My “dream day”

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I’m currently leading a Sunday School class discussion on a book titled Let. It. Go.: How to Stop Running the Show and Start Walking in Faith, by Karen Ehman. 

In the book on pages 129-130, Karen encourages us to imagine our ideal day, to script a blank 24-hour time period to fill in any way we choose. This seemed like such a fun group activity that would really reveal a lot about each woman’s personalities and interests.

So here’s mine.

My ideal 24-hours starts with going bed early say about 9 o’clock listening to a podcast or classical Christian instrumental music on Pandora. The following morning I’d wake up early to watch a beautiful sunrise while reading my Bible, including a bunch of rabbit trails of Greek word studies. After a protracted time of prayer, I would spend some time blogging about the lessons the Lord is teaching me.

The rest of my day would be spent leisurely reading Christian novels or encouraging non-fiction books while eating shrimp tempera sushi rolls and a Toblerone bar, and drinking my second cup of incredibly sweet and creamy fresh brewed coffee, snuggled up in my comfy bed under my down comforter.

Late in the afternoon, I’d take a peaceful drive by myself through the country while listening to a Familylife podcast or encouraging homeschool speaker sermon and watching the wildlife on the side of the road. For dinner, I would go to a quiet, peaceful, upscale Japanese restaurant for more sushi. Then its off to a library or bookstore to peruse the latest Christian books, and if there’s time a run into Goodwill to shop for some inexpensive clothes for myself. To finish out my day, a stop at Sheridans Frozen Custard for a concrete, never without a Christian book or magazine.

Do you notice any patterns here?

Do you notice anything missing?

Here are the patterns I see: I like to be with God and with books and with food.

Here’s what’s missing: people. There are no other people in this ideal day.

Here’s the problem: in my real life, my real days are filled with real people, younger people and older people, but people who need me and love me. People who I love deeply, but ultimately in my terrific selfishness I just want to be alone.

Pray for me!  By no coincidence yesterday I was listening to a Family Life podcast about what a killer selfishness is in a marriage. How true. 

For as much as I fear some people read this and think how “godly” I am to want to spend my day in prayer and the scriptures and so on, let me just say that really that’s just God working in me.  This is God IN me.  Truly God has used my natural bent toward cerebral pursuits and turned that to serve Him. 

But, this can still be my FLESH.  In my selfish, sinful FLESH, I can even turn seeking God into a selfish pursuit – escaping my God-ordained duties and responsibilities to retreat into myself in the name of Jesus.

So how about you guys???

I would love to hear what your “dream day” would hold! I have a feeling we have at least one people-person out there. Don’t be shy.

Each of us is God’s unique workmanship that we would be in beautiful harmony in Him.

God Is Real, An Eyewitness Testimony of a Former Atheist

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Shine 2013 Conference flyer Here is the audio file from a talk I gave in St Louis in October at the Shine Ministries conference.

I pray that your faith would be strengthened as you hear God show Himself mighty and awesome in one simple woman’s life.

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” – 1 Timothy 1:12-17 ESV

TWIG

Scripture verses related to the Olympics

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Noelle made these Olympic Rings using her Crayola
Noelle made these “spin art” Olympic Rings

Our family is enjoying watching the Winter Olympic Games. In fact, since we are studying the ancient cultures during our homeschool history time and since Noelle is really enjoying figure skating (even taking weekly lessons), we are doing a “unit study” on the Olympics this week and next. During our unit study, we are doing all kinds of reading, writing, art, geography and math related things in addition to learning about the sports themselves.

I wanted to share here, though, some verses from the scriptures that have been coming to my mind as we’ve been watching the athletes compete. Keep in mind that the Olympics are believed to have begun in Greece approximately 776 years before the New Testament was written. Think about that as you read things about “perishable wreaths” and races.

