God provides

I know that God will always provide. He may not provide in the way I think He will, but He always shows me that He's in control and He is all I need. Isn't that what God's provision is....Himself?

We've never been rich, but being in seminary, we are very tight financially. I'm not complaining. I actually think it is a blessing. God is using this time to mold us more into the image of Christ.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned to Paul that I'm not sure that I will be able to get everything on my shopping list because the list was getting longer and the funds in the bank were getting lower. Later on in the day, a few men from Gulfport, MS showed up on our door step and asked if there was anything they could do for us. They were on a deacon retreat and wanted to reach out to the seminary students. They prayed with us and handed us a $25 gift card to Walmart. I was able to get everything on my list when I went shopping.

Today, I had told Paul that the checking account is getting very low, so we need to be very careful until the next payday. When I checked the mail a couple hours later, we had a couple of cards with money in them. What a blessing that God provides for us financially! What a blessing that we have people in our lives praying for us and being obedient to answer God's call on their lives to lend us a helping hand! And these are not the only times this has happened.

I can't wait until the day when God has placed us in a place where we are stable enough to be able to bless others the way people have blessed us. God's blessings are beyond financial. I'm just blown away by who He is. I get what God was telling Moses when God told Moses to tell the Israelites that "I am" sent him. I am is all I need.

Getting Closer

It's a little over 2 months away until our big move! It's starting to get real. I'm really excited about moving to New Orleans and becoming a seminary family, but I'm also nervous. That's a lot of change, and it's so far away from all that is familiar.

I've been pulling out things to get rid of since we will be living in a small apartment. It's so hard to prepare to move in to a place that you've never seen. All I have is a floor plan. Going by that floor plan, I've realized that we are going to have to sell our couch. I love our couch. It's red, comfy, and big. The big part is the reason it's got to go. I have to admit that out of all the things we are getting rid of the couch makes me the saddest. All the extra stuff that we had hanging around is not hard to get rid of. I started going through stuff with the rule that I have to love it and/or need it in order to keep it, but I love our couch and I don't get to keep it. The two pieces of furniture that we actually bought that weren't hand-me-downs, we have to get rid of because that just won't fit in our apartment. Sad times, but to bring myself back to reality, it's all just stuff. Stuff that will one day break, wear down, and eventually decompose out in a landfill some day.

All this reminds me that following Jesus is not easy. We have to surrender everything to Him, and that's tough. The deeper in my relationship with Christ the more I realize I haven't surrendered to Him. It hurts to release our tight grips on the comforts of this world, but the beauty of having surrendered what we deem as precious, to be filled all the more with my precious Savior makes all the pain worth it. I love the adventure of following Jesus. To the world, He may lead me down the path of craziness and stupidity, but as the Alpha and Omega, I know that I am secure, eternally secure, and that's all that matters. As we shed some of our earthly belongings to prepare for our move, I'm also shedding some more of the inner belongings that are taking up valuable space for the Holy Spirit to reign supremely in my life. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

$5,000 a Week Forever

I saw a commercial for a Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes to win $5,000 a week forever. That sounds really nice, so I went online and filled out an entry. The odds of winning are like 1 in a billion something, so if we win it will totally be a God thing. Of course, if the odds were 1 in 2 it would still be a God thing.
Anyway, to the point of this post. After I filled out the entry, I started thinking about what I would do if we won. My first thought would be that Paul wouldn't have to work while he was at seminary, so he could totally focus on his studies and still have lots of family time. My second thought was we would be able to do so much to bless other people.
I have been thinking a lot lately about how God has been changing me and molding me more toward becoming like Christ over the past year and a half. I was thinking about those thoughts I had about winning the PCH sweepstakes, and it hit me how much God has been teaching me to completely trust Him.
 A year or so ago my thoughts would have been to save a lot of that money to create a nice security blanket for emergencies. I would have thought about how we could afford to have a second car again...a brand new car. I would have thought that I could replace our old, hand me down furniture with pieces that actually matched and that I could pick out from the thousands of options out there. But most of all I could feel secure.
As I was contrasting my thoughts, I was just so humbled that I had to retreat to my room and cry. Cry tears of shame, sorrow, joy, and peace. My Savior loves me so much that He walked hand and hand with me through some of the toughest, most confusing times of my life in order to teach me that He is all that I need, that He is the only security there is. I think about the line in "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" that says "and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." Oh, how true those words spring up from my soul! There is nothing in this world that satisfies me like Jesus...especially the financial security that I had long craved. I KNOW that God will take care of us and the way He does that may not be easy but it will always be good and perfect.
Whether we win or not doesn't matter. I just love that God is all that I need, and now I know that in the deepest part of my soul.

God Bless America

As we celebrate our nation's independence, one might often hear someone say or sing "God bless America," but what does that really mean? I've been thinking about that a lot the past few days. We all love God's blessings- family, friends, health, safety, prosperity. America has definately experienced great blessings from God.

However, America is no longer one nation UNDER GOD. We have fallen so far from the biblical principles of which this nation was founded. It's awful! I just don't understand why God still has His protective hand around America. He has every right to just turn us over to our sinful desires and let us self-destruct.

