2013 Printable Advent Devotional

I did a little tweaking to the Advent Calendar Devotions to make them fit into the 2013 (slightly shorter) Advent season. I also made them a cinch to cut out and fit into your Toilet Paper Roll Advent Calendar (or whichever calendar you are using). I hope you find it helpful! Click the link below to access it!

Advent Devotional

Let me know if you have any suggestions to make it better! This just started out as something that would fit my family, but I am glad to know that it has blessed many other families and churches over the years!

{Redeeming the Time}: Purposeful Planning

It’s a new year and you've made your new resolutions, right? If you haven’t done that yet, maybe you need to resolve to make some, hmm?


Has planning ever made your resolution list? Be a better planner? Certainly a worthy goal. 


For some it comes pretty natural, for others, not so much...that's okay. There really are pros and cons to either being too set in plans and being too loose with plans. 


No matter how different we are, we all have a common goal. We want to hear "those" words. Which words, you ask? Oh, these words...


 “well done, good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your master.” (Matt. 25:21).


To achieve that end there is definitely something to be said for cultivating the discipline of planning (even doing it for the glory of God!) 1 Corinthians 10:31 says whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for the glory of God.


Even simple, mundane and routine things can be done to bring God praise. God actually commands us to redeem the time for His purposes. 


Ephesians 5:15-17 says, "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil".


 It’s really hard to redeem the time when you don’t have a plan! 


Without a plan... you will do one of four things: 

• go with the flow and quickly become very busy and overwhelmed
• go with the flow and become lazy
• become anxious for lack of a plan 
• strive for the wrong things

Which is your leaning? Or can you nod in agreement at all of them? ;) In that case, let's get to planning!


First things first – it’s important to determine your personal priorities so you know how to prioritize your plan. Sit down, pray through, think through and talk through with your husband different areas of your life, including: 
 -spiritual health 
- physical health 
- discipleship (growth in you, your family, connection to community) 
- service (spending time, talents and treasures on those in need) 
- relationships (with the Lord, with husband, with children, friends, extended family, etc.)


Once you have ordered your priorities, come up with a general outline listed with biggest priorities first. It may end up looking something like mine (since most of them are scriptural goals):
1. Love and know God
2. Love, serve and shepherd my family
3. Serve the church with my God-given gifts
4. Love and minister to the lost, poor and needy
5. Honor my body and take care of it


 After you have generally come up with priorities, you can make them more specific (serving in church nursery, MOPS group, ministering at the nursing home, etc.). Here's an example of that:


1. Love and know God

• reading/memorizing (fighter verses)
• journaling/praying (prayer cards)

2. Love, serve and shepherd my family

• reading together/family worship @ 5x per week
• sync time with husband once per week

3. Serve the church with my God-given gifts

• mentor college girls once per week
• preschool every other month
• MOPS @ 2x per month

4. Love and minister to the lost, poor and needy

• nursing home once per week
• meal for potluck in Bryan once per month

5. Honor my body and take care of it

• The Shred -  20 min. @ 2x per week

Get out your calendar and look at a typical week. Do your priorities align with your schedule? 


Which things are on you calendar that are not on your priority list? Write those down. 


These will help you come up with a "Not To-Do" list. Mine looks like this:


Not To-Do List:

• Checking email too often
• Checking facebook too often
• Making a homemade meal for someone on an already busy night (takeout/gift card instead)
• Making something homemade when its not necessary
• Blogging that isn't beneficial to my family, the Lord or the gospel going forth
• Reciting the "rules" to my kids more than His story of grace
• Thinking there is something of my job that matters more than my kids

You get the idea...use the difference between your calendar and your priorities to make this list. You may need to go way back to get enough for a list together. Or just know your own tendencies...


In doing this exercise, we may start to feel condemnation thinking that your life doesn't line up with what you portray it to be or even just what you want it to be to line up with scripture. It's so easy to know what your priorities are (or what they should be) and in the hustle and bustle of life for things to get flip flopped…


I want to first love and know God, but if I look at how I’ve spent my time in a particular week, it doesn’t seem like is true in my life. If it’s true, then I would have put aside the email, the facebook, and maybe even some dishes to have prayed and spent time with the Lord.


So we don’t just want to know our priorities, we want them to reflect in the way that we live. 


Shopping for Time is a wonderful book by Carolyn Mahaney that focuses on managing the time God has granted us on earth with the same intentionality we have with shopping. She talks about how we clip coupons, scour sales racks, carefully study garments and think through what would match and how we wouldn’t think of throwing items into our carts before doing those things BUT how often we do that with our time! Our precious time!


Starting your day... can be as simple as praying and reading from the Word. One helpful tip I have received (from Mahaney's book) and put into practice is to get a journal and complete three sentences about the passage of Scripture that you read. I like this method because it can be done simply with a Bible and a journal, anywhere, anytime and I'm not depending on a devotional or needing a new one. Plus, I am reading straight scripture. 


1.  What does the passage reveal about God?
2. What can I learn about myself in relation to God (based on the verses)? 
3. What do I resolve to do in response?


God's sovereignty... There’s a fine line between making plans/sticking with them and then committing those plans to the Lord. Culture tells us we are sovereign and in control of what happens in our lives. It’s important to recognize that as much good planning as we do, human responsibility is always subject to God’s sovereignty.

 Prov. 3:5-6 “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways and 

He will direct your paths.”

