Friday, January 31, 2014

Faith. Who, me? What, and how?

After identifying and assessing my personal gifts, I really got stuck on faith. I am not boasting because I, honestly, think the questions were wrong or I am not being honest with myself in regards to my faith. It was only just over three years ago, I remember crying and panicking because I was a new mother, discussing Adam's deployment at the time with my sister, Denee. I was terrified to lose my husband, terrified to raise a child without a father, and I was panicking, not just worried, panicking. This is just evidence of my fear, worry and overall lack of faith. So, today, I wanted to dig into faith. What is it, and how do we use it?

(Adam is now home, of course; he returned safely, unharmed, and there was A LOT of prayer that happened in the six months until he did come home after Caedmon's birth. Praise The Lord for his safety!)

What is faith?  Maybe this is an easy answer to you, but I wanted a definition. For that I looked at two sources, the wonderful dictionary-concordance in my bible and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and these are the definitions I found:

"Belief and trust in God; knowing that God is real, even though we  can't see him" NIV Dictionary-Concordance

"Strong believe or trust in someone or something" OR a "firm belief in something for which there is no proof; complete trust." Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

As Christians, it is clear that our belief in God, in Jesus Christ, is based on faith. We initially come to our belief in Christ through faith, believing God exists, believing Christ died for our sins, believing he rose from the dead; all of that is faith, and we are made righteous in Christ through that faith (Romans 3:22). Faith is therefore a basis for our Christianity. Faith in Jesus Christ is our foundation.

Faith is a way of life, a lifelong journey. Once we accept Christ as our Savior, our journey of faith is only beginning; as we grow in our relationship with Christ, our growth demands more faith. Romans 1:17 says "the righteous shall live by faith." We continue in faith after our acceptance of Christ, trusting our life and change to Him.

Our faith deepens, it grows as we trust in God and allow him opportunities to do more than we ever imagined possible. 2 Peter 1:5 tells us to "supplement your faith" or add to your faith, and it goes on to list virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love. Our faith is the building block for so much more in our lives. It's an opportunity to become more like Christ, which is really what our salvation and life in Christ should produce.

 In addition to our life becoming a journey of faith, faith produces. Faith should have results. Our faith without action is really not faith at all. "So also faith apart from works is dead." (James 2:26). Faith without action is worthless, it is dead; faith becomes powerless and without effect when it is not utilized. I doubted so greatly my abilities and God's capacity to use me, that I neglected beginning a blog or trying to write at all for over a year, nearly two years! I did not have faith that God could use me. You can see now that I have taken a step of faith, some action, by starting to write for God. And, I pray that God allows me to continue to grow in faith through this experience and those to come.

I'll close with two verses, share a Pinterest-found meme, and by simply saying that after this short study of faith, more than ever I feel incapable. However, I know God is able.

"If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed...nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13






Thursday, January 30, 2014

Spiritual Gifts and Practical Uses

I apologize for not sharing my follow-up earlier, but time, as usual, is a rare commodity, and quite honestly, I had important people to focus on - Adam and Caedmon. I hope you understand that, and I am sure you also have important people and things in your life. Back from my brief tangent, I wanted to share my results assessments I took, and to some this may be a surprise and to others it seemed crystal clear.

Before taking the assessment, I first asked my husband what he expected my spiritual gifts to be; his response was discernment and administration, and I would have been honored to have the gift of discernment. I didn't. My top two gifts are mercy and encouragement, followed by a two-way tie for third with knowledge and faith. I have a difficult time to admit that I have those qualities; I have a hard time seeing that I am really good at anything though. I want to avoid being proud, and in the end, I find that I only degrade and belittle myself and my a God-given abilities.  When I limit myself, am I limiting God's abilities to use me?

If you do not know already, I am still new and still nervous about the "blog scene"; constantly I question my abilities to write, encourage and share Jesus' love and compassion with others. And, after nearly a year or two of "thinking" about writing and talking about writing, I am finally doing. For nearly two years I did not act. When I think about the time I could have been growing in my teaching or writing or encouraging abilities, it saddens me. I also realize that by not acting, I doubted God's abilities to use me and the gifts he has given me.