I don't expect nonbelievers to live according to God's commands. They are doing what they are supposed to be doing, living according to the flesh. But Christians, people who have devoted their lives to a merciful Savior, should be living sold out expressing their love both with words and actions to Jesus Christ and the people He died to save.

There will come a day when the church will be persecuted in America. I'm not talking about the can't pray in schools kinda thing. I'm talking about real persecution. But then, maybe God will truly be blessing America. If the American church is persecuted, then we will see true Christians take a stand for their faith. The pretenders will slink away and not make a squeak. History shows that when the church is persecuted, growth happens. The Kingdom ignites like a wild fire.

What if God's blessings for America is for people to loose their right to buy goods and services because of their faith in Him? What if God's blessings for America means you can't provide food, clothes, and shelter for your family because no one will hire you because of your faith in Him? What if God's blessings for America is for you to be tortured until death in order for your persecutors to try to get you to denouce your faith in the God you serve?

That may seem far-fetched as you sit in your cozy home surrounded by your loved ones as you reflect on your day enjoying the safe blessings from God. It's hard to say this, but I would rather have the blessings of persecution that would cause the Kingdom of God to grow and flourish while the ones who just fill a pew on Sunday fade away or denouce their faith in God. I would rather face death for the name of Jesus Christ in order for America to see the true church of God hold high the majesty and glory of the one true King than for things to continue on in its current state. So, as I celebrate the independence of this amazing country knowing that true freedom can only be found in complete surrender to Jesus Christ, I want to reiterate the familiar sentiment with a different state of mind. May God bless America!

Mr. Fix-it to the Rescue

While walking along on plastic railroad ties type thingies that hold in the sand at our local playground, Parker stopped when he came to one that was cracked opened.

Parker: It broke.
Me: Yes it is broken.
Parker: Daddy fix.
Me: Do you think Daddy can fix anything?
Parker: uh huh (with a cute little head nod that made him look like a bobble head doll)

After Paul fixed Parker's overhead light in his room which hadn't been working for months, Parker thinks that Paul can fix anything that is broken. I think it is so sweet that he has that confidence in his Daddy.

It makes me think about my own faith and trust in God, my heavenly father. God certainly has the power and authority to fix any problem I face. Of course, it is not always in my best interest for God to fix all the problems I face and tie them up in a nice, neat package. Problems, trials, difficult situations, and pain all remind me that this world is not my home. When I face troubles, I have to put my complete trust in God for Him to carry me through in a way that brings Him glory. He is my Mr. Fix-it; although most of the time, He is Mr. Fix-me.

Frugal Friday: It Start's with Your Attitude

Photo credit here

You may be disappointed that I'm not starting off with a tip that's going to save you hundreds of dollars. However, I'm going to tell you the key to living frugally. So here it goes, the key to living on a shoe string budget, pinching every penny, saving tons of money is...be content with what you have. I hope you are not too disappointed, but that is where you start. Attitude is everything when it comes to everything.

I am learning (I use the present tense because it is a continual process for me.) to be content. I have to learn to be content with all areas of my life, but it is especially hard when it comes to money. I grew up in a family where saving money was important. It was important because having a good amount of money was important to financial security. So to me, having lots of money saved up made me feel content. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Having little to no money saved up made me feel insecure. I would stress out when I would look at our bank account information. I didn't feel secure. It was unhealthy and a product of my lack of faith and trust in God as provider. God has been working on me to change what makes me feel secure. I quit looking at our bank account. I let Paul do that since he doesn't freak out about it like I do. I'm learning that I can trust in God completely. I'm learning that contentment is a by-product of trust in God.

The apostle Paul explains in best in Philippians 4:11-13, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." I'm going to get on a little soapbox here, but it has often bothered me how vicariously people use Philippians 4:13. I say that as someone who has been guilty of just that. I remember praying, "I can do all things through Christ who strenghthens me," as I was getting ready to take a test that I didn't study for well in high school. The ALL THINGS part of that verse is the key. Everything we do, we can do only by and through the authority of Jesus Christ. So "all things" means I can learn to not worry about finances. I can be content with our humble circumstances and actually enjoy it.

So, learning to be content is going to save you hundreds. If you don't have to buy a lot of things to make you feel good, then you will save money by enjoying what you already have. If you learn to be content to make something that you would have normally bought, then you will save money. I could go on. I promise that I will be sharing more concrete ways of frugal living, but like I said before, the key to frugal living is being content.

