Christ the Rock

Well, I thought we were on the verge of getting out of "zombie" mode, but this week Lu decided that she's not ready to fall asleep until midnight.  Brian, Mr. Night Owl, has been fighting a nasty cold so he's gone to bed early each night, leaving me up with a spunky, ready-to-party Lucy-Lu.

There's a pesky tooth struggling to come through her bottom gum - I think that's the culprit to our sleeplessness.  Despite her discomfort, I'm so thankful for her happiness.  She is such a contented baby.

Nevertheless, I decided that THIS is the week I was going to get up early to spend time in the Word and prayer each morning.  That time to reorient my heart and mind before the throne of grace is what I've missed more than anything since Lucy was born last May.  Girltalk recently wrote a great post answering this question How do you get up early when your kids are up all night?  Yes, those suggestions are excellent and have helped sustain me these last 8 months, but there's nothing as sweet as meeting with Jesus in those early morning hours, coffee in hand.

Our church's women's bible study has enjoyed Nancy Guthrie's Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament studies.  Because there hasn't been a women's bible study at church yet this year, I decided to order Nancy's The Lamb of God: Seeing Jesus in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy and study it myself.  Today I was immensely encouraged and just had to share what I read.

I love it when I have the "ah-ha" moments when studying God's Word.

The chapter I studied this morning was "Salvation & Provision" from Exodus 13-17.  

The Israelites continued to wander in the desert, quarreling with Moses (17:2), and Moses cried out to God asking Him for advice, for the people were ready to stone him (17:4-5).  God said, "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink," (17:6) (emphasis mine).

Nancy Guthrie helps us see how opposite this is: God is standing before Moses.  NOT Moses standing before God.  Here, Moses is the judge. God identifies himself not as judge, but as the rock.  He instructs Moses to strike the rock.  "He [God] will stand in the place of the accused, identifying himself with the rock, and he will bear the judgment the people deserved for their rebellion.  Instead of receiving punishment, they will be flooded with the mercy of a gushing stream of water flowing from the rock," (pg. 107).

We see, as Paul saw, that God (in the person of Jesus Christ) stood on the Rock and was struck with God's just rod of punishment for a guilty people:

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.  For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

I Corinthians 10:1-4

So long ago, using a rock & steam of water, God demonstrated to His people His plan for salvation: strike Christ for sinful rebellion while saving guilty sinners like us.  Wow.

Nancy writes, "Are you seeing that the physical salvation of the Israelites at the Red Sea  provides a picture for us of the spiritual salvation available to all who trust in Christ?" (pg. 108).

So, if we're trusting in Christ the Rock, what is our responsibility?  "Drink. Drink. Drink the living water that flows from Christ alone. Believe in him; enter into a trusting, ongoing relationship with him in which he daily fills you with his own overflowing life and joy," (pgs 107-108).

Today I am drinking deeply.

This is the sweet gospel.

Thank you, Jesus.

Moms Need the Gospel

Reader beware:  I was just dusting and going off on a tangent in my mind against the law-based "gospel".  I heard it again this morning at MOPS and walked away more discouraged than encouraged.

Why?

Because I was told that in order to be a really good and Godly mom I must:

1. Get three piggy banks for each child (one for savings, one for church, and one for missions)

2. Stay-at-home

3. Homeschool if there isn't a Christian school in the area

Etc. etc. etc.

UGH.

The speaker gave us an idea-filled "to-do" list, patted us on the back, and sent us on our way.  I left thinking:  I do and will fail as a mom.  I may not homeschool (oh, please no, LORD).  And it is very likely that I will not want three piggy banks per child cluttering up my house (although I do want to instill in my children a love for giving to the Church and teach them the skill of saving).

I love parenting ideas.  I love gleaning from the wisdom of older, more Godly women.  However, when the gospel of Jesus Christ is left out of the equation, you're left with feelings of despair.

What should the speaker have told us today in addition to all of her good ideas?

That we won't always be able to incorporate her ideas or, if we do, they might not all work.  It has to be the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of us and our children, drawing us to Christ.  

And we will miss opportunities with our children - we may be impatient with them, forget to show tender love, neglect to pray for them or, heaven-forbid, place them in a public school. ;)  But we can take heart -  God's grace is sufficient.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

II Corinthians 12:9

So look today to the cross.  It's there where Christ died, purchased forgiveness for our sins, and granted us the power to grow in godliness.  We won't be perfect mothers or remember to incorporate every good piece of advice into our mothering - but Christ has promised to help us when we're weak, providing us grace to love our children.  He will do it - He will provide it all.  Rest in what He has done for you on the cross, and trust Him in all of your parenting.

Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

People have frequently asked me, "So why aren't you blogging anymore?"  Unfortunately, the real answer is that I have had nothing to give.

Last fall one of our women's Bible studies was by Nancy Leigh DeMoss on the importance of spending time at Jesus' feet in the mornings (Mark 1:35, John 8:2).  It's in these sweet moments with Jesus that we find, "...wisdom for walking carefully.  We obtain guidance for daily decisions.  We find peace in the midst of life's whirlwind.  We are infused with the strength to complete our tasks," (Shopping for Time, pg. 42).  

 

The first third of this pregnancy completely wiped me out, and I didn't spend time with Jesus in the mornings.  I required so much sleep; I would sleep until the shouts of "Mommy!" awakened me each morning, and I'd race to my bed as soon as I put Aidan down for his nap each afternoon.  The nausea kept me from friends and ministering to others.  But thankfully, by God's grace, I am feeling more and more like myself each day.  

