text:
Recent Searches[ View all tags ]
rape bonded - shit fucking - lorri creampie - wife 2 cocks - chool bus - squirt - lactating lesbian breast feeding - groping in a train - women beathen fight stripped naked315651 - forced naked in street - erking off to women in public - kidnap porn rape - bdsm game - scat deepthroat - transsexual cum - anal lick fail - bbw amateaur - german lesbian shit eaters - girl and her pet dog have sex and get stuck togather39567 - father fuckes daughter while she sleep1254 - uicy face sitting - self cutting - orgy cumshot - unk rock girl - mini skirt no panties street - apanses mom asleep - femdom pee funnel - drunck filipina rape - kidnapped bound raped - old couple rape teen strap on - girls ass destrukted - glass - mice crush fetish - public masturbate girl
Added 8 months ago
Sleeping Girl Facialized
Added 14 months ago
Indonesian Girl Raped
Girl Busted Masturbating
Her First Penetration
Amazing Prostate Milking
It's Normal Over There...
Site Map
Sign Up / Log In
Featured Videos
Recent Videos
Most Viewed Videos
Site Directory
RSS Feeds
Info & Contact
About Us
2257 / Terms Of Service
Privacy Policy
Webmasters Trade Traffic
DMCA / Report Content
Copyright © 2014 Heavy-R
Realty Costa Brava
Shocking Videos
Public Sex
XXX Porn
Ass Porn
Extreme Porn Videos
Realty Begur
Porn Videos
Funny Videos
Extreme Porn
Graphic Videos
Trade Partners
View All / Add Site
Who doesn't like woman pissing in public videos about how In an effort to have more nature in their town, these bitches try to water plants and grass by pissing in public. This naughty ginger babe loves showing off her body and pissing in public. Two chubby lesbian chicks make out in public spaces. Compilation of sexy young teens filmed peeing in public. Slutty girl pissing in the middle of the streets gets taught a lesson by grumpy old man. We got plenty of videos about woman pissing in public available for you to watch at Heavy-R.com


text:
Have Ideas About Reducing Urban Poverty in the Developing World? In Graduate School? Apply Within›From the Wilson Center // March 6, 2014 // By Allison Garland
The Wilson Center's Urban Sustainability Laboratory, in partnership with USAID, International Housing Coalition, World Bank, and Cities Alliance, is pleased to announce the 5th Annual Urban Poverty Paper Competition for graduate students. The competition calls on students currently enrolled in a Master's or PhD program to submit paper abstracts on topics relating to urban poverty in the developing world.
Fourth Annual Call for Papers on Reducing Urban Poverty›From the Wilson Center // February 15, 2013 // By Allison Garland
To encourage a new generation of urban policymakers and promote early career research, the Wilson Center's Comparative Urban Studies Project, USAID, the International Housing Coalition, the World Bank, and Cities Alliance are co-sponsoring a fourth annual paper competition for graduate- and PhD-level students focused on the challenges facing urban centers in the developing world.
Showing posts by Allison Garland.
Join the Conversation
Wilson Center Events
- Living Through Extremes: Building Livelihood Resilience Across Sectors and Countries Thursday, December 4, 2014
- The Resilience Beat: Reporting on Climate, Population, and Health Wednesday, December 3, 2014
- Addressing Maternal Health and Gender-Based Violence in Times of Crisis Thursday, November 20, 2014
What We're Reading
- Every breath you take: the environmental consequences of Iran sanctions
- Bangladesh farmers turn back the clock to combat climate stresses
- Kenyan women pay the price for slum water "mafias"
- Could climate change spell trouble for Kenya's largest river?
- Brazil soy moratorium extended to protect Amazon forest

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Man with the Iron Fists
Length: 1 hour, 36 minutes
Synopsis: Since his arrival in China's Jungle Village, the town's blacksmith has been forced by radical tribal factions to create elaborate tools of destruction. When the clans' brewing war boils over, the stranger channels an ancient energy to transform himself into a human weapon. As he fights alongside iconic heroes and against soulless villains, one man must harness this power to become savior of his adopted people.
Most Popular
- Viewed
- Discussed
- E-mailed
- Vegas pick 'em: NFL week 13 winners against the spread, holiday edition
- High school basketball preseason Top 10: Gorman team to beat, others not far behind
- Police make 7 DUI arrests at pre-Thanksgiving checkpoint
- Uber temporarily suspends ride-sharing service in Nevada
- Tourists hit Las Vegas buffets for a day of feasting


