that we find God's grammar rule number one.

#1 - NEVER PUT A PERIOD WHERE GOD PUTS A COMMA...
too often, according to ray stedman, we interpret God's delays as God's denials. but the story of lazarus tells us that "a delay in answer is not a sign of God's influence or his failure to hear. it is a sign of his love. the delay will help us. it will make us stronger."
but God's ways are not our ways, and his timing rarely coincides with our own. while God is never late, i've found he's rarely early. that is why we must trust his schedule as well as his character.
cece winans writes in her book, "on a positive note":
"faith is about how you live your life in the meantime, how you make decisions when you don't know for sure what is next. what you do with yourself between the last time you heard from God and the next time you hear from God is the ongoing challenge of a life of faith."
so never put a period where god puts a comma. just when you think the sentence is over, the most important part may be yet to come.

#2 NEVER PUT A COMMA WHERE GOD PUTS A PERIOD...
there are times in every life when God writes the end to a chapter, when he asks us to say good-bye to something or someone who has been important to us. it might be a spouse, a parent, a friend. it might be a job we've loved, a city we've enjoyed, a prejudice or an assumption that we've always thought was true.
endings, in a sense, are inevitable. dead ends, failed possibilities, and brick walls will disappoint us all. and when those endings come, we can fight them as peter advised Jesus. or we can accept them as Jesus did, as coming from the father's hand.
laura barker snow writes beautifully about these times...
"my child, i have a message for you today; let me whisper it in your ear, that it may gild with glory any storm clouds which may arise, and smooth the rough places upon which you may have to tread. it is short, only five words, but let them sink into your inmost soul; use them as a pillow upon which to rest your weary head... this thing is from ME."
his periods may not be our periods. his commas may not be our commas. his ways may not be our ways. but God is the one telling the story, and we can trust him to take the tale in the right direction. we can have faith that everything really will turn out right.

* God's plan is released when we believe and obey.this is one of the most exciting lessons of all, because it means that God's story, in a sense, is interactive. we are an integral part of the writing process. our choices play a part in the unfolding of the plot! just as adam and eve's disobedience blocked God's purpose, our obedience releases his plan. faith and obedience go hand in hand. it takes faith to choose obedience and if you're like me, it takes obedience to choose faith when you're quaking with fear. but when God speaks a promise to our hearts, we can take him at his word. that's what martha did. and as she did, faith arose to help her take the next step; to obey him when he spoke, even when what he told her to do, seemed completely impractical.

*the "end" is never the end; it is only the beginning.
when Jesus came late to bethany, his lateness was AN ACT OF LOVE. a gift of perspective. a foreshadowing meant as a MERCY, not only for mary, martha, and lazarus, but for his disciples and for you and for me.
we will all die... lazarus eventually did... you and i will...
death does sting, even when we know better. it hurts to leave behind the people we love. it hurts to be left behind. we will all encounter many more hurts on our journey toward the grave. sometimes the story of our lives seems like one painful episode after another... and Jesus knew that.
today we suffer. today we don't understand. but someday, in that eternal tomorrow, that same Savior who weeps with us will wipe away every tear from our eyes. he'll unbind our graveclothes of earthly flesh, and we'll be set free. someday all the scattered, broken pieces will fall into place, and we will suddenly understand the hand of God has been upon us all the time! all the tragedy - all the darkness - will instantly be swallowed up by triumph.
what a perfect ending to our imperfect stories.that's the love of our master storyteller God!

a love letter from my uncle.

2008-03-25T18:37:00.002-04:00

i sent this email to my uncle John on Sunday:

this is my last week at the dentist office. thank you for introducing me to the Pehrsons in 10/03 and especially, NPCC. i am at a crossroads in life and i'm not sure which direction to go. i feel like i have the capability to just pick up and GO! somewhere new, but where? all i want is to be a wife and mom. pursuing a career is the last thing i'm interested in but bills have got to be paid! i have never been more ready for heaven. i'm just over this life. not saying i'm gonna harm myself, but i find myself often thinking of my next life, and eager for it to begin. i don't feel like i belong here or i fit in very well. waiting is not one of my strengths but the Lord is stripping me of many things as of late and i am just trying to take life a day at at time. just do the next thing. ;-)

and this is his reply:

Jess, you say some important things that I want to affirm. Please read these words and verses and truths and let them renew and bathe your mind in the good things of the Lord.

