Simple requests

All day long, between toddler-talk and whines, sweet Bubster is making requests to me. "Muck! Muck!" (milk). "nack! nack!" (snack). "tv! tv!" (I'm rather embarassed at that one). The other day, while restraining him on his changing table with one hand, grabbing a wipe and diaper with the other, he made another request.

"Book! Book!" I quickly grabbed a book from his shelf and said, "Thank you for such a simple request, Caleb." While wiping his tush, I began to think about requests. More specifically, what involves honoring a request. The person who is asked of, either has the power to honor a request or not. Some are simple, some are complex.

I had this awesome realization that there are no difficult requests for God. Everything is simple for Him. Hallelujah! It doesn't matter if your request would require Him to move Heaven and Earth or make it stop raining for three and a half years....He is more than able.

What does God's Word have to say about requests?

Luke 18:27, "But he [Jesus] said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

James 5:16-18, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."

Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Let's get real here though, just because you may ask God of something, and it doesn't happen necessarily as you would expect...that does not mean that He is unable. Rather He has the best plan in mind. Also, be sure to examine your motives, as James explains.

James 4:2-3, "You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

Just bask/savor/enjoy/delight in the truth that God is able. When your loved one is dying, when you get called into your boss's office, when no money is leftover after paying the bills, when your kids have left you running ragged and bruised....when you're a sinner, in need of a loving Savior. He is able.

Hebrews 7:23-26, "Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens." (emphasis mine)

The Ripple Effects of Sin

This week, there have been lots of major news headlines: deaths of celebrities, sentencing of a thief, and indiscretions of a governor. The one that has stuck with me the most was South Carolina's Governor, Mark Sanford admitting his unfaithfulness to the world.

Every time I hear of adultery, it breaks my heart. At one point, both the husband and wife were madly in love with each other, took vows and pledged their lives to one another. And somewhere between "I do" and "I don't" another lover has taken a spouse's rightful place. How can someone carelessly toss away everything so dear to them, and not count the cost of doing so?

As my mom and I watched the press conference (boy am I glad I've never had to do a public confession before!), we were at times ensconced in disbelief, anger, and sadness. Mark Sanford is not the first person to have ever committed adultery, especially not in political office, but for some reason, this particular incident has left me appalled more than usual.

A self-professed Christian leaving his wife and four young sons drowning in the wake of his transgressions...over Father's Day weekend of all times. Lying to his own staff of his whereabouts...from the Appalachian Trail to Argentina. And from an "innocent" friendship of eight years with a woman to a national press conference admitting secret rendezvous with a now lover.

One of Satan's greatest lies to us is that our sin is just that, ours. False! Sin always has far greater reaching ramifications than we can ever know. On this side of Heaven and the other side too. And even if your sin goes with you to the grave in secret, God still knows...and grieves. Randy Alcorn has written a post that covers Sanford's affair, but more importantly he shares a list of "Anticipated Consequences of Immorality." I highly encourage you to read it. It is sobering and demands I cling with all that I have to my wedding vows.

I will say that during the press conference, he truly seemed sincere and contrite. He even mentioned that he "had violated God's Law" and this public confession was "a consequence of my sin." He also recalled several spiritual mentors by name and asked for their forgiveness. What I saw in this man, was someone who had been highly regarded and esteemed become reduced to a weak, humbled lump of clay. Time will tell how all of this plays out, but I truly hope he and his wife will be able to reconcile and move beyond his affair.

Psalm 32:1-5

"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin."

What the heck is a "mezuzah?"

Pop Quiz!

A mezuzah is....


A) an Italian sportscar made in the 80's


B) a Jewish doorpost box holding Scripture


C) a silly instrument made famous in Dr. Seuss books


D) an African headpiece worn in tribal rituals


The correct answer would be....

B! A Jewish doorpost box holding Scripture



Now why exactly am I writing about a mezuzah of all things? Well partly because it all started out with a favorite passage of Scripture, and also because I gave one to Brent as his first Father's Day gift.

Starting with the aforementioned Scripture passage, taken from Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

Not only does it remind us of the First Commandment, but this passage also reveals God's daily design for passing down our faith through generations. Learning about God is not something that only happens on Sundays or in a church building. It is to be a daily occurence that pervades everything we do and say while at home or away. If we are leaving the responsibility of teaching children about God up to the church alone, we are failing as godly parents.

And here is where the mezuzah begins to come into play... the word mezuzah in Hebrew translates to "doorposts." The latter part of the passage mentions "binding them on your hands...writing them on the doorposts and gates of your home." While some may read that symbolically, others have interpreted it literally; hence the physical mezuzah was born.

Mezuzahs come in all colors and all materials. The above picture looks the closest to the one I bought. It's around four inches tall and about an inch across. Often times the Hebrew letter shin (sheen) will be inscribed on the outside. From what I've read, that may be interpreted as Shaddai, meaning "God Almighty." But here's the cool part about mezuzahs...it's not the box itself that is ultimately special, but what hides on the inside!

On the inside of every mezuzah is a mini scroll with Scripture written in Hebrew aptly named the Shema (shih-mah'). Shema in Hebrew means "hear." If you look back at the Scripture above, it begins with "Hear, O Israel..." The Shema contains the same Deuteronomy passage from above (6:4-9), along with Deuteronomy 11:13-21. Later versions have added Numbers 15:37-41 as well. Mezuzahs are affixed to the doorposts of homes; depending on your practices, they may be placed on one doorpost or every doorpost in your home.

