Salty

You all, by this point, know that I love New Hope.

It is a church that leaves me thinking for an entire week about the sermon, and that's the kind of church I want to attend. 

 

Please, let this be a formal invite from me.....If you are looking for a church, you are more than welcome to come check out New Hope.  I'd be happy to have you attend with me any Sunday.  You pick the date, and show up and catch a ride with Clifford and I.  Seriously.  Do it.

 

Now that the inviting is over...time for the post.

 

On Sunday we talked about a strengthening our communities and what we need to do/who we need to be to do so. One of the verses we talked about was Matthew 5:13 that states

 

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot."

 

If you will recall, salt used to have a more significant impact on people's day to day lives, as it was a major preservative.  Still is, but today most people aren't messing around with curing their own meats...

 

Anyway, notice the second sentence in the verse, "salt loses its saltiness."  Salt is a chemical compound that is incapable of losing its "saltiness."  The only way for salt to become less salty, is to cut its purity. 

 

Think about those 2 things for a minute.  We are to be the salt of the earth.  The "preservatives" of God's purpose on earth.  The way we fail at this, is to lose our purity.

Pretty darn easy to do.

 

In the world we live in, we are constantly bombarded with distractions from our Christian purpose, which is to spread the word of God, be reflections of his unconditional love, and draw others nearer his kingdom so that they might repent and be saved in Jesus' name. 

That is it.  That's our job.

 

Most of us identify ourselves as the things that we do.  I, for example, am a wife, a mother, a chiropractor....but am I the salt of the earth?  Am I more focused on the things I do each day that earn me those titles, than I am on my faith?  Absolutely.  Some days I miss the point entirely.  Some days I sit next to one of my best friends and watch Jersey Shore, and am unaffected by the gross absence of Christ in their lives. I am literally sitting next to my friend that doesn't attend church, and I'm unaffected by the absence of Christ in HER life.  And the more I sit, the more I am immersed in  a society and culture that not just ignores the presence of God, but can be openly antagonistic to those that are faithful, that mocks morality, the less salty I become.....and the easier it is to become so. 

 

One thing that I have found to be true, is that the higher I rose in academia, the more the people around me had dismissed God as some sort of ridiculous mythological being.  Belief in God, in Jesus, was part of lower level thinking. Generally speaking, I frequently saw that our intelligent minds (that God gave us) have become too "educated" to believe in Him.

We have become a society that must see to believe.  That wants data to prove facts.  That has no interest in the conjecture we call faith.  A society that wants to blame gun control, or absence of God in our schools and government for the evils that occur due to a lack of God IN OUR HEARTS!    

 

We have stopped "preserving" our faith.  I would venture to say that we spend more time shopping for each other at Christmas than we do praying for each other at Christmas.  The purity of our belief  system is being diluted.  Chipped away at by the societal status quo, and we just sit and watch and judge. 

 

We are called to be the light of the earth.  That light does not come from us.  It is a reflection of God's love for all of us!  Just imagine how much room we would have in our lives for God, if we got rid of some of the things that are diluting our purity. 

Imagine how much God could move in the lives of others, if they just accepted the possibilty that He exists...imagine how much he could move in your life if you accept Him. 

 

These are the things I need to focus on (that I will pray for others to focus on). 

I need to start cutting out some of the distractions and the things that make it easy for me to list my faith and salvation below #1 on my list of priorities. 

 

I have got to work on being more salty.

 

Baptized!

Yesterday was a big day for my family.  Big maybe is not the word.  Momentous?  Important?  I dunno. We will just stick with big cause it was a long day too...

Yesterday my church (New Hope...which you've read about before on my blog) had their annual summer picnic and baptism service.  

Dad and Ollie O

Zac and I recently attended New Hope 101.  The point of the "class" is to explain the beliefs and practices of the church, as well as it's history.   To become a full member at New Hope, they ask a few things of you.  One of those things is that you are baptised, immersion style.  (You have to be an official member to be able to teach classes.)  New Hope is non-denominational, and very focused on families, more importantly, raising children to know and love Jesus.  They do an incredible job.  