Is there something on your heart that you feel God leading you to do?  If so, I would love to hear about it; I would love to hear about you spiritual gifts, too. More importantly than telling me, it is essential that you stop "thinking" and start trying, finding avenues to use your gifts. As we are told in Romans 12:6-8, by grace we are given different gifts and let us do them!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Building your House: Seeking your Spiritual Gifts

I have a confession to make: I am not a perfect wife. And, everyone says “well, duh?” I will tell you what though, some days I try so hard to be a great help meet and fail in major ways. I work to have the entire house clean, have a quiet time, exercise, play with our son, finish laundry, have a wonderful meal cooked, and be singing and smiling when my husband walks in the door. That does not happen. Exhaustion happens, unexpected delays happen, I just don’t feel like it or if you are a mother (or pet owner) you know what happens when something is cleaned - the child (or pet) follows every clean room to make it messy again. If this is not you on at least one day, then tell me how you do it, please!

Today, I came across a verse that just inspired me to really dig in, and hopefully I can and you can help me! Proverbs 14:1 reads, “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.” It made me see first, that I want to be a wise woman, and secondly, I want to be a woman that builds her house, not tears it down. We all see women tear their family’s down lately, and a lot of women tear down or shut down their husbands. When at Home posted a wonderful blog titled “Let Your Husband Love You,” which I believe we often do, if you are a stay at home mom or not! After a long day, with or without children, I think everyone is at least a little tired and we tend to push those closest to us away because it’s easier. I don’t want to repeat what she said, so you can go check that out.

As wives or mothers, whether staying at home or working outside the home, we have unique opportunities and skills to offer our families. In neglecting our God-given talents and skills, our lives, our husbands, our children - our homes - miss out on the “building” we can do. So, I encourage you to do these things with me:

  • Read up on the spiritual gifts in the bible (1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Romans 12:6-8).
  • Identify your spiritual gifts. There are online programs that offer tests and evaluations to help you, if you are like me, and struggle to see them. Ask a friend or two what they see to be your talents and gifts. Try to identify 1-3 areas in which you are successful. 
  • Try to identify practical ways in your home you do or can “build” your home with your skills and gifts, and please, please, please share them with me. If you are uncomfortable posting them as a comment, you can join my facebook page, message me via the facebook page, or e-mail me

Tomorrow, or later this evening, I am going to try to share my evaluation(s), and maybe we can build on this topic of “building our homes.”


Monday, January 27, 2014

Daniel's Wisdom



During my personal bible study time, I have been spending some time in the book of Daniel. Today I want to share some thoughts from the first two chapters of Daniel; I encourage you to read Chapter 2:12-30.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream, and he demanded an interpretation of the dream from all the magicians, sorcerers, wise men and astrologers of the time. When no one was able to respond, the king "commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed" (verse 12, NIV), this included Daniel and his three friends, which many of us know as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (also named Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah). It is Daniel's response in this urgent and life-threatening time that made me realize that his response can teach us how to deal with stressful situations, and every day life.

When you act, do so with wisdom and discretion. Daniel's life was on the line, and instead of panicking or responding harshly, he responds with wisdom and prudence (see Daniel 2:14). Merriam-Webster defines these (prudence and wisdom) as "cautious" and having "good sense or judgment." When Arioch, the king's captain, came to take Daniel into custody, instead of fighting with him, he uses good sense and judgment, cautiously asking why this is happening.

Don't rush. Daniel did not run into Nebuchadnezzar with answers right away. In chapter 2, verse 16, "Daniel went in to the king and asked for time." Sometimes when we face a difficult situation, the wise response is sometimes no response at all for a time. Daniel knew that he did not have the answers right then; he knew he needed to wait. When we face challenges, it is often best not to make rash decisions, but to step back and wait until we are sure of our response and where God is leading us.

Go to God in prayer. Ask friends for prayer. This is a two-fold point. When Daniel is permitted time to interpret the king's dream, he goes to his companions, his godly friends. He asks them to pray, to "seek mercy from the God of heaven." He takes time to go to the ultimate source of wisdom. Job 12:13 reads, "With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding." Daniel sought out God's wisdom and mercy in this difficult situation, and he did not do so alone. We do not have to be alone in difficult times, sometimes friendships are there to encourage us. In Matthew 18:20, we are encouraged to pray with others; "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

Give blessing and credit to God. We need to take time to give praise and credit to God. When God revealed the dream and interpretation to Daniel, the first thing he did was not to run to the king with the answer, but he praised God (see verses 20-23). After taking time to thank and praise his heavenly Father, he then also tells the king that it's by the God in heaven that he interprets his dream, not of his own abilities.

