Less of me, more of Jesus!

There needs to be less of me, and more of Jesus.

So, at least until May, you may not be reading as much from me on here...I'll keep up with the Weekly Bible Reading Plans and maybe one additional post per week if I can. Not because I'm abandoning the blog, but because my time to write has decreased significantly recently - for a great reason!

With Will's encouragement, I enrolled in a course called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. Have you ever heard of it? You should see if there is one being offered in your area - and, wow. It is absolutely worth looking into. Will took the course a few years ago when it was offered an hour away, and I've been praying and hoping for a chance to take it. This time, it is right here in our town, just a mile from our home!

It is a 15-week course that meets once a week for 3 hours per class. There are speakers who come from all over the country & world to share about missions - from biblical, historical, and strategic viewpoints.

In addition to the amazing speakers and warm fellowship, there is homework. Oh good golly gee, is there homework.

Do you see the size of the textbook?! There is amazing content, and lots of it!

I have not done homework in ten years. YEARS. So putting on my homework cap, thrilling though it was!, took a bit of adjusting.

My evenings, which have gone like this for a while:

1) put girls to bed
2) catch up on FB, Pinterest, etc
3) work on a blog post or two
4) have a snack and hang out with will
5) stay up a little longer to write/clean kitchen/prep
6) bed

became this over the course of the last week:

1) put girls to bed
2) homework
3) bed

Hitting the books and the homework for the next 4 1/2 months!
SO pumped about learning more about my Lord
and His global mission to reach the nations for His glory!

So, if I'm quiet on here, it's because the world needs less of my writing and more of how absolutely glorious Jesus is. I am ecstatic to have this opportunity to dig into the Word and learn more about His mission to bring glory to Himself by keeping His promise to Abraham to bless all nations & conquer evil. Whoa.

One thought from this evening's speaker that just. wrecked. me:

If you feel that your walk is stagnant - dull - boring - lagging - lacking purpose...consider this: maybe it's that you started trying to write your own little side story (and maybe invited God to join your tale) and forgot Whose story you're really a part of. {Lisha's paraphrase}

oh. ouch. It hit so close to home.

Jesus, let me decrease as You increase. Let me be a blessing, that others may see and want to worship only You!

Gaining a new perspective,
for His glory!
~Lisha

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

Unfulfilled dreams?

Photo credit: Molly Viglione Photography 2013
Sometimes I feel like a few of my big dreams have gone unfufilled,

but then I remember that God is not limited to my dreams for me.

Something that I've been wrestling is this:
would God give me a dream - a desire of my heart -  that He does not intend to fulfill?!

It's easy to run to a verse like Psalm 37:4 where it says 'He will give you the desires of your heart'. The old "build your theology around and hang your hopes on a single verse" - which is always, always a bad idea. Always. The idea that God is bound to give me whatever my little heart desires is just not in line with all the rest of Scripture. (Remember, Scripture also says the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things {Jeremiah 17:9}...so how do those two verses mesh?)

Without reading the verses around it, or taking in the whole counsel of God, I'd feel kind of iffy about God's ability to keep His Word, because truth be told, I have unfulfilled dreams in my heart.

At least, on the surface, I think I do. For example-

I want to be loved. I mean, LOVED!, by my husband. In the way that Christ loved His church and gave Himself up for her. I want to feel cherished, treasured, defended, taken care of, and valued - every day, all the time! But marriage has difficult seasons, and some days are just no-good and terrible. There have been years of our marriage when we have both felt lonely & empty for a myriad of reasons. It's not what either of us had dreamed up when we said we do for better or worse. But what about that longing to be loved? Has God forgotten about my heart?

Since I was in 4th grade, I've wanted to be a teacher. A middle school math teacher - yes, you saw that correctly. I am crazy, and I did write middle school math teacher. :) I taught in an excellent school for just 2 years before our oldest daughter was born. I have not regretted a day of being home with my daughters, but I often wish that I could have some way to connect with middle school students and impact their lives somehow in a school-type setting. God gave me the ability to teach - did He put me on the shelf when I started having children?

