The Joy of Writing

It Shows

2012-01-30T04:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever seen the change that comes over someone when they find the love they never expected?

It might be a child who has never been loved by a family. There's a hardness. A toughness. An “I can make it through life without anybody's help” attitude about her. Then, a family opens their arms, home, and hearts to her. There's a fight at first, because she just doesn't want to be hurt again. But, as their love persists through the fight, suddenly she realizes she really is home. And though it may take months or even years, the change finally comes. And when the change comes, it's an incredible and complete transformation.

Or it might be the man whose heart was broken in high school by the girl he just knew he would spend the rest of his life with. She walked away with someone else, and in that moment he became convinced he would never love again. In his eyes you can see the barrier. He is closed. He might have friends. He might even have other girlfriends. But, as soon as any of them get too close, he backs away and throws up the wall. He might wear a smile, but it only shows on his lips. There is nothing he truly enjoys. Even his favorite hobbies are only fun for a time, and then the emptiness returns. Everything others celebrate is just an opportunity for him to show his cynicism. Until that day when someone manages to break down his barriers. That day when someone loves him through it all and doesn't let go. And then it clicks. He can't help but love her back. And when he does, those barricaded eyes fling open. The cynicism disappears. And every celebration becomes filled with joy for the first time in years.

Have you seen it? I have. And it melts my heart. The transformation can make a person almost unrecognizable. You see them do things and hear them say things they never would have before. You see them celebrate when before they would have mocked. Even people on the fringe of their lives suddenly get to know them in ways they never would have before. It's a breathtakingly beautiful transformation.

But, there's only one kind of love that can do it. It's the love of God. There is no home that can truly transform a child unless it is a home that belongs to God. There is not a romantic relationship that can keep from breaking that heart again unless it is a relationship that is centered in submission to Christ. With Him, it's beautiful. Without Him, it's impossible.

The most beautiful thing about such stories is that it doesn't actually take a family's home or a romantic relationship to break down the hurt and bring in the freedom. No, all it takes is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He does use His people to accomplish the purpose, but it all comes back to Him. It all comes back to the love that He pours out through us.

Are you that unloved child? Do you have that broken heart? God might heal your hurts through His children, but don't look for it there. Look for it in Him directly. Open yourself up to His love. And let everyone around you rejoice as they see the transformation in your eyes.

It will be a beautiful sight.

A Heart Like Daniel’s

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-06:00

I've been looking back through my journal lately, reminding myself of lessons learned in the past couple of months and trying to determine whether or not I have actually put those lessons into action. As I ponder through them, many of them will probably show up here, intermingled with the more recent thoughts from Scripture and life.

One that stands out to me today came from an October reading from Daniel.

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. Daniel 9:1-3

I have read this passage many times. I think I've just skimmed past it, though, because Daniel's apocalyptic visions are so hard to wrap my mind around. But this time something really stood out to me. Daniel had been taken from his home as a young man – possibly in his teens – when God's judgment fell on Jerusalem and Judah and the exile began. According to Jeremiah, the length of the exile was to be seventy years. Obviously, Daniel was observing that this time was coming to an end because his prayers began to center on the restoration of Jerusalem and her people.

It was this focus of prayer that really grabbed my attention and my heart this time around. Daniel was an old man by now, and he had been through quite a bit in his years. I'm sure there were many times of fear and uncertainty in his life as he went through this trial and that challenge, including being thrown into a den of starving lions. He had endured power changes and had managed to be elevated to high positions in almost every one. He had seen prosperity and success, but he had also seen without a doubt that he could have a good, solid, vibrant, growing relationship with the one true God even in the pagan land of Babylon. Even as he served closely under pagan kings, he could remain true to his faith. He saw his God meet every last one of his spiritual needs right where he was.

And yet, he prayed fervently that he and his people be restored to their home.

In our eyes, it seems insane for Daniel to not be fully satisfied where he is. In all his prosperity, both spiritual and political, he's not content? His life has not been full and good?

But the key here is that it wasn't about Daniel's life. It was about God's heart. As Daniel read the prophecies of Jeremiah, he knew that God's heart was intent on the restoration of His people to their home. His will for the future of His chosen people and the world as a whole revolved around the restoration of Jerusalem. Daniel saw God's heart. And, as he saw God's heart, he hungered, longed, and even passionately needed to be in the center of that will. Even if it meant surrendering all of the success he had seen throughout his life. Even if it meant a change. Even if it meant a return to a land he could hardly remember.

We have no record that Daniel actually did return to Jerusalem with the exiles. But, I don't think that was the point for Daniel. I think the point was that his focus was to be the same as God's, regardless of what happened to him personally. As I read of Daniel's heart, my heart longs to be the same way. I long for nothing to matter but God's will. I long for my heart to be so in line with God's that I don't care about my life. I am instead passionate about His plan. I want my heart to be so hungry for His will to be accomplished that it is an intense need of mine to be in the center of His will.

I want a heart like Daniel's.

Helpful Hints Thursday: Chick-fil-A

2012-01-26T04:19:00.000-06:00

Well, I had an awesome helpful hint in mind for you. But, I didn’t write it down. And, most of you know what that means. Yep – it never happened.

Oh well. So, as I sit here contemplating a new idea, my eyes just happen to land on the Chick-fil-A calendar on my wall. Voila! I think I’ll mention a little secret about Chick-fil-A coupons that you may or may not know.

The expiration date isn’t a big deal!

Yep, it’s true. I have a coupon holder full of last year’s calendar coupons, and more likely that not, Chick-fil-A will honor them.* So don’t throw those out of date coupons away!

*Ultimately it is the individual restaurant’s decision whether or not to take out of date coupons. So, there may be cases where the coupons are refused.

In Need of a Fire

2012-01-25T04:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning I needed a fire. I didn't need it because it was cold outside. In fact, it wasn't really fire weather at all. I was comfortable in my short-sleeve pajamas as I curled up on the couch for my morning quiet time. I didn't want a warm beverage, and I quickly discarded the sweater I had pulled out just in case. But, somehow I just felt like I needed that fire.

It probably had something to do with the fact that Doug was gone. He left on Monday to head to a conference. I was supposed to go with him, but our plans changed at the last minute. Things had gone well in his absence, despite the change in plans, but there was a security missing with him gone. Of course, there was the fact that I just missed him. But, I also missed the warmth that naturally comes from having a kindred spirit physically there with me.

So, I built a fire. I added some kindling and another log to the wood that was left in the fireplace from a previous fire we had just let die out. For a while there wasn't much to the fire. The kindling and smallest log burned enough for me to enjoy a small fire during my quiet time, and then the bigger logs just smoldered as the morning wore on and I came and went while taking care of other tasks around the house. Then just before I sat down on the couch with my netbook to work on some writing, I stirred the fire and added a log. The fire began to blaze up from the hot bed of coals, and before long crackling, warm comfort was wafting from the fireplace. Even as the day grew warmer, I turned the heater way down and let the fire keep burning. It was beautiful.

