Top Ten Posts of 2013!

Here are the top ten most-read posts of 2013. If you have liked, shared, commented on, or pinned any of these best-loved posts, I am grateful! Thank you!

#10 - Haven or Hollywood? (Pin it!)

#09 - How to Deal with the Fools in Your Life! (Pin it!)

#08 - Our Afternoon Routine (Pin it!)

#07 - Take cover! (Pin it!)

#06 - Confession of a messy mom. (Pin it!)

#05 - Unfulfilled Dreams? (Pin it!)

#04 - You just don't understand! (Pin it!)

#03 - Teaching children to sit through church (Pin it!)

#02 - No wonder she's not listening (Pin it!)

and the most-read, best-loved post of 2013...

#01 - Our Morning Routine (Pin it!)

Thank you all! I am waiting with great expectation for the lessons the Lord has for me to learn & share in 2014!

Writing as He moves me,

for His glory!

~Lisha

I may be sharing this at these wonderful Link-up parties!

If this has blessed or encouraged you, please comment, pin it, or share!

Footprints in the snow

“Hannah! Follow me!” Abby pleaded. “Just follow in my footsteps, right there! It makes it easier…”

As Abby plodded her way through the eighteen(ish) inches of snow in our yard last weekend, she realized that Hannah was struggling to keep up with her older (and taller) sisters – she was in the ‘deep, deep snow’ and couldn’t even lift her legs up far enough to move. So Abby backtracked and tried to make footprints close enough together so Hannah might be able to follow.

It was still a little bit of a struggle, but Hannah did it!

I teared up a little as I watched, because I realized that Abby was giving me a glimpse of the Father:

“Lisha! Follow Me! Just follow in My footsteps – right there! It makes it easier…” In the snowdrifts of life – where I just can’t seem to move forward because there is too much in my way – He comes and whispers “my daughter, I’ve already walked this path before You. Just follow Me, and you can move.” Will it be a piece of cake to move? Maybe. Maybe not. But when I choose to follow His precepts, commandments, and wisdom, He will surely enable me to take those forward steps, no matter how infantile they might seem.

This Christmas, no matter what snowdrifts you find yourself standing in – look for the Father’s footsteps, and follow Him in the path He’s already prepared for you!

Looking for His footsteps,

for His glory!

~Lisha

Verses about walking in the Lord's ways:

Leviticus 18:4-5

1 Kings 8:60-61

Psalm 26:3

Psalm 86:11-12

Psalm 119:1-3

Proverbs 10:8-9

Isaiah 2:3

Jeremiah 7:23-24

Ezekiel 20:19-20

Hosea 14:9

Micah 4:5

I may be sharing this post at these encouraging Link-up parties!

If this post has blessed, encouraged, or inspired you, please comment, pin it, or share with your friends!

How to Deal with the Fools in Your Life!!

Does anyone in particular come to mind as you read the title of this post?

www.reviveourhearts.com

This is so timely in my life, and was utterly convicting and heartily encouraging at the same time. If you have people in your life who tend to act or speak foolishly, please take the time to listen to this 6-part series (and be ready to be challenged that you are not the one who is a fool!). God used this to show me where I tend to act foolishly!

Abigail: How to Deal with the Fools in Your Life

by Revive Our Hearts Ministries

Part 1: Caught in the Middle

Part 2: Are You Approachable?

Part 3: Diffusing the Situation

Part 4: A Soft Answer

Part 5: A Happy Ending?

Part 6: Death Brings Life

I am praying that this series is as much a help to you as it was to me!

Seeking His wisdom in all things,

for His glory!

~Lisha

*I recently posted another ROH series, Blessed are the Meek! - but don't listen to it unless you want your heart to be changed. :)

I'm sharing this post over at A Proverbs 31 Wife, Yes, They're All Ours, Growing Home, Teaching What is Good, The Time-Warp Wife, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots at Home, Walking Redeemed, Hope In Every Season, Serving Joyfully, I Choose Joy & Simply Helping Him!

[If this post has encourage, inspired, or blessed you, please leave a comment or share it with friends!]

For the speechless.

Dear one,

Tonight, abortion is heavy on my soul. Actually, this message has been on my heart for months; I have been ignoring it. It's a personal issue, my mind says to me, and everyone probably knows where I stand, so why bring it up when it's already a hotly-debated topic?!

And then my Lord says to me:

Open your mouth for the speechless,
in the cause of all who are appointed to die!!
[Proverbs 31:8]

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
[James 4:17]

www.180movie.com

First, a word to those who count themselves as "pro-life":
You will do more damage to the message of Christ when you try to argue people into His kingdom with facts and statistics and judgmental speeches about abortion. It is not your job to change a mind or a heart or to judge a circumstance; it IS your job to show grace and compassion while pointing people to examine Jesus and His Law. So please, think before you share a judgmental or rude or sarcastic comment. When you see people lauding abortion or a woman's right to her own body - try patiently waiting until s/he is done speaking and then making sure your response is full of grace and gentle truth. And remember that you don't need to comment on every post about abortion that you come across. Sometimes, silence speaks infinitely more than stating your opinion. Pray for discernment about when to contribute. If you don't believe this method will work, search through the book of Proverbs about how to speak with people.

And before you start ferociously championing the end of abortion - consider that about 3,700 babies are aborted in America every day. Are you, who claim to follow the King of Glory, willing to open your heart and your home and your life to adopt some of the babies who would be orphaned by not being aborted? What do you think would happen to all of those babies if abortion ended today (hint: they'd become part of an already overwhelmed and understaffed foster care system, raised by the government!)? If you aren't willing to take them in - if you hesitate - please go back and read what God has to say about how He directs His people to care for the orphans. We will not win a nation for Christ by legislating it - start praying for a spiritual awakening and starting loving people where they are at. Once the Spirit sweeps through, we won't need a written law because the people of America will have the Law of God written on their hearts. What a day that would be!