And because I have begun again to sit at the feet of Jesus each morning, He fills me with His glorious self so I have something to give again.  I think my passion for Christ is coming back - therefore, I will blog!  I will tell you about all the books I've been reading, the four awesome devotionals I purchased at last week's Pastor's Conference, and about all the the LORD has been teaching me during this long, hard winter in rural Iowa.  

So watch out...cuz I'm back!  :)

 

Let me encourage you to spend time in God's Word and prayer each morning before your day begins.  Sitting at His feet each day is the most important thing you can do for your body, soul and family.  C.S. Lewis wrote in regard to our "Martha" (Luke 10:38-42) tendencies:

It comes the very moment you wake up each morning.  All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals.  And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.

It's pertinent that we first listen to that Other voice each morning, as Mary did; communion with our Savior is of first priority.  From personal experience these last few months, I can verify that there is nothing greater or more life-giving than my sweet mornings with Jesus before my household awakes.

***

A few picture updates:

 Yesterday church was cancelled due to the freezing rain so we enjoyed a very fun family day of tractors, diggers, Candyland, and

 Valentines!

 

I painted a magnetic chalkboard in the kitchen; I just love it!  However, I only got three coats of magnetic paint on before I decided I was probably going to retard this baby inside of me due to all the fumes.  So I'm waiting on my dear hubby to finish it up with chalkboard paint and trim.

Two weeks ago, Brian hosted Zion's First Annual Men's Retreat, Stepping Up!  Fifty men from Garner and nearby towns attended.

One of the new books I'm very excited about is Christine Hoover's The Church Planting Wife.  Although I'm not a church planting wife, it's very helpful for pastor's wives in any sort of ministry.

Lastly (and most exciting), we had our anatomy ultrasound last Friday.  We were giddy with delight when we were told that our baby is very healthy and developing on target.  At 18 weeks, Aidan had cysts on his brain and this baby is cyst free!  We were able to see the two hemispheres of the brain, and all four chambers of the heart - it's simply amazing.  We will reveal the gender soon...

National Adoption Day

Yesterday was National Adoption Day.

During the last few days, I've begun following a new blog:

Breezy Acres

This sweet Kansas family is currently in China picking up their new daughter!  It has been such a joy to be "on" this journey with this blog family, and I encourage you to take time to read through their story and prayerfully consider how Jesus may be calling you to "care for the orphans," (James 1:27).

[In love] he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ...

Ephesians 1:5

Christlessly Annoying

I was usually standing by his side when he'd tell fellow seminarians, "It's my desire to find a pastorate in the Midwest due to the lack of Reformed teaching there."  I thought I understood what Brian meant at that time, but I really had no clue.  It's only now, two and a half years into our ministry in rural Iowa, that I understand (and grieve over) the lack of Reformed tradition here in the Midwest.

How do I know that I'm finally "getting it"?  One way I know that I "get" what it means to be Reformed is because I cringe when other sources (Christian magazines, sermons, speakers, books, etc.) aren't Reformed.

For example, I subscribe to a magazine for pastor's wives edited by Jill Briscoe called "Just Between Us" and the primary authors reside in the Midwest.  At first, I really enjoyed it and now it just drives me crazy.  In this season's issue, there's an article titled "Help! I'm Burning Out!" by Amy Nappa.  Her suggestions for avoiding burnout at home and in ministry are helpful (such as communicate more, delegate tasks, encourage one another with kind notes/emails, etc.)  However, not once does she mention anything Christian until the last paragraph: 

Especially as you look forward to a new year, why don't you carve out a chunk of time and sit down with your schedule...Decide how you're going to intentionally avoid burnout so you can enjoy the life God intends for you to live and enjoy the people He's given you to love both at home and in your ministry.

That's fine and true, right?  So why are my undies in a bunch?  Because it's so man-centered.  It's all about me - my schedule, my homelife, my priorities, my vision, my my my.  When we lose focus of Christ - who He is and what He has done - that's when we go astray.  I wish she'd encourage us to spend time in God's Word and seeking Him in prayer as we reevaluate our lives to avoid burnout.  You see, all of her suggestions are fine - and some of them probably work - but Christ needs to be at the forefront of a Christian's life - including her schedule, priorities, vision, communication, etc.  I know that I can't succeed on my own, not even to keep myself from burning out.  That's what ministry women need to hear; you can't do it on your own.  Yes, plan; yes, schedule; yes, reevaluate.

But put Christ first because He's the One through which you will avoid burnout.

I'm reading Michael Horton's Christless Christianity now, and it's incredibly eye-opening to see American evangelicalism disappear from before our eyes.  A quote in Horton's book from George Barna states:

In short, the spirituality of America is Christian in name only...We desire experience more than knowledge.  We prefer choices to absolutes.  We embrace preferences rather than truths.  We seek comfort rather than growth.  Faith must come on our terms or we reject it.  We have enthroned ourselves as the final arbiters of righteousness, the ultimate rulers of our own experience and destiny.  We are the Pharisees of the new millennium.

It's so pervasive - Christless Christianity is everywhere.  Even in so-called "ministry" magazines.  It drives me crazy.  I'm praying for a Modern Reformation!  ;)

Be On Guard

One of the things that Scripture is very clear about is guarding the deposit of the faith (II Timothy 1:14), testing the spirits (I John 4:1), and keeping a close watch on your doctrine (I Timothy 4:16).  Unfortunately, since moving back to the Midwest, I've noticed how most evangelical Christians are not discerning in what they read, the pastors they sit under, or the studies they attend.  I was shocked when one retired evangelical pastor told me he had no doctrinal convictions regarding what church he was now going to attend - as long as it was "Bible believing."  I was shocked when a Reformed woman said she goes to a non-Reformed church in the summer just because they hold the services outdoors.  I was shocked when the MOPS group in Forest City endorsed Rachel Held Evan's new book A Year of Biblical Womanhood.

