Last Saturday I had the privilege of attending a beautiful and very intimate baby shower for a dear friend. The hostess asked me to share a word of encouragement with the mom-to-be and it proved to be an amazing challenge and encouragement to my own heart as a mother and as a woman.
I have done devotions for baby showers before, but always for first-time mothers. This was my first opportunity to do so for a seasoned mother (she is having her 4th baby) so I had to look for a different twist. It was not only fun but eye-opening!
Of course, I had to go to our favorite woman in Scripture, the one we love to hate ~ The Proverbs 31 Woman.
But this time I focused on three specific verses ...
Verse 25 ~ "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."
The dictionary definition of strength says:
The state, property, or quality of being strong.
The power to resist attack; impregnability.
The power to resist strain or stress; durability.
The ability to maintain a moral or intellectual position firmly.
Capacity or potential for effective action: a show of strength.
This woman is not swayed or upset by circumstances, she is steadfast. And I love that she LAUGHS at the future! She is not fretting and worrying and saying "what if's" in her mind. She is standing firm, confident in her position in Christ and ready for whatever the future may bring. This is a beautiful picture and one to keep in the frames of our mind when those difficult moments come... we can laugh at the future because the Lord holds all of it in His capable and loving hands.
Verse 26 ~ "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."
Proverbs 2 says:
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and
applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul."
This is a PROMISE! We must actively pursue wisdom, but we WILL find it! It will become a part of us.
We can all be women of wisdom who impart wise and valuable instruction to those who ask.
The important piece is recognizing that there is only ONE WAY to acquire wisdom - through God's Word and time spent alone with Him. Wisdom does not simply fall from the sky and soak into our skin. It is waiting for us to come looking, to come and grab it and fully integrate it into who we are, how our mind works and where our heart lies. James says, "If anyone lacks wisdom let him ask of God, who gives it generously." There is no secret handshake. Go after it!
Verse 31 ~ "Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
I am embarassed to say that I have never given this verse any attention. I usually stop at the "charm is deceitful" verse and call it a day. But for some reason, this verse just kept calling out to me as I was studying for the shower. Her reward, of course, is the praise of her husband and children. Her praise is the fruit of her diligence, her faithfulness, her example and her wisdom.
It was the word "earned" that kept popping out at me. Praise and honor do not come to everyone ... they are not a right ~ they are a privilege. It is a life lived out in faithfulness. A life filled with growth and maturity. A life lived serving her husband and her children. Serving those around her and comforting those who are hurting. She has been diligent, frugal, trustworthy ... she has EARNED the right to share her wisdom and her experiences with younger women. She has earned the right to become a Titus 2 woman ~ an example for young women to follow.
I have not been able to stop thinking about that. We can all be encouraging and supportive and impart wisdom to one other regardless of our season of life. But there will come a point when the new mom and the virgin bride will look to us for counsel, for inspiration, for guidance and for spiritual encouragement. Will we be found worthy? Will I?
It is my new prayer. Lord, fill me with knowledge and wisdom and make my desires Your desires so that I may live a life that is continually seeking You and Your ways, that I may conintue to grow and mature and become a gray-haired woman of wisdom who has something to offer. I want to be found worthy in the eyes of my sons, my daughter, my daughters-in-law and the young women You put in my life so that I may be able to share Your dealings with me ... the movement of Your hand in the story of my life and how You took a little girl of 5 years and drew her to Yourself and have faithfully and continuously walked beside her day by day. May I always seek wisdom. May I always be faithful. May I always honor You as I serve my husband and my children, so when I earn the right to be called blessed I can give all glory and honor to YOU.
3.26.2010
Wives expectations.
How many times have you heard your friends complaining about their husbands? Sharing their frustrations about how he is not "this or that"? Making statements like, "If he would just _____ , we would be happy."?
I think we have all heard such things, and sadly, we have all said them. (at least once!)
In our early marriage, my biggest frustration with my groom was his lack of spiritual leadership. Why won't you read the Bible with me? Why won't you pray with me? Why don't you want to talk about spiritual things? I believe I even accused him of simply being a chauffer - taking me to and from church. I can do that myself, thanks.
We are not going to get into a discussion about submission and honor and respect ... that would take 15 posts to cover. Suffice it to say, I was a young bride (21) and a fool. We did not have accountability or anyone encouraging us in the marrige path so we were left to figure it out on our own. And we did not succeed very well in those first years.
I thought I was completely justified in my disappointment. Aren't husbands supposed to lead devotions with their wives and children? Aren't they supposed to discuss theological issues and seek out the heart of their wives consistently? Shouldn't they have a passion for praying together??
One night we were discussing this issue (for the thousandth time) and he looked at me and said, "Michelle, if you were married to Billy Graham you would not be satisfied." I thought about that for a minute and then I kept thinking about his statement. Were my expectations really that high? Was I wrong? Didn't every wife feel the same way? That is what they all talked about in Bible study after all. What was I missing?
And thus began a decade long search to figure it out.
I asked every couple I knew if they did devotions together ... friends, family, pastors, elders ... I asked every woman I knew if she was content with her husband's spiritual leadership. I quickly learned that I was not alone and that we were not "abnormal". But I also noticed that the marriages lacking spiritual intimacy were also lacking other pieces. There had to be a connection.
One night we were sitting with friends on our back patio discussing this topic and the husband got pretty fired up. I remember the conversation well because the Lord used it to wake me up and show me something about my own groom that I had never noticed before. He said, "I am so TIRED of women whining about their husbands lack of spiritual leadership. "He doesn't do this and he refuses to do that." How about this ladies? Does your husband go to work every day in order to provide for the needs of the family? THAT is spiritual leadership! Does he come home every night to his own wife modeling loyalty and faithfulness to his children? THAT is spiritual leadership. Does he discipline his children when they sin and seek to correct the behavior? THAT is spiritual leadership. Instead of complaining about him not doing things "your way", how about praising him and acknowledging him for the things he DOES DO?"
It has been over a year since that happened and I still think about it. I have not found a single verse in Scripture that mandates husbands to read the Bible with their wives. There is no verse commanding them to pray with their wives or to have intense and stimulating spiritual discussions together. So where did this come from? How did women get it into their minds that if their husbands did not do these things, they were spiritual failures?
