Decisions

Some time a few months back Justin and I decided that homeschooling our children would be in the best interest not only of our children, but our entire family. But today, today has been a hard one. Today is the day before public school begins. Everyone is running around town trying to cram in either their last day to purchase school supplies, or trying to savor that last summer day before the semester begins. Today, almost everyone in this area has something in common, something to talk about. The feelings of pressure and relief of a new school year starting are commonly shared among the majority of folks you meet. And then because we are some of the few that don't share that in common there are always those assumptions in conversation that have to be responded to. Conversations like:

Person we know: "Hey kiddo, are you ready to go back to school?"

My Child: "We have already started school."

"What?"

"We have already started school."

"Where do you go to school?"

"We homeschool."

"Oh. Why did you start so early" (person looking at me...)

Me: "Why not? It's hot outside, so it's either stare at the television or spend that time during the day learning."

"Didn't you want a summer break?"

"We still get to do all the summer things, but now we can take a longer break when the weather isn't so hot. Maybe we'll get to go to Disney World while your kids are stuck inside taking standardized tests."

OR

Person we know: "Who's class are you going to be in?"

My Child: "I'm in my mom's class"

"I didn't know your mom was a teacher. What grade does she teach?"

"All of them."

"How does she teach all of them?"

"We homeschool."

"Oh...Is she qualified to do that?"

"Well I am in the 2nd grade. I'm pretty sure she finished the 2nd grade."

Or my favorite:

Person in the store: "I bet Mom is ready for the kids to go back to school!"

Me "Not exactly"

"Oh, really? So you will miss your kids when school starts?"

"Not exactly"

"What do you mean?"

"We homeschool."

"Oh, I'm Sorry."

"Sorry for what, that you assumed I was ready to get rid of my kids all day everyday or sorry because you assume I have to spend all day everyday with them because we homeschool?"

"I don't know."

"That's OK. Have fun with those rising rates of premature sexuality among public elementary students."

At least that's how I fantasize how those conversations could go. (DISCLAIMER: These conversations are completely fiction and are not meant to represent any specific conversation I have had with anyone I know, least of all you - the reader.) But seriously. I only joke about it because its actually has been a little rough on me and being sarcastic is my number one defense mechanism. The thoughts really going around my head are ones like, "ARE we making the right decision," and "IS this best for our family?"

A few days ago we received a postcard in the mail from Jones' would-be Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Davis. Mrs. Davis is unlike any other Kindergarten teacher I have ever met. She is amazing. We know this because Jenna was in her class a couple of years ago. I must say that when we received that card I immediately began second guessing our decision. We loved her so much and prior to choosing homeschooling we prayed fervently that Jones would be assigned to her class. Well in a way, our prayer was answered. But at this point the "yes" only raised my doubts. I know God's will rarely looks like you'd expect. I was truly hoping to see that he would have been in anyone else's class. That would have sealed the deal for us. It would have been a sign that "yes," we have made the right decision. I guess that's what I get for not submitting our withdraw letter to the superintendent's office earlier. I'm such a slacker. If I can't even get one little letter sent off then how do I even think that I could homesch....Oh, wait, no I'm not. I've just been too busy spending hours each day actually educating my children rather than worrying about their education. Whew! Thought I was really blowing it there for a minute.

But as I mentioned, that one little "yes" we got a little too late - what does that mean for us now? It means that God is in control. It means that He has laid out His plans for us. And ultimately I think it means He is saying, "Whichever way you would have chosen, I was taking care of you." Thank you, God, for knowing my heart so well. Thank you for providing us with exactly what we needed for deciding what is best for OUR family. I pray that others are so yielded to Your Spirit to receive the resources needed to make decisions that are best for THEIR families.

I recently spoke with a dear friend of mine who has chosen to send her oldest off to Kindergaten this year. I think she's pretty SCARED OUT OF HER MIND. Just from what I can tell...Anyway. As I was going on and on about the decision we made and why we made it and why it was the BEST for us, I also wanted her to realize that they had made the same tough decision we did - they too had to decide what was best for THEIR family. She need not be afraid! She needs to enjoy the ride! (Joshua 1:9) So do you.