 Prov. 16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man, 

but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD

 Prov. 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, 

but the LORD establishes his steps.

God's Purpose... God has given us a mission much different than the world’s. He has invited us to “come and follow him”, and to become His disciple. He doesn't need us, but He wants to use us! That's worth rejoicing over! His purpose is to use us to bring Him glory during this short time we have on earth, to be lights for Him in a dark world. But we will have a hard time doing that if we fail to prioritize our lives to make the best use of the time He’s given us.


So in all of this we are working toward finding balance in planning in order to redeem the time and holding our plans with an open grasp, knowing ultimately He is in charge of our plans. It’s a wonderful and difficult balance that we should always be striving for and always re-evaluating how we are doing in our lives.


Other ideas...

• Take a personal planning retreat (an extended time once or twice a year for study, prayer and evaluation of what’s working/what’s not)
• Plan special times with your family - Daddy/Daughter Dates, Father/Son projects, Mother/Daughter moments, Mother/Son Dates, game nights, movie nights {check out my Pinterest board for some inspiration}
• Plan to simplify/declutter/give generously {check this out}
• Plan your book list for the year. Need recommendations?

Remember this: even if you only change in one area, you will be doing more than if you hadn’t sat down to plan at all. So pick one thing and run with it! God will be honored that you are desiring to live by redeeming the precious, albeit small, amount of time He has given you!

Bible Reading Plans for the New Year

Here is a re-post of what I have recommended the past few years:

Bible Reading Plans for the New Year!

Allen and I read through one together last year and it blessed our socks off! Doing it together was fun, and always gave us something to talk about as well. Once I heard a few other people were doing it, it was great because we could discuss what we were learning through the scriptures, too.

Justin Taylor had this blog post last year with many different Bible reading plans to choose from. Last year we read the ESV Bible Reading Plan and this year we are going to try the Discipleship Journal Plan (with catch-up days), which will work nicely if you fall behind or if you want to research something more fully on the "off" days. Reading through chronologically could also be very interesting!

So, don't delay! Go choose yours! I highly recommend it.

Another Use for Stockings

My family had never had stockings before this year. I guess I just hadn't gotten around to incorporating that into our holiday. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE stockings and the way my mom filled them was amazing, but I wanted the stockings to be special
                                                                                         
                                                                                                 and beautiful
                                                                                              
                                                                                                       and matching and...

we have been adding members to our family for the 3 years up until now.

So...all that to say - I finally made some!

And with the idea of continuing our thankfulness - this time towards each other instead of at Thanksgiving when it could be anything or any person- throughout the month of December we will write notes of thankfulness or making creative pictures for each other and put them in each others' stockings.

I encouraged the kids to think of something that they loved in one of our family members and write it down, letting them know. Or giving them the option of writing a note and making a gift for Jesus. These cards for Jesus will go under the tree in Jesus' manger for when he arrives on Christmas Day (yes, He will really arrive in a basket under our tree thanks to one of Taylor's old baby dolls).

The other cards that are in the stockings will be read by all on Christmas Day. This is the first year to do this, but I am praying that its a sweet time of reflecting on the blessings the Lord has given us in our family and in Himself and overflowing with thankfulness for those things.

His grace is so evident in the gifts that He gives, particularly in giving of Himself. I want my kids to connect those dots.

I will probably also throw some other fun items into their stockings as well. It's just too hard for me to see things in the dollar bin that I know they would love and pass them up!

I really hope this will be a meaningful tradition that bonds our family and points us toward our Savior. 

Supermom or Abiding Mom?

This week I was able to give another devotional at my MOPS group, one that the Lord has placed on my heart for awhile. There are a few others I have typed up: here, here and here. Honestly, as much as it impacted anyone, the Lord used my thinking through it, meditating on it and evaluating my own motives to impact me. I told the ladies in the room that I was preaching to myself, and they were just there to listen in! I was encouraged to hear that it struck a cord with other ladies there, as well. (Phew!)

The social networks (facebook, twitter, blogs…) are all the rage these days. I got on facebook the year after I graduated college and had NO idea it would take off like it has. All of social media is a mixed bag to me. It can be used for good, but many times is not...the evil is lurking, especially in the area of self-promotion.

Social networking makes it super easy to gain glory for ourselves. There’s even a phenomena known as the “SUPERMOM”. Have you heard of her? Well, anyone can be one.

Simply:

• keep the home like Martha Stewart, perfect and beautiful
• but don’t spend any time doing it because that time should be spent doing learning activities with your children constantly (so that they are baby geniuses, of course)
• be a dating diva who plans thoughtful dates for your hot hubby
• be the ultimate do-it-yourselfer. As a matter of fact, don’t pay for anything. Make it all (but just make sure it doesn’t look like you made it)
• oh, and you should be looking fabulous while you do all this (?!)

Do you know this woman or are you this woman? The first thing one of them said to me was, "that's you!" I don't doubt that I have tried to be this woman, but I have fallen short or I have given up the most important things if I have succeeded. I tend to DO a lot of things, just like Supermom, but I certainly don't want to be Supermom. I want to be an Abiding Mom. The Abiding Mom IS.

Click for a chart put together by Confessions of a Homeschooler, called Abiding Mom. I laminated this chart and put it on my fridge to remember the truth of abiding in Christ rather than the things that I do.