Praise the Lord that He saved me from myself a few years ago when He challenged me with this conviction: "Michelle, you are not responsible for Dennis. When you stand before Me, you will answer for you and you alone. You are not the head of the family, he is. You will answer for how you RESPOND to his leadership and the role I gave him. Focus on ME and stop trying to be his Holy Spirit ... the Trinity is full, we do not need you. But your husband does."
Wow - that was a kick in the pants. But one I desperately needed and one which threw me into a growth spurt as a wife. Learning to hold my tongue when I desperately wanted to voice my wise opinions. Learning to let him lead or not lead as he was convicted by the Lord. Learning to pray for him and his needs rather than for him to change. I grew up a lot. And I would do it all over again because it changed our marriage dramatically.
I shared this epiphany with Dennis recently and while he felt a great sense of relief in not being the target of yet another "Why can't you _____?" discussion (man, did I scar the man or what?) he was challenged by my thought and sent this to me after his own time in the Word.
What a joy it is to not be 21 and foolish anymore! We have endured many trials and frustrations in our relationship and it is a delight to be able to look back and see how far we have grown. And I know the Lord is pleased with me when I let HIM be God and work in the heart of my husband in His own time. If only I had surrendered sooner ... thank You, Lord for changing me and letting me see my groom for the wonderful man he is. Because even on his worst days, he IS wonderful!
My grooms thoughts on the matter of spiritual leadership:
"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5
He came to serve and to love. (Matthew 20:26-28; Matthew 23:11; Mark 9:35; Mark 10:35-45; Philippians 2:7)
If your wife is submitting to you but you are not submitting to Christ as His servant, then your wife is being obedient to Him, but you are not. You were never meant to be your wife’s master. You were meant to be her spiritual leader.
* In our case, substitute the word “church” with “bride.”
Christ shares His Word with the church.
Christ prays for His Church.
Christ tells the leaders of the church to feed the sheep.
Christ protects the church.
Christ cultivates His church with the Holy Spirit.
Just thought about what you said last night and am determined that the husband, as the head of the family, DOES have a responsibility to care for his wife spiritually. I hope to be improving in this area as our days together continue.
Love, Dennis
I think we have all heard such things, and sadly, we have all said them. (at least once!)
In our early marriage, my biggest frustration with my groom was his lack of spiritual leadership. Why won't you read the Bible with me? Why won't you pray with me? Why don't you want to talk about spiritual things? I believe I even accused him of simply being a chauffer - taking me to and from church. I can do that myself, thanks.
We are not going to get into a discussion about submission and honor and respect ... that would take 15 posts to cover. Suffice it to say, I was a young bride (21) and a fool. We did not have accountability or anyone encouraging us in the marrige path so we were left to figure it out on our own. And we did not succeed very well in those first years.
I thought I was completely justified in my disappointment. Aren't husbands supposed to lead devotions with their wives and children? Aren't they supposed to discuss theological issues and seek out the heart of their wives consistently? Shouldn't they have a passion for praying together??
One night we were discussing this issue (for the thousandth time) and he looked at me and said, "Michelle, if you were married to Billy Graham you would not be satisfied." I thought about that for a minute and then I kept thinking about his statement. Were my expectations really that high? Was I wrong? Didn't every wife feel the same way? That is what they all talked about in Bible study after all. What was I missing?
And thus began a decade long search to figure it out.
I asked every couple I knew if they did devotions together ... friends, family, pastors, elders ... I asked every woman I knew if she was content with her husband's spiritual leadership. I quickly learned that I was not alone and that we were not "abnormal". But I also noticed that the marriages lacking spiritual intimacy were also lacking other pieces. There had to be a connection.
One night we were sitting with friends on our back patio discussing this topic and the husband got pretty fired up. I remember the conversation well because the Lord used it to wake me up and show me something about my own groom that I had never noticed before. He said, "I am so TIRED of women whining about their husbands lack of spiritual leadership. "He doesn't do this and he refuses to do that." How about this ladies? Does your husband go to work every day in order to provide for the needs of the family? THAT is spiritual leadership! Does he come home every night to his own wife modeling loyalty and faithfulness to his children? THAT is spiritual leadership. Does he discipline his children when they sin and seek to correct the behavior? THAT is spiritual leadership. Instead of complaining about him not doing things "your way", how about praising him and acknowledging him for the things he DOES DO?"
It has been over a year since that happened and I still think about it. I have not found a single verse in Scripture that mandates husbands to read the Bible with their wives. There is no verse commanding them to pray with their wives or to have intense and stimulating spiritual discussions together. So where did this come from? How did women get it into their minds that if their husbands did not do these things, they were spiritual failures?
Praise the Lord that He saved me from myself a few years ago when He challenged me with this conviction: "Michelle, you are not responsible for Dennis. When you stand before Me, you will answer for you and you alone. You are not the head of the family, he is. You will answer for how you RESPOND to his leadership and the role I gave him. Focus on ME and stop trying to be his Holy Spirit ... the Trinity is full, we do not need you. But your husband does."
Wow - that was a kick in the pants. But one I desperately needed and one which threw me into a growth spurt as a wife. Learning to hold my tongue when I desperately wanted to voice my wise opinions. Learning to let him lead or not lead as he was convicted by the Lord. Learning to pray for him and his needs rather than for him to change. I grew up a lot. And I would do it all over again because it changed our marriage dramatically.
I shared this epiphany with Dennis recently and while he felt a great sense of relief in not being the target of yet another "Why can't you _____?" discussion (man, did I scar the man or what?) he was challenged by my thought and sent this to me after his own time in the Word.
What a joy it is to not be 21 and foolish anymore! We have endured many trials and frustrations in our relationship and it is a delight to be able to look back and see how far we have grown. And I know the Lord is pleased with me when I let HIM be God and work in the heart of my husband in His own time. If only I had surrendered sooner ... thank You, Lord for changing me and letting me see my groom for the wonderful man he is. Because even on his worst days, he IS wonderful!
My grooms thoughts on the matter of spiritual leadership:
"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5
He came to serve and to love. (Matthew 20:26-28; Matthew 23:11; Mark 9:35; Mark 10:35-45; Philippians 2:7)
If your wife is submitting to you but you are not submitting to Christ as His servant, then your wife is being obedient to Him, but you are not. You were never meant to be your wife’s master. You were meant to be her spiritual leader.
* In our case, substitute the word “church” with “bride.”
Christ shares His Word with the church.
Christ prays for His Church.
Christ tells the leaders of the church to feed the sheep.
Christ protects the church.
Christ cultivates His church with the Holy Spirit.