What hard decisions are you facing? At what intersection are you standing, asking God to point to you left or right? Know this. If you are living your life for the glory of God, you ARE IN His will. His will is that we live for Him no matter if we turn left or right. He will care for and guide you in whatever decision you make. But you must be yielded to His leading. It is not in our decision making that pleases God, it is in our surrender to Him everyday to carry out that decision for His glory.

Starting Out

Starting out. Making changes, altering the familiar. It reminds me of the line, "every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." That is one of my favorite lyrics of all time.

Starting out. Adjusting your surroundings, Learning new things. So what is this new beginning, what will be the beginning's end?

Starting out. Embarking on a journey, laboring for something better. A new career, a new love, a new life, a new you. All of which come from the end of some old beginning.

Starting out. Do we not live in a constant state of starting something? We start breathing oxygen for the first time at birth, we will start to cease needing oxygen for the first time at death. We start our days, then we start to fall asleep. We start to feel hungry, then we start to feel full. We start to feel lonely, so we start searching for our soul mate.

Starting out. Why do we feel it's hard to start something new? Aren't we constantly changing hour by hour and minute by minute from the time we are brought into this world until the time the Good Lord takes us home? Why do we fear starting out? Why do we fear change? Isn't starting out just a constant part of life?

Starting out. What if we never started anything? Life would cease to exist. And not just physical life - the life we experience, the life that gives us joy would cease to exist. Had I not started to love, my family would cease to exist. Had I not started to think of what could be, my hope would cease to exist. Had I not started to believe, my faith would cease to exist. Had I not started to share my love, my thoughts, and my faith, my joy would cease to exist.

Starting out. What are we afraid of? Tell me. What are you afraid of?

Hope for the Hopeless

I had the immense privilege of traveling with a group of about 20 people into Joplin, MO yesterday. For anyone who is unaware of the significance of this privilege - let me fill you in. On Sunday, May 22nd an EF5 tornado leveled approximately 30% of the city of Joplin, MO - destroying over 8,000 structures (primarily homes as well as one of the major hospitals, several schools, businesses and churches). It is reported as the SINGLE DEADLIEST tornado in US history (since the records started in 1950) with 122 confirmed dead and hundreds of people still unaccounted for.

After the magnitude of that sinks in - let me share with you about the few hours that yes, I was privileged to spend in this city. We had a diverse group of about 20 people gather at our church building in Lamar, MO around 9am, yesterday, May 24th. Our primary purpose was to organize, prepare and serve a free lunch to 1500 people. Just a note here on God's timing: our church was prepared to offer this service at the drop of a hat because on the night of the tornado our small community was merely "rained-out" of an event where we were prepared to serve 1500 people. Little did we know that our seemingly over abundance of hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and the works would be so desperately needed only 40miles away - and would be no where near enough to meet the need.

We assembled, loaded, and left. We were working in conjunction with a church located on the North end of Joplin only 4 miles from what has been deemed "The War Zone." Our team showed up, took over, whipped everything into shape and was prepared for the crowd at least one hour earlier than the news had reported we would be. So we waited. And waited. No one came.

How naive we had been. OF COURSE they didn't come. They COULDN'T come. The masses of people in need of a free hot lunch were knee deep in mud, debris, and the mere splinters left of their existence.

So we sent pick-up load after pick-up load of 3-5 man teams into the wreckage. Drivers were using side streets to get around blockades, driving over downed power lines, through flooded streets, and across miles of devastation. Team members were riding in the back of trucks and vans barking out, "Hot Food!, Hamburgers, Hot Dogs!," to attempt to draw people out of their storm shattered homes to receive an ounce of love and compassion in the form of lunch. Stories were shared, blessings were given, and back they went - into the dark, wet dungeons searching for anything of worth or meaning - all while more storms were approaching.

We heard stories of how people survived in their homes, we met one man who was on the roof of his home when he witnessed the mile-wide, multi-vortex, terror take out St. John's Hospital. He ran down his ladder and took cover. We served him a couple of hot dogs - after he came back down off his roof. Among those we served were volunteer police officers, utility workers, friends & family of victims who were tirelessly working on clearing trees, debris, and even vehicles from their loved one's homes. We met a faithful postman out delivering mail to any mailbox he could find, whether under a car or tree, or to the front step of a pile of rubble. As we stopped and talked with him he told us that the streets we were standing on were indeed the worst on his route. As I again looked around, it was dumbfounding to see the sights we were witnessing. Even a national news anchor who's career began in Joplin, MO said in a local television interview that outside of Baghdad, Iraq he had not seen such devastation.