Our true character is who we are, it’s NOT the things we do, NOT who we appear to be and NOT the way we are perceived by others. Dave Kraft puts it this way, "Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
Here are some truths that we can cling to daily:

• I am fearfully and wonderfully made by the Creator of the universe
• I am known by Him (He searches me, He knows me, He discerns my thoughts, and there is nowhere I can go from His presence).
• I am created with purpose, fulfilling the calling He has given to me
• I am loved and treasured by God
• I am of great worth in God’s eyes

Why is it so hard to rest in this truth though? Why do we feel the need to gain worth through others' acclaim and praise for something we've done? It's tangible, that's for sure. You can post something funny or awesome and a few hours and 28 comments or tweets later, you feel pretty sure of yourself. What are your motives in getting that praise? And what about the day-to-day HARD work of mothering that often doesn’t result in much praise? I know I don't feel very thanked during diaper changes when I am kicked, screamed at and flung poo at. Nonetheless, I can rest in the fact that I am being faithful to God's call for me as a mother.

Some may struggle with the other side of the spectrum, not feeling valued and of worth no matter what you have done. Either way, we are failing to rest in the truth of the Word, reminding ourselves of the truth often. Instead, we let the lies of the enemy or the lure of the world drown out His truth. If we have a right view of God, hold fast to scripture and train our minds in truth we will be ready when those temptations come. I am asking God to help us as women to be confident in who we are in Christ, recognizing the amazing grace we have been shown (especially when we fail) and practicing that grace not only with ourselves, but with others (the goal here being to determine your motives, not someone else's, recognizing our own need for a Savior).

In Jesus’ life, he healed many and there is something to be said for the state of those that he healed: they knew their desperate need and they put all their hope in Jesus. The world teaches us all too well how to masquerade as if we have everything under control and aren’t broken, aren’t in need of healing…we pretend to be strong, pretend we don’t need to be redeemed.

Jesus wasn’t just a good teacher who had wise sayings that we can read about every now and then, He wasn’t even just a healer of physical afflictions. He was and is God who came to the earth to redeem us once and for all. God wanted to restore the relationship with us that had been broken by sin because He loves us and wants to commune with us. We separated ourselves by our sin and made that impossible. So, he made a way. It was painful, sacrificial, excruciating... It was the ONLY way. He sent His Son, Jesus to die on the cross on our behalf. Jesus didn’t stay there for long though. After three days, He showed His power over death by rising from the dead and defeating the power of sin in our lives. Those who believe in Him, He says He clothes in robes of righteousness all His own, having nothing to do with us.

Romans 10:9-10 says that all who confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord and all who believe in their heart that God raised them from the dead will be saved.

To paraphrase Mike Wilkerson:  Imagine your worst moment of guilt and shame. The memory that would haunt you to the grave if you let it. In light of that sin you can’t imagine that God would forgive you. Let me let you in on something. It was at that moment that Christ died for you. At your worst, God gave you His best. If you’ve not done what the scripture says up to this point, don’t delay. Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved.

2 Cor. 5:17 puts it this way, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old (sinful self) has passed away, behold! The new (pure, spotless, blameless) has come!

If we know Christ in this way, there is no reason not to see ourselves in this light. The new has come! Amen!  We don’t have to earn anything to add to who we are. We don’t have to “measure up”. Christ measured up perfectly on our behalf. We don’t have to impress others because we serve Christ (not man, not woman, not supermom). And if we serve Christ, we make it our goal to please Him in our calling (as a wife, as a mom, as whatever else He has called you to), being aware of His amazing grace towards us when we fail (which happens all too often!).

Your self-worth and confidence is based on the righteousness of Christ on your behalf. When God looks upon His children, He doesn’t see supermoms or superchristians, baby Christians or baby mamas, He sees Christ. We forget that and instead try to measure up, hiding our imperfections and finding our worth in the things we do or how we are seen.

Mike Wilkerson has a great analogy in his awesome book, Redemption, he says this:

“Imagine you were to fix a theater spotlight on a stage actor and then point a toy flashlight at a blemish on the actor’s face. What happens? Nothing. Why? Because the spotlight is so bright that the flashlight has no effect. It’s not that the flashlight isn’t shining, it’s just that it doesn’t make any difference. The glory of God in the face of Jesus – his grace, mercy, forgiveness, cleansing and healing – simply outshines any of the blemishes that haven’t faded yet; but they are fading and in the end, they’ll all be gone.”

Who are you in your Father’s eyes? Are you confident in His spotlight (the radiant child who points back to Him) OR are you desperately seeking a flicker or glimmer of your own goodness and deeds to be noticed in order to feel worth?

In one of my favorite books, Loving the Little Years, she mentions fruit-bearing trees and says this regarding them, “God told them to make something, and they do it enthusiastically. They don’t care what happens to the fruit. They do not measure their efforts or fuss when no one appreciates it.”

Oh that we could be like those trees! Confident in our purpose and confident of the results or lack of results, knowing that we are simply doing what God has called us to do. In many ways we have let our cultural admiration for efficiency find its way into our parenting…but there are times when digging in the dirt with our kids and making mud pies (completely throwing our selves into an otherwise useless activity) is the best kind of fruit we can bear in growing our relationship with our children.

There is something freeing about laughing at yourself, knowing that amidst a fallen world, God is calling YOU to live victoriously in all things, including mud pies.

So, how is God calling you to forsake the calling of a supermom and simply be the abiding mom?