Our charts for keeping track of medals for snowboarding and figure skating
Our charts for keeping track of medals for snowboarding and figure skating

I am specifically praying for the gospel to go forth at this gathering of nations. Join me in praying for the Christian athletes and spectators to be bold to share the good news of the gospel with those of other tribes and tongues.

I am also praying for each one of us to fight the good fight, to keep the faith, to run the race not for a perishable wreath but an imperishable one. I pray that we would press on and endure, looking to Jesus. I pray that we would discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness which is profitable for all things since it holds promise both for our present life and for our eternal one. I pray that we would work heartily for the Lord Jesus and not for men, as He is truly the giver of our eternal reward. He is our perfectly just and righteous judge in whom we place our hope and trust. He never makes a mistake. He knows my name and He knows my heart. Praise God.

SELF-DISCIPLINE & PRIZES

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7b-8

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24

NATIONS

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”” Matthew 28:18-20a

“”Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”” Psalms 46:10

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!” Psalms 96:3

Where is the one who is wise?

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“Where is the one who is wise?

Where is the scribe?

Where is the debater of this age?

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

1 Corinthians 1:20-24

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I have always been quite the debater. Since before I could speak, I debated with my parents. By middle school, I excelled in mock trial. In high school, I regularly went to state and won top speaker awards for team policy debate. Before coming to faith in Jesus Christ, I got a rush out of debating Christians about the foolishness of their faith. Belief in an unseen God, belief in creation as a worldview seemed beyond any sense of reason to me.

So, last night I was thrilled to be able to watch live the battle of the world views as Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis took on Bill Nye (“The Science Guy”) on the topic of the origin of the universe.

I encourage everyone, mature believing creationists and evolutionists alike, to check it out.

You can watch the debate here.

Please join me in praying for Bill Nye to come to faith in Jesus Christ, for the many people who saw the debate to seek the truth with their whole hearts and for the Answers in Genesis ministry.

Did you see the debate? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please share them in the comments.

The Heart of Wisdom — Take 2

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Oops. I guess sometimes scheduling blogs posts to go when you’re not finished with them yet doesn’t quite work out. Here we go again!

Take two:

My dear friends in St. Louis have an annual tradition of choosing a “word of the year.” This year they chose one for me. Guess what it was???

Wisdom.

So I began studying the word ‘wisdom’ in the scriptures.  One thing I decided to look up was where the word ‘wisdom’ and the word ‘heart’ appear together which led me to Psalm 90.

So turn with me to Psalm 90.  The subtitle for this psalm is “A prayer of Moses,  the man of God.”

Read along with me.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!”

For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.

These first four verses show us the everlasting, eternal nature of our God, in stark contrast of the temporary, temporal nature of human life here on earth. This is how this psalm begins – pondering the nature of God as compared with the nature of man.

The next seven verses continue this theme but emphasizing God’s righteous judgment and wrath on sinful humankind.

But then you come to verse 12. A special verse nestled in the middle of reflection on God’s eternality and our brevity.

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. “

So, how do we get a heart of wisdom?

By numbering our days. By realizing how brief our lives are. Living them out in a daily appreciation for how short life is in light of the nature of God who is from everlasting to everlasting.

And then this beautiful psalm ends with

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.

Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

In God’s perfect timing, I’ve been thinking about this blog post for several days but was never quite able to finish it. Yesterday, two significant events happened.

One, Bill’s 87-year-old grandfather ended up in the hospital again. The third time in a month. Heart problems.

Two, my pastor and his wife who had just announced Sunday that they were expecting their third baby, shared that their newest baby blessing had passed from this life into the presence of the everlasting God.

And there it is. The critical importance of numbering our days, from first to last. From the youngest little babe to the ripe old age.

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Father, teach us to number our days. To live every moment as it might be our last. To thank You and be glad even as many days as we are afflicted, to rejoice and be glad all our days as we are satisfied with your steadfast love.

Amen

TWIG

Whoever is Wise…

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photo by Emily Frazier
photo by Emily Frazier

Please, go open your Bible right now, or you can click here and read Psalm 107.

