 This is my story of how I came to know Jesus as a child and then again as a woman. I would LOVE to hear yours! If you don’t know Him personally or if you have questions, we would love to talk with you. Please send us a private Facebook message or feel free to comment here.
You know those iconic small stain-glass windowed churches nestled in rolling hills? I was blessed to grow up in such a church in upstate New York. A myriad of memories flood my mind as I think back to my growing years in that church. Such memories as being baptized in a nearby very cold creek and yearly Easter sunrise services held in the back field followed by a yummy breakfast. The most important memory, however, involves summer camp. Every summer the church members made sure we kids went off to church camp for a week. Amidst the greased pig contest and polar bear swimming club, my heart softened and permanently declared an eternal relationship with the Lover of my soul, Jesus. I remember stepping outside that night after my decision to trust Jesus as my Savior. I looked up at the starry expanse spread like a canopy above me. I was overcome that the Creator of the starry realm loved me. Little ole me. I felt like Maria in the Sound of Music just singing and spinning with a soaring spirit. I was so filled with joy I could burst! I felt sure Jesus and I could conquer anything that came my way. Years slowly slipped away and that night at camp became a definite but distant memory. My adult faith roller-coastered from joy-filled to joyless. Soon, my cup of joy was depleted. While I was active in my local church and wearing my joyful Jesus girl mask so skillfully, deep down I was miserable. Miserable looks different for each of us but for me, it was as if a toddler had taken paint and splattered it over a beautiful masterpiece. There was splattered paint of anger, depression, and abusive and erratic behavior. I staggered from the high of Sunday morning worship to the deep valley of despair by Sunday afternoon. I was on and off anti-depressants and sleeping pills. My marriage was rocky, and my children trembled in fear at my sudden rage. Something needed to change. The joy I experienced that night years ago seemed so elusive now, possible for others but not for me. When I looked at much of what was wrong with my life - my marriage, my parenting, my friendships - I realized I was the common denominator. I had lost the joy of my salvation. I was the Titanic headed for the iceberg. I needed to change. I was in the midst of a Beth Moore study. I had always been in awe of her vibrant, radical faith and wanted it, but thought she was blessed with something special, something that was not obtainable for the average follower of Christ. But during one session, it finally clicked! Christ’s abundant life is a promise for all believers, including me! The smoldering ember of my faith caught a flicker of air and started to burn! Like a marathon runner, I began to train my flabby spiritual self hardcore. Instead of just a Sunday morning accessory, my Bible became my constant companion and lifeline. I asked the Lord, “Change me. I am willing to do whatever it takes to have the abundant life You promised in John 10:10.” The Four Steps I Took to Turn My Titanic Self from Destruction: 1. Developed a Personal Bible Study Time I was as inconsistent as an unreliable car with my quiet time. So, I determined to get up each morning before my family and spend time with the Lord. When my rebellious flesh wanted to stay in bed a little bit longer; I would pray Psalm 42:1-2, “As the deer pants for the water, help me long for You.” 2. Studied and Applied God's Word I dug deep into James 3:13-18 and into the Proverbs, like Proverbs 29:11, longing to be counted among the wise instead of the fool who is controlled by anger. My constant prayer was: “Make me wise, Lord. Help my tongue speak words of life, not death. Allow my hands to be hands of healing, not hurting.” 3. Really Fell in Love with Jesus I asked the Lord to help me fall deeply in love with and trust Jesus. With a renewed hunger, I studied the four gospels and every account of Jesus’s interaction with everyday people. With new eyes, I saw His love and compassion and miraculous healing of EVERY kind of sickness and disease. I prayed, “Help my unbelief! Help me know you love me as deeply as those You walked with all those years ago." 4. Claimed Resurrection Power I understood Christ's power to overcome death was available to me as a believer, yet I let that power lie dormant. I knew the only way to overcome my angry, depressed, abusive self was to pray Christ's death-defeating power over myself and my weaknesses. My steady prayer was: "I'm weak and helpless to change myself. Lord, please help me believe Your resurrection power can save me from myself!” And slowly, unlike the Titanic, I veered around the iceberg and started to feel a change in me. - I started having joy which lasted longer than a worship service. - I was experiencing peace that no pill or brownie or latest purchase could bring. - I began to love being a wife and a momma and a friend. I. Am. Changed! (Happy dance!) Finally, I am experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10! All because the same power that raised Jesus from the grave is still available to us today! I just needed to receive it and believe it! Life has not become a bed of roses since my radical transformation. But now the joy of the Lord is my strength! His strength makes me strong where I am weak! Just like that night long ago, the Creator of the starry host still loves little ole me. Just as important, Jesus and I CAN conquer anything that comes my way. When given the chance, I tell all who will listen, "Jesus saves, not only from the literal hell, but also from the hell inside of ourselves!" That is the victory of the empty tomb, my friend. That is the victory guaranteed to each person who humbles themselves, confesses their sin, and accepts Jesus as Lord. Oh my friend, it's NOT too late! You are NOT too far gone! The victory of the empty tomb is possible for you, also. If He can save me from a Titanic-like existence, He can do the same for you! May you believe it and walk and flourish in the power of Christ's empty tomb!!
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 I often tell people that I was born in church. Well, I was actually born on the last day of February inside a hospital during a freakishly long snowstorm which my dad, who is famously known for slightly exaggerating his stories, said lasted for six weeks. He loves to tell me how he slipped on the ice while carrying my 2-year old sister into the hospital to meet me and how he had to climb the steepest hills in Bowling Green, Kentucky in all the ice and snow during that long winter while carrying his mail route. Six weeks or not, it was a memorable event, forever frozen in his mind, and I’m positive that as soon as the ice melted, we found ourselves on the doorstep of Grace Baptist Church. I have few recollections of my nursery and preschool church years at Grace. My earliest memory is of the red carpet in the nursery and the sea of cracker crumbs that littered it. Most Sunday mornings found me clutching a soggy cracker in one fist and the thumb of my other fist tucked securely inside my mouth while being soothed by the steady rhythm of the rocking chair. Graduating from the nursery took me down the hall to the preschool room with Mrs. Betty. I remember three distinct things about Mrs. Betty: she had felt hangings on her walls, she had an infectious laugh, and she taught me the song, Jesus Loves Me. I had three constant companions named Julie, Jonathan, and Carmen. Although we moved away shortly after I turned five, I still remain in contact with them to this day. I guess that’s what happens when relationships are built around Jesus and saltines. My early elementary years were spent in a small town in an unfamiliar church. The only thing that I remember about this time was that my daddy taught children’s church and he gave away the best quiet seat prizes. One morning he planned to give away a bracelet that opened up and became a pen. I wanted that bracelet SO bad!! I was determined to be the quietest, stillest child he had ever seen. I barely even breathed!! When it was time to give away the prize, he pretended to search through the sea of anxious faces before landing on mine and saying, “This little girl has been really quiet today. I think that she deserves the prize.” All the energy that I had been stuffing inside erupted into the biggest, proudest smile as I went to claim my red rubber bracelet/pen. We moved again two years later and quickly found a new church. Unlike the previous church where no friendships were forged, I met a girl named Amber. I never left her side. My favorite memory was from our second grade class. We sat in little wooden chairs and an elderly woman, who loved to lead us in hymns out of old hymnals, was our teacher. To God Be the Glory was my favorite. When church service began, my family sat on our usual pew, right side about 5 rows back. As the preaching began, I passed a few notes back and forth to my dad with checkboxes for his “yes” and “no” answers. Then, I would lay my head in his lap and drift off to sleep. This was our norm every single Sunday. I will never forget it. After service was over, Amber and I would conspire and hit up our parents for an afternoon playdate. I would approach my daddy, cross all the toes and fingers that I could, and sweetly ask if I could go to Amber’s house. It worked every time! After a long day together, we would return for GA’s to study about a missionary and make some sort of craft such as Annie Armstrong or Lottie Moon banks out of old Pringles cans. It was during this time when heaven and hell started to become very real realities for me. It occupied quite a bit of my thoughts. One day I asked my mom, “What if all this heaven and hell stuff ends up not being real? What if there really isn’t a God?” She paused and looked intently into my eyes. This was a make-or-break question for me so I met her gaze and waited for her answer. She replied, “Well, if we believe in God and find out in the end that it was one big lie, what do we lose?” “Nothing,” I answered. She let that question sink in before asking another one. “But, if we decide that God is not real and choose not to believe in Him and we find out in the end that we are wrong, what do we lose?” “Everything,” I said. That was all that I needed to hear. She answered my two questions with two questions of her own and it satisfied me. I became a believer right then and there. Some weeks later, she prayed with me and I asked the Lord to come into my heart. On Easter Sunday 1987, at the age of 9, wearing my best dress for twirling, with weak knees and a quaking heart, I went forward to make public that I had received Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. Easter suddenly took on a whole new meaning for me. Jesus was no longer just a one-dimensional picture that hung on my Sunday School wall. He was now inside my heart. I wish that this is where my salvation story ended. I wish I could tell you that I became a super Christian and never doubted, never denied, and never walked away from my faith. I wish I could say that my parent's faith was enough to sustain mine. But, I can't. And, if I could, I am 100% positive that I would be the most unrelatable person that you know. Like any good story with twists and turns, my journey of faith has many as well. Unfortunately, the teenage years squelched much of my courage to live for Christ. Jesus was safe to discuss in small doses at youth group and summer camp. I would attend these youth events and promise the Lord that I would live for Him. But, my school friends didn’t go to church with me, so, not knowing how to bridge that gap, I kept my faith tucked tightly inside of me in the public places where I should have made Him known. I cannot count the missed opportunities. If high school found me swaying back and forth, college found me 100% lost. I walked out of my parent’s house and stepped outside of the protective bubble that had enclosed me my entire life. I was wayward and wandering. Nobody talked about Jesus. Nobody shared their faith. Nobody acknowledged Scripture. I filed all my memories of Jesus into the archives of my mind and set out for one thing – to have a good time. It wasn’t until I met a broken boy from a broken home that the wheels on my runaway train car started to turn. Unlike me, he did not have an idyllic childhood. He didn’t win quiet seat prizes and sing To God Be the Glory every Sunday morning. He didn’t show up to church whenever the snow melted nor was he rocked soundly to sleep with a saltine in his fist. Yet, I was equally as lost as he was. Our runaway trains collided with a great BLAST! shortly after we got married. I didn’t think either of us would survive it. From the wreckage, I was left with a choice – Will I reach back out to the only One who was capable of saving me, the One I had given my heart to so many Easters ago? At this moment of decision, two questions came to me… What would change if I didn’t reach back out to Jesus? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And, the thought of nothing changing meant that I would continue down my own self-destructive path. What would change if I did? Possibly everything. His extended arm was waiting. I decided to grab hold. With rubble surrounding me, I began doing things that I had never done before. First of all, I started to study the Bible. I attended Bible study whenever the doors were open. For the first time, I saw that all the seemingly disjointed stories in the Bible that I had learned my whole life – from Noah to Abraham to Joseph to Moses to David to Jonah to Daniel and even to the wee-little man named Zacchaeus – were all filled with great revelations about Jesus! I was hungry to learn more! I also began to pray. Another pivotal moment came in 2006 while I was attending a weekend event called The Emmaus Walk. Prior to this weekend, the Lord and I had been sorting through some hard stuff and my once weakened faith was blossoming anew. Most importantly, I was discovering a missing piece to my salvation – a personal relationship with Jesus. But, you may be saying, “You gave your life to Jesus and publicly acknowledged Him as your Lord and Savior on that Easter Sunday long ago in your best twirly dress.” Yes, that’s right. But, the 9-year old Rebecca who had walked the aisle did so out of fear of missing out on heaven and somehow missed the memo that accepting Jesus Christ as her Savior is MORE than simply spending eternity with Him. It is about spending every day on this earth with Him, too. At the end of this mountaintop weekend where the Lord wooed and wowed me into a deeper and more abiding relationship with Him, a song came on during the closing service that reduced me to a puddle of tears. In a very adult audience, the soft lyrics to that old nursery song, Jesus Loves Me, started to play. “It’s the first song that I ever learned!” I thought. "Mrs. Betty was right. Jesus DOES love me! And, He loves me just as I am." And yet, it had taken me over 25 years to fully grasp it. My heart hasn’t been the same since that day. I now live with the knowledge that Jesus does indeed love me. And, He never stopped loving me even when I didn't love Him back like I should have. He gave His life for me. And, He will be with me always. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. I don’t want to miss a second of it. I don’t want to miss the peace and joy of walking with Him today as I, with great hope, look forward to being with Him again tomorrow. My husband will say the same. We are proof positive that it doesn’t matter whether or not you grew up with a holy saltine in your fist or found the Lord later on down a broken road. He rescues us all. He died for us all. And, He loves us all. He leaves the 99 to rescue the one. In our case, he rescued two. Jesus loves me this I know For the Bible tells me so. I have loved you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3 Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power...to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. Ephesians 3:17-19 These are only three of the many, many Scriptures that says how much He loves me...and how much He loves you, too. His love is everlasting, inseparable, and unmeasurable. And, most importantly, it is without conditions. He loves us JUST. AS. WE. ARE. RIGHT. NOW. Train wreck and all. If you have never given your entire heart to Jesus, I beg you, do so today. It will change everything.  First, I am a child of God. And, like a child, I am always learning and growing. The more I know Him, the more I love Him. Second, I am a wife to a good man. Missions is his thing while teaching women to love God’s Word is mine. Third, I am a mama to three plus a sweet cockapoo who thinks he’s #4. My children are my ongoing sanctification. Fourth, I am a passionate advocate of all things healthy & natural and a dreamer/designer. Old friends call me Becky, newer ones call me Rebecca, and the most intimate ones call me Beck. You can just call me friend.