Just thought about what you said last night and am determined that the husband, as the head of the family, DOES have a responsibility to care for his wife spiritually. I hope to be improving in this area as our days together continue.
Love, Dennis
3.21.2010
Compare and Despair.
I have noticed a theme lately when reading blogs, talking to women and receiving e-mails.
C O M P A R I S O N
House decor, parenting, vacation choices, friendships, hair style, discipline, fitness, spiritual habits, marriage bliss ~ you name it ... there is a woman who is feeling inept, insecure, defeated or discouraged.
Why?
Because we as women are so quick to look around rather than look UP.
There will always be someone more talented.
There will always be someone more attractive.
More focused.
More creative.
More organized.
More spiritually mature.
Always.
True, we can be encouraged, challenged and inspired to raise the bar and strive for more by seeing the examples of those around us. But we cannot look at them and them alone. They are humans. Sinful. Selfish. Fallible. Imperfect. While we are looking at Jane and feeling inept and insecure, Jane is looking at Kim and feeling like an utter failure.
We cannot look around.
C O M P A R I S O N
House decor, parenting, vacation choices, friendships, hair style, discipline, fitness, spiritual habits, marriage bliss ~ you name it ... there is a woman who is feeling inept, insecure, defeated or discouraged.
Why?
Because we as women are so quick to look around rather than look UP.
There will always be someone more talented.
There will always be someone more attractive.
More focused.
More creative.
More organized.
More spiritually mature.
Always.
True, we can be encouraged, challenged and inspired to raise the bar and strive for more by seeing the examples of those around us. But we cannot look at them and them alone. They are humans. Sinful. Selfish. Fallible. Imperfect. While we are looking at Jane and feeling inept and insecure, Jane is looking at Kim and feeling like an utter failure.
We cannot look around.
Perfection can only be found at the foot of the cross.
Praise the Lord that He gave us the ultimate example to follow - His! And there is plenty to keep us busy just trying to keep up with Him! Amen?
3.18.2010
Control your temper, Michelle. Control your temper.
Yesterday was not a stellar day in the Eastman home.
It began with the 3 oldest Eastman boys in detention for one hour (at 9 am!) after a display of selfishness, disobedience and poor behavior while out to breakfast with their grandparents.
One boy has been lying and sneaking things so he will be enjoying solitary confinement so he has no chance to blame others for his sin and can learn to take responsibility for his own actions. (When you are alone there is no one else to blame, right?)
Two boys are having everything they love taken away from them until they learn to take care of things - both theirs and others. I am sure the words "There is nothing to do" and "I am so bored" will be uttered quickly when they realize how good their life was when they had things to enjoy. They will slowly earn them back one by one as their attitudes improve.
3 boys were put to bed at 7 pm and lost the privilege of going out on a date with Dad.
And in between these issues there were arguments, ugly attitudes, and ungrateful hearts.
Don't you wish you could have been here with us?
At 9:15 am I called the Principal to report what was going on and was given encouragement and support for my decisions and discipline choices. And then I e-mailed an SOS to my friend and said, "PRAY FOR ME! It is going to be a looooong day. I need control of my temper."
For those of you who read This Post on Anger , you know that this is a weak area for me and I am always seeking to improve and seek the Lord's patience, longsuffering and wisdom so I can respond to my children in gentleness rather than in wrath.
Well, yesterday the Lord walked beside me. He helped me keep my thoughts captive. He helped me see the CHILD and not the actions. He helped me take a deep breath before responding so I could choose my words and attitude carefully. And you know what? It felt GOOD! I did not feel the need for revenge or letting them know what I thought about their behavior. We had rational discussions. I took them to Scripture and let God's Word speak and convict their hearts. It was not magical. The sin did not come to a halt and have us skipping through the day swinging buckets of daises while we sang "Do Re Mi".
But I won a small battle. I was able to fight off the arrows satan was throwing at me ... anger, yelling, sarcasm ... you name it. I was tempted, but I did not fall into the sin. I know I will not always win these fights, but the memory of today's small victory and the feeling of gratefulness to the Lord for His strength that helped me in my weakness will not be forgotten and will propel me to fight against the attacks in the future.
It was not a stellar day in the Eastman home.
But it WAS a stellar day in the heart, mind and soul of this mother.
Thank You, Lord. It was all because of You!
It began with the 3 oldest Eastman boys in detention for one hour (at 9 am!) after a display of selfishness, disobedience and poor behavior while out to breakfast with their grandparents.
One boy has been lying and sneaking things so he will be enjoying solitary confinement so he has no chance to blame others for his sin and can learn to take responsibility for his own actions. (When you are alone there is no one else to blame, right?)
Two boys are having everything they love taken away from them until they learn to take care of things - both theirs and others. I am sure the words "There is nothing to do" and "I am so bored" will be uttered quickly when they realize how good their life was when they had things to enjoy. They will slowly earn them back one by one as their attitudes improve.
3 boys were put to bed at 7 pm and lost the privilege of going out on a date with Dad.
And in between these issues there were arguments, ugly attitudes, and ungrateful hearts.
Don't you wish you could have been here with us?
At 9:15 am I called the Principal to report what was going on and was given encouragement and support for my decisions and discipline choices. And then I e-mailed an SOS to my friend and said, "PRAY FOR ME! It is going to be a looooong day. I need control of my temper."
For those of you who read This Post on Anger , you know that this is a weak area for me and I am always seeking to improve and seek the Lord's patience, longsuffering and wisdom so I can respond to my children in gentleness rather than in wrath.
Well, yesterday the Lord walked beside me. He helped me keep my thoughts captive. He helped me see the CHILD and not the actions. He helped me take a deep breath before responding so I could choose my words and attitude carefully. And you know what? It felt GOOD! I did not feel the need for revenge or letting them know what I thought about their behavior. We had rational discussions. I took them to Scripture and let God's Word speak and convict their hearts. It was not magical. The sin did not come to a halt and have us skipping through the day swinging buckets of daises while we sang "Do Re Mi".
But I won a small battle. I was able to fight off the arrows satan was throwing at me ... anger, yelling, sarcasm ... you name it. I was tempted, but I did not fall into the sin. I know I will not always win these fights, but the memory of today's small victory and the feeling of gratefulness to the Lord for His strength that helped me in my weakness will not be forgotten and will propel me to fight against the attacks in the future.
It was not a stellar day in the Eastman home.