Mom, Pia Girl and Cathy (Kylie's mom)

You know you have a special church when you never hear people complaining.  Even when I decided to stop helping in the 12-24 month nursery, and I knew it would be harder on the staff because of service changes, no one was upset.  In fact, one of the directors sent me a card and a gift certificate to thank me for my service to the church.  They encouraged me to try a "first serve" in a different ministry because they are sure we all have a purpose in our church, it is just a matter of finding the right fit.  

Penelope    

After attending the class (it only took us 3 years to do it), I decided that I would really like to be a full member and that I would sign up for the August baptism, and what better time than before Clifford gets here.  I asked the family if anyone else would like to do it with me.  Annie, Maggie, and Jade signed up.  All of us have been baptised before, but our previous churches did sprinkle baptisms.  

Everett and Aubrie

I talked to one of the senior pastors a bit about it.  He told me that it's not that they don't consider us baptised, but when they were deciding the direction and focus of the church and their beliefs, they decided to do immersions because that's the same type of baptism Jesus had.  He said he had done both.  He said it was ok if we never did the immersion baptism.  They had attendees that have been there from the beginning, that have not.  I assured him I was comfortable "re-upping" my baptism as the last time I was 11, and I think it is safe to say I am a considerably different person than I was then.  

Jade and Annie

I invited along my best friend because I knew it would be important to her.  She sent me a text message that she was "in tears" and that she was so happy that I was gonna be so beautiful with Cliff on board for it.  It's safe to say that Courtney is one of my biggest cheerleaders.  I can always count on her to make me feel good about myself....especially during this time, when I feel huge.  She just stands next to me, occasionally rubs my belly, and says "beautiful."  

I told her I was giant, and I now had photo confirmation of that fact.  No denying a soaking wet pregnant belly is huge.  Again, she said "no, it's beautiful."  I just love her so bad. 

I talked to Courtney a bit  about being re-baptised when I invited her.  I told her I didn't expect it to be a huge difference for me, she said "yeah, I get that. For me it is like the difference between living together and being married.  When a couple lives together there is that agreed level of committment, but then being married, it's a done deal and you can rest assured."  If there is ever an analogy today's young people will understand, it's that.  

How many of us know people in that same position right now?  Not necessarily the living together thing....but the fact that even with all the right intention in the world, there is a different level of committment...just waiting on the decision to do or give a little bit more. 

Caroline "Beans" Daniel. 

Zac and I

Joyful little faces

Kolby, Tiffany, and Evelyn (Maggie's in-laws)

Evelyn, getting "chapsticked."  She is too funny. 

Courtney and I, basically 3 failed attempts with 3 different camera operators...and this is the best we got.  Yep Court....beautiful.  

 You should know that as I've gotten gradually bigger, I frequently use my belly to corner Zac.  I push and pin him on the couch, against the cabinets, into his closet, and EVERY time it cracks me up.  Recently he has started doing it back...this is a picture of him doing it to me.  Again, I am laughing hard at the ridiculousness of it. 

Zac and I (37 weeks)

Mag and Penelope

The sisters and I before the service. 

I love this picture. 

 But it is this one, of Dad and his ladies, that makes me cry a little. 

Then each of us being BAPTIZED!  (imagine that as a sound byte all Southern Baptist gospel-y)

 Jade

Annie

Maggie

 Me

 

And all of us after. 

We make being baptised look good. :)

Now each of us are full members of the church we love.  I am happy to have done it.  Even if I have done it twice.  I think it is a small thing to ask that we be willing to "declare" our beliefs in front of the people that will be and have been, our church family.  I think that is is wise to ask that we be comfortable enough in our faith to be able to say "yes" when our pastor asks if we have give our hearts to Jesus, before we play any leading role in church ministry.  I like that the people leading my church have committed.  And I'm glad to be counted among them.     