Follow us on Facebook here.  This is my story of how I came to know Jesus. I would LOVE to hear yours! If you don’t know Him personally or if you have questions, we would love to talk with you. Please send us a private Facebook message or feel free to comment here. My salvation story started when I was ten years old. I was raised in church and I sat under an amazing pastor that boldly preached the Word of God. I can go back to the time like it was yesterday that the Holy Spirit was tugging on my heart! It was during the invitation at church one Sunday, as I was sitting next to my granddaddy, our pastor asked if anyone wanted to come forward and receive Christ. I couldn’t stop my feet from walking that aisle! I took my granddaddy’s hand and told him I wanted to go. So we went to the altar, I prayed and asked the Lord to save me from my sins and to be the Lord of my life. Now I don’t have some great transformation testimony, but as I got older and the world started throwing things my way, I wasn’t always faithful to my Lord. The Holy Spirit was so real and present in my life that when I would stray from Him, such heavy conviction would come over me. When I began to question my salvation, I could always go back to that time that I gave my heart to Jesus. You see, Satan wants to make us doubt, he wants to make us believe that we are really not a child of God. We see early on in Genesis 3 how he is so deceitful. So, how do you know your heart belongs to Jesus? Well, for me, it was about the conviction I would feel when I sinned. It was the guilt that would come over me when I would disappoint my Heavenly Father. He never left my side, it was me moving farther away from Him. When I was twenty-two, I was tired of riding the fence. I was tired of trying to please both God and man! He wanted ALL of me and I wanted ALL of Him, too. Scripture tells us in Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other. So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” How dishonoring and displeasing my life was to my Savior, the ONE who gave me life! I am so thankful the Lord never gave up on me! Even when I was running, He pursued me with a love that no one or nothing else can give. I surrendered everything over to Him; my life, my job, my friends...it was all His. He has blessed my life more than I can ever imagine and much more than I ever deserve. He has made Himself so real to me that I will spend all of my days pointing others to Him and sharing the amazing love and redemption that can only be found in Christ. Look, no matter what you have done or how far you have strayed, Jesus loves you! If you have not given your life to Him, He is waiting with arms open wide. If you are a believer, but you have strayed from the Lord, He is wanting to restore you into a right relationship with Him. Once you have given your heart to Christ, He promises this; “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10: 28-29)  Laura is a pastor's wife, mom to two crazy fun kids, part-time marketing director, loves hanging out in her community and building relationships...oh and loves to laugh!
 This is my story of how I came to know Jesus. I would LOVE to hear yours! If you don’t know Him personally or if you have questions, we would love to talk with you. Please send us a private Facebook message or feel free to comment here. An honest fact about me is that since becoming an adult, I have developed a horrible memory. I get snapshots of childhood events from time to time, but my memories are very spotty. My first recollection of being in church was when I was six years old. We were having a revival, which is a series of services for the purpose of sharing Jesus, and the man speaking asked if anyone wanted to “be saved”. I had no idea what that meant, but it did look like a lot of fun to walk up to the altar of the church in front of everybody. So, as several others filed forward, I marched down the aisle and up onto the stage. I don’t actually remember much else that happened at that point, but I am told that I was very adamant about wanting to be baptized. My mom talked to me later that night, and I began learning about heaven and Jesus and what that meant for me. From that point forward I was considered to be a Christian. As far as everyone could tell, I completely understood. I can recall being very involved in church during my elementary years. My parents were always hosting and helping in different church groups I was involved in. Through these years I was learning and growing in my knowledge of who God was and what Jesus had done for me. As I became a teenager some of my best friends were from my church youth group and church was a major part of my life. At another revival, my dad came to the realization that although he had been in church for many years, he had never made a decision for himself to believe in Jesus, and to turn from his sin and give his life to following God. Several other church friends came to the same decision: that they needed to trust and follow Jesus. By now I was 13 years old and I had been learning about God and the Bible for several years. It was confusing to me that these “church people” could be so involved and so committed to serving, yet not “be saved”. I certainly was, right? I began to think back to the time I walked down to the front of the church and insisted on being baptized. I couldn’t remember why. I couldn’t remember what I had chosen to believe at that point. I actually couldn’t remember anything from that event. But, I rested in the fact that I had walked a church aisle, and I had been baptized, and now I was involved in church…so surely I had to be a Christian. Later that week, an event took place at my school called See You At The Pole. I’m sure many of you are aware of this event that takes place on school campuses all across the country still today. Our church youth group had a rally the night before to inform students and encourage them to go and pray for their friends. It was that night, as I watched a video depicting the life and death of Jesus, that I truly understood what He had done for me. I knew all of the Bible stories. I had heard a million times that Jesus had died for my sins. But it was at this moment that it all came together in my heart. I was a sinner. Yes, I went to church and yes, I loved God, but because of my sin, I was separated from Him. I needed Jesus to take my punishment. The Bible says in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life THROUGH JESUS. This gift was available to me, but I had to accept it. I couldn’t go to church enough or be involved in enough religious events to earn my way to God. Jesus was the ONLY way! Romans 10:9-10 says, If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 1 John 1:7b & 9b The blood of Jesus, God's Son, purifies us from all sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. So, I had to accept the gift of Jesus, but I also had to be willing to turn from my sins and to give my life over to God. I was only in sixth grade and, for the most part, I was a pretty good kid. But, although I couldn’t have seen it then, looking back, I can tell you that there was an evil in my heart that could not have been changed without the power that comes from knowing Christ. That was the immediate transformation in me. My heart wanted to follow Jesus! I wanted to do right and to walk with Him well. However, the application of that has been a learning process. That is the part that has taken work, spiritual maturity, and time. I definitely didn’t understand everything about God or His Word when I made a decision to follow Him at 13. In fact, I still don’t. It’s been a messy, up and down, and sometimes all over the place journey. But I can say, without a doubt, He has walked me through every second. He continues to teach me and He has been so patient as I learn. And, although my walk is still not always pretty, He continues to give me a heart that truly longs to please and follow Him. This is my story of how I came to know Jesus. I would LOVE to hear yours! If you don’t know Him personally or if you have questions, we would love to talk with you. Please send us a private Facebook message or feel free to comment here. I encourage you to share your story!  Audra and her husband Jordan are called to ministry and he is the senior pastor at their church. They have two beautiful children who bring them tons of joy, lots of laughs, and on occasion new grey hair. She is a former teacher who still loves to teach, enjoys cooking and baking, and has a passion to lead other women to know Jesus and live out their faith in Him.
 Francine Rivers - Audra's Pick
This was a hard one for me. To tell the truth, I don’t read fiction very often. But, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, was one of my favorites from many years ago! Karen Kingsbury - Laura's Pick I was never a big reader growing up...I know...it's a horrible thing! Even now, I don't often read for pleasure because I don't have much quiet time to dedicate to it. But, when we go on vacation or a rare quiet time arises, I love to read Karen Kingsbury! I have read all of her series and still have a few stand alone books to read. I remember getting so enthralled with The Baxter's series that I began wanting to tell their stories in real life! HA! Needless to say, her books come to life for me! Lynn Austin - Rebecca's Pick Goodness, I could list a dozen favorites because this is my FAVORITE genre! In fact, it's the only genre that I read for pleasure now. I especially love Biblical historical fiction because the attention to the little details regarding the culture, the customs, the characters, and the circumstances surrounding God's people make it come alive in my mind! Such is the case with Lynn Austin's Chronicles of the Kings Series and The Restoration Chronicles. The first is about Israel's kings. A select few feared God and experienced great triumphant while many others rejected God and self-destructed. The second series is about the return of Israelites after 70 years of captivity in Babylon and the massive rebuilding and rededicating of their wall, Temple, and hearts. These books take you back a few thousand years and make you feel as if you are walking through the pages of the Bible as they were being lived out. And, just because I can't resist...if Christian historical fiction is your thing, you have to check out the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers and The Advocate by Randy Singer, too! Bodie and Brock Thoene - Tammy's Pick Back in the days when I was trying to break my addiction to smut fiction (bleh), I discovered the Thoene's books full of rich history and characters. Their series cover everything from underground Jerusalem during the six day war to a whole series surrounding Christ's time on earth. I haven't read their work in a while but have been reminded again of how kind God is. Even in our reading material, when we cry out to Him He directs our path to truth and beauty. Janette Oke - Andrea's Pick (Be sure to read Andrea's excellent guest post on Christan fiction filled with a myriad of suggestions.) For me it would be a toss-up between Lynn Austin and Janette Oke but since Rebecca is going with Lynn Austin, I'll pick Janette Oke. I love the fact that her fictions spans the early New Testament Church History all the way to the Wild West.  I love to read. It is my escape to adventure and relaxation. Recently, I received an audio book subscription and find it truly luxurious to let someone else read to me! What indulgence!
Don’t you find your “me time” precious and maybe a little harder to come by than you would like? I do. When I think I’m going to have time to snuggle up and read (or listen to) a good book, there’s a little dance going on inside me. I like to think about what kind of drink I will put on the coaster beside me and what fuzzy socks I will wear. Will I push back the curtain and let in a flood of sunshine to light the page, or will it be a dark and stormy night when my bed and lamp or firelight are more in order? If it sounds to you like I fantasize about my alone-time, you could not be more right! You may not be an avid reader but what do you love to do to wind down? If you had an unexpected afternoon off to spend however you wanted to, what would you do? Spa day? Shopping? Baking Day? Run in the park? Hey, wait… are you fantasizing about your alone time!? Let’s face it, leisure time is not filling up most of our calendars. Those moments when we can relax and recharge are a limited commodity and therefore valuable to us. That’s why when a few years ago a sweet saint gently challenged me to change how I use that leisure time, I balked at first. Here’s the story… As early as my teen years, the classic “who dunnit” genre captured my fancy. I particularly enjoyed the work of the British sleuth writer, Agatha Christie. I loved her ability to bring to life the human personalities in her books. She was also the master of nailing the surprise ending where all the puzzle pieces fall into place so neatly and yet you are shocked and dismayed that you never suspected the perpetrator for a second! I had read many of her works, but always looked forward to the next book, so I asked my mother-in-law who was running a used book business to keep her eyes open for any of the titles I hadn’t read. Ladies, I highly recommend finding a man to marry whose mother loves you like a daughter. What a blessing! My mother-in-law spent the next couple of years combing her inventory and other sources and eventually acquired for me EVERY work ever written by my favorite author. I knew that the acquisition of these sometimes rare books was a labor of love, and my heart was warmed by her effort on my behalf. One day when my collection was nearly complete she was handing me a rare copy of one of Agatha Christie’s romantic novels, and she casually remarked that she had found it enriching to start reading only Christian and “uplifting” material in her leisure time. Huh. Read only Christian and uplifting material… In my leisure time… My “me time.” Huh. If you have been a believer long, you may already anticipate how I was feeling. Now my precious mother-in-law had not even SUGGESTED that this was something I should do. But I was feeling uncomfortable. Why? Because my flesh did not want to submit my leisure reading to God, and I immediately knew that was the crux of the issue. I did not want to entrust what I held as my own, private, valuable, treasure to God to change it however He wanted. Ugh. So I dithered around and made excuses mentally and basically pouted for a while. I don’t remember having a particular moment when I surrendered this fight against God, but the Holy Spirit, ever so gracious, helped me to come around. Now, I joyfully confess that my absolutely favorite genre is Biblical Fiction, a subset of Christian Fiction in which the author takes a text of the Bible and imagines personalities and details to bring the story to life. For example, I’m currently reading a series about King Hezekiah. Passages about him can be found in the Bible in 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles and Isaiah. Lynn Austin has used a vast amount of research and inspiration to make this hero of the Bible into someone who lives and breathes in my imagination. In the current chapter, the walled city of Jerusalem is surrounded by the Assyrian Army. The general of King Hezekiah’s army has been captured, tortured and hung on a stake to taunt King Hezekiah who stands on the city wall and weeps to see one of his dearest friends tortured. But Hezekiah refuses to surrender. Why? Because within Jerusalem’s wall is God’s Holy Temple and he chooses to die rather than let pagan soldiers defile the house of God. Things are very tense and King Hezekiah is waiting to hear back from Isaiah what the Lord says about what they should do. And let me tell you, I.AM.DYING to go to the Bible and read the end of the story!!! Some of these authors do a wonderful job of researching historical details. I can learn so much about the context of the stories God included in His Word for us to read! The sleuthing I do nowadays is to listen to a book and then go find and read the Biblical text from which the skeleton of the plot is taken and enjoy how closely the author can weave the way she imagines those people to have been to the actual Word of God. The best authors can also write their stories to carefully illustrate God’s truth that we should glean from His Word. I’ve noticed that as I hear these stories, I remember the Bible characters better. I rejoice when they make the right choices. I grieve when they stray from God’s will. I laugh and I cry and I praise God. Seriously, I actually caught myself starting to pray for one of the characters the other day before I realized that she lived thousands of years ago and is already home with the Father! So. My dear mother-in-law was right. Submitting my leisure time to God has been enriching. If anything, it is even more precious to me than it was before, because it brings me real joy by drawing my heart closer to His. Isn’t that just God’s way? He will ask you for things, beloved. Things that you may not want to hand over. His way is always better. More joyful. Deeper. If you want to get your feet wet in Biblical fiction, may I recommend One of Janette Oke’s more recent works, which she co-wrote with T.Davis Bunn? These books bring to vivid life stories of the early church just after the life of Christ. Acts of Faith series · The Centurion's Wife, 2009 · The Hidden Flame, January 2010 · The Damascus Way, 2011 Some of my favorite Christian Fiction Authors are: Jamie Langston Turner for modern day stories of everyday (but inspiring) faith. Jan Karon for stories that will make you laugh and cry in a peaceful small-town setting. Francine Rivers for gripping stories (Biblical or straight fiction) that illustrate God’s truth. Some of my favorite Biblical Fiction Authors are: Lynn Austin who does a broad cross section of Biblical, Historical and straight fiction that all speak to God’s faithfulness. Jannette Oke who does both Biblical and Christian fiction with a flair for holy romance. T.Davis Bunn who is a prolific writer of all kinds of works from the Christian worldview. I believe on Saturday our blog hosts will reveal some of their favorite Christian authors. I can’t wait to see their list! Andrea Harper grew up in Longview, Texas and earned degrees from Southern Nazarene University and University of Texas Health Science Center before she was transplanted to Tennessee as she pursued a medical career in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is a partner at the Woman’s Clinic, PA in Jackson, TN. With her husband Scott and daughter Darcy, she attends Cornerstone Community Church in Jackson. In her free time, when not reading, she likes to cook with her daughter, do paper piece quilting, and travel.  Too much time on my hands!” the 80’s singer crooned. And the week I wrote this post certainly felt like it! The first four days of snow-magedden were a snowy blur full of dishes and wet clothes and the excitement of being snowed-in. But day 5 was different. The realization of not accomplishing much dawned on me. We have had time together, yes. But the children were not always in my company. With a day full of canceled obligations and no expectations beyond providing food and comfort, what in the world was I going to do with too much time on my hands? - I could binge watch some TV series. - I could mindlessly scroll social media. - I could... The “I’m bored, what should I do?” possibilities were endless. However, what if I looked at this downtime as a gift, as a small pocket of time to better myself and my home. The Psalmist begs of the Lord, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. (Psalm 90:12) Teach in the Hebrew is the word “yada” meaning to know, to discern, to acknowledge. Using the definition for "yada," we could rewrite the first part by saying, "Help me know how brief my life truly is." James 4:14 tells us how long life is: “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” I don’t know how many days I have left until I run into Jesus’s arms, but I want those days (including snowed-in days) to be productive for the Kingdom and my betterment. Scripture lights the way. Woven into the rich tapestry of Titus 2's “how to live” section is the charge for women to be workers at home. Simply put, this means when I am at home I need to be productive and be intentional to make it a haven for my family and others. Let's admit it: worker at home is not the latest Pinterest craze or hashtag on Twitter or Instagram. So, what does it look like? Scripture again comes to our rescue! Look at some of the words used to describe a "worker at home" woman, Ms. Proverbs 31: vs. 15 - she plans her day, vs. 17 - she’s energetic, hard-working, and strong vs. 19 - her hands are busy vs. 27 - she is not lazy or idle. I don’t think it’s a sin to take a break, kick back, and breathe. But this list convicts me of days passed without doing anything other than eating and looking at a screen. What do I do when I don’t know what to do. A. Make a List - brainstorm - dream. - What do I want to accomplish? - What things do I want to learn? - What tasks should I complete? B. Itemize your to-do list in the order of importance. - What's doable today? - What can I start today to make a dent in the mess? - What materials do I need to complete these tasks? C. Just do it! 1. Baby Steps - break the task into small tasks makes it more doable (ex. pantry - clean one shelf at a time.) - make sure you make yourself complete the task. 2. Build-in a Reward - I like to work in 30-minute increments, and then reward myself for 15 minutes and repeat. - I use a timer to keep track of my time. 3. Find Something to Listen to While you Work - podcasts ( A few of my favorites: Revive Our Hearts, Read-Aloud Revival, THM podcasts) - music - audiobooks (A couple of my favorites: Lamplighter Theatre, Jim Weiss) 4. Accountability - Occasionally, I need to tell someone what I'm hoping to accomplish. (Ahem.) - I have them ask me about my task later in the day. - It keeps me focused and on track when I know someone is going to ask me about my task. Some Suggestions for What to Do when I Don't Know What to Do 1. Learn something new - A couple of my goals this year include learning to knit and growing berries. I’m a visual learner, so YouTube "how to" videos work well. - What's something you want to learn to do? 2. Clean a much-needed area I’ve been putting off. - My pantry was in desperate need of purging. - What area of your home needs cleaning or decluttering? 3. Write - Your testimony. You never know when you’ll get to share it! Audra wrote an excellent post found here. - thank you notes to people who has touched your life - encouragement notes to those who need a kind word. 4. Do a Puzzle or Play a Game (not on a screen). - we played lots of card and board games during the snowed in days. - we completed a 1000 piece puzzle left on a side table to work on a little bit at a time. 5. Cook or bake a new recipe you’ve always wanted to try - We tried our hand at empanadas and soft pretzels. - What recipes have you wanted to try? 6. Get outside - do some yard work (God-given exercise!) - walk - enjoy the beauty of whatever season it is! 7. Read a book you've always wanted to read but haven't had the time. - for pleasure - for spiritual growth - for academic growth Now that the snow has melted and the hustle and bustle of everyday life has returned, I'm so glad I was able to check some deeds off my to-do list. My pantry is clean, the 1000 piece puzzle is complete, and the back porch is shoveled. I think the Proverbs 31 woman would be impressed! God’s WORD translation of Proverbs 6:6 cracks me up, “Consider the ant, you lazy bum. Watch its ways, and become wise.” May we not be known as lazy bums, but as active ants for the glory of the Lord and our good. How about you? What do you do when you don't know what to do? I'd love to hear about some of your tips or accomplishments!   Jesus Girl. Wife. Momma. Student. Teacher. Confidante. Lover of milky coffee, dark chocolate, lively laughter, deep talks, and a front row seat on the beach at sunrise.