It's amazing what comfort something so simple can bring. To me yesterday morning that fire had nothing to do with being a source of heat. It had to do with being a source of presence. So often in Scripture, God's presence is equated with or represented by fire. I know God Himself wasn't in that fire, but as I watched those flames flicker as if alive, I felt His presence in a very real way. As I sat in front of the small flames and had my quiet time, I sensed my heart softening and preparing to hear from Him. As I saw the smoldering logs throughout the middle part of the morning, I sensed His presence glowing like a burning coal in my heart, creating a foundation to draw on throughout the day. As the fire burned bright and warm later in the morning, I felt Him surrounding me while I wrote and worked.

No, God was not in that fire. But, God's creation – including that fire – is intended to point us to Him. It was made for the explicit purpose of letting us know His love for us. His very presence is revealed all around us, whether it be in a fire, a new spring flower, or a child's laughter.

What do you need today? What part of God's creation is He using to draw you to Himself? It just might be time to build your own fire, and let His presence surround and consume you in the most beautiful of ways.

1 Peter Study, Week 3

2012-01-24T19:56:00.001-06:00

Obviously, I'm a little late posting my thoughts on 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times this week. But, I can say that I'm very excited about sharing this week. There was so much more in this lesson than I could even begin to share in a blog post, but here are a few thoughts.

Before I even began the study itself, I got caught up in the beauty of the first two verses from this week's reading assignment.

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5

What a rich passage! Christ Himself was rejected by men, but is choice and precious in God's sight. And so are we! We are the living stones who, because we have been associated with Christ, have been rejected by this world. But if we are in Christ, then we are intentionally chosen and exceedingly precious to Him. So, what do we do with that realization? That is exactly what lesson three explores.

Peter's primary ministry was to those of Jewish background. And, when he spoke of the “spiritual house,” “holy priesthood,” and “spiritual sacrifices” in verse five, his primary audience would have thought back to the magnificence of the temple. One of our discussion points was to contrast the idea of the temple to our nature as “living stones” of a “spiritual house” as presented in these verses.

The temple was incredibly precious to the Jews. To this day, the Jews mourn the loss of their temple, a loss that is now nearly 2000 years old. The temple was the focal point of their worship. Although they have synagogues and places to learn and grow in their faith, they no longer have that place of connection to God. It was there they could go to interact with the priests who would approach God on their behalf. They would journey long distances to find their way to that one place on the map. That place of connection with God.

So, what about us? We are the connection! We are a living, breathing temple that is not limited geographically to one spot on the map. Instead, this temple stretches around the world, available to every tongue and nation. And there is more. The Biblical temple was only truly accessible to the priests, and the rest of the people had to rely on the priests for communion with God. Now, as the living, breathing temple of God, we are all priests. Every last one of us.

But there still remains the question: what do we do with this knowledge.

When we look back at the priests of the Old Testament, we see that they offered sacrifices for the sanctification of the people and the praise of God. In the same way, we are called to fulfill our priestly duties. But obviously we don't have to kill animals and burn them on the altar. Instead, we offer ourselves. We give ourselves in full surrender to the work of Christ, offering praise to Him and serving one another. The danger is that, just as the priests fell into the habit of offering sacrifices physically, but without the heart behind it, so we can fall into the trap of going through the rituals without truly surrendering our hearts to Christ. It is so much easier to be a functional stone, holding our spot in the building, than it is to be an active part of a living organism. This spiritual house is not the type of building where we are laid and then do nothing more. It is a body. A living entity, built to accomplish God's work on this earth. We must never simply go through the rituals of sacrifice. We must truly live lives of sacrifice.

I have known all of these truths for so long, but it's so easy to walk through life and forget to live these truths. Being reminded that I am both precious and chosen as a part of this living building is a comfort and a challenge.

Next week we will discuss what Peter teaches us about living as that royal priesthood in the midst of a very secular world.

This study was sent to me by Kregel Publications in exchange for my participation in this graduated blog tour. I am not required to respond positively to the study.

Contagious Trust

2012-01-23T04:00:00.000-06:00

Just in case you missed it, last night was a stormy one for the south. In fact, I sat down to write this blog post in front of the TV just so we could keep up with the warnings. Just about the time I got everything ready to start typing, we were told to take cover. Not long after, Doug got a call from his father saying that our nice little town of 300 was mentioned on The Weather Channel. That's not exactly the way I like for us to be recognized.

As we gathered up the kids and took them to our safe spot, I discovered that my sweet little Steven had been to the bathroom four times over the course of about 45 minutes because he was nervous about the storms. But, as soon as we all snuggled down together and Doug kept assuring us that it looked like everything was going to be fine, Steven calmed down. The girls joked and laughed and played with each other, and Steven just rested. I stayed cheerful and joked with the kids, and the more we teased, the less tense he seemed.

Meanwhile, all around, the storm raged.

It was loud. The wind whistled all around us. Hail hammered against the roof. Rain pelted the house. But my anxious little boy was able to smile. Why? Because he knew that if Mommy was right there with him and smiling, he was okay.

To be honest, this hasn't always been his nature. In the past, even when I reassured him, he would stay tense and stressed. His little body would be tight and his heart would beat fast. Every muscle would be tense, and he'd cling to me. But last night was different. Last night I could still see that there was some worry in his eyes. But, he was more at peace. More trusting that I was telling him the truth.

So, what about me? Where did my peace come from?

You see, Steven comes by his stress honestly. His mommy has dealt with panic and anxiety for just about as long as she can remember. And, last night was the perfect opportunity to be anxious. Here I was with my three children, huddled down waiting for the storm rotation that was heading right for us. But, even though I felt shaky and uncertain, I still felt peace.

I'm learning, too. I'm learning to trust increasingly in my amazing Savior. And there is no better time to see that trust in action than in the middle of a storm. Because of my trust, my sweet son is learning to trust. Because of my trust, my precious girls could joke and laugh last night. And because of my trust, as soon as the danger past, all three of my children were able to go to bed in full trust that everything really was okay.

Contagious trust is a beautiful thing. It results in contagious peace. I know we can't always laugh and joke through our storms, but we can radiate trust and peace no matter what is raging around us. And, believe me, someone will “catch” it from us. Someone will grow in their own trust and peace because of us.

I pray that you are growing in trust. And I pray that your growth is contagious.

Thankful for…

2012-01-21T15:02:00.001-06:00

…the celebration of new life. This morning it was a baby shower and in just about an hour it will be a wedding. Precious times!

…peace in the midst of craziness. Only God can do that.

…answered prayers.