Today Is the Day

I've been hesitant to share this part of our lives. Actually, still am. My feelings and emotions are such a part of me and they are so raw, that to put them out there makes me a bit apprehensive...yet, I trust that God can and will use this for His glory despite my desire to keep it in the vault forever.

Today is actually a significant day. It's the day that we were expecting to welcome our 4th baby into the world. Not many knew that we were pregnant, so then, not many knew that we lost the baby at 8 weeks...

Although we trusted the Lord and His sovereign hand, we grieved  and mourned the loss of our child and felt we were on a bit of an emotional roller coaster. No matter how much faith you have, there is still mourning that needs to take place as you recognize your sadness in simply losing a child. I struggled with feeling that it made me less spiritual that I was having a hard time and dealing with sadness. The Lord comforted me and allowed me to grieve without that silly condemnation nagging at me. But, it's real and I have talked to several women who have felt that way. They have mentioned genuine friends wanting to help and try to "fix" what's going on by saying the exact right thing about God's sovereignty or your faith in Him. It's not an issue of faith and it's certainly not an issue of someone saying the perfect thing...there is simply grief as a result of losing a child. Prayers and hugs are perfectly sufficient. I also know that different people grieve in different ways, so what is helpful to me may not be to others.

I understand "fixers" because I am married to one. We have worked out a system that when we sit down to talk, I am upfront about what I am expecting from that conversation. If I simply want him to listen, I let him know that. If I want his help coming to a decision or thinking through something, I state that. It's pretty simple and effective because what I am wanting from him changes so frequently. Imagine that.

The Lord was gracious to us as we walked with Him and saw His strength shine through our weakness. By His grace, we were able to take courage as we waited upon Him to calm our emotions, clear our thoughts, and discern His direction for our family as He healed us. Amidst all of it, the death, the suffering, the unknowns, the healing, He did something amazing.

He showed us a piece of Himself that we had never seen before. He revealed Himself as Comforter to our hearts. And that revelation was astounding. I began to see Him so clearly in the everyday, in the mundane, in the things that I normally would have been too busy to see. He opened my eyes to see Him as I never had and I was so grateful to know Him in a deeper, more intimate way because of it. Although I don't understand how taking the baby fits into the bigger picture, I do know that His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts as well. And I trust that as He emptied me out and was my sufficiency in a dark time, He would also fill me up again, even fuller this time from experiencing His love in a new and refreshing way that made the mirror less dim than it already was.

We stand hopeful that our baby is with Jesus, dwelling in His richness and glorifying Him in heaven. What a beautiful picture and reminder that we will all see Him face to face...may those who know Him long for that day! The day when he will wipe every tear from our eyes and death shall be no more...the day when there will be no mourning nor crying nor pain anymore. Behold, He will make all things new! 

I write all this to be an encouragement. I hadn't thought about the baby often in the past 5 months, except a passing thought here or there. But as it got nearer and nearer to my due date, I began to realize that it might be a sad day for me. I have to remind myself that it's okay to grieve. I'm not holding this with an iron fist. The Lord gave and my hand was seemingly open for Him to take away. That's His possession to do as He pleases and He loves that little one more than I ever could. I knew the truth in my head, I needed it translated to my heart in full faith. The heart that was full to the brim and sometimes overflowing with emotions.

If you have experienced this kind of loss, I am so sorry. Sometimes words are too much and you just need a hug and a good cry. Be honest about what you need from people who care about you. Turn to the Lord to be your comfort because people will let you down, but the Lord never will. He will be your portion and your strength.

A precious gift, given to me!
Oh how wonderful; this portion is mine.
"Wait a minute", says God as takes my hand,
Reclaims the sweet gift and says, "Now is not the time."

"What? How could you?"
Oh wait, that was His to begin...
Why then were my hands gripped around it,
If I knew that He could give or He could take, in the end?

Do I still trust Him? How could I not?
I know of His faithfulness; I've tasted His love
So, though there be sadness, grieving and pain,
I am compelled to trust my God in the heavens above.

My God who gives blessing may freely retrieve
to please His sovereign will
I'll open up my hand to Him,
With His strength, saying "not my will, but Your will."

I have no grounds for doubt or dwelling in fear,
He's proved Himself o'er and o'er
Though in suffering He empties me out,
He's readying me to be filled even more.

Prayer Cards

Several years ago, after reading A Praying Life by Paul Miller, I decided to make some prayer cards to assist me in praying for the people in my life as he did and as he recommends in his book. I thought the idea of praying specific scriptures over my children and husband was a beautiful thing.

I searched the scriptures and asked the Lord to help me choose the ones that were right for my children and for Allen, ones that would speak to the calling God has on their life and to the giftings he has given them as well as the struggles they will face and the Lord laid some on my heart.

Since them, I have made many others for women to use a little more generically with blanks at the top to fill in with stickers the names of your children or husband or whoever you want that card to be for. I would love to share them with you as well. But before I do that, can I just share my conviction on why I did this or why this may be of some assistance to you?

In reading the scriptures, I am convicted that I need to be praying and in a prayerful spirit throughout the day from these passages,

Ephesians 6:18 says, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kind of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Apart from that, having a history of prayer in my life, I know it as a source of power in my life, leading to growth and perseverance. As a mom of 3 littles, I need this desperately and I am so dependent on God to help me when I am clueless as to handle a situation, when I need to be in the right state of mind for discipline, and when I begin traveling uncharted territory (which is mostly everyday).