But it WAS a stellar day in the heart, mind and soul of this mother.
Thank You, Lord. It was all because of You!
3.16.2010
Mission ALMOST accomplished.
As you know, I am a journaling fiend. I write any chance I get and in any medium I have available ... journals, restaurant napkins, church bulletins, stationary, blog posts, devotionals ... you name it and I have written on it or in it! I believe wholeheartedly that we need to express our hearts and minds so we can encourage others as they pursue the Lord, grow in spiritual maturity, mature as parents and spouses and gain a greater understanding of who they are in Christ.
Without journals and letters from centurites past we would not have the rich wisdom and personal testimonies that inspire us to press on ~ to keep the faith in the midst of great turmoil ~ to feel comforted that someone else has also been where we are and survived. Plus, they can be fun! How many funny, heart-warming, memorable stories have you heard or read that lift your spirits at the perfect moment? All because they were recorded for generations to come. I LOVE it!
So what mission did I almost accomplish, you ask? I do not only keep written journals. I also keep photographic journals. Each of our boys has their own album, we have family albums, homeschooling yearbook albums and so on. I love them simply because my family loves them. My guys pour over those albums at LEAST once a week and giggle and laugh and talk about each memory. It is so fun to listen to them and I enjoy seeing them enjoy what I made for them.
Well, because I have been pregnant 3 times in the past 4 years and because we had to majorly tighten our budget, I set aside all scrapbooking - for 2 years! Now, for those who know me well, you know that I live and thrive on organization and completion of projects. These unfinished albums have been an albatross around my neck. Aaaaahhhhhhh! is the feeling I have whenever I think of them sitting there unifinished.
So last week I pulled out everything I had in stock and developed a years worth of photos. I usually commit two weekends per year to scrapbooking and I pound them out - I am about COMPLETE albums, not perfect ones. I was inspired and ready to rock and roll, even though the task seemed a little daunting. Here is what I had (have) waiting to be completed:
True, I still have a few big ones left, but I am motivated and on a roll. And to be quite honest, it is a lot of fun to look through all of these photos and remember. I am always amazed at how much we forget until we see a photo and a flood of memories pour over us as the details come together again. How I love the blessing of vision ~ thank you, Lord for the gift of memory and sight!!
What about YOU? What is something you have been putting off? Roll up your sleeves, dive in and enjoy the sense of completion when you are done!
Without journals and letters from centurites past we would not have the rich wisdom and personal testimonies that inspire us to press on ~ to keep the faith in the midst of great turmoil ~ to feel comforted that someone else has also been where we are and survived. Plus, they can be fun! How many funny, heart-warming, memorable stories have you heard or read that lift your spirits at the perfect moment? All because they were recorded for generations to come. I LOVE it!
So what mission did I almost accomplish, you ask? I do not only keep written journals. I also keep photographic journals. Each of our boys has their own album, we have family albums, homeschooling yearbook albums and so on. I love them simply because my family loves them. My guys pour over those albums at LEAST once a week and giggle and laugh and talk about each memory. It is so fun to listen to them and I enjoy seeing them enjoy what I made for them.
Well, because I have been pregnant 3 times in the past 4 years and because we had to majorly tighten our budget, I set aside all scrapbooking - for 2 years! Now, for those who know me well, you know that I live and thrive on organization and completion of projects. These unfinished albums have been an albatross around my neck. Aaaaahhhhhhh! is the feeling I have whenever I think of them sitting there unifinished.
So last week I pulled out everything I had in stock and developed a years worth of photos. I usually commit two weekends per year to scrapbooking and I pound them out - I am about COMPLETE albums, not perfect ones. I was inspired and ready to rock and roll, even though the task seemed a little daunting. Here is what I had (have) waiting to be completed:
* Dennis PhD album
* Josiah's first 2 years of life
* Family 2008 / Christmas 2008
* Family 2009 / Christmas 2009
* Eastman Academy 2007-2008
* Eastman Academy 2008-2009
I am happy to say that as of today I have completed (insert drum roll here):
D's PhD album (he loved it!), Josiah's first 2 years of life, and our Family 2008 albums! WooHoo! Yippee! Cowabunga!
What about YOU? What is something you have been putting off? Roll up your sleeves, dive in and enjoy the sense of completion when you are done!
3.09.2010
Remembering Matthew.
Every year this is a sweet time for me as I remember our son Matthew. He would be four years old this year, running around with his brothers, building Lego's, wrestling with his dad and giving me bear hugs. But instead, he has spent his entire life in the presence of the Lord ~ in perfection, without pain, without sin, without sorrow, and fully surrounded in the glory of heaven and all it contains. He has seen angels. He has met the saints of old. He has been hugged by his great grandparents. I envy my son sometimes. Heaven is where we all long to be and yet we can hold on to this world with such fierce tenacity. Matthew has never had to choose. He has never had to die to self or sacrifice the world for the cross. He has spent every day praising God and hearing the voices sing out in eternal praise "Glory to God in the highest!" My sweet Matthew has seen and experienced what we can only imagine.
My father-in-law made a special "Matthew box" for me to hold all of the precious gifts and memories of his life. It is beautiful, lined with velvet and holds everything that is dear to my heart. I rarely look through it but for some reason this year I felt moved to do so. And it was a wonderful time ... just remembering.
I found this sweet little bear a few days after Matthew was delivered. He is exactly the same size Mathew was - he literally fit into the palm of my hand. Every time I see this little bear I smile. And I remember.
We received some beautiful books that talked about the death of children and how to help them understand that God is still God and He loves us, even when He calls one of His little ones home. One is called "Mommy, Please Don't Cry. There are no tears in heaven" and the other is "The Fall of Freddie the Leaf".
We received so many encouraging cards, letters and e-mails during this time. I saved every single one because I knew they would bring comfort to our hearts no matter how much time had passed. Several women shared their own stories with me and how the Lord healed them and walked them through the dark moments. I still appreciate their honesty and vulnerability as they ministered to me and comforted me as the Lord had comforted them.
The best gift we received was Matthew's hand and foot print. The nurse presented us with this a few hours after they took him away and it melted my heart. I had no idea it was even possible to do this and I was so moved that she had the foresight to preserve such a precious memory for us ... the hand and foot of our son. He was real! And she believed so too.
