Archive for Faith
September 6, 2010 at 4:00 am · Filed under Faith, Life Stories
It never ceases to amaze me how so many things in life reflect God and His great love for us. He uses just about anything He can to get our attention. Just yesterday, I encountered another example. Crazy as it may be, it is a perfect illustration of how God deals with us and how we often fight it…
Trimming my dog’s nails is neither fun nor easy. In fact, it’s a pain AND painful when you consider how he scratches me. But, I know I have to take care of it or else he’s going to be very uncomfortable. I usually have to chase Landon down and grab hold of him (I promise I’m not hurting him!). Then, as he kicks and squirms and sometimes screams, I try to keep him still while positioning the clippers. I speak softly to him trying to make him relax, but usually he hears none of it. As I start the work, Landon usually attempts to nip the clipper itself if he can manage to get close enough. When finished, Landon is released and he jaunts around the room a bit before coming back to eat his nail clippings (I haven’t figured out how this really works into the bigger illustration – it’s kind of disgusting and I don’t really encourage it). And despite all his fussing, my little dog is relieved, walks easier, and generally returns to me for some good-old-fashioned dog petting.
Maybe you see the metaphor; I as his owner reflect God and how he has charge over us. He desires to protect us and keep us spiritually healthy. And I suppose that makes me the dog, a dependent creature full of self-will who doesn’t always recognize the good God tries to work in our lives. After He’s pursued us and grabbed hold of us, we fight him tooth and nail. The Lord works at clipping away unfruitful elements in our lives, yet it is only afterward that we can fully (and sometimes not even that) recognize how He’s helped us. When we do recognize the freedom and peace He has granted us through His workings, we rejoice, coming back to the Lord as he lavishes us with strokes of grace and mercy.
This illustration isn’t perfect, but my point is that God is teaching us so much about Himself and His love in the simple everyday experiences we have. It would serve us well to pay attention and reflect on everyday the everyday moments of life.
August 30, 2010 at 4:00 am · Filed under Devotionals, Faith, Nature, Scripture
I was hiking with a friend recently and we were in awe of the sights around us. It was breathtaking (even if it was a cloudy day), and it was peaceful. There is something about being out in nature that puts you at ease. There is tranquility and rest, and I always find it rejuvenating, energizing, and fulfilling.
As we walked, my friend and I were discussing spiritual matters. She’s one of the few who seem to understand when I talk. We got to talking about this very topic. I suggested that maybe being out in nature is God’s natural soother, a balm for your soul. Think about it – all of God’s creation is singing His praise, and when you take it in or participate, you are treated! It’s that same feeling I get when I go to church, or a time of praise and worship. Whether I sign along or just take it all in, that experience is renewing.
Here are some pictures from this rejuvenating excursion. Let us with all the earth sing Praise and be renewed in Him!!
Let heaven and earth praise Him, The seas and everything that moves in them. Psalm 69:34
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Psa 98:4
Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted Isa 49:13
~Jolene
August 28, 2010 at 4:00 am · Filed under Faith, Life Stories
A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; Ecc 3:7
Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 1Tim 2:11
There is definitely a time for silence in the life of a believer. I think it especially important to get quiet before the Lord and listen to what He has for us. There is so much to learn as we submit ourselves to the Lord with a quietness about us. I had a unpleasant experience just the other day. I was sitting on the back porch with the intent of reading the Word and spending time in prayer. But try as I could, the sounds of daily life around my neighborhood really thwarted my plans. I was greatly disappointed at myself for not being able to focus, but I felt it unproductive to be so hard on myself. There really was a lot of auditory distraction, and how can I be expected to really tune in to the whisper of God in the midst of all that?
Silence seems hard to come by lately. My neighborhood isn’t generally boisterous, but it’s still summer and boys will play basketball. The music will blare a little louder from the block party, and the locusts insist on screaming above it all. Did I mention that I live under the approach path for airplanes preparing to land at the airport? I’m two blocks from a main boulevard, and another few blocks from a busy expressway, and a busy hospital. I hear sirens every day.
Even at night, when the bustle of the day subsides, sounds infringe on my precious silence. The air conditioner. The fans. The dehumidifier. The fridge. Plumbing. Even my dog’s nails clicking on the hardwoods.