This beautiful Psalm begins like this:

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is GOOD, for His steadfast LOVE endures forever!”

and ends like this:

“Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast LOVE of the Lord.”

But, you see, in the midst, in the middle of God’s goodness and love, is lots of trial and pain and hardship.  Lots of darkness and shadows. Plenty of labor and distress. Even affliction and destruction.

Yet, in the midst, in the middle, there is also the steadfast LOVE of the Lord.  The Lord’s love does not waiver.  It does not end when His people rebel against His words and spurn His counsel.  His love causes Him to discipline His children, yet His love does not end.  His love is steadfast.  And the wise pays attention and remembers this.

Father, help me to be wise.  Fill me, Lord, with your wisdom.  Grow me in patience and help me to pay attention to what You are doing in my midst.

TWIG

The end is better than the beginning

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“Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 (ESV)

For any of you who knew me well, you know that patience is not my strong suit.  It does not come naturally to me. I prefer a quick ending to a thing, to any thing. I like to be on time, and I like others to be on time, too.  I hate to be kept waiting. I like to hear “the point” of a story right from the start, so that I can enjoy a long, detailed tale.

But I’m learning that this is just not the Lord’s way. His way is long. His way requires patience and waiting. He rarely tells you how the story is gonna end right from the start.

And I’m learning that wanting things on my time line is, at its heart, pride. This pride leads me to prefer myself and my ways over His and this pride leads to anger.

And anger lodges in the heart of fools. It rests there.

But, I am no fool.

God has given me wisdom, by His Spirit and His Word, and I pray that wisdom would give me a heart filled with patience, not pride, not a quick spirit, not anger.

Blog progress!

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Dear Sisters,

As I continue pressing on as a blogger, I’ve made some changes here at Teach What Is Good.

First off, I’ve found an improved email subscription service. I’d love it if you’d subscribe using this new service. Just enter your email address in the little box in the right sidebar and it’ll take you from there. After you’ve subscribed with the new service, you might have to UNsubscribe with the old one.

Secondly, I’ve turned on the comments feature. For a long time, about the only comments I got were spam, so they were just turned off. But now I’d love to create more community among all you readers by allowing you to add your thoughts here. Please remember Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

I’d also like to pursue having a new header and theme. Could anyone give me suggestions on this???

Love you guys!
TWIG

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel

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  Most mornings you will find me enjoying some sweet time with the Lord in His word before my household responsibilities get too busy.
   Last April, I started recording in a journal Bible in preparation for my oldest daughter Emily’s graduation from high school in May. It’s kinda like this.
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   Typically, I read about two pages or so and then write out a prayer based on that scripture passage in the journal section on the side. I journal a prayer of my own adoration, gratitude and supplication, followed by a prayer of gratitude and supplication for Emily.
Right now I’m reading through the Psalms.  Today I fed on Psalm 16. I pray it would bless you.  Enjoy.

Psalm 16 (ESV)
1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;  you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

   Father, thank you for your goodness and mercy. There is indeed no good apart from you.  You are my Lord. I worship you who gives me wisdom and guides me in truth. I humble myself, saying You are my chosen portion and my cup. You hold my lot.  It is in You I find my strength. Thank you for giving me counsel. Your ways are not my ways and I thank you for showing me the way that is right, for being a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. You have indeed shown me the path of life. In Your presence is the fullness of joy and eternal pleasures.
  
I lift up my beloved daughter, Emily, to you.  Bless her, Lord, with your wisdom and guidance and fullness of joy. May she seek Your face earnestly today and every day. I pray her heart would be glad in You. May she walk humbly in your presence, at your right hand.
Amen.

Thank you!

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Thank you to everyone who sent me emails and called and prayed for me. I really do appreciate it. I did have a lovely birthday.  Not because everything was perfect, but because I serve a God who is perfect. 

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe.” 1 Timothy 1:12-16 (ESV)