I begin a journal for each child as soon as I know I am pregnant. The first year I filled countless pages with the emotions of my heart. I write only occasionally now but this journal is incredibly valuable to me. It is also a way I can let Dennis know that I am struggling ... when he sees the journal out he knows immediately that I need him to minister to my mother's heart, and he is always faithful to do so. Friends have encouraged me to publish it so other women can have a place to go and be encouraged and find someone who "gets it." Perhaps one day.
We made a scrapbook for Matthew. It sits on the shelf with all of our other albums and we look through it at times and are encouraged by the many, many wonderful thoughts, verses and prayers from those who love us. It never ceases to amaze me how many women have experienced a miscarriage or death of a living child ... it is a well-kept secret but one that should be out in the open. We need each other. We all have different stories, but each story will touch a woman where she needs to be comforted. I have many such stories in this book and I love being reminded of God's grace and mercy and healing as I read them. God does nothing without purpose ~ we do not have to understand ~ but we must trust.
My father-in-law made a special "Matthew box" for me to hold all of the precious gifts and memories of his life. It is beautiful, lined with velvet and holds everything that is dear to my heart. I rarely look through it but for some reason this year I felt moved to do so. And it was a wonderful time ... just remembering.
We received some beautiful books that talked about the death of children and how to help them understand that God is still God and He loves us, even when He calls one of His little ones home. One is called "Mommy, Please Don't Cry. There are no tears in heaven" and the other is "The Fall of Freddie the Leaf".
I love this Precious Moments figurine. The second I saw it I knew it would be mine. I found him the day we brought Matthew home from the mortuary ... that was the hardest day of the entire experience for me. Mothers are supposed to bring their babies home in their arms, my son was in a box. My heart was beyond broken and I needed something to remind me of the big picture ... his death was not about me ... it was a part of the Lord's plan for Matthew and for our family. And then I saw this and it swept away all of the darkness. It IS all about heaven! That is how God intended it after all. Our time on earth is simply a preparation for an eternity in His presence. And my sweet son, just like this little soldier, already knows that truth. It is up to me to remember it ~ and to live it.
The Lord went before us long before we arrived at the hospital to deliver Matthew. He sent us a Chrisitan nurse who was phenomenal and thought of every detail that had never crossed our minds. When we arrived we found this tiny little wrap ~ barely bigger than the size of your hand. A group of older women make these for babies like Matthew. They call them "Threads of Love." He was wrapped in this after delivery and we held him in this sweet little piece of cloth until they forced us to give him up. They gave me an extra one to keep and I still carry it with me to this day. To remember.
The best gift we received was Matthew's hand and foot print. The nurse presented us with this a few hours after they took him away and it melted my heart. I had no idea it was even possible to do this and I was so moved that she had the foresight to preserve such a precious memory for us ... the hand and foot of our son. He was real! And she believed so too. 
I begin a journal for each child as soon as I know I am pregnant. The first year I filled countless pages with the emotions of my heart. I write only occasionally now but this journal is incredibly valuable to me. It is also a way I can let Dennis know that I am struggling ... when he sees the journal out he knows immediately that I need him to minister to my mother's heart, and he is always faithful to do so. Friends have encouraged me to publish it so other women can have a place to go and be encouraged and find someone who "gets it." Perhaps one day. 
We made a scrapbook for Matthew. It sits on the shelf with all of our other albums and we look through it at times and are encouraged by the many, many wonderful thoughts, verses and prayers from those who love us. It never ceases to amaze me how many women have experienced a miscarriage or death of a living child ... it is a well-kept secret but one that should be out in the open. We need each other. We all have different stories, but each story will touch a woman where she needs to be comforted. I have many such stories in this book and I love being reminded of God's grace and mercy and healing as I read them. God does nothing without purpose ~ we do not have to understand ~ but we must trust.
These two precious mementos are in our bedroom. The dedication certificate was the most thoughtful gift we received and still moves us to tears when we look at it. It simply states the date of Matthew's delivery and our names as parents and our freind, Bruce Garner, who is a dear friend and pastor who dedicated Matthew to the Lord with us when he and I were still in the hospital. I will never forget that scene ... the tears flowing from Bruce's cheeks as he looked upon the tiny form of our little boy ... the Scripture he shared to encourage our hearts ... the thoughtful words he shared about our faithful and godly responses in our circumstance ... the heartache we felt when we had to let Matthew go for the last time.
I will never, ever forget the day I walked into the mortuary to pick up our son. We decided to cremate him as we did not have a permanent place to bury him. The drive over was quiet but filled with simple comments and thoughtful words as we tried to avoid the reality of what we were doing. The faces of the staff were sympthetic and sincere. I could barely hold myself together as the owner dismissed himself and came back carrying this tiny urn. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to run away. This can't be happening, I thought. My son cannot be in that box! But he was. He is.
We thought we would scatter his ashes but I just could not let him go. I know it sounds strange, for though I knew he was already gone and home with the Lord, I wanted him NEAR ME. I wanted to keep him where I could always find him. And so we have. Those ashes are not my son. But they are a tangible reminder that he was real. His life mattered. He changed us in a way that could not have been done through any other circumstance.
The intense pain from those early days has dimmed. The tears do not flow as often. But there are moments, like today, when I let myself remember, that the ache is still there. I miss my son. I want to see him. I want to know him. And I will. One day, when the Lord calls me to Himself through the gates of splendor, my sweet Matthew will be waiting for me and he will recognize me as his mom. And we will spend forever together ~ mother and son ~ in the glory and perfection of heaven.
Thank You, Lord, for my son. Thank you for the pain and the sorrow and the hurt because it drove me to my knees. It caused me to fully surrender myself, my family and my children to You. And now, because of what You allowed us to walk through, I have two more sons and a daughter who remind us every day that Your ways are not ours. We do not have to know or understand Your mind to say "Lord, You are good and blessed be Your name!" I love you, Lord, and I praise You for the life of my son ... 112 days were numbered in his book of life and every one of them made a difference for eternity. Thank You, Lord. Thank You.
3.08.2010
Tell me more, Peter!
Another fabulous day in God's Word.
Be encouraged!
II Peter 1:3,4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Every issue in life ... every struggle ... every trial .. every hurt ... every joy ... for all of these things the Lord has given us all we need in His Word. He always has an answer. It may not be what we like. It may not be the answer we hoped for. Sometimes things do not make sense but God says, "Who can know the mind of the Lord?", and that is the answer! We cannot understand Him and all of His ways with our human minds but we can trust in the God who created us and desires each of us to come to Him.