text:
» News
China typhoon weakens but chaos lingers
Publication Date : 08-10-2013
Typhoon Fitow continued to weaken as it moved westward across the Chinese mainland on Monday, after packing winds of more than 200 kilometres an hour, forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate and paralysing transportation services.
The typhoon was downgraded to a tropical depression with its centre located in Jian'ou, Fujian province, at about 9am on Monday, moving southwest at a speed of 20 km per hour.
By 11am on Monday, the storm, named after a flower from Micronesia, was so weak that it was impossible for meteorologists to track its centre.
Early on Monday, Fitow made landfall in Fuding, Fujian province, causing at least five deaths and four missing in nearby Zhejiang province.
Ni Wenlin, 55, from Dongtou county, Wenzhou, died when a strong wind blew him off a hill late on Sunday night, according to Wenzhou flood- control headquarters. He was with five others on the way to rescue a fisherman from a nearby port.
Chen Wanjie, from Cangnan county, also in Wenzhou, died when his duck breeding factory collapsed and buried him.
Three other people from Ruian died of electric shocks.
Two port workers were missing on Sunday evening and another two fishermen were missing after sailing out to sea on Saturday afternoon.
"Following the landfall, the power of Fitow is abating very fast and its impact on Shanghai and nearby regions is expected to disappear as early as Tuesday," said Zhu Jiehua, a chief service officer at the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.
Meanwhile, the 24th tropical storm this year, Danas, strengthened to a super typhoon on Monday, packing winds of about 200 km per hour. It hovered over the Pacific Ocean about 750 km to the east of Zhejiang's Zhoushan at 2pm on Monday and was moving northwest at a speed of 26 km per hour, the Beijing-based National Meteorological Centre said.
"Danas is expected to move to the East China Sea later Monday and make a turn northeast," Zhu said. "The possibility of it making landfall on the Chinese mainland is slim but it will bring strong winds to the east coast."
According to meteorologists, it was unusual for a typhoon to come ashore in China's southeast during October — at the end of the season — and Fitow was the strongest typhoon to hit China's east coast in the month since 1951.
Figures provided by the regional flood control departments showed Zhejiang has so far evacuated more than 574,000 people, while in Fujian, 177,000 have been displaced, forcing the National Meteorological centre to issue a red alert against the storm late on Sunday night.
Fitow also flattened houses, caused blackouts and flash floods, stranded passengers on islands and trains and put dams and reservoirs at risk.
In Zhejiang's Cangnan county alone, more than 1,200 houses collapsed in the strong winds, with 356,200 people affected. An initial estimate of the economic losses for the county stood at 420 million yuan (US$68.6 million).
In the transportation sector, the storm forced the suspension of 70 bullet trains and route changes for 15 others in several cities in Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi provinces on Monday.
Wenzhou Airport Group said 13 flights were cancelled on Monday, and 75 had been cancelled on Sunday. In Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang, dozens of flights were delayed with a handful cancelled on Monday.
In Fujian province, torrential downpours struck a large area on Monday morning. Lin Fangqi, an official with the Sansha town government in Xiapu county, Ningde, said the typhoon caused giant waves that severely damaged the local sea laver farms.
"Many local residents make a living by farming laver. Piles of sheets of laver were slashed by the roaring waves and gales. It was a heart-breaking scene," Lin said.
Lin said the storm also caused blackouts in Xiapu and neighbouring counties. In Ningde, about a hundred teams of technicians were dispatched to restore electricity.
Fitow also made an impact on passengers returning from their holidays. Highways across the country reported busy passenger flows on the last day of the Golden Week holiday.
Guan Yongfeng, a Xiamen resident who works in Fuzhou, said the disruption Fitow caused to traffic would prevent lots of people reporting to work.
Due to the suspension of the bullet train service, Guan had to ask around and get a ride from a friend who happened to be heading to Fuzhou on Monday.
"I could find such an alternative because Xiamen is not that far from Fuzhou, but others won't be that lucky if their workplace is distant from their hometown," Guan said.
» Other News
● TANGERANG: Jakarta airport begins construction of train station
● NAGANO : Powerful jolts leave Nagano residents terrified
● SINGAPORE: Asia on the upswing, experts say
● SINGAPORE: Restructure world order 'to include Asia powers', says academic
● KUALA LUMPUR: Saving M'sia's Cameron Highlands: Plans fall short
● KUALA LUMPUR: M'sia's Umno urged to defend Malay-Muslim rights
● SEOUL: S. Koreans' social trust level low, study shows
● BEIJING: Chinese gay-dating app finds financial boost
● BEIJING: Peking University sacks professor for sex scandal
● MACAU: Pacquiao outclasses rival in title bout
● MIRI: North Koreans working legally in M'sia
● MANILA: MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE: Slain journalists 'martyrs', says Philippine govt
● BANGKOK: Mixed feelings over Thai junta's start
● BEIJING: US aids in return of economic fugitives to China
● JAKARTA: Jokowi steals spotlight during Singapore visit
» Most Viewed
● JAKARTA: Jokowi steals spotlight during Singapore visit
● BEIJING: Other countries feel the pain as Xi cracks the whip
● SINGAPORE: New Asian wealth seeks strategic philanthropy
● TOKYO: M-6.8 earthquake hits Japan's Nagano Prefecture; 39 injured
● TOKYO: Abenomics on campaign front line
● KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia X may need more funds, say analysts
● HANOI: Vietnam eyes law to give foreigners right to purchase homes
● KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia woos back the Chinese
● TACLOBAN CITY: Sign of confidence in Tacloban: Opening of SM store
● TAIPEI: Chinese star wins big at Golden Horse
● TOKYO: Shinzo Abe's midterm performance will be judged in lower house election
● HONG KONG: 95% SMEs affected by 'Occupy', says survey
● SINGAPORE: Beauty ads accused of using ugly tricks
● SINGAPORE: An 'under happy' lot
● BANGKOK: Wage hike for some, job loss for many others


text:
Department of revenue - taxation | - colorado, Colorado taxation offices will be closed on thursday, nov. 27 in observance of the thanksgiving holiday. tax rulemaking hearing scheduled for wed., dec. 10.. Department of revenue | - colorado.gov: the official state, Click on box below to access desired division. enforcement division auto industry. Unemployment | colorado department of labor and employment, Https://www.facebook.com/coloradolabor. © 2013 state of colorado.
Pa.gov, Whether you are an individual, business owner or tax professional, our web site features information to make filing and paying pennsyovania state taxes as easy as. Politics news and u.s. elections coverage - abc news, Get the latest breaking politics news and political coverage of u.s. elections. get updates on president obama's white house, congress and more at abc news.. Amendment 64 passes: colorado legalizes marijuana for, The rocky mountain high just got a whole lot higher. on tuesday night, amendment 64 -- the measure seeking the legalization of marijuana for recreational.
1040 (2012) - internal revenue service, The taxpayer advocate service is here to help you what is the taxpayer advocate service? the taxpayer advocate service (tas) is your voice at the irs.. Form 4506t-ez (rev. august 2014) - internal revenue service, Form 4506t-ez (rev. august 2014) department of the treasury internal revenue service . short form request for individual tax return transcript request may not be. City of colorado springs - home, City of colorado springs - the official web site for the city of colorado springs, colorado. the city sits at the foot of pikes peak, america's mountain. it.