It took my team about 2hrs to hand out all the food we had been designated to distribute. We were handing out from the back of the truck and walking on foot where vehicles couldn't travel. Over and over again the responses were "No, We're OK." Directly followed by a "Thank you so much!" after they took us up on the offer. One of my personal favorites was an older gentleman, covered in dirt and insulation who said, "I'm fine, but the kids might want some." Then when his wife and grandkids came out of the rubble and were grabbing this and that behind me I heard, "Now that's a piece of heaven!" from this same gentleman who turned out to be the first of his family to unwrap and bite into a hamburger. Even after all that loss. Each one we met was so willing to sacrifice for the next completely negligent of their own personal need. Thankfully, we had more than enough for that family and even Grandpa was able to taste that "piece of heaven" in the midst of what frankly has to be Hell for that family.

We heard the constant sound of chainsaws, dragging branches, utility trucks, and voices of family members saying, "Here, take this," or "No, leave that." The unmistakable smells of mold and mildew had already polluted the air after less than 48hrs of exposure to the rain & humidity. We noticed people slaving away for what seemed to the onlooker to be lost causes and on the other hand we saw people just sitting on what used to be their front porches with empty expressions, not knowing what to do next.

It was absolutely obvious that the difference in the two scenes was hope. I pray that the hope we were able to offer - albeit simply a hot dog and a hug - might have sparked their appetite for a grander hope: the hope that is found in Christ alone. And for me to share the hope of Christ is the ultimate privilege. God be with Joplin, MO.

Your Dwelling Place

What do we know

Of your dwelling place,

Where one day we'll experience

The fullness of grace?

Rivers and mansions,

Creatures and priests,

Where we'll never hunger,

Yet continually feast?

We'll feast on your presence,

Have our fill of Your glory

Drink in Your goodness,

So goes the story...

Reuniting the faithful,

In glorious worship,

To the One and Only Son,

The only One Who's worth it.

What do we know

Of Your dwelling place,

Where one day You'll make us

Worthy to look upon Your face?

We'll enter Your presence,

Once and forever,

Never to be separated:

Eternally together.

To abide in You,

To be engulfed in Your light,

Calling us home,

To Your wonder and might,

Glory and praise,

Healing and grace

Nothing but YOU:

YOU are Your dwelling place.

The First Fruits of My Desires

In my previous post titled, "Can He - Will He?" I was challenging my own thinking by comparing our family's current situation with that of the Rich Young Ruler that came before Jesus asking what he must do to be saved. If you didn't have an opportunity to read it, please do so before reading further to gain a better perspective of what I am going to share now.

I remember writing,

"We fully accept the “Come follow me”, but are we willing to accept the “Sell everything you have and give to the poor,” portion of the calling? We seem to have skipped right over that part. How much of a commitment will this really take? Are we willing to sacrifice our comforts to become completely dedicated to the call?"

Our primary struggle was whether or not to "sell everything we have" in order to sacrifice the stability of a career to free up time for Justin to focus on study and ministry. With the constant stresses of Justin's job we had become anxious to relinquish the blessings of job security for a lower-stress lifestyle. I might have seemed a bit nervous by this plan, but my main fear in leaving the job, was not the lack of funds, but my own personal lack of self-control and diligence to manage the situation properly (could my free-spirit take on life truly be able to stick to a tight budget?). But nevertheless I was determined to sacrifice our financial safety net before other things that are more important to me. So I then wrote,

"Some would say we would be better off to sacrifice time rather than wealth; to keep the salary, continue in school and have less time for other things. But if all our time is spent with Justin studying and working (both full-time hours) in addition to all our other responsibilities in the church and our family, we are not simply sacrificing time, we are sacrificing relationships. Our marriage will weaken, friends and family will have to be neglected: is that what Jesus has called us to? I don’t believe so! Jesus has called us to make disciples -- to minister to those in our home and in our lives. I would rather my children suffer the pains of hunger than to be starved from love."