I did get a pretty good laugh from Dad at the end of the evening.  Courtney and I were waiting on Zac to pick us up.  Courtney told Dad he was "one lucky Pa to be able to see all of his girls get baptised."  (Dad has been both sprinkled and immersed.  I had heard him tell Cathy earlier in the night that he had all his bases covered.) He told Courtney he had "been baptised a long time ago because I knew I might have to kill a man over one of these girls one day and I thought it would be wise to be in His good graces" ya know, should it ever come to that.   My Dad is somethin else...but I should get the message out to Zac before we ever have little girls :)   

Doing business as...

My life is a shifty thing I tell ya.  I have been a chiropractor for 2 and 1/2 years now. I love it.  I really do. I however, don't love being an employee.  This is true regardless of the job it seems.  If I have the option, I want to run the show.  Straight out of school I accepted a position as an associate doc in a town 20 minutes away.  I initially intended to buy the practice from the owner, but it became clear by the end of year 2 that he wasn't 100% ready to leave and that I am terribly impatient. 

 For over a year I went back and forth, forth and back trying to find direction.  I am fortunate to have options, but change is intimidating.  Especially change that requires starting over, large loans, and a new kind of dedication that for now I can only assume I'll muster up.  I fretted and talked it to death.  Waited and repeated the process.  Eventually I realized, I can't find direction because I haven't asked for it.  Don't get me wrong, I had support, I had discussed with Zac, with my parents, with my best friends, but when it came right down to it, I had neglected a quick conversation with God about what I was really supposed to do.  (I don't know why I have to be at the end of my rope before it occurs to me turn over my problems, but I imagine it has something to do with me being prideful enough to believe I can solve everything on my own.)  I threw up a quick prayer, told God simply that I was done.  Done thinking about it, done fretting.  If he wanted me to leave and open my own practice he was gonna have to give me some really obvious signs.  

Ask and you shall receive!  A couple weeks later (in November) I got a call from a lady I know and had actually talked to about opening a practice in Effingham.  She called to tell me that the building she worked in was going to be available for rent.  She wanted to know if I was interested.  A fairly low rent building, in the only town I actually considered opening in, you betcha!  A couple weeks later I went and looked at the space.  It is perfect, and my decision was made very easy.  Not only was the building great, but my office sits in a plaza with a cycling store, a family gym, a tumbling/taekwondo facility and a spa.  Can't ask for much better than that!  

In December I told my boss that I was going to be leaving to open my own practice.  He ended my contract early, so I am my own boss starting at the end of March.  I got my business plan approved almost 2 weeks ago.  I am officially "in business."  It is a bit unbelievable.  A bit surreal even that I am actually doing it.  But I am!  I look forward to it.  I imagine it will be one of the hardest things I ever do.  I am waiting until baby gets here to open, which will make things interesting.  Sleep deprived decision making, sounds promising right?  

This is where I am at right now.  Pregnant, soon-to-be jobless, with a whole lotta changes in store.  I plan to do fill-in work for local docs and some substitute work to earn enough to pay my insurance deductible.  But beyond that, I fully intend to work in a leisurely fashion at my new office (thank you to baby for seriously extending my timeline) and float around Annie's pool in a 2 piece suit with a giant belly.  

I will look just like this, but with considerably bigger boobs...and butt....I know my body. 

So you guys all feel free to say prayers.  Pray for me and the babe as we both get bigger.  Pray for a successful practice (probably called Ballard Family Chiropractic).  Pray for Zac and I as we become parents, our relationship changes, and he continues to pick up my slack.  Or simply pray that I remember to pray myself as pregnancy has left me exhausted and without much short term memory :)

The Levi's of the world

How many of you, while growing up, were told by your parents that people judge you based on the company that you keep?  I know I was.  I'm not saying that is untrue.  It is most certainly true.  When I was in high school I had a few friends that most parents would consider "undesirable."  I had a few friends that were in trouble every weekend, that were arrested frequently, that had drug problems, that failed out or were thrown out of school.   And I loved them dearly.  When I moved back to town after chiropractic school, I found them again.  A few are still giant messes.  A few still struggle with problems with drugs and alcohol.  I know what people may think when I am seen with them.  But what other people said never mattered much to me.  I think the heart of a person matters more than their actions...we all make mistakes, we even repeatedly make the same mistakes.  So while everyone else was worrying about what effect my friends might have on me, I was hoping they might see the effect I have on my friends.  