 Happy first day of Spring! Here in West Tennessee it doesn’t exactly feel like spring, but I know it’s right around the corner! How do I know it’s right around the corner? Well because my husband has mowed once already, my daffodils are in full bloom, my tulips are right on the verge of opening up, the leaves of my lilies are peaking from the ground, and my trees are beginning to show foliage. This is what I love about springtime, NEW LIFE! Isn’t that the first thing we notice when March arrives? As we marvel in God’s creation, we notice that the dreariness of winter is slowly fading and new life is originating. I don’t know where you are in life right now. You may be standing victoriously on the mountaintop or you may be trudging through the ditches, but let me encourage you...a new day has come! God has provided a way for us to have not only a new start, but more importantly, new life through His son. I love that springtime reminds us that God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) and He is continuing to do a new work in us. He will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:18-19). Maybe winter brings darkness and depression your way. I have friends that truly deal with mood changes with the different seasons. The shorter days, the colder nights, and the lack of sunshine can have great impact on your body. But all of that is now fading away and growth is sprouting forth! It’s a beautiful reminder of Easter as we enter Holy Week and the journey that Jesus took to the cross. Let’s be mindful that all of this took place for you and for me. He bore our sins and our shame so that we may have life and have it abundantly! Because of His great sacrifice and the darkness that prevailed as He hung on the cross, amazing beauty came three days later! God sent His one and only son (John 3:16), Jesus, so that those who believe on His name would have new life and be born again (1 Peter 1:3). We immediately become changed on the inside (2 Corinthians 5:17)! When we come to Jesus, we are not merely “turning over a new leaf,” we are beginning new life under the Lordship of Christ (Romans 6:4). When we are transformed by the Holy Spirit our perspective changes. We see our life, we see others, and we see God’s creation in a whole new way. And it’s something that can never, ever be taken from us. Once a child of God, always a child of God (Romans 8:38-39)! What beauty and hope in that promise. Scripture has much to say about the word “new”, let’s take a look: Isaiah 43:18-19 Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 65:17 See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Ezekial 36:26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Revelation 21:5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” If you are struggling right now in your walk with Christ, I pray that you will take time, read, and cling to His promises. If you are not a believer and you want to know about this new life we speak of, please reach out to us on Facebook or at ByFaithSheGirls@byfaithshe.com. We would love to tell you more about our Jesus!  Laura is a pastor's wife, mom to two crazy fun kids, part-time marketing director, loves hanging out in her community and building relationships...oh and loves to laugh!
 My challenge to each of you is to write out your testimony and share it on your Facebook page. Tag us so we can see it, too! Let us not be ashamed of the Good News of Jesus! First things first, let's define what a testimony is. The word testimony is a statement or declaration of a witness. Everyone has a testimony about their life, whether good or bad. But, each person who has chosen to become a Christian has a personal testimony of their salvation. So when we talk of sharing your testimony, it means declaring what Jesus has done in your life. This can be the story about the day you chose to become a Christ follower or a story of how knowing Jesus has changed your life since then. I will be the first to admit, sharing your testimony with someone can be intimidating. But, let's see if we can take a little of the scariness out of it by making a plan. The point to sharing your story of faith with others is so they can see the hope you have in Jesus and hopefully choose to trust in Him too. Why do we care if other people know about Him? This is very simple: God calls us to 1. love others (Mark 12:31), and 2. tell them about Him. (Matt.28:19-20) If we truly love others, then we will want them to know that salvation comes through Jesus. We will want them to live their lives with Him by their side and die spending eternity with Him in heaven. If we have the answer to the worlds greatest problem, which is sin, then its only right that we share it with others! The Bible says that The wages of sin is what? Spiritual DEATH! Separation from God eternally. BUT, it goes on to say that “The gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ.” (Romans 6:23) So, let's get started! I encourage you to write or type this out. Sharing the story of how you became a Christian: First~ write a paragraph or so about what your life was like before you became a Christian. You don’t have to give specific details about sin, but a summary so it will be obvious how your life has changed. Next~ tell how you first came to hear about Jesus. Give details about your thought process on deciding if this was something you would believe or not. Did you reject Christ at first or did you immediately say, "YES?" Did you understand it in your head, but not accept it in your heart, or was it an immediate heart transformation? Who told you this great news? Where were you? Do you remember how old you were? These are all great details that will help tell your story. Lastly~ wrap up your story with some information about how Christ has changed your life. Has He helped you kick sin you were entangled in before? Has he given you joy that you did not have before? How does your life look different now that you follow Jesus? Following Christ is not always easy. What are some things that have been difficult for you? Did you lose friends or have to give up sinful habits? If you can write the first two paragraphs but find that you don’t notice much change in your life to write about in paragraph 3, consider two things: 1. You believed in your head that Jesus was God’s Son and that He died for you, but you didn’t have a heart transformation and truly give your life over to follow God completely. (Read Matthew 13:1-8 & the explanation in Matthew 13:18-23) OR 2. You haven’t grown in your spiritual life. Read a quote below from Billy Graham: He said, “Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion. It is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ. When you start out, you start out as a baby. You must be fed on the simple things of the Bible, and you learn to walk in your Christian life gradually. At first, you will fall down and make many mistakes, but you are to continue growing. However, there are many people who have stopped growing. They remain spiritual babes all their lives. I am afraid that this experience is all too common today. Perhaps it is yours. Do you remember the day when you gave your heart and life to Christ? You were sure of victory. How easy it seemed to be more than conqueror through Christ who loved you. Thousands of Christians have struggles with themselves. The great need in Christendom today is for Christians to learn the secret of daily victory over sin.” Click here to hear Billy Graham’s message on spiritual growth. If you have any questions on salvation or spiritual growth, we would love to talk to you about them! Leave us a private message on Facebook! Now that you have written out your testimony of how Jesus saved you, read over it and make any changes that are necessary to make it flow well into a conversation. Ask a friend or loved one to listen as you read it to them. Get comfortable sharing it with people you trust so soon you can begin to share it with others who do not know Jesus as you do. Who should you share your story with? Family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers…anyone the Lord gives you the opportunity to share with! Keep in mind that it is not your job to make someone else believe. It is your job to tell them, to give them a reason for the hope you have, to share your story. But only the Holy Spirit can convict of sin and bring others to true repentance, and therefore a saving relationship with God through Jesus! John 16:8 Again, my challenge to each of you is to write your testimony and share it on your Facebook page. Tag us so we can see it too! Let us not be ashamed of the Good News of Jesus! I will be sharing mine HERE next week!  Audra and her husband Jordan are called to ministry and he is the senior pastor at their church. They have two beautiful children who bring them tons of joy, lots of laughs, and on occasion new grey hair. She is a former teacher who still loves to teach, enjoys cooking and baking, and has a passion to lead other women to know Jesus and live out their faith in Him.
 Love and Loss Through Adoption - Part Two Our pile of ashes nearly smothered us in the months after losing our four month old adopted daughter, Quinn. The month of July seems like a hazy memory as we muddled through our new normal. In early August, we were presented with another adoption opportunity that met all of our criteria so we walked through the open door still bruised. Unbelievably, this door, like so many others, slammed shut. We are so accustomed to loss and pain, that our reaction was one of acute numbness. After dinner that night, I told my husband, Josiah, “I quit. I do not want to continue this journey. It’s over for us so please can we just stop this madness.” Josiah, though with sympathy, lovingly said, “No.” Frustrated with his answer, I pressed him and told him that I was fresh out of perseverance. He then reminded me of how far, and how invested we’ve become. He challenged me to think about what quitting would look like and feel like. I knew he was right despite my weariness. I didn’t love the idea of pressing on, and all of the scriptures instructing me to press on with joy, seemed unattainable. In early August, we pursued another adoption with an older child and thought we had finally arrived. We heard from God so clearly, and again, everything aligned with what we were praying in light of scripture. Again, God closed the door through an unexpected series of events. We were left wondering, “God, where in the world are you?” We had just chosen to press on in faith; yet, you allowed more difficulty. We were left puzzled, but burdened to keep going despite all human logic. As my birthday approached in mid-August, we decided to go to the mountains for a long weekend. While we went to celebrate and take time for ourselves, we also went to specifically pray Psalm 4:1, which says, “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!” As we prayed and focused on having fun and relaxing, I kept repeating this verse over and over in my mind. In the mountains, I told God how weak, how tired and how desperate I felt. I remember having an odd peace while we were there. It was as if my mind, body and heart took a big breath of fresh air. I felt light and easy. Just 24 hours into our adoption reprieve, my sister-in-law called with a different sound in her voice. Then, we heard an unbelievable story that involved many people being in the right place at the right time. Let me preface the story by saying that when you’ve endured the amount of trauma we’ve endured, you’re skeptical about everything. In this case, however, when Josiah and I hung up the phone while sitting in a parking lot, we said, “Well, this is random, and I wonder what God is telling us.” In true Josiah form, he went over the pros and cons, while I marveled at how God had seemingly responded to our mountain prayers. We tried to discern the Holy Spirit, and we were both concerned that our bleeding hearts couldn’t endure another path of brokenness. Time was not on our side, and decisions had to be made quickly. Unbeknownst to us, God had been working behind the scenes as we cried out to Him in the mountains. God used several people to weave a story so completely from His hand that we’re all left saying, “Surely this is our God Isaiah 25:9.” In this story, there are hospital workers, an artist, unknowingly mutual friends, an attorney, and the Holy Spirit who wove Himself into the fabric of all of these lives on our behalf and in response to our cries. For us to reach our son, countless things had to fall perfectly into place. Only God could orchestrate and align events and people in such a way to bring beauty from ashes and joy from mourning. The Church, as you will later read, have navigated our sails in recent days. If I told you every single detail, every twist and turn of this story, you would get lost in its coincidental complexity, but ultimately, it comes down to this: “Every good and perfect gift comes from above James 1:17.” As a proud West Tennessean who has traveled across the county countless times pursuing adoption, God floored me when a healthy baby boy was born on August 23 in West Tennessee. I remember walking in the parking lot of this West Tennessee hospital laughing to myself at the sheer irony of being home in West Tennessee instead of far away. God was present in the details. God had us right where He wanted us. He wanted us broken, bleeding, weak, and depleted. We began our journey on September 15, 2015, and have since endured six failed adoptions, including the devastating and legally unprecedented loss of Quinn, countless times of being not chosen, enormous adoption financial losses, emotional distress, physical exhaustion, and spiritual warfare. We had a choice to make. We had to decide whether to walk through this door that had opened so randomly or to let fear and the pain of the past dictate our future. Needless to say, we walked through the open door wondering what in world God was doing. At first, it was easy to bask in the mindset of, “Wow, God answered our prayer!” But, as our entire journey has shown, God wanted more from us. How could God possibly want more from us? We had nothing left. Had we not endured enough? Why couldn’t He just allow us to enjoy the answered prayer with finality? Due to circumstances beyond our control, this placement involved multiple delays so we had to agree to take home our potential son in the interim. The thought of this made us both uneasy. While we had so much love and attention to give, we were nervous about letting him into our heart without having security. We lived this for over two months when Quinn’s uncertainty began so a few days didn’t seem too much to ask. But, it was too much to ask. We very quickly realized that within our own strength, we couldn’t travel this familiar road again. Luckily, when we are weak, His strength is made perfect 2 Corinthians 12:9. When we came home, it became clear just how raw we still were from Quinn’s loss because we had such little time to grieve. Attachment began quickly with our son, so with each delay, Satan had his way with fear. We learned that just because Satan had a doorway to our vulnerability, didn’t mean God’s people couldn’t push their fellow brother and sister in Christ through the fearful fight. Josiah and I have been surrounded by about fifteen Kingdom Warriors, both friends and family alike, who have pushed us through the days of doubt. Only these faithful few knew about our son because we were trying to maintain privacy to ensure we would have a successful placement. We have been covered in prayer since August 23 when our son was played in our arms the morning he was born. There have been Kingdom Warriors who have prayed and fasted faithfully on our behalf. We have literally seen the Church function as a moving Body. We made it to this point because these Warriors prayed us through it, loved us through it, and encouraged us that victory was near. When our prayers were but a whisper, theirs were shouts.  Though it has been a whirlwind since August 23, I am so glad God wanted more from us even when we didn’t think we had more to give. We questioned why He wasn’t allowing it to be easy after having endured so much, but we can both say we’re thankful that God wanted more. I was reminded of a quote by Corrie Ten Boom I have in one of my journals that says, “There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.” Though we’ve spent two years in a pit, His love has been deeper still. We’re grateful that God is a jealous God that wants no one and nothing, including a tumultuous journey, to pull us away from His arms. He loves us just that much. He wants all of you. He wants all of me. He doesn’t want one inch of us to not be wholly His. When you allow yourself to be wholly His, He will transform your life allowing you to have joy unspeakable in the midst of inevitable suffering. When you are wholly His, you realize that He wants to be wholly yours. At this point, we feel like the survivors from the front line of war duty. We have opened wounds, bandages, scars, holes and bruises. This journey has been frustrating, maddening, ridiculous, unfair, grief-filled, devastating, and emotional…but God. But God promises to restore us. He promises to bring beauty from our ashes. His Word says that “weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning Psalms 30:5.” Our weeping has lasted two long years, and I am sure there will be more weeping ahead since all Christ followers will walk through suffering, but we’re glad that we are made like Him in our suffering. Though weeping lies ahead, we need not be afraid. He’s already there. I remember thinking awhile back that if this road ever ended that there would be no way I could still love and trust God like I have tried to in the past. I felt that there had been too much hurt for me to still have Him as the love of my life. I had seen so many unanswered prayers and moments when His protection seemed nonexistent that loving Him like I always had seemed unlikely. I proved to be right, but not in the way I expected. I love Him more now than I ever have. He has broken my heart, but His heart has broken too as He has watched our suffering. “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him Job 13:15.”  We would like to introduce you to our forever son, Paladin Shepherd Britton. Paladin is a name from the fifteenth century meaning, “someone who fights for a cause.” We feel like our journey to Paladin has been nothing but a fight. As his parents, we vow to turn that fight into a fight of ensuring He knows and understands the transformative power of the Gospel. The kind of Gospel that brought us hope and healing when all seemed lost. We have committed ourselves to being Godly parents to Paladin, while still believing that God will use Quinn’s life for His glory and His good. We believe that Paladin will learn a lot about prayer through learning to pray for his heart sister. We look forward to what God will do by joining our family to Paladin’s birth family. Praying with his birth family at the hospital will forever be one of my most cherished moments in this life. You can never convince me that the Holy Spirit doesn’t dwell among us. He not only dwells, He engulfs and consumes. When that hospital prayer was uttered, every bone in my body felt His presence. We know that God never breaks our heart to bring us back the same.