Justin began seeking godly counsel in this area. He conversed via email to our church leaders, had a very candid conversation with one of his college professors, we had a heart-to-heart talk with our best friends and co-ministers, and the elders and other men met around Justin to specifically pray for our upcoming decision. Over and over the overwhelming advice we were given was to keep the job. I wanted to scream! The thoughts constantly clouding my mind were, "Why isn't anyone telling us to leave it behind? We are ready to give it up, why are you tempting us to stay?" I was very confused.

We listened to what they said; we shared our hearts. Many times we shared the writing about the Rich Young Ruler. The most convincing argument we heard through all of this was, "Are you WILLING to sell everything you have?" The answer was indeed, "YES." So it was evident to all that are hearts were in the right place as far as our willingness to sacrifice. However, as the overwhelmingly unanimous advice kept rolling in I began to realize that what I was willing to sacrifice might not have been what God was actually asking for.

God asks us for the best of what we have, the firsts of what we have. Time with my husband (over financial stability) could be considered the first-fruits of my desires. It is what I desire FIRST. I covet time with my husband over anything else on this earth. I would rather be able to spend more time with him than with my kids, my girlfriends, my church, my parents, my job, my hobbies, etc. And God, Himself, knows that yes; I struggle with desiring my husband over desiring my Lord (I am, after all, a woman and am thereby subject to the curse of Eve). So I must consider the fact that if I am only willing to sacrifice that which costs my heart very little, I am no better than Cain. I am offering a sub-standard sacrifice hoping to appease God by bringing him only what I choose to let go of. My sacrifice could be not only displeasing to the Lord, but an act of rebellious disobedience.

I am not concerned with our finances. It carries very little weight on my heart. Because of that, I have come to realize that money and things are NOT the sacrifice that God is asking me to make. He wants the best of me. The best thing about me is my relationship with Justin. I am a good mother, because we have a biblical marriage. I am a good friend, because our marriage influences all my other relationships. I am a good church member because I work for and support my husband's calling to ministry. The list goes on.

I know that God is what makes our marriage strong. But, if I truly examine my heart, I may come to realize that, in this circumstance, perhaps it's more as if I placed God there myself; that I am responsible for keeping God as the priority in our relationship - therefore because I was faithful to do this that I am ultimately responsible for the health of our marriage. After looking a little deeper, I might come to say that I have a control issue. I know what our marriage is supposed to look like, so I do the work to make it biblical, loving, supportive, strong and God-filled. But placing God inside my little marriage box isn't the same as giving my marriage box to God. Giving control of my marriage over to God may indeed be the greatest sacrifice I will ever have to make.

So all of this is to say that I was wrong. My heart was misguided by selfish desires. I do believe that in my time of prayer before writing about the Rich Young Ruler, the Holy Spirit prompted me to communicate the things locked so deeply in my heart so that I could gain a fresh perspective on how I had been limiting God's control in my life, specifically in my marriage. I am proud of the message He sent me and how my humble fingers were able to communicate it so passionately. I am certain that in specific contexts it will be a thought that I will reference and use to encourage others. However, I am most grateful for the godly counsel we received from those we love and trust and how the messages the Holy Spirit shared through them shaped my thinking to reveal the real heart of the issue.

I am revived and excited about this new adventure we are embarking on. We have indeed been blessed by the gift of financial stability the Lord has offered to us. Justin will remain employed with fewer hours (meaning less, but still more than substantial pay) while maintaining his full-time benefits and retaining all his vacation days! What an overwhelmingly compassionate answer to my awkward and selfish request. I have faith in myself and my husband, to let God take care of that which I hold dearest, which I now place in the all capable hands of the Creator. I no longer wish to be limited by my own means, but choose to rely solely on the power and care of the almighty Father. I look forward to the miracle that only HE can perform in our marriage. Let the glory be to Him alone.

That's So Weird!

How biblical is the way you live your life? Watch this video...

What is the "weirdness" of our generation? I think in 50 years people will be saying "What? They became so focused on improving what happened within the walls of the church, but then once they became aware that wasn't producing fruit, they became so focused on reaching "the lost" that they skipped right over their first calling - making disciples of their very own children? That's so weird."

I pray that one day that seems weird.

Does your life story fit in the pages of the Bible? What do you need to review in your life through biblical lenses?

"Can He -- Will He -- Become a Disciple?"