And also on my heart: are you pro-life, or just anti-abortion? Because there is a big difference! Do you honestly value each and every life on the planet simply because everyone is made in the image of the Almighty?! Everyone!! Or do you flippantly joke about how some groups of people shouldn't be allowed to have kids, or that our society would be "better off" without certain groups of people? Do you strive against some "undesirable" groups because of what they choose to participate in? If you do that, you need to go back to the Word and repent of your pride and your ignorance! God uses the weak, the base, the nobodies to bring to shame those who are powerful, strong, and smart. Believer, let your heart beat in sync with the Lord's on this, that every single life, whether newly conceived in the womb or in the late stages of terminal disease; whether mentally impaired or physically incapable; whether normal and average, is precious and purposed by the Lord of Hosts and each can be redeemed from their sins by the power of Christ's atonement - just as you once were!!!

And for those who are committed to the cause of a woman's right to choose abortion:
It is not my job to convince you that I'm right, or you're wrong! It is not my job to make you stop what you are doing or make you feel guilty! No, I have no power to change your heart or your mind, and I am not going to try!

But I will share these few verses, and please know that I am praying for you. You, who are made in the image of God; you, who were formed for a purpose long before the world even began. You, whom the Creator does not desire should perish because of your sins, but have everlasting life in Christ!

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you...
[Jeremiah 1:5]

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...
[Psalm 139:13]

Here are two outstanding resources for everybody who is reading this blog post right now. Educate yourself and continue to seek out what God says about the precious gift of life that He has given each of us.

180 Movie
Baby Choice

Opening my mouth for the speechless,
for His glory,
~Lisha

PS If you want to talk, if you need a compassionate and non-judgmental ear, if you want me to pray with you or help you search the Scriptures, or if you need to know more about Jesus, please let me know!! Please!! My heart is SO burdened tonight - for the babies who have been silenced and for the women who are in agony over such a heavy load of guilt or shame that they do not have to continue to carry, and for those who blindly follow a culture of death without realizing it.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest! Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. -Jesus
[Matthew 11:28-29]

It's JESUS!!

The girls & I read a Bible story or two every morning. It's part of our school routine, but more importantly than that, it is precious to me that we get to spend time thinking and talking about God's Word!

This morning, we were reading about Daniel's friends Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego, and their refusal to bow before the King Nebuchadnezzar's golden idol, thus worshiping a false god. For the account, see Daniel 3. The punchline is that the king has the three men thrown in the furnace - and yet, to his surprise and terror, they are not consumed by the flames!

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”

They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." [Daniel 3:24-25]

www.access-jesus.com

As I finished reading, Abby was very excited and blurted out: "The Son of God and man walking with them is JESUS! It's JESUS next to them in the fire!! Yay!!"

...The Lord, in His wisdom and great love, speaks so clearly to the hearts of little children, because they are receptive to His truths!! And I needed to hear that truth this morning, and be tenderly reminded that when we feel that we have been thrown headlong into the fiery furnace (even when we have been earnestly walking with the Lord in obedience!) that it is Jesus who walks alongside us in the midst of the flames. And oh! that the ties that bind us are burned off, but we are called out, refined yet not even singed by the fires of our enemy. He covers us. It is a balm to my heart in this season of intense fire and refining - He is here! Now! Walking in the furnace with me!

I love my dear children. And as I live with and learn from them, I love Jesus even more. What a wonderful Savior!

In the furnace, but not alone,

for His glory!

~Lisha :)

I may be sharing this post at one of the following link-up parties!

[If this post has encouraged, inspired, or blessed you, please comment or share it with a friend!]

I'm not! But He is!!

God is good.

God is wise.

God is gracious.

God is patient.

God is just.

God is merciful.

God is faithful.

God is enough.

God is MORE than enough.

God is sovereign.

God is the "I AM". [See Exodus 3, John 8]

And just as God is "I AM", I...am not. I am not worthy that I should be called a child of the Most High. I am not deserving of such a tender & faithful Father. I am not righteous or holy, that I should expect the blessings of eternal life. I am not anything good apart from Christ.

But my heart is full tonight of the God who IS!!! The last couple of weeks have brought such an outpouring of His lavish love and blessing on our lives. Not only as He has financially & materially provided for us (a friend dropping off prayed-for household necessities in bulk; clothes, cases of diapers & wipes, and a $100 gift card left on our doorstep in early morning hours; a $600 gift from people in our church family, $200 gift from a faraway missionary friend, $50 from another church family, and just yesterday an anonymous $50 gift card in time to pay for our gas that we needed to travel to Dartmouth) - but as He has taken care of our hopes & dreams, for they are precious to Him, too, as we seek His face!

We followed His leading to announce that it was time to close up the Bible House about 3 weeks ago. We were bummed, because we really enjoyed what we were doing! To be able to spend our time and our available resources to bring the Word of God to those in our community!!! A dream job, indeed! But He had an even BETTER plan. When Will started calling our distributors to tell them he was closing the store, most of them told him that he could actually just keep the accounts open even though we won't have a store front. Which means that people (like you!) can still order from the "Jaffrey Bible House". It's just that the Bible House will look pretty much identical to our apartment, because people will pick up orders from our home instead of from the shop underneath our home. He is allowing us to continue our "dream job" in a different form, while enabling Will to find other employment! It's a win-win-win - I think that's what it's called, anyways...

And our sweet Elizabeth had a procedure done up at Dartmouth today, which revealed that she "most likely" does not have Hirschsprung's disease (we're waiting to hear back for the official news). The procedure was an intense one, and while there was crying (on Elizabeth's part), and while the mother's heart in me was nervous as all get-out that there would be long-term trauma...overall it couldn't have gone much better than it did. I praise God that He loves my daughters even more than I do, and that He promises that when we stay our minds on Him in times of trouble that His perfect peace keeps us. And while it looks like there's not an exact diagnosis of Elizabeth's problem, we know that God created every single cell in Elizabeth's body just the way He needed to so that her life would bring Him the most glory. And so her life, and ours as parents, has become a walk of faith (like it is with every child!). 

