Are Women Born This Way?

My brain needs a break–thought yours could use one too

The Birth of Ellia Brynn

HUGE thanks to my friend Kathy who “labored” with me, both alongside me at the hospital filming and supporting me, but also for the many hours she spent on this (heavily edited video and ministering to me over the weekend…she is truly a blessing!

*HINT: If you wish, you can view in full screen by clicking the middle icon on the right, bottom of the video.

True Grace Includes Brokenness: Voddie Baucham

I have loved this message by Voddie Baucham that our family listened to together again this morning (we are battling the stomach virus–I know, perfect timing, huh?)

I’m posting one of 6 clips…I highly recommend listening to the whole message–so very powerful.

I’ll preface this clip with the gist of Dr. Baucham’s message, so in need of hearing today…warning, it’s counter-”Christian”-culture:

He says in the first clip:

“There is a great tragedy afoot in our culture, and the great tragedy is this: we believe that all discomfort is problematic; that there is no room for it in our culture….we avoid brokenness, but it’s not just out there, it’s also in the church…there’s a new movement that says ‘When you come to Christ, there is no need for brokenness…in fact, there’s no need for brokenness before you come to Christ’.”

He reveals that the “new brand” of Christianity tells people that God doesn’t want them to feel bad (after all, “there is therefore now no condemnation to him who is in Christ Jesus”) over their sin. However, the Bible speaks volumes about the “appropriateness” of brokenness over our sin.  It is both needful and right for us to recognize how depraved we are without Christ (and no, we are now no longer condemned eternally), and to remember the stain that sin leaves.  God allows the scars of our sins to remain to cause us to continue to hate it and strive to avoid it.

David cried out, a whole year after his affair with Bathsheba,

“Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.”

“God breaks us in order to remake us“, Baucham said.  And when we buy this gospel of “God doesn’t want me to feel bad about my sin” we buy a word that is not of God.

Jesus Christ came to forgive sins; but He leaves their memory with us so that we never want to go back.

July 4th: God Bless America

God will bless America when we turn back to Him…and only then.

(Celine is my fave

Gratitude

The words to Gratitude grip my heart each time I hear them…“Oh dear Father teach me to be grateful for what You give me, and may I stop looking at what I think I need.”

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
‘Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You’ll provide in other ways
And if that’s the case . . .

(Chorus)

We’ll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger’s view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You’ll provide in other ways
And if that’s the case . . .

(Chorus)

We’ll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
What we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that’s the case . . .

(Chorus)

We’ll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please . . .

John Piper: Marriage & The Christian Husband

Hoping to continue to clarify what the BIBLE teaches, what I hope to communicate to a Christian culture so prone to listen to the world’s distortion of marriage…there is hope in Christ.  It is not biblical teaching that makes bad husbands and bad marriages; it is sin.  There is joy in submission to God’s Word. His Word is never wrong.  Hold fast to the One who made you and knows you and is with you.  His glory WILL be revealed through your obedience.   Piper says it so beautifully..this is a short clip.