The Rich Young Ruler

Rich: More than enough wealth to sustain life

Young: Between the ages of 25-45

Ruler: Corporate Management, Church Leadership, Community Status, etc.

This description hits pretty close to home right now. In this description, I see my husband. A young man with a wife, two kids, dog, two cars, two houses, significant investments and responsibilities, established career, leadership roles in the church, status in the community, etc. Now, I am not comparing him to the actual man described in the scriptures, but I am saying that the man’s “title” could easily suit Justin and our family situation as a whole. And since my husband (of course with 100% support from me and our families) recently decided to return to Ozark Christian College as a full-time student, we are definitely feeling the call of Jesus to “come follow me.” So, what does that look like today? In a time of prayer this particular passage of the Gospels came to mind and I began making the comparisons. These likenesses sent me searching out more about this story. I found an excellent lesson on this passage from Dr. Ralf F. Wilson and a majority of the following is excerpted from his writings (emphasis mine). As I continue to think and meditate on this passage, I still wonder what awesome truths are in store for us.

“The story of the rich young ruler exposes a raw nerve in us that causes a reaction. But disposing of wealth was not all that Jesus asked the man to do. "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' " (18:22) … The word "follow" is the characteristic word of discipleship, Greek akoloutheo, "' follow,' figuratively, to follow someone as a disciple, 'be a disciple, follow.' "[12] However, I don't think that the following Jesus invites this man to do is just figurative. Jesus looked at this man and loved him (Mark 10:21). I think he is inviting the rich young man to join him on his journeys, to become one of the disciples who enjoy the immense and unspeakable privilege of spending time with Jesus and learning from him on a day-by-day basis. What a wonderful invitation! But the invitation implicit to us is no less wonderful. We, too, are invited to come to Jesus, and then to follow him on a spiritual life journey. To enjoy his company, his presence. To be taught along the way by his Word and Spirit. To become part of his great extended family, the Body of Christ throughout the world. And to be filled with hope in the closing days of our journey as we know his promises and feel his comfort with us. "Come, follow me," is the invitation Jesus extends to you and me.”

We fully accept the “Come follow me”, but are we willing to accept the “Sell everything you have and give to the poor,” portion of the calling? We seem to have skipped right over that part. How much of a commitment will this really take? Are we willing to sacrifice our comforts to become completely dedicated to the call?

“The young man has kept all the commandments, but still senses a lack, an incompleteness, or else he wouldn't have come to Jesus in the first place. Now Jesus speaks to the young man's point of need:

"When Jesus heard this, he said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' " (18:22)

“If the man does this, Jesus assures him, he will have treasure in heaven. "Treasure" is Greek thesauros, "that which is stored up, 'treasure.' "[10] It is an ironic exchange that Jesus proposes -- exchanging fabulous wealth here on earth for fabulous wealth in the Kingdom of God… Recently, Jesus has taught his disciples about the importance of faithfulness with regard to money: "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money" (Luke 16:13). Now his disciples have an object lesson to learn from -- an actual rich man, fabulously wealthy. Can he -- will he -- become a disciple?”

We fully understand that accepting the call to follow Jesus requires sacrifice. But what sacrifice, and to what extent? Can we -- will we -- resign our salary & benefits? Can we -- will we -- sell our things, our car, our house? Some would say we would be better off to sacrifice time rather than wealth; to keep the salary, continue in school and have less time for other things. But if all our time is spent with Justin studying and working (both full-time hours) in addition to all our other responsibilities in the church and our family, we are not simply sacrificing time, we are sacrificing relationships. Our marriage will weaken, friends and family will have to be neglected: is that what Jesus has called us to? I don’t believe so! Jesus has called us to make disciples -- to minister to those in our home and in our lives. I would rather my children suffer the pains of hunger than to be starved from love.

Another part of the calling is to be generous. If we maintain all our worldly responsibilities while attempting to respond to Christ’s invitation to follow him, we also have nothing to give. We will have to grasp with all our might to each and every thing: school, work, church, family; each one in danger of become its own stronghold on our family. There will be little to nothing left to be generous with. But if indeed we do eliminate the stresses of career and maintaining the extra comforts in life (by “selling everything we have”), we may find we have an abundance of love, faith and encouragement to distribute to those in need simply because we refused to sacrifice what we thought we could do without, over what Christ has specifically asked us to give to Him.