And so, even when circumstances seem pretty unfavorable, ah! we glory in the truth that God is the Great 'I AM'. And He is all good things. He is leading us His way, which is perfect to grow us to be more and more like Christ. No matter what joys or trials lay ahead of me and my dear family, we know that each one is for our good and His glorious Name's sake.

God is. good. all the time.

Selah.

For the glory of the Great 'I AM',

Lisha

And Now What?

Sometimes, God asks us to do things not because He plans on making them "successful" the way the world sees success, but because He's working something out for another time - something we can't see yet.

[I think that bothers some people. Whether they claim to follow Jesus or not. The idea that God will not always financially prosper us when we obey Him is a frightening concept for people who place a lot of their security in money. Does it bother you?]

Obedience to God always brings blessing. He says so in His Word, therefore it is true. Those who are obedient are promised blessings and prosperity. But blessings and prosperity are not equal to money, the newest cell phones, cable, new clothes for you or your kids, a cushy house, your new SUV, or great health. The greatest blessing from the Lord that we can receive is to be close to Him, and if a struggling business, or losing a baby, or a chronic health condition is what will bring me to that point of closeness, I will walk through it in faith that He knows what is best.

And now what? We don't really know. In 9 days, we'll pack up and close the Bible House. So far, there's no other employment; Will has applied but we're waiting. And through it all, God will continue to be faithful.

My prayer through this time is that you, dear friends, see clearly the hand of God's provision and His unyielding faithfulness even when we fall short of His glory (which is often!). Do not look at what we've done as a waste, for nothing in God's economy is wasted. He is conforming us to the likeness of Christ; He is using our story to draw people to follow Him for eternity! How can there be anything more blessed or prosperous than that?!

For His glory!
Lisha :)

Come and hear...

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will declare what He has done for my soul!
I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.
But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer,
nor His mercy from me!!
[Psalm 66:16-20]


I feel like now is a grand time to declare what the Lord has been doing for my soul these past few months! He has been renovating my life in so many ways! Bear with me; my thoughts are unorganized. I'm about to pour out what's on my heart & mind...

My desire to know more about who God is and what He has done and is doing and will do is intensifying. Some people can't start their day without coffee; I find that I can no longer start my day well unless I've had ample time to read the Word and pray. What a difference it makes! No, it doesn't magically make everything go well; I mean that it makes a world of difference in the way that I react to what is happening around me. I still have days when kids pee on the floor or sisters fight or break things or scream at me or lie. I have days when people I love die or end a friendship with me or I'm berated for the choices I've made. But in all those things, there is a peace that passes all understanding; there is patience with some to spare; there is on my tongue the law of kindness and wisdom - all mine from the Lord if I'm but willing to take time to ask for it!

God is bringing peace and restoration to our marriage. I tend to be stubborn, selfish, and critical often with Will. And the Lord is convicting me and softening up this ugly heart. I am finding that the more I let the Word of Christ dwell richly in me - the more I just am so overwhemingly grateful for the gift God has given to me in having Will as my husband (corny joke time: I married God's Will!! pahahahahahaha. OK.)

Even though Elizabeth is testing her ability to be both openly AND passive-aggressively defiant, and Abby spends quite a bit of time some days standing with her face to the wall, and Hannah has a blatant disregard for the term "no" - I am finding joy! real joy! in loving and training my girls how to be women of the Word of God and enjoying the privilege of being their teacher (and all of the other roles that I get to fill). When I get frustrated with them (which happens often some days, especially those days when I haven't fed my soul with Scripture!) and snap, mock, or yell at them, God is teaching me and humbling me by giving them such forgiving hearts. A wife and mom - what a noble calling, for them that are called!

And most noticeably (for me), is the increase of faith in God as Jehovah-Jireh (The God who Provides!). Will and I were obedient to God's call on our hearts over a year and a half ago to start the process of opening up His Bible house here in town. We don't know what we're doing in the way of running a business - we just follow His lead. And there have been periods of time when we haven't heard His voice as clearly because like Peter, we've stopped staring at Jesus and instead looked around to realize He's got us doing something dangerous. "Lord! Save us! We're drowning! We don't have an income to rely on! Bills are due! Girls need shoes! Phones are shut off! Jesus! We can't do this - it's not natural!!"

And the reason it doesn't seem natural to leave a decently-paying job when you have a wife and three small girls at home to open a Christian bookstore in the middle of a recession is because IT ISN'T NATURAL. It's super-natural. All that has been accomplished through the Bible House is because God alone has orchestrated it. We're not faithful superheroes. We are a couple of ordinary, uninteresting people whom God has chosen to render others speechless and uncomfortable.

We have seen God's miraculous doings. When we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, He adds unto us that which we need.

Lately, our faith in this area is being tested. We are going through a deeper refining. Though the Lord has always been faithful to provide for our true needs (food and clothing), it has been His way for the last four months to not allow completely for rent, hot water, electricity, college loans, car insurance, and other things. We have not shared this before - partly out of pride, for which I beg your forgiveness - and partly because we did not want people to think we felt that God was not providing and/or being unjust. Will recently made the decision, however (and I believe it's a wise and obedient one) that if the Lord does not provide all of the money that we need to pay late and next month's rent on time (January 5th), that he is going to take that as the Lord's sign that we are to close the store and move on to the next chapter of God's story for us. We are praying for a miracle!! To us, the amount that we owe is so great, so insurmountable, so impossible that it gets so easy to get sidetracked from the truth that God owns all of the money everywhere ever and can meet that need in a heartbeat. All of those weeks when we made less than $100 might have been because He wants to display His ability to provide huge things now.