It was interesting to google mezuzah and read lots of requirements that have been established by rabbis. This includes the placement and angle of the mezuzah, along with having it inspected by a rabbi twice within seven years for any damage, to even kissing it as you walk past. Being that my husband and I are not Jewish, the mezuzah to us is a tangible and symbolic way of gently reminding us to keep God first in our lives and to pass our faith down to our children intentionally. We are thankful that we are no longer bound to the law, since Christ has fulfilled it and is our salvation! (Please read Galatians 3:10-29 for a clear explanation of this).

When I presented the small gift-wrapped box to Brent for Father's Day, I had already warned him, "I don't think you'll know what it is when you see it." Talk about curiosity! It's not every day you could say something to that effect. He said upon first seeing it, he thought it was a whistle :) Good guess, but notsomuch. He truly enjoyed hearing all about the meaning and significance behind it. It was definitely a special and timeless Father's Day gift, and we look forward to teaching little Caleb about it in the future. More importantly, we desire for Caleb to learn about a wonderful Heavenly Father who loves him infinitely more than we ever could.

Idols, Veggie Pizza, & Mules

Last week in my group's Bible study we discussed idolatry and its effects on our lives. When I hear the word idolatry, the first image that emerges from my mind is one of manmade figurines of wood, clay, or metal. I also envision a shrine and people bowing down to worship the idol. While this depiction of idolatry happened countless times in the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament, it is not what typically occurs in modern day America. And it still breaks my heart to see images of other people groups/religions bowing down to false gods and goddesses still today.

To be clear, idolatry is defined as "1. the religious worship of idols. 2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc. Synonyms: obsession, madness, mania." John Piper gives a concise definition, "Treasuring anyone or anything more than Christ is idolatry."

Idolatry can be very easy to spot...a vast collection of sports cars, crying + screaming tweens (and moms!) at a Jonas Bros. concert, or it can be very subtle...like stubbornness. Yes, you read that right. I discovered a convicting gem of a passage in 1 Samuel 15:22-23,

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

I cannot tell you how many times these verses have been brought to my mind in the past week, especially over two slices of veggie pizza. Who knew conviction was an available topping? My husband and I ordered a pizza with half veggie, half BBQ chicken. This was a treat for both of us since normally we order plain ol' pepperoni. I ate my two slices, he ate his four, and I saved my two other slices for the next day's lunch. The next day, my mom picked me up and we went out for lunch. While scarfing down a ginormous Philly cheesesteak, my poor husband calls from home asking if he could have my last two slices of veggie pizza for his lunch. How did the sweet, loving wife respond? [Cue the violins] She said (in her most pathetic, whiny voice), "but those are my slices, and I never get veggie..." My poor husband said, "okay" and that was the end of the phonecall. The following day, while eating my beloved veggie pizza....the oddest thing happened. It no longer tasted good, in fact it felt more like gravel in my mouth (Proverbs 20:17). I suddenly had a clear example of how I had failed to serve him and insist on my own stubborn behalf. How foolish I was! I apologized to my husband and asked his forgiveness for my crummy attitude of selfishness.

Back to the passage, it all begins with our heart and the motives within. Beyond verse 22, we see two similes that compare the sinfulness of rebellion and stubbornness. Frankly, it's the subtle sins within that seem more difficult to identify, control, and conquer. And sometimes, because we can't see them in the way we can like drunkeness or adultery, it is easy to gloss over them and attempt to rationalize them away (veggie pizza, anyone?).

But from these verses, it is clear that rebellion and stubbornness are major offenses to God! By having witchcraft and worshiping idols thrown into that same mix, it really ruffles my feathers. How many times do we excuse rebellious attitudes with "oh, she's just being a teenager!" or "boys will be boys?" Often times, the phrase "stubborn as a mule" comes with a knowing smirk or a frustrated sigh, but never to the equivalent degree of hearing "oh, he's just worshiping idols!" :) That puts some perspective on it!

At least to me, it is a little too ironic that within the verses of 1 Samuel 15:22-23 both submission and stubbornness are juxtaposed. I know I wasn't the best example of submission as a child, and yes, I'm still a work in progress when it comes to my marriage. Come to think of it, submission and stubbornness are really on the same continuum:

Submission (Serving others) <--------Your will--------> Stubbornness (Serving self)

On the far left, you willingly (and hopefully not begrudingly) put your will aside for someone else. But on the far right, you choose not to yield, thereby demanding your will.

Scripture is clear that the appropriate choice is submission (Ephesians 5:21, Colossians 3:18, Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 2:13-14, James 4:6-8). As seen in the passage from 1 Samuel, anytime we disobey God, we reap the consequences of disobedience; in this case, Saul was rejected as king.

It's time to remember that obedience and submission have blessings attached. Sometimes immediate, sometimes tangible, most importantly, the smiling approval from God.

Thoughts on "The Shack"

I remember when "The Shack," by William P. Young had not been released yet, but it had already received many accolades and endorsements by familiar Christian names. Fast forward several months, and it seemed that several of my friends were really talking it up. Claiming it was "the best book I've ever read..." When I heard that, because I've read quite a lot myself, I figured, this book has to be good.