“… Jesus' words don't just upset the rich young ruler. They also upset us… But why are we even worried with the question? Do we, too, feel possessive of what we have? Do we fear that Jesus may require us to do something that would cost us too much? What are we afraid of? And why do we fear? We fear because we sense that we are not fully surrendered, that's why.”

All of this comes about because Justin and I will indeed need to make that life-changing decision as to what exactly it looks like to give everything it takes to follow Him. And we have so many options. The most difficult and emotionally weighing decisions we have to make are whether or not the opportunities presented to us are a result of God’s leading or a vice perpetuating a stronghold in our lives. I so appreciated the prayer that Dr. Wilson offered at the end of his lesson. My heart echoes it here:

“Dear Father, Jesus' words have a way of piercing our hearts and defenses we have built up against you and doing things your way. Make us tender-hearted. Gently expose the reservations of our hearts, as you did for that wealthy young man those many centuries ago. But give us grace to be able to obey you, the Great Physician, who alone can heal our corrupt and deceitful hearts, and make us whole. Forgive us, O Lord, for clinging to the remnants of a life independent of you, and make us wholly yours. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”

See Dr. Wilson’s complete lesson text at: http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/18_18-23.htm

We covet the prayers of our family and friends for us in this time in our lives.
Pray that in all things we might bring glory to God. -AB

Humanism in the Bible?

In March of 2011 a new, updated edition of the New International Version Bible will hit the shelves. But if you read your scriptures online or via some phone application, you already have access to it (maybe without even knowing what you are reading is different than what you were reading a few short months ago). I became aware of this when my husband enrolled in classes at a Christian college after he told me that some of his professors made specific requests for their students to use the 1984 NIV verses the 2010 NIV. With the controversial release of the TNIV in 2005, I became curious about the changes made to the 1984 text. This curiosity coupled with other personal reservations about the company that publishes the NIV sent me into research mode. I began comparing new and old versions of the NIV, searched for info on reputable online Bible reading sites, and read the Notes from the Committee on Bible Translation on this topic in its entirety. The following quote from this document is what got me going.

“…hearing God’s Word the way it was written is only one part of the NIV’s overall mission. If readers are to understand it in the way it was meant, translators need to express the unchanging truths of the Bible in forms of language that modern English speakers find natural and easy to comprehend.”

Updating the New International Version of the Bible: Notes from the Committee on Bible Translation (Complete text can be found at: http://www.biblegateway.com/niv/Translators-Notes.pdf)

This implies that the translators’ assumptions of “the way it was meant” are true. Not to mention their assumption that the language “modern English speakers find natural and easy to comprehend” is even sufficient to communicate the awesome truths of the Word of God. It seems to me that the language we speak today is NOT sufficient. And to water down the Word of God based on pandering to current cultural trends borders on heresy.

What I’m NOT saying…

Let me be clear. I am NOT saying that the translators of the 2010 version of the NIV are heretics. I am NOT saying that they do not love, worship, and revere God.

What I am saying…

I believe they have chosen to rely too heavily on our humanistic culture as they interpret the very words of God. Humanism is one of the most subtle, yet dangerous schools of thinking that a Christian can participate in. Humanism in Christianity places mankind as the center of the Bible. It assumes that the PEOPLE are the main characters in the story, when in reality GOD is the main character is HIS story. They are HIS words. What we read is what he wants to tell us about HIMSELF, not about US. The Bible is meant to communicate the character and awesomeness of God, not the successes and failings of mankind. It’s not about me. It is about God and His words are TRUTH. So, why would we change them based on what is “acceptable” by human culture?

Now I fully believe the Word of God should be both accurate and understandable. If you cannot understand what is written, then you can not apply His Truth to your life. Knowing, understanding, believing, and acting on the Word of God brings glory to him. Not to mention that His words are sufficient for every question, need, encouragement, instruction, or leading that mankind will ever need. Who are we to bend that sufficiency to cater to a humanistic culture? Integrating a humanistic worldview into the very place where we find everything we need to have a biblical world view is just disturbing. Here is an example. Zondervan Publishing (the company that publishes and distributes the NIV translation) recently released a Family Reading Bible. GREAT NEWS! Families are always in need of resources to help them instill faith at home - right? But what you might not notice right away is how the editors of the Family Reading Bible have included humanistic thoughts and teaching into the margin notes. The following quote is found in relation to the passages in Genesis regarding the flood.