text:
Walmart Tests Online Grocery Delivery
Posted: Updated:
As rumored ealier this month, Walmart has begun test marketing Walmart To Go, its online grocery delivery service, in San Jose, California. In an effort to compete with the likes of Peapod, Fresh Direct and Amazon Fresh, Walmart To Go is offering aggressive pricing with delivery charges that start at five dollars, reports the New York Times. Products include "fresh produce, meat and seafood, frozen, bakery, baby, over-the-counter pharmacy, household supplies and health and beauty items."


text:
63, Topeka, KSDivorced single parent seeking annulment. Looking to see as would like to think to is somebody to spend life together with. Layed back and nonjudgemental, will to try new thin...
52, Topeka, KSI am Considerate, frugal, affectionate, sensitive, humorous, caring. Enjoy the simple things in life. I own my house. I have no tattoos. I am unemployed at this time.
27, Topeka, KSI come from a Catholic background and am proud to call myself Catholic. I enjoy helping people and watching them get better. I am a physical therapist assistant at a nursing h...
28, Topeka, KSI'm a down to earth girl with a serious nature at times, but I also love to laugh...the perfect combination, right? ;-) The most important things to me are my faith, my family...
31, Topeka, KSI teach math at Hayden High School, and being the oldest of eleven children helped prepare me with patience. I enjoy learning about my faith and feel that I am called to teach...
25, Topeka, KSHi my name is Ashley. I tend to be a little shy at first but over time as I get comfortable with people I open up more. I am not 100% sure what my final career will be but I k...
19, Topeka, KSHey guys thanks for stopping in! My name is Chloe (as the profile name has given away) and I'm a mid-western girl who is passionate about my Catholic faith. I'm on the jou...
38, Carbondale, KSHi my name is Armando. I am a Hispanic / Latino male living in Carbondale, KS, USA. I am 6'0" tall with brown eyes and black hair. I would describe my body type as Athletic. I...
22, Topeka, KSJust a little about myself :) I'm the nicest guy you'll meet! And pretty outgoing, understanding, competitive, and funny :) I love the outdoors as well as the city life. Some ...
35, Topeka, KSI enjoy life and am a very caring and compassionate person. I've been working in social services for awhile now and it has helped me grow as a person both professionally and p...
59, Topeka, KSI'm not sure what to say here, though it's required to proceed. I am divorced and have recently been granted a declaration of invalidity. After having found the proverbial "re...
24, Topeka, KSI am passionate about my faith, being a Catholic is something I am very proud of. I sing in my church choir and lead a youth group for 7th graders in my church. I enjoy being ...
Browse by Gender:
Browse By City:
- Topeka
- Carbondale
- Auburn
- Berryton
- Scranton
- Burlingame
- Overbrook
- Tecumseh
- Dover
- Harveyville
- Grantville
- Vassar
- Silver Lake
- Osage City
- Lecompton


text:
Conserving Wildlife and Enabling Communities in Namibia
Namibia is home to an array of wildlife, from ostriches and zebras roaming the gravel plains to penguins and seals chilling in the Atlantic currents. It was the first African country to incorporate protection of the environment into its constitution. With WWF's help, the government has reinforced this conservation philosophy by empowering its communities with rights to manage and benefit from the country's wildlife through communal conservancies.
The Urgent Issue of Captive Tigers
Most people are surprised to learn that there are an estimated 5,000 captive tigers in America'. That's more than all wild tigers across Asia. Almost 95 percent are privately owned, often by people not trained to care for animals in general, let alone tigers. Alarmingly, there is no accurate record or system to determine the actual number of tigers in the country, where they are, or what happens after they die.
Wildlife Crime Technology Project
The world is dealing with an unprecedented spike in wildlife crime. In December 2012, Google awarded WWF a $5 million Global Impact Award to create an umbrella of technology to protect wildlife.
2013 Fuller Symposium: Forces for Nature
The 2013 Fuller Symposium explored how local and indigenous communities can empower themselves by managing their own natural resources—and in turn become a global force for conservation. This year's one day event took place on November 13, 2013 at the National Geographic Society's headquarters in Washington, D.C.
2012 Fuller Symposium: Conservation Crime
Global leaders shared their insights on the growing crisis of wildlife crime at the 2012 Fuller Symposium. The symposium was held on November 14, 2012 at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C.


text:
tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734538679842336072014-11-28T05:00:05.335-05:00Out of the OrdinarySite Adminhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-45354841418806634432014-11-28T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-28T05:00:05.362-05:00Thankful for Small, Ordinary Gifts

Grace by Eric Enstrom

We should, of course, thank God for the great things he does, like healing someone with serious health problems, or blessing us with spiritual blessings, like adoption, salvation, and the fellowship of other believers. These are all extraordinary gifts from our healing and saving God.

But this short quote from John Calvin is a reminder to thank God for common, everyday things, too:
There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.
God's purpose in the ordinary gifts is our joy: joy in the gifts, but even more, joy in the One who gives them. One hair on a head, one wildflower in a field, one bird in a tree—or a bowl of oatmeal and a loaf of bread—assure us that God is constantly caring for us and working for our good.

Why not give thanks for your ordinary gifts today? Rejoice over a piece of leftover turkey, maybe, and help it fulfill its God-given purpose.
Rebecca Starkhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-22860974409744850192014-11-27T05:59:00.000-05:002014-11-27T05:59:09.965-05:00Thankful ThursdayWe here at Out of the Ordinary want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving today! No doubt most of you won't even be reading this post, but will be celebrating with your families. If you do have somewhere to eat, and people to share your meal, be thankful. Some people do not have that and won't spend their day surrounded by turkey and loved ones.