Daniel's response to this time of stress and possible death is an example to us when we feel like things are falling apart. There have been many times for me, when the encouragement I needed comes from God's word, a good friend, or patience in time of trial. Daniel was certainly a man of wisdom, granted by God, and we can seek to be like him by seeking God's wisdom, not just in times of trial, but daily. Thanks be to God for his eternal Word and comfort.

Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."












Thursday, January 23, 2014

Our weakness is God's opportunity...


After sharing the wonderful news of my first blog giveaway, a friend reminded me that this could really boost traffic to my blog. That should excite me and get me really motivated, but it terrifies me to know that more people will see what I write, criticize my work or me, and I feel incapable and unprepared to deal with all that comes with "more traffic." However, my dear friend's next text gave me the hope and clarity to deal with the fear; she said, "we've been praying for an avenue to show how God worked [and works] in your life, I'd say this is a good answer to prayer."

I have for several weeks been struggling with feelings of inadequacy, and God has repeatedly brought me to 1 Timothy 4:11-16, where Paul writes Timothy:

"Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity...Do not neglect the gift you have...Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this..."

I am young, been married a short five years, have one child (and likely no more), my child is not yet four; I do not have years of life experience to draw on. To this day, my best intentions can turn into sin and failure; I find myself yelling angrily at my three year old, frustrated at a package that won't open, one drink can turn into one too many. I am not a perfect steward of finances. I am not good at establishing boundaries, getting housework done, or prioritizing my life. These are all areas I continue to work on in my life. I can list all day my faults, failures, and sin. My youth, inexperience, and continued failures bring me to a point of inadequacy and I feel like giving up before I start. However, Paul addressed this issue with Timothy, where perhaps he felt inadequate and young. Paul says "let no one despise you for your youth." I cannot allow my feelings of inadequacy to hinder God's work in me. Because, after all, I cannot, but HE can. With every every failure, every mistake I make, if I confess and repent, God grants me grace (1 John 1:9). So, I am reminded today of 2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

So, I share more gladly my weaknesses, struggles, and insecurity, because Christ's power makes this blog, my writing, a possibility. It's important for me to keep trying, to continue to be a work in progress. If you followed my first couple of posts, you also realized I changed the name of my blog. After weeks of contemplation and various drafts that you may or may not see in the future, I realized what a work in progress I am, that my life is Jesus' work in progress. Darlene Schacht writes on her page, that she is "nothing without the grace of God," and that is where I feel I am. I am nothing without the grace and help of God. And, I see again where Paul addresses this issue, "set the believers an example [in four areas I hope to address in another post]... so that all may see your progress." To me, it seems that Timothy was young, did not have it all together, and was a work in progress for Jesus as well. Paul urged him to be an example, to live a life demonstrating Jesus to others in the way he spoke, lived, and treated others. And because no one has it all together, Paul reminds him to do so that others see his progress.

This is ultimately what I hope: to leave what is in the past there, learning from it, pressing on (Philippians 3:13-14), relying on God's grace (1 John 1:9), his strength in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) to set an example and show how God progresses a person; to show how God continues to use me as a work in progress.

I am inadequate, my closest friends see my inadequacies often, especially my dear husband (Thank you for loving me anyhow, Adam!). However, when I know I cannot, that is when I recognize it is by God's grace alone it's accomplished - like this blog. Do you see his hands at work in your life? I would love to hear about how Jesus continues to to help you, you dear work in progress.


Psalm 143:10 "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground."

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting..."

Hebrews 12:1 "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."




GIVEAWAY: Darlene Schacht's The Virtuous Life of a Christ-Centered Wife

WOW!  This morning has brought some amazing news. If you cannot tell from the title Darlene Schacht, from timewarpwife.com and author of several amazing bible studies and books, has offered her new title as a giveaway for my small, but growing blog! I am so excited to share Darlene's book with you all, and she has offered three copies for the giveaway - WHAT A BLESSING!

If you cannot tell by all the exclamation points, I am very excited about this giveaway.  Darlene is woman who loves Jesus, she's a wife, and mother of four.  She is an inspiration to me, personally, and I am excited to share her blog and book with you; if you have not already checked out her site, please do!



You can see more about the book here.

See the widget on the bottom of the blog page to enter!  (Please be patient with me as this is my first giveaway!)