It scares me to think that evangelical Christians are no longer discerning; they willingly trust any Bible study or pastor or author as long as they use the word "God".  We have fallen so short of guarding our faith as Paul told young Timothy, and no longer keep a close eye on doctrine.  People are too trusting.

I am not trusting.  And there is a struggle that comes with that distrust.  When a friend invited me last month to MOPS which is held at First Baptist in Forest City, I was torn.  On the one hand, I'm all for meeting other young moms who love Jesus, getting out of the house on these cold days, and enabling Aidan to have some structured social time.  But on the other hand, I hate not being able to go and soak in teaching - I'm always on guard.  The evangelical community has become so undiscerning and spread their wings to accept everything as long as they mention "God."  The MOPS speaker that day (sorry, I don't even remember her name) endorsed A Year of Biblical Womanhood before she gave her talk, and I was disturbed.  Now, I know better than to read what she writes, but what about these young moms who don't have pastor-scholar husbands like mine?  They eat up everything these speakers say.  How can we teach our communities to become more discerning?  I don't want to come across as this all doctrine guru, but I also want women to be careful and to fill their minds with solid food that will satisfy and enable them to endure when the hardships come.

Why do we need to be careful about Rachel Held Evans?  Let's take a closer look at this woman who, as one of Christianity Today's 50 Most Influential Women, has a blog that daily draws thousands of "highly evangelical" readers:

:

Firstly, her degree is in English literature.  Check out this interview at 1:30:

So why does she write about theology?  Who knows, but she does.  The question is why are women so eager to purchase her "Biblical Womanhood" book?  If you wanted to know about Biblical womanhood, wouldn't you purchase a book about the topic from a Biblical scholar?  I'm all for asking questions; the concern lies in where you go to find the answers.

Additionally, Kathy Keller (who holds a Masters degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) wrote a valuable critique of Rachel's book:

Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood

Desiring God also wrote a review that I highly encourage you to read:

A Year of Biblical Womanhood: A Review

So my plea for you and me:

Please be on guard.  Guard your faith  and keep a close watch on your doctrine - "persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers," (I Timothy 4:16).
We sing, "Oh Be Careful Little Eyes (or Ears)..." with our children; why, then, are we so quick to forget our own advice?

Favorites from Nancy

Author Nancy Guthrie has been my favorite lately.

I've been absorbing all she has to say in her books on suffering and chewing over some powerful quotes.  

The following quotes are from her bible study, The Wisdom of God: Seeing Jesus in the Psalms & Wisdom Books.

Regarding Psalm 42:

"[The Psalmist's] feelings of drowning in his difficult circumstances are not what define his reality but that God's covenant love is his security in the storm."

and

"Rather than listening to his own desperate thoughts, he speaks the truth to those thoughts.  Rather than trusting his feelings, he defies them.  Rather than talking about the truth of the gospel as something out there for other people, he applies it to himself personally.  He prays to God, and he preaches hope to himself in the midst of his desperate dryness and despair."

In the chapter on Job regarding God's purpose in suffering:

"What allows us as his children to endure it is that while it's painful, we're confident that it's purposeful.  Never punitive.  Never random.  Never too harsh.  Always out of love."

And when God finally spoke to Job in the last chapters:

"...rather than revealing all of the answers to Job's questions or explaining the spiritual battle going on behind the scenes, God revealed himself.  Rather than telling Job what he might have wanted most to hear, he told Job what he needed most to hear...and the message became clear to Job: God is Creator and I am the created.  He can do anything with me that he wants to do with me."

"And when God revealed himself to Job, Job came to realize that the more he knew about who God is, the more he could accept what God gave - even when he didn't understand it."

"The wisdom of God...moves us from demanding from God what we think we deserve to thanking God for all that we've received that we do not deserve."

And more quotes from her devotional, Be Still My Soul: God's Purpose & Provision in Suffering:

"God recompenses outward losses with inner enjoyments" (see II Cor 1:5).

"Our comfort lies to a great extent in the choice of our main happiness."

"God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with other afflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives."

"Trust is not a passive state of mind.  It is a vigorous act of the soul."

"Trusting God is first of all a matter of the will, and is not dependent on my feelings."

Whew - SO many good quotes - these are just a few!

I'll leave you with a pic of the boy:

 Last night we did a craft with Aidan (since it was too cold and wet to play outside).  We made the ABC turkey in the background - Aidan ended up getting bored so it's more like Mama and Daddy made an ABC turkey last night.

My cute lunch dates yesterday:

 

Catechesis

Tim Keller wrote an excellent article on The Gospel Coalition site

Why Catechesis Now?

He begins:

"The church in Western culture today is experiencing a crisis of holiness. To be holy is to be "set apart," different, living life according to God's Word and story, not according to the stories that the world tells us are the meaning of life. The more the culture around us becomes post- and anti-Christian the more we discover church members in our midst, sitting under sound preaching, yet nonetheless holding half-pagan views of God, truth, and human nature, and in their daily lives using sex, money, and power in very worldly ways. It's hard to deny what J. I. Packer and Gary Parrett write:

Superficial smatterings of truth, blurry notions about God and godliness, and thoughtlessness about the issues of living---careerwise, communitywise, familywise, and churchwise---are all too often the marks of evangelical congregations today (Grounded in the Gospel: Building Believers the Old-Fashioned Way, 16)."

So why catetechis?

Keller goes on.

"...catechisms take students step by step through the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer---a perfect balance of biblical theology and doctrine, practical ethics, and spiritual experience."

