Forthright Fixation

Hannah:

I’m in the thick of finals week just now and at moments have found myself utterly overwhelmed. But in my weakness and my insufficiency, He is good. I’ve been encouraged by prayer, by dear friends, and the abandon of sweet times of worship. Ktsia challenged me last night to “keep being broken; for ‘a contrite heart do I love.’ (Ps. 51:17 paraphrased).” In my weakness, His strength shines brightly and He is glorified. And in that I rejoice!

Kaitlin:

This week the Lord has been very good to me as I’ve rushed about doing my school work, getting ready to graduate from high school, and working on what feels like 5,000 other projects. God has been very faithful and has given me countless new merices every morning!

Kate:

As I finished my finals this week the Lord was overabundantly and miraculously gracious to me. He never ceases to amaze and astound me with His answer to prayer. Its been a humbling thing to see such undeserved blessing!

Katie Marie:

~~Today is Katie Marie’s high school graduation!~~
Congratulations Katie! You are an amazing young woman that is a huge blessing to everyone around you. Your friendship and encouragement are a testimony of God’s love and goodness.
We hope your day is incredible and leaves you with many happy memories! We love you!

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” – Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV)

Kelsey:

Last night the Lord showed me the importance and blessing of having friends to advise me. In his providence he gave me someone just at the right time to tell me what I needed to hear. She advised me to do what was right, but difficult.
“Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,but a man of understanding walks straight ahead. Without counsel plans fail,but with many advisers they succeed.”
Proverbs 15:21-22 (ESV)

Riette:

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near
Praise Him in glad adoration

Praise to the Lord, Who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do
If with His love He befriend thee

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him
Let the Amen sound from His people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Stephanie:

As my family is amidst the insanity of moving, God’s sovereign care for us has been incessantly evident. This week’s specific installment of grace was a dear group of 14 ladies from my church who graciously helped us pack a huge amount of things in one short evening. I’m thankful, humbled, and amazed at how Christ works through His Body.

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Mom,

I remember the days when I was a little girl when you’d take me shopping or the days when you’d let me help you bake. I remember the curlers, ribbons and dresses; bubble bath, braids and tickle-fests. The feel of flour on my nose and the stolen bits of cookie dough; your laughter and your rebukes. I remember when you taught me to write my name with that huge kindergarten pencil that was bigger than me, and how you kept the sheets of paper I practiced on – with backward, crooked letters. I remember so much of my childhood in which you were instrumental, even though my childhood now seems far away.

I can no longer curl up on your lap when I’m sad, or have you twirl me around when I’m happy, or run to you to kiss away my hurts – things have changed. As I step into womanhood, you won’t be able to bail me out of sticky situations or hide me from various trials I might face. Yet, as daunting as these things are, they don’t frighten me because you’ve been faithful and prepared me for this stage of my life. You’ve always been an example of godly womanhood to me as you delight in and seek the Lord, even when things are rough. You’ve shown me the ropes; how things are done and what’s to be expected. You’ve told me Who to look to for help – the only One who can sustain and lead me. Your example has taught me to trust Him completely.

And now, on Mother’s Day, I’m so grateful for all you’ve ever done for me, and all you still do for me. Not just in feeding and clothing me but in nurturing me, loving me, instructing me, and disciplining me. Thank you for catching my tears that have fallen and for sharing many laughs with me. Thank you for speaking the truth when I need to hear it, and for correcting me faithfully when I’ve been stubborn and proud. But most importantly, thank you for teaching me about the Lord. Thank you for making Christ your forthright fixation and teaching me to do the same. Thank you for praying for me and with me. Thank you for setting an example of joy in the Gospel that I can emulate.

Thank you for being my mom and, as I’ve gotten older, one of my dearest friends. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for loving Him.

With love and gratitude,
Your daughter

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Since most of us are trying to survive finals this week, we’ll not be posting today as usual. Instead, I’d like to direct your attention to a fabulous post on the Gospel by my friend Hannah Farver at Beauty From the Heart.  Enjoy!

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I confess to you all that I have been struggling with writing this post. Thoughts have come and thoughts have left, but nothing seemed “good enough” to write about. I started several posts and half way through decided that it wasn’t making sense or wasn’t worth writing about. I was at a loss for words and thoughts. After talking to one of my fellow bloggers, she encouraged me with the following single phrase: “Keep seeking His face” she said. I was surprisingly encouraged/challenged by that one sentence.