I also know that it has the power to bend our wills to God's will as we pray and put ourselves out there, allowing God to change our will and align it to His.

Prayer is discipline and work, and doesn't come easy, but if you have failed in the past,(and hasn't everyone?) be willing to start fresh. Confess your failure to God and discipline yourself to begin anew. Take baby steps, like the prayer cards, setting them by the sink while you do dishes, allowing yourself to meditate on and pray through the specific scriptures on the cards. Redeem the time you spend in the shower, in the car, and waiting rooms, using those spare moments for intercession or meditation.

Once you are doing well with "baby steps," expand the prayer time by waking up 10 minutes earlier in the morning and then adding on to your time. And I have come to realize how important it is to take hold of the distractions. The way I do this is by writing them down. If I get distracted thinking of all the things I need to do today (especially as I sit in the house which screams out to me for help and maintenance), I tuck those away by writing down "load of reds, call Mom, get chicken out of deep freeze, etc.) and then I don't have to let them float around in my head anymore. They are written down.

I hope these are helpful for you as you embark upon the discipline of prayer, hopefully flowing from a heart that desires to pursue God. Keep in mind that these are just a starting point, expand from these cards and pray many different scriptures over your children and husband, church, family, friends, and our nation.

Be sure to click on the picture to make it large, and then right click and save as... After having them printed at your photo place of choice, we added names with stickers and then laminated them for durability. We also hole punched and used a metal ring to hold them together and make it easy to flip. It would also be easy to use a dry-erase marker to write on and add scriptures or people, if you desire to do that.

Mary's Portion

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."     Luke 10:38-42

Most people are super familiar with this passage of scripture, even to the point of writing it off. I can't say I didn't try. The Lord kept on and kept on putting it on my heart over Christmas break.

The two weeks leading up to Christmas were completely nuts. I was running around like a headless chicken most days: cooking, baking, making goodies, making gifts, wrapping gifts, hosting get-togethers, Advent activities with the kids...and truth be told, I was resenting all of it. Because of my bad planning and failure to say "no", not knowing my boundaries, I was getting all stressed out and Martha-like.

I prayed that God would slow me down. I knew that I was being Martha and far from being Mary, but I couldn't stop, there was too much to be done. Do you know that God answered my prayer? Not in the way I expected or wanted Him to, but nonetheless, He answered. He answered by completely slowing me down...to a stand still. First with a virus that swept through our family, taking me out first. Head in the toilet, yes, I'm listening, God?

And then He slowed us down with a difficult trial in our family. A time of grieving and restoration took place when following the two crazy weeks, we had two completely empty weeks to see God's activity, whereas before we had pushed Him aside. He allowed me to see Him in the little moments throughout the day - the song with the perfect words that ministered to me, the cuddly sick child who never cuddles otherwise, the random run-ins in the grocery store, the unexpected opportunities to minister. I began to notice and see His activity and realize that He was there all along, but the noise had been too loud to hear His soft whispers. 

I can relate well with Martha, as I trust you can too. I have yet to meet someone who has told me that they struggle with trying to be more like Martha, they are really a Mary at heart. I know they are out there, but I haven't met one. So I found myself asking, "How do I choose the good portion when there is so much to be done?" The Lord gently showed me that I was asking the wrong question. Martha was not doing a bad thing with her gifts of hospitality and cooking skills. The Lord had really gifted her in that! Jesus was addressing her heart when he gently rebuked her. He was not saying that what she was doing was sinful or even that it didn't need to be done, but that her heart in doing those things was sinful.

Jesus always went around addressing people's hearts even when they weren't getting it. People practically had their to-do lists out, wanting Jesus to add action items to it and Jesus just kept on telling people to trust and to believe and asking them to do things that He knew would address the idol in their hearts (see Mark 10:17-27 and John 6:28-40, to name a few). But when he rebuked Martha with all gentleness, she responded with much teachability.

Here's a teachability test for you: how would you feel if you woke up 30 years from now with the same habits, attitudes and sins that you have now? How about evaluating how your life is different from 10 years ago? Has there been change?  (let's hope!) But is that change based on the Gospel and its transforming power? When we belong to Jesus, staying where we are at is not an option. He wouldn't allow Martha to stay put in  her sin, He wouldn't allow me to and He won't allow you to if you belong to Him.

He came, lived a perfect life and died on the cross as the perfect payment for our sins not just so that we could have a ticket to heaven, but so that we could be made NEW! There is so much more to the Christian life than sitting in a pew every Sunday. There is so much more than the trip to the altar that you took when you were five years old. There is abundant life (John 10:10)! And it transforms! He can do this if we are teachable and respond to his rebukes and leading. In what ways are you pushing Him aside or failing to respond to His leading? Martha thought she had value because she was productive; she truly had value because she belonged to Jesus. Where do you seek value? Is it in all the "doing" like Martha? Be teachable and allow the Lord to show you that those things don't earn you anything. I am certainly learning and re-learning that.

Ephesians 2:10 says this:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Good works are a GOOD thing! We see that here as we understand that God prepared them for us and we were created for them, so what's the rub? Is it the "good portion" (the worship) or the service and good works, like it says here?

I definitely see balance in the Scriptures, and I see that without negating either worship or good works, we can find balance that Jesus offers as our foundation. On one side of the spectrum you have a completely overbooked schedule with good works and service filling it up and eventually you will see spiritual dryness (check! been there!) and on the other side of the spectrum you may see isolation and failure to engage community, failure to have accountability and meaningful relationships - people who care about you and will speak truth into your life. This is a must! If you don't have this, I will gladly help you find it.