…only one child who is afraid during middle-of-the-night thunderstorms. The other two typically don’t even know a storm came through unless it was really loud. One big sister will wake up to li’l brother’s cries quicker than she’ll wake up to thunder. That’s precious to me.

…a husband who loves to do little things to make people laugh in stressful moments. But, he also knows how to not go too far and add to the stress instead of relaxing it. This afternoon he put on his UPS tie when he went for wedding pictures. The groom works for FedEx. (And yes, he hid the “real” tie – one that coordinates with the wedding colors – in his pocket to put on once the joke was made.)

…opportunities. The ones God opens up without any “help” from me are the best. The more I stay out of the way, the better they are!

…friendships.

…family time.

…hubby & me time.

…down moments in the midst of a busy day/weekend.

No Other gods

2012-01-20T04:04:00.000-06:00

Growing up, it always bugged me that the pagan rulers of Scripture could see the miracles of God, command that all the people of their nations worship Him, and then turn right back to their own gods.

And then something occurred to me: they never actually gave up their own gods.

In Daniel we see it the most profoundly. Over and over again God's hand is powerfully seen in the lives of his servants. And, even in Daniel 4 we see Nebuchadnezzar profoundly humbled by God when he begins to think far too highly of himself. Once his sanity and power are restored, he gives glory to God.

But despite the glory Nebuchadnezzar and the other kings represented in Daniel give to the one true God, Almighty Creator of all in existence, they never let go of their other gods. They still worship them as well. They acknowledge God and His greatness. They worship Him. But, they do not give Him their hearts fully and completely.

They don't fully surrender.

We immediately recognize the foolishness of such a choice. We realize that, in truth, there are no other gods. So, how can we worship what truly doesn't exist? God is God. Period.

But, when we look deeper into our hearts, do we really act like He's everything? Are our hearts really undivided in their worship?

In all honesty, it's hard in the midst of our comfortable lives to know what lesser gods hold sway over our lives. But, stop and try to contemplate it for a minute. What things would be hard to give up? What material possessions? What loved ones? What freedoms? What privileges? What activities? If God were to say, “You must surrender ___________ in order to fully follow me in obedience,” what would fill in that blank for you? And, how hard would it be to surrender?

When I stop and truly consider my life, I realize I still cling selfishly to so many things. I cling to my time, my schedule, my convenience. I cling to putting my family first. I cling to my space and my comfort. My trusty computer and reliable internet. My full wardrobe. My freedom to homeschool my children. The ease with which I attend church.

How passionately do I cling to these things? How open am I to God's nudges to use these things for His glory? How open are my hands? If I am clinging so tightly to these things that I don't even recognize the ways God wants to use them in my life, then how am I better than Nebuchadnezzar? I'm not. I am dividing my heart between worship of God and worship of gods. And that division means that what I claim is worship of the one true God is not really true worship at all.

My friends, how we must guard our hearts! God has given us salvation, the one gift that we cannot live without. And yet, He has also blessed us in so many lesser ways. Our possessions, our freedoms, and our loved ones are all beautiful gifts from God. But, it is far too easy for our sin-inclined hearts to turn those precious gifts into gods of their own. May we never be so horribly divided! May we be true to the Giver, giving Him all glory for every gift – and holding each one so loosely that our hearts never worship wrongly.

Only You, Sierra by Robin Jones Gunn

2012-01-19T04:00:00.000-06:00

Today a book review will be replacing the typical Thursday post, as Tuesdays are temporarily allocated to the 1 Peter Bible study posts.

Technically today’s review is of the Sierra Jensen Collection: Volume One, the first three books in Robin Jones Gunn’s Sierra Jensen series combined in one binding (or in one e-book). But, I ended up only receiving book one in the series, Only You, Sierra. So, I can actually only review the content of book one. Even having only read one book, however, I think I can give you a pretty good idea of what is available with this collection.

I have heard of Robin Jones Gunn’s books for teen girls and have wanted to preview them for some time now, considering I have two growing girls who are avid readers. Sierra Jensen’s stories actually comprise a companion series to Gunn’s Christy Miller books, picking up on a character Christy and her friends meet on a mission trip.

Sierra Jensen is a sixteen-year-old struggling with the balance between wanting to be grown and still needing to mature in so many areas. Having just had a life-changing mission trip experience with older college students, returning to the life of a high-schooler is tough. To make it worse, Sierra’s family moved while she was on her trip, and Sierra just can’t seem to get settled into her new home, school, and community.

The storyline is definitely one I want to reserve for my girls’ teen years. There is nothing overly mature or compromising for a preteen girl. If the rest of the series is like this book, Gunn does a great job of keeping the story pure and encouraging godly relationships between guys and girls. But, the idea that girls should have boyfriends is being introduced earlier and earlier these days. The longer I can keep that longing in the background for my girls, the easier it will be for them to wait and live out God’s plan in God’s timing. As we do begin to discuss God’s plan for their future relationships, however, Gunn’s perspective on dating and relationships is one that I think will reinforce a Christ-centered perspective on dating and waiting for “Mr. Right.” In addition to promoting the aforementioned purity, Gunn also is not shy about presenting the idea that obedience to Christ comes first, no matter how attractive the guy, how promising the relationship, or even how solid of a Christian the significant other may be.

But, Gunn’s writing style presents a problem for me. As I mentioned, both of my girls are advanced readers, and even at eight and ten they could speed through one book in the Sierra Jensen series in an hour or two at the most. I can only imagine how quickly they would fly through these books as teenagers!

While I would love to see similar storylines developed at a more challenging reading level, I think the reorganization of these books into three-volume collections will help. I know I would need to buy at least three books at a time to keep my girls from going crazy while waiting to read what comes next!

Bottom line: No matter what type of reader you are, there’s always room for a fun, quick, relaxing read. So, these books will definitely go on our wish list for a few years from now. And, knowing that these are quick, easy reads enables me to encourage teen girls who aren’t such avid readers to pick up these novels. The world’s perspective on dating is pressing hard on teen girls, and Robin Jones Gunn provides a solid push in a more godly direction with her novels.

This book was sent to me by WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for my honest review.

It’s Such Fun!

2012-01-18T04:00:00.001-06:00

Every now and then I go back through older posts I have written – especially ones having to do with my precious children. I wrote this one a couple of years ago for a parenting blog, and I couldn’t help but smile as I compared the Steven of those days to the still-talkative Steven of now. Yes, parenting is still so much fun…

_____________________________

Sometimes I think parenting is one of the best sources for laughter. Think about it – our kids can just do the funniest things!