And I'd love to have a home full to bursting with little ones. Before Elizabeth was even thought of, I had a list of 14 names (first & middle) that I knew I just had to use some day. We've got three amazingly beautiful daughters, and one baby that we never really got to know. For now, three is just right; my days are full and resources seem limited with the ones we have - but I can't help the disappointment each month that comes when I realize that there will not be another little one, at least this time around. After almost a decade of being married, I'd hoped by now to have 5 or 6 sweet ones to kiss and squeeze and sing to and love on. God says over and over that children are a blessing, and I'm willing to receive as many as He'll give...why isn't He taking me up on that?

I've been praying for these dreams to come true for years. and that feels like a long time to wait!!

I was driving home from grocery shopping (alone) the other night and taking the opportunity to ask the Lord why, if He'd given me these desires, He wasn't fulfilling them. The desires I have are good ones, so how come my life doesn't look the way I think it should?!

My daughter, He started, you're not seeing everything the way I see it.

If you felt loved and secure all of the time by your husband, you wouldn't need to seek Me and My heart for you. You wouldn't depend on and abide in My love for you. I fulfill your desire to be loved when you spend time with Me and let Me remind you how precious you are. Don't look to man to love you - look to Me. And you'll be able to love him generously out of the overflow of My love, no matter what the years bring.

You are a teacher. I've given you three little girls who will one day be young ladies and they are learning from you, day in and day out. All those years of formal training were for a purpose. And I've placed you in a church with a thriving middle & high school outreach! I've given you the best of both worlds - you don't have to fill out report cards or attend staff meetings AND you get to impact the young ladies you love by speaking into their lives and taking them out for breakfast. And what about tutoring? I've given you that outlet so you can help them with math - while working from home.

And what's this talk about wanting more children? I've given you four - which is an infinite treasure!  If I never bless you with another, you have riches untold already. And how do you know I'm never going to call you to adopt, or foster, or carry another little one? There's still time! But not now, my dear. And what about all of the young ladies in your life whom you love like daughters? Just because they don't live under your roof doesn't mean you can't love them, too. 

Sometimes, He fulfills our dreams quite plainly for us. Or He may do it in a roundabout way {as we see it, anyway}. And then there are the times when He doesn't, because His purpose in not fulfilling that heart's desire is so that we'll remember that He should be the desire & delight of our hearts.

He keeps sending me back to Psalm 37:

Trust in the Lord, and do good;

dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Delight yourself also in the Lord,

and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord,

trust also in Him,

and He shall bring it to pass.

{Psalm 37:3-5}

When I'm about the business of first trusting Him, then feeding on His faithfulness, and then delighting myself in Him alone...then He gives me the desires of my heart because my heart will be in line with His! And where there's a desire that seems to be forgotten, I can rest in the truth that He knows precisely what He's doing. For my good, and for His glory...{see Romans 8:28}

Learning to delight in Him
and rest in His plan,
for His glory!
~Lisha

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An ideal family portrait

Getting a perfect family picture can be difficult, especially if you don't have a vision for what the picture should look like. And even if you do have a crystal-clear vision for what you are looking for in that family portrait - it doesn't always come out just so! But that doesn't mean you give up and abandon the vision!

When you 'confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.' [Romans 10:9], you become part of a forever spiritual family; when you find and join a Bible-believing church, you become part of a local family that is called to be a small-scale example of the global church. As a local (...and global!) family of believers, we have a vision of what the picture of our family snapshot should look like - it's described in the Scriptures! Though we will never be a perfect family on this side of Heaven, we can and should do our utmost to work toward the vision, with the hope that all people might come to love our Father and follow His Son, Jesus! Our pastor just did a wonderful three-week series on what that ideal family picture looks like for our church; if you're curious what you'd find if you visited us, please listen here:

Sermon #1: Who We Are {09/01/2013}

Sermon #2: How We Behave {09/08/2013}

Sermon #3: Why Are We Here? {09/15/2013}

Our church 'family portrait' may not look exactly like yours, but if you attend a Christ-following, Bible-preaching church, there are likely to be quite a few things we have in common! And even though there are differences in convictions, we can extend grace in those areas and know that we are still part of the same big, eternal family in Christ!

If you've got questions about what you've heard in these sermons, ask them! Honest, respectful questions (even if they are difficult!) are always welcome! How is your local church (if you attend one) similar? different?

Part of God's family,

for His glory!

~Lisha :)

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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!

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anguish...and hope! [Lamentations 3]

image from www.shellibourque.com

One of the first places I turn to is Lamentations 3:22-24 when my soul is troubled: "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I hope in Him!' But I don't take the time to read what's around those verses. 