Part 1 - "A Broken Hallelujah"  Love and Loss Through Adoption - Part One If you aren’t prepared for a raw and vulnerable look at brokenness, do not proceed. If you aren’t ready to navigate your faith within the mess of life, do not proceed. Leaving church on a warm September Sunday morning in 2015, my husband, Josiah, and I knew the message of having radical faith was just for us. After many years of battling infertility, we were eager to begin the adoption process. As many of you know, from 2015 to 2017, brought immense difficulty. During those years, we experienced three failed adoptions. Two of those adoptions were after time was spent in the hospital holding our miracle. The third, though no less important, ended before we boarded a plane. These three adoptions were costly to us emotionally, financially, mentally, and spiritually. Then, in February of 2017, on one last leap of faith, we flew across the country to get our fourth miracle. Surely, this one would be forever. Now, four months later, our arms are empty, our hearts are bleeding, and our home is stricken with the pain of silence. Here is where you need to stop reading if you cannot refrain from shaking your fist at God. I already know what you are thinking. Stop, take a moment, and choose to find Him in this story. We met our beloved Quinn in the wee morning hours of February 18, 2017 when she was just two days old. On February 20, she was signed into our custody and three days later we returned home to the warmest and most loving welcome that any child could possibly have.  Because of our past experiences, we, of course, had fears that would persist. When fears arose, Josiah and I would remind each other of God’s promises. Even to the unbeliever, Quinn’s story seemed to make perfect sense. On April 12, we were notified that Quinn’s birth father had decided to parent. He began doing all of the necessary legal steps in spite of his previous poor choices. Our agency and the agency’s attorney had proof that her birth father knew of Quinn’s birth and chose to do nothing. For the remainder of April until June 20, we had to continue to parent Quinn with a heavy cloud looming above. When we think of those months of parenting with the looming cloud overhead, we can take no credit. We’d always known that God gives grace, but only until recently have we really understood just how extensive His grace is. By His grace, we were able to parent her while knowing she could easily be taken. In those months, we never thought she’d be taken so we loved harder, prayed harder, and held her a little longer. After all, she was God’s fulfilled promise to us. We felt confident so we only shared the legal battle with my brother and sister-in-law who have always been mentors to Josiah and I. When things became more legally unsettling, we took the advice of our attorney and agency and flew across the country for the fifth time, which includes previous adoptions, to stand before a judge and plead our case. On June 20, we walked into a crowded waiting room at a courthouse far from home. In a last attempt to reach an agreement before standing in front of a judge, we sat down and talked with the birth father and his family along with our attorney and agency. Pleasantries were exchanged, and then the tough talk began. We saw a young man with three of his relatives, including his own mother. As much as we communicated, shared, poured our hearts out, the birth father wanted more. As I looked up and saw Quinn’s birth grandmother cry into tissues, I knew this was something bigger than Josiah and I. When it became clear the birth family was firm, the court session began. As we waited in a small, stuffy room for what seemed like eternity, Josiah and I said nothing to each other. I closed my eyes and prayed claiming every promise in God’s Word that was applicable to the situation we were in. Later, our agency worker and attorney returned to the room looking ashen pale. The judge had ruled that Quinn be returned to her birth family immediately. It seemed like you could knock our attorney over with a feather. In his twenty-some years of practice, he had never witnessed a judge make such a hasty decision especially given all the evidence that was reviewed. Through tears, our agency worker, whom we’ve grown to love, explained to us again what this verdict meant. In denial, I asked, “Ok, so how long will Quinn be gone?” Both she and the attorney replied, “indefinitely.” At this moment, I was confident that death would surely be soon for me. It was too much to endure. As the agency worker began making preparations for someone to fly Quinn back to her birth state, the heat outside weighed heavy just like our grief. Once confirmation was given that an agency worker would fly to Nashville to pick up Quinn the next day, we asked the agency to contact the birth mother to have a meeting. Legally, the birth mother had to be notified of what had occurred. Josiah and I drove away from the courthouse feeling like death. Driving down a busy freeway, I buried my face in my hands, while screaming that I didn’t know how to give my baby back. Josiah, my rock of wisdom and strength, said through his own tears, “Sarah Beth, at least we can know that we’ve tried everything, at least we can know that we’ve been faithful, that we’ve glorified God in the process. I want to lay my head down at night knowing we did everything.” Calling my brother and sister-in-law who had been keeping Quinn during our trip was nearly impossible. They were given the impossible task of explaining to their own two children that Quinn would be going away. They were also given the impossible task of bringing Quinn to the airport. My brother, mustering all the strength he had, told his two children, who adored Quinn, and prepared for the airport the next day. After that phone call, Josiah and I met Quinn’s birth mother for the first time and met her birth grandmother for the second time. Upon seeing Quinn’s birth mom, I opened my arms and we embraced. I saw a confused and torn young person. This meeting included the agency workers and the attorney. Much was discussed, questions were asked, and information was dissected. It was quickly apparent that although the birth mother and grandmother loved us, they were sympathetic of the birth father. The attorney discussed heavy issues concerning how things would proceed with the birth father. At the heaviest moment, I asked everyone to stop talking and give me the floor. With Josiah beside me, I explained the prayers Josiah and I had prayed all these months, I explained just how certain he and I were that all this, no matter the mess of it, was supposed to happen. Ultimately, I explained that our hope is in something greater and that the pain this situation was going to cause would be impossible to endure without our faith. After some silence, the meeting essentially ended with our attorney speaking to us privately about the little chance of fighting this successfully we had. This was especially true after hearing both sides of the birth family. Little sleep came to Josiah and I that night as we prepared to say goodbye to Quinn the next day at the Nashville airport. What are you supposed to say to each other on a long flight home knowing your life is about to be turned upside down…again. We really said nothing other than an occasional, “Are you ok?” With the answer already known, we just stared straight ahead preparing to say goodbye to that sweet face we’d loved from the day she was born. Upon landing, we notified the agency worker where to meet us at the airport for the hand-off. When we approached my brother and sister-in-law sitting with Quinn in the waiting area, we could barely breathe. As tears hit like bullets, Josiah took Quinn from my sister-in-law’s arms and we took her into a private family bathroom and locked the door. We kissed Quinn, told her how much we loved her, and how much we would pray for her. Josiah lifted her up to play “airplane” one more time. Laughing and grinning, Quinn looked at us both. In that bathroom, agony, grief and pain were palpable. Josiah handed her to me, and I embraced her and placed her close to my chest where she laid for so many months. I wanted her to feel my heartbeat one more time. Walking back to where we would hand her off to the agency worker was torture. I was unable to speak so my sister-in-law explained Quinn’s schedule to her, gave her enough supplies to make the trip, and packed her up. After one last kiss, we walked away. As my sister-in-law pushed an empty stroller beside me, we walked away in silence in the midst of sickening grief.  What now? Yes, we can fight this legal issue. However, we are not fighting it for two primary reasons. First, the judge reviewed most of our evidence in court on June 20. The judge was certainly unmoved by any of it. Secondly and most importantly, when Quinn grew older and began asking questions like any healthy adopted child would, we would have to explain to her that her birth father wanted her and came for her, but we wanted her too so we fought and took her away from him. As parents, Josiah and I could not do that and did not think it would be healthy for Quinn. This reason is similar to the story of King Solomon in the book of 1 Kings chapter 3 where he threatens to cut the baby in half to settle a dispute between two women arguing who the real mother was. The real mother wanted no harm to the baby. We want Quinn’s best interest to prevail. At this point, you may have burning questions as to why the legal system did this or that, or why we did not do this or that, or why the agency did or did not do something. But, the more important burning questions to ask are those of what God is doing. All of us will experience suffering in our life. For us, it feels like suffering is unbalanced. We see others become parents so easily. We see adoptions unfold perfectly. We see others advance, gain, or receive, while we’re left picking up our shattered pieces. It is so easy to want to look up, shake your fist at heaven and question the goodness of God. We must guard our grief. We’re able to guard our grief when we remember that we have a High Priest who makes intercession for us, who sympathizes with our weaknesses, who has been through more than we’ve been through, and who can format mercy to fit our needs. Hebrews 4: 14-16 The day after losing Quinn my devotional said, “It is impossible to thank Him and curse Him at the same time.” Although difficult, we choose to thank Him. Why this? Every night before putting Quinn to sleep, Josiah and I would lay her down on our bed as we kneeled with our hands on her and asked God to intervene on our behalf. We claimed His promises, we quoted scripture, and we refused to doubt or to fear. In fact, before walking into court on June 20, Josiah and I prayed asking the Holy Spirit to dwell among us and to intervene. Each time I kissed Quinn goodnight in her sweet slumber and uttered, “In Jesus name, allow us to parent this child,” God heard me. But, he didn’t allow us to parent her forever. We prayed all things in Jesus’ name knowing His Word tells us that if we do so, He’ll grant our request. But, He didn’t grant our request. He didn’t give us the outcome we wanted. The notebook of scriptures I read that morning out loud to the both of us in the hotel room didn’t work the way we thought they would or should. Why? Why has God removed Quinn from a home whose primary goal was to raise her to know the transformative power of the Gospel? She will have her needs met in her new home, and she will be loved. However, we don’t know if she will be exposed to the Gospel. Why has God allowed us to go through the absolutely painful period of suffering that we’ve endured since 2015 on our journey to adopt? Why did he allow years of infertility prior to 2015? Why has He allowed our financial resources for adoption to be totally depleted? Where from? All believers know their help comes from the Lord. It is basic doctrinal knowledge. Until you are in the midst of pain and suffering, it doesn’t register completely. There is absolutely no way we could have journeyed this far without a supernatural strength from above. Although we do have a High Priest who knows our plight, we are still faced with the task to endure. All believers know God gives grace. Again, it is basic doctrinal knowledge. It is only by God’s magnificent grace that we were able to parent in such uncertainty. It was grace that allowed us to handle a courtroom. It was grace that allowed us to scoop up our child and tell her goodbye in a bathroom just to walk away and see strangers scolding or carrying a child they have no idea how fortunate they are to have. We loved Quinn with all we had. She was the joy, light and love of our lives. Walking that airport hallway to give her away was just an ounce of the pain that God experienced when His son, innocent and holy, walked up the hill of Golgotha to be crucified for you and me. Jesus lived 33 years, and Quinn lived with us for exactly four months. Though my pain is incredibly incomparable to His, we have a new appreciation of what God did for us by giving us His son. When we arrived home, we felt a pain that I wish on no one. I went straight to her nursery and grabbed her favorite pacifier. Then, I grabbed the pajamas she had just been wearing and inhaled her sweet smell. She is gone. We are broken and shattered, but not without hope and grace. It’s grace that helped us walk into our home full of Quinn’s things. Her nursery, her clothes in the laundry room, her pictures on the wall. Though our home is empty, our hearts are not. I know you’re thinking why would a good, loving God do this to people? God didn’t want this to happen, but we live in a fallen, broken world. He didn’t take joy in watching us walk away from our baby in an airport. He doesn’t take joy in the tears flowing as I type this. He did allow it, but we can rest assured that what He does is always for our good and for His glory. Quinn’s story is horribly painful, but her story will reach many lives. As my brother told me, “Quinn’s story will point others to the Gospel.” My human side is tired of losing so others can learn. However, it is not my place to know why or to understand. It’s just our job to trust. God doesn’t break our hearts to bring them back the same. Josiah and I are far from perfect. We’re a mess each day, but I can tell you this experience has changed our hearts, and we hope our hearts look more like His. What we need? First, use our story to evaluate your own life. Do you have enough grasp on God and His Word to weather the storm you will inevitably face? Let our story motivate you to be ever ready to praise Him, thank Him, and worship Him when you really want to shake your fist at heaven. Secondly, don’t interact with us as if Quinn never existed. She isn’t a taboo topic. She has part of our heart forever and ever. Third, share our story to whomever, whenever, or however. This is your permission to do so. We’ve vowed to speak out on all God has and will continue to do through this journey. Fourth, please filter your questions and assumptions. Please try not to assume that a person or an agency dropped the ball. Though we’ll always speak of Quinn with love and fondness, please don’t ask questions that you really do not have to know the answer to. Some of you might think that this is the exact reason we shouldn’t have posted pictures of Quinn on social media. We disagree. We felt that by not doing so we were limiting God. We embraced her as ours for forever from moment one. We trusted Him to bring her to us, and we trusted Him to keep her with us. Fifth, use our story to encourage you to take risks. Be willing to take risks and to be hurt. If you want great things in your life, you have to be willing to get hurt. Lastly, pray for us as we try to determine what is next for us. We know that God has called us to be parents, but at this point, we are depleted of all resources to make adoption possible. It is uncomfortable to discuss how much we’ve lost since 2015, but just know it is enormous. Pray that God will make a way. He is good and faithful. Thank you all in advance for your thoughts and prayers. The prayers of those who have known this story before now have given us so much strength. God’s presence has been so evident and the prayers of His people have been