My almost three year old son provides the perfect example. Steven is very verbal. Very. He talks through everything. Just as an example, go back with me about an hour and step into my kitchen. Steven saw that I was emptying the dishwasher and said, “Mommy, can I help?” Now, how could I resist that? So, he handed me the dishes so that I could put them away. With each dish he exclaimed, “Dadoo!” Then he decided he wanted to put the silverware away, a job he absolutely loves. So, I grabbed a chair for him to stand on, opened the drawer, and handed him the silverware basket. He talked his way through the whole process. “This big fork goes here. This little spoon goes here. This big huge one goes here.” And, if he thought I wasn’t interacting with him enough, he changed the phraseology just a bit. “Mommy, does this little fork go here?” Or, “Mommy, where does this one go?” Just in case you weren’t sure, yes, he did know where each piece went – and in fact he had each piece practically put away before he asked each question! He just needed to talk it all through.

And, it’s not just in the kitchen! You should hear him in the car. “Where are we going? Is this the way to church? Are we going to run errands first and then go home? Why are we going this way? Do we go that way to get to the house? Can we go backwards?” It is usually non-stop and usually we answer the same questions about a dozen times in the two mile trip from our house to church or the store.

If you’re not laughing yet, take all of this information and apply it to what happened this morning. Steven ran into the bathroom where my husband and I were brushing our teeth and, with a huge grin and an exuberant hop, exclaimed, “I need to go potty!” I chuckled, helped him pull his pants down, and set him on the potty. He indicated he was all done, but as I picked him up off the toilet and leaned over to pull his pants back up, he said, “I was trying to get my poo-poo out!” (Now, keep in mind, I could not see his head at this point.) So, I asked him if he need to get back on the potty. No answer. “Steven, do you still need to potty?” Still no answer. Rather insistently, I asked a third time, but still my son was silent! Meanwhile, I heard Doug making noises behind me. His mouth was full of mouthwash, so he couldn’t say anything, but he was trying to alert me to the fact that Steven was shaking his head insistently – he was answering me! Without words! My exceedingly verbal son was shaking his head as hard as he could in answer to my question – without making a single sound!

I pulled his pants up, sent him on way, and enjoyed a great laugh with Doug. Ah, our silly son.

And then I wondered – how much fun would parenting be if I would laugh at their antics more instead of being irritated by them? When my oldest gets tickled while doing her math flashcards, do I laugh or get impatient and remind her to get them done? When my middle child makes up a goofy word, do I remind her to use real words or just chuckle with her?

Parenting can be such fun! Yes, we do need to make sure we maintain boundaries and guidelines, but we also might do well to let the goofiness of our kids rub off on us just a bit every now and then. Who knows but that it might help us maintain those boundaries even better when our kids know we enjoy their silliness now and then!

1 Peter, Week 2

2012-01-17T15:50:00.001-06:00

Welcome to week two of the Bible study 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times by Sue Edwards. Just in case you missed last week's introduction, I'll be blogging through this study every Tuesday for nine weeks. In all honestly, it feels a little odd making the shift from my normal blogging and review styles to walk through this study and share my thoughts, so this might not look quite like what you expect here. But, here goes...

This week's lesson is entitled “Respond like a Bone-Dry Babe.” In all honestly, that's how I felt as I worked through each core this week – bone-dry desperation for the living water of God's Word. I've struggled greatly lately with focus. It has been hard to keep my mind centered on any one thing, and I've battled wandering thoughts. In short, I have relaxed the discipline of keeping my thoughts controlled and in submission to the Word of God. The result has been that aforementioned “bone-dry desperation.” How appropriate that this week's passage began with this verse:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13

In the first core, we broke down the concept of preparing our minds for action. We looked at passages such as 2 Corinthians 2:12-16, Romans 12:2, and Philippians 4:8 as we discussed what a prepared mind should look like. The core closed with the question, “Specifically, what do you need to do to develop your mind this week?” I knew instantly what my response had to be, for God had already been working on me, convicting me, and nudging me back to mental discipline. I knew I had to strive to focus my mind on the things of Him instead of the wandering nonsense continually running through my thoughts.

Glancing ahead at what came next, I couldn't help but move straight into the second core immediately after finishing Core One. Even though this was the shortest core of the week – only two questions – I found it to be the most powerful for me. Based on the second phrase of 1 Peter 1:13, this core discussed sobriety of spirit. The question that ran through my mind was, “How do physical and spiritual sobriety compare?”

Core two begins with this statement:

Excessive alcohol overtakes the mind and body, causing the drunkard to lose inhibitions, slur speech, stumble around, and make foolish decisions.

While I have never been drunk, I can see how an uncontrolled mind can cause similar spiritual responses. When my mind is not controlled, I struggle with focusing on my environment. I miss so much even though I'm right in the middle of the “action.” I'm not careful how I respond to my husband and children, and I find my patience – actually, the whole of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) – greatly lacking. In short, lack of mental control leaves me as impaired in my mind and spirit as alcohol would in my body. No wonder, then, that we are admonished to “set your mind on the things above” (Col 3:2). Spiritual sobriety is essential to every aspect of spiritual growth, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, and living in the holiness to which we are called (1 Peter 1:15-16).

The next two cores were meaty as well, but the final core for the week really solidified what God had been stirring in my heart through this week's study. In 1 Peter 2:2-3, we are reminded to crave “the pure milk of the word.” If I truly long for God's Word just as a baby longs for its mother's milk, then that Word will fill my heart and mind, resulting in the sobriety and focus I cannot live without. That is where I have been striving to live this week. I can see the difference in my thoughts and attitude as I have returned to the discipline of controlled, Christ-centered thoughts.

Join me next week as we look at our value as daughters of the King!

This study was sent to me by Kregel Publications in exchange for my participation in this graduated blog tour. I am not required to respond positively to the study.

Source of Inspiration

2012-01-16T04:00:00.000-06:00

Obviously, I love to write. But, recently I found myself pondering the source of inspiration for my writing. As I pondered, I realized something. Most of my ideas come from four sources:

My whole blogging experience began because I wanted to share some thoughts that ran through my mind while interacting with my children. Those thoughts only came when I was truly willing to listen to my Father's instruction. I had to be actively reading His Word on a regular basis, because those thoughts were always lessons from the Bible being lived out through my children. Five years later, I still “hear” Him teach me through my interaction with my children.
Then there are interactions with other people that sometimes get me to thinking. Frequently, this is discussions with my husband, although it also comes from interactions with others as well. Again, those thoughts usually revolves around something God is teaching me through His Word.
I have always learned the best when I can process and then put into my own words what I'm taking in. Teaching others cements it for me. I have long journaled, but there has always been something missing in journaling. I haven't been able to truly process the full extent of what I'm hearing without truly forming it in a way that allows me to share it with someone else. So, blogging about it takes it to that deeper level. I don't share everything that stands out to me from my Scripture reading, but I do share a lot of it.
There's one other time when writing ideas really seem to start fleshing out in my mind. In fact, it can be a bit troublesome. You see, they begin to materialize right in the middle of my prayer times. I'll be praying for someone or something and then think of something awesome to write! (And, no, I don't use my writing to get a point across to anyone I'm praying for. Even if I write down the thoughts, I don't publish them.) It can be a bit distracting from my prayer time, as I love to “write” in my mind. So, I have to make myself stop, jot down a note about my thought, and then intentionally finish my prayer before I sit down to write.