It's easy to search out verses that bring me peace, but I need to take in the whole counsel of God - not just the bits and pieces of passages that I find comforting. So I read most of the book of Lamentations (5 chapters - it's in between the books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel). Jeremiah wrote this lament over Jerusalem, and it's not uplifting at all, save the few verses in chapter 3. He describes the utter shaming of his people, his homeland; how the judgement of God had come upon them. He writes of starvation, death, destruction. Jeremiah is in anguish over the state of things - and that God has allowed these things. The first 20 verses of chapter 3 describe how the Lord has greatly afflicted Jeremiah. My eyes filled with tears for the hopelessness pouring off the pages. for the confusion. for the agony that he felt watching his people suffer for their sins. and then for the dread of what I know I deserve for my unfaithfulness to the Lord. Four and a half of the five chapters are painful to read!!

And then, this respite in a barren place:

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope!!
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I hope in Him!”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
to the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
It is good for a man to bear
the yoke in his youth.
Let him sit alone and keep silent,
because God has laid it on him;
let him put his mouth in the dust—
there may yet be hope.
Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
and be full of reproach.
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
Though He causes grief,
yet He will show compassion
according to the multitude of His mercies!
For He does not afflict willingly,
nor grieve the children of men.

He does. not. afflict. willingly. For all that befell the Israelites, and all that has come to me in the way of uncomfortable circumstances - God does not afflict willingly! He does not grieve my heart willingly. He IS merciful and compassionate, and it's easy enough to cling to just those few verses - but until His mercy is cast upon the somber and devastating backdrop of the wretchedness of my deeds and my sin and my unfaithfulness - it doesn't mean as much to me.

I need to be reminded often that I. am. depraved. Left to my own desires and wishes, I want what I think is best for me. When the Lord allows affliction, it's sometimes because He wants me to come to terms with my sin and cast myself again upon His mercies.

A little farther down, I see:
Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass,
when the Lord has not commanded it?!
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that woe and well-being proceed?
Why should a living man complain,
a man for the punishment of his sins?
Let us search out and examine our ways,
and turn back to the Lord;
let us lift our hearts and hands
to God in heaven.
[Lamentations 3:21-33,37-41]

Why should I complain when I see the consequences of my sin? It's true that Jesus Christ bore the punishment for my sins once and for all on the cross; but it is also true that when I sow sin in my life, I will eventually reap the consequences. God's grace may cover the due punishment for my sin, but it does not allow escape for the outcome.

Let me continually search and examine my ways, to see whether or not I am being selfish or seeking what the Lord says in any and all matters; Father, let me always turn back to You the instant I realize I'm beginning to turn away! Thank You that You are merciful, and Your compassions never fail; thank You that You are faithful to Your word regardless of how faithless and sinful I am!! Without the depths of my sin, I'd not appreciate the heights of Your forgiveness & love. Be it ever so, Lord!

Great is His faithfulness,
for His glory!
~Lisha



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Ideas to help teach them diligently

When Moses addresses the Israelites in Deuteronomy chapter 6, he makes it clear that a major part of a parent's responsibility is to teach his/her children diligently about the Lord and His law. In my previous post on parenting books, I recommended two titles that are helpful for parents (Teach Them Diligently by Lou Priolo & Everyday Talk by John Younts).

Here are the resources I have used with the girls in my (imperfect but hopeful) attempt to teach them consistently & constantly throughout our days. This is by no means an exhaustive list but I've found that the Lord has used each of these books, CDs, & videos to spark some excellent & profound conversations with my daughters!

For Preschool/Pre-K

101 Favorite Stories from the Bible

Family-Time Bible in Pictures

Character Builders (TM) 8-DVD Set

Also: Ian and the Giant Leafy Obstacle, Noah's Ark, Poems and Prayers for the Very Young, The Gods Must Be Angry, New Toes for Tia, & Children's Book of Virtues

For Kindergarten

I Heard Good News Today, and...

Egermeier's Bible Story Book

Firm Foundations: From Creation to Christ

  For 1st Grade

Leading Little Ones to God

The Visual Bible: Matthew
(The only parts the girls haven't seen in full yet are
Herod's slaughter of the children and the crucifixion;
it is my conviction that those scenes
are too violent for them at this time.)