so palpable in our lives. They have carried us, and will continue to carry us. Though Quinn isn’t near, she is part of us. Because we are children of the most high King, He is near to us in this hour of darkness and for all eternity. TO BE CONTINUED... Part 2 - Beauty From Ashes  How to THRIVE in Your Wedding Vows Series “Grow old with me! The best is yet to be.” I loved this sappy, secular sentiment so much I put it on the back of our wedding program. To me, it reflected the longing of the human heart: undying love, "till death, do us part," you and me against the world forever. "Till death do us part" is the finishing touch to the traditional wedding vow. It's every couple's dreamy end goal, growing old together, weathering life's circumstances side by side. But, some days the finish line seems so far away. To top it off, society tells us if we get tired of our spouse, it's ok to step away from our promise "till death do us part." But "till death do us part." provides us with an endpoint to focus on when feelings come and go like waves on the beach. It's commitment. It’s resolved. It’s unmovable. In fact, the commitment of "until death do us part" is living and loving well like Jesus. Loving Like Jesus Loved While Jesus never married, He did choose 12 men to do life with for three years. Three years might seem like a cakewalk compared to the length of our marriage, but those three years were filled with the highest highs and the lowest lows. Just like marriage. These were men Jesus lived day in and day out with. He knew their good, bad, and ugly. Knowing what we know about this motley crew, I love what He prayed in one of His final prayers leading up to His crucifixion. “During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me; I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.” John 17:12 What stands out to you in this verse? Two things stand out to me: 1. By the power of the name you gave me. What a strong, death-defying name is the name of Jesus! When the last drop of hope has drained from a situation, all we have to do is say His name. No matter the marital situation, calling on His name renews hope and the strength to stick to loving our spouse well even on the hardest of days. 2. I protected… I guarded. Both of these words — protected and guarded — come from a form of the word “kept.” meaning to attend to carefully, To take care of, Focused, Purposeful. Jesus chose to take care of those in His care to the end. Likewise, our spouse's heart is in our care. On those hard marital days, looking to Jesus's example enables us to love our spouse with focus and purpose. A few examples of Jesus protecting and guarding His motley crew: Judas - betrayer Jesus washed his feet knowing He was going to betray Him soon. He called him friend as Judas walked up to betray him. Knowing what He knew about Judas (betrayer), He still chose to take care of Judas well to the end. Thomas - doubter Jesus washed His feet knowing he’d doubt His resurrection. He invited Thomas to touch his scars when he declared doubt of Jesus’s bodily resurrection. Even when Thomas doubted, He lovingly invited Thomas to make his faith sight. He chose to take care of Thomas well to the end. Peter - denier He washed his feet knowing he’d soon deny Him three times. Jesus warned him, but Peter denied Him anyway. After He rose from the dead, Jesus sought Peter at the water's edge. He fed him a warm breakfast and gently realigned him for even greater service. He chose to take care of Peter well to the end. Jesus protected and guarded Judas, Thomas, and Peter. By following His example, we can live with the mindset of “till death do us part.” despite our spouse's brokenness. The Ultimate Finish Line "Till death do us part" is the ultimate finish line. If we outlive our spouse or step into Glory first, we want to look back at our marital life and know we cared for them well. So, how do we get to the finish line? The wedding vows show us how to protect and guard our spouse: To have and to hold - the physical beauty and necessity of sex inside of marriage, the ultimate picture of oneness. For better or worse - the pressing in and respecting our man even on the worst days. For richer or poorer - the one-minded mentality when it comes to money and marriage. What’s yours is mine. What’s mine is yours. In sickness and in health - the patient, long-suffering kind of love whether our spouse is physically or mentally or emotionally unwell. To love and cherish - the purposeful 1 Corinthians 13 approach to loving our spouse well. Intentionally living our wedding vows guides us across God's finish line. When I think of God's finish line, I think of the passage in Scripture where the master tells the faithful servant, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." That to me would be the ultimate prize we could receive for choosing to thrive in our wedding vows. I don’t know about you, but this series on the wedding vows has renewed my commitment to love my spouse well. I love acrostics. To help me run across the finish line, I am choosing to C.O.M.M.I.T. to thrive in my wedding vows. C.O.M.M.I.T C - compassionate - be kind-hearted in my words and actions. O - optimistic - believe the best of my spouse. M - mediator - pray for my spouse. M - mindful of my own humanity - looking at the log in my own eye rather than dwelling on the speck in my spouse’s life. I - intentional. Purposely pouring life into my marriage. T - true to my word. Choosing to thrive in my “I do.” Lock arms with me, my sister. May God find us both faithful to C.O.M.M.I.T. to thrive in our wedding vows "till death do us part." I am praying this blessing from Jude over you and me. <3 24Now to him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Wedding Vows Series I Do? What in the World Did I Sign Up For? - Part 1 Heat Up Your "To Have and to Hold" - Part 2 Winning Solution in "For Better or For Worse" - Part 3 Do You Feel Weary in Your "in Sickness and In Health" - Part 4 You CAN Meld Love and Money in "For Richer or Poorer" - Part 5 Love AND Cherish no Matter What? - Part 6 Till Death Do We Part - Part 7 If you don't know the rest of our story, you can find it here.  Jesus Girl. Wife. Momma. Student. Teacher. Confidante. Lover of milky coffee, dark chocolate, lively laughter, deep talks and a front row seat on the beach at sunrise.
 The Gospel Story Inside of Easter Eggs Teach your children the real meaning of Easter with these fun, interactive Easter eggs! Hide them, find them, and open them to reveal a piece of the Gospel story. Corresponding Scripture cards (free printable below) will guide you through the Easter story as you share this special time of hunting and discovering with your children.  Resurrection eggs are a wonderful way to engage with your kinesthetic and visual learners as you teach them about Easter. These eggs make the Gospel come to life by providing a multi-sensory experience. There is no one way to use these eggs. They can be hunted all at once or opened one day at a time as your family counts down to Easter. The Scripture cards are in chronological order and will walk you through the Easter story from the beginning to end. Eggs can be small or large (I used miniature) and can be stored in fun jars, fancy canisters, or old egg cartons. Make it your own! Now, let's get started!  1. Perfume - When Mary poured the perfume on Jesus' head He said, "She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial." Therefore, the perfume that Mary used is the first symbol of the Gospel story because it preceded all the other events. HOW TO MAKE IT: Mary's perfume was pure spikenard so I put a few drops of spikenard essential oil into a small glass dram and labeled it. If spikenard is unavailable, lavender is a good substitute. If you don't have a dram, ask your essential oil loving friends for one or purchase from Amazon. 2. Palm Branch - At the triumphal entry when Jesus rides into Jerusalem as King, the crowd spread out palm branches and waved them shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” HOW TO MAKE IT: I found a bundle of miniature palm leaves at Hobby Lobby in the floral section for a dollar or two. 3. Bread - At the Last Supper, "Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.'" HOW TO MAKE IT: I purchased a bag of small half wooden egg pieces at Hobby Lobby and stained it with a light stain to give it a "baked" look. 4. Towel - After the meal was finished, "Jesus...got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him." HOW TO MAKE IT: Cut a small rectangular swatch from a white cotton washcloth or linen hand towel. 5. 3 Pieces of Silver - Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, left the Last Supper and "went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?’ So they counted out for him 30 pieces of silver." HOW TO MAKE IT: Three dimes 6. Crown of Thorns - After His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, 'Hail, king of the Jews!' And they slapped him in the face." HOW TO MAKE IT: This was the hardest one to make because finding a miniature crown of thorns replica was impossible. I even tried using real thorny twigs but they kept breaking. In the end, I purchased a bundle of twiggy-like skinny branches from Hobby Lobby and looped one branch around two of my fingers a couple of times. Then, one by one, I twisted metal wire around the loop to secure it and to symbolize the thorns. I clipped the ends of the twisted pieces of metal with wire cutters. Cutting and twisting each "thorn" deeply moved me as I thought about the real thorns that sat atop my Savior's head.  7. Cross - At His trial, "Pilate said to the Jews, 'Here is your king.' But they shouted, 'Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!' 'Shall I crucify your king?' Pilate asked. 'We have no king but Caesar,' the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull. There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle." HOW TO MAKE IT: I purchased a bag of small wooden crosses at Hobby Lobby and stained it with a dark stain. 8. Nails - They "put him to death by nailing him to the cross." HOW TO MAKE IT: Three small nails 9. Dice - "When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots." This was foretold in Psalm 22:18 - "They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment." HOW TO MAKE IT: Dice bought in the board game section at Walmart. 10. Stone - After Jesus' body was prepared and placed in the tomb Joseph of Arimathea "rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away." HOW TO MAKE IT: A round smooth stone 11. Cinnamon - "On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb." The women went to the tomb with their spices so that they could prepare the body of Jesus for the second time (in keeping with Jewish burial custom). Myrrh was the primary oil used in burial and can be used in place of cinnamon if available. HOW TO MAKE IT: Cut 2-3 small pieces off cinnamon sticks 12. Empty Tomb - When the women arrived, "They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus." Glory! HOW TO MAKE IT: A large golden plastic egg (Hobby Lobby) left empty  Store all the eggs in a container and enjoy the amazing smell of the spikenard and cinnamon aroma every time you open it! Print the Scripture cards on heavy cardstock or photo paper and laminate so that they will be durable for years to come. And, one last thing... When you are enjoying your Resurrection Eggs this Easter, snap a picture and tag @byfaithshe on Facebook. We would love to see your sweet kiddos with their eggs!  FREE SCRIPTURE PRINTABLE: 
For other ideas on how to sow seeds of faith into your children, teach them the Scriptures, and guide them on their individual walks with the Lord, check out: 1. Raising Little Kids with Big Faith 2. Raising Little Girls with Big Faith 3. By Faith Kids 4. Who Should Teach Them?  First, I am a child of God. And, like a child, I am always learning and growing. The more I know Him, the more I love Him. Second, I am a wife to a good man. Missions is his thing while teaching women to love God’s Word is mine. Third, I am a mama to three plus a sweet cockapoo who thinks he’s #4. My children are my ongoing sanctification. Fourth, I am a passionate advocate of all things healthy & natural and a dreamer/designer. Old friends call me Becky, newer ones call me Rebecca, and the most intimate ones call me Beck. You can just call me friend.
Follow us on Facebook here.  So, I hear there’s a big walkout planned for tomorrow, March 14, 2018. Have you heard about it? It is taking place on 2,853 school campuses at 10 am. Students will simply walk out of their classrooms and stand outside for 17 minutes. They say that the purpose is to pay tribute to the 17 victims of the recent school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. But, it is mainly being staged as a protest to send a message to Congress that students are demanding stricter gun control laws. Oprah commented on the planned walkout on CNN recently by saying, ”You can’t just go down there and march. There’s a strategy to the marching. There has to be a very clear intention behind what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.” This comment got me thinking. "If there’s a strategy behind this walkout, what is it? What is the clear intention behind it? Is it a haphazard gathering of high school students who simply want to speak up for safety concerns? Or, is a bigger force steering the ship?" A couple of clicks on Google, and I found my answer. Oprah was right. This walkout has been strategically planned by a very strategic group of people. You may remember them from when they wore pink knit hats that resembled female genitalia and marched on Washington shouting vile words into a microphone in January 2017. They are hardly forgettable. This group of protesting women, collectively known as The Women’s March, under their youth division titled Empower, are the ones behind the 17-minute walkout that is happening tomorrow. It is a highly-organized, highly-motivated body that seeks to:
By preying on the students’ raw emotions, pointing a big finger at the gun industry instead of at the deeply disturbed minds and lonely hearts of the ones’ pulling the trigger, these women are convincing our students that this walkout is a noble endeavor. And, most dangerously, these pink hat wearing angry protestors are successfully disguising themselves as compassionate and loving advocates. The fact that they march for, defend, and celebrate abortion tells me that compassionate and loving advocates of children they are not. They cannot preach and protest safety in schools and totally and blatantly disregard safety in the womb. In no world can these two ideas justifiably co-exist. Not ever. Also, a quick glance at the Empower sponsor list tells us a bit more. They are sponsored by Teen Vogue. You may or may not know of their recent articles (that are marketed to girls ages 11-17) titled A Guide to Anal Sex and What to Get a Friend Post-Abortion. What??? They are 11!!! Empower is also sponsored by Rock the Vote. Do you see where this is going? And yet, every student who walks out of school tomorrow is one more potential future voter in their pocket. Oprah also stated, “Do not give your energy to the other side. Do not spend all your time talking about your opponent. Do not give your energy to that which you really don’t believe in. Do not spend an ounce of your time on that.” Who are these opponents that she is speaking of? Congress? Teachers and administrators? Parents? No, they are none of the above. Ephesians 6:12 defines who our real opponent is: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” If we heed her advice, ignoring and denying the powers of darkness, then our adversary, our chief opponent, will sneak in and snatch whatever he wants before our very eyes. And, like Empower, he also has an obvious intention. John 10:10 tells us exactly what that is: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” So, instead of ignoring the spiritual forces of evil that are obviously turning our schools into their playgrounds, we need to teach our children how to maximize their 17 minutes tomorrow effectively. Instead of creating a walkout mentality that will only encourage children to walkout on school today and responsibilities, marriage, parenting, and life tomorrow, we need to encourage a “Step-Up” mentality.