I grapple with the reason why He hasn't done it yet. If He hates debt so much, why hasn't He allowed us to pay each of our bills on time?! We don't need more than that; just enough so that the collection phone calls stop and we don't live with the real possibility of being evicted. But God is sovereign, my friends, and everything He allows (good or bad) is used to glorify Himself and to make us more like Christ!!! And that is one of my deepest heart's desires, that I identify with Christ so much that people look at my life and their minds are blown because they see that Christ is REAL and ALIVE, working in my life!!! and that He came to set them free from their slavery to sin if they would just accept that gift!!

Bookstore or no bookstore, whatever God has for us in the coming days/weeks/months/years, I trust Him completely and absolutely. He may ask us to close the store because He's got something more amazing for us - another way that we can live a life that is dedicated to sharing the hope of Jesus with people full-time - or He might provide the thousands we need in the next two weeks because He wants Will to stay behind the register for now. We don't know. We are waiting on His answer. And His answer will be perfect.

Come and hear, you who fear God. We are not doing anything extraordinary. We are following Jesus. And He is worth everything we've 'given up' and He will be worth whatever else we have to leave behind to go where He leads us.

By His grace, and
for His glory alone!!
~Lisha

Teaching: part 1

I first decided I wanted to be a teacher when I was in the 4th grade. Mrs. Zecha was my teacher, and I have fond memories of her and that year of school. In middle school, it was Mrs. Thibodeau & Mr. Emerson that caused me to think more seriously about teaching as a job. Then in high school, Ms. Witty, Mme. Howard, and Ms. Hart -whether they knew it or not- encouraged and inspired me to attend college to pursue a teaching career.

In 2004, I graduated from Keene State College with a degree in mathematics and certification to teach middle & high school math and got an amazing job right away teaching 7th grade in Windham, NH. I had a two-year "career", and I loved the students and my team. And then, our sweet Elizabeth made her grand entrance, and I gave up teaching as a career...

...or had I?

I've been asked on multiple occasions whether I felt like I was throwing my education away by staying home with my children. No. No!! I have not wasted my education - I have redefined my teaching career. I teach my children now. And this year, Elizabeth & Abby started kindergarten at home. I am teaching reading, writing, math, science, and world history. and morals. and responsibility. and self-discipline. and how to make peace. and life skills. and basic culinary arts. and contentment. and so on. I am also actively teaching Hannah how not to eat EVERYTHING off of the floor and how to sleep through the night - also important life skills!

Another age group that the Lord has given me a desire to teach is the young ladies - middle school through early twenties. As I have learned more about Jesus and grown exponentially in my love for His Word, He has shown me that it is a responsibility to the up and coming generations that the older women be willing to teach the Word to them. Not always in a class setting, but by lifestyle, priorities, counsel, and actions. And with each passing year, I am increasingly passionate about seeing the young generation of ladies be challenged to follow Jesus completely, without being tainted by the world around them.

I have the privilege to teach once in a while at Beautiful You - the teen women's club at our church. Club started up for the year a couple of weeks ago, and I was led by the Lord to teach about God's standard for beauty. His Word is His standard. Jesus is our example for beauty. And as women, there are a couple places in the Bible where God clearly lays out what He considers a beautiful woman to be and do. Proverbs 31 is a great start (check out my entry Her Worth is Far Above Rubies! for more about her!). The other place is Titus 2:3-5. Here, the Lord describes what He expects of women in the church. Women who are older are supposed to live a life of teaching the younger ladies what it means to be a godly woman, so that God's Word will not be blasphemed!

So, I traded a career teaching 7th grade math (which is actually quite fun! And crazy! And...mostly crazy!) for a lifetime career of teaching women who are younger than I am what it means to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and refine their God-given standard of beauty in the process. It may not pay any material bills, but the eternal scope of what God is asking of me is astounding. Not because I am a great teacher but because Jesus prepared me to do this before I was ever created (see Ephesians 2)!! 

And if you are reading this, and you are a woman who belongs to Jesus, let me encourage you that you, too, are called to be a Titus 2 woman. The Lord will equip you with everything you need to teach the younger generations, if you will obey Him! Do your daughters need teaching? How about a lonely young mother? Or the college-aged ladies who don't yet know what God wants them to do with their lives? Reach out! Don't hoard the lessons God has taught you for yourself - share His Word and His Truth with those who are younger than you. [And, in return, be prepared to be taught by them, too]

Oh, Lord, may every single moment be spent pointing my husband, my daughters, and all of the young women in my life to Your holiness and beauty!!! Oh, that every breath would bring You the glory You deserve!

In His grace, and

for His glory!

Lisha :)

A Very Hunter Update

...And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen! [John 21:25]


I feel like this verse is more than adequate to sum up what has been going on in our home and hearts over the past year. If I listed all that Jesus has done, you'd be reading this for a long, long time! And though I want to share all He's done, I know you have other things to do and other blogs to be reading and Facebooks to be checking, and I have a home that needs cleaning and a puzzle that needs putting together - so I'll cover the highlights.


Highlight #1: The Bible House is still open. Oh, friends, that the Bible House has not closed again is purely by the staying hand of the Lord and His blessing!! The inventory is still small, because we find that certain companies and indivduals (like our landlord) would appreciate that we continue to pay them what we owe - thus, no splurging on massive amounts of Bibles, books, music, etc for the store yet. We pray and hope that some day the Lord will provide for those things, but for now about 80-85% of the business we do is still from special orders and church groups, so having a large inventory isn't necessary. I cannot explain to you how thrilling it is to be used of God in this way - to be running a Bible bookstore right smack in the middle of downtown Jaffrey - when really Will and I have no business running a business. We have no business degrees, financial training, or anything that would qualify us to do this, except that God has asked us to do it. It may not be a success the way you define success, but we know that God is being glorified because we are walking in obedience to His calling on our lives!! And that is 'success' enough for us!