1. I don't think the first thing to do is "pick up and go".
It may be in order to get a fresh start but the way you love NP/BC and the way you have grown because of it, I would keep that a part of your decision making. The first part of our decision would be a good local church in which to grow, worship and serve.

2. I don't think it is necessary to find a "career".
I think careers are the world's concept. Yes, it is true you have bills to pay and so the pursuit is the Lord and His provision for you. Don't think of your next step as a career. I believe the Lord is using this experience to keep your dependence on Him.

3. I love your desires to be a wife and mom.
The Lord has changed you and put these desires in you. What a change from the first time you came here. The key is keep growing in your delight of the Lord.
Psa. 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. This is Aunt Debbie's life verse.

4. I love how you are longing for heaven. This is a good thing.
Jesus said we are not of this world but from another world. I often think about the world to come and my desire to be with Him in His kingdom where we don't have to deal with the hardships of this world and life.

John 13:1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

John 16:28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 17:13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

5. I understand how hard it is to wait.
It is part of God's plan as He develops us as His children and disciples. Waiting is hard for all.

Psa. 119:166 I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands.

Psa. 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Rom. 8:23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Rom. 8:25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

6. And finally, I love how you are taking life one day at a time.
This is what the Lord wants us to do. The enemy wants us to think about the past and worry about the future but God desires us to be fully alive, fully present and fully engaging Him in the moments of every day. This begins with constant THANKING HIM...in all things all the time. Keep giving thanks even when you don't "Feel" like it. thanks is an act of the will and obedience.

Psa. 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Matt. 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Matt. 6:31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

Matt. 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

James 4:13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Hope you are blessed and refreshed by these words of truth and the Lord.

I love you more than you will ever know.

See you in the morning.

Uncle J.

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

2008-03-24T05:29:00.002-04:00

John 21

1Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3"I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"
"No," they answered.

6He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."

11Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. 18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"

20Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") 21When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"

22Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"

24This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

the Empty Tomb

2008-03-23T09:50:00.002-04:00

John 20

1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"

3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

10Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."

16Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

17Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "

18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

30Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Jesus is Sentenced. Crucified. Buried.

2008-03-21T08:09:00.002-04:00

John 19

1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face.
4Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him." 5When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!"

6As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!"
But Pilate answered, "You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him."

7The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God."

8When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"

11Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

12From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar."

13When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.
"Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews.

15But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!"
"Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked.
"We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered.

16Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."

22Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

24"Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it."
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,
"They divided my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did.

25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

28Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," 37and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."

38Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Jesus is Arrested

2008-03-20T05:36:00.002-04:00

John 18

1When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.

2Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

4Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?"

5"Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.

"I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.

7Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?"
And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

8"I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." 9This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me."

10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

11Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"

12Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.

15Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, 16but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

17"You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter.
He replied, "I am not."

18It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

19Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20"I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said."

22When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded.

23"If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?" 24Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

25As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?"
He denied it, saying, "I am not."
26One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?" 27Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

28Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?"
30"If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you."

31Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law."

"But we have no right to execute anyone," the Jews objected. 32This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.

33Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

34"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"

35"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"

36Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

37"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

38"What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him. 39But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?"

40They shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.

When God Writes Your Love Story

2008-03-18T19:16:00.005-04:00

i'm reading a book right now called When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric and Leslie Ludy. in the chapter "Developing Inward Excellence", Eric challenges guys with this...

"Guys, just imagine that God has it in His mind to bring into your life someday a precious and lovely wife who will make your heart skip a beat every time you look at her. Can you picture that?

Now, I want you also to imagine that this beautiful young woman can see you right now. Pretend that she is capable of watching you, everywhere you go, and she is able to see everything you do. I know this is really stretching your imagination, guys, but stick with me!