I LOVE this verse - He has given us everything we need for life! Everything! No where else can we find full satisfaction ~ only in Christ and Christ alone. Praise the Lord for such an amazing gift.
II Timothy 3:16,17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Timothy affirms what Peter said. Scripture equips us for EVERY good work. God does not call us to do something and then let us fend for ourselves. He provides instruction, hope, encouragement and the promise that we "can do all things through Christ". He truly is all we need!
II Peter 1:5-8 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The first thing that struck me with this verse is, if all of these things KEEP us from being ineffective and unproductive, then it means we CAN BE ineffective and unproductive. Who would ever want to have those qualities listed next to their name?
We cannot simply hear the Word of God. We have to apply it. We have to use it. We have to live it. Day by day until it becomes second nature. The vere says "if you possess these qualities in increasing measure" which implies continual growth and maturity. This list: goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness and love ... it will not be immediate. It will not be permanent. We will be growing in each area as we continually pursue the Lord and seek His face. I love the thought of increasing. Usually it is just my thighs that increase but to think of my character increasing ... THAT is a goal I want to strive towards!
II Peter 1:12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body.
How many times have we heard people say, "I do not need to go to that study, I have already read James." "I do not need an accountability group, I did that when I was a young mom." "We were in a married group before, we want to try something else."
Peter says EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW THESE THINGS, you need to be reminded. The MacArthur study Bible states: "Truth always needs repitition because believers forget too easily." See the Israelites for details.
None of us have arrived. None of us will ever know everything there is to know in Scripture, about Scripture or about our God. Certainly, we are in an upward journey and can look back and see how far we have come - how much we have grown - but the path to heaven is a long and narrow one and we will never arrive and become holy until the day He calls us home.
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
May we always be willing to learn. May we always be willing to hear it "again". And may we always, always be willing to search the Scriptures so we may receive the promise of everyting we need so we can be productive and effective children of God.
Be encouraged!
II Peter 1:3,4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Every issue in life ... every struggle ... every trial .. every hurt ... every joy ... for all of these things the Lord has given us all we need in His Word. He always has an answer. It may not be what we like. It may not be the answer we hoped for. Sometimes things do not make sense but God says, "Who can know the mind of the Lord?", and that is the answer! We cannot understand Him and all of His ways with our human minds but we can trust in the God who created us and desires each of us to come to Him.
I LOVE this verse - He has given us everything we need for life! Everything! No where else can we find full satisfaction ~ only in Christ and Christ alone. Praise the Lord for such an amazing gift.
II Timothy 3:16,17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Timothy affirms what Peter said. Scripture equips us for EVERY good work. God does not call us to do something and then let us fend for ourselves. He provides instruction, hope, encouragement and the promise that we "can do all things through Christ". He truly is all we need!
II Peter 1:5-8 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The first thing that struck me with this verse is, if all of these things KEEP us from being ineffective and unproductive, then it means we CAN BE ineffective and unproductive. Who would ever want to have those qualities listed next to their name?
We cannot simply hear the Word of God. We have to apply it. We have to use it. We have to live it. Day by day until it becomes second nature. The vere says "if you possess these qualities in increasing measure" which implies continual growth and maturity. This list: goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness and love ... it will not be immediate. It will not be permanent. We will be growing in each area as we continually pursue the Lord and seek His face. I love the thought of increasing. Usually it is just my thighs that increase but to think of my character increasing ... THAT is a goal I want to strive towards!
II Peter 1:12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body.
How many times have we heard people say, "I do not need to go to that study, I have already read James." "I do not need an accountability group, I did that when I was a young mom." "We were in a married group before, we want to try something else."
Peter says EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW THESE THINGS, you need to be reminded. The MacArthur study Bible states: "Truth always needs repitition because believers forget too easily." See the Israelites for details.
None of us have arrived. None of us will ever know everything there is to know in Scripture, about Scripture or about our God. Certainly, we are in an upward journey and can look back and see how far we have come - how much we have grown - but the path to heaven is a long and narrow one and we will never arrive and become holy until the day He calls us home.
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
May we always be willing to learn. May we always be willing to hear it "again". And may we always, always be willing to search the Scriptures so we may receive the promise of everyting we need so we can be productive and effective children of God.
3.05.2010
The search is over.
Dennis and I have always taken great care in naming our children. We wanted names that were not only Biblical, but represented men who were strong, faithful, godly, and genuine. And the meanings were just as important to us as the name itself. We wanted our boys to have names they could aspire to ... meanings that would always remind them who they belong to ... who they serve.
There is certainly no shortage of names in Scripture that fit these criteria for boys. We could have five more sons and still not use all of the options! We LOVE their names. We love the men they represent. We talk about their names, the meanings and our convictions about them all the time so they understand that there was purpose in choosing them.
And then the Lord chose to bless us with a daughter. Sadly, the list is much shorter. There are not many attractive Biblical names and even some of those have unflattering meanings. (i.e., Mary means bitter) And non Biblical names do not have great meanings either. What are we to do? Should we adopt a new philospohy on names for a girl since there are not many options? How do we look at our daughter and say,
"Your brothers were named after kings and prophets. Godly men who served the Lord with their whole heart and desired to turn others towards Him. Their names mean "Who is like the Lord", "Bringer of light", "Bold and faithful", "Fire of God", "The Lord is my salvation".
And you, daughter, well, your name means "Bale of hay.""
Seriously? We can't do that. We just can't.
We have talked about a few names over the years when we did not know what we were having but never had to give it much thought, for obvious reasons. So the last few weeks we have been pouring over name lists and meanings and thinking about our hearts desire for this little girl. We are raising our men to be soldiers of Christ ~ what will we raise her to be? How will the Lord use her in our family, with our sons, with her friends, and in the world? What is HIS calling on her life?
So after much thought and prayer we have finally chosen our daughter's name:
Ellie means "light" ~ the Lord has brought her into our lives for such a time as this and she is going to expose parts of us that we did not know were there. She will give new perspective on family and life as we see the world through her little girl eyes. Her brothers will see a tender and sensitive side of themselves that only she can draw out. Her light will pour into the heart of her father and he will never be the same. And for me ... the Lord is going to mold me and shape me in a way that could never have been done without a little girl of my own. I have had a specific prayer for my daughter, if I was blessed with one, since I was 19 years old and I know the Lord will be faithful to answer that prayer becasue He designed her ... He formed her in the secret places of the earth ... He has a plan for her life and He is allowing me the privilege of walking beside her as she fulfills that calling.