I became desperate for something to write about, something that I could share from my heart and would be encouraging to read. I knew I found it when someone shared this familiar, yet sometimes forgotten verse with me.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

“…if anything is excellent or praiseworty” There’s a whole ocean of things that fall under this category. God has been so kind to me, day in and day out, yet I was struggling to find something to write about. I was forgetting the true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable things; the excellent and praiseworthy things.

I was reminded of how He sustained my brother and me for 7 weeks as my parents were out of the country on a family emergency trip. He gave me faith for that time as my 20 year old brother and I kept up things back home; paid the bills, cleaned the house, did the laundry, made dinner, etc. That was no small task, and yet God equipped us to do what he had called us to do. God’s faithfulness is praiseworthy.

This spring God opened my eyes to all the flowers around us. Hundreds of different flowers everywhere. I was in awe every time I saw a new flower blossom. The beauty of His creation is lovely.

God loves us so much that Jesus Christ was sent down to earth, to live in the flesh so that He could die a sacrificial life that we may live. That, my friends, comes nothing short of noble and admirable.

The more I think of it, the more things I find that are excellent or praiseworthy. This scripture could and should be applied to so many areas of life. I would encourage each of us, including myself, to take some time and “think about such things.”

Feel free to leave a comment and share something God has done for you that is excellent or praiseworthy. Let’s encourage each other as we share what God is doing in our lives. He is a Mighty King and He is worthy of our praise!

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Hännah Schlaudt

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“But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” – Isaiah 64:8, ESV

It isn’t uncommon for our daily devotions to get a little dry every now and then, or pushed to the side, especially when we’re busy. However, my devotions have been great lately, where routine is concerned anyway. The constancy of my devotions ought to be commendable for any professing Christian but only if there is much being gleaned from them. I confess, from mine there has not been. They’ve been rushed. I’ve been distracted. To call them dry would be a terrible understatement. This has been going on for sometime, probably the longest I’ve ever noticed. There have been a few tell-tale signs that my head and my heart haven’t quite been matching up and I attempted to remedy this.

Elisabeth Elliot is one of my favorite authors and it seemed a good idea to read Passion and Purity again. “She [Elisabeth Elliot] always manages to push me to work for the Lord more by what she writes.” I penned in my journal one night a few weeks ago. That is what I love so much about what she writes. It’s always God–centered and my thoughts and heart haven’t been lately. My logic deemed reading her book a very good and effective solution. I was wrong. Instead of evoking a much needed motivational “kick in the pants” as it were, I found a stubborn resistance building inside of me.

Lord, I already gave You all those desires and wishes that I knew I needed to. They’re in Your Hands. What more do You want?
You know what I want, Kaitlin.
But I gave You all those dreams more than once, there aren’t even anymore to give? So why are You still prodding?
Because I want everything. You’re dreams, hopes, wishes, desires, will, emotions, even your very life. Everything.
Everything?
Yes. Everything.

While reading Passion and Purity before has shown me the glory God gets when I render all of myself to Him, to be used by Him and for Him, this time I was determined to hold onto some things in order that I might receive the glory. But that is not the way it’s supposed to be. The lovely Lindsey Wagstaffe of Beauty from the Heart hit the nail on the head in her post The Truth About Insecurity when she wrote:

“Our Maker formed us, lovingly and tenderly, so that He might be admired. Whether or not anyone admires us is frankly insignificant; we were created to reflect the glory and beauty of Christ to those around us, not the glory and beauty of Me.”

God is the Master, I am the servant. He is the Creator, I’m the creation. He redeemed me by grace through a gift of faith, something I didn’t deserve. That doesn’t make me rank higher than other human beings. It simply means that I belong to Christ. I, in my entirety, am His forever.

He is the Potter, and I am His clay.

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Debbie:

[Debbie has been working hard acting in, and assistant directing a production of the play Pride & Prejudice this weekend. Please pray for her as she catches her breath and gets back into the normal swing of things this weekend!]

Hännah:

God’s mercy on me is more and more evident each day, as He takes things that are beyond my control and works them out for His good purposes and His glory. This week has been full of little hard things, but I have yet to see my Lord fail to be faithful. He is very good.

Kaitlin:

Earlier this week I read through 1 John and was blessed tremendously by it.