Highlight #2: Elizabeth is doing much better. As many of you remember, Elizabeth was hospitalized for about a week up at the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD), because of some lifelong digestive troubles that got grossly out of control. I'll spare you the details if you haven't already heard them, but since we came home we have been so thankful that the Lord has been healing her slowly and surely. We've been taking her to see Dr. Josh at Jaffrey Chiropractic and we have been very pleased with the results that we've seen from good chiropractic care! So good, in fact, that Hannah has also started seeing Dr. Josh - she loves being adjusted, and we've seen major progress in her movement since she started going. This ties into...


Highlight #3: Hannah has the same struggles as Elizabeth did when she was younger. Low, low muscle tone and hyperflexibility mean that Hannah (at 10 months) has not rolled over yet, nor can she bear any weight on her legs. We praise the Lord that we have already walked this road with Elizabeth. The doctors at Dartmouth had prepared us to expect that Elizabeth might never walk or speak - and look at the work the Lord has done in her! So, whatever the outcome with our sweet Hannah - we know that the God who created her did it perfectly [see Psalm 139:13-14] and His purposes will be accomplished through her whether she ever walks or not [see Romans 8:28]. But we are very hopeful that Hannah, like her sister, will be fully mobile and talkative in a relatively short period of time!


Highlight #4: We have been without a van since April. The week before Elizabeth's trip to the ER that ended up in her being transferred to CHaD, our van sputtered out completely after a few months' time of almost-being-dead. And since we didn't have the money to a)have it towed, b)have it fixed, or c)fill the tank with gas anyway, it's been sitting there for the last five months. The Lord has been mighty and gracious to provide transportation to and from the grocery store and to do laundry about once every two weeks. Running errands, play dates, and other side trips have not been able to happen. And, if I may be so bold - spiritually speaking this is one of the best things that has ever happened to me (and consquently, my family). God has taught me how to love being home - really BEING home instead of being a 'stay at home mom' who is outside of her home more often than not. [Read my post Busy, busy, busy to get a glimpse into the work the Lord's been doing in my heart over the past 5 months!] I've gotten used to not having a way to get around whenever I want, and now that I've adapted, the Lord has seen fit to send the money and resources to fix our van. We received an amount of money recently equivalent to the garage's estimate of what it's going to take to fix the van. The garage called tonight, and as long as I can pay to register the van (pray with me! We don't have the money!) soon, the van is done and just waiting for us to pick it up! 


Highlight #5: Elizabeth and Abby start kindergarten very soon! At home! Yay! The theme for this year's curriculum for History/Geography/Reading is Intro to the World: Cultures. Science is an experiment-based introduction to biology, earth science, & physics. Bible stories, Memory Verses and the Firm Foundations weekly study make up the faith curriculum! Sonlight's Language Arts focuses on learning to read, and we use Alpha Omega's LIFEPAC Math program - which you can order through the Bible House!


There are many, many more great things which He has done. Our marriage, which has been rocky over these past many months, is being renewed and restored by a God who is about the business of binding up broken hearts. We are seeing the fruit of His Holy Spirit grow in our sweet children as they come to terms with their own sin and process the message of the gospel. He brings people into our home who need the love and hope of Jesus Christ poured into their hearts - and He has been pleased to let us be the hands, feet, and words of a Savior who rescues to the uttermost they that come to Him in faith!! He has miraculously provided for each of our needs in our most desperate hours (like when we can't afford toilet paper - toilet paper! Have you ever taken that for granted!? - and a friend shows up with a bag full of the stuff on your doorstep when you're down to the last roll!!). God has supplied toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, paper towels, soap, diapers, wipes, and iced coffees [ok. That last one isn't a necessity...] in direct answer to prayer when we lacked the money for them. And although He has not provided all of the money to pay off all of our bills yet, we know it's because He doesn't recognize "cell phones" and "car insurance" as needs. But He has not once left us without food or clothing or shelter. He has not ever failed us. And we are so thankful to be His and to be daily dying to self to see Jesus Christ magnified as the Lord of our hearts and home!


Friend - oh, friend! Trust Him in all things. Following Him to the ruin of life as you know it is exciting and beautiful. And it is of eternal worth. 


All for His glory and honor!
Lisha :)

Jesus Loves Me?

Friend,

The gospel of my Lord Jesus Christ is not

The western church has cheapened the meaning of Jesus' message by using that phrase and others like it on bumper stickers, on kids' toys and cheap party favors, on T-shirts and keychains everywhere.

I have yet to find a place in the gospel accounts where Jesus is walking around telling people "Smile, I love you!", and that alone is sufficient to save them. God does love everyone - that is what compelled Him to come. But it's the Atonement by His death that saves, when we believe, not just His saying "I love you!".

If you think that sharing the gospel with others is being bold enough to tell them that Jesus loves them, my friend, you are not sharing the gospel with them.

People who don't know that they are sinful and who think that they are worth loving don't really care that Jesus loves them. After all, a lot of people love them. They're pretty awesome. That was my attitude before I knew that Jesus was my savior. I don't know if you knew me back in high school and college, but I was arrogant. And I was awesome.

My accomplishments and good deeds were many. I had a lot of influence and I had a lot of acquaintances. So what if Jesus loved me? I totally deserved it because I was an amazing human being! When well-meaning Christians told me that Jesus loved me, I rolled my eyes at them because, hey, why wouldn't Jesus love me?!

It wasn't until my sophomore year in college when I was confronted with the message that I needed to

that God got my attention. Someone finally was bold enough to tell me that I was sinful and that I needed to admit it and trust that Jesus had died on my behalf if I had any hope of getting into heaven.

What makes the statement "Jesus Loves You" so amazing is not that He loves you because you're astounding. It's because in spite of the fact that you are a depraved wretch, He still bore the entirety of my sin and your sin to Calvary and was executed for it, that God's justice might be totally satisfied instead of poured out on us. But unless we each choose with our lifestyle and heart, soul, and mind to daily appreciate that sacrifice and confess that Jesus Christ has every right to all of us, even to our very breath - we will each be expected to personally make payment for each and every one of our individual sins. Eternally. Because that's what it costs. [The wages of sin is death. Romans 3:23]

Jesus Christ came to share that the kingdom of God was at hand and that every body has been given an opportunity to repent of their sinful ways. The good news is that Jesus Christ accomplished for us what we could never hope to accomplish ourselves - to fully satisfy the wrath of a just God by paying with his sinless life. 