I Can't Complain

"Do all things without complaining or grumbling." Philippians 2:14

I have been saying that verse to myself over and over again lately. I have been praying for the Lord to help me overcome my fleshly desires to complain. I want to complain so badly. I struggle with keeping my prayers from being grumblings about whatever it is that is on my mind. I want to complain to myself, to God, and to anyone who's there (although most of the time it's just me and the kids). I want to complain when Parker's misbehaving, Ellis is unhappy and screaming, and the house can't seem to keep itself clean. I want to complain that we only have one car which means I don't have the freedom to go grocery shopping on the day I want to or just to be able to get out of the house for a little while. I want to complain Paul has to work crazy hours and spends 2 hours driving to and from work everyday so I feel like we don't get to spend much time with him. I could go on.
However, God's working on me just like He always is. One of the Sparkies I work with in Awanas was working on memorizing Philippians 2:14. I needed to hear that verse. Of course, God didn't just stop there. He gave me a way to overcome my fleshly desire to complain. I've been reading in Thessalonians during my personal Bible study time. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." I'm fighting (with the strength from God) the desire to complain with thankfulness. I'm choosing to be thankful that I have two beautiful, healthy children that I can hold in my arms when they cry. I'm choosing to be thankful that I have a Heavenly Father as a example of how to discipline my children in love. I'm choosing to be thankful that we have a place to live and can make the rent payment each month. I'm choosing to be thankful that having a second car is not a need since I have the privilege of staying home with my children. I'm choosing to be thankful that Paul has a job that can provide for us and if we manage our God's money correctly we can still have the means to bless others. I know by the world's standards I would have every "right" to complain, but that is so wrong. Everything that I go through, every struggle I face, every little nuisance is all under the authority of God. Nothing happens that is not according to His plan for my life. Everything I face is only a means for me to grow closer to God and into the image of Christ. Since I have placed my life on the altar of God, I have no rights, including the right to complain. Everything is a blessing, and it is a choice to see things that way.

How Shoe Licking Teaches Me a Lesson in Parenting

For snack time today, Parker and I had leftover pancakes. I fixed his plate and put it on the counter. We were fixing to put our shoes on to go outside so they were nearby. I was already getting my shoes on when I looked up to see Parker place one of his shoes smack dab on top of his syrupy pancakes (He didn't mean to. Since eye level for him is just below the countertop, he really couldn't see the plate.) Then, in horror I watched him look at the bottom of his shoe and lick it. Yes, lick the bottom of a shoe that has been on a toddler foot that has been who knows where! I quickly ran over to him screaming "NOOOOO!!!!" and got the shoe just before he took a second lick. Apparently, syrup is very important to him and he didn't want to waste one drop.
This little incident made me start thinking about how important it is to teach our children. As an adult, I know that licking the bottom of a shoe is gross, possibly dangerous, and just not socially acceptable. However, Parker sees that shoe as something that goes on your foot that has cool sports balls that light up when he walks, and apparently, an eating utensil. I know that licking the bottom of his shoe, while gross, is not all that bad. But, it made me think about how important it is for me to teach my children the ways of the Lord. There is a lot of scripture on this matter. Children just don't know the things they need to know. We have to teach them. We have to teach them the Truth of God's Word. They can learn things from others, but as their parents, we have the most influence on them. The shoe licking incident made me realize that I need to be more diligent about using every moment to teach the Truth, the only Truth, to these precious little beings that God has allowed me the privilege to raise as my own even though they really don't belong to me; they are His. I love how God uses random little things to teach us.

Funny Follow-up

After posting the previous post, Guilt No More, I logged onto Facebook only to see someone post a link to the following article from thegospelcoalition.org (click on the link to take you to the original article for credits). I thought it would be a fitting follow-up to my post.

How Much Is a Homemaker Worth?

The Story: A study conducted by the financial service company Mint found that the sum value of different homemaking duties annually amounts to almost six figures. If a homemaker's job were salaried, it would draw, on average, $96,291 per year. Tasks accounted for in the study included private chef, house cleaner, child care provider, driver, and laundry service provider.
The Background: There's no escaping the fact that contemporary society often scoffs at stay-at-home moms. "This isn't the 1950s anymore," the thinking goes. "Why in the world would someone want to be imprisoned in her own home?" The common idea, of course, is that many responsibilities on the home front should be outsourced, thus releasing moms from domestic shackles to realize their vocational dreams. While such a mindset isn't automatically wrongheaded in every case, it can frequently betray a prioritization that is biblically questionable.
Why It Matters: Proverbs 14:1 states: "The wise woman builds her house." While the monetary value and practical feasibility of full-time homemaking may vary from home to home, what remains constant is the irreplaceable significance of a homemaker's contributions. The Mint article concludes, "The daily work of a homemaker can sometimes be taken for granted....However, these services could earn a homemaker a considerable wage if he or she took those skills to the marketplace. Homemakers, in general, contribute a lot more to the home in addition to these tasks and no amount of money can fill those needs."
Indeed, no study could ever fully quantify the service of a mother who "looks well to the ways of her household" (Prov. 31:27). At the very least, this research should prompt us to express fresh appreciation to those stay-at-home moms whom we love and who, though receiving little recognition in the eyes of the world, are faithful and treasured in the eyes of their King.