Also: Akebu to Zapotec, George Muller, Missionary Stories with the Millers

Music

The Sing the Word Series

Sing the Word From A to Z, A New Commandment, God Our Provider, Great in Counsel and Mighty in Deed, The Heavens Declare, All Nations Shall Worship, & Credo (I believe...). All songs are verses set to music! For the family who is more conservative in its musical selection, this family uses no electric instruments or drums. They adhere mainly to the instruments mentioned in Scripture.

Glory Revealed, Volumes I & II

The Glory Revealed Project is a collaboration of some of Christian music's most well-known artists - taking favorite passages of Scripture and putting them to song.
There are a variety of musical styles represented here!

I know I've left out a few, but I'm praying this will be a blessing to a parent who is wondering where to begin! You've probably noticed that most of the links are to Sonlight - it's because we are headed into our 5th year of homeschooling with Sonlight, and I'm (clearly) partial. If you end up ordering any of the books, see my Educating at Home page for a discount code off of your first Sonlight order!

Teaching them diligently,

for His glory!

~Lisha

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5 Essential Parenting Books

Someone recently asked me for a list of books that I'd recommend for parenting, and I thought maybe my list would be a blessing to others.

*Note: I am not a professional parent. I hope never to feel like I've gotten to the point where I'm an expert on parenting. My children are always growing - always changing; thus, my role and my knowledge of parenthood is always growing & changing, too! Though God's principles & methods never change, I've not searched all of His wisdom on the subject! I do not have answers for how to raise a perfect child - I can only point you to the One who best knows the heart of each child. I don't have perfect children. They are precious, they are treasured, and most of the time they are pleasant - but they will never be Perfect Children because no such thing exists (...Jesus is clearly the only exception!), and because I will never be a Perfect Parent. In fact, it took me approximately 10 minutes after waking this morning to blow it and respond hastily & sharply to H's ...morning enthusiasm. Bearing that in mind, here are the resources I've found have greatly molded and informed my parenting decisions to this point:

Here are my Most Often-Read Books on Parenting, that I would recommend to everyone:

#1) The Bible. It is a book brimming with sound wisdom on how to parent. It is also a book with some helpful examples of how not to parent. The books of Proverbs & James are two brilliant places to turn when you need to give guidance to a child about the consequences of his/her choices (both good and bad). My life, and the hearts of my daughters, depend upon me reading and following the counsel in this Book daily. I read the NKJV, and teach primarily from the KJV.

 #2) Shepherding a Child's Heart - Tedd Tripp. After the Word of God, this is the book I re-read most often. Tripp looks at biblical & unbiblical goals and methods for the most important aspect of parenting - getting to understand the hearts of our children to help discern their behavior & guide them to a vibrant relationship with the Lord.

#3) Teach Them Diligently - Lou Priolo.

#4) Everyday Talk - John Younts. 

Both of these books are excellent resources, full of encouragement on how to live out the commands of Deuteronomy 6 - to continually instruct our children in the ways, Law, majesty, & grace of God. Priolo's book includes a valuable chart which addresses certain character traits that should be addressed along with appropriate verses!

#5) Creative Correction - Lisa Whelchel. For someone like me who needs practical stories & examples of the "how" of instructing & correcting a child while pointing them to what Scripture says, this book has been helpful! Speaking from experience with her own 3 children, Whelchel gives oodles of suggestions on age-appropriate consequences for all manner of situations. I find that I've not agreed with all of her suggestions, but I think that it's mostly a matter of personality differences and I don't remember coming across any that are unbiblical. She is sensitive to the needs of children with sensory & attention issues in her assessment of how to deal with certain recurring struggles.

Which parenting books are on your 'essential' list?

Raising up my children as faithfully as I'm able by His grace,
for His glory!
~Lisha

PS If you would like to order these books and you're local to New England, I ask you to consider ordering from Morning Star Christian Bookstores - please support locally-owned bookstores!

PPS If you have a question you'd like to ask me about anything - parenting, being a wife, housekeeping, or my thoughts on a particular faith-related topic - whether the questions are specific or general...please click on the Q&A tab and leave it there :)

I'm likely sharing this post at one of the following Link-up parties!

Take cover! (a look at head covering)

Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 

Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.