I managed to borrow a copy from a coworker and took it along on our cruise back in January, figuring it'd be a quick beach read. (Aren't those great?) Well, at one point while reading it very early on, a fellow cruiser asked me, "How do you like it?" I explained I had just started it, but it was okay. She said, "I thought it was challenging..." While she didn't go into detail, as to whether challenging was connoting either positively or negatively, I began to understand her observation. In fact, my summation is, "I felt uneasy..."

Several concepts in the book sent up red flags. Since the book focuses on the Holy Trinity, I'd say as an author, you're already treading into some perilous waters. Anyway, one of the first things that alarmed me was the author depicting God the Father as an overweight African-American woman. (!!!) Jesus was depicted as a young man of Middle Eastern descent, while the Holy Spirit was a wispy Asian woman named Sarayu. Okay, if you can stomach that, several conversations occur between the three of them that seem a little too humanistic for me. These include, "Papa (God) was fully human in Jesus" and "we all submit to each other." Really? Show me some Scripture to back that up, please.

Confession time: I have yet to finish "The Shack," and I know it's practically a cardinal sin to write something off before you've even given it a full chance to redeem itself. It is still lying on my nightstand beneath other books, but I am now fully convinced that I don't need to waste any more time than I already have by completing the last few chapters. I admit, most of my reason by even trying to finish it was because several good friends have praised it so. Now I'm learning to trust and obey when the Holy Spirit sends us red flags. It is to alert us, be on guard, and check everything against Scripture. Discernment is a believer's best friend.

Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church does a great job of explaining some of the major heresies of "The Shack." (link courtesy of Voddie Baucham) Please take the time to listen, he truly clarified my thoughts and articulated my uneasiness. What scares me most is how many Christians are fully buying into Young's views about the Trinity. Worse yet, there are seekers and non-believers whose doctrinal understanding will be horribly flawed.

In the book's foreward, Young serving as a conduit for "Mack" the protagonist, writes something to the effect of, "if you don't understand the story, then sorry, it wasn't meant for you."

Agreed; it wasn't meant for me.

Valentine's Dinner with Dr. Gary Chapman

If you have ever heard of or read the book, "The Five Love Languages" you are familiar with Dr. Gary Chapman's work. He has written a plethora of other marriage/counseling books on different topics. Two other books he's written that I'm interested in are, "The Five Languages of Apology" and "The other side of love" which is based on anger.

Well, I'm a little more than familiar with Dr. Chapman than some since he's a pastor at my church. I've gotten to meet him several times and chat with his lovely wife, Carolyn. Basically, he is the real deal. If you want to hear a godly man preach on a Sunday, he can bring it like no other. I really enjoy him speaking about theology as well as communication needs. And in case his counseling demands dwindled, he'd make a great stand-up comedian as well.

Last night, our church held its annual Valentine's Day dinner, but this time Dr. Chapman was the guest speaker. Not surprising, his theme was on love. But it was not primarily on love in the context of marriage or parenting, but simply living as a loving Christian.

I am ashamed to admit this, but as we left I told my husband, "that whole message was convicting for me."

Based on one of his latest books, "Love as a Way of Life," he went over the seven different facets of love: kindness, courtesy, humility, forgiveness, patience, generosity, and honesty.

Some of those traits are easier to come by than others, but I personally struggle with courtesy (being "friendly-minded"), patience ("forgetting is not a sin"), and generosity ("making time for others").

Last time I heard Dr. Chapman speak, I fortunately had paper and pen to jot down my thoughts. Last night, however I didn't, so I'm going off memory here! Perhaps the things I remembered, were the things the Holy Spirit wanted me to cling to.

Courtesy: Chapman explained that the word courtesy in Greek comes from two words "friendly" and "mind." Thus we treat others like we would our own friends. His examples included allowing someone else to go in front of you at the checkout line, giving up a parking space for someone, offering your seat to an elderly person, etc. I realize that several of these traits are interdependent upon one another....i.e. if I am impatient by nature, I probably will not have a penchant for being courteous...because after all, it's all about me!

Patience: Oooo, how I struggle with this, and how I know our baby will teach me in short order! The way Chapman described it in context of examples almost described grace. Once again, you gotta give someone grace in order to be patient! He gave the example of a husband losing the car keys for the third time in a week, and the wife huffing, "Why can't you just hang it on the key hook?!" And this point he made hit me like a load of bricks: "Forgetting is not a sin." Whoaaa Nelly! Back that thang up... Okay, so I never realized until last night that I practically equate forgetfulness as a sin. Hmmm, where is that Scripture verse anyway? (Oh riiight, there isn't one). Not only should we be patient with others, but patient with ourselves. We are only human after all. And only one perfect Person has ever walked the earth before.

Generosity: I know I could do more for people, so why don't I? It's not merely a financial issue, it's one of time, service, and words. There are people in my life who I love devoting time to like Brent. But there are others which, let's face it, I've been holding back on. (Cue the music "Let your love flow...") Do they not deserve it? If we argue points of merit, then Christ's death for each one of us gives more emphasis on how great His love truly must be. As Christians, we can't settle for doling love out only to those who are kind to us, instead of those who are unkind. We must be generous with everyone.

Dr. Chapman tied all of the seven facets of love into Jesus' words, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Matthew 22:37-39) And also, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35) If you asked someone, "What's your idea of a 'Christian?'" What do you think they would say? Love?