Guilt No More

     I have to admit that I've often felt guilty about being a stay at home mom (SAHM). I've had thoughts of inadequacy that have led me to think that maybe our family would be better off if I went back to teaching. I feel that I've put a lot a pressure on my husband as he is the sole provider of income for our family. When I look at the small amount of money in our checking account, the house full of hand-me-down furniture, the one car parked in our carport, I often think that if only I wasn't a SAHM then I could fix these "problems." Then on a spiritual level, I feel that I'm not making enough of an impact on the lost world around me because I'm just sitting at home all day with 2 kids and a dirty house.
     I was thinking about these things yesterday as I was doing my daily chores when I felt the Lord say to me, "don't forget I CALLED you to this." I had forgotten. I had forgotten that when the Lord calls us to something He provides. He has taken care of us on one income. We have never gone hungry, unclothed, and unsheltered. In fact when I look at our finances, I'm always reminded that God is the one who carries us day to day. He really is the sole provider of this family. Yes, we aren't living the "American dream" with a house that has 3 times more space than we really need filled with name brand stuff with 3 cars parked in a 3 car garage when only 2 people in the house can drive. But we are living a dream bigger than all the money in the world can provide.
     God reminded me that I am making an impact on this lost world around me. The early years of a child's life are the most crucial in developing a Godly world view in that child's life. Since I'm at home with the children and I plan on homeschooling, then I have a major responsibility in discipling my children into people who love Christ with their whole being who are not afraid to live a radical life following Him. I'm discipling my children so that as they grow older they will in turn reach out to the lost world. I AM making an impact on the lost world.
     All this boils down to where our treasures lie. If I keep my focus on things of God, then everything falls into proper perspective. When my time on earth is over, it won't matter about how much money we had or how much nice stuff we owned. Therefore, I will no longer feel guilty. (Well, at least I will do my best. It will be a constant battle of the flesh to overcome.) God has called me to be a SAHM and to help support my husband in ministry. I wouldn't have it any other way. God is so good. He's so good to me.

[Note: If you are not a SAHM, please don't take what I said to be that every woman should be a SAHM. That just isn't so. As long as you are doing what God called you to do, then you have nothing to worry about. May God bless you and your family in whatever role He has called you to.]

Doing vs. Being

     "We focus on what God wants us to do and forget the kind of people He wants us to be." I read that line in Forgotten God by Francis Chan, and I just had to stop and think on it for a while. Oh, how that is so true! Without realizing it, we have changed our relationship with God to a works-based religion instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us into who God wants us to be, a reflection of Jesus Christ. In fact, in most churches we teach a works-based religion although we "preach" salvation by grace through faith. We don't do it intentionally. It's just a focus change. Maybe it's one of Satan's schemes to tweak something that seems good into something that is really bad.
     Think about it. There's a different focal point for each senario. When we focus on what God wants us to do, i.e. read the Bible, pray, go to church, keep yourself pure, don't gossip, etc, the focus becomes about us. We are the ones trying to carry out what should be the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we succeed at living what seems to be a good life, we feel good about ourselves and we may even receive praise from others. 
     When we are focused on who God wants us to be, then that leads to the kind of transformation that can ONLY be done by the Holy Spirit. It takes us out of the picture. We can no longer fake living the "good Christian life." We are so depraved that we cannot manifest what we need in order to live like Christ, so if we are being transformed into the image of Christ, then it has to be the work of the Holy Spirit. We would have to live according to Romans 12:1 as "a living and holy sacrifice" where we are dead to our own desires but living by the power of God. Our lives become an act of worship that points to the glory of Christ.
     On the surface the differences seem so subtle, but with a deeper look, doing and being are world's apart. I want to be like Christ. I want to exude His presence. I want my life to be an act of worship. I don't want to just settle for a check list of actions that if I do or don't do, then I'm good to go. I pray that the church, the bride of Christ, realizes the difference. I would imagine that if we all focused more on being like Christ, then we would make a huge impact on this lost and desperate world.

Budget...Ugh!

Most people cringe when they hear the word budget because they feel like it is some type of restraint. I like the idea of having a budget. Since money is tight, I want to make sure we spend it wisely, and a budget helps. However, I still cringe when I hear the word budget just because I don't like creating one. The process of making a budget is what I hate. I don't mind the living by a budget part.
For all of our 5+ married years, Paul and I have probably created 6,529 different budget plans and have yet to really stick to living by any one of them. That is about to change. It has to change. Since money is tight, we are going to have to be dilligent and be good managers of what God has entrusted to us.
This time around we are taking a different approach, the one we should have taken all along. God's will for our lives is to bring Him glory. Everything we do should be an act of worship to God. All that we own by the world's definition of ownership really doesn't belong to us. It is all His. He doesn't owe us anything. So, why haven't we consulted God in how to manage what is rightfully His? So many times we just sat down and logically created a budget. We'd punch some numbers in, and with the little we were working with, it never seemed to work out right. (It is truly by the Lord's blessing that we are not in debt up to our eyeballs. I don't know how He did it, but He has taken care of us financially when it seemed impossible. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!) A few days later, the budget might as well have been in the trash because we weren't really using it.
Again I ask, why haven't we consulted God in how to manage what is His? That will be the difference this time around. We are giving our budget over to God. We are seeking His wisdom (James 1:5). We are asking for God to transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). I know this means that we are going to have to make some major changes in how we think and live, but I know that we will be better off.
I just want to add that creating a budget is not about finding security in money. I struggle with that. I'm learning to find my complete security in Christ. Creating a budget will help us to be better stewards of what we have been given, and therefore, we will be able to better invest in the Kingdom work of Christ.
I'm putting this out there not to bore you to death but for accountability purposes. I know this won't be easy. So, if you would like, pray for us as we create the budget. Pray that Paul and I will be of like mind with Christ. Pray that God will reveal areas that we haven't surrendered to Him. Pray that God will give us the strength to surrender all to Him. Pray that our minds will be focused on things of eternity and that we will view our "possessions" as avenues to invest in those eternal things.