It's not a message you want to hear. It's a lot easier and comfortable to hear "Smile, Jesus Loves You!". But I'm not interested in your life being easy or comfortable. I'm increasingly interested in your repentance and eternal salvation through Jesus.

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord... [Acts 3:19]

For His glory!

Lisha

If you can't say anything nice...

"Hannah keeps overestimating the size of her mouth!"

Will and I were watching Hannah play the other night. She would pick up a toy and immediately try to shove the entire thing in her mouth. It frustrated her quickly, because her mouth is not as large as her toys are; they just didn't fit. We were chuckling at the determination when Will made the above comment.

Almost all babies are prone to overestimating the size of their mouths. But the truth is, I think grown-ups are, too.

Babies overestimate by trying to put things in their mouths that are too big; adults overestimate by saying things that are too big and arrogant for them to be uttering.

Photo by Molly Viglione Photography, 2012
www.mollyviglionephotography.blogspot.com

I was convicted by the Holy Spirit years ago (just before I got married) while taking a course at church called "The Excellent Wife" (and also a few years later while reading the book "Beautiful in God's Eyes") of the following:

If the words that are going to be coming out of my mouth are not 1) kind or 2) wise, then I have no business saying them. NONE. This conviction is based on Proverbs 31:26: 'She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness' and James 3:9-10: 'With [the tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so!'

+Gossip should not come out of my mouth, even (and especially) when it's being said under the cover of being  a "real prayer concern." [See 1 Timothy 5:13]
+Insults should not come out of my mouth.
+Arrogant statements and assumptions should not come out of my mouth.
+Statements that make me sound like I am an absolute expert on something should not come out of my mouth.
+Words that dishonor God, my husband, my parents, or my government leaders should not come out of my mouth.
+Jokes at the expense of someone else's heart should not come out of my mouth.
+Complaints and whining should not come out of my mouth. [See Philippians 2:14]
+Rash retorts should not come out of my mouth. [See Proverbs 15:1]
+Venting anger should not come out of my mouth. ["Venting" is not healthy. It is a sign of a lack of self-control. See Proverbs 12:16, Proverbs 18:2 and Proverbs 29:11, for starters.]
+Words that mock, cut down, belittle, irritate, or purposely offend should not come out of my mouth.

"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." -Jesus {Matthew 12:34}
These kinds of words, when allowed to escape, are a symptom of a much larger problem. When I think that I deserve to say these kinds of things because (somebody hurt my feelings; someone has wronged me, I feel that I am owed something, etc), I am making a very wrong assumption that I'm entitled to execute judgement or justice on that person.

And those are awfully big words to be coming out of my mouth. With a very inflated heart attitude behind them.

When pondering my place before an almighty God, I realize that I am not more powerful, more entitled, more worthy, more justified than anyone else on the planet. I am a sinner. I have no right to be speaking those kind of words.

I sometimes (daily) overestimate the size of my mouth and my heart attitude. I lose my cool with my girls; I argue with my husband over small matters; I mutter under my breath at the grocery store when there are slower people in front of me or stopped right in the middle of the aisle and seem to need to read every single label on both sides before moving on. I am continually seeking forgiveness for the things that I let come out of my mouth and am working to discipline my tongue to speak only kind and wise words. James 3 is a great place to start if you want to know just how hard it is to use our mouths for God's glory by exercising self-control in that area; so is the entire book of Proverbs.

When overestimating the size of my mouth and my importance, I will find myself frustrated, like Hannah, because things do not fit the way I thought they would. I need to speak wisdom and kindness into the lives of my husband, children, friends, and everyone I meet! In matters where I've been hurt by someone's words or actions - I need to bring the hurt to the Lord and let Him take care of the matter. No comment, no hurt is so deep that Jesus cannot heal me completely.

We need to stop using ugly words. Stop airing bitterness and family politics on Facebook/Twitter/etc. Stop talking about people behind their backs. Stop snapping at our kids and our spouses. Stop complaining about people and situations that bother us. Stop mocking people who are different than we are. We need to delve into the Word of God to come up with a better solution for each of these scenarios. God's Word does not fail. And we will find, as we estimate rightly the size of our mouths and what our heart's attitudes should be that life will be less frustrating.

"[A virtuous wife] opens her mouth with wisdom, 
and on her tongue is the law of kindness. [Proverbs 31:26]

Growing in wisdom & kindness,
for His glory~

~Lisha

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...thank you, but I didn't ask.

This afternoon, I decided that I was going to make some bacon cheeseburgers for Will for our early Sunday dinner, as a blessing for him. If you've ever met him, you probably know that he loves bacon cheeseburgers, or you've heard the stories about how for four years of college he ate at least one cheeseburger every day. If you've never met him, now you know that about him.

We don't eat cheeseburgers that often here. It's slightly unhealthy, so I make burgers maybe five or six times a year, and Will really likes it when that's what's for dinner. So today was going to be one of those days. While I was getting the burgers ready, Will took the girls upstairs for a nap - and then he apparently decided to take a nap, too, because he didn't come back downstairs. I was trying to cook the burgers and keep Hannah content/quiet, and was getting really frustrated. 

How dare he, I thought to myself. Here I am, trying to keep a fussy infant quiet and trying to cook these burgers just the way he likes them and he went and fell asleep! GGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! The least he could do is come down and keep Hannah quiet while I make these burgers for him!

Have you ever had a moment like that? ...or feel like your entire life is like that?! "I'm just trying to do something nice for someone, and they don't even care, and they're not even HELPING ME help them! They don't even notice?!?!?!" 