By stepping up instead of walking out, each student will be empowered to create long-lasting and effective changes that begin inside of the heart, where true change originates. In the Bible, the number 17 symbolizes "overcoming the enemy" and "complete victory." By maximizing their 17 minutes tomorrow and every day after that, students can overcome this present and prevalent evil among us by stepping up and disarming it one day and one very intentional act at a time. "No weapon forged against you will prevail." Isaiah 54:17 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5  First, I am a child of God. And, like a child, I am always learning and growing. The more I know Him, the more I love Him. Second, I am a wife to a good man. Missions is his thing while teaching women to love God’s Word is mine. Third, I am a mama to three plus a sweet cockapoo who thinks he’s #4. My children are my ongoing sanctification. Fourth, I am a passionate advocate of all things healthy & natural and a dreamer/designer. Old friends call me Becky, newer ones call me Rebecca, and the most intimate ones call me Beck. You can just call me friend.
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This booklet is filled with God’s Words of peace for His children. They do not promise us a perfect life without pain, but they do promise that Our Heavenly Father will walk us through each situation, each day, each step, each second of our lives. He dwelt among them in those days, and for those of us who have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Him in these days, He dwells inside of us. Put this booklet beside your bed, in your purse, or somewhere you can grab it when doubt, fear or worry tries to creep into your heart. There is blank space to add more Fear Not verses as you come across them!
2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in e very situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 1John 4:8 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear… Psalm 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise- In God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go.” Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Bo not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Matthew 6:34 Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us? Lamentations 3:55- I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.” You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.” Psalm 118:6-14 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. Psalm 3 Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from His holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on ever side. Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Psalm 112:7-8 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most-High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Jeremiah 29:11- “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Psalm 91 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most-High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely, he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Deuteronomy 31:7-8 “Be strong and courageous…The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Matthew 6:25 “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of your by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith? Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat? Or What shall we drink? Or What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things! Follow us on Facebook here.  Cash System- Audra's Pick
When Jordan and I got married we were on our way to racking up a hefty credit card debt. Once we realized the mess we were in, we had no idea how to fix it. We decided to attend a finance course at our church, similar to a Dave Ramsey class. The class taught us how to not only pay off the debt, but how to divide out the money we had to spend each month into a cash system. This way we could physically see how much money we had to spend. When the cash was gone out of a certain category each month, it was gone...until the next month. This is a plan we still use today. Not only did it help us pay off the debt we had, but it has helped us to save a large percentage of our paychecks every month! The "Spender" Pays the Bills - Laura's Pick A couple of years ago we moved to a new town and during the moving process, I was overwhelmed by all of our "stuff". I began a journey of wanting to simplify our life! That's when I discovered a blog called, Becoming Minimalist. One day I stumbled upon "Don't Buy Stuff You Don't Need". In this particular blog, the author Joshua Becker, says to put the spender in charge of personal finances. Y'all this was a game changer for us! With me being the spender in our marriage (and having no clue of our personal finances), I just could not understand why we were not able to save any money. Once I began paying the bills, I say things to Boogie like, "Do you know how many times we have been out to eat this month?" or "We are spending too much on ______ (whatever it might be)." He would just kindly smile at me, knowing that I was finally figuring it out! Now that I am in charge of the finances, I am much more aware of what's going in and what's going out and we are in a much better place now! I realize this may not work for everyone, but Boogie and I both agree that we do not want any debt, so this works for us. Show Respect with Every Purchase - Rebecca's Pick I jokingly like to say that financial wisdom is one of my husband's spiritual gifts. He has a lot of it (and I don't)! I recognized this very early in our marriage. I had a hefty credit card bill when he met me and he insisted that I pay it off before our wedding. Talk about hard core! But, I quickly realized that we were better for it and have since respected all his financial decisions which include not spending what we don't have (no credit cards), practicing prudence and contentment, thoroughly reading customer reviews before purchases, and clipping coupons. Oh, how he loves coupons! I will be walking into a store and a text from him will pop up on my phone with a coupon for that store. No joke! But, above all, the winning ingredient is clear communication. No lying. No telling him the pre-tax price. No hiding purchases. No justifying purchases because it was a major "Sale". No "extra" purchases without receiving his blessing. This creates trust in our marriage and communicates to him (the sole provider) that I appreciate his hard work and use wisdom in my spending. I may not have many money saving tips but I have learned how to be respectful and transparent in my spending and that has saved us in other ways! For more on trust and respect with money in marriage, read this. Kids and Money - Tammy's Pick Once our kiddos started hitting double digits, we quickly realized their wants were increasing with the years. We implemented a few guidelines. 1. Out with friends - If the kiddos are out with friends, the money they spend comes from their own pocket. No money, no outing. Want money, do a chore or two. 2. Material Goods - We pay for the basics. Anything over and above, they pay for half of the price of the item. As they age, we slowly step back our part. By 18, they'll pay the full amount. 3. Car - We've told our kids if they want a car at 16 or whenever, we will match what they save towards it. 4. Christmas/ Birthdays - We have a 3 gift limit as well as a set amount for each season so as to not over give or over spend. 5. Chores - We choose to pay for extra chores over the typical housekeeping chores. These are just a few of the ideas we TRY to implement. It's hard with the changing times and pace of life, but it is our desire to prepare them for adult responsibilities during the time they are under our roof. Break A Money Spending Habit - Colene's Pick An excellent way to save money is to break a habit that continually costs you money. I have developed the unfortunate habit of buying things simply because they are on sale. Instead of patting myself on the back for finding such an excellent deal, I try to instead focus on the opportunity cost of this purchase. Asking questions like, "What else could I do with this money?" and "Do I really need this?" help me avoid wasteful purchases. Read Colene's excellent post on money and faith here.  Hebrews 11:1 reminds us, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” So much of our lives as Christians involves the things that are unseen; the feeling of God moving through a worship service, the silent prayer you whisper over a friend or family member in need, or the emotion you feel when a sermon truly speaks straight to your heart. However, my prayer for you in this writing is to speak openly and honestly about a way that you can display your faith that is seen; your money. Did your heart just sink a little? If so, I totally understand your hesitation! Can’t we just focus our hearts and minds on God and worship in a way that isn’t as tangible as reaching into our wallets? As a worship pastor’s wife, I love to witness the beautiful demonstration of our faith when we offer up our worship to God through song. But as an economics professor, I also feel an awesome responsibility to apply biblical wisdom to the study of my favorite subject, and it is clear to me that offerings of money are also beautiful acts of worship. There are many worthy ways of giving our money to God’s kingdom. For example, you can donate to a family in need, you can sponsor a child in Africa, you can pledge to support the building fund at your local church, or you can drop a twenty in the plate during the offering. However, I believe that God calls us to much more than random acts of giving; we can worship through consistent, intentional, and proportional tithes and offerings. I’ve always known that giving money was an important part of the worship experience. Growing up in a tiny Southern Baptist church, I was the designated “penny march” leader each Sunday as I walked up and down the aisles collecting spare change from the congregation to donate to the local children’s home. (I was awarded this distinction as one of the two children who attended the church.) When I was ten years old, I competed in Bible drills at my church, diligently memorizing the following verses from Malachi 3 which address tithing: “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings….Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” As a teenager, I heard testimonies of church members who tithed faithfully, and I witnessed my own parents write checks to the church even during months where money was not as plentiful. However, only when I got married did I fully begin to appreciate the profound responsibility and blessing that comes from giving and tithing. Tithing refers to giving a portion (often one-tenth) of one’s income or property. Abraham paid a tithe to Melchizidek (see Genesis 14) and Jacob promised God, “of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee” (see Genesis 28). A tithe of one-tenth of crops and animals was required according to Mosaic law. We now live under the New Covenant. Even though tithing is not specifically commanded in the New Testament, Christ serves as a model of giving that we should seek to emulate: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). In addition to the sacrificial giving of Christ, the New Testament is actually filled with financial wisdom regarding giving. Jesus alludes to the principle of giving in proportion to what one has when he says, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48) In Luke 11, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for tithing to the letter of the law (even right down to their kitchen spices!) while ignoring compassion and mercy. Mark 12 tells the story of the widow who gave generously despite her poverty. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 reminds us that “he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” From these verses, I am compelled to believe that we should give generously and joyfully back to God. Rather than seeing tithing as a rule to be followed, we should approach it as a way of furthering God’s kingdom and as a way of acknowledging that God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. Psalm 24:1 says “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” This verse tells us that God owns everything, including our money. Giving to His church and His kingdom is the least we can do to thank Him for His provision. Sadly, many Christian families are missing out on the blessing that is tithing. According to Christianity Today, only 10-25% of the average congregation tithes. Tithing helps to support our churches and mission work around the world, but it is also a way God involves us in His plan of redemption. What should a tithe look like in your life? I urge you to consider tithing consistently, intentionally, and proportionally. Consistent giving implies that a portion of each paycheck is given to the church. Giving intentionally means that you give to God first, before considering other needs, rather than giving God what is left at the end of the month. You should also question whether your giving is proportional to your income. In this way, “he who has been given much” gives more. So, am I advising that you give one-tenth of your income to the church? The amount should ultimately be determined by listening to God as He speaks to you in your unique situation. Ten percent may be too little! If you need some practical advice on how to begin tithing, you might use a strategy that I suggest to my students. Begin your monthly budget by writing down your monthly income. Below this, write down every way that you need/choose to spend that money. The very first line of spending that you list, however, should be the amount you have chosen to give to God. If you do this, the black and white contrast of what God has given you and what you are giving to Him may cause you to adjust your giving habits. As Malachi 3 suggests, tithing is one way that I have been able to see God richly pour out a blessing over my life. It has strengthened my marriage and given me a healthier perspective on spending than I otherwise would have. I hope you will consider worshipping God not just in the unseen places of your heart and mind, but also through tithes and offerings of your money.  Colene Trent, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Economics in the McAfee School of Business at Union University. At Union, she teaches classes in microeconomics, international economics, managerial economics, managerial finance, and personal financial management. She enjoys ministering to students through economics, and she loves encouraging them as they prepare for their future careers. Colene serves on the worship team of her church alongside her husband, David, who is the worship pastor and a singer-songwriter. Colene serves as the director of the Miss Tennessee Iris Princess Program, a mentoring program for young girls, so she loves all things that sparkle. When she isn’t teaching, you will likely find her completing a Pinterest-inspired DIY project.
 How to THRIVE in Your Wedding Vows Series - Part 6 Disclaimer - Because of sin, there is serious dysfunction in some marriages today. This series does not mean to whitewash any problems inside of broken marriages. Instead, I desire to uncover the beauty of the vows thru a Biblical worldview and how they are meant to play out in a healthy marriage. My husband made a comment. I replied with a snarky remark. Without missing a beat, he quoted, “It is better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.” He had a twinkle in his eye which caused me to laugh, diffusing the fight in me. But it also made me stop and think, "Are my callous remarks and digs causing my husband to want to be anywhere but at home with me?" On our wedding day, promising to “love and cherish” our spouse seems like an easy task. Yet, how often do we hear, “We just don’t love each other anymore.” when couples choose to divorce. When I thought about skipping this line in the Wedding Vows series, the Spirit slowed me down and prompted me to dig a little deeper. What a treasure trove I discovered. What does this line of the vow look like for the Jesus girl yearning to thrive in her wedding vows? My hunt began with the wisdom book of Proverbs. As I dug, I began to formulate a question to guide my research, "Which Proverbs wife am I?” Proverbs 14:1: The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands. Am I like the wise woman building up those in my household, starting with my husband? Or Do I resemble the foolish woman by tearing down my house, beginning with my husband? Proverbs 31 helps us answer these questions. Let's personalize them to see which wife we are. The Proverbs 31 "Love and Cherish" Litmus Test vs. 11 - The heart of her husband trust in her. Wise wife - My husband’s heart trusts me, no question about it. Like a bird in a nest, he trusts his heart in my gentle, kind hands. or Foolish wife - My husband’s heart used to trust me, but now he’s not so sure I’ve got his back. Some days I’m encouraging and loving, but other days I slice and dice him with my words and actions. vs. 12 - She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. Wise wife - I do him good not evil ALL the days of my life. or Foolish wife - I do him good some days, but other days I do him evil if I am feeling hormonal or tired or I didn’t get my way, or he just isn’t living up to my standard of an excellent husband. vs. 26 - When she speaks, her words are wise. Wise wife - I only open my mouth when I have something wise and encouraging and edifying to say. or Foolish wife - I open my mouth with wisdom some of the days, but other days folly spews forth like a toxic brew. vs. 26 - and she gives instruction with kindness. Wise wife - My words and actions are those of a lover, rather than a mother. They are kind and gentle and patient with him at all times. or Foolish wife - Some days my words and actions are kind and compassionate, but other days, I nag and demean and belittle. vs. 30 - But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Wise wife - I am a woman who fears the Lord and thus even on the hard marital days, love my man well for the glory of the Lord. or Foolish wife - I fear the Lord some days unless my husband irks me then I let my flesh take over. Ouch! This litmus test hurts and is convicting. Proverbs 31 is the standard God has set for us Jesus girls. I fear I fall short more days than I care to count. But I want to measure up. I want God to find me faithful to this task He set before me. On our wedding day, this task to "love and cherish" moves our spouse into the top spot below God. And... above our children. Goodness, that's a whole other post. So, how do we "love and cherish" our husbands well thru the good, the bad, and the ugly? God in all His kindness provided us with a list full of attainable ways to "love and cherish" our man well. In the place of the word love, however, we're going to insert ourselves. Lol - come on, don't check out on me! We want abundant life for our marriages. No better place to start then on ourselves. Join me, my sister! The 1 Corinthians 13 "Love and Cherish" Checklist. I am patient - I will love with a long-suffering kind of love, through the good and the bad, with a "til death do us part" kind of patience. I am kind - I will be mild and gentle in my manner toward you. I will do simple acts of kindness, a "just because" loving act, because I choose to be kind. I am not jealous - I will rejoice when others prefer you over me for we truly are one. I do not brag about my accomplishments to undermine you or appear superior. Nor will I trumpet the little or big things I do for you. I am not arrogant. I will not look down my nose at you because you don’t know something or act a certain way. I will focus on your needs rather than my own. I do not act unbecomingly - I will not be rude or disrespectful to you in my words or actions. I do not seek my own way - I will not manipulate a situation for my own good or favor. I do not provoke you - I will not seek a fight or a rise from you. I, in turn, will not be provoked by you, or become irritated by your ways or habits. I do not take into account a wrong suffered - I will not hold an infraction over your head over and over again. I will let the past stay in the past and hope for tomorrow! I do not rejoice in unrighteousness - I will not color the truth or paint a scenario to mislead you or negatively influence you about others or a situation. I rejoice with the truth - I will stand on the truth in a loving, encouraging way. I bear (or cover) all things - I won't go around telling all your deep secrets or faults. I believe all things. - Even in the worst of times, I choose to believe the best of you. I hope all things - Some days seem long, as do some seasons, of marriage. Yet, l will hope for brighter days and for the best in you. I endure all things - I won't give up on you, no matter what. I will keep on bearing, believing, and hoping until death do us part. And that's it. God's doable checklist on how to "love and cherish" our spouse well. It's a tough list, but through Christ, it is not only doable but also the way to thrive in our wedding vows. Why do we want to "love and cherish" our spouse well? At the end of the day, we want to be the safe place where our spouse chooses to land. So, we will choose to be the wise woman and build our house by loving and cherishing our spouse for the glory of God and the good of our marriage. I don't know if you or your spouse wish the other was living on the corner of the roof. But dear one, you obviously loved your spouse deeply at one time, or else you wouldn’t have married him. Listed below are some tips on how to rekindle that loving feeling. How to Rekindle that Loving Feeling: - 5 Love Languages - take the test to find your spouse's love language and intentionally serve him that way. - Husband Encouragement Challenge - a 30-day encouragement challenge - Love Dare - Take the 40 days Love Dare - The Three Things Thankfulness List - Write down three things you’re thankful for about your spouse each day. - One Act of Kindness - Choose to do one kind thing each day for 30 days for your spouse.  How about you? How did you fare on the Litmus Test? Which area do you need to move from the foolish wife to the wise wife? What about the Checklist? I know as I was writing there were a couple of areas the Spirit convicted me. Let's lock arms and cheer each other on in this race called marriage! Wedding Vows Series I Do? Who Knew? - Part 1 Heat Up Your "To Have and to Hold" - Part 2 Winning Solution in "For Better or For Worse" - Part 3 Do not Grow Weary "in Sickness and In Health" - Part 4 Content in "For Richer or Poorer" - Part 5 Love AND Cherish no Matter What? - Part 6 Till Death Do We Part - Part 7  Jesus Girl. Wife. Momma. Student. Teacher. Confidante. Lover of milky coffee, dark chocolate, lively laughter, deep talks and a front row seat on the beach at sunrise.