At New Hope we have started a new series.  It's a study of the book of Mark and Sunday's sermon was another great one.  We studied the second chapter (which you can read with a quick google search..it's not long) and there is one section in there that hit home for me.  It is the section, verses 13-17, where Jesus call upon Levi and eats with "unfavorable."  Levi was a tax collector in Capernaum.  Taxes and tax collectors were just as hated then as they are now.  They often made themselves rich at the expense of those around them.  This, of course, doesn't matter to Jesus and he calls upon Levi to follow him.  The following happens...

¹⁵ While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

 ¹⁷ On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Read that last verse again....

Maybe as Christians it is not our job to tell people what is right and wrong, but to love them in spite of their wrongs.  Maybe we are not meant to look down on others, but rather to reach down to others and help lift them up, help influence them to make choices with more wisdom.  Should I tell my friend the next time I see him drunk again that he needs to get his life together, should I lecture him about his mistakes or should I simply offer him a shower, a decent meal and a cup of coffee? 

 I struggle with that.  I want to lecture.  I want to point out fault.  I want to direct and control and "fix" other people.  But that doesn't work and I think I've gone about things the wrong way.  I think maybe instead of being another person to point our failure, I should be the person that emphasizes the victories.  That says words to help build up and not tear down.  That is my struggle and what I've been thinking about over the last couple days.  I am thankful for a church that has a message that makes me think about it for a few days.  And I am thankful for my friends.  Especially the ones that others don't love so much, because they help me to see the important things in life.  So I will treasure my friends.  I will trust them when others may not.  I will do my best to help the Levis in my life cause I am sure at one point or another, I've been the Levi to someone else.  

Being bold

This post has been a long time comin'.  For those of you who don't know, I love my church.  My family and I attend New Hope.  If you are ever in our neck of the woods, I highly suggest you check it out.  Back in May, Pastor Van (PV as he calls himself) did a series called the Eleventh Hour and I continually think about those 3 sermons.  So much so in fact, that I requested copies of all 3 and have given them to my friends.  The point of the series was of course, to discuss the end times, or the events leading up to the return of Christ.  It really helped me to gain perspective.  The end times have already begun.  We really do have a limited amount of time with which to share our faith, to develop our relationship with God, and to find salvation through Jesus.  Now, if you are not a Christian, these things may seem like ridiculous notions to you.  

I am a Christian.  I have been for years.  I have also been a very poor example and have not exactly been a winner of people to the cause.  Religion is a very personal experience and it is very easy to show up, to say the buzz words, to judge others because of an elevated idea of Christian morality without ever fully understand what it's like to truly LOVE GOD and to live a life FOR HIM.  There is no big blinking sign over our heads that say "this girl is the real deal."  It is easy to fake.  I am not any better which is why I wanted to write this.  I lie, I disobey, I blatantly ignore, I judge, I refuse to forgive, I skip church to sleep in.  For a long time, I pretended to be what I was not and I was comfortable in doing so.  I am a work in progress.  I frequently fail.  But I am a Christian.  This is what all Christians are, whether or not we want to believe it.  We fall short.  We disappoint.  We are hypocritical.  

We are ALL in the same boat, it's just that some of us have life preservers.