As I was brooding in the kitchen, the following thought sauntered its way through my brain:

"...but he didn't ask."

Will didn't ask me to make hamburgers. I wanted to do that as a blessing for him, sure, but he didn't ask me to. How unfair was it of me, then, to get upset with him when I had put pressure on myself to keep a cranky child happy while I was trying to surprise Will with something that he thinks is great? And yet, here I was in my grumpiness, blaming Will for my stress.

My relationship with the Lord is like that, too, sometimes: "Thanks for taking all this stuff on, Lisha...but I didn't ask you."

God says in His Word that obedience is better than sacrifice: "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." [1 Samuel 15:22-23] He is not interested in our extracurricular attempts to please Him; He is interested that we do what He asks of us. The pride in our hearts that tries to tweak what God asks into something that fits better into our comfort zone is 'as idolatry.' Refusal to obey is 'as the sin of witchcraft.'

Consider what Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

...and many will say to Him in that day: Lord, Lord, did I not serve on many church committees? did I not faithfully teach AWANA/VBS/Jr Church/Sunday School for many years? did I not give lots of food to the food pantry? did I not make lots of meals for sick, weary people? did I not sponsor many children overseas that have no money? did I not give up vacations and other leisurely things and donate that money for outstanding godly causes? see, see what I did for You, Lord?

Does He care about the lost, the homeless, the native peoples of other countries, the servicemen & women of our nation, the persecuted church, those with emotional, physical, or mental troubles, (fiil in any hurting people here)?! Of course He does; and He has equipped some people to fulfill each of those needs. But not everybody! And if He hasn't asked you to do those things - you are released from the guilt of not doing them! If He has called you to those things - do them with joy & thanksgiving!

We are each going to be accountable one day for what He has asked us to do -  did we "doeth the will of our Father in heaven"?. If we are not careful to listen to His voice, and obey that which He has asked - and instead do as many good things as we want - we will find ourselves stressed and frustrated in this life because we are doing things He never asked us to do. We are taking on a burden that He never asked us to carry. Rethink those activities which you decided to do without asking God. And if He wants you to step down, it's okay...He's got it covered. He's sovereign, and He knows what needs to be done by whom. And when you have sought and discerned God's will for you in whatever season you're in - do it. DO IT. When we are quick to obey God and His Word and slow to add a bunch of extra good 'stuff' to our schedule, He blesses beyond what could be imagined. (Side note: to know God's will and His Word, you need to be reading, meditating on, and memorizing His Word daily - not what other people sing or write about it!)

Live your life in obedience to the Lord. It will be less stressful than trying to surprise God by doing a bunch of awesomely kind things for Him & other people. And it will be much, much sweeter for you to hear "well done, good and faithful servant!" then to hear "thanks, but...that's not what I asked" or even worse..."depart from me, for I never knew you."

www.rootsweb.ancestry.com

P.S. A slight clarification. What I am not saying is that it is wrong to do kind things for people, or to be involved in church activities. God does call us to love our neighbors and to be a functioning part of the body of Christ - but if we are in tune with Him and are listening exclusively to His voice, He will reveal to us how He wants us to accomplish that, instead of blessing our futile attempts to burn ourselves out doing a little bit of everything!

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Miracles

Oh, that I had all the time in the world to explain the wonderful things that God is doing in, for, and through the Hunter Family right now! It has been a while since I've had the time to write; for those of you desiring an update in our lives, allow me to catch you up. Prepare to be amazed by the workings of our God! :) 

Amazing thing #1) We are only 15 weeks from welcoming the tiniest Hunter into our family! Besides Abby, who is convinced that we're having a bird of some sort, we are all excited to see whether God has blessed us with a little girl...or a little boy. Either way, what a treasure the Lord has given us! 

Amazing thing #2) Back in early May, we learned that the small retail space downstairs from our apartment was opening up, and Will & I felt (after two years of prayer and waiting!) that the Lord was prompting us to begin re-opening the Jaffrey Bible House. We rented the space (although, miraculously, the landlord did not charge us for the first month of rent because we weren't in business yet), and we registered the name of the business with the state of NH. Since then, Will has been given -for free- access to all of the shelving he needs from a local business that closed a while ago. We just got word today from another friend that we have free greeting card racks as well - we just have to go pick them up! We have no opening date for the store yet, because we are trusting in God's timing for this project, and He is taking longer that we thought - however, since it has not really cost us any money yet, we're okay with however long He takes! 

The story is miraculous, not because of us, but because the Lord has chosen to do huge things with not much. We have no start-up capital; we did not take out a business or personal loan for this venture (our personal convictions about God's stance on debt kept us from going that route - we did not want the glory for this business to go to the bank, but to God alone!). So far, starting up the Bible House has cost us only $50 - to register the name. God has given us 1) a computer, complete with a point-of-sale system, scanner, credit card machine, receipt printer, and cash drawer, 2) hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars worth of free professional shelving, 3) free rent until this month, 4) a friend who has kindly agreed to help us with bookkeeping. 

We have nothing to offer this business. You must understand that even though I was a math major in college, I have no gift for accounting. Will worked in Christian retail for 4 years and has a talent and desire for helping people find what they need, but neither of us really has any sort of business sense. As previously stated, we have no funding. All we bring to God is a deep desire to serve Him, and to trust and obey Him completely. And it is a sweet place for us to be!! 

The last thing we have to wait for now is all the money for the books and other items we'll be carrying in the store. We don't know what the amount will be, but we trust absolutely that God will provide each and every dollar we need. 

Even though God has delivered most of these things to us for free, our journey has not been without cost. There are family and friends of ours who have chosen to distance themselves from us, at least for a time, because they think that what we are doing is nutso. And, from a worldly, temporal perspective, it totally is!! But God, all throughout history, has proven that He delights in using the underdog to accomplish His purposes. If we have nothing, and yet accomplish much for God, it's because it's ALL God's doing, and He gets the glory and honor that He alone and rightly deserves. We are so thankful that this looks like an impossibility to most of the people we know - because when the Bible House all comes together (and it will!), God alone will be responsible! 