For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 

Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering. But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
[1 Corinthians 11:2-16, NKJV]

This passage has long fascinated me, and has often created strife & discord, or at the very least confusion, among the church - and can infuriate or confound those who are not Christian. Should women cover their heads all the time? Just at church? Can a man sport long hair? Should a woman cut her hair short? What was Paul writing about in this letter to the church at Corinth, so long ago?

Photo by Molly Viglione Photography, 2013

As with any doctrine in the Bible, it's important to remember that we must be willing to take into account the historical context AND the whole counsel of God when we try to discern what is meant. Many factions and heresies in the church have come from those who try to build a doctrine based on their limited understanding of one or two verses! As I began to research what it all meant, I have found the following online resources to be helpful:

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11
John Wesley's Explanatory Notes on 1 Corinthians 11

John MacArthur - The Subordination and Equality of Women (sermon - part 1)

John MacArthur - The Role of the Godly Woman (sermon, part 2)

Faith Defenders - Head Coverings

I was also introduced to this website recently, and I've appreciated the insights here. I don't know that I necessarily agree that it is a mandatory practice as of yet, but I'm not done searching for answers. (May I never be done searching for answers, Lord! Make my spirit a teachable one!)

The site is called "The Head Covering Movement". I've highlighted some of the really helpful articles:
An Introduction to a Neglected Doctrine
Why Head Coverings? Reason #1: Creation Order
Why Head Coverings? Reason #2: Angels
Why Head Coverings? Reason #3: Nature
Why Head Coverings? Reason #4: Church Practice

And the following books are helpful on the subject of biblical womanhood -some of which address headcovering. It is by no means an exhaustive list, only what I would recommend because I've read all or parts of them:

Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth by Wayne Grudem

Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood by Wayne Grudem & John Piper

This Momentary Marriage by John Piper

The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace

Let me stress this, as I share. For the time being, I choose to wear a scarf, kerchief, etc - all day. My choice to cover my head in no way is a symbol of my salvation, or my superiority as a believer. It does not mean that I think all women should cover their heads. It does not mean that I think another's worship or prayers mean less than mine.

It does mean that in my own personal relationship with my Lord, I feel Him asking me to wear this symbol as a tangible reminder that I have been created as a woman under authority - my husband's, my church leadership's, and God's - so that God might get the most glory. Will & I have had seasons in our marriage of much discord. Pain, frustration, anger, bitterness. Friends, it ought not to be this way - but sometimes that is reality. Even though I often do a shoddy job of it, the deepest desire of my heart is to live a life that brings God the most honor - and walking around with a reminder on my head keeps me accountable to Him throughout the day. I need the constant reminder to treat Will with honor and respect - because often, I don't. To my shame, and his, and ultimately, God's. I need the reminder that God has given me a specific role - and it's not to be the star of the show!! My role is to support, care for, encourage, and live a quiet life of gratitude and praise - willing to pour out my time, strength, & energies out of love for Christ, Will, and my beautiful daughters [who are continually learning from my example what the love of God looks like in action!], even when conditions are not ideal. Even when I am dishonored, or dismissed, or not loved or appreciated as I feel I ought to be. The gentle tug of the pins that hold my covering in place remind me through my day that 1) I should be living a lifestyle of continual worship & prayer, and 2) I am called to cultivate a submissive heart attitude - to put others' needs & wants before my own, trusting that the Lord will take care of my desires & needs in His time! 3) I can always take cover in the Lord. He is my refuge, strong tower, shelter, and He guards my very life when I run to Him!

So, friend, if you are reading this, please know that I don't expect you to be wearing a covering on your head next time I see you. I'm not looking to show anyone up, or guilt anyone into this practice; I'm just hoping to share a little of what God is doing in my heart today and to share the ongoing hope that I have in Christ that He can change even a wicked heart like mine to be more like His!

I echo John MacArthur's sentiment:
"As with meat that had been offered to idols, there was nothing in the wearing or not wearing of the head covering itself that was right or wrong. It is the rebellion against God–ordained roles that is wrong, and in Corinth that rebellion was demonstrated by women praying and prophesying with their heads uncovered."
Read some of his thoughts on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 here:
Head Coverings for Women

Covered by His mercy & grace,

for His glory!

~Lisha

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PS If you have questions, or thoughts, let's talk! I am not an authority on this issue, and I'd love to talk it over. I'm not going to be insulted, or offended, or upset, by anyone who is also wanting truth - or by people who disagree with me! :)

What are you going to be...?