When I don't received inspiration from one of these sources, I rarely have writing ideas. In fact, as I think about my writing, I realize that, other than book and product reviews or the daily life chronicles I write on my family blog, I really have no other source of inspiration than what I've shared above. Which really comes down to one Source of inspiration – God Himself. His interaction with me through the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and the people around me. Everything I write might not ooze with Scripture passages or specific talk about Jesus, but it should all clearly reflect 1) that I'm His child and 2) that He is active in my life.

All of this pondering leads me to one specific realization: it's not just my writing that should be – no, must be – inspired in the above ways. It's life in general. When I am immersed in the Word of God, it is reflected in every corner of my life. It shows in how I interact with my family. It shows in how patient I am when life doesn't go my way. It shows in how content I am. It shows in a decrease in selfishness. In short, if I am not centered in the Bible and tuned in to hearing Him confirm His Word through everything around me, then I am insanely uninspired in life. I don't want to take care of my family. I don't want to take care of myself. I don't care about being a good steward of my home. I don't want to teach my children. I don't want to interact with other believers. I don't want to be a support to my husband. I just want my way, and my way isn't very pretty.

This isn't to say that I always listen well to what God is telling me, nor that my actions or writing are ever 100% pure in motive or implementation. But, there is an enormous difference in my life when the living Word is the source of my inspiration.

What is the source of inspiration for your daily life? This is certain: something is your inspiration. If you are daily reading the Bible and truly opening your heart to hear from the Lord during your reading, chances are He is a prominent source. But, if you're not putting the Word into your life, I can pretty much guarantee that your inspiration is something else. So, what is it? Having a hard time figuring out? Think about what your favorite activity in life is. How was that activity inspired? From there, you can probably find the source of much of your inspiration.

My encouragement to you? Get it back to the Word. From there you can never go wrong. It might not be the easiest path, and there might be days when it seems downright overwhelming. But, I can guarantee you this: true fulfillment in every area of life will never come from any other source.

It’s Sunday!

2012-01-15T08:40:00.001-06:00

Today’s passage is long, but this is what was running through my mind this morning. I love this Psalm!

Psalm 34

The LORD, a Provider and Deliverer.

A Psalm of David when he ^[a]feigned madness before ^[b]Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

¹ I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.
³ O magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

⁴ I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
⁶ This ^[c]poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

⁸ O taste and see that the LORD is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
⁹ O fear the LORD, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
¹⁰ The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
¹¹ Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
¹² Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
¹³ Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
¹⁴ Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
¹⁶ The face of the LORD is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷ The righteous cry, and the LORD hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸ The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are ^[d]crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
²⁰ He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.
²¹ Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be ^[e]condemned.
²² The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be ^[f]condemned.

Thankful for…

2012-01-14T11:06:00.001-06:00

…my husband.

…his 35 years of life.

…the 14 birthdays that I’ve been blessed to share with him.

…the fact that we’re healthy on his birthday! (Somehow one family member seems to be sick on Doug’s birthday almost every year!)

…the salvation that brought him eternal life.

…the fact that God created Doug and me for His pleasure, and that some measure of that pleasure is found in the reality that He intended for us to be joined as one. Doug’s birthday means that gift for me!

Thank you for being my husband, my handsome darling! Happy birthday!

Reliance

2012-01-13T04:00:00.000-06:00

Do you ever have days when you just can’t get your brain together? Not really sick, but not really healthy either. No excuse to fully stop, but not much energy to move with much enthusiasm either. That’s where I am today. I am spacey. I can’t seem to think or speak clearly at all. In fact, even after proofing and revising this post before scheduling it for your perusal tomorrow morning, I’m not fully convinced it will be coherent. But, it’s worth a try!

So, what can come from a fuzzy brain? What good can result from slow reaction times and a body that wants nothing more than to curl back up in bed?

Reliance.

You see, today I can’t rely on me at all. I can’t trust myself to teach my children well. I can’t even stay awake while grading their work or running through flashcards with them! I can’t trust myself to make reliable decisions. I can’t trust myself to react well were an emergency to present itself. All I can do is walk through the day in a fog. And trust.

Days like today are perfect for reminding me of my need to rely on Almighty God. He’s never spacey. He never loses focus or is weakened in any way. He never is slow to react or respond. He never misses anything or takes longer than necessary to accomplish something. He is perfectly, completely, and consistently reliable.

He’s reliable enough for the big things – protecting my family and walking us through the day in every shape form or fashion.

He’s reliable enough for the little things, too. Like lunch!

Yesterday, Doug began to crave a bowl of stew. Yesterday morning when he went to pick up milk, he also grabbed what he needed for a crock pot full of stew. The meat cooked throughout the day yesterday, and then this morning he added the veggies. I didn’t have to do a thing for lunch. Which means I didn’t burn it – or burn down the kitchen! Maybe I have no proof that the stew craving came from a holy nudge, but God’s nature of reliability and provision make me believe that He really was the source of that nudge, knowing I’d need lunch help today.

Some days I just know I have it all together. I’ve got energy. I’ve got strength. I’ve got motivation. Let’s do this! But the truth is that I don’t have all I need on my own, even on those days. I still need my heavenly Father. I still cannot succeed without Him no matter how energized I feel to tackle the day.

So, as much as I hope to be back to normal by the time you read this post, I will admit that I am thankful for spacey days. I am thankful for days when I am reminded that all I can really do is rely on Him. Days when I am reminded that He is the true source of any strength I ever have. May I live every day relying on that Source.

Helpful Hints Thursday: Table

2012-01-12T04:00:00.000-06:00

I honestly don’t know how I ever managed projects without today’s helpful hint item.

Yes, it’s a table. It measures 4ft by 2ft and has three heights. The lowest height is perfect for working with my kids. The middle height is great for an average height table, and the tallest height is like a counter or standing work table. (If you click on the picture below it will take you through to Sam’s website. Click on “see more images” and you can see the heights in action.)

But, what I like the most is the way it folds! See the bottom inset picture? That’s what it does – it folds into a nice, flat little 2ft square, about four inches thick. It can slide almost anywhere out of the way! And, it is very lightweight, so it’s easy to move it from room to room.

I balked at spending the money on this when Doug picked it up for me last fall. I knew it would be handy, but I just didn’t want to put a strain on the budget elsewhere. But, I have to say that it didn’t take long at all for all hesitancy to fly away. We’ve used this as extra counter space in the kitchen when doing massive cooking days. I used it daily while working on Christmas projects. It’s perfect as a pattern cutting table – I don’t have to bend over to cut! But, it doesn’t have to take up permanent space. I can use it and then put it away. (It hasn’t been put away in over a month because of continual projects, but that’s beside the point!!)