Okay then, if she could see and hear everything, ask yourself this question, 'If she followed me around throughout my day, every day of my life, would she feel cherished and adored by me as she watches me interact with other girls? Would she come away each day saying, "He sure does love me!" or would she be deeply hurt by the way I give what is hers to other women?'"

this is a huge conviction. even for me... i want to go about my days (and nights) honoring my future husband as if he could see me and hear me at all times.

and in the chapter "A Forever Kind of Love", Leslie talks about a verse she had read (as have i) many times before. Proverbs 31:12 dramatically changed the way she was living from that day forward. the verse says...

She (the wife of godly character) does him (her husband) good

and not evil all the days of her life.

Leslie writes, "Wait a minute! My mind raced. All the days of her life? What was that supposed to mean? I had yet to meet any woman who had been married all the days of her life. Did this verse mean she tried to do her husband good...even before she met him?

I felt a nudge on my heart. And somehow, I knew this was what God wanted for me. To seek my future husband's highest good...starting right now...

The gentle nudge continued, ultimately forcing me to examine the way I was living. How had I been approaching relationships? Each time I was involved with someone, I poured my heart, my emotions, my affection, my time, and all my attention onto that person...

'How would you future husband feel...' my heart seemed to ask, 'if he could see you giving everything you are to these relationships? If he could watch you freely giving away your heart, your emotions, and your physical purity...a treasure that belongs to him?'

My heart ached. I realized so clearly in that moment that I hadn't been loving my future husband. With the way I had been living, I hadn't even been considering him at all! Instead, I had been consumed with meeting my own immediate desires. Sadness overcame me as I saw that I had been giving his treasure, piece by piece, to each guy I dated."

wow. how humbling is that? i could have written every word of that myself. i am so grateful for these and convictions and challenges today.

Lord, i want to honor You and my future husband with the way i live. i am making a commitment today to love him and seek his highest good from now on. thank You for loving me sacrificially, selflessly, and unconditionally. help me to love like that...

Jesus Prays for All Believers

2008-03-17T05:44:00.000-04:00

John 17:20-26

20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

a prayer for my future husband

2008-03-16T18:25:00.002-04:00

Lord God, your Word declares that if I delight myself in you—if I enjoy and seek your pleasure above mine—you'll give me the desires of my heart (Psalm 37:4). Desiring a husband is neither evil nor selfish because marriage is honorable (Hebrews 13:4). At the beginning of creation, you proclaimed, "It is not good that man should be alone" and then you created Eve to be a suitable partner for Adam (Genesis 2:18). In the name of Jesus, I ask that you would protect the husband—a suitable partner—you have chosen for me. Because the covenant of marriage is sacred (Mark 10:9), I ask for a man of God. Please give me a husband whose love for me is only outmatched by his love for you; a man who will cherish me and build me up (Proverbs 31:28); a man who will honor me (I Peter 3:7) and our marriage vows; a man who will be a good father and provider; a man whom I will be attracted to physically, emotionally, and spiritually; a man who will love me as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). Keep me from attaching myself to another man out of desperation. I will not settle for a relationship that's second best, convenient, or one that feeds my insecurities. Guard my purity and give me the patience to wait. And when I meet him, confirm to me that he is the one. Release from me the baggage of past relationships, and prepare me for the man You have chosen to be my husband. Free me from any hindrances to a healthy and godly marriage: insecurities, habitual sins, selfishness, and emotional hurts. Dispel my unrealistic expectations that set me up for disappointment. I place my trust in you rather than my partner. In this period of waiting, I will look to you alone to be my companion and best friend. You are the one who redeems my life from the pit, who crowns me with love and compassion, who satisfies my desires with good things (Psalm 103:4-5). I will not be anxious, but as I present my requests to you, flood me with the peace that surpasses all understanding so my heart and my mind are guarded in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6,7). In this request, I commit myself to trust you and do good, to dwell in the land and feed on your faithfulness. I commit my way to you and trust that you will bring it to pass (Psalm 37:35). Amen
(author unknown)

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

2008-03-16T17:56:00.001-04:00

John 17:6-19

6"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.