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for who I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ." Philippians 3:7-8 (Go read that chapter. It's good stuff. Seriously, go read it.)

Simple Christmas

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, celebrating the birth of my Savior is one of the most exciting times of the year.  However, for many Christians, and for non-believers as well, Christmas tends to be a stressful time of year. I am determined that not be true for our family. The American Dream has stolen the joy of celebrating the miraculous birth of our Savior who laid aside his rights as God and became flesh in order to provide the way for salvation to a helpless and hopeless, fallen world. It makes me mad how Christians get mad over stores selling "Holiday trees" or only saying "Happy Holidays," but they are no different from the rest of the world in their Christmas celebrations except for the fact that the post "I'm keeping Christ in CHRISTmas" to their facebook statuses.
Through what God has been teaching me, there were somethings I wanted to change about our Christmas celebrations this year.
1. Celebrate Advent. I'm not talking about the kind where you open a little box or envelope and get some piece of candy or other trinket. I'm talking about the kind where you emphasize the "coming" (which is what Advent means) of the Savior both in flesh as a little baby and His triumpant return. I'm a little behind on this one. I want to create a banner with an envelope for each letter of "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" (I know that it is 25 letters, but one extra won't hurt.) I'm going to put a verse with a special corresponding activity for each envelope.
2. Cut down on the gift giving. I just feel guilty getting more stuff when I already have so much, and all the people to whom I would give gifts are in the same boat. Let's face it. Even most of the poor in America have way more than we really need.  Our family decided that we would only get gifts for the children and use the money we would have spent on ourselves to bless those who are in need.

We are doing this in addition to some of the things we are already doing like we give only 3 gifts to our children. We don't do the whole Santa thing. (To read more about this, read last year's post )
With all this, Christmas feels a lot more simple, more real, more pure. I know there is more we can do to focus our minds are the truth of Christmas, so I'll just keep praying that the Lord continue to make the changes in me that He needs to in order to do that.

Thankful

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I wanted to take time out to list some things I am thankful for.  Notice I said some, if I listed everything this would be the blog that never ends.
1. First and foremost, I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Without Him I would still be a slave to sin, but now I am free. I have a freedom beyond any ideals of the freedom of a nation like America. It's so much deeper.
2. I am thankful for God the Father. God is creator. He is so powerful that He spoke the world into existence. In His power, I find peace and rest.
3. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit. He is God living in me. I can't fathom the depth of what that means; that I have an omnipotent, omniscent, sovereign, holy (I could go on...) God who reigns in me molding me into the image of Christ.
I know that all three-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- are one but I wanted to make a distinction of the gratefulness that I have for each.
4. I am thankful that I am poor. I know that sounds odd, but I struggle with wanting financial security. The fact that we don't have a lot of money has allowed God to painfully strip away the idols that I had placed before Him. I am learning that my security lies in Him and Him alone. He is ALL I need.  Even if I died naked and starving living in a cardboard box that would still be true. The things of this world can no longer satisfy me the way that God does.
5. I am thankful that my life has not turned out the way I had planned. God in His infinate wisdom knew what was/is best for me.
6. I am thankful for my marriage. I love Paul so much and in so many ways. He is such an amazing man. God is strengthening our marriage as He is growing us individually and as a couple.
7. I am thankful for my children. I can use the plural form because we were blessed with our second child, Ellis, this year. Both of our children never cease to amaze me. I often watch them, and I am in awe at the blessing they are.
8. I am thankful for my family. I can't even begin to list all the reasons why. They have been so good to us and have sacrificed on our behalf.
9. I am thankful for the work that God is doing in my life. I had gotten to a place where I wasn't really growing in my relationship with Him, but now, that has changed. God is so amazing! I just want to know more and more of Him.
10. I am thankful for Bethany Westville Baptist. We certainly didn't expect to end up here, but we have been so blessed to be welcomed into such a loving church family.
11. I am thankful I am able to read. I can read God's Word which is transforming. I can read many books that although aren't Scripture are still used by God to challenge me and mold me more and more into the image of Christ.
12. I am thankful that I am nothing. I am helpless and hopeless apart from God. Anything I am, say, and do is only through Him. I like that I am nothing. It is such a relieve to realize who God is and who I am in comparison to Him.

The Latest Plans

I just wanted to fill in everyone on our latest plans. As of right now, we are trying to sell our Expedition. We are going down to one car for a while so that we can get rid of the car payment and be able to rent a place to live. Since we are going down to one car, I wanted to be close to family so if needed I would have transportation. This is especially important if I were to go into labor while Paul is at work. We decided to rent a home in Westville where my sister and her family live. We have been attending church where my brother-in-law, Craigan, is pastor. It is important for us to be involved with a church family, and this gives Paul an opportunity to work with the youth there.