Maybe perhaps now you can tell why his talk was convicting for me. May we love others as Christ has truly loved us.

Food for Thought

"A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate."

Proverbs 15:17

The Pro-Life & Politics Post aka The Big One

One of my "Matters of the Heart" on the left pane of my blog tells you I'm pro-life. With the upcoming election in a matter of days, I feel personally compelled to shed light on how pro-life and the Presidential election go hand in hand. This post will mostly be filled with links and videos, and I would request that you take the time to explore them.

I cannot put it any plainer, but human life matters to God.

"Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed." (Deuteronomy 19:10)

"Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you." (Ezekiel 35:6)

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:8-9)

And what is being "pro-choice" truly about? Giving the woman the choice to kill. After all, if you're not choosing life, then...you're choosing death. From 1973-2005, more than 45,000,000 legal abortions were performed in the U.S. alone. "It is thoroughly inconsistent for anyone who supports abortion to be unwilling to face the reality of what abortion does." WARNING: Very graphic photos...These are real and untouched photos of the results of abortion.

Anything and everything related to questions you might have regarding the abortion debate.

What is Planned Parenthood? (Honestly, before I was knowledgable about the abortion issue, I only thought it was a place to receive birth control).

Abortion clinics prey off of the disenfranchised, destitute, and minorities. It's a big business to say the least. Want to hear an actual recording of a phonecall to Planned Parenthood?






Why should abortion be a major factor in deciding about whom to vote for? What about ending the war? Getting us out of this economic crisis? John Piper explains why it's okay to be a one-issue voter.

Randy Alcorn explores Obama's pro-abortion stance and includes clips from Rick Warren's debate at Saddleback Church.


Voting matters too. We're instructed to do everything for the Glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). And we will be giving an account before the Lord one day, as to everything we've done (Romans 14:11-12).

Here's a clip of NARAL (Pro-Choice America gleefully endorsing Barack Obama below.




So what about the other side of the coin? Those moms who choose to have the baby even when it's not convenient or wanted? Desiring God writes a piece that I have referenced mentally time and time again about how the baby saves the mom. Just this past Tuesday at the Salvation Army, as I was chatting with a young teen celebrating her son's 3rd birthday, she mentioned how he had changed her life for the good. By the grace of God, this baby got her off the streets, and she's pursuing getting her GED and enrolling in beauty school.

Let me make it very clear, if we who are pro-life want to talk the talk, we must also walk the walk and help women at pregnancy crisis centers. They're making a huge decision, and they desperately need encouraging support and financial help. Let us not forget the couples who choose to keep their baby despite a diagnosis of Down's Syndrome or a terminal disease like Trisomy 18. One of my very favorite video diaries is about a very special baby with Trisomy 18.




All children have the right to life. Aren't you glad your mother chose life??

No one likes to hear truth if it's opposed to what they know.

"You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you're doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God's servant."

2 Timothy 4:3-5 (MSG)

Making a Leap of Faith

As believers, we are challenged to do many things: be holy, forgive, evangelize, give, love. All of these require faith. Sometimes I have strong faith, and other times weak faith. Being the non-confrontational person that I am, I am often gripped with fear despite numerous remindings from God's word that He didn't give me a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and self-discipline (1 Timothy 1:7).

I took God's word seriously today, took a leap of faith, and admonished someone through a lengthy letter. Admonish means to caution, advise, counsel against something. What compelled me to do such an unorthodox thing?

A troubled marriage of a loved one, on the brink of divorce.

The past week God has subtly and overtly given me nudges to do this. The thought of not doing something, scared me enough to actually do something! It all started with this convicting post from Voddie Baucham, and yet another post from Carolyn Mahaney. It then culminated when Brent and I finally went to see Fireproof last night. Everywhere I turned, I kept hearing messages of covenantal marriage. How could I be blind to what God would have me to do?

Believers must speak truth in love. We aren't doing anyone any favors if we watch someone racing towards a cliff without flagging them down with a stern warning...STOP!!! Really, who is the more loving one then? The one nodding quietly in approval or the one speaking up to help save you?

I only pray that this letter will be received in love, because I was firm yet gentle in my writing of it. Please pray that God would mend my loved ones' marriage.

Update on 30-day Challenge with Basic Cable

So far, so good! It's amazing that by limiting our channels to all of 15 (I think?) that I really don't care to watch much tv. On the contrary, when we had 75 channels, then down to 30 channels, even when "nothing" was on, I could still manage to find something. And I was probably worse for the wear afterwards.

Now that basic cable has freed up some time, I've been enjoying doing my Bible study, writing letters, chatting with my husband, and doing delayed household chores. And I feel less frantic too.

Speaking of reading, I finished a wonderful, insightful book last week, that I am eager to re-read already and this time, I will underline!

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald is a book I highly recommend. It is worth your time and a very fast read. What this book is not: a how-to guide on getting pesky stains out of your rug, a SuperWoman 101 crash course, or a manual on how to discipline children. This book instead is about how feminism has deeply distorted and tricked capable and intelligent women into believing that careers outside of the home are the best use of their time.