Pastor Van, at the end of the Eleventh Hour series did a sermon about being bold.  He didn't mean spiky hair and over-done make-up.  He didn't mean asking out the person you have a thing for or singing karaoke.  He specifically talked about being bold in your faith.  That means putting it out there for others to judge, to make fun of, to scrutinize, but more importantly, putting it out there to be a beacon to others that might otherwise NOT know or care.  People that may have NEVER been interested, that are, just because it is coming from YOU.  I took this to heart.  That night I went home and wrote a few emails to my friends.  This is what I sent to a boy I attended chiropractic school with....

I've been thinking a lot about you lately, mostly as you had posted on facebook about re-reading the God Delusion. We never sat down at school, or anywhere really, and had a discussion about religion. I am a Christian and, while I may not be most the well read or the most highly informed, I have considerable faith and try my best to support my faith with reason. I know that sounds a little like an oxymoron as most people would assume that no thinking person could believe in creation with so much scientific proof of evolution, but I do. Sometimes in life I find there are things I just KNOW. And then it becomes a matter of finding proof...like the fact that fossils can form in tens of years instead of hundreds of thousands and the fact that carbon-dating is fallible. 

With that being said, I offer whatever info or debate I can to you. I know you are probably not interested, as you've stated that you don't like to discuss religion, and that's ok, but you and your faith have been on my mind and I wanted to at least offer. I believe the world would be a different place if Christians took the time to talk about they whys of what we believe and discuss without judgement. After all, I can't expect anyone to live by my standards if they don't have the same belief system I do. So, I'm not sure what you believe, but there are far too many people out there, calling themselves Christians, but living for/in pursuit of the wrong things. If you have even an "seed" of faith (matthew17:20), I'd like to help you to find the room to grow in it. That's my offer. 

ps..keep in mind that I'm a student of faith and there are people out there far more qualified to answer your serious questions with a perfect explanation. I'm just going to try to do my best.

He never responded.  In fact, he simply stopped responding to every message I sent him.  I don't care that I might have ruined a friendship.  I didn't quit.  It's just that now, instead of sending him a message when I think about him, I say a prayer that God might give him ears to hear.  That's my new effort.  

In trying to share what I believe, I have noticed a big shift in me.  It's not really how I act necessarily, because I have always been are pretty "good" person (...I know, I know, "not by acts") but in how I pray mostly.  Instead of asking God to change, I ask for him to show me HIS will.  I make an effort to turn over my problems and let HIM sort them out.  I have been given in return some of the most clear and undeniable directions I've ever received, and that my friends, does nothing by strengthen my faith and cement my beliefs. 

So I challenge all of you, in the spirit of the holiday season, to be bold in your faith.  To share it with others.  It is intimidating and can be uncomfortable, but comfort is not WHY you are doing it.  Just keep that in mind.  We grow the most as individuals, as Christians, when we are UNCOMFORTABLE.  You may be rejected, you may lose a friend, but you may also change someones heart and you will definitely change yours.  

P.S.  If I have offended you, I don't care.  If you have questions or are exploring religion, I extend to you the same offer I did to my friends.  I am no expert, but I have "ears to hear" and will do my best to help in whatever way I can. 

Keeping in mind

I have been thinking lots, I mean LOTS about my job.  I am completely unsure of what I will do when my contract is up for negotiation again in August. I constantly worry about what I'm being paid and where I could make more and have better benefits and be able to pay more on my loans and save for a house and a practice and on and on and on.  So, when this came across my Youversion today, I felt compelled to share....cause I forget it. 

Hebrews 13:5

⁵ Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,"

Youversion

Little known fact, when it comes to the Bible, I am ignorant.  Really.  I know very few stories, very few passages.  I find reading it to be dry and I really have to focus, read slowly, go back and re-read before any of it sticks with me.  Now this whole thing is odd because I honestly believe that you need a personal relationship with God and the best way is to know his word and the apply it practically to your life.  So I finally decided to do something about it.  

I had a message in my facebook messages from Maggie's sister-in-law Tiffany from forever ago that recommended a site called youversion.  I hadn't paid much attention to be perfectly honest.  The other day, I decided it was time to look.  I wanted to do a Bible study.  My first official study.  Let me just say, youversion is awesome!