An extra flat work surface that does not have to be permanent and therefore does not have to take up space or collect junk. Yep, that sounds like a winner to me!

Just for the record, we did purchase this table, and I receive no kickback of any sort for referring you to the Sam’s site. We just bought it at Sam’s, so I knew they’d have pictures!

Loving and Losing

2012-01-11T04:00:00.000-06:00

The kids and I just finished learning about World War II in school. We had some great books and resources to walk us through it all, but I think my favorite book of all was a wonderful children's novel entitled The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum.

The story takes readers alongside a Dutch family in the last year or so of World War II, through the horrific winter of 1944-1945 when severe famine and lack of fuel for heat left many people dead and Holland devastated. The book strikes a wonderful balance between portraying the horrible effects of World War II on the people of Holland and protecting the innocence of children who don't yet grasp the depths of evil that mankind can stoop to.

But, this is not a book review, so I'll go no further with such details. Instead, I want to share a story thread from The Winged Watchman that grabbed my heart and will not let go.

Spoiler alert! I will be giving away a plot point in this post!

The story follows the Verhagen family as they live and work in one of Holland's essential windmills and, ensuring that their polder remains unflooded. Because of this very important position, this family remains undivided during the long years of the war. But, they do not remain untouched. One day, fairly early in the war, Mrs. Verhagen is in town with the younger of her two sons when they see a Jewish family being rounded up for deportation to a concentration camp. Frantic, the Jewish mother locks eyes with Mrs. Verhagen and subtly motions back toward their now-vacated home. Once it is safe, Mrs. Verhagen rushes to the house to find a baby girl, safely hidden from the Germans. Her family takes the baby in, names her Trixie (as they do not know her real name), and loves her no less than if she had been their own flesh and blood.

Fast forward to the summer of 1945. Holland is liberated shortly before Hitler commits suicide and the war in Europe is over. Life begins to flow toward a new normal, and survivors begin to return home. Along with the survivors arrives Mrs. Groen, a Jewish woman, aged beyond her years, the sole survivor of her family. The sole survivor save one – a sweet little red-headed girl named Rachel who only knows herself as Trixie and knows no family other than the Verhagens.

Mrs. Verhagen, though completely brokenhearted, cannot deprive sweet Mrs. Groen of her beloved daughter. After a few months of growing to know and love Mrs. Groen as her mother, Trixie/Rachel says good-bye to the Verhagen family and the only home she has ever known to journey into a new life with a “new” mother.

I could not help but cry as I read the end of the story aloud to my children. I could not help but look at my own sweet five-year-old son and wonder – could I have done it? The Winged Watchman is fiction, but there is no way such things never happened. Women like Mrs. Verhagen took in children, protecting them, sacrificing for them, and loving them as their own. Families like the Verhagens accepted the responsibility, not knowing the outcome. Would the children be theirs forever? Or, when the miraculous finally happened and the war ended, would the children's parents return for them?

We have many complaints and frustrations here in the United States of America, but we also have so many freedoms. It is hard to fathom some of the decisions that were made by everyday people in World War II. It is hard to imagine the extremes that they endured. And yet, some day those same challenges could be our own. The more our nation and this world buck against the authority of Almighty God, the more real the possibilities become.

I cannot answer the question of how I would respond in any situation such as this fictional tale of the Verhagen family. But, because of this story, I am faced with a direct challenge: I must live in such a way as to train myself to obey without question any task God calls me to, no matter how hard. I must focus on Him so intently that I have perfect wisdom in an instant. I must abide in Him so faithfully that I can draw on His strength at any moment, able to do whatever He calls me to do – even if it is to love and lose.

1 Peter, Week 1

2012-01-10T04:00:00.000-06:00

For the next nine weeks, I'll be participating in a different sort of book review tour. It is a tour that blogs through a Bible study along with about thirty other bloggers. My purpose for sharing it with you, my readers, is two-fold. First, you know how much I love to share what I'm learning from Scripture! So, I'm excited to have this natural forum to share what I'm learning from this Bible study. Second, I hope to be able to share enough information about this specific Bible study to let you know whether or not it is something that would benefit you. So, welcome to this journey through 1 Peter.

First, a little bit about the study. 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubled Times is an inductive Bible study by Sue Edwards. The single workbook includes three levels of study intensity and a leader's guide, making it a very versatile workbook. Each of the nine lessons is divided into four to six “cores” of questions. The core questions comprise the most basic level of intensity for the Bible study. The total time investment per week amounts to about an hour and a half, with each individual core requiring (of me, anyway) anywhere from five to twenty minutes of study time. Scattered throughout each lesson (but not in every core) are two levels of deeper questions for a more intense study. Closing out each week's lesson is a “Living Stone Story,” an example of a fellow sister in Christ who has found strength and encouragement in the midst of difficult times.

As I blog through the study each week, I will both provide some practical review information about the study itself and share something from that week's lesson that impacted me. Because I am studying to teach classes at church and am maintaining a Scripture reading/devotional schedule with my family as I go through this study, I'll be focusing only on the core questions each week.

For week one, we focused on the first twelve verses of 1 Peter 1. One of the last questions for the week asked whether or not I had learned anything new. In all honesty, I didn't. But, that does not by any stretch of the imagination indicate that the week's study was a waste of my time. The beauty of an inductive Bible study is that it forces us to slow down. To take God's Word a few verses at a time – or even a phrase at a time! – and really listen to what the Holy Spirit is teaching us through it. It has been a while since I have read slowly and intentionally through 1 Peter.

In two different cores from lesson one, we were encouraged to interact deeply with other passages of Scripture that heightened the reading of the first verses of 1 Peter. One such set of passages was the denial and reinstatement of Peter surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus. We were to contemplate how that series of events in Peter's life prepared him to write about trials in 1 Peter. Immersing myself in the story, I realized that Peter had already discovered how horrible it was to deny Christ. What trial could ever be worse? What encouragement to endure trials faithfully could ever be stronger?

Ultimately, lesson one restored a sense of perspective for me. First of all, living the Christian life is relatively easy for me. I am not persecuted. I am not challenged. True, I may be made fun of. I might be criticized. Some friends hint that because I'm a Christian I am too easily offended by the things they love. Others frequently indicate that they feel judged, if not by me, then at least by my faith as a whole. But I am not truly persecuted.

Meanwhile, as I look back over trials in my life, I realize just how small they have been. They seemed so big at the time, but looking back on them in light of the persecution that believers from the first century on through modern day have endured, I was reminded to view them in light of eternity. It was a freeing reminder, to say the least.

Next week we will dive into what God calls us to do in this Christian walk and what strength He provides to do it! I hope you'll join me again!