Is there any better time to be thankful than on a day when we gather with family and friends and share a good meal? If any of you are Pinterest users, you may have seen the recent influx of recipes geared toward holiday meals. From now until December 25th, we will be inundated with baking ideas and pictures of lavishly set tables featuring all kinds of meals, from the traditional golden turkey to something a little different. One of the boards I follow on Pinterest had all sorts of ideas for vegetarian options for the season.

We here in North America, for the most part are very fortunate when it comes to food. There have been some years, when I have looked on the holiday table where I am eating and been very aware that the leftovers scraped from the plates would actually feed a family in some developing country somewhere. I am very thankful for the food we eat. I am thankful for fresh vegetables and fruits in the off season, and for local butchers and dairy providers. I am thankful for local food banks, who work to provide for those who struggle financially. I'm thankful for my local church, who participates in food drives for the food bank during Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am thankful that when my children were young, I did not have to wonder where their next meal was coming from. I am thankful for organizations such as Compassion, which provides ways to share with those in other countries.

I recently was given a perspective about food that was a good reminder. My husband and I are friends with a couple who are missionaries in Papua New Guinea. They have only been there since July, and it has been interesting to watch how they have adapted. The husband wrote an update recently where he reflected on what he called the "tropical diet," and how he had lost almost twenty pounds. One of the reasons, aside from the number of tropical viruses which can befall one, he mentioned the cost of food. He's simply not eating as he would at home in North America. What we take for granted as a meal is likely not the norm everywhere.

I am thankful for the fact that despite our occasional grumbling, food prices here in North America are cheaper compared to other places. I'm thankful that God gave us a world where we can produce good things to eat. Today, when you sit down to eat your meal, whatever it is, be thankful for God's provision of food.Kim Shayhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-73819006781446636452014-11-24T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-24T05:00:01.190-05:00Thankful for...lots of thingsWe've spent the month here talking about thanksgiving. I missed my turn a couple of weeks ago, and it's only been in the past couple of days that I've had a chance to read everyone else's posts.

You see, a couple of weeks ago I was awakened by an early morning phone call. It was not good news, as early morning phone calls seldom are. There was a medical emergency in my extended family. My post might not be as polished as the others, but I have a long list of things to be thankful for.

I am thankful for modern medicine. What would have been a grave situation a few decades ago can now be fixed with surgery.

I am thankful for air travel, so that my sister who lives far away can decide at 9 o'clock in the morning that she wants to come, and then be there by suppertime.

I am thankful for the body of Christ. I have a lot of balls in the air right now—family, work, school, church, blog—and I walked away from all of them for a few days. My husband was out of town that week, so I needed more help than usual. Friends took care of my kids for me. People at church picked up my slack. Employers, instructors, and blog friends gave me grace.

Everything is good now. Life is back to normal. And I am looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Staci Eastinhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-91796082279066561122014-11-19T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-19T05:00:03.095-05:00Thankful for AdoptionBehold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God... 1 John 3:1a (KJV)

Rebecca posted last week on being thankful for salvation. This golden chain from election to the final resurrection is wonderful, but there is one link that is very dear to my heart. I am thankful for adoption.

God could have justified me without adopting me. It certainly would have been more than enough to be forgiven of my sins and given right standing before Him because of Christ's work. 1 He hasn't brought me to His orphanage or enrolled me in His foster care system either. I am not under probation, waiting and wondering if the final papers will be filed in the court of heaven. This outcast has been welcomed with arms of love and given a seat at the family table, 2 and His choice was made even before the foundation of the world. ( Rom. 8:15; Eph. 1:4-5)

God is not like the god of the deists who is remote and detached. He is a loving Father who has compassion for His children. (Ps. 103:13) When I'm tempted to be anxious, I am reminded that He knows exactly what I need. (Matt. 6:30-32) In times of sorrow and rejection, God never forsakes His own. (Ps. 27:10)

When I sin and wonder if I've forfeited His love and favor, I am reminded that there was nothing I could have done to deserve it in the first place. Yet God demonstrated His love to me, a sinner, and at the greatest possible cost, the death of Christ. (Rom. 5:6-10)

It's no wonder the Apostle John says, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us."!

'Behold what manner of love'! ... The freeness of this love that looked upon us in spite of our sin, in spite of our recalcitrance, in spite of our unworthiness, in spite of our foulness as the result of the Fall and our own actions. Oh, the love that has not merely forgiven us but has given itself to us, that entered into us and shared its own nature with us; stand in awe at the greatness of it all! Think of what it cost Him, our Lord Jesus Christ, to come into the world, to live in the world, suffering its treatment, staggering up Golgotha with that cross upon His shoulders, and being nailed to the tree. Think of Him dying, suffering the agony, and the shame of it all in order that you and I might become children of God.

'Behold, what manner of love' - you cannot understand it, you cannot explain it. The only thing we can say is that it is the eternal love, it is the love of God and is self-generated, produced by nothing but itself, so that in spite of us and all that is true of us He came and died and suffered so much. The Son of God became the Son of Man, that we, the sons of men, might become the children of God. It is true, we are that; we have been made that. Amazing, incredible, yet true!3

Now it's your turn. What are you thankful for today? Please share it in the comments so we can all be encouraged. There is nothing too small for which to praise the Lord.

1. Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem, Zondervan, 1994, pg. 739.
2. From Debtors to Heirs, sermon on Romans 8:12-17 by J. Ryan Davidson, Grace Baptist Chapel, April 28, 2013.
3. Children of God, Life in Christ Volume 3, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Crossway Books, 1993, pg. 19.
Persishttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-56210937101517174292014-11-17T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-17T05:00:03.392-05:00Thankful for the BodyFrom Dietrich Bonhoeffer's classic, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community

In the Christian community thankfulness is just what it is anywhere else in the Christian life. Only he who gives thanks for little things receives the big things. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things? If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ. (p. 29)
No church is perfect. Sometimes it is difficult to be thankful for a group of sinners and the inevitable conflicts, attitudes, tensions, and well, sins, that arise. And yet, the church is our community. It is perhaps the only place - other than our homes - where we truly belong, this side of heaven. Gratitude is one of the means for authentic community (Stephen J. Nichols, Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life: From the Cross, for the World (Theologians on the Christian Life), p. 69).