Paul is now training for management at Chick-fil-a. He still has his resume out there, but right now with the economy, a lot of churches are not hiring full time youth pastors. Lord willing, he is planning on taking some seminary extension classes beginning in January.

Baby number two is well on her way. In fact, she should be making her appearance in approximately 8 weeks. This makes me excited and nervous at the same time. I'm so ready to get moved, so I can prepare the "nest" before she gets here.

Parker is growing up so fast. I'm just amazed that in 2 months he will be turning 2! I have a feeling that he is going to have a tough time adjusting to sharing his mommy and daddy, but I know that he will eventually adjust.

Both Paul and I have been learning more and more about trusting in God's plans. We are amazed at God's provision. He has taken care of us on so many levels. Although things have not turned out the way we orignally expected, we are excited about where God is taking us. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we will be experiencing a lot of changes in the next few months.

Parental Challenge

I've nearly finished reading Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ by Richard Ross. I must recommend this book to student ministers, church leaders, and especially parents of children and teenagers. This book is more than another model for student ministry. It is a challenge for a return to biblical living by putting Christ in his supreme seat of glory.

I just finished reading a chapter that focused on parents, and I wanted to share a prayer or a challenge in thinking for every parent. This passage was written as a declaration of a parent who is "awakened to the supremacy of Jesus, and more deeply adoring Him on His throne, and daily arising to join Him in His kingdom activity" to be able to express to their children.

I declare you belong to Christ the King.

If you and I both come to believe Christ is calling you to do something that involves risk, I will teach you all I know about how to live wisely and safely. At the same time, I will do nothing to stand in your way of following Christ's call, no matter what the risk.

I hereby release you from any pressure to follow in my vocational footsteps. I charge you to do only what Christ calls you to do.

I acknowledge Christ may call you to a vocation that does not bring financial wealth or worldly prestige. The great pride I will feel as a parent will come from watching you do what Christ has called you to do.

Someday you might be confronted by wicked people. They may only give you two options- curse God or die. I release you to honor God, even if it should cost you your life.

God often has used students to bring an awakening to Christ in the church. I pray God will honor our family by allowing you to be part of such a generation.

I now consecrate myself to both teach and live before you to prepare you for Christ's callings on your life.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

That's how I want to raise my children. I hope that all parents who have a relationship with the Lord will do the same. All for the glory of God!

A Prayer Testimony

"True prayer is not an effort to get Christ to do something. It is a desire to be in union with Him." - Richard Ross in Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ.

If you notice on my blog, I'm currently reading Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ. I'm reading it for several reasons. One is that it is one of the only books that we own that is not packed away in boxes in storage. Another is my husband is a student minister (although we are currently seeking a place to serve in this capacity), and I want to be the best helper and support of my husband I can possibly be. Most importantly, I want to learn more about the supremacy of Christ and have the awe I have for Christ in all His glory direct how I live my life. One of the chapters is about prayer and when I read the formentioned quote, I just stopped and examined my prayer life.

I'm disappointed to say that most of my prayers have been "an effort to get Christ to do something." Although I take full responsibility for my selfish prayers and total misuse of time talking with God, it is sad to think that this type of prayer is, for the most part, being taught in our churches today. We open up any event in the church with a "quick word of prayer" like we have to get that ritual out of the way so we can get on with the "good stuff." The Wednesday night Prayer meetings aren't really spent in prayer unless you count going over the prayer list and then sometimes covering up gossip by mentioning that so-and-so needs some prayer because...(this is where the juicy bit of gossip gets filled in.) Then, someone says a short prayer mentioning most of who was mentioned, and we get on with something else. Of course in every church there is always the someone/s that you can actually pray along with because they have said the same route prayer for 30 years now and you have it memorized by heart. I'm not trying to offend anyone here. I'm just being honest with my sin, and the sin that is plaging our churches today.

God has been working on me extra hard lately. Well, let me rephrase that. I've made the decision to not be satisfied with my walk with Christ as far as my growth is concerned. I've decided it is more joy to take a spiritual beating, if you will, and be transformed into the image of Christ than it is to continue in sin, no matter how comfortable that sin feels. God is and has always been working on me. I just haven't always been so open to it.

Lately, I've been learning more and more about the supremacy of Christ and what that means for my life. I've learned that Christ is it. I'm not living for Christ. However, Christ is living through me and in me. There is nothing else that matters but Him. Placing Christ in that supreme place has caused me to look at life in a completely different way. One of those ways is in my prayer life.

God has been tranforming my time talking with him away from the, "God, I need you to do this," into more of the desire to be in union with Him. Yes, as scripture says God wants to hear the desires of our hearts. That doesn't mean we give God a laundry list of things we want Him to do for us. Instead, our desires are to be His desires. That is what I've been learning. I love using the ACTS prayer tool. A- adoration: giving God the praise and glory that He so deserves. C-confession: confessing our sins. This happens really easily when you pray with adoration. When you come into the presence of a holy God, you can't help but to see yourself for the helpless sinner we truly are. T-thanksgiving: Thanking God also comes easy when you put Him in the proper place in your life and realize the grace and mercy He has given you, the helpless sinner. S-supplication: this is when we petition or make our requests known to God. Sadly, this is what most of our prayers are filled with and mostly they are usually more selfish in nature. Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying. It is not bad to pray for people. We should. However, our supplications should be made in joining with God's will for our lives and the lives of others and in realization that no matter what He is in control and we are not.