And what is it?

"Catechesis is an intense way of doing instruction. The catechetical discipline of memorization drives concepts in deep, encouraging meditation on truth. It also holds students more accountable to master the material than do other forms of education. Some ask: why fill children's heads---or for that matter, new converts'---with concepts like "the glory of God" that they cannot grasp well? The answer is that it creates biblical categories in our minds and hearts where they act as a foundation, to be gradually built upon over the years with new insights from more teaching, reading, and experiences. Catechesis done with young children helps them think in biblical categories almost as soon as they can reason. Such instruction, one old writer said, is like firewood in a fireplace. Without the fire---the Spirit of God---firewood will not in itself produce a warming flame. But without fuel there can be no fire either, and that is what catechetical instruction provides."

I pray the Lord would do just that in Aidan's life - take the truths he learns from his catechism and apply it to his heart and mind.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity to learn it along with him.  We're working on question 5 from this book:

 So next time you see our little man, feel free to ask him how he can glorify God and why he should glorify God.  You can ask his mom too - I should know!

Brian teaches the catechism beginning in seventh grade at our church so our goal is to know all 167 questions & answers by the time Aidan is 13!

 

Christ-Centered Conversations

The Girltalk Blog posted a wonderful quote yesterday by George Whitfield on conversations:

"[I]f you are in company, let your time be spent in that conversation that profiteth: let it not be about your dressing, your plays, your profits, or your worldly concerns, but let it be the wonders of redeeming love. O tell, tell to each other what great things the Lord has done for your souls; declare unto one another how you were delivered from the hands of your common enemy, Satan, and how the Lord has brought your feet from the clay and has set them upon the rock of ages, the Lord Jesus Christ; there, my brethren, is no slipping. Other conversation, by often repeating, you become fully acquainted with, but of Christ there is always something new to raise your thoughts; you can never want when the love of the Lord Jesus Christ is the subject. So let Jesus be the subject, my brethren, of all your conversation." O Come Thou Long Expected Jesus p 13

I love this - if Christians truly do share with one another what Christ has done & is doing in their lives - focusing on Him alone - not only is that a rich and satisfying conversation, it's God-glorifying!  I think we've all been in those conversations that don't go anywhere; you may discuss the weather, how your kids are doing in school, or what your weekend plans are, but are those conversations fulfilling or Christ-exalting?  I haven't found them to be.  It's my favorite when a friend calls and immediately asks, "So how are you really doing?  What have you been learning lately from Scripture?" OR the friend just dives right into what she's been struggling with in life and how God has been helping her see the good from it all and enabling her to persevere (James 1).

One of my Cali besties and I discussed once how boring it is to just talk babies, husbands, work, etc.  Isn't there anything else - more soul satisfying?  Let's encourage one another to go deep; to not just know about each other but to KNOW one another as sisters in Christ.  Yes, the walls of pride and self-preservation must be torn down; it's during these times that our faith and friendship is most strengthened.  We can then be encouraged in the LORD and know how to pray for one another better.

(Are babies and husbands and work important?  Absolutely!  But let's make Christ the center - not the earthly gifts He's so graciously bestowed upon us.)

So I want to encourage you today: Share with others what you've been reading and learning from in God's Word lately.  What has he been teaching you?  Let's strive to make our conversations Christ-centered and not focused on the earthly things that are passing away.

O tell, tell each other what great things the Lord has done for your souls...

Today I spent time reading and praying over Isaiah 45.  My favorite verse from the chapter:

"Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,

a pot among earthen pots!

Does the clay say to him who forms it,

'What are you making?'

or

'Your work has no handles?'"

I was very convicted by these words this morning - it's too easy for me to tell my Maker what I think He should be doing with my life and then fussing when it doesn't look the way I want it to.

****

Recent Instagrams:

 Our boy loves bubbles.

 We dogsat last week.  Aidan just adores this little puppy; she's the perfect size for him.

 Aidan's borrowing a few toys from Grandma & Bop's house.  They've been the biggest hit!

Brian comments about how Aidan has my packing skills - let's just say that's a good thing!?  Ha.

Mama's favorite helper.

House chores have never been so much fun!

Eggheads?

"I don't want to hear any big words during a sermon."

"Doctrine?  That's just for pastors or scholars."

"I don't need to know anything academic - I just need the Bible."

"I know God loves me.  And that's all that I need to know."

 Quotes like this make my temperature rise and my face blush red.  I bite my tongue.  Dr. Horton once said that you can't separate doctrine and faith.  It truly forms what you believe and why you believe it and how, then, you live.

The article "Is Reformation Christianity Just for Eggheads?" in this month's ModernReformation magazine is helpful for those who have a tendency to neglect doctrine.

 

The author begins with the following quote:

"Man, this is a lot of stuff [the examination process for a membership candidate in a United Reformed Church (URC)].  Do you ever worry that the Reformed Church is just for smart people?"

Short answer: No.

"My first thought was to decry the anti-intellectualism of our age and the church's capitulation to it...Reformation Christianity may seem overly intellectual, but compared to what?"

I enjoy the way author Brian Lee goes on to explain his answer.

 "The justification for a robustly confessional Christianity must be grounded first in the character of our covenant-making God, a God who speaks truth into a world under the sway of the deceiver."

Here are some other main points:

Literate God

Fact: the Bible exists.  God speaks and writes (through inspired men).  He gave Moses the 10 commandments written on stone tablets.  Although we don't know the exact stats, it's likely that few Hebrews could actually read these laws of Yahweh.  Moses wrote five books and probably had to spend a lot of time teaching others to read so these books could be understood.  "God's revelation demands literacy of his people."  For some, this can be a steep learning curve.