Ruth means "friend" ~ While we love the simplicity and truth of this meaning, it is very special to us because it was my grandmother's name. Not only was she a true lady, graceful and feminine, but she loved the Lord with all her heart and she was the most faithful friend a woman could have. The recurring theme of everyone who knew her was, "She was a wonderful friend. She listened and made you feel like the only one in the room. She kept confidences. She pursued you. She loved her friends with a sincere and godly love."
We pray our daughter will be this kind of friend ~ faithful, true, genuine, honest ~ and that she will be a friend who continually pushes others to seek the face of her God.
There is certainly no shortage of names in Scripture that fit these criteria for boys. We could have five more sons and still not use all of the options! We LOVE their names. We love the men they represent. We talk about their names, the meanings and our convictions about them all the time so they understand that there was purpose in choosing them.
And then the Lord chose to bless us with a daughter. Sadly, the list is much shorter. There are not many attractive Biblical names and even some of those have unflattering meanings. (i.e., Mary means bitter) And non Biblical names do not have great meanings either. What are we to do? Should we adopt a new philospohy on names for a girl since there are not many options? How do we look at our daughter and say,
"Your brothers were named after kings and prophets. Godly men who served the Lord with their whole heart and desired to turn others towards Him. Their names mean "Who is like the Lord", "Bringer of light", "Bold and faithful", "Fire of God", "The Lord is my salvation".
And you, daughter, well, your name means "Bale of hay.""
Seriously? We can't do that. We just can't.
We have talked about a few names over the years when we did not know what we were having but never had to give it much thought, for obvious reasons. So the last few weeks we have been pouring over name lists and meanings and thinking about our hearts desire for this little girl. We are raising our men to be soldiers of Christ ~ what will we raise her to be? How will the Lord use her in our family, with our sons, with her friends, and in the world? What is HIS calling on her life?
So after much thought and prayer we have finally chosen our daughter's name:
Ellie Ruth Eastman
Ellie means "light" ~ the Lord has brought her into our lives for such a time as this and she is going to expose parts of us that we did not know were there. She will give new perspective on family and life as we see the world through her little girl eyes. Her brothers will see a tender and sensitive side of themselves that only she can draw out. Her light will pour into the heart of her father and he will never be the same. And for me ... the Lord is going to mold me and shape me in a way that could never have been done without a little girl of my own. I have had a specific prayer for my daughter, if I was blessed with one, since I was 19 years old and I know the Lord will be faithful to answer that prayer becasue He designed her ... He formed her in the secret places of the earth ... He has a plan for her life and He is allowing me the privilege of walking beside her as she fulfills that calling.
Ruth means "friend" ~ While we love the simplicity and truth of this meaning, it is very special to us because it was my grandmother's name. Not only was she a true lady, graceful and feminine, but she loved the Lord with all her heart and she was the most faithful friend a woman could have. The recurring theme of everyone who knew her was, "She was a wonderful friend. She listened and made you feel like the only one in the room. She kept confidences. She pursued you. She loved her friends with a sincere and godly love."
We pray our daughter will be this kind of friend ~ faithful, true, genuine, honest ~ and that she will be a friend who continually pushes others to seek the face of her God.
Ellie Ruth
You are going to change our lives, sweet daughter. We cannot wait!
3.04.2010
A long overdue study.
I have a friend who studies the Word of God diligently. She follows the pattern I learned at Bible college ~ reading an entire book (usually from the New Testament) every single day for a month. This allows you to completely absorb the passage with the added benefit of a light memorization so you are able to find verses/themes you are looking for later without needing help. It is absolutely amazing how reading an entire book over and over is imprinted on your mind and heart. It is even more astounding to see how much you miss each time you read. What strikes you one day as powerful and applicable was never noticed the first 14 times you read the same passage. And you know that tomorrow the Lord will reveal something different again. It truly is LIVING AND ACTIVE as Scripture proclaims! And, of course, there is the beauty of those verses that touch you every time you read them ... no matter your season of life, your current circumstance ... God's Word can have such an incredible calming and soothing influence when we read those familiar words that are so dear to us.
I am usually studying something on my own, so I have never joined her study ~ I have tried taking on several before and it is always a failure. I have learned that I need to be wholly focused on one study so I can give it my all. This includes putting away any books I am currently reading, regardless of how fabulous or godly they may be. Satan will use any distraction to keep us away from THE Book ~ the only one that matters ~ the Word of God. Sadly, I learned that the hard way ~ reading ABOUT God but not reading the MIND and WORDS of God Himself.
This month she chose I & II Peter. I have never purposely sought these books out and as I sat there staring at the titles I felt an overwhelming need to take them on. So I did. And as always ~ the Lord knew exactly what I needed to hear. How blessed we are to have the Holy Spirit alive and working in us!
I & II Peter are not an "easy read" in the sense that you have to work your way through the verses. It is so full of truth and encouragement and exhortation and reminders of who we are as children of God and what is expected of us. I read with my study Bible and concordance at my side so I can look up anything that I need further clarifcation on or to find other Scriptures that support what I am reading. And I keep notes ~ lots and lots of notes.
I read through I Peter alone today and these are the things that the Lord impressed on my heart .. whether as a "check yourself daughter" or "keep on going, do not get weary". I share them with you in hopes that you may also be encouraged to seek the Scriptures on your own to see what the Lord has to say to you.
1:7 Trials come so your faith may be proved genuine.
As has been said before, "Mans character is not created in trials and times of testing, it is merely confirmed."
When difficult times come, we respond from the heart, with what is already in us. What do others see in those moments?
Romans 5: 3, 4 But we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
We have to make a conscience choice to set apart Christ as Lord. Too many things try to take His rightful place ~ not always bad or worldly things, but things that become our lord because they receive more attention, passion, time and energy than what we offer to our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ.
Setting Him apart is a commitment, a solemn promise, a surrender of will and of self. It is a choice of the will.
3:15 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.In order to be prepared to give answers we must know the questions.
Who is God? Why do I need Him? What does His Word say and how does it apply to me?
As believers, we must know and understand the God we serve. And the only way to know Him is to read His Word where He reveals Himself and promises to give wisdom to anyone who asks. Knowing God should be the all-consuming passion of every believers life.
5:8,9 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Spiritual warfare is REAL. Satan wants to destroy us, our marriages, our children, the church.
BE ALERT R E S I S T STAND FIRM
These are action words ~ active words ~ in the present.