The question has come up more often this year than it has in the past, so I'll answer it here.

Question: "What are your girls going to be for Halloween this year?"

Image from www.costume-cauldron.com

...it's usually asked by completely well-meaning people at the grocery store/bank/library/anywhere we go. And fair enough - most people participate. But it's met with awkwardly blank stares by my girls, and me trying to answer swiftly and politely and not open up a debate or come across as judgmental. So....

Answer: We choose not to celebrate Halloween. The girls know what it is, and they understand that some people choose to celebrate it with their families and friends. They also know that we don't. They've never been trick-or-treating. Will jokes that they play dress-up pretty much every day anyway, and it's more fun (and less wasteful) to let them choose their own favorite bags of snacks or candy the day after Halloween, once the candy is 50% off. That way, we don't get any of the gross candy (like Mary Janes and Bit O'Honey and that awful peanut butter-ish-maybe? type candy. Ugh.).

As I learn more about who God is and what He desires of those that follow Him, I've developed a few strong convictions about Halloween.

They may not be your convictions. I'm okay with that. Please don't think that if it's something you get really geared up for and enjoy that I'm sitting here thinking "whoa - sinner alert!!" - the Bible says that you (and I) are a sinner no matter which holidays you celebrate (Romans 3:23); conversely, if you don't celebrate it, don't think that I'm sitting here thankful that we're in some awesomely holy exclusive club together (Romans 3:23!). It's not about that; it's where I am in my walk with God and what I know His Word says about it. If you claim to follow Jesus, you need to reconcile your thoughts, assumptions, and feelings with His Word on your own.

For those curious, here are the reasons why Halloween is not a holiday we observe:
-A number of years ago, Will and I watched a brief documentary (if you're interested, I can find it for you) about folks who had been practicing Satanism, paganism, or witchcraft, who had made the choice to leave those ways and decide to instead follow Jesus and His teachings. One consistent topic was that of Halloween sacrifices - some said they had been part of rituals where animals, and in one interview, a human baby, were sacrificed in a mockery of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Now, I realize that most people who read this and identify themselves as pagan or witches would never consider or have even heard of this, and I don't assume to know what you do or believe. But hearing their stories about the fact that it does really happen moved us. And it caused us to think twice before willingly engaging in a day of fun and candy when there are heinous acts being carried out to mock our Lord. I suppose that anyone could make a case that that happens every day of the year, and should we not celebrate anything in that case? That's another message for another time...

-Even though the apostle Paul exhorts believers to be all things to all people that we might win some of them to Christ (see 1 Corinthians 9:19-23), he doesn't advocate pretending to be something we're not to appease the world around us. Halloween has become a day (or, I could argue, a whole season!) of hiding behind false pretenses and trying to wow people with the grossest/most enticing/most ridiculous/most thrilling/most holy costume - for what? If I dress up and pretend to be an angel or well-known Bible character or an apostle or Jesus Himself, that's not going to convince anybody that my Lord is worthy of all glory and honor. No - God commands us to clothe ourselves daily in humility, patience, love, tender mercy, strength, and dignity, (see Proverbs 31: 25, Colossians 3:12-14, 1 Peter 5:5). Those are the adornments He will draw others to Himself with. I don't need one day a year for that wardrobe - that is a daily living wardrobe. Plus, I'm not an angel. Don't take my word for it; take His: there is none righteous, no not one; there is none who seek after God (see Romans 3). The best thing to be for God's glory is what I already am: a wretched sinner who has been completely redeemed by Jesus.

-Much of the advertising in the season surrounding Halloween is marketed to frighten us and moreso, our children. Why? Why is it necessary to fill our minds with fear? As a believer in Christ and what His death accomplished for me, I want to declare this now: I am not afraid of death (1 Corinthians 15:55). I am not afraid of the night, or what possibly lurks in the dark. I am not afraid because I know without a doubt that my God is totally in control and He keeps me in His peace. And He says that He has not given His people a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)!! And He also bids us to set our minds to dwell on that which is good, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report (Philippians 4:8). Thus, I do not need to subject myself or my children, whom I have been called by God to guard fiercely!!!, to things that would scare or cause fear.