Instruments of Reform

Beyond the fact that the Bible exists, God called and raised up learned leaders to instruct His people in faith.  Moses, David ("whose literary production in the Psalter portrays poetry and learning of the royal court well beyond his rustic origins"), Solomon, the prophets ("trained not only as covenantal lawyers, but as poets and historians), twelve apostles, and the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ. 

"The child Jesus grew strong and was filled with wisdom...the authority with which he debated the Pharisees flowed not only from his person, but also from his superior knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures."  And Paul preached the Gospel in a manner through which people of all backgrounds and education could understand because, as he correctly understood, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (through preachers).  So, yes, God worked through brilliant and inspired men, but faith comes by hearing the preached Word - therefore, common people can obtain true faith.

When Luther's 95 Theses became the catalyst for the Reformation, the ideas were first received by a literate group of academics.  However, the ideas soon spread as the academics taught others.  Now, it was no longer only for the literate, but for the common man.  It came by hearing.

"The churches of the Reformation bore fruit in the form of well-catechized and educated laity.  For generations, simple farmers and tradesman were versed in the Scriptures and catechized to a degree that would make today's college graduates blush.  While a great deal of this education took place at home, much occured on the Lord's Day through the reading and preaching of Scripture, the singing of Psalms, and the instruction in the catechism.

"Reformation Christianity and worship - properly understood - shouldn't appeal only to smart people.  We are all sinners, and sinners need the gospel in its clarity.  Rather, it should make them smart, or more precisely, make them wise in the things of the Lord, kindling in them a hunger and thirst for the true food of God's Word."

I loved this article and appreciated his emphasis on the importance of growing in knowledge (II Peter 3:18) in order to deepen our faith.  Yes, knowledge can "puff up", but it's not about just being smarter or being "Reformed"; it's about knowing in greater clarity who Jesus is and what He has done so that we can fall deeper in love with Him.

"Ignoti nulla cupido."

(Ignorance does not breed love.)

Kept & Guarded

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you rejoice...

I Peter 1:3-6a

YES!  My hope IS secure because I have an inheritance "kept in heaven," and I'm being "guarded", even now, by God's power.

This truth has been so real and true to me lately as life - full of its disappointments and frustrations - whirls around me.  I always pray that the LORD would preserve our Reformed faith and not let us be tainted by the sins of this pseudo-Christian culture around us.  May we never compromise what God's Word says just because it's become a cultural norm.

Thanking the LORD for Christ, His Word and the Holy Spirit today.  What great and precious promises are written for those who believe!  Also thanking Him for guarding my salvation - what a gift.

Three Decades of Grace

Today I'm 3-0!

I can't believe it.

As I reflect on the past 30 years of life, I'm amazed and humbled by all the ways the LORD has led and guided me, fulfilling His promise to work for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Three Decades of Grace

Below I've reflected on the top graces in each decade of my life.

Decade One

1. My parents  - They fulfilled my every need (spiritually, emotionally, & physically) and sacrificed so much to shape me into the woman I am today.

4th birthday.
July 17, 1986

Dad & Me (preschool)

Ha - family picture!  1998, maybe?

2. My grandparents - They, too, have been a source of constant support and love in my life.

Grandma Char & me visiting the CCC camp where Grandpa Richie worked before WWII.

3. Camp Shamineau - It was at camp that I truly came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior and LORD.  It was there that I knew I wanted to serve Him with my whole heart.  My first time attending was in fifth grade with my friend, Sarah Greenwalt.

4. My home on the Mississippi - lots of fun to be had on the snowmobiles, motorcycles, boats, etc.  The beauty of the river and woods gave me a deep appreciation of my Creator God.

Decade Two

1. Camp Shamineau - Camp helped train me for ministry and it was there that I met wonderful, Christ-loving friends and a cute boy...

Summer 1999 - Counselor

2. Highschool - I had to make a decision: was I going to have premarital sex, smoke marijuana and give in to drunkenness or was I going to follow Christ?  Thankful for Christ's grip on my life to follow Him.

Prom 2000

3. Bethel University - At Bethel, I met great friends, had opportunities to minister to younger students & share the gospel with inner city students, and was more than fully prepared to become a middle school science teacher.

Decade Three

1. Brian John Lund - My husband!  Brian has had the hugest influence on my life.  He has taught me to treasure Christ above all things and is the best, kindest husband a woman could ever imagine marrying.  After Christ, he is my greatest joy and treasure.

August 1, 2004

2. Classical Education - The LORD guided me to a classical school upon graduation from Bethel.  It is the most perfect form of education, and I am continually praising Him for enabling me to know it, learn it, and hopefully place my children at a classical, Reformed school.

3. Teaching - Again, the LORD gave me two incredible teaching jobs; I taught middle school science in St. Paul for two years and sixth grade (self-contained) in Escondido for four years.  I love those students and teaching them so much!

Astro Camp 2010

4.  Escondido, California - These were my favorite four years of life.  Nothing will ever compare to being married to your best friend, surrounded by Reformed friends who treasure Christ, and living 20 minutes from the ocean all while performing your dream job (yay for Heritage Charter School!).

La Jolla.
Our favorite place to visit and study with the Chings!

5. Kgal, Naom, Aim, Hol, Nanc, Jules - California favorites.  You all keep me grounded and rooted in Christ, encourage my heart constantly through your love and support, and bring joy amidst the tears.