It has 7 full pages of reading plans.  It has chronological options, new and old testament reading plans.  It has so many topically studies I think would be absolutely great like studies on dealing with anger, love, marriage, learning to see Jesus, joy, obedience, forgiveness and even a plan that explains why you should read the bible and a whole study that explains who Jesus was and why he is so important.  There are 3 day, 5 day, 7 day, month and year long programs.  And a 21 day program for busy ladies.  

I decided to start first with the Bible in 90 Days plan.  I think as I get more in the habit of reading regularly, then I can start adding in the short studies.  What I think is really great about this site, aside from the tons and tons of choices to get started, is the fact that you can change the type of bible you read.  I can switch back and forth between King James, NIV, the Message, etc. and find the type that helps to make things the most clear.  All the plans are availabe in TONS of languages too....so tell everyone ya know!  You can also have the daily readings sent to your cell phone or other devices, which eliminates some of the problems with convenience.  Basically what I'm saying is, this site is fantastic.  Best of all, its FREE!  Yay!  Bebop your way on over and get signed up.  Like we Fox girls say, for that price, you can't afford not to!  If this guy can do it, so can you!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter my blogland friends!  I hope you get to spend the day with friends and family, rest assured that as much as you love them, Jesus loves you more!    

 

Now, for a couple of verses about being thankful.  

1Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

1Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,

2Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

1Chronicles 16:34 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

I am thankful for salavation through Jesus, for a God that always has me in his heart, for my family, my dear friends, my co-workers whom I love, and my husband who cracks me up daily.

oh...and Reeses Easter eggs!

New Hope

I just love my church!  For those of you in central Illinois, I encourage you to take a little drive one Sunday to Effingham and check out a service, they happen at 8:15, 9:45, and 11:15.  My church is called New Hope....which sounds a litte star-warsy, but it's a fantastic church.  Actually, take a minute to visit the church home page.  In the bottom left hand corner there is a link that says Listen to Message.  I expected this to be an intro to the church but it's actually today's service recorded as an MP3 (which I wished I knew last week as I missed it).  It is just the sermon, so not too long.  Our service today was about heaven.  It was great.  Next week is about hell.  I don't know that one can ever say discussing hell is great, but it will be exactly what people need to hear.

Pastor Van shared with us today that 80% of people (Americans I think) believe in heaven.  Of that 80%, a majority believe they will go to heaven.  I wish that 80% were going, but it's not the case.  If you want to go, take the first couple steps.  Find out who God is, who Jesus is, admit that you are a sinner, admit those sins to Christ, admit that you can be nothing better than you are without a relationship with God.  It really takes a big burdeon off of your shoulders.  Just imagine if your past mistakes were forgotten, or as it says in Acts 3:19a"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out..."  Blotted out.  Erased.  If you have clean slate, then you can really start over.  Start making decisions for the One with the ability to erase your sins.  You will falter, you will fail, you will be forgiven.  But you've got to start, and without that start, we all know where we would end up. 



"Enter through the narrow gate (salvation through Jesus) . For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." Matthew 7:13


I know it is easy (especially since all Christians sin and we fall short of our own expectations and judge instead of forgive) to say that none of this faith business matters.  That it is ok just to "be a good person."  But it's not enough.   You have to rely on God, on Jesus' sacrifice for our sins.  It's not enough to do your own thing as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.  Our souls are NOT saved by simply believing in our own ability to be decent.  


For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. Epehsians 2:8-9


We need a relationship, a personal relationship with Jesus.  We need to know that he laid down his life, God gave his son, so that we could but aside our own vanities and pride and have something that was actually worth living for.  This world is fleeting.  Just think about how fast the days go by.  For the 80% of us that desire to go to heaven, we NEED to redirect because there is only one way to get there.   


Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6


Even though we didn't cover all of these verses today, this is what I've been thinking about.  Now I'm not the most informed, the most Bible savy, most religious of people.  But I just wanted to put this out there as it has been on my heart lately because I struggle with admitting that I need God.  I am a good person.  I spent years just being good.  It's really, really hard for me, with my stubbornness to admit that I need help with anything.  And salvation isn't just anything.  It's THE thing.  I want to reason "faith" away.  Dismiss it until there is proof in some scientific journal that heaven is real, God is real.  But sometimes, ya just know something IS.  And I know.  I just hate admitting I'm wrong, or weak, or incapable even when I know that I can't save myself.  So that's that.  As real as I can be.  This didn't turn out to be the post I thought it would be, but it is honest and I hope it helps you with whatever struggles you may be going through.  And, hopefully, it will help at least one person find their way through the narrow gate.   

Prayers

I got this e-mail a few days ago from a dear woman named Marty.  This is what she wrote....

Hi Abbie,

I was in Maggie's shop today and she said Ollie will enter into this world Thursday February 10, 2011.

Hallelujah, a miracle child from God!! Thank You Lord!!

I will be traveling when Maggie sends me the news, but I want you to know I'm believing in Divine Intervention for Ollie. I know all of you are too. Most of the time we have to fight our battles on our knees. I will be on my knees for baby Ollie. We serve a mighty God who answers prayer. May the Lord of Hosts be with you all on Thursday when you meet baby Ollie, and may you all praise him for the gift of life.

She will have a mighty testimony for all the world hear!!!

The enemy may have had different plans, but our God is bigger and mightier than he............

May the Lord of Lord and the King of Kings Bless you and your family abundantly,

In Christ's Love, Marty

 This is the kind of support my family has been getting from people all over.  It's really been amazing and uplifting.  I hope as you read through her note you said a prayer for baby Ollie.  She will be here anytime!


P.S.  Annie is dilated to a 1, they've got her epidural in and the pitocin flowing!  She will be here before we know it!

One book, two book, red book, blue book

I have mentioned before that I'm a little bit book obsessed.  It started when I was little, grew with accelerated reader and an hour long morning bus ride and I just can't seem to stop it from growing.  I prefer music, painting, and reading so much more than television I actually removed the t.v. from my room when I was in high school.  Since then, and with the addition of Zac to my life, it's slowly snuck it's way back in the t.v. seems to be on most of the time, but I ignore it and read away.  

Currently I'm stuck in the middle of a series.  Well, the tail end of the series really.  What series you ask?  The Left Behind Series.  It starts with this book, Left Behind.  It's the story of a group of people that are left behind on Earth after God raputures his church.  It's the story of how they find salvation and live throught the 7 years of tribulation.  It's fiction, mixed with fact and I've loved them.  

I know this series may not be for everyone, as it does sensationalize a bit, but that's the purpose of the fiction in this story.  It contains a lot of scripture, which we all know can be a bit dry, but it applies it in a completely applicable way and I've learned quite a lot about the book of Revelations.   It does leave me asking, what if this is really what things will be like?  And it does encourage me to make reading the Bible a habit, not only to satisfy curiosity stirred up by prophecy, but to develop the kind of faithfulness you feel from the characters.  

I started reading the series years ago (I think the first book was published in 94' but I don't think I started reading them til 99') but had to wait for the 12th book in the series to be published and then never made it through.  There are 13 in the series (and 3 books written later that precede the first book in sequence, so 16 total really) and I'm on the 12th now.  For the last 2 months it's been all I seem to want to read.  

I know 13 books seems daunting, but as I mentioned before, there is a lot to keep you interested and it's so much biblical knowledge that I feel more equipped now in case the author's "fiction" actually happens in my lifetime.  

For everyone out there that believes that all you need to do is acknowledge that there is a god and then "be a good person," this book will make you uncomfortable.  It makes a very strong point that it does not matter if you are good, if you attend church, if you have morals, if you are not saved, you will not be ferried up to heaven when you die.  For that reason alone, I encourage you to read it.  It's clearly written, "For it is by grace you have been saved,through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast."  Enough of me badgering, just read it for yourselves.  And if you also find it encouraging and entertaining, please tell others.  