“No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” – 1 John 2:23, ESV

This verse reminded me that despite all the various world religions and belief systems out there today, they are all void and useless if they deny Christ as Lord. Praise God for the Light of the world that He has given us!

Kate:

On Friday God showed me such grace by giving me great success with my rather big and scary French final. I don’t want to be overconfident that I have a particular grade, but I’m still just so grateful for the grace He showed me by allowing me to steadily concentrate during the exam, and recall the things I had studied. He is good!

Katie Marie:

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. [Colossians 3:1-4]

Kelsey:

The Lord is showing his faithfulness this week by providing encouragement amid all that needs to be accomplished.

Riette:

God carried me through a long week where I’ve felt very weary, but also aware of his sustaining grace. He reminded me often of His promise to not give me more than I can bear. That reminder was the key to me surviving this week!

Stephanie:

Boldly I come before Your throne
To claim Your mercy immense and free
No greater love will e’er be known
For O my God it found out me

(“And Can It Be” by Charles Wesley, adapted by Bob Kauflin)

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I was reading in James, Ephesians and Proverbs this week in my devotions, and was struck by the following verses. Convicted about how I use my words and my tongue, I thought I’d share them with you. They stand on their own—I don’t need to comment on them. Hopefully you will be as edified by the Word on the word as I was.

“The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.” – Prov. 10:31

“The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” – Prov. 13:3

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.” – Prov. 15:1-2

“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” – Prov. 15:4

“The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the heart of fools [or the hearts of fools are not steadfast].” – Prov. 15:7

“Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.” – Prov. 16:13

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” – Prov. 18:21

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak…” – James 1:19

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” – James 1:26

“The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” – James 3:6

“…no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” – James 3:8-10

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only as such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” – Eph. 4:29

[All verses from the ESV translation]

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When my sister Manda was pregnant, she was nervous.

Understandably so! Yet she was nervous in a way that I could not entirely understand personally. She was nervous that she wouldn’t like the Baby that much. She’s not a kid person. Or a baby person. She had some bad mental images of her single mother constantly caring for child after child. We assured her that she would love him more than anything, but she still had her doubts—until she met him, naturally.

And though her personality has not changed, Henry Leonidas Wright is her newest best friend. She’s positively in love.

She can’t get to sleep at night, distracted by him… but misses his nightly noises when he sleeps at our house.
She never wants to hold another baby…but feels perfectly at ease with Hank in her arms.
She’s not an overly physically affectionate person…yet she can’t stop kissing his little face.
She sings to him (and she can’t sing), talks to him like he’s a little man, and looks forward to changing his diaper so that he won’t be uncomfortable.

And after meeting Henry, I think all of us -Manda probably most of all- has a better understanding of who God is.

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?” (Matt. 7:9 NIV)

It’s funny how that verse seems different to me, now. Now all I picture is Henry’s quivering lower lip and tiny, watery eyes when he’s upset about something.

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matt 7:11 NIV)

Isn’t that calming? Isn’t that awe-inspiring? How much more. I couldn’t imagine a child more loved than Henry. Yet I am, by the Father. The Father loves me (and every single one of his children) with a love so great that even a mother’s love pales in comparison. And because He has set His affection upon us, He offers us His “good gifts” – if we ask.

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Debbie:

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
(Matt. 10:28-30 NIV)

Hännah:

I’ve felt very small this week in contrast with God. He’s so wise and so magnificent–He knows all the stars by name, and He’s bothered to count the hairs on my head. He knows all things and is wholly sovereign, and is so good to His children. It’s incredibly humbling to consider.

Kaitlin:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14, ESV

Kate

This week the Lord has shown me His faithfulness as I’ve begun to prepare for finals, and I’ve been praying all the more as I seek to face all He has set before me this week.

Katie Marie:

This week as I drove up into Oklahoma City, my brother read the book of 1 Peter out loud to us both. God used this to lift my spirits—His truth is so good!

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. (1 Peter 1:1821, KJV)

Kelsey:

”…Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”

2 Corinthians 8:10-12 (NIV)

Riette:

This week has been a hard one, but God has used my weaknesses and the circumstances He has me in for my good and His glory. I’ve been tempted in growing weary of these struggles and last night God reminded me of these lyrics.

Yes, I can see a light that is coming
For the heart that holds on,
And there will be an end to these troubles,
But until that day comes,
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You.

Matt & Beth Redman
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Stephanie:

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of a self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

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