Both authors use Scripture to validate and encourage women to change the world through their home and its occupants. And I should stress that this also covers the issue of attitude in the home. A home cannot be a haven if it isn't filled with grace and humility. A word of warning, I realize that this book may very well likely offend some of its readers. Only a couple of years ago, I would have scoffed at this nonsense and closed the pages smugly. If it doesn't agree with you, or maybe not all of it suits you either, I encourage you to read it with an open mind and willing spirit.

Romans 12:2-3 reminds us, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."

Okay, so shut off your tv now and go read this book!

Finding enjoyment

Going through my feed reader this morning, I came across this gem from Randy Alcorn. Please take the time to read his post on "Creator and Culture, and Anticipating a Redeemed Earth."

{If you haven't clicked on the link above, nothing below this point will make sense to you...so really, go read his post!}

I've been silent on my blog for a couple of weeks now, but I've been seriously grappling with the issue his entire post is on. Because of it, I've been slightly depressed. I haven't known what to say, much less how to say what I've been feeling. This post came at the right time, and I feel that a burden has been gently lifted. I'll repost some quotes from Alcorn's blog that really spoke to me:

"To say “This world is not your home” to a person who’s fully alive and alert to the wonders of the world is like throwing a bucket of water on kindling’s blaze. We should fan the flames of that blaze to help it spread, not seek to put it out.

Otherwise, we malign our God-given instinct to love the earthly home God made for us. And we reduce “spirituality” into a denial of art, culture, science, sports, education, and all else human. When we do this, we set ourselves up for hypocrisy—for we may pretend to disdain the world while sitting in church, but when we get in the car we turn on our favorite music and head home to barbecue with friends, watch a ball game, play golf, ride bikes, work in the garden, or curl up savoring a cup of coffee and a good book.

We do these things not because we are sinners but because we are people. We will still be people when we die and go to Heaven. This isn’t a disappointing reality—it’s God’s plan. He made us as we are—except the sin part, which has nothing to do with friends, eating, sports, gardening, or reading."

"Do you think God is pleased when we enjoy a good meal, a football game, laughter with friends, a cozy fire, or a good book? Your answer to that question not ­only demonstrates your view of God but also indicates the degree to which you are able to enjoy life. And it will determine how much you will look forward to the resurrection and what the Bible calls the New Earth."

"Failure to ­under­stand the goodness of God’s creation has blinded countless people from seeing Heaven as a place of great pleasure and enjoyment. Instead, they think that for Heaven to be “spiritual,” it must somehow be drab, unappealing, and bereft of “earthly” things, which they consider unspiritual."

For whatever reasons lately, I've had a very hard time with enjoying "earthly" things guilt-free. I'll use clothes for an example. I rarely buy new clothes for myself due to cost, but also because I feel guilty for even desiring something new. I get very frustrated with the battle that wages in my mind over things like this. It goes back and forth between issues of contentment, self-deprivation, and shame. Is it that wrong to like clothes? Does anyone else ever go through this too?

The part of Randy's post that gets me crying though is when he writes, "God is not up in Heaven frowning at us and saying, “Stop it—you should find joy ­only in me.” But honestly, this is exactly how I've been interpreting things. When I read that line the first time, it almost seemed blasphemous to me. But Randy continues, "This would be as foreign to our heavenly Father’s nature as it would be to mine as an earthly father if I gave my daughters a Christmas gift and then pouted because they enjoyed it too much. No, I gave the gift to bring joy to them and to me. I am delighted when they enjoy the gifts I’ve given them. If they ­didn’t, I’d be disappointed. Their pleasure in my gift to them draws them closer to me."

So the link here is being closer to God in appreciation and recognition for those good things which He has blessed our lives with. If we're not careful, those things can become idols in our lives.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The past few weeks my spirit has struggled with an unnatural yoke and carried a burden it was not intended to bear. All are invited to place struggles, heartache, shame, guilt, and legalism at the foot of His cross. It's time that I make another trip back...

A Biblical Bachelorette Party?!

As a co-matron of honor for my friend's wedding, I have the task along with the other co-matron of honor of planning a bachelorette party for her. This past Saturday I spent a handful of hours perusing aisle after aisle in every decor section you can imagine from every party store in a 30-mile radius. Needless to say, afterwards, my wallet was slightly lighter and my mind exhausted. But my spirit was also wounded in the process.

Some of the rites of passages in America's culture could probably be best summed up as "disrespectful." Bachelor/ette parties probably rank pretty high up on the crass meter. Nowadays, you'd be hard-pressed to find a "blushing bride." I was appalled to see all types of "games" where the bride-to-be is dared to flash her undies, kiss random guys, dole out her phone number and a lot worse than that. No wonder marriage isn't seen as being fun or even enjoyable when the bride-to-be embarks on her so-called "last night out." Or recently when I thumbed through a coworker's rehearsal dinner photos noticing that the poor guy had to literally wear a ball and chain all day. What kind of message are we sending to others?

But I also believe that the Christian woman who has remained chaste up until her wedding day certainly deserves some type of celebration. She's definitely earned it! I am still amazed at the level of "liberty" that some Christian gals engage in for their bachelorette parties. Sex in its biblical context is a very beautiful and sacred thing. I don't believe that it needs to be taboo or whispered about, but it still needs to be respected and revered. As I mentioned to my friend while planning the party, "just because it's a bachelorette party it doesn't mean you don't have to be holy." God's Word in 1 Peter 1:15-16 says, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

For some, this is a very hard pill to swallow that may dampen their idea of fun. That's what happens when you ask me to plan your party, ha! Anyways, as part of my own pre-wedding festivities, I had two special parties that had two very different concepts.