Balance is possible, even if you are in a stage of life like me, with littles running around everywhere, needing your help with every little thing. I understand that every minute is occupied while they are awake. Plan better and try to do service opportunities with your kids. We have taken our children with us to nursing homes, canned food drives, hospitals for visitation, and delivering food to someone who is struggling. If you wait until your kids are in bed or your kids are older, you are putting off an opportunity to serve the Lord in this way and teach your children how to serve. If asked to serve and you can't do it joyfully, know your boundaries and decline. Don't fear people more than you fear God and certainly don't agree to make a meal for someone out of guilt when your schedule is already overloaded and you know you need to spend that night with your family or in the Word.

Remember what Jesus said about Mary? He said that she had chosen the "good portion" and that "it would not be taken away from her." It wouldn't be taken away from her then, so that she could go help Martha and it won't be taken away from her for all eternity. I have been asking myself the hard questions: is what I am choosing going to be taken away or am I choosing the "good portion" like Mary, the portion that is eternal? What about you?

Bible Reading Plans

For the past few years, Allen and I have been doing Bible reading plans for reading the Bible in a Year. We have done the ESV Plan and the Discipleship Journal Plan (I wrote a blog post about it last year.

This year I want to do something different. I have been given such perspective by reading the Bible in full...such an overarching picture of God's grace and His character...such an amazing story of redemption. I have loved it.

But this year, I am yearning to have more scriptures written on my heart. I came across the ESV Bible Memory Plan....Treasuring God's Truth in Your Heart. You memorize one scripture a week, 52 in a year. Each week is a different truth that you are memorizing scripture about.

The plan recommends:

1)on the first day reading the scripture aloud 10 times, saying it 10 times without looking.
2) on the second day repeating 10 times without looking (if possible).
3) repeating the verse each day for the rest of the week.
4) saying each previously memorized verse once a day
5) having a partner to keep you on track
6) being committed and praying! Ask God to write these scriptures on your heart.

I am very excited about this! I'm not sure if Allen is going to do this with me, so if you need a partner, let me know. I may not have one just yet.

Also, here is the Gospel Coalition's list of plans.

Happy Bible reading and memorizing!

Advent Devotions 2010

I just completed our 2010 Advent Devotions and would be pleased as puddin' if they made their way into your Advent this year as well. You can certainly adjust the questions and paraphrase the scriptures to make them applicable for young children. I pray that it blesses your family this Advent season!


Go get it!

2011 Version is here!

Finding Rest in God Alone

This is my little Easton snoozing...this kid knows how to rest. Especially in his own bed. When we are somewhere else, the picture isn't quite like this.

I know a little girl who has a unique gift. Her family came over one night and as it got later into the night, we put our kids to bed and their daughter played on the ground. She was literally playing one minute while we were talking and the next minute we looked over and she was completely out. Snoozin' for a brusin'. She was laid out on her back, arms and legs stretched out, mouth open, enjoying her dreams. We all had a good laugh and then her mom told me that she does this all the time and she can do it anywhere. I was a bit envious, wishing my children had that same gift. Oh, how lovely would it be if my kids could actually sleep in the car, at church, at a friend's house when we are there late. Think about the eternal implications! This girl could be an amazing missionary! I love it.

"My soul finds rest in God alone." Psalm 62:1

As I was thinking about finding rest in God, I began to ponder what other places we find rest. I remembered this little girl. She found rest everywhere. In that aspect, amazing! In the context of our souls...not so good. Our souls don’t often find rest in God alone, they often find rest in wherever seems most desirable at the moment. They seek out other places to find rest. Our hearts attempt to find rest in things, people, places other than in God alone.

Where our hearts rest is a reflection of what our hearts and souls are worshipping. God created us to worship and serve Him and to experience an intimate relationship with Him. Adam and Eve severed that relationship at the Fall and their hearts longed for something else to worship. Ever since then, we have worshipped many things. Deception is real and our hearts fall for it all the time, leading us to seek fulfillment in things we think we can control, things meant to serve us that we eventually come to serve.

So, since you are reading this, and I have your attention, here's a few questions: what are you serving? What is your heart clinging to? Is it beauty, power, influence, money, achievement, recognition, social standing? Is it a blessing from God that you have made into an idol, like your husband or your children, motherhood, homemaking?

Or… do you cling to God himself and the peace he offers when you find your security in Him? Your soul finds true rest when your life, everything you do, flows out of the faith you have in Him.

You may be in a place where you are seeking rest in God PLUS other things. Or you may be in a place where your aren’t or you have never found rest in God. "What is REST?", you're thinking.

We have a perception of idols as something we actually bow down to...something bronze or golden, a statue or altar, but let me be clear...an idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, ‘If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.”

So, what was the first thing that popped in your head? What are you striving after?

Is it a blessing from God that you have exalted? Certainly I've been there. Often our idols are good things but our hearts turn them into ultimate things and put them in the place of God. And the greater the good, the more likely we are to expect that it can satisfy our deepest needs and hopes. We find ourselves turning to that thing or person instead of to God.

What thing or person do you turn to? You may be expecting your needs to be met there instead of in God. But the truth is, those things don’t satisfy. They are all false promises that say, “if only, then…” They don’t lead to true rest or satisfaction. After reading this verse in Jeremiah it seems silly that we would strive for these drips of "goodness" instead of turning to the Fountain of life and love.