“We do not know how many years passed after
the creation of the world to the time of Noah. It
may have been thousands of years; it may have
been millions. All we know is that there were
many people in the world and sin was everywhere.”

Did you notice that? If not, than you may be a victim of a Christian’s humanistic world view. If you didn’t catch it, read it again. The editors of the Family Reading Bible specifically undermine the sufficiency of scripture on the same pages they print the very Word of God! They have believed the lie. They are marketing the lie to families across the nation. They are instilling humanism into the young disciples in your home that we call children. How can we let this happen?

Consider the following passage from Deuteronomy 7 (emphasis mine):

¹ When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— ² and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally.^a]">[a] Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. ³ Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, ⁴ for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. ⁵ This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles^b]">[b] and burn their idols in the fire. ⁶ For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. (2010 NIV)

The Family Reading Bible is only one example where we have intermarried humanism with the very Word of God. This treaty we have made between humanism and Christianity has turned our children away from following God. They have begun to serve other gods, such as themselves. They are confused by the hypocrisy. They do not know TRUTH. We have led them astray by pandering to our modern culture. We have lowered expectations on them and ourselves to know and understand and believe in the sufficiency of scripture. And we perpetuate it by continuing to read, share, promote, and support the use of materials that are published by a company that so blatantly attacks the Creator God. Let’s not forget God’s specific promise to those who turn the children away, “the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.” Let us repent. Let us beg for forgiveness. Let us divorce humanistic thinking and embrace the responsibility to lead our children to the TRUTH. What does the Bible say (even in the NIV)?

God has used man to communicate His truths since the beginning of time. This has not failed us. I have complete faith in the sovereignty of God and the sufficiency of scripture to lead us through the person of the Holy Spirit to know and understand the TRUTH - no matter which translation is read. But as for me; I will choose not to continue supporting a publisher that perpetuates the lie of humanism. I encourage you to find out more about ALL the available Bible translations. Don’t settle for what is most readily available. Seek the knowledge and understanding you need to make a wise choice. The following is one of many places online where you can find a Bible Translation Guide. Do the research, seek the Truth. Give glory to God.

http://www.mardel.com/bible-translation-guide.aspx

AB

Getting Started

I think I created this blog like 2 years ago and then never posting anything. I figured it was time for me to join the club (my dad even has a blog for Pete's sake). I posted a few things I had in notes on fb for some time to get the ball rolling. I'd love to hear your comments on my thoughts. Maybe we'll strike up a friendship.

Have a Blessed Day!

Andee

Ponderings at Age 29 (That Still Remain True Today)

I truly feel as though I have recently reached a turning point in my life of only 29 years. I have been somewhat consumed as of late with heavenly things. Things I have yet to understand, but already believe to be true. Things about God.

My soul has been stirring inside of me for about a year now and in the more recent months has actually been painfully boiling. I say that only to mean that the questions I had and the answers I knew were right there just kept rolling over and over one another building up this immense pressure of hopes and longing to the point where the little kettle that is my life was screaming. All the things I knew about Love and Life and Purpose were at my fingertips, yet I wasn't able to grasp them or make any sense of them at all. The steam built up and up and up until I wanted was to shout "Tip Me Over and Pour Me Out!"

"What a profound thought," I told myself as I settled back to earth from this emotional awakening. I then proceeded into the following thought process:
"What? There is nothing profound about The Little Tea Pot! You are not one of those over-stressed pre-school moms who reads any children's book she can get her hands on (probably within reach of the driver's seat while speeding down the highway with her screaming two-year-old half-strapped into her car seat) in search of spiritual insight that could possibly be worth sharing in her last-minute-mom's-club-devo she had forgotten to prepare even though she was the one who signed her name on the blank line just last month. Now the only thing she's got is a cheesy devotion about a Little Tea Pot. Agh, why hadn't she just signed up to bring the tea?"

But then I thought, "OK, maybe there's something to this." Could this sudden outburst of juvenile poetry really be worth looking into? So I gave it a shot:

"I'm a Little Tea Pot, Short and Stout."