The first one was about a month before our wedding date and for lack of a better term it was called an "Intimacy" party. Basically it's a time to gather a small group of married women, of all ages, and even some of your female relatives (if you're comfortable with that) to discuss marriage, embarrassing moments on your honeymoon, different stages of marital life, and advice on everything in between. From my family my mom, sister, cousin, and aunt were present. Other women who were invited were old family friends and college friends. This was a unique time, because no one had ever heard of this idea or knew what to expect. We had laughs when they all arrived and swore a vow of secrecy to anything mentioned in my small living room. Cheesecake and coffee made for some easy ice-breaking in discussing private matters. It was so neat to hear hilarious mishaps on honeymoons and encouragement in not expecting perfection. It was very memorable to me, but I gotta say, I don't think the invitees will ever forget it either!

If in the future you opt to help plan something similar, make sure the party is held relatively close to the wedding date. This will help the bride-to-be's purity, knowing that very soon, it will be a reality. Also, keep in mind when planning whom to invite that depending on the guests' relationships to one another, the topics at hand may be awkward to discuss and transparency may also be compromised. Besides a vow of secrecy (insert pinky-swear here), the hostess will also need to make a point of no husband bashing allowed; really, there is no need.

The second one was a simple lingerie party held the weekend of our wedding. This was mostly with my bridesmaids and held at my parents' home on their back porch (at night; not in broad daylight!). It was sweet, innocent, and I blushed a little. Unlike one of my cousins, my mother did not buy me any lingerie for the honeymoon!

Both parties were fun, entertaining, relatively inexpensive since they were done at homes, and crassness was nowhere near to be found. Might I also add that as a guest to a bachelorette party, you also have the responsibility and discernment to know what activities are inappropriate for you or tempt you to compromise your values. I've driven all the way to Charleston before, only to leave apologetically and go to my sister's home instead. Ladies, it's not worth it. There is a lot at stake, mainly your witness to others around you as well as living righteously before the Lord. Think also of your husband or boyfriend and put yourself in their shoes.

To any ladies who have yet to be married, please take these thoughts into consideration. And for those who are married, seek to be a special blessing to a bride-to-be. Now more than ever, she will need encouragement to make it to her wedding day and be edified through Scripture.

Song of Songs 4:12, "You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain."

Praying for miracles

I'm hungry now, but it's worth it.

See previous post.


"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." ~ Deuteronomy 8:3

Fasting for Compassion

It doesn't take long to figure out that the world is seemingly spinning out of control; natural disasters, gas prices, a weak U.S. dollar, the political arena, etc. One of the problems is the global food crisis that is greatly affecting all of the third-world nations.

If living off of $2 a day seems unthinkable, try $1 (which is what most of our global brothers and sisters live off of now). You may have noticed that the price of rice, beans, and other grains has surprisingly increased at your local supermarket. This affects millions of people at the most basic level: survival.

I am so grateful for organizations such as Compassion International and World Vision and their donors who are able to help offset the deficit of need for children all over the planet. Unfortunately, many Compassion children are able to receive their only meal nowadays at the centers they attend (sponsored by Compassion).

On Wednesday, June 25th, join with me in prayer and fasting for Compassion and the global food crisis. While Christ is our ultimate need, I pray that God will bring relief to suffering families and provide unexpected blessings along the way.

Another great video to truly see what millions are facing....

Living under the Curse

"Research suggests that highly egalitarian women are less happy in their marriages compared with their more traditional counterparts, apparently because they are more troubled by disparities in domestic labor" (read more here).

There's something feminist dogma doesn't elaborate upon, yet the Bible does. As with any medium of sin, the enemy takes a determined look at something that God has ordained and perverts it horribly. This came about when satan deliberately went against God's order of natural creation and sidled up to Eve first instead of Adam. He knew exactly what he was doing. It was no mistake that he propositioned Eve, thereby circumventing the headship of Adam.

Satan continues to ask us, just as he did with Eve, "Did God really say...?" For her part, Eve quoted the rules and boundaries that God had established. But Satan essentially replied back, "No, what God said isn't true." While I can't imagine carrying on a discussion about fruit trees with a serpent, I can imagine how Eve and all of us just as soon are convinced if we give the serpent's thoughts a second chance.

Verses later, after Adam and Eve had been duped into sin, God desired fellowship with them still. Seems like the original couple was playing co-ed naked hide&seek instead. An awkward discussion ensues and shame rears its ugly head. God pronounces a curse upon the serpent, a curse upon Eve, and lastly a curse upon Adam.

All of this preface is tied into the quote I mentioned at the very beginning. Eve's curse was this: "Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)

And there in the last sentence is the linchpin that explains why (I believe) "egalitarian women are less happy in their marriages." We are living under the power of the curse if we are doggedly attempting to control our husbands and usurp their natural God-given role of head. Maybe that comes off a little too strong, but then again when there are two heads in a relationship, all you end up with is a two-headed monster. There's also logic behind the reason of why the USA isn't run by two Presidents.