"My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. " Jeremiah 2:13

I’ll give you an example. One I’m not too proud of. But I do want to model humility. Last year was a hard year for me. I became a pastor’s wife. Became a part of a brand new church. Had a baby. Added on to our house. New expectations I inflicted upon myself. Had 3 kids, 3 and under. Enough said, right? I could have written it off to circumstances for sure.

I was having a hard time coping with the stress and I began to rely too heavily on Allen. Everything he said and didn’t say completely rocked me. If he told me I looked beautiful and commented about my work around the house, it was a good day. If he failed to mention something important going on at church that I felt I should know about, it was a bad day. If he encouraged me or wanted my input, all was well. If he failed to notice all that I had to offer him, the kids, the church, my day was ruined. At that point in my life, security was an idol that I was trying to find in Allen instead of in God. I wasn’t allowing him to be human. If he fell short, I was appalled because I was expecting perfection from him.

But God, in His mercy, allowed me to see that what is supposed to be a blessing, my husband, had become an idol to me. And He redeemed the whole thing by opening my eyes to see that, as my husband falls short, it becomes a wonderful reminder of a God who will never fall short. And He showed me GRACE. Amazing grace.

"He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage." Psalm 55:18

“He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?” Rom 8:32.

He freely gives us all things because He loves us, but we have to keep from clutching those things (our blessings) too tightly and becoming enslaved to them. The battle is all around us...for our souls, our marriages, our children, our security...We have to know and rest assured of God’s love and delight in us so that we can rest our hearts in Him for our significance, security and anything that happens in this life.

His love is evident as you look to the cross. That’s where you’ll see that God did not withhold his only son from us. God can be both just (demanding payment for our sin) and justifier (providing salvation and grace) because He provided his son as the ultimate sacrifice. We can never be great, secure, significant, confident by trying harder, but by believing in the Savior who lived and died for us out of his infinite love and holiness. This makes it absolutely certain that he loves you.

So that's settled. Now the tricky part...how to live every day, every moment in that truth. A famous preacher, Martyn Lloyd-Jones has this quote,

“ Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to  yourself instead of preaching to yourself?”

What he means is that we listen to ourselves, our emotions and feelings and let those things overwhelm us instead of preaching truth to ourselves. You know what I mean.

Example: Your friend makes an inconsiderate comment that you replay over and over again in your head. Your feelings are hurt and you come to the conclusion after a few hours of mulling it over that she completely hates you and wants nothing to do with you, you are an awful friend and no one would ever want to be friends with you, you are basically unlovable. Okay, maybe you aren't as extreme as me, but let’s take that example and preach to ourselves instead. This is what that might look like, “I am sure she didn’t mean it that way. The truth is she has always been a good friend to me, I have no reason to doubt her and I want to assume the best about her intentions. I have always been a faithful friend to her and have much to offer to our relationship.” See the difference? The second one is preaching truth to yourself instead of listening to lies or worrying about the unknown, saving you much mental stress and offering you peace.

I have four basic truths that have revolutionized the way I preach to myself. These will offer rest from the battle we have going on in our heads and in our souls (these come straight from You Can Change, a book I heartily recommend reading and going through with a small group)

1. God is great – so we do not have to be in control.

When we worry, become easily irritated and frustrated, we are not trusting God’s sovereign control. We are trying to take control ourselves and frustrated when things don’t go the way we planned. He can use even the minor inconveniences to grow you.

2. God is glorious – so we do not have to fear others.

Is craving the approval of people or fearing their rejection a controlling factor in your life? The bible calls this “fear of man.” Some symptoms of this could be: overcommitment because you can’t say no, fear of being exposed, small lies to make yourself look good, jealousy, envy, depression, anxiety, or comparison. The answer to fear of man is fear of God. Meditate on God’s greatness, beauty, holiness, grace, mercy, and love. Recognize whose approval really matters to you.

3. God is good – so we do not have to look elsewhere.

Often we look elsewhere because the results are immediate and we don’t have to wait. Sin is real, it's pleasurable, and God is distant. But the truth is that the joy we experience in this life is but a shadow of the source of all our joy, God. If we would begin to think beyond the moment, we would see that there is no use looking elsewhere.

4. God is gracious – so we do not have to prove ourselves.

We often feel we need to vindicate ourselves, we need to be proved right in a certain situation. Or we need to do good things to prove ourselves to God, as if Jesus isn’t enough. Maybe you are confident of your justification before God on the last day. But what about today and tomorrow and the next day? Are you still trying to prove yourself? Trying to do enough to be considered a "good Christian?" Rest in God, who no matter how far we’ve strayed (like the prodigal son), welcomes us home with open arms, embracing, welcoming and honoring us. Jesus has done all that’s required. If you have trusted Jesus, there’s no need to be busy proving yourself, trying to earn blessing and performing to earn favor.

You may think you already know those things. You probably do if you've ever been in a good church. You know it in your head at least. Do your actions prove that you know those things? Are you in the habit of preaching those things to yourself?

Whenever we know these things and our actions prove we know these things (as we preach truth to ourselves), we find rest for our souls in God. We don’t have to worry, strive, prove, be in control, fear, look elsewhere, we can simply rest in His truth.

Psalm 139

I had the wonderful opportunity to speak about Psalm 139 at my MOPS group last month. I love this Psalm and want to share my findings with you.