-Lastly, and not an entirely biblical reason, how are we still promoting a holiday that (commercially) is mostly about candy? If everyone were actually serious about the nation's obesity epidemic, people would not seriously let their children collect and consume all that candy. We'd call for a massive reduction of junk food production and promote something healthier. Biblically speaking, believers in Christ are not bound to the chains of gluttony and such a heinous lack of self-control - Jesus has set us free from that and we should take care of the bodies He has given us. And we'd teach our kids to do the same. Now, mind you - I have not arrived in that department. I still enjoy candy too much. But that doesn't change the fact that I need to work at being a better example to my daughters.

Those are not all of the reasons but they are the major ones. There are going to be some of you who disagree with me, and like I said before: okay! This is my heart now, and before the Lord and His Word this is what He's shown me. I'm totally open to an honest and deeper discussion about the whole topic - just ask. Ask. We may continue to disagree. We may learn something from each other. Our minds might be changed or our hearts may be convinced to keep searching the Scriptures for an answer. That's how we grow.

This Halloween, I want everything I do to be
for His glory!
~Lisha :)

This post may be shared at one of these homemaking link-up parties!

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

Turn to Me!

"Now, therefore,” says the Lord,

“turn to Me with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning!”

So rend your heart, and not your garments;

return to the Lord your God,

for He is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and of great kindness;

and He relents from doing harm!!

[Joel 2:12-13]

God has been doing a deep and mighty work in my heart lately.

He is teaching me (or, I'm finally realizing even though He's been showing me all along!) that I have been living:

1) acting like I have it all together, instead living honestly even when I don't;

2) serving my family because it's a necessary duty, instead serving my family joyfully because I love them;

3) wanting others to see how spiritual I am, instead of openly acknowledging that I am not unless I'm in Christ; and

4) feeling guilty under the weight of my sin instead of fearing the LORD in such a way that I do not choose to sin in the first place and accepting His total forgiveness.

It is a painful place for me to be. Daily I'm being reminded that I, apart from the redemptive work of Christ, am not.

Am not what?

complete. wise. mature. spiritual. loving. kind. joyful. patient. faithful. tempered in my appetites. an excellent wife. a dedicated mother. a decent friend. a decent human being.

Lest you think that I'm in a state of despair - read on! When the Lord chastens and humbles His daughter in such a way, it's because He loves me. Fiercely and completely. Enough to inflict a momentary hurt in exchange for eternal freedom. I hurt, but I know it's because I am loved by Almighty God. I know that this is a good pain to be experiencing. I am not hopeless! Sorrowful, ashamed, angry with myself at times - yes. But never hopeless. The joy that I have right now is that I can put full trust in Jesus and His Word. There will be exuberant joy afterward. But now, a quiet underlying joy that reminds me that He is molding me to be more and more like Jesus.

And here are the sermons and studies that God used powerfully to bring me to this place in my journey with Him:

Examine Yourself - Paul Washer

If My Words Abide In You - John Piper

Seeking Him

...and pretty much any of the Psalms and the book of Romans.

Humbled and clinging to Jesus,

for His glory!

~Lisha :)

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;

You do not delight in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

a broken and a contrite heart—

these, O God, You will not despise! [Psalm 16-17]

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God!, that you may obey His voice!, and that you may cling to Him!, for He is your life and the length of your days!!!!; [Deuteronomy 30:19-20]

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and instruction. [Proverbs 1:7]

He must increase, but I must decrease. [John 3:30]

When pride comes, then comes shame;

but with the humble is wisdom. [Proverbs 11:2]

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!! Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" [John 6:66-69]

I may be sharing this with these uplifting Link-up parties!

Did this post bless, encourage, or inspire you? Please share it!

Showers of blessing!

Today, I had the privilege of sharing a short message at a dear young lady's baby shower at church. I've posted it here, because the Lord is teaching me this lesson in my life now!

It's written to a first-time mom, but the eternal truth echoes whether you have children or not: "I can do nothing apart from Jesus."

Learning to abide in Him alone,

for His glory!

~Lisha :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

[John 15:4-5]

It’s audacious. And daunting. What a claim for Jesus to make – that without Him we can do nothing.

But if He is telling the truth (and we know that He is, because He Himself is Truth!), then that means that we can do nothing without abiding in Him.