Halloween 2008

6. Aidan John Lund - My sweet, darling son.  He is simply the best, a true joy to my heart.

5. Garner, Iowa - Garner has shown me how to cling to Christ through the most difficult trials, stripped me of my love for self, and consistently pointed me to Christ who gave Himself up for me - how should I then not give myself up for Christ and His Church?  I hate the refining, chiseling process that makes me more Christ-like, but I pray, in this next decade, that I will see the immense blessings that flow from it.

Thank you, Jesus, for a life of grace.

Thank you, friends and family, who run this race with endurance alongside me (Hebrews 12:1).

I love you all.

Reformation Midwest

“Seek fellowship among those who share your [theological] vision of the renewal that the Christian world needs, even the evangelical world. Recognize that spiritual truth and spiritual renewal are the primary things, and that ecclesiastical matters come second. Then, the Lord will be with you, will bless you, and use you. So may it be. Amen.”

J.I. Packer (in an interview with Carl Trueman)

When asked in seminary where he hoped to minister, Brian always responded with, "The Midwest".

No, it wasn't primarily because that's where our families are located.

It was primarily because he sensed the need for a "Reformation" in the Midwest.

I didn't fully understand what Brian meant until he took his first pastorate in northern Iowa - the Midwest.

Now I understand that there is a lack of Reformed Christians in the Midwest.

It's sad.

 While my tendency is to run back to where it's "safe" (a richly Reformed area), Brian's is one of perseverance.  Like a salesman, he desires to stay to convince others that the product he's "selling" is the Truth.  Reformed doctrine is not man-centered.  It's Christ-centered.  Reformed doctrine isn't watered down.  It's like a glass of dark, red wine while American evangelicalism is dark, red wine  diluted with 3/4 water.  Reformed doctrine satisfies the longings of the soul through Christ.  Reformed Christians strive to cherish Jesus above all things.

One of the reasons I love my husband, in addition to his persevering nature, is because he has brilliant ideas.  As of late, Brian is working to spread a passion for Christ by training local pastors and church leaders in Reformed theology.  He's even created a FB page, blog, and a Twitter account for Reformation Midwest.  We long for Midwest fellowship as stated in the Packer quote above.  I pray that through Reformation Midwest, his preaching and teaching, and conversations with Christians, the Holy Spirit will change hearts & minds for a Reformation Midwest!

Won't you, too, pray for a Reformation Midwest!?

Gospel Amnesia

Each month, Brian writes a letter to our congregation.  The letters are always SO good - encouraging and motivating.  Here's is July's letter:

Dear Zion,

Quick – pop quiz: what is the Gospel? It seems a simple enough question, right? We hear about the Gospel in every Sunday sermon. We learned about Jesus’ virgin birth, perfect life, substitutionary death, and resurrection to save us through faith and repentance since we were little. Ok then, next question: do you know how the Gospel relates to whatever you’re going through right now? Or, have we become like many people today who are suffering from “gospel amnesia” – we’ve got the facts, but we’ve forgotten its immediate relevancy?

One of my former professors, Dr. David Powlison (CCEF), is a licensed and practicing counselor. He had undergone heart surgery in his fifties, and though the surgery was successful, it took over five years for him to return to full strength. There were numerous losses to his personal, social and professional life due to his recovery. He found that he would go to important counseling meetings and mediation sessions, and was horrified to find that there would be times when he could not complete his thoughts. He was paralyzed by the thought that his life as professor and counselor might be at an end – who would ever go to a counselor that couldn’t complete his own thoughts, much less help the patient? Who would hire him as a professor to teach young minds, when his own mind was clouded?
Finally, at one point in this terrifying reality of not being able to think straight, II Corinthians 12:9 dawned afresh on Dr. Powlison. When the Apostle Paul was struggling with the thorn he had received from the Lord, he pleaded with God to remove it. Instead, God reminded Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That verse pierced all the way to Powlison’s heart, and he realized, “It finally became clear to me that the foundation of my life is not what I do or the gifts that I have. [The foundation of my life] is the God whose power is perfected in weakness, whose grace is sufficient. It was as if something inside me just… relaxed, and I was able to have peace in that.” He went to sleep that night, peaceful and lucid, relaxing in the God who was bigger than his problems.

It turned out that through communicating with his pharmacist, much of Powlison’s debilitating weakness was a side effect of his medication from his heart surgery. But instead of reacting in anger or frustration, Powlison took a different response. He disclosed, “It was such a wonderful picture of God’s multi-factored love: that He would both do the deep spiritual work of rooting out the temptation to build your life on abilities, and yet at the same time He mercifully preserved some of those abilities.” God didn’t have to do either in Powlison’s life. He could have let him continue in a spiritual stupor; God didn’t have to restore his mental abilities. But God both removed the spiritual blindness and the physical hardship. The result left my professor wildly praising his merciful and glorious Savior!

What about you? Would you have wanted God to shine His light on the real desires of your heart, or would you simply have wanted all the problems to just “go away?” And looking back on it all, could you have given thanks for the crushing blow of memory loss, if only because of how Jesus used the event in your heart?

It is in times like these that our idols of comfort and happiness are exposed. We realize that we’ve had “gospel amnesia” – we still know the facts of the Gospel (that Jesus died and rose again), but we’ve lost that knowledge for how it impacts our day-to-day events! We need God to swoop in, set us free from our bondage to “what makes me happy,” and redirect us to living for Him. Our Savior doesn’t guarantee our happiness; He guarantees He’s working for our holiness. And it is that holiness that will ultimately give us the greatest joy imaginable: life in God’s presence! “In Your presence is fullness of joy! At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
Let’s pray that Almighty God would make Zion a place where the Gospel isn’t assumed, but instead the Gospel is the power that God supplies to make our church grow into salvation. Let’s pray that every person, from our kids to our oldest members, and that every family, would understand how the Gospel is God’s promise to them to work in their lives no matter what they are currently experiencing. And as we learn to treasure Jesus above comfort, happiness, and anything else this world could offer, may we shine our light for all to see, that they would find the power of Jesus’ Gospel in their lives too!