This study was sent to me by Kregel Publications in exchange for my participation in this graduated blog tour. I am not required to respond positively to the study.

Unexpected Delights

2012-01-09T04:00:00.000-06:00

I love Chinese food. I grew up enjoying a phenomenal Chinese restaurant in Jordan. In fact, that was my standard for Chinese food. When I came back to the States and realized that not all Chinese restaurants are created equal – and that, in fact, few held a candle to the delights I grew up enjoying – I was sorely disappointed. But, over the years I've figured out just which restaurants are good and which ones leave me better off doing without!

Fortunately, my wonderful husband shares my love for Chinese food. Our ultimate destination for good food is P.F. Changs. We only go a couple of times a year, and always without our children. It's our special place. But, obviously, if we want Chinese on a more regular basis, we have to either go somewhere local or make it ourselves.

I was thinking the other day about the contrast between P.F. Changs and our local Chinese restaurant, Lotus Blossom. What makes them attractive to us? What motivates us to make a trip to each one?

For P.F. Changs, there are two things. Obviously, since we always go without children, we delight in going to P.F. Changs because it means that we are getting some time together – just the two of us. But, in reality, the food alone is enough incentive to go. As we were approaching our anniversary a few weeks ago, our mouths watered for weeks just in anticipation of the meal. Yes, we were looking forward to the time together, but we had to be honest. We wanted the food!

But, then there's Lotus Blossom. In all honesty, the food is okay but not outstanding. It's definitely not bad. I've had bad Chinese food, and that's not it! But, if I'm really hungry for Chinese food, I can't say that it truly satisfies the craving. (What can I say – I was spoiled growing up.) Bottom line, Lotus Blossom is such that when we think about going out to eat locally, it doesn't typically show up high on the list – except in one specific situation.

In that one specific situation, I will admit that I really, really want to go to Lotus Blossom. Why? Because of the people who are there. Some dear friends go to Lotus Blossom regularly, and they are the type of friends whose fellowship and companionship are delightful. Any meal shared with them is a delicious feast, and that is enough to make us crave a trip to Lotus Blossom.

There are things in our lives that are inherently wonderful. We can enjoy them regardless the company or other circumstances. They are just delightful on their own. But there are other things that, standing alone, we could probably ignore as quickly as enjoy.

But then they are touched by Christ. He commands us to go forward as an act of obedience. He sweetens them with the presence of a dear friend. He uses them to grow us. He brings us a blessing through them. He uses them to work through us to bless or encourage someone else.

Whatever the case may be, something that is normally ordinary and possibly not even truly noticeable becomes something we crave. We hunger to return again and again because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has made it delightful. In fact, it often becomes more delightful even than those things that are just inherently good.

The beautiful thing about living in a vibrant and growing relationship with Christ is that more and more things in our life become our “Lotus Blossoms.” The more our eyes are open to the presence of God, the more we notice His hand in the things around us. The seemingly ordinary portions of our lives become more and more precious because we know they are of Him.

What are the “Lotus Blossoms” of your life? What things are more precious to you now than they were a year ago? May God begin to open your eyes to His work around you in such a way that the ordinary becomes more and more precious with each passing day. Who knows – you might wake up one day to realize that thanks to the hand of God, your Lotus Blossom has become your first choice!

It’s Sunday!

2012-01-08T04:00:00.000-06:00

May we hunger to be recognized this way…

Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.

Acts 4:13

Thankful for…

2012-01-07T14:48:00.001-06:00

…the fact that our sniffles are the worst of what we’re dealing with health-wise right now. Which means we’re a pretty healthy family. Such a blessing!

…friendships that are vibrant and growing here and now, but also those that are “of old” and yet still have a strong impact on our lives even if we’re not continually in touch any more.

…a smooth week of getting back to our routine.

…a full freezer and pantry.

…a family that loves being together, from oldest to youngest.

Daily Cleansing

2012-01-06T04:00:00.000-06:00

I wonder sometimes about repetitive sin. I wonder when I read about the Israelites and their continual plunge toward idolatry. I wonder about it in my children who know they will be punished and yet continue to repeat the same disobedient behavior. And, I wonder about it in myself as I fall again and again and again to the same old temptations.

It's amazing how much insight into my own soul I can discover by reading through the Psalms. In this particular instance, it is a psalm of David that gives me a clue to some of my wondering.

Psalm 101 seems to be a song of commitment from David's heart. He has a hunger for faithfulness, righteousness, and blamelessness, and he is expressing just how he intends to go about living that life. But, the last verse is the one that stood out to me the most.

Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, so as to cut off from the city of the LORD all those who do iniquity. Psalm 101:8

Okay, so I won't be destroying the wicked of the land or cutting banning sinners from any city, much less the city of the Lord. But, I still see this verse as being very applicable to my wonderings about repetitive sin.

First, let me share some parallels between this verse and what I see in my own life.

The wicked of the land. If I were to call my life “the land,” I can definitely see the wickedness that resides there. I hunger to be righteous and free from sin, but it lurks around every corner of my heart. It is a continual battle, and every time I think I've conquered one thing, another appears. Yes, my land definitely contains wickedness that must be destroyed.
The city of the Lord. In the Old Testament, everything revolved around the land. The Promised Land. Jerusalem. The temple. It was all physical. With Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and ascension, that changed. The sacred moved. The temple went from stones and precious metals to flesh and blood. I am the temple. If you belong to Christ, then you are too. There is much in Biblical prophecy about the new Jerusalem and an actual city of God. But, as life stands right here, right now, our faith has no specific, hallowed ground. The only hallowed ground is my heart.

So, how do I destroy the wicked of the land? How do I cut off those who do iniquity from the city of the Lord?

The first two words of the verse hold the key...every morning.

When it comes down to it, those are the two words that really spoke to my wonderings. Those are the ones that truly convicted me.

Christ's death on the cross makes me clean, once and for all. I am righteous before God, and I can stand before Him for eternity thanks to the blood of Christ. But, there is still a battle which rages inside of me between the wickedness and the righteousness. And just because the righteousness wins the battle today doesn't mean that there won't be need to fight that same battle tomorrow too, or maybe even a year from now.

The cleansing must be a daily thing. Every morning I must destroy that wickedness. Daily I must cleanse “the land.” Otherwise I will fall again to temptation. I will commit the same sin over and over and over again.

What do you see attacking your life of righteousness on a regular basis? What do you think you've conquered, only to find that it comes back at you again when you least expect it? Don't just cleanse now and then when you see the problem arise. Be proactive. Dig in on a daily basis and destroy that wickedness for your land. Oh what growth you and I will see when we come for that daily cleansing!