You’re a mother! Apart from being one of God’s daughters and being a wife, being a mom is the next highest, most glorious calling in your life. God chose you before the foundation of the world to be the mom of this sweet little baby that we cannot wait to meet. That you cannot wait to hold and snuggle and be amazed at. That your mom & mother-in-law cannot wait to spoil with the love that only a grammy knows!! (and trust me, you won’t understand the love that drives a grammy to feed your kid sweets just before dinner even though she never ever would have done that when you were younger! But let them be Grammies!!)

But, back to the point. God picked you to be this baby’s mom, at this time in your life! Not because you are qualified, not because you have the answers, not because your parenting philosophy is awesome. Not because you’re able to handle the stress of raising a child. Not because of who you are, but solely for His glory! You are not capable of raising up a child the way He wants you to.

This revelation may have multiple responses:

1)      Fear and panic. Without Jesus by your side, in your heart, and on your mind – you cannot be the kind of mother He is calling you to be. That seems like a tall order. How in the world, you may ask, am I supposed to keep my mind fixed on Jesus while I’m changing diapers or up at 12 and 2 and 3:30 and 4 and 6…? How can my heart be full to bursting for Jesus when my heart is already bursting to full with my husband and the little one? How can I expect Jesus to want to be by my side when I’m doing the mundane, every day things like laundry (again), dishes (again), making lunch (again), or just trying to fit in 5 minutes to fix my hair in the mirror so I don’t look atrocious? How can I fix on Him enough?

2)      Freedom!!! Oh, the freedom that comes from abiding in Jesus and knowing that you cannot do anything as a mom without His help! When you start out with the truth that you, in your own strength and knowledge and intentions, are not going to be good enough – you know there will be sufficient grace to pick you up when you falter (and you will, indeed, falter)! God says that He gives grace to the humble, but scorns the proud (James 4:6). And Jesus will lift you up! If you put your energies into abiding in Him by abiding in His Word, He will gently guide you and show you what to do. And when you rest in His Word and lean on His strength, you will be able to do all the things He desires for you in your roles as mom & wife. Not in your strength, but His. And since His strength is infinitely more reliable and time-tested, take Him at His Word and abide in it.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. [Philippians 4:13]

…Apart from Him, I can do nothing. [John 15:5]

{I may be sharing this post at one of these wonderful Link-up parties!}

Delight and Desire!

Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,

and He shall give you the desires of your heart. 

Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;

do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm.
For evildoers shall be cut off;

but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more.
But the meek shall inherit the earth,

and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.
The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow,
to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct.
Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the LORD upholds the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the upright,

and their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,

and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
But the wicked shall perish; and the enemies of the LORD,
like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.
The wicked borrows and does not repay,

but the righteous shows mercy and gives.
For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,

but those cursed by Him shall be cut off.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;

for the LORD upholds him with His hand.
I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his descendants begging bread.
He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore.
For the LORD loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; 

they are preserved forever,

but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
Wait on the LORD, and keep His way,
and He shall exalt you to inherit the land;

when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
I have seen the wicked in great power,

and spreading himself like a native green tree.
Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; 

indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;

for the future of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;

the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

He is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;

He shall deliver them from the wicked,
and save them, because they trust in Him.

Psalm 37 [NKJV] - www.biblegateway.com

I was meditating on this Psalm for a good part of the evening, and what a balm to my soul! With only 8 days to go until we know for sure whether or not the Lord is going to have us close up the Bible House (see my post Come and hear... for more details about this), it has been so easy to:

1) get angry and bitter and blame people for not shopping at the store;

2) pray incessantly that God gives us a better/different opportunity to serve Him right now; and

3) despair because we have fallen so far behind our bills while we know that there are ungodly people who are making more money than we are and spending it on ungodly and selfish pursuits & hobbies.

[God has broken my heart and His lovingkindness has led me to repentance for these things - for taking my gaze off of God and for having such ugly heart attitudes!]

And yet!! God has been pleading with me over the last few days (through His Word and through a dear friend who is not ashamed to speak truth into my heart) to just delight in Him and trust in Him!! Not to worry about His plan, for it is perfect and He already knows it. Not to delight in His plan, but to delight myself in Him!! And after I have made the choice to trust and delight in Him - He will give me the desires of my heart, because my desires will be in line with His heart for me. 

Oh, my Lord, show me what it means to just delight in You and all that You are, and to trust You (for You have never failed us!) - I only want to know You more!

By His grace, and

for His glory!

~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 :)