Hmmm. Well, since I do in fact reside at a personal altitude of only 5' 3" and my dress size does in fact carry and ID with a number greater than one digit. I would have to say th

at this is true. And the Holy Spirit was so gracious to point it out to me in such delicate terms. But never mind that - that's a personal issue - what else?

"Here is my handle, here is my Spout
When I get all steamed up, hear me Shout,
Tip me over and pour me out."

“No! I can't do this. It's too cliché!”

But who was I to question the Holy Spirit? I was soon resolved to say that I was not going to let one little nursery rhyme deter me from seeing a divine truth! This boiling inside of me was so strong. When I finally found words to express it, shouldn't I assume that those words came from God, Himself?

And really, it's the entire concept of the Little Tea Pot, not the verse itself that carries the real expression of what I need to say. Jesus has been that thing stirring inside of me. The desire to know him is what has me boiling inside. But how did I even get here? Why am I reaching this boiling point now? I think it's because He lit a fire under my butt!
And then He sat there...
and sat there...
and sat there.

I wondered why He sat there. Then I realized that "His eye is on the Sparrow, and I know He watches me," and we also know that according to my grandmother, "a watched pot never boils." so...
How long had He been waiting? How long has this fire been burning? Since I was baptized at the age of 9? Had He been anxiously waiting for me for the next 20 years? Yes! Because no matter how true it might seem to us that a watched pot never boils, how true indeed, is that it surely will!

So here I am with my pants on fire, and all these questions are rolling over and around all the answers I know are there. They are all just in there colliding, yet rolling away from each other and everything seems so cloudy and the friction builds. I have more questions, more illusive answers, and more building, and steam until I can't take it anymore and I begin to whistle incessantly!

No, really. I whistle constantly. I come by it naturally I guess. My father's mother was known for her bird-like song among all the people who lived near to her beloved Ozark Mountain hallow. I was not aware of this until after her passing, but I love to imagine her walking the country roads, whistling the old hymns she loved so dearly, as she stopped to pick up pretty rocks for her garden, or to keep to pass on to me whenever I came to visit. I do in fact remember that as our entire family gathered under the old oak tree to sing those reverend hymns in praise to our blessed creator that her singing soon turned to whistling in beautiful harmony with the voices of her kinfolk. I miss her. But, as you can see, my writing echoes my whistling in that I tend to warble and ramble off course to no rhyme or reason, but I truly know that both give me great strength and comfort on this journey of life.

I began to think about the whistling tea pot. When the tea kettle is boiling and eventually builds up enough steam to shoot it out of the whistle; what do you do when the pot starts screaming? You stop what you are doing, get up, and turn down the heat. Because you, Lord, know that when the water of life inside this stout little vessel is HOT it will no longer remain lukewarm. This is my life, you have purified it with your fire and it is now full of living water that is ready to be used. And here I am screaming it to you, "I AM READY!"

And I will keep screaming (and whistling) until you, Lord, quietly get up from your comfy chair, restfully lay down your daily reading of "Chicken Soup from the Lamb's Book of Life", take off your grandfatherly reading glasses and say with a contented sigh..."She's Ready."

And in your own gentle timing you will remove me from this burning fire, tip my world over. And as you pour out all that you find from this HOT Little Pot into the lives of others...
Filter me with your Word,
Flavor me with your Goodness,
Sweeten me with your Grace & Joy,
And make my aroma Holy and Pleasing to the Lord.
I am ready. Hear me Shout.

Wait upon the Lord

I love how the scriptures speak to my life in a never ending circle of truth. Each passage I find that speaks to me here and now is tied to another, then another, then another. I line them up, compare and contrast - and suddenly, there is my own heart broken and spilled out onto the page:

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in

accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (Romans12:3-6a)

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (I Peter 4:10-13)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (I Peter 5:6-11)

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord,
we will wait upon the Lord,
we will wait upon the Lord,
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord,
we will wait upon the Lord,
we will wait upon the Lord.
Our God, You reign forever!
Our Hope, Our Strong Deliverer!
You are the Everlasting God,
the Everlasting God,
You do not faint you won’t grow weary.
You’re the Defender of the weak,
you comfort those in need,
you lift us up on wings like eagles. (Everlasting God - Based on Isaiah 40:28-30)

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning. (Psalm 130: 5-6)

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD. (Psalm 27:13-14)