 Last week in The Faith to Go Forward we left off with the Israelites still stuck out in the desert while Moses, their fearless leader, implored them to recall God’s faithfulness toward them over the past 40 years. As the Israelites looked forward to the land of promise, Moses reflected back on their wandering desert years and exhorted God’s children to remember all that the Lord had done for them – His rescue, His deliverance, His guidance, His protection, His provision, His teaching, and His tender love. This generation of Israelites, children of an unfaithful people, were about to take a step that required tremendous faith and Moses knew that in looking back they would find the faith required to go forward. The next step on their long journey would be the ultimate test of faith and Moses wanted them to be ready. Let’s look at the climatic end to their 40 years of desert dwelling: “So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing…while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” Joshua 3:14-17 Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Where else have we seen the Israelites cross through a huge body of water on dry ground? "Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground…Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground.” Exodus 14:16-22 Both generations experienced a miraculous crossing. Both witnessed a mighty miracle. Yet, as similar as these events were, there was one key difference. Did you notice it? Let’s take a closer look - “Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water..." When the Israelites approached the Red Sea, Moses simply stretched out his staff and the waters divided. The word “divide” is baqa and it means “to break open”. It is the same word used in Genesis 22:3 when Abraham split the wood for the burnt offering that he would offer his son Isaac upon. The waters of the Red Sea split just like Abraham’s wood. After the Israelites had safely reached the other side, they turned around and watched the waters flow back, sweeping the Egyptians into the sea. The sight of their enemies sinking like lead in the mighty waters caused the Israelites to erupt into a song of praise – the first recorded song – proclaiming that the Lord was their “strength” and “defense” and “salvation”. They hailed Him a “warrior”. Exodus 15 Sadly, shortly thereafter, the music died as did their confidence in the One who had ransomed and redeemed them. Within days, they were grumbling and dreamt about returning to the place of their former bondage. That’s why I think the crossing of the Jordan some 40 years later had one tiny added detail that the crossing of the Red Sea didn’t: “As soon as…their feet touched the water’s edge…” Instead of parting the waters before their very eyes with the wave of a staff, God called them to the water’s edge. The word “touched” is tabal and it means “to dip”. It is the same word used in Genesis 37:31 when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, slaughtered a goat, and dipped his multi-colored robe into the blood. Just as the robe was covered with blood, the priests’ feet were covered with the rushing river water. Why did the Lord deviate from the original instructions of how they crossed over? The Bible doesn’t tell us why. But, I believe it was because God wanted His children to connect their faith with their feet. Lip service alone wasn’t enough. God could have parted the waters with an outstretched hand or blown them back with His breath. But, because He had been testing them these 40 years to know what was in their hearts, He knew that they would have to step forward and prove their trust in Him in this final act before their entrance into the land that He had promised long ago to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So, at flood stage, with swelling, rushing waters, God called His children forward. And, the whole nation, united by their faith in God alone and undaunted by the perils that lay ahead, went. By faith, they stepped into the water. The common phrase “getting one’s feet wet” means to embark on a new venture, start into new territory; to have a first and testing experience of something. The dictionary says that its origin is the 16th century but I beg to differ. In my opinion, its origin dates back to the infamous day when God’s chosen people, carried forward by faith, immersed their feet into the waters of the Jordan and embarked on a new venture into a new land with a newfound faith in their always faithful Lord. Their wet feet proved their big faith. The same is true for us today. Whenever God calls us out onto the waters He calls us to step forward in faith. No matter how tall the waves nor how deep the waters we know that God's faithfulness is greater. We trust Him for our future because we recall His faithfulness in our past. If you are standing at the water’s edge today, the only thing that you need for the next step forward is faith. No matter your situation, God is enough. No matter your heartache, God is enough. No matter your pain, God is enough. No matter your past, God is enough. No matter how many fears surround you, God is enough. How do I know this? Well, just look behind you. Hasn’t He been enough so far? The Lord Himself says that He will be with you. You can trust Him. All you have to do is, by faith, get your feet wet. There's something grand and glorious waiting for you on the other side.  Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. Isaiah 43:1-2  First, I am a child of God. And, like a child, I am always learning and growing. The more I know Him, the more I love Him. Second, I am a wife to a good man. Missions is his thing while teaching women to love God’s Word is mine. Third, I am a mama to three plus a sweet cockapoo who thinks he’s #4. My children are my ongoing sanctification. Fourth, I am a passionate advocate of all things healthy & natural and a dreamer/designer. Old friends call me Becky, newer ones call me Rebecca, and the most intimate ones call me Beck. You can just call me friend.
Follow us on Facebook here.  You know what I love? I love loving on people. I love making people feel special and letting them know they matter. I am like a 98% extrovert, so meeting people and engaging in conversations come pretty natural to me. My husband on the other hand is the total opposite. He is an introvert by nature, but the Lord has really given him more extrovert characteristics through being in ministry. We like to say we balance each other out really well! I know when he needs some time at home and he knows when I have been cooped up and I need to get out! Ha! We are in our sixteenth year of ministry and every year is getting sweeter! As I look back over the years, the one theme I find is that the Lord has been very gracious to give us favor with people. We have served alongside and ministered to the most amazing people and they have loved on us so well! The one prayer that we as a family have always had is that we would be authentic, real, and love people intentionally right where they are. We view our mission field as more than just the church building. We strive to represent Christ and love people at the ball fields, schools, restaurants and wherever else the Lord may have us. Now, hear me out...we don’t always get it right and we have had to learn over the years how to love people well. It is a refining process that will continue until the day we take our last breath. What would this world look like if we showed deep love for one another? What would this world look like if we were intentional and loving in the way we treated others and spoke to others? I thought back over our married years and came up with four ways that we as a family have tried to show love to others. I hope they can help spur you on to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those you come in contact with. Be You: First and foremost...BE YOU! Nobody wants a fake you. God created you for a purpose! Don’t try to be someone that you’re not. People are drawn to authenticity. When we realize that none of us have it together, the walls come down and real life happens. Whatever your struggles are, you can bet the people you are loving on have similar struggles too. We have so much to learn from each other, but that can only happen when we remove the mask. As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 Be Intentional: One thing that I hear people say about my husband is, “he calls me by name”. I am envious of that trait because I am not very good at it. Being intentional is not self seeking, but seeking good for that person. You loving on someone may not bring any benefit to you, but it may be everything that person needs to push them towards Christ. Scripture tells us to encourage one another! Let people know that you are praying for them and that you are interested in what is going on in their life. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Be Truthful: An important part of loving others well is being able to speak truth in love. God created each of us in His image (Genesis 1:27), so to treat someone poorly or to say things about someone that are hurtful is pretty much saying that what God created wasn't good enough. Have you ever thought about it like that? When people get to know the real you and see that you really care, my experience has been, they take truth so much better. People then begin to appreciate and respect your honesty. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15 Be There: Have you ever heard the saying, “talk is cheap”? Our actions help solidify our words. Be there for people. Be present in their lives. There is nothing better than doing life together. Be aware and notice when people are not around. A friend of mine recently said that her family will begin opening their home one night a month for anyone to come and have dinner with them. She wants to create community and love on people around her dining room table. WOW! What a great idea! She inspired me to want to do the same in a different format for the women of my community. Sometimes you don’t have to say anything, just being there is all someone needs. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10: 24-25 If I have learned anything about being a pastor’s wife, it’s to be bold in my friendships, to not fear rejection and to just be me. What you see is what you get and I am thankful for a Savior that is molding me and making me into an instrument to be used for Him everyday. If you are not an extrovert by nature and building friendships is scary for you, know that more times than not, people are wanting you to notice them and engage with them. People want to be acknowledged, loved, and feel that they matter. Maybe there is someone that you have been meaning to reach out to...go do it! Maybe you see the same customer come through the door or the same lady at cheer practice...find out who they are and call them by name. This is where the journey begins!  Laura is a pastor's wife, mom to two crazy fun kids, part-time marketing director, loves hanging out in her community and building relationships...oh and loves to laugh!
 Guilt vs. Conviction…How do we know which one it is? Have you ever wondered why you get that feeling in your stomach? That guilty, I did something really wrong feeling? And how do you get rid of it? Is there anything you can do to make it go away?
The Lord has confirmed in my own life that my feelings are many times unreliable and if I count on them to lead me then I will most definitely be headed in the wrong direction. He has been teaching me to always test everything (every feeling, every idea, every speaker, every writer…everything) with TRUTH! In John 17:17 As Jesus is preparing for His own death, He prays for His followers. He says to God, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.” This tells us, The Bible, God’s Word, is the Truth. We must use it to determine in our own lives what is True and what is a Lie. So, when I feel unloved, I know the truth is that God loves me because HIS WORD tells me that He does! And when I don’t feel like loving others, I know that the truth is that God has commanded me to love others, even those I don’t feel like loving. I can also relate this to my sin. When I feel like I have done something wrong, (like I have sinned) I can test this feeling with the truth of God’s Word. The Bible is covered with what a Christ follower’s life should look like. So, when I examine myself against what scripture says, it will tell me if my feelings are appropriate. It is a must in the life of a Christ follower to examine our guilty feelings because they always require action! They can come from one of two places and the action we take depends completely on where they originate. It can be 1. CONVICTION of Sin or 2. GUILT from Satan (the great accuser). If we examine ourselves with scripture and find that we are living in a way that doesn’t line up with God’s Word, then we are experiencing CONVICTION and we need to REPENT (go to God with a humble spirit, ask for forgiveness, and turn away from that sin). James 4:1-12 gives a strong plea to believers to deal with their sin. David, in 2 Samuel 12:1-15, was a great example of having a truly repentant spirit when he realized he had sinned. If, however, we find that our life actually does line up with scripture and the feeling we are having is GUILT from Satan, then we need to take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ! Meaning, we shouldn’t dwell on things that aren’t of Christ (Philippians 4:8). So, don’t let Satan bring up past sins that you have already truly repented from. Psalm 103:11 says God removes our sin as far as the east is from the west! Instead of listening to Satan’s lies about you, dwell on what God says is true about you. Although, like in David’s case, repentance of sin doesn’t excuse us from consequences which can sometimes leave a painful reminder, God does forgive them all! TEST FEELINGS WITH SCRIPTURE - IF IT’S CONVICTION - TRULY REPENT IF IT’S GUILT - REPLACE IT WITH TRUTH  The Pioneer Woman's Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs - Audra's Pick I'm a huge fan of The Pioneer Woman. She is down to earth and uses normal ingredients in all of her cooking. I have made these chicken legs multiple times and they are always a hit! I hope your family enjoys them too.  Chili Lime Chicken Burgers - Laura's Pick The recipe came highly recommended from some of our friends. I tried the recipe in hopes of offering my family a healthier option. I was so afraid that my kids would turn their nose up at it, but they didn't...the loved them!! It is now in the family meal rotation and they specifically ask me to make it regularly. We choose to eat them more as an entree instead of on bread like a burger. We like to serve them with roasted brussel sprouts.  Beef Stew - Rebecca's Pick My family loves the heartiness of this stew and I love its ease and healthy benefits! I actually timed how long it takes me to prep - 13 minutes! That includes chopping the vegetables! So easy, so yummy! And, don't let the radishes scare you. They taste more like potatoes once they're done. I especially love making this on a Saturday night so that it's ready to go after church. Ingredients: 3lb diced stew meat 4 carrots, sliced 2 bunches of radishes, trimmed and halved 4 celery stalks, sliced 1 quart beef broth 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder 2 1/2 tsp mineral salt (I use Redmond's Real Salt) 1 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 c Bragg's Nutritional Yeast 2 squirts Bragg's Liquid Aminos 2 1/2 tsp xanthan gum Directions: Throw all the ingredients except for the xanthan gum into a CrockPot. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. During the last half hour, take out 1 1/2 c of the broth and place in a blender with the 2 1/2 tsp xanthan gum. Blend well for 1 minute (hold lid on tightly). Vent the hot air and blend again for another minute. Return to the CrockPot and cook for an additional 15 minutes (this will thicken up the stew). Enjoy! Nachos Supreme - Tammy's Pick Some nights, I just need something fast and easy. This recipe is easy and yummy and rarely has leftovers. Bonus: the kiddos have learned to make it!  Jeffery's Chocolate Chip Pancakes - Melissa's Pick (Jeff and Melissa shared their "In Sickness and In Health" story here) “And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the Lord your God has blessed you.” Deuteronomy 12:7 The kitchen table is the most important place in our house. This is where we all come together and unite as a FAMILY. We eat breakfast, lunch (weekends) and dinner together. We always pray and give thanks to God as a family, holding hands, at every meal, even if we eat out. It’s so important to teach our children to be thankful for all the blessings He has given to us. Dinner time is the best! There is always lots of laughter, singing, joking and hugging at the table. We also keep a jar on the table, for everyone to write down things that they are thankful for into the jar. On New Year’s Day we open the jar and read all of the things out loud that we were thankful for the past year, and talk about those great memories that were made. Jeffrey is “famous” for his homemade chocolate chip pancakes, which we always eat on Christmas Day. The kids don’t even complain that we open presents AFTER breakfast!! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Jeffrey’s Chocolate Chip Pancakes 2 cups self-rising flour 1 egg 1/3 cup oil 1 cup Milk or buttermilk Chocolate chips and/or peanut butter chips Mix the flour, egg and oil in a mixing bowl. Add milk until you get a consistency that will pour easily. Then add chocolate and/or peanut butter chips to your heart’s desire! Serve warm, preferably with peanut butter on top!!   PLEASE DO NOT USE HER NAME! Today we introduce you to a new friend. She is a beautiful young lady who is sold out for Jesus. Be encouraged by our friend today! Share her story with anyone and everyone who needs to hear it! It is truly one of the most amazing testimonies of The Lord's continued pursuit of one of His children I've ever heard! We will not be sharing our friend’s name to keep her safe. If you know her, PLEASE DO NOT USE HER NAME!