Praying with you to be amazed by the Gospel every day,
Pastor Brian

Lost in the Middle

When a friend told me about the book Lost in the Middle - Midlife and the Grace of God by my very favorite Paul David Tripp, I knew I had to order it (I recently figured out how to use my Discover card rewards points to make Amazon purchases and now have even less self-control when it comes to book buying).  My intention is to give it to someone in mid-life, such as my parents, (and I still will), but I skimmed the table of contents and was instantly hooked.  And, who knows, I could be in mid-life now!?  It can start at 20, Tripp says.  But regardless of age or stage in life, Lost in the Middle is an excellent book about staying focused on Christ alone amidst any change in your life (and life is constantly changing!).

There are so many wonderful truths in this book, but I found his discussion on our culture today of particular interest.   Tripp states three reasons that we are so discouraged by the natural process of aging (the process that sneaks up on us - "wrinkles, rashes, spider veins, graying hair, loss of hair, hair where it shouldn't be, muscle loss and softening, weight gain, loss of flexibility, loss of energy, chronic aches and pains, vision loss, sagging skin, skin discoloration, tiredness, hearing loss, stiffness of joints, and the list goes on," (pg 77)) and one of them is because of what our culture focuses on and deems most important.  We live in a material world where people are obsessed with the human body.  Twelve years ago there were more than 8 million cosmetic surgeries and that number doesn't include Botox injections, laser hair removal, collagen injections, or chemical peels (pg 83).  America's goal is to stay "Youthful Forever".  If only aging was optional.

Tripp proceeds to detail some of the elements of Western Civilization.  He begins by contrasting our culture with the culture 200 years ago.  Now it's our youth who are esteemed - the unwise, undisciplined teens and twenties of today.  Why did George Washington and friends wear white, curly wigs?  To appear older.  Two centuries ago, it was the older people who were esteemed for the wisdom and discipline that came from life's experiences.  Our culture's view on aging stands in stark contrast to the Bible's view of aging as a blessing (Is. 46:4 & Lev. 19:32); even though we know this to be true, we have all, unfortunately, been indoctrinated by our culture's view - yes, we have purchased anti-wrinkle cream or bought into the latest diet craze.  

In addition, the last 200 years have shifted our culture's attitude of work.  We no longer view work as the way we image and worship God; no, we work (under someone else) to be freed to do as we please on the weekends.  We value leisure.  And because we so highly value leisure, the entertainment industry dominates our culture.  We focus on pleasure - entertain me.  So when we are faced with the aches and hardships of midlife, our world is turned upside down.  "A self-absorbed, pleasure-obsessed culture will be intolerant of all the painful, discomforting, and embarrassing physical changes at midlife," (pg 87).  Yes, a leisure driven culture curses aging.

Lastly, Tripp suggests that our culture has put to death eternity; the focus is on our bodies and bettering our lives on earth (gotta love Joel Osteen's Your Best Life Now - gag me) and not on readying our hears and minds for eternity.  As believers in Christ, we should, instead, live for that which is unseen (II Corinthians 4:18) because we know this world is wasting away.  It's only when you cherish the unseen, that you can rightly view aging as a process of "redemption, renewal, growth, change, and restoration," (pg 89).  I love what Paul says in II Corinthians 4:16:

...outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

Believe in Christ - believe in eternity - believe in the afterlife and then you won't be discouraged by the first part of the verse; you will be encouraged by the second part.

Brian asked me why I was reading this book, but it's been so good.  I pray that I wear 30 gracefully; I pray that I wear these sunspots and eye wrinkles proudly, knowing that "inwardly I am being renewed day by day".  And I'm praising Jesus that He guides us through every stage of life, never leaves nor forsakes us, and will give His believers glorious new bodies - sunspot and wrinkle free - on that great Day.

I have to add a favorite quote from this book since my 30th birthday is less that two months away:

After 30, the body has a mind of its own.

-Bette Midler

Yikes! But I'm trusting in Christ for aging grace!

Pastor's Wife: Conversation Killer

Pastor's Wife: Conversation Killer

The article above is hilarious.

You will especially love it if you are a pastor's wife.

Enjoy!

P.S. Brian - thank you for never using me as a sermon illustration!  I love you!

Gay Marriage Links

Obama's new official stance on the homosexuality debate is causing quite the buzz here in Iowa!

I heard so many tables of old ladies talking about it at the Mother's Day Brunch on Sunday - so cute!  I love their passion.

Brian and I have been doing some reading on the subject.

Here are some links that we'd recommend - hopefully you find them interesting & helpful as you think about this hot issue.

Do we have to view marriage as primarily a religious issue?

Exhaustion Over Gay Marriage: How do you speak when you are a bigot?

Both of the above articles are written by Brian's seminary friend, Matt, who is studying for his PhD now in Ethics.  Smart, smart, God-fearing man!

 And the White Horse Inn always has good things to say:

Same-Sex Marriage Makes a Lot of Sense

Content Hannah

Each of us has our cup of suffering - some cups are overflowing and it seems it can't handle another drop.  In other seasons of life, the cup is barely full. Sometimes God grants us wonderful, beautiful seasons when we aren't suffering anything huge - and for those gifts we should be so thankful.  But, for the Christ-follower, that's not a promised reality. 

...In this world you will have tribulation...