But egalitarians may say that what they have going on is a partnership of sorts. Since when does the word "partnership" equate meaning with "equals." It doesn't. Webster's defines it as "a relationship between individuals or groups that is characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility, as for the achievement of a specified goal." Well, frankly, that sounds like what more traditional models ascribe to as well. Since we're talking "traditional," we'll say that the husband is the primary provider of income, he pays the bills, mows the lawn, tends to the car maintenance, civic responsibilities etc. And the wife is the homemaker, takes care of the children, cooks, cleans, etc. In that scenario, it certainly sounds like both have mutual responsibilities and it sounds like both are living synergistically.

I love the definition for synergism: "the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc. The joint action of agents, as drugs, that when taken together increase each other's effectiveness." Wow, what a great example of what a husband and wife can achieve based upon a divison of labor. Maybe you could say I have a "synergist" view of marital roles. :)

So if the curse for womankind is bound to the idea that we will desire to control our husbands, but we won't be able to, what then, can break the curse?

It starts with a dependence upon Christ and what He achieved by dying on the cross for our sins. He alone is able to give us a servant's heart and the humility needed to be a submissive wife. It certainly isn't easy, but then again, we were never told that it would be. More importantly, it is systematically killing our fleshly desires to make way for spiritual abundance. The word pride comes to mind. And isn't that what egalitarian wives are most likely fighting for? Over and over again through the Scriptures we see that we are to humble ourselves before the Lord and He will give us the grace we desperately need.

Oh Lord, may You give Your daughters the ability to humble ourselves before You and before our husbands. That when times get rough and we feel beaten down by the tasks given to us, that You will refresh our spirit with Your Word. May we honor our husbands by submitting to their headship, just as we would submit to You. Father, I know that my husband and I are equally loved by You. Lord give me a willing heart and hardworking hands to be a blessing to my family and those around me. Take away my pride and my longing to protect self. God, how I pray that You would be glorified through my day to day living.

Confessions of a Food Junkie, Part 1

As of late, I have really been convicted of my eating habits and lack of physical activity. Well, it seems that everything has come to a head. I'd like to credit all of it to God for fitting in all of the pieces in a synergistic fashion.

Paved with good intentions
Growing up, I never had to worry about my weight or what I ate. In fact, obesity isn't an issue on either side of my family. But ever since becoming married, I succumbed to the "newlywed nine." Maybe it's unknowingly serving up myself a plate of the same portion that I dole out to my husband. Or since we've moved from a neighborhood to a condominium complex, I haven't been taking our dog on daily walks like I used to. Either way and for many more reasons than those, my clothes are ill-fitting. It dawned on me that the clothing industry will always provide a size of clothing to fit any shape I grow into or out of; i.e. there is no magical "ceiling" to stop me. I realized that I am an avid snacker too. Eating out of the box is such a bad habit for me! Nevermind the constant barrage of office parties or goodies that coworkers lure you with. And let's forget the fact that I majored in Health Promotion with a minor in Foods & Nutrition, geez...

So what caused a dramatic pause in my eating habits? Would you believe a section from my Bible study??

Flabbilicious and (not) loving it
I'm working through Shaunti Feldhahn's "For Women Only: what you need to know about the inner lives of men." Our theme for last week was entitled, "Keeper of the Visual Rolodex" which focused on men and the temptations they face since being so visually wired. I was quite shocked when on Day Five the focus shifted to the wife and her appearance. Huh? One of Shaunti's key points is that "a man wants to see that his wife cares enough about him to make an effort." Ouchie....all I seemed to be doing was complaining about my flabbiness with no effort to back it up. Not only do I want to be attractive to my husband, but I also need to respect my body according to God's standards.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body."

Romans 6:12-13, "Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God."

All-you-can-eat potlucks
Let's face facts, gluttony or overeating is something that the Church doesn't do a lot of talking about. (Can you imagine the squirming in the pews that would occur?) We hear about the problems of alcohol or drugs, but not necessarily those of food addiction. It comes down to a matter of self-control, which is one way others and yourself can see the Holy Spirit working in your life. Ironically, I think the first step is not only admitting to yourself that you struggle in the area of self-control, but also admitting it to others.

"Hi, my name is Megan and I'm an overeater."
I came clean with my addiction/lack of self-control the other night when my husband and I shared our prayer requests with each other. I also asked the girls in my Bible study for prayer. And while I don't have an accountability partner, I figure letting others know about it will only help me deal with the challenge.

Because I don't fit into the "all or nothing" mentality, I choose to make small, gradual changes instead. I've begun to incorporate more fruit in my diet. I actually adhere to the recommended serving size of a particular snack (so that's 3 tablespoons worth?). I even started keeping a list of "Things I've said 'No' to," like the Krispy Kreme glazed donuts gleaming at me in the staff meeting last week. "No" is a difficult word to say to my "old friends;" but I'm learning that if you never say "no," you'll never be able to say "yes" to a healthier body.

Words that are Kind, Part II

Well, how did the weekly "Kindness Campaign" work for anyone? I know that I was doing pretty well until about day 6. The idea of having our words be a "life-giving fountain" gave my conversation much needed direction. It also reminded me that our words have power behind them.

In God's awesome power, He is able to speak things into existence. The creation account in Genesis 1 gives clear insight into how the world was created; with the divine imperative..."Let there be..."

...light. And it was so.

...a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth. And it was so.

...waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear. And it was so.

He continued to create the universe(!) as we know it by a command of His voice.