Let me introduce you to my world of "defining identity.” When you're born in America I assume you call yourself American, right? This might be a natural understanding for a lot of people, however, in the part of the world where I live this isn't as natural as it is in the USA. I was born in Central Europe and grew up in what we consider to be a western environment. At the same time, I was raised with a Middle Eastern mindset. What does this mean? In the Middle East, it is not welcomed to be open-minded or express thoughts in public. Even simple decisions can have a significant consequence in my culture, especially when you are a girl. As a girl you’re always expected to consider the honor of the family. If your decisions are contrary to your family’s values or worldview this would be interpreted as disrespectful and others would conclude that the head of the family (normally the father, husband or brother) failed to teach you honorable manners. The result would bring shame on the family’s name in our society. My struggle with identity began with these cultural considerations but became even more complicated. In my early childhood when someone asked me where I was from and I told them my citizenship they would respond, “This cannot be true, you have dark hair, dark eyes and eyebrows, you don't look European." My parents are originally from Turkey, and for that reason I do not look European. In the city where I lived I was always considered a person with a migration background regardless of where I was born. Being considered an outsider was normal for me, not only in my neighborhood, but also among family. When I visited Turkey, I was always considered to be a European girl. My parents came from the same country but one of them is from Western Turkey and the other from Eastern Turkey where they were raised with different customs. I struggled to try and live according to the customs of both sides of my family and the country where I lived because I was a part of it all. The result was a life where I was always identified as an outsider. No matter what I did or how hard I tried I never fully fit in where I was. Others who did fit in couldn’t understand my desire to be normal. Wherever I found myself I was typically expected to be someone I was not, basically it wasn't acceptable for me to just be me. I was left with no personal identity from a very young age. From early childhood, I had important questions about life. "Where do we come from? What will happen after death? Is there a life after death?" These were questions that troubled my heart. No one could give me a satisfying answer. I was raised in an Islamic home with greater emphasis on the traditions than the religious aspects of Islam. However, I always felt the desire to become religious. While my father tried to raise us more secular according to his communistic worldview, my mother was my spiritual guide. She believed in Allah (Arabic name for God) while my dad didn't. She taught me to memorize Arabic prayers to find peace in struggles or in fearful times. I always wanted to please Allah with all my heart. I wanted him to be proud of me and love me. I decided to seek his will in doing more religious works like fasting, praying, donating money to the poor and so on. I kept asking questions to people who I thought could give me an answer but without real success. Unfortunately, I also didn't receive answers to my prayers even though I thought Allah was the truth and would save me from my fears and struggles. Because my parents were divorced there was also a lack of warmth and understanding at home. As a result of this, I became more unhappy, disappointed, bitter and started to live a rebellious, worldly life in my teenage years. I tried to walk away from God but in my heart, I couldn't deny him. This restless life lasted until the year 2010 where I met a schoolmate in high school. One day during the break he shared with me that he believed in Jesus, which wasn't a big deal for me at first. My response to his enthusiasm was that I said that I also believed in Jesus but there was nothing special about it. He explained his belief and made this statement, "You believe that He is only a prophet, but He is more than this, He is God!" Obviously, the Lord must have worked in my heart because I didn't feel offended by that statement at all (which is unusual for someone who believes in Islam.) Instead, I questioned it and challenged him by asking for proof. He started to quote Jesus' sayings from the Bible. "Jesus says love your enemies." or "There is no greater love than to lay down your life for friends." These teachings were so new to me and it hit me. I started to attack him with questions and it bothered me that he always had answers right away. He even knew Islam better than me, which was embarrassing. He always urged me not to trust him but to read and investigate everything on my own. After weeks and months passed, he asked me a very important question which shook my foundation. His question was, "Do you know where you would spend eternity if you would die today?" I didn't hesitate with my answer and told him, "Yes, I believe that I would spend eternity in hell, but I always hoped that my punishment wouldn't be so harsh there." Then, he shared the Gospel with me and shared why the Lord Jesus had come and died for our sins. I couldn't comprehend the necessity of why Jesus Christ’s blood had to be shed. My friend explained the necessity of an ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Atonement through animal sacrifices was familiar to me long before I began to study the Bible. Muslims believe, as the Jews do, in atonement through animal sacrifices, and they still practice it actively. After I realized that I couldn't possibly practice enough animal sacrifices to be fully cleansed from my sin, I asked him what I needed to do. Before he told me what I had to do, he asked me another very important question. “What are you ready to give up in order to know the truth? Are you ready to give up everything?" He explained what the cost might be for me. In my culture, following Christ could mean giving up family, job, friends, image and reputation. Basically, everything that mattered to me would likely be forfeited for the truth, the ultimate truth. I probably wasn’t fully aware how this might look like in practice for me. I could have been kicked out of my home, my family could have completely avoided talking with me or, in the worst case, I could have experienced violence. Even though I was raised in a relatively secular home there was the chance that if things went very bad I could experience serious consequences. However, I was very serious about taking this step, so my friend told me that I needed to go home and be alone in my closet. He explained that I had to repent and invite the Lord Jesus Christ into my life to be my Lord and Savior. He told me if I did this and placed my faith in Jesus Christ, I would become a child of God. He emphasized that I had to give up on Islam because I could not follow two different ideologies. I did it and my life changed from that day forward! Soon, friends began to quit their friendship with me and my broken relationship with family members broke far more. This was exactly what my friend had told me to expect when he was talking about the cost of following Christ. It was not acceptable to my friends and family for me to follow a different path and to believe differently than their beliefs. Before I accepted Christ, I knew that it might come at a cost but now the reality of losing everything was becoming a harsh reality. Regardless of the cost, I knew I had started on a path that I could never abandon. Jesus had become my Savior and Lord, and I was determined to live for him regardless of the cost. The Bible became my constant companion and as I lost so many things that had been so very important to me, my Savior filled my life with His love and closeness. I could have only dreamed of the good things that the Lord Jesus begin to bring into my life. Almost six months after my decision, my younger sister decided to follow the Lord Jesus as well. This only deepened the separation I had with family members who now started to accuse me of brainwashing her. My dad and older brother started to slowly and certainly distance themselves from me. God continued to show his kindness when, one year later, my mother decided to follow the Lord as well. Not only this, but within two years I also had the privilege of witnessing my schoolmate share the gospel with his parents and seeing them make a decision to follow Christ. Praise be to the Lord who has blessed me so much since I made the decision to live for him. He rewarded my decision to give up everything for Him by giving me my mother and sister back to walk this path together. It is still not easy to follow Christ in my culture, but I am reminded of what He did for us and in comparison, my cost seems so small. The Lord did so much in my life and changed me radically and gave me all the answers I've been looking for. He is my peace, my strength, my answer for life and even beyond death. Three years after my decision I was baptized along with my mom and sister. We symbolically died together and rose again as new creatures where we declared to the seen and unseen world that we follow Christ! After all, I happily can say I truly found my identity in Christ. It doesn't matter who we are or what we are able to do. It matters who we are in Him! Follow us on Facebook here.  How to THRIVE in your Wedding Vows Series Disclaimer - Because of sin, there is serious dysfunction in some marriages today. This series does not mean to whitewash any problems inside of broken marriages. Instead, I desire to uncover the beauty of the vows thru a Biblical worldview and how they are meant to play out in a healthy marriage. I was five months pregnant when my husband called to tell me he had lost his job. Shock and disbelief flooded my mind. Questions pinballed through my mind: “How?” “Why?” “Don’t they know I’m pregnant?” “What will we do?” etc., etc., etc. On the flip side, we’ve had times of financial blessings where we have stepped back and wondered at the sweet benevolence. Questions like, “What are we going to do with this?" “Where should we spend it?” “Should we put it into savings for a rainy day?” excitedly skipped from our lips. Situations like these --when we are all misty-eyed and saying our vows, “for richer or poorer”-- seem almost romantic. Like “We love each other!” “Love is all we need!” “We’ll always make the best decisions financially together and for the benefit of the Kingdom.” As the years roll by and children, as well as, bills and other adult responsibilities start to arise, “for richer and for poorer” can threaten to divide the oneness of marriage. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that money ranks in the top 3 reasons for divorce or discord today. A myriad of reasons could be behind this statistic: erratic spending by one partner, undisclosed bills, job loss or change, etc. It comes as no surprise that this is another area the world bullies us by telling us how to spend our money and where to spend it. It tempts us to the next best thing with a click of a mouse or a swipe of a card. All the while, drawing our hearts away from “In Richer, In Poorer." As Jesus girls and wives, we want to know what God says about money. So, how does one thrive in the midst of “For Richer, For Poorer?” By not allowing either side of the spectrum to pull us from the beauty of being one flesh. The oneness that comes when we say, "I do." 1 Timothy 6:6-12 gives us perspective on how to handle our money. A. The Perspective of Contentment But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. vs. 6 Pinterest is delightful to find the latest recipe for chicken or a last minute dessert idea. But Pinterest can also steal our joy and contentment as we scroll through the most recent home decorating tip or latest clothing styles. Our hearts tug at our emotions causing us to become discontent with what we have in the lure of wanting the next best thing. Paul offers the remedy in verse 6: godliness + contentment = great gain. Translated for us as wives: 1. I will trust God whether He gives us much or if He chooses to provide us with little. 2. I will respect my husband's efforts to provide for us as best as he can. For Richer, For Poorer Question for Ourselves: Am I content in God’s yeses and noes in our marital financial life? Am I respecting my husband's efforts to provide for us? B. The Perspective of Temporary For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. vs. 7 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. vs. 8 In the rat race of life, it’s easy to get caught up in the here and now. We want to enjoy the latest vacation spot and trends and thrills. But all that glitters in the world can draw our focus from our reality. As Billy Graham famously repeated, "My home is in heaven. I'm just traveling through this world." The same temporary perspective needs to hold true in how we view money in our marriages. If we have food and covering, we are blessed. Extra is nice, but not if it draws us away from spending each day living with eternity in our minds. We can't take things with us into eternity. Only people. "Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God." Proverbs 30:8-9 For Richer, For Poorer Question for Ourselves: Am I truly content with what I have right now, the food and coverings the Lord has graciously provided for my husband and me? Does our checkbook reflect an eternal perspective? C. The Perspective of Enough For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. vs 10 Like the internet, money is neutral; it is neither evil nor good. Loving or coveting money is a root of evil, but money itself is not evil. How does that play into marriage? We as wives need to make sure we have a Kingdom mentality when it comes to money. - We must make tithing a priority. - It is good to increase our giving, rather than our bank accounts or wardrobes. - It is beautiful to be generous with the needy in the body of Christ, providing for their needs before fulfilling our wants. For Richer, for Poorer Question for Ourselves: Am I using money or is money using me? Does it cause me to wander from my faith? What would my husband say about me and my spending or saving habits? It boils down to this: like sex, money is very much a part of our marriage covenant. While the world is busy telling us its thoughts, we want the truth about money and marriage from our Creator God. D. The Perspective of God 1. Team Mentality A couple should focus first on building a strong team mentality and seeking God individually as well as a couple, rather than striving to accumulate things. (1) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 2. Biblical stewardship A winning mentality in life and in marriage is to remember that everything belongs to God. He has lent it to us to care for and to bring Him glory. (2) The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. Psalm 24:1 3. Our Finances No secrets. No separate anything. That's the beauty of being one flesh. "Every dollar brought into the home is a dollar that belongs to the home. Every dollar that goes out the door is a dollar that the household spent." (3) This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Genesis 2:24 4. Budget Want to fight less about money? Create a budget and stick to it. Coming together to create a plan for money and utilizing it is life-giving to any marriage. (4) “His master replied, ‘ Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21 5. Pray Prayer is huge. It changes our hearts to become more like God's. It helps us become content with what we have. It reminds us of the hope of eternity. It satisfies us with enough so we can bless others with our excess. ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3 Love and money do mix beautifully together… in God’s economy. "For Richer, For Poorer" is a gentle reminder that whether we have much or we have little, we're a team. We are committed. We can thrive in the lean times and in the times of plenty. Regardless of which side of the spectrum we are on, we will lock arms and hearts for the glory of God and for the good of our marriage. Wedding Vows Series I Do? Who Knew? - Part 1 Heat Up Your "To Have and to Hold" - Part 2 Winning Solution in "For Better or For Worse" - Part 3 Do not Grow Weary "in Sickness and In Health" - Part 4 1. Focus on the Family. 2. Fierce Marriage 3. Bible Money Matters 4. Crosswalk   Jesus Girl. Wife. Momma. Student. Teacher. Confidante. Lover of milky coffee, dark chocolate, lively laughter, deep talks and a front row seat on the beach at sunrise.
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