A couple of years ago Lisa wrote a post about loving her church. Her words were a balm to me while my husband and I were looking for a new church family. They remain with me to this day.

Today, I am thankful for my church email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-91973164704885443002014-11-14T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-17T01:01:22.787-05:00Thankful for Salvation

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15 ESV)
The Apostle Paul is known for his spontaneous expressions of praise in his writing and the verse quoted above is one of them. God gave up his Son to save us—a gift too wonderful to describe—and as Paul thinks about this as he writes, he interjects his thanksgiving into the text. Paul is thankful for Jesus, sent by God to save his people. Without the gift of the Son, we would all remain under God's condemnation, and none of us could be saved.

This past Wednesday, Kim urged us to follow Paul's example in thanking God for people, and today I'm hoping we can learn from him to be thankful for Jesus, his work, and all the saving benefits that we receive through him.

Here's a list of some of the aspects of our salvation to give thanks for:

election. I am saved only because God decided in eternity past to set his love on me. There was no foreseen good in me to call out his choice to save me. From the very beginning, my salvation was a gracious act of God—a gift! How can we not be thankful? (See 2 Thessalonians 2:13 for an example of Paul's thanksgiving for election.)

calling. In our experience of salvation, it's God's calling that starts it all. God graciously calls us "into the fellowship of his Son (1 Corinthians 1:9)" and we come.

regeneration. The new birth is a gift from God, too (Ephesians 2:5-7).

faith. In Kim's previous post on being thankful for people, did you notice how many times Paul thanked God for the faith within the hearts of other believers? That's because the faith through which we are saved is also God's gift.

justification. We are justified "are justified by [God's] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." God imputed our sins to Christ and Christ's righteousness to us out of pure grace.

redemption. I'd say Paul thanks God for redemption in Ephesians 1 when he says God's saving work, including "redemption through his blood" is "to the praise of his glorious grace."

adoption. In Ephesians 1, Paul also says that "adoption as sons" is "to the praise of his glorious grace." (And adoption as sons includes women, because in Christ, women—not just men—receive an inheritance.)

perseverance. It is "to the praise of [God's] glory that we were "sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it . . . ." (Ephesians 1:13-14). Or, to explain it using Peter's words, we are kept "by God's power" for our final salvation (1 Peter 1:5). In other words, we persevere because God keeps us persevering.

deliverance from sin. This, too, is God's work: "Who." Paul asks, "will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25).

victory over death. Those who are being saved will be raised to eternal life. This is the way God gives us victory over death. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).

From start to finish, salvation is God's gift to us. Will you join me in thanking him for all the many benefits of salvation? Do you have something to add to the list?
Rebecca Starkhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-80111037542810845622014-11-13T05:53:00.000-05:002014-11-13T16:30:07.256-05:00Thankful ThursdayHere we are again at Thursday. Many are looking forward to the weekend and are probably very thankful for that! Again, I am very thankful for the ladies who shared in the comments.

Persis was thankful for the women of her small group:

I'm in a small group of middle-aged women from my church. It's been good to get to know them outside of Sunday morning. I thank God for them, their wisdom, their prayers, and how they have encouraged me even just last night.

Jessica was thankful for "Hot coffee and happy boys on a cold morning."

Diane was thankful for her church family:

I'm also thankful for the people in my church family and for our pastor and Sunday School teacher . My church has been around for about 40 years and even though it's small we have families spanning 4 generations. I'm thankful for a humble pastor who has stuck with the flock for more than 35 years. Our Sunday School teacher has been leading us through John Owen's Mortification of Sin for about 8 months and the class discussions have been wonderful. I'm so thankful for the theological depth and the genuine love and humility of the people there.

I don't have a Thankful Thursday post up at my blog today, so I will be thankful here. I am thankful today for the opportunity I had on Tuesday to teach a group of homeschooled children about Remembrance Day. It was an opportunity to instil in them gratitude for the men and women who fought to preserve our freedom. Plus, it was a lot of fun to play "Octopus" in the gym, too.

It's not too late! If you want to join in the thanksgiving, please leave a comment, and we'll include it in today's post.

Updates:

Becky is thankful for central heating. And considering where she lives, I can understand!

I'm thankful for my furnace and central heating. I know this is something almost everyone has, but a couple of generations ago this wasn't so, and winters must have been a lot more difficult than they are for me, living now. I'm thankful that I don't have to light a fire in the morning and keep putting wood or coal (or whatever) on it. And I'm thankful that every room in the house is warm, not just the area around a heater.
Joyful is learning give thanks in all things:

I am learning to give thanks in all things. I read 1000 Gifts recently and it has changed the way I look at most things. Thankful for THIS place today!
Kim Shayhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-90549691594097402822014-11-12T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-12T05:00:09.341-05:00Thankful for peopleHave you ever noticed how frequently Paul opens his letters with a word of thanksgiving? We can learn a lot about thanksgiving from the way Paul opens many of his epistles.

Romans 1:8: Paul thanks God through Jesus for the Romans because of their faith.

I Corinthians 1:4: Paul thanks God "always" for the Corinthians because of the grace of God that was given to them.

Ephesians 1:16: Paul does not cease to give thanks for them because he has heard of their faith.

Philippians 1:3: Paul is thankful for them for their "partnership" in the gospel.

Colossians 1:3: Paul uses "we," and he is thankful for hearing about their faith and love for the saints.

II Timothy 1:3: Paul is thankful as he is reminded of their sincere faith.

I Thessalonians 1:2: Paul remembers their work of faith and labour of love in Christ.

II Thessalonians 1:3: Paul says he "ought" to give thanks because of the growing faith of the church at Thessalonica.

Philemon 1:4: He is thankful for hearing about the love and faith Philemon had toward Christ.