Silence has evaded me this summer. I long for it, and I wonder what I might have heard from the Lord in the stillness. I imagine great things, assuming I can quiet my mind when the world around me is silent. Sometimes I wish I lived far from the city…
So tell me, how are you accessing silence? Where do you go? And what does it really feel like?
~Jolene
August 24, 2010 at 11:59 am · Filed under Books, Faith, Womanhood
Over the summer I was given the opportunity to read and review a copy of Voices of the True Woman Movement by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, with contributions by John Piper, Mary Kassian, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Janet Parshall. Don’t worry! This isn’t your average review. Over the next few days I will be going through each chapter and sharing a few of the gems with you.
This book has already been a blessing to me and I’m not done with it yet. I hope that what I share with you here will be encouraging and challenging at the same time. I know that Voices has been just that for me.
* * *
The first chapter of the book is written by a man. Odd, I thought, at first glance. But it’s John Piper and who doesn’t love a word from him?
Okay, I’ll admit it. I haven’t always enjoyed John Piper. But to explain that you have to know a little bit about my background and it’s very touchy-feely, spiritualish, “if you’re not feeling ‘the Spirit,’ then you’re not right with God.” There’s a lot of really bad theology there, but now’s not the time to address it. The point is — feel feel feel. And the vibe I got from Piper was anything but. I was a growing Christian though. At the time, people who focused so much on theology were a real turn off from the faith for me. Why do they spend all their time sitting around talking about the nature of God instead of serving God? That was a regular thought of mine back in the day.
As I grew, I learned. And one of the things I learned is the assumption that Piper brings to the first chapter.
Wimpy theology makes wimpy women. – Piper, 17
Wow. Wimpy? Really?
Yes. What I have learned over the years, and what Piper so aptly points out, is that we must know our God to serve our God.
Wimpy theology simply does not give a woman a God that is big enough, strong enough, wise enough, and good enough to handle the realities of life in a way that magnifies the infinite worth of Jesus Christ. – Piper, 19
So true. We are here, our entire purpose is, to display the glory of Christ. How can we do that without really knowing Him?
In this chapter, Piper lays out the plan for married people and singles, showing how each of those roles are created to serve the Lord. He challenges the reader to dive deeper into a relationship with the Father and encourages us wherever we may be in life by letting us know that we have a purpose and explaining in plain language how we can act on it.
Though the singles section no longer applies to me in the same way, I found it to be the most beautiful and the most applicable. All of it is good and there’s no way I could pick just a few lines to represent all that he shares here (so go out and get this book!), but I’ll leave you with some of his closing words. (Emphasis mine)
[Wimpy theology]…is beneath you. God is too great. Christ is too glorious. True womanhood is too strategic…Your womanhood — your true womanhood — was made for the glory of Jesus Christ. – Piper, 25
August 24, 2010 at 4:00 am · Filed under Faith, Friends, Life Stories, Testimonies, Womanhood
by Jolene
In the spirit of the True Woman Movement, I thought it appropriate to recognize the true women in my life who have drawn me closer to Jesus. Through their Christlike attitudes and actions, I have come to the knowledge of Jesus as my savior and grown more deeply in love with Him! I created a list in my journal a while back of all the people who have impacted my walk, and it is truly fitting, as all the people on this list turned out to be women! Where would I be without the impact of these faithful women?
I will start with Mrs. Poppen and Mrs. King. These two lovely ladies were my pre-school teachers. I went to a Lutheran pre-school, and these women sowed the seed of faith in me at an early age. I didn’t go to church growing up, but they taught me that He’s got the whole world in his hands! Thank you!
Bonnie. Dear sweet, Jesus Freak, Bonnie! We became friends in elementary school. I remember going to her house for a sleepover in middle school. The smell of leather sofas always triggers a memory of that party. It was at this party where I first heard of d.c. Talk – and I was introduced to “Jesus Freak.” I still didn’t get it then either, but the pouring out of faith was a testimony! It was at Bonnie’s church where I first accepted Christ. She took me up to the pastor one Wednesday night, and there I was accepting the Lord! Thank you!
In high school, in addition to Bonnie, were Rachel and Annette. We were the fearsome threesome! Rachel took Annette and I to her Baptist church where I attended youth group and learned what it’s like to really know Jesus! It was a youth leader, Mrs. Radel, that kept me going as her life was a powerful witness of what it meant to be a TRUE Bible-believing Christian! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
College can be a rough time, as young adults face challenges to their faith. I was no different. I swayed back and forth before returning home and attending Roberts Wesleyan. It was here I met Shelly. Shelly! Oh, how I have been blessed by the continuous and deep faith in Jesus she has! While I don’t see her often, Shelly is one of my few Christian friends who really gets me. I have been inspired to grow in my own faith because of her. Thank you!