John 16:33

My heart aches lately for those around me who are suffering so severely.  Daily, I pray as Christ taught..."May Your Kingdom Come..." and I add "very quickly" to the end of that prayer.  Today I was encouraged by Hannah's prayer in I Samuel 1 as taught in Lydia Brownback's Trust devotional.  

Hannah so desired a child, but she was barren.  She wept and would not eat (I Samuel 1:8), and this went on for years (1:7).   However, Hannah's situation drastically changed when she poured her heart out to the LORD:

Finally Hannah came to her wits' end, and she poured out her heart to God in prayer.  She was honest with God, telling him of her absolute anguish and her all-consuming desire to have a child.  After she prayed in this way her sorrow ceased.  The Bible tells us that she "went her way and ate' (v. 18); in other words, she got up from her prayer and went on with her life.  How was she able to do so?  Her desire had not diminished, nor had she received the thing for which she'd prayed so earnestly, nor was she given any guarantee that God would give her the thing she most wanted.  Yet Hannah was content.

Hannah found contentment the same way we can in the midst of our most powerful yet unfulfilled desires - she gave all her longing, sorrow, and crushed hopes into the hands of God who loved her, the one who was able to help.  But when Hannah prayed, she did more than ask God for a baby; she gave him her heart.  Once she did her pain ceased, because in giving God her heart, she was set free to let him decide the outcome.  That's what always happens when we really turn over to God our hearts and the things that hold them.

From Hannah we learn that getting the thing we so badly want isn't really what we need to be happy.  Hannah was happy long before God answered her prayer.  What we need is to know God - his character and kind intentions toward us - and we can really only know him if we give ourselves unreservedly to him,  (p. 41, emphasis mine).

What's making you discontent today?  Maybe people have trespassed and cut down trees on your property.  Maybe your renters aren't paying their rent so you can't pay your bills.  Maybe your husband passed away, leaving you with more mortgages than you can possibly pay.  Maybe your four year old was just diagnosed with leukemia.  Maybe your beloved pet just died.  Maybe you're living in a place you don't like.  Maybe...

whatever your cup of suffering holds, pour out your heart to the LORD - tell him everything, cry out to him in your anguish - then walk away, peaceful and confident knowing that your trust lies in the only One who can ease our suffering and give us the perseverance to continue on.

Guess what?  Hannah conceived and bore a son (v. 20).  God may not answer our prayers the same way he answered Hannah's, but getting out of our misery is guaranteed when we pour out our hearts to Him.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

This Momentary Marriage

The Story of Ian & Larissa

Beautiful.

Random Saturday Thoughts

Brian had to leave town for 24 hours.  Unfortunately, I was left with a very, very sick puppy.  I was up most of the night with Leo and rushed him to the vet early yesterday morning.  Dr. Jim took excellent care of him, and today Leo is much better.  My husband arrived home last night with this beautiful bouquet of flowers.  What a fun treat!

I truly can't believe how the month of April has unfolded.  All 4 of us now (who would think the dog would get so sick!?) have been sick.  Today Brian went to the doctor; the doc thinks it's just allergies.  I sure hope he gets his energy back because tomorrow is a big day for him at church.  I pray May brings sunshine and good health to the Lund household.

Yesterday I listened to the T4G's Ministry Wives Panel Discussion here.  It was so wonderful to hear these women speak truth into my home and heart - even if it was just through the speakers of my computer.  I often wonder how pastors and pastor's wives survived long ago before telephones, Internet, conferences, etc.  We have much to be thankful for in this era.  The LORD knew I needed to be born in the 21st century - I need epidurals & C-sections to have children, and I need long-distance seminary friends and Reformed resources found online to encourage my heart and keep me going.  Yes, I am a true wuss.  But I'm ok with that.  In fact, Lauren Chandler spoke on the panel a little bit about how she needed biblical counseling when they first moved to pastor their church in TX.  Sometimes reading your bible and praying isn't enough to get you through difficult times.  Having people speak/preach truth "at" you is so beneficial.

Brian recently modified his 5 year plan for our church using many of the concepts in Tim Lane & Paul Tripp's book How People Change.  After sharing his thoughts with me, I knew I had to read it.  Today I read about "The Gospel Gap" that exists in the hearts of so many Christians - even those who are super involved in church, always carrying a bible in hand, at every Pro-Life protest, etc.  It impressed the need upon me to inspect my own heart - have I replaced Christ with "Christian Externalism"?  Tripp writes, "My externalistic Christianity needed to be infused with the present power of the gospel.  It is not enough to embrace Christ's promise of life after death.  We must also embrace his promise of life before death, which is only possible because of Christ's grace at work in our hearts today," (pg 14-15).  This is what the book is about - Christ's work in our lives NOW - today - when it's rainy, cold, and windy for the umpteenth day in a row.  (Can you tell weather gets to my emotions!?)  Tripp and Lane's goal for this book is to bridge the gospel gap - to bridge the gap between what we say we believe the gospel is (our theology) and the world we struggle in every day.

They center the book on 5 gospel perspectives:

1. The extent and gravity of our sin

2. The centrality of the heart

3. The present benefits of Christ

4. God's call to growth and change

5. A lifestyle of repentance and faith

I pray that today my heart is centered on Christ, living in obedience to Him.  It's time to joyfully throw a few loads of laundry in and pick up the house as I preach the gospel to my rebellious heart.  

Happy Saturday!

P.S.

A very happy 5th anniversary to Ryan and sweet Kgal!   They are celebrating at beautiful Coronado Island and Balboa Park today.  Their marriage is a true picture of Christ and His bride, the church.  We love you, Gallies!  Congrats.

(YES, I am a stalker and I totally stole this picture from your FB profile, Kgal.  But besties can do that.)