Paul was thankful for people. And specifically, people who were coming to faith, growing in their faith, and proclaiming their faith.

Are you thankful for people? Are you thankful for the growth of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? Are you thankful when you see others loving and serving Christ, building up the body? Do you notice whether or not someone is growing in the things of God?

To be able to tell if others are growing means getting to know them. In our individualistic world, it's often not easy or natural to get to know someone that well; we often like our distance. But the Body of Christ is not like a social club or a service club. We are one in the body. We have unity. We ought to rejoice when we see someone growing in his faith. When the body grows, we benefit, too. And everyone can get to know at least one person well enough to discern when he or she is growing in the things of God.

Flowing from gratitude is prayer. Every one of those verse references, with the exception of Romans 1:8 and 1 Corinthians. 1:4 mentions thanksgiving in connection with prayer. Paul was led to pray for them as he was thankful. That is one of the benefits of fostering gratitude: it enriches our prayer life. Have you ever sat down to pray and done nothing but say prayers of thanksgiving? I have done that. Maybe it feels like list-making, but consciously having to look at my life to ascertain what I'm grateful for is a good exercise. It goes a long way to helping during those days when we are prone to complain or feel self-pity.

Are you thankful for the gospel today? Are you thankful for seeing growth in people? Are you thankful for the Body of Christ? Are you so thankful that it causes you to pray words of thanksgiving?

What are you thankful for today? Share in the comments; we'd love to be thankful right along with you.Kim Shayhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-16029782312892082502014-11-07T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-07T08:25:21.317-05:00The grace of thanksgivingMy friend's father died suddenly last week. We stood in line for two hours Monday night in order to pay our respects to the family, to hug our friend, to tell her how much we love her and her family, to grieve with those we love who grieve.

Death and loss and grief, these sober us, give us pause, make us think. I've been strangely--or not so strangely--nostalgic all week as I not only contemplate mortality but also as I contemplate life and grace and providence. As I ponder, I am thankful and this gratitude serves to teach me important, difficult truths about the grace of thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving helps me remember that God is faithful. How I am prone to doubt! Thanksgiving reminds me that God was faithful and good yesterday and He will indeed be faithful and good to me today. I can trust Him.

Thanksgiving expresses submission to the sovereignty of God. When I thank the Lord, I say that what He has given me is right and good and acceptable and perfect. Acknowledging the gift in humble, thankful gratitude places me in trust and submission before the Giver.

Thanksgiving teaches me humility. God is faithful. God is sovereign. I cannot be proud before these twin truths. Recounting His faithfulness to me in submission to His sovereignty displays true humility before Him.

I saw Monday night the evidence of a life well lived, a life that served others, a life full of friendship and family and faith. I saw a widow and a daughter both give thanks through their tears for the joy of having known and having loved. In their heartbreak, they yet trust the faithfulness of their sovereign God.

May the Lord teach us to be a thankful people, not just in November but throughout our lives, "giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. 5:20)Lisa email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-25003600829426532142014-11-06T05:06:00.004-05:002014-11-06T13:25:30.853-05:00Thankful ThursdayI am thankful this morning for those who participated this week in sharing their thankful thoughts!

Diane was thankful for her children:

I am so very thankful for my children and their spouses who are walking in Truth and raising our grandkids in the fear and admonition of the Lord. When I consider that's what I prayed so hard for since before they were even born - it's a huge cause for thanksgiving - And especially considering how many mistakes I made!!!
Debi was thankful for her husband:

I'm incredibly thankful for a husband who loves God and is faithfully following Him. With so many marriages struggling and women who are married to unsaved men or men who aren't strong believers, I'm very thankful for the blessing of a godly husband. I don't want to take him for granted.
Our own Rebecca was thankful that her recent gum surgery was successful and didn't come with too much discomfort.

Persis's thanksgiving had an appliance theme: for friends who let her use theirs when hers isn't working, and for the appliance repairman who fixed hers.

 Update: Lou Ann is thankful for

my small group, for the young children at the table with a healthy appetite, for the freedom to get in the car and drive without fear. I am thankful for Paul's love for the Philippians and how we too can share that deep affection because of the gospel.
What about you? For what are you thankful? Share in the comments.

Next Thursday, we'll post again. We hope you will join in and share with use your thankful thoughts. Sometimes, hearing how others are thankful is motivation for us to realize how much we can be thankful for!Kim Shayhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-58723456086182770312014-11-05T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-05T05:00:10.747-05:00Gospel Reminders
Our theme this month is thanksgiving. Like Melissa, I had debated about making a list of thankful items, which would have been easy to knock out, but I also have a confession to make.

I don't always have an attitude of gratitude.

In fact, I am downright ungrateful at times towards a kind and loving God. I can quickly forget His goodness and complain like the Israelites in the wilderness. (Ex. 14: 11) I've wondered whether He has forgotten to be gracious. (Psalm 77:9) I've doubted His timing. (John 11: 21) I could use trials as an excuse, but James doesn't let me off the hook either. (James 1:2) In so many ways, I fall short of giving thanks in all circumstances. (1 Thess. 5:18)

There's no doubt that I have not done as I ought, but where I have failed…

God does not deal with me according to my sins. He does not repay me according to my iniquities. (Psalm 103:10)

God is faithful and just to forgive my sins. (1 John 1:9)

God receives me because of Christ, not because I'm thankful. (Heb. 10:19-23)

So even though I am deficient yet Christ is all sufficient. I am still a work in progress, but God is faithful to complete what He has started. And for these gospel reminders, I am very thankful.

It's your turn now. What are you thankful for today? How does the gospel inform your thankfulness?
Persishttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-59213363375153654472014-11-04T05:45:00.002-05:002014-11-04T05:48:56.707-05:00Join in the gratitude!Just a reminder to our readers that the month of November will focus on thanksgiving. We would like very much for you to join with us as we give thanks this month.