Just as a soldier cannot be caught laying by a fire, drinking wine and without his weapon, believers cannot be wandering aimlessly about assuming that they are safe. Peter calls us to action. To be ready to fight the prowling lion that will savagely attack us. We must be ready.
These are the verses the Lord touched my heart with just today! And it is only March 4th. I can only imagine what He will have for me these next 26 days!
I am usually studying something on my own, so I have never joined her study ~ I have tried taking on several before and it is always a failure. I have learned that I need to be wholly focused on one study so I can give it my all. This includes putting away any books I am currently reading, regardless of how fabulous or godly they may be. Satan will use any distraction to keep us away from THE Book ~ the only one that matters ~ the Word of God. Sadly, I learned that the hard way ~ reading ABOUT God but not reading the MIND and WORDS of God Himself.
This month she chose I & II Peter. I have never purposely sought these books out and as I sat there staring at the titles I felt an overwhelming need to take them on. So I did. And as always ~ the Lord knew exactly what I needed to hear. How blessed we are to have the Holy Spirit alive and working in us!
I & II Peter are not an "easy read" in the sense that you have to work your way through the verses. It is so full of truth and encouragement and exhortation and reminders of who we are as children of God and what is expected of us. I read with my study Bible and concordance at my side so I can look up anything that I need further clarifcation on or to find other Scriptures that support what I am reading. And I keep notes ~ lots and lots of notes.
I read through I Peter alone today and these are the things that the Lord impressed on my heart .. whether as a "check yourself daughter" or "keep on going, do not get weary". I share them with you in hopes that you may also be encouraged to seek the Scriptures on your own to see what the Lord has to say to you.
1:7 Trials come so your faith may be proved genuine.
As has been said before, "Mans character is not created in trials and times of testing, it is merely confirmed."
When difficult times come, we respond from the heart, with what is already in us. What do others see in those moments?
Romans 5: 3, 4 But we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
We have to make a conscience choice to set apart Christ as Lord. Too many things try to take His rightful place ~ not always bad or worldly things, but things that become our lord because they receive more attention, passion, time and energy than what we offer to our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ.
Setting Him apart is a commitment, a solemn promise, a surrender of will and of self. It is a choice of the will.
3:15 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.In order to be prepared to give answers we must know the questions.
Who is God? Why do I need Him? What does His Word say and how does it apply to me?
As believers, we must know and understand the God we serve. And the only way to know Him is to read His Word where He reveals Himself and promises to give wisdom to anyone who asks. Knowing God should be the all-consuming passion of every believers life.
5:8,9 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Spiritual warfare is REAL. Satan wants to destroy us, our marriages, our children, the church.
BE ALERT R E S I S T STAND FIRM
These are action words ~ active words ~ in the present.
Just as a soldier cannot be caught laying by a fire, drinking wine and without his weapon, believers cannot be wandering aimlessly about assuming that they are safe. Peter calls us to action. To be ready to fight the prowling lion that will savagely attack us. We must be ready.
These are the verses the Lord touched my heart with just today! And it is only March 4th. I can only imagine what He will have for me these next 26 days!
3.01.2010
A well deserved honor.
Last night I accompanied my groom to a college reunion for the education department at his alma mater, Biola University.
We normally do not attend reunions but this one was special. He was awarded Alumnus of the Year!! The award was specifically to honor him for his work in "Closing the Achievement Gap" at his school. He works with foster and adopted kids, at-risk kids and below poverty level families and this year, NOVA Academy was awarded the US News and World Report Bronze Medal for being one of the top schools in the state of California. And let me tell you - the faculty, staff and students celebrated that award as if they had won an Olympic Gold Medal!!
We normally do not attend reunions but this one was special. He was awarded Alumnus of the Year!! The award was specifically to honor him for his work in "Closing the Achievement Gap" at his school. He works with foster and adopted kids, at-risk kids and below poverty level families and this year, NOVA Academy was awarded the US News and World Report Bronze Medal for being one of the top schools in the state of California. And let me tell you - the faculty, staff and students celebrated that award as if they had won an Olympic Gold Medal!! They work tirelessly to serve their students. None of them arrive after 6:30 am and no one leaves before 5 pm - not even the teachers. They are fully committed to affecting change in the lives of these students - many of whom do not have fathers, adequate housing or income and struggle daily to survive gang warfare and the effects of poverty and crime in their neighborhoods.
Many days the staff and teachers are the only ones who tell these kids they are valuable - that they matter - that they are important - that they are loved. Some of them cling to the hope shown to them and others are a little leary until they see action follow the words. Either way, they know every day when they walk through the doors of NOVA Academy, they will be greeted with a smile, a hug, a sincere "how are you" and an enthusiastic commitment to see them do their best that day.
Last night Dennis was also the keynote speaker and was able to share the vision, the success and the purpose of his school. He was amazing. His energy and passion permeated every word he spoke and the Lord used him to encourage his peers who also work with at-risk students. It was a night of nodding heads and "aha" moments and I was so proud to be his wife.
My groom is making a difference. Every morning when he walks out of this house at 5 am, he is used by the Lord to look one of his students in the eye and say, "What you do matters. Who you become is up to you. You are important and I believe in you. Do not give up - keep fighting. Keep looking towards the prize and don't lose heart. YOU CAN DO THIS!"
And they believe him. They believe him because they know HE believes it.
He has a phenomenal staff whom he adores. They LOVE the students. They work harder than they should but they do it with joy because they want to see these students succeed - not only in the classroom, but in life. They praise them, they start math labs and writing labs so the kids have a chance to enahnce their skills, they hang out with them at lunch, they attend family events and they give and give and give.
Dennis is blessed. Not only because of his faculty and staff who willingly serve with him but because he is being used by a God who loves each of these students more than any of the NOVA family ever could. The Lord designed each one of these students with purpose, with love and with tender care. He desires great things for all of them. He sees their struggles. He knows their hurts. And He will use each of those things to make them into the men and women He has called them to be.
I am proud of my husband. I am proud of the work he does every day. I am proud of the school for keeping their vision clear and not taking the easy way out. They keep their eyes fixed on those young faces and that is what drives them. Every day. Every class period. Every interaction.
NOVA Academy is what it is because of the people who tirelessly give their hearts to these students and I praise the Lord that my husband has been allowed the privilege to be a part of it.
You are changing lives, Dennis. You are changing the future.
I love you! M
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