I have so enjoyed talking to God this way. It is refreshing to be in union with Him. Again, I'm not perfect, nor will I ever be. I just want to be like Christ in order to bring glory to Him. I hope that this testimony does just.

Temporary Home

Last night as I was laying in bed praying, I started thinking about how I'm so ready to be in my own home again. I'm so appreciative that my daddy and stepmom have opened their home to us, but there is just nothing like having your own home. The good news is this is temporary for us. In God's timing, He will open the door to a new ministry, a new community, a new place to call home. (We are so ready to be serving in a church again. We really miss it!) As I lay there thinking about all this I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, "this is all just a temporary home." Indeed it is. This world is only a temporary home for us. For those of us who are children of God, we will one day be with the Lord for all of eternity! Then, we will truly be home.

I have become so near-sighted lately focusing only on the here and now. Living in this transition period, it is hard to make plans even for a month from now because you just don't know. I think and pray almost all day long about our next move that I have forgotten my true purpose for even being here on earth, and that is to bring glory to God no matter where I am. Bringing glory to God with my life draws people to Christ so that there will be more and more souls who will be with us when we finally make it to our heavenly home.

There are several places in scripture that talk about waiting on the Lord. I love the description that one of my college professors shared on this subject. Often when we think of waiting, we think of being idle, still, bored, longing for the next great thing. My professor, Dr. Jill Branyon, reminded us of a waiter in a restaurant. The waiter is very busy serving guests. In fact, waiters would not be very good at their job if they just sat around. That is what those who wait on the Lord should be like...someone who isn't idle but is serving. So as we wait on the Lord to reveal his direction for our lives, I know that He has us here right now for a purpose. I just have to quit being so near-sighted and selfish and look beyond myself.