Each Thursday, we will post your thankful thoughts. At any time, on any day, if you would like to share with us what you are thankful for, we would love it! Simply leave a comment to share, and on Thursday, we will post your thankful thoughts in a separate post.

Being thankful is so important. It's a way to allow Christ to shine through us. For what are you thankful?

Kim Shayhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-2934199237381024232014-11-03T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-03T07:10:05.011-05:00Giving Thanks When You're HurtingWe're setting aside the month of November to discuss thankful attitudes. I've always felt like I could write thanksgiving posts with one hand tied behind my back. It's not that difficult to come up with some cheesy, schmaltzy post about all the blessings in our lives when we're trying to impress others. We don our Suzy Christian masks and pull out all the right words. After all, Jesus died for our sins and that's plenty to be thankful for!

I'm not trying to trivialize the typical Thanksgiving post. We all mean well, and we know we should be thankful. Indeed, we have much to be thankful for. But the difference between knowing that and living it...well, sometimes that's a chasm too wide to cross.

Such is how I was feeling last week. I was disappointed and discouraged. I was deeply hurt, and I didn't feel like putting on a fake smile and sloughing it off. I needed to mourn a bit. Providentially, my Bible reading the next morning answered some of the questions I was struggling with. I began to see how to handle the situation, but I didn't understand why it was happening. I wanted comfort.

As I was getting ready for work, I was listening to Pandora's Sovereign Grace station. One of the songs brought tears to my eyes.

Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings

Yet not welcome any pain?

Shall I thank You for days of sunshine

Yet grumble in days of rain?

Shall I love You in times of plenty

Then leave You in days of drought?

Shall I trust when I reap a harvest

But when winter winds blow, then doubt?

Oh let Your will be done in me

In Your love I will abide

Oh I long for nothing else as long

As You are glorified

~Mark Altrogge

I realized then that too often my thanksgiving is conditional. I am quick to praise God in the good times; it's not so easy when I'm hurting. Yet a life that glorifies God requires me to give thanks equally, in all circumstances. Not that I should put on a fake smile and thank God for the thorn - Paul asked God three times to remove his (2 Cor.12:8) - but that I should thank Him that He is sovereign over the thorn and every detail of my life. Even when I'm hurting.

______________________

Come Weary Saints by Sovereign Grace Music is a beautiful and encouraging compilation of songs for times of pain and firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-63760872277596711102014-10-31T05:30:00.000-04:002014-10-31T14:01:26.478-04:00The Bohemian Morning Star

Today is Reformation Day, a day to remember and be thankful for the Protestant Reformation and the men like Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and Tyndale who worked to restore the church to faithfulness to scripture as her ultimate authority. To commemorate, I'm posting a biographical sketch of Jan Hus, who was not technically one of the Reformers, but rather a forerunner to the refomation.

Martin Luther was, of course, the first Reformer. In the providence of God, the Reformation was sparked when he nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg. But there were a few men who lived before the historical event we call the Reformation whose teachings were in line with those of the Reformers of the 16th century. One of these pre-reformers was John Wycliffe, the man some call the morning star of the Reformation.

If Wycliffe was a Reformation morning star, then Jan Hus was too, because he followed right along in Wycliffe's footsteps. While Hus was studying at the University of Prague, he began to read and translate works of John Wycliffe brought back by students returning to Bohemia from Oxford. As he read and studied, he embraced Wycliffe's teachings.

Hus became a priest and the rector of the University of Prague. He also preached at Bethlehem Chapel, a church in Prague built for the specific purpose of preaching in the language of the people.

Jan Hus preaching at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague by Alphonse Mucha

Hus's Beliefs

What did Jan Hus teach when he preached?

He taught that the Word of God is our highest authority. All of his preaching was based directly on scripture, and when he was accused of heresy, he asked to be shown from the scripture where he was wrong.

He taught that Christ alone is the head of the Church. In Hus's time, there were three men who claimed to be pope, and the Church was divided over which so-called pope was the true one. Hus said that it didn't really matter because the church's only pontiff was the Lord Jesus Christ.

He taught that God alone can forgive sins through the merits of Christ. Hus said, "Let the pope, or a bishop or a priest say, 'I forgive thy sins; I absolve thee of thy penalty. I free thee from the pangs of hell.' It is all vain. It helps thee nothing. … God alone can forgive sins through Christ."

Do you see the seeds of the Reformation in these doctrines?

Hus's Excommunication, Trial, and Execution

As you can imagine, Hus and his followers—and by now, there were many—were not popular with the powers-that-be in the Church. Pope Alexander ordered that all of Wycliffe's writings be burned and that Hus stop preaching. Hus didn't follow the Pope's orders, so in 1411, he was excommunicated.

Eventually, after being imprisoned and tried before a church council in Constance, Hus was declared to be a heretic and sentenced to death. He was given opportunities to recant and escape execution, but each time he refused. In his final declaration, he wrote:

I, Jan Hus, in hope a priest of Jesus Christ, fearing to offend God, and fearing to fall into perjury, do hereby profess my unwillingness to abjure all or any of the articles produced against me by false witnesses. For God is my witness that I neither preached, affirmed, nor defended them, though they say that I did. Moreover, concerning the articles that they have extracted from my books, I say that I detest any false interpretation which any of them bears. But inasmuch as I fear to offend against the truth, or to gainsay the opinion of the doctors of the Church, I cannot abjure any one of them. And if it were possible that my voice could now reach the whole world, as at the Day of Judgment every lie and every sin that I have committed will be made manifest, then would I gladly abjure before all the world every falsehood and error which I either had thought of saying or actually said!

I say I write this of my own free will and choice.

Written with my own hand, on the first day of July.

Preparing for the execution of Jan Hus

On July 6, 1415, Hus was burned at the stake. The accounts of his death recorded by the best historians say his last words were "I shall die with joy today in the faith of the gospel which I have preached." Then as he burned, he sang, "Christ, thou Son of the living God, have mercy on me."