Last, and certainly not least, is my dear friend Elizabeth. Yes, our dear administrator here at Godly Gals! I believe God destined us to be friends and partners in this ministry! I’ve known her only 6 years, yet I have known her a lifetime! We have so much in common, especially our faith and perspective on the world around us. It is important to have allies, and she is one of my strongest. She has sharpened me and I am stronger in my faith today for it. Thank you!
These are my True Women. Who are yours?
August 23, 2010 at 4:00 am · Filed under Faith, Prayer
Guide me
Teach me
Let me listen to you
Drive me deeper into
your Word, your Love
Keep me safe
Surround me
Bring me grace
I lay my worries at
your feet
Take my stress away
Speak to me
Draw me near
Prepare my heart
Encourage me as I face
difficult decisions
May my heart be ready to
face the enemy
I will trust in you
I resolve to serve you better
I will speak with boldness
I will not compromise on
my beliefs
I found this prayer in my journal. I wrote it on August 23, 2005 – Five years to the day. Much of it is still my prayer today.
~Jolene
June 4, 2010 at 8:50 pm · Filed under Faith, Prayer, Scripture
Change has been a major theme in my life lately. Elizabeth posted about it recently, and as you listen to the next podcast, we talk a lot about change. The changes in my life are causing me great anxiety and stress. My body is physically showing the effects. I have not been content as I continue to learn of what the next 6-12 months hold for me. It causes me great sadness because I know I am not being very Godly…so I continue to pray that these words can soon be my own:
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content…
Philippians 4:11
Take comfort in these words – trust in them – because with God by our sides we can be content regardless of the changes and situations we face. I am working on striving for contentment, and I look forward to the great gain that comes with that. I ask for your prayer, and invite you to join with me in striving for godliness and contentment in Christ.
~ Jolene
June 1, 2010 at 6:09 am · Filed under Faith, Scripture
I was thinking today about how much change has occurred in my life in the past five years or so. No small amount. I won’t pretend that I know a lot about the world or that I have lived long in it, but it is still amazing to see how God can change our situations so drastically in such a short amount of time. Prayers that I may have prayed, but in all honesty never imagined to be answered — were. It’s an incredible thing, the faithfulness of God.
Isaiah 54:10 (NLT)
“For the mountains may move
and the hills disappear,
but even then my faithful love for you will remain.
My covenant of blessing will never be broken,”
says the Lord, who has mercy on you.
Can you see the change in your life? What has God brought you out of or into? Where have you come from?
May 8, 2010 at 10:50 pm · Filed under Faith, Family, Podcast
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We talk about moms, celebrating Mother’s Day and dealing with infertility (National Infertility Awareness Week).
May 5, 2010 at 4:59 pm · Filed under Faith, Family, Life Stories
I attended a funeral last night. I wasn’t close to this person, but nevertheless, I cried. It’s my typical reaction. Death is all around us, everyday, yet for me it takes going to a funeral to bring certain emotions to the forefront of my mind. I sat in the pew with my father and sister, there to support our family friends I’ve known my entire 28 years. Before the service began, my sister was talking about her patient’s brush with death – a code blue as she was walking out the door. My dad was discussing some medical tests with my sister. He has a slightly serious condition that could worsen and is potentially life threatening….
And so throughout the service, my mind wasn’t on Dolores. It was on my dad; my wonderful, inspiring, generous father. And the pain at the thought of losing him to death brought more tears to my eyes than Dolores… because I trust that she knew Jesus and is with Him.
My dad. He’s not saved, and it scares me. It makes my heart ache. I never thought a person could feel quite this way – an actual ache deep inside for ones that you love. Growing older, I have started to come to face the reality of death – both physical and spiritual. Funerals bring this to my mind and remind me that I have work here to do. I have a message to share, because our time here is short and there are people dying out there who don’t know Jesus.
I hope that you don’t have to go to a funeral any time soon, but maybe your heart can be pricked by the pain I have felt these past two days… please let it inspire you to treasure the ones you love, to love them all the more deeply, and share the Gospel of Christ so that one day we won’t have to experience this pain ever again.
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