The Truth about Santa Clause

So sorry this is long but I do hope you will take the time to read it. Before even having children, Paul and I made the decision that we wouldn't do the whole "Santa Clause thing" with our children. We want our children to focus more on the truth of Christmas than what Santa's going to bring them. Also, we don't want to lie to our children. Besides, I don't want an imaginary, magic man getting credit for the gifts that we will get for our children.We don't look down on people who do the "Santa Clause thing" with their children. Our children will certainly be allowed to participate and enjoy the fantasy of Santa Clause, i.e. sitting on his lap for a picture, reading stories, and watching movies about him. However, they will know that it is a fantasy. Paul and I haven't announced this publicly, but as it has come up in conversation, we have told people what we are going to do. It kind of shocks me that the typical response in some form or fashion is, "you're going to ruin his Christmas" or "you're going to take the fun out of Christmas." It may not be said in those exact words, but I get what they really mean. It saddens me that Christmas has become all about us and the presents we will get. We will throw in a reading of the Christmas story from the Bible somewhere in our celebrations in order to appease God and "celebrate" the birth of His Son. Why is it that one of the first questions we ask children during the Christmas season is, "what is Santa going to bring you?". Why not instead ask, "what are you doing to celebrate Christ's birth this year?" I'm sorry to get on my soapbox here, but I wanted to share this after I read an article by Mark Driscoll about what we tell our kids about Santa Clause that someone else posted on their blog. Here is the article orignally posted in the Washington Post : What we tell our kids about Santa 'Tis the season . . . for parents to decide if they will tell the truth about Santa. When it comes to cultural issues like Santa, Christians have three options: (1) we can reject it, (2) we can receive it, or (3) we can redeem it. Since Santa is so pervasive in our culture, it is nearly impossible to simply reject Santa as part of our annual cultural landscape. Still, as parents we don't feel we can simply receive the entire story of Santa because there is a lot of myth built on top of a true story. Redeeming Santa So, as the parents of five children, Grace and I have taken the third position to redeem Santa. We tell our kids that he was a real person who did live a long time ago. We also explain how people dress up as Santa and pretend to be him for fun, kind of like how young children like to dress up as pirates, princesses, superheroes, and a host of other people, real and imaginary. We explain how, in addition to the actual story of Santa, a lot of other stories have been added (e.g., flying reindeer, living in the North Pole, delivering presents to every child in one night) so that Santa is a combination of true and make-believe stories. We do not, however, demonize Santa. Dressing up, having fun, and using the imagination God gave can be an act of holy worship and is something that, frankly, a lot of adults need to learn from children. What we are concerned about, though, is lying to our children. We teach them that they can always trust us because we will tell them the truth and not lie to them. Conversely, we ask that they be honest with us and never lie. Since we also teach our children that Jesus is a real person who did perform real miracles, our fear is that if we teach them fanciful, make-believe stories as truth, it could erode confidence in our truthfulness where it really matters. So, we distinguish between lies, secrets, surprises, and pretend for our kids. We ask them not to tell lies or keep secrets, but do teach them that some surprises (like gift-giving) and pretending (like dressing up) can be fun and should be encouraged. We tell them the truth and encourage them to have fun watching Christmas shows on television and even sitting on Santa's lap for a holiday photo if they so desire. For parents of younger children wanting them to learn the real story of Santa Claus the Veggie Tales movie Saint Nicholas is a good choice. The Truth about Santa Claus The larger-than-life myths surrounding Santa Claus actually emanate from the very real person of Saint Nicholas. It is difficult to know the exact details of his life with certainty, as the ancient records are sparse, but the various pieces can be put together as a mosaic of his life. A Gift-Giver Nicholas was born in the third century in Patara, a village in what is now Turkey. He was born into an affluent family, but his parents died tragically when he was quite young. His parents had raised him to be a devout Christian, which led him to spend his great inheritance on helping the poor, especially children. He was known to frequently give gifts to children, sometimes even hanging socks filled with treats and presents. Perhaps his most famous act of kindness was helping three sisters. Because their family was too poor to pay for their wedding dowry, three young Christian women were facing a life of prostitution until Nicholas paid their dowry, thereby saving them from a horrible life of sexual slavery. A Bishop and Saint Nicholas grew to be a well-loved Christian leader and was eventually voted the Bishop of Myra, a port city that the apostle Paul had previously visited (Acts 27:5-6). Nicholas reportedly also traveled to the legendary Council of Nicaea, where he helped defend the deity of Jesus Christ in A.D. 325. Following his death on December 6, 343, he was canonized as a saint. The anniversary of his death became the St. Nicholas holiday when gifts were given in his memory. He remained a very popular saint among Catholic and Orthodox Christians, with some two thousand churches named after him. The holiday in his honor eventually merged with Christmas, since they were celebrated within weeks of one another. Misnomer During the Reformation, however, Nicholas fell out of favor with Protestants, who did not approve of canonizing certain people as saints and venerating them with holidays. His holiday was not celebrated in any Protestant country except Holland, where his legend as Sinterklass lived on. In Germany, Martin Luther replaced him with the Christ child as the object of holiday celebration, or, in German, Christkindl. Over time, the celebration of the Christ child was simply pronounced Kris Kringle and oddly became just another name for Santa Claus. Folklore The legends about Santa Claus are most likely a compilation of other folklore. For example, there was a myth in Nicholas' day that a demon was entering people's homes to terrorize children and that Nicholas cast it out of a home. This myth may explain why it was eventually believed that he came down people's chimneys. Also, there was a Siberian myth (near the North Pole) that a holy man, or shaman, entered people's homes through their chimneys to leave them mushrooms as gifts. According to the legend, he would hang them in front of the fire to dry. Reindeer would reportedly eat them and become intoxicated. This may have started the myth that the reindeer could fly, as it was believed that the shaman could also fly. This myth may have merged with the Santa Claus myth, and if so, explains him traveling from the North Pole to slide down chimneys and leave presents on fireplace mantles before flying away with reindeer. These stories of Santa Claus were first brought to America by Dutch immigrants. In the early twentieth century, stores began having Santa Claus present for children during the Christmas season. Children also began sending letters to the North Pole as the legends surrounding an otherwise simple Christian man grew. In sum, Saint Nick was a wonderful man who loved and served Jesus faithfully. So, we gladly include him in our Christmas traditions to remind us of what it looks like for someone to live a life of devotion to Jesus as God. Our kids thank us for being both honest and fun, which we think is what Jesus wants. My family is choosing to redeem Santa Clause and focusing on the birth of our Savior and how St. Nicholas exemplified Christ through his gifts of charity. My point is not for you to do exactly as we are doing, although that would be fine if you did or didn't. I just want you to think. Merry Christmas!

Gratitude

I sang a song in church today, Gratitude by Nichole Nordemann. The lyrics to this song are amazing, and I wanted to share it with you. It really makes you think about God's blessings beyond the typical shelter, food, family, etc. that we typically think about during Thanksgiving. Basically, the song says Lord, please fill these needs but if you don't and you choose to provide in some other way, I will still give you thanks. I've been learning more and more about God's sovereignty. Growing up my idea of God was that He was watching things happen and if something bad happened, God would swoop in and makes things better. God is so much greater than that! Because God is in complete control, even bad things come from God. Yes, God is in control of evil. There is nothing that Satan can do that is not ordained by God. Romans 8:28 says, "God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose." (emphasis mine) I'm not saying God is evil, nor does he do evil, but he does ordain (to establish or order by appointment) evil in order to bring about his ultimate plan. His ultimate plan is for Him to receive the glory He deserves. One way of doing that in our lives is to conform us into the image of Christ. Hardships, whether just circumstances or schemes of Satan, bring about change in our lives. Have you ever considered a job loss, a death of a loved one, cancer, a house fire, or some other tragedy to be a blessing from God? It is just that. God is so good. He has blessings for us beyond what we can ever see or imagine. I pray that this Thanksgiving you will take the time to reflect on your life, through the good and the bad, and see God's rich blessings on your life. To hear Gratitude by Nichole Nordeman click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waYUzxK8TYA