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

God has a perfect, in-depth knowledge of you. God knows your thoughts, words and motives. He is not a far-off God who distances Himself from His people, but instead He knows the ins and outs of your lives. He knows every single detail.

He knows your thoughts about yourselves: negative or prideful
He knows your words towards our children: harsh or gentle
He knows your motives towards our husbands or roommates: loving and submissive, or irritated, bitter and unsubmissive
He knows your motives in posting things on Facebook or your blog: self-promoting or a humble discovery, something we want to share with others
He knows when you are tired and need encouragement
He knows when you struggle
He knows that there is nowhere you can flee

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

There's no hiding from God. There's no place you can get away from the knowledge of God or His knowledge of you. This is a good thing if we are His children! We serve a God who is omnipresent. There is no place we can go that is not under His precious care.

Beckett loves to run from Allen while they are playing together. I'm sure even the neighbors can hear him, giggles fill the house and everyone has a smile on their face. But there are times when our children run from us for other reasons. They have disobeyed. They are hiding something. We do the same thing with God. We try to hide for those same reasons. We are nervous and fearful and feel we have disappointed Him.

We need to recognize this as a GOOD thing, that we are aware of our sin. Our sin did not catch God off guard. When Eve at the fruit in the garden, God wasn't scrambling around for Plan B. He knew all along that we would rebel against Him before the creation of the world, and His plan included the craziest, most loving idea to put on flesh and come into the world to rescue His people. He did it through His Son, Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect, sinless life and took on the punishment that we deserve, dying on a cross. When we believe that we are sinful and trust that Jesus has paid our punishment, we are reconciled to God.

The good news is that believers don't have to wallow in condemnation anymore! We fall short.
Every.
Single.
Day.

If we take our cues from the world, it's easy to believe that God would give us the cold shoulder like people do when I let them down, but God isn't like that. He's ready to embrace, ready to welcome us home, like the parable of the prodigal son.

I recognize this every day that I have been a Mom. I have never been an impatient person (that I knew of) prior to kids. When the kids came along, my impatience rose to the surface (it was there all along) and I realized it was something I needed to deal with. I once read a book that mentioned a sermon on anger and impatience, in which the altar after the sermon was filled with people. All moms of young children. Imagine that.

Every day I recognize areas where I fall short, and I turn to Jesus, who offers grace. I need His strength in order to change. All the discipline and effort won't keep me from falling short. I may be able to change outwardly by myself but it's simply the behavior that has changed, not the heart behind that behavior. God is the one who changes hearts. So thankful for that grace!

Tim Chester says it well, "Without grace, we view life as a contract between us and God: we do good works, and in return he blesses us. When things go well, we're filled with pride. But when things go badly, either we blame ourselves (and feel guilty) or we blame God (and feel bitter)."

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,  your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

It's easy to think of my children in this way because they were actually knit together in my womb, but to think of myself this way? Much more difficult. Why? What does that say about us when we fail to rest in God as Creator? Are you doubting his perfect design of you, doubting how he made your personality, your character, your gifts? If so, like me, you are questioning how you are made and God's design and ultimately, questioning him as Creator.

He carefully knit us together and is working in us now. He is knitting together our lives now, through the good, the bad, the hard times, through the insecurities, struggles, sacrifices and joy that we encounter. 

I once read about Corrie Ten Boom’s analogy of a tapestry. She was a great missionary who would travel with this beautiful tapestry and show the backside first before she revealed the front. Here is an explanation of the tapestry by Mike Hyatt:

“(life) As it unfolds in real time, it’s like viewing the backside of a tapestry. It appears to be nothing more than a jumble of thread—tangled, frayed, occasionally knotted, and seemingly random. Nothing really makes sense. It’s no wonder people lose heart, give up, and abandon their commitments.

But things are not always what they seem. It’s only when you turn a tapestry over that you see the art: the rich colors, the texture, and the patterns that can make a tapestry a thing of astonishing beauty.

Likewise, occasionally God gives us a glimpse at what He is weaving into the fabric of our lives. That momentary peek at glory gives us the courage to soldier on, knowing that nothing happens by accident. No thread of experience—good or bad—is wasted. When it appears to be that way, we just have to remind ourselves that we are simply looking at the backside of a tapestry. And the One weaving it together, knows precisely what He is doing.”

Isaiah 40:31 says, “but those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint." I love and cling to that verse often! Though there may be waiting, struggles, and trials, God will renew our strength. He is with us and sees the moms who are pouring into the lives of little ones day after day, He sees the students who strive to serve Him but are overwhelmed with school and studying, He sees...He knows...He is honored. He gives his children strength everyday through his Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Skipping to the last 2 verses (Allen explains the verses I skipped and more, here):

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Will you be willing to invite God to examine your inner life and rid it of anything that hinders you from walking with Him? Anything that would make you want to flee...to expose any grievous way...

David (the writer of this Psalm) has much to be fearful of in God searching him. He committed adultery and murder, just to name a few. But fear didn't keep him from asking God to search and know him. He knew God to be a God full of grace and mercy toward those who trust Him. He knew God's character, knew God was ready to embrace him and welcome him back into His arms.

So thankful to serve that God and not the God I imagine sometimes, the god who requires works, perfection and approval by others. Thankful for the way I was created, the care that is taken on my behalf, the forgiveness offered when I want to flee, the open arms, the grace I'm given, and the work He's doing.