Helpful Hints Thursday: Blog

2012-01-05T04:00:00.000-06:00

If you are a regular reader of my family blog, then you already have a glimpse into today’s Helpful Hint. If you don’t read the family blog, I encourage you to click through and read Tuesday’s post Giveaways and New Releases! Meanwhile, today I want to focus on just one aspect of the things I highlighted in the post from my family blog.

Home Educating Family is expanding in fantastic ways. I’ve referred you to the review site that I have the privilege to be a part of, and I would encourage you to subscribe to the newly expanded Home Educating Family Magazine. But, for today’s Helpful Hint, I want to direct you to the newest unveiled expansion: the blog. It’s not just a blog, it’s a resource.

Here’s an “official” statement about the new blog:

Home Educating Family is proud to announce the launch of its updated blog! Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of water before you click over. You'll want to spend some time browsing articles from past issues of Home Educating Family Magazine and peek at new features. Our blog is also another place for you to chat with others in the homeschool community. We invite you to leave comments with your own opinions--tips, tricks, questions, insight, etc. The more that people interact, the more we can learn from each other's experiences!

On Thursdays you'll find a new feature called Beyond the Planner where we discuss real life: the good, the bad, and the funny. Saturdays you can stop by for special needs articles and Saturday Select, a short list of interesting reading around the internet. Make sure you visit on Wednesdays to find out what the new Weekly Giveaway is! Of course you'll find great guests and information on other days, too.

So, do you have your beverage of choice in hand? Get comfy and visit us now at HomeschoolConvention.com/blog. Be sure you let us know you were there!

So, hop on over and visit us at the blog! We’d love to hear from you!

Knowing His Will

2012-01-04T04:00:00.000-06:00

What is God's will for me?

Oh, if I only had a penny for every time I've said or heard some form of those words. Every time we face a major decision, an uncertainty, a hardship, a closed door, or a failure, we begin to ask the question again. Even when we are settled and things are going well, many of us stop to contemplate whether or not we are truly walking in the will of God and what we need to do to stay there.

I think the problem is that we get a little confused. We feel as if God's will is a road map for our lives, and if we don't have specific direction from Him, we'll miss our next turn. And, most of the time we're sure that He's waiting too long to reveal that road map to us.

The reality is that God's will is something very different from a specific plan or road map for our lives. And, the further reality is that if we understand God's will, we don't need that road map. But, that still brings us back to the original question: What is God's will?

And, of course, the answer can only be found in His Word. My favorite passage about God's will is found in Paul's letter to the Colossians.

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Colossians 1:9-12

Allow me, if you will, to share with you what I understand about God's will according to these verses.

“...that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding...”
This portion of the passage is the first clue that we just might have a skewed understanding of God's will – that it might not be synonymous with “the plan” that we so long to figure out. Contrary to what we would like, we begin to suspect in these words that God's will has nothing to do with a road map that He lays in front of us giving us the exact next step we are to take. Instead, it has to do with surrendering our need to grasp “the plan” and learning instead to grasp spiritual wisdom and understanding. It's not about choosing the right job or spouse or making the right decision in any uncertainty. Instead, it is about God's eternal kingdom. Yes, He does use every step of our lives to accomplish His will. But, we must be willing to have our eyes opened to spiritual depths and truths that take us far beyond this material world. So, how does that play out specifically? Well, look with me at the next few phrases.
“...so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects...”
There may be a right or wrong answer to the specific question we're asking Him. But, the reality is that the answer all comes down to whether or not we are walking worthy. Whether or not we are pleasing Him. What is our main goal in seeking His will? Is it to figure out what our next step is, or is it to please Him in every action we take, every word we speak, and every thought that runs through our minds? If our hunger is to please Him, then He will guide us! He will open and close doors and our choices will be clear. But, our focus has to be off the choice and on Him, fully centered on a desire to please Him.
“...bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God...”
What is bearing fruit? Discipleship. Growth. Learning. Or, as Paul so perfectly puts it, “increasing in the knowledge of God.” Yes, it also involves sharing the truth with others, but if we are growing ourselves, then the “good work” that we put our hands to will produce fruit. It's a natural thing. So, back to knowing God's will...are we focused on figuring out what it is we're supposed to do, or are we focused on growing and learning? On bearing fruit in every good work?
“...strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience...”
Yep, there it is. The patience thing. God's will is that we patiently wait for Him to open the next step of His plan before us. Let me make one thing crystal clear. We cannot be patient in our own strength. That's why we have to be strengthened by His power and might. Often the next step in His plan is not made clear to us until we're practically in the middle of it! Halfway through we wake up and see how He's been working all along. But, even if we don't know the next step of the plan, we still know His will. His will is for us to be strengthened in patience and steadfastness by the power that can only come from Him. And in the process, He guides us through His plan.
“...joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.”
Do you see it reiterated? Just in case you've missed the point thus far, it's not really about the next step in His plan! It's about something bigger – an eternal inheritance. But, it can be hard to see that eternity when our hearts and minds are overshadowed by a concern for the immediate next step. Even if we're walking in obedience, growing, seeing fruit, and living in patience by His strength, the uncertainty can still be overwhelming, discouraging, and disheartening. That's where the thanksgiving comes in. If we determine to joyfully walk in thanksgiving for the eternal inheritance, we'll keep our eyes on that goal of His perfect will. And the immediate questions won't seem so pressing. The patience will be more natural. The fruit will readily flow. Our walk will be pleasing to the Lord. And our hearts and minds will grasp His will.

So, the question comes down to this: What are you truly seeking? Do you really want to know His will, or are you just looking for the road map? If we continually seek to figure out the plan – to read that road map – we'll continually find ourselves frustrated, anxious, and full of fear. But, if we adjust our mentality a bit, acknowledge that His will is so much bigger, and then set out to know His will in spiritual wisdom and understanding, then the plan will fall into place. And as we know His true will, whether we see the plan or not, we can say with the Psalmist, “For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name.” (Psalm 33:21)

Preview

2012-01-03T04:00:00.000-06:00

For the first time in months, I have no review books on the shelf. I have several in the mail on their way to me, but nothing pressing in the moment. And, naturally there are always books on my shelf and my Kindle that I want to read for my own personal pleasure.

So, I thought that instead of picking a book to review, I’d just give you a preview of the coming year. Starting next week, Book Review Tuesday will look a little different for a couple of months. I will be blogging through a Bible study along with several other review bloggers. It is a nine-week study of 1 Peter, and every Tuesday I will blog about some aspect of the previous week’s study. Some weeks I will also have an additional book review to post. Other weeks I won’t.

Meanwhile, at some point through the course of this year I plan to take either a block of a couple of months or several blocks of a few weeks each to not schedule reviews for publishers, but to instead read some of the books I’ve been wanting to read. I’m looking forward to perusing my shelves and Kindle and actually writing down a “want to read” list instead of just saying, “I’d like to read that someday.”

And just because I’m curious…do you have a “want to read” list? If so, what’s on it?