Amazing thing #3) [which is directly related to Amazing thing #2] Will gave his notice at Teleflex about a month ago, because he felt that he could not keep working full time there and still give the energy needed to start up the Bible House. So we have been without a "reliable and steady" income for a few weeks now. And you know what, you who may doubt the very existence or the promises of God? We have sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness alone, and He has been faithful to give us every single thing we need (food, enough money for bills, and clothing)! [see Matthew 6:33] A couple days after Will left Teleflex, we received an anonymous letter in the mail with a $100 gift card for groceries. Then we received another $150 in the two days after that. A few days ago we received another check in the mail. Sometimes, God chooses to provide for His people through a career; sometimes, though, He asks us to give up the "security" of a job so that He can show His provision in ways that we never would have expected!!! Our daily dependence on Him is glorious; we cannot, nor do we, trust in riches - we trust in the One who provides! 

Amazing thing #4) With the coming of this new child, comes the need for a larger vehicle - at least, if we want to be legal about it [which we do!]. The Volvo, though it has served us well for the last almost 10 years, cannot fit three car seats in the back. So we began praying for a van. Now, some people would pray that God would allow them the loan for a van, but I've already stated how we feel about debt. We prayed that God would bring us a van that we could afford to pay for with cash. Which, when you factor in the "no-income" thing, left us with not being able to afford much! 

We claim to serve and worship the same God who SPOKE the world and all of creation into existence. We claim to serve and worship the same God who parted the Red Sea for the nation of Israel, who used a small boy to slay the giant Goliath with one stone, and who -beaten and bloody and nailed to two pieces of wood- openly mocked and utterly defeated the devil and death. So, if He is the same God, and we know He is (His Word says that He NEVER changes), then He who also owns all of the vehicles on the PLANET EARTH could surely bring a van to us that didn't cost much! 

We got a call on Friday. Someone bought a van for us, and is currently paying for all of the work to be done on it. It's coming to us from Virginia. Dear friends, I do not pray to or worship or lay down my life and my wants for a false God who does not exist. I do not cry out to a vast cosmic conciousness. I do not bow down before an idol that hangs on a wall yet cannot hear me. I worship and have willingly laid down my life for the only God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who created me and knew I would be born sinful and came to earth to rescue me - the only God who has the power to hear prayer and answer it, faithfully and completely! 

Will and I have been called nuts. And so we are. But we are privileged to be nuts and be a living testimony to the power and honor and glory of the God of the universe. If you know Jesus Christ, my encouragement for you today is to remember that God is so, so much bigger and so much more powerful than you can ever imagine! If you do not know Jesus Christ, let our lives be a witness to the awesome majesty of God and the joy that comes from giving up your life for Him! 

For His glory, 
Lisha

do justly, love mercy, walk humbly

{written 02.08.2008}

(6) with what shall i come before the LORD, 
and bow myself before the High God? 
shall i come before Him with burnt offerings, 
with calves a year old? 
(7) will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, 
ten thousand rivers of oil? 
shall i give my firstborn for my transgression, 
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 
(8) He has shown you, o man, what is good; 
and what does the LORD require of you 
but to do justly, 
to love mercy, 
and to walk humbly with your God? 
[micah 6:6-8] 

This was my Bible reading the other day (the book of the prophet micah, chapter 6). The Israelites were really big into sacrificing things to the Lord as a way of paying for their sins...it was a big part of the Mosiac Law (the law that God gave to Moses after the Hebrews were set free from Egypt). But they got so wrapped up in the sacrificing that they lost touch with the One they were supposed to be sacrificing these things to. In verses 6 and 7, I think Micah is being kind of sarcastic. If God would be happy with a sacrifice of one ram for my sins, how much happier would He be with 10,000 of them?! How about my very own child! Wow! Wouldn't God just love me so much if I sacrifice more, more, more? 

But then Micah reminds the Israelites: God does not require more and more sacrifice. God isn't as impressed with the physical sacrifice as He is with the attitude of our hearts. "what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (v.8) 

And oh, how true it is for us, even today. We are bombared with the message that if we just live better, if we try harder, if we give more, God will be more pleased with us, perhaps earning us a spot in heaven when we die. 

God never said that; man made that part up. 

Maybe it's because we feel better when we do more good things than someone else. It's easier to feel better about ourselves when we have tangible proof of our 'goodness.' 

But, my friends, I am pleading with you to realize that you and I cannot please God with things or with multiple good deeds. The season of Lent started yesterday...many people (you may be included) give up something for Lent. For some, it's chocolate; others, gossip; still others, shopping. Do you do it out of love for the true God, or do you do it because 'it's the right thing to do?' God isn't happier with you when you say more Our Fathers or do more penance; it doesn't please Him more when you get involved with more community activities and more church committees. What He cares most about, what He requires of you and I, is simple: 
 

Do all that you do out of a heart of love for God. Read His very words (the Bible), and see how much God loves you already (even without all of those good deeds! He loved you before you were born, and He will love you always, even if you don't do a lot of good things, and even if you've done some really, really bad things! Even if you question right now whether or not He even exists!) Admit that you are not the god of your life; admit that there is no other God; humble yourself before the Lord, and He will lift you up. There is nothing God desires more than for you to have a real relationship with Him, and for you to believe that He loves you enough to send Jesus to die for everything that you have ever done wrong. My dear, dear friend...you will not get into heaven for just being a good person or by following the rules of your church. God, through His sacrifice of His own Son, has already opened the door of heaven to you. You don't have to do anything to earn His favor and eternal life except believe that. But don't take my word for it; take His! 

"...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.' [Isaiah 28:16] For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.' [Joel 2:32]" -Romans 10:9-13