Tithing

A while back my family and I attended a church service (it was part of a series actually, but, I must confess, my attendance can be spotty) about being "in the zone."  The preacher claimed that part of being in the zone, being on purpose, was tithing.  More to the point, recognizing that all that we are and all that we have is a gift from God.  That it's not my money, or my career, it's the career that God led me toward so I can serve them with talents I've been blessed with and the money that he allows me to manage.  That service changed my entire perspective on money.  Now, don't get me wrong, it's still important to me, mostly because I'm in sooooo much student loan debt and so many goals I need cold hard cash to accomplish (like building a house and being secure enough to have kids), but the pastor made a good point.  Would I rather be working with 100% of "my" money or 90% of what I've earned that is being blessed by God.  Seems like a fairly simple choice to me.  Decision made.  New budget including tithes made.  It was shocking to see how much we would be "giving away."  It was kind of disheartening to see the dates for paying off our car and trailer and etc shift back by months and subsequently years, but I did it.  I took the leap of faith.

A couple weeks later my husband and I attended church again, this time, with two checks and a bunch of cash for tithes.  Zac looked at me and said immediately "We can't afford that!"  and I told him, "Yes we can, it's our tithes. "  After we got home, we argued about it (Zac didn't attend the "in the zone" service with me).  In all fairness, I didn't talk to Zac about it before I made the change to start tithing because I handle our finances and I do it well.  I should have at least told him so it wouldn't have been a shock, but it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission right?  Zac is not willing to give tithes yet and I believe you have to have your intentions in the right place, so I will give him time to decide for himself but this is a whole different tangent about our beliefs that I don't need to get into in public so I digress......So, we argued,  I told him I would continue my tithes.  Zac's tithes (which he didn't know he'd given) totalled $120 that week.  Lo and behold, I get a call later in the day from a lady that is interested in baskets.  She came to our house, looks over the Longaberger baskets I'm selling for my mom and buys exactly $120 in baskets.  Tithes just slapped Zac in the face!  He chose to ignore it, siting the fact the had the baskets long before we started tithing, but that's enough about my Doubting Thomas.
God made a pretty obvious point there I'd say.

That was just one example as tithing continues to prove to me it's worth.  As some of you know I earn a percentage of the service I provide at my office.  So, the more patients I see, the more I make.  I have a bonus check each month where I am given anything I earn above and beyond my small base pay.  In November, my bonus was nearly 3 times my October check.  Zac has also been working lots of overtime, making his checks bigger by about 20%.  This is a big blessing as we work to get out from under out debt.

After the basket deal, and the suprize refund check I got from Verizon on an account I ended a year ago, I didn't need too much more convincing, but what happened today is what solidified things for me the most.  My family and I just got back from 1 week of vacation at Disney.  I didn't work for an entire week, which would undoubtedly affect my bonus check for December.  But, Zac has been upped to working 6 days/week through the rest of the month AND!  my boss decided that because I've been working so much by myself this year, I deserved to be paid for a week of vacation!  Paid vacation is definately not in my contract, it was what he decided to do.  I am so excited.  I haven't gotten a chance to tell Zac yet, but I am curious to see what he says.  I am also curious to know when I give him his tithes from his last check and tell him he can do with it whatever he sees fit, where that money will go.

The moral of this story is pretty clear.  Tithes serve a purpose.  It's not just to "prove" your dedication to a belief system.  It's about furthering your trust in God and his ability to care for you in every way.  It's about recognizing that we really can surrender our worries, emotionally/spiritually/financially, and we will not be let down.  You may even end up surprised at the pride you had, believing you knew better how to manage your money.  For those of you who do not tithe, I don't have any intention of guilting you, but if what you are looking for is a personal relationship with God, tithing does help to open lines of communication to Christ you might not realize were closed.  Think about it, 100% to manage on your own, or 90% supernaturally blessed.