Can you imagine what it would be like to have similar powers with our voice? I, for one, would be commanding silly things such as "Let there be ice cream sundaes" or "Let my walls be painted...teal! No, green! Maybe red?"

While we are not able to physically create anything out of nothingness by a simple command, we are able to help shape and influence others with our words. And that in turn can create positive or negative attitudes, behaviors, and actions.

In a previous post I mentioned that I was about to begin Shaunti Feldhahn's "For Women Only" Bible study with some girls from my Sunday school class. We met last night to discuss our first week of study and the challenges that were presented. One of which was to not say anything negative to our husbands or anything negative about them. Feldhahn's challenge was attempting to forge a direct link between our feelings and our actions. Judging by the responses of my groupmates, it had been a tough week. Yes, having only kind things to say is a difficult task indeed. But how do we attempt to accomplish that?

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul instructs us to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Clearly when I flippantly toss about an unkind word or monologue, I'm not taking the time to take those thoughts and sift them through Christ's love. As mentioned in Words that are Kind, there are oodles of proverbs that detail godly speech. Below are a few that continue to remind us to think first, then speak:

Proverbs 15:28, "The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words."

Proverbs 29:20, "There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking."

So this week's challenge on the Kindness Campaign is to slow your dang tongue down! Rein it in along with your thoughts before you speak. I'm convinced a few extra nanoseconds could be of benefit to us all in dealing with others.

Words that are Kind

I woke up this morning wanting to share an email I received from my mommy-in-law yesterday regarding Brent's job situation. It was just what I needed and did my heart good; we'll talk more about kind words afterward.

Just wanted you to know that I've been thinking and praying for you. I know you have a lot on your plate right now with the condo & Brent's job situation. Just want you to know that it'll all work out and even better yet, it'll work out for the best. God's best! We'll trust God together that one day soon you'll look back on all this and see His mighty hand at work as He places you right where He wants you. You can never truly enjoy the mountain top until you've been down in the valley. Sometimes it's a heck of a hike (like our family camping trip) but in the end you will be so glad you made the trip. Don't lose heart, write it down (testimony later), & praise Him all the way through it. He inhabits the praises of his people.
~Love you, Rose

What a blessing to receive a message like that when I'm full of doubt. Wouldn't you love to receive a letter everyday filled with encouragement? I know I would. Good news! God in His goodness gave us His Word that we can read at any time, over and over, to give comfort to our heart daily. He knows what our hearts long to hear because He created them. As His children, we also have the ability to soothe someone's heart with kind words.

We can easily underestimate the power of our words and their impact upon the hearer. I am reminded from Proverbs 16:24 that "kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Isn't it amazing how a comment, either positive or negative, can make or break your day? It bothers me to think of how I may have inadvertently cast a shadow on someone's spirit with a terse remark or tinge of sarcasm. Likewise, letting someone know that we appreciate them or have prayed for them can give a heartfelt boost to get over a hump. May we seek to edify others daily with words of encouragement, love, and grace.

Using BibleGateway, I did a quick search on "words" which yielded 307 different verses. I have selected a few that detail the qualities of kind versus unkind words.

• Proverbs 10:11, "The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions."
• Proverbs 10:32, "The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words."
• Proverbs 12:18, "Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing."
• Proverbs 15:4, "Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."

Life-giving fountain, helpful, healing, tree of life...could these be describing my words? If we are considered to be godly people, then yes! What beautiful imagery these descriptions evoke. I am challenged as a believer when James (2:9-11) writes about our tongues, "Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?"

Sisters, let's challenge ourselves to have kindness on our lips for this week. Oh, we could call it the "Kindness Campaign" even :) And even when there are times that we have to deliver correction or advice, may our words be sweetened as honey. Best of luck!

Glorious Sunrise

On my way to work this morning, I was mesmerized by the beautiful sun rising before me. The sky had taken on a pinkish-orange hue, but the sun was pure gold. It was just bright enough that it didn't hurt my eyes to gaze at it. It was one of those moments where everything else around you seems to fade into oblivion. It was so breathtaking, I didn't want to look away. I knew that God had painted this celestial scene for me this morning; a divine "I love you" and "good morning" spoken without the use of words.

It is times like these that I cherish and that refresh my soul when it seems to be parched. I wonder how many people fail to witness the magnificent beauty of the sunrise every morning. It is too easy to live our lives running to and fro without ever taking a pause or even a breath to see the creation that God has created right before us. There is no denying that God clearly reveals Himself through His creation.

The Message version of Romans 1: 19-21 reads, "But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse.What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand."

They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand...that phrase brings tears to my eyes. How many times do I fail to recognize the blatant presence of God even in the small, seemingly insignificant moments of my day? How many times do I inadvertently cheapen blessings from God by not realizing they are directly from Him? Worse yet, how many times do I run from His Holiness and pursue counterfeit happiness? We will never find true joy apart from knowing God and living for Him. I fear that lesson will be a lifelong challenge for me. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love; here's my heart Lord, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.

God is right before us providing everything our souls could ever want, yet we continually walk away. Is He not worth it? Is He not enough? Is He not who you thought He'd be? He is not a cosmic Wizard of Oz where a phony little man hides behind a curtain deceiving you. He is the real deal.

He causes the sun to rise every morning, and He alone gives you a new breath every few seconds. Embrace Him, embrace the reality of Him!