There's one well-known tale about Hus's death that's probably not authentic. Before he was martyred, Jan Hus supposedly said, "You, this day, burn a goose, but a hundred years hence a swan will arise, whom you will not be able to roast or boil." It's a play on words, since Hus meant goose in Hus's language. The swan that would rise, the story goes, is Martin Luther, for it was a little more 100 years later that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses. It's a compelling story, but the sources for it are unreliable.

I'd rather remember Hus for his true last words expressing faith in the gospel and trust in Christ anyway. Do you know better words to die by?

Hus's Influence

The Hussite movement continued after Hus's death, eventually becoming the Moravian church, a church known for its missionary work, particularly in the remote regions of the Americas. I first heard of the Moravian church from friends who attended one in an isolated Alaskan village—and there are Moravian churches in many more Alaskan villages, too.

After the Reformation, Martin Luther acknowledged that his teachings were Hus's teachings, too. "We are all Hussites," he said, "without knowing it." Jan Hus was a martyr for some of the truths that the Reformers would later proclaim, too. He was one of the morning stars who sparked the sunrise of the Reformation.Rebecca Starkhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-72147454456435955142014-10-29T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-29T05:58:03.171-04:00Fostering an attitude of gratitude

Have you ever noticed that gratitude is contagious? Have you ever sat and listened to someone share how she is thankful about something, only to find your own heart being inspired to express your own thanks? This is what we hope to accomplish here at Out of the Ordinary in the month of November.

Many bloggers use their blogs for "Thankful Thursday" posts. Becky, Persis, and I regularly do this. For a couple of years, in the month of November, Becky devoted the entire month at her blog for offering thanks. Why? Because it is good to give thanks to the Lord, and there is always something to thank God for. Offering thanksgiving is part of our love for and worship of God.

The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. (Psalm 145:9)
We can be thankful because God is good. That goodness expresses itself in a myriad of ways, daily. Whether it is the food on your table, the central heating (or air conditioning!) in your home, or the fact that you have been born again and have been brought from death into life, there is always something to be thankful for.

Being thankful reminds us of the source of our hope. When I'm struggling with a trial, an illness, or an aching heart, I may not feel thankful, but when I consciously choose to reflect on my life and identify what I can be thankful for, it reminds me of this hope. Learning to be thankful also reminds us of the source of every good and perfect gift: God. It reminds us that we are not nearly so self-sufficient as we think. Regularly giving thanks fosters humility, as we express gratitude for God's love, which we do not deserve on our own merit.

With that in mind, November will be devoted to thankful thoughts. I don't know what the other ladies are planning, but I know we all desire to promote an attitude of gratitude. And we are asking you to participate. Each Thursday, we will share a separate post highlighting your thankful thoughts. If you want to have one (more more than one!) included, simply share it in the comments throughout the week, and we'll compile them all and post them on each Thursday of November.

You'll see; it's contagious. And it's a good kind of contagious.Kim Shayhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-60938208668493189272014-10-27T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-27T05:00:08.521-04:00'Tis the Season
A couple of years ago, I turned forty. There are a lot of things we could discuss about the forties in general, but let's talk about the mood swings, shall we? Lately I am experiencing emotions that have no basis in reality.

All three of my sisters are around a decade older than I am, so they reached this stage of life first. Several years ago, one of them said to me, "PMS is for sissies. I have full-on mood swings." Yes and amen. I spent most of my Junior High years feeling like I could burst into tears at any moment, and I'm right back there again.

First I need to put my emotions in the proper perspective. In the book The Cry of the Soul: How Our Emotions Reveal Our Deepest Questions About God, authors Allender and Longman say, "Our emotions connect our inner world to the ups and downs of life." For me, I have to think about specific ways in which my "inner world" is mistaken.

Of course, there may be medical things to be done. Address them with you health care provider. God in his common grace has provided medical help for some of this, but that's another post for another type of blog. For now, I need to focus on what I can fix here and now.

Physical: I didn't sleep well last night. As anyone who has ever dealt with an overtired toddler knows, it's harder to maintain self control when you're sleepy. I haven't thrown a kicking, screaming fit (yet), but I tend to get overwhelmed more easily on these days. This time there wasn't a particular cause for my sleeplessness. Other times it's circumstantial: one child worked late, then another had to be somewhere exceptionally early. But I can also do more to help this. I've also noticed if I eat a lot of junk food, I feel awful the next day. I can't bounce back from these things like I could when I was 25. My lack of self control has always been a bad thing, but now it has more obvious consequences.

Environment: The sun doesn't rise until noon this time of year. (Not really. That's only true where Rebecca lives. It's more like 7:15 here. But still.) It's hard for me to get going in the dark. The best solution, however, is not sitting around thinking ill thoughts about Benjamin Franklin and his invention of Daylight Savings Time, but turning on the lights and emptying the dishwasher. Getting out of my pajamas is a good idea, too. Complaining has always been one of my besetting sins. Now, rather than simply making me unpleasant to others, it makes me unpleasant to myself.

Fear: Things are changing fast, and change is scary. My oldest will be leaving home soon, and the other two are right behind him. Our kids are "good" kids. (In the traditional sense of the word. I realize, in a theological, Romans 3:23 way, that we're all sinners.) But they have their own ideas and will make their own mistakes. Some things they will have to learn for themselves (as their parents did). But I am surely wrong about some things, too. I don't always know what's best, and only God can sustain and protect them. This has always been the case, it was just easier to fool myself into thinking I was in control when they were little.

In light of that, I have to start talking to myself, rather than listening to my feelings. As Martyn Lloyd-Jones says,

The main art in the matter of spiritual living is to know how to handle yourself. You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself. You must say to your soul: 'Why art thou cast down'–what business have you to be disquieted? You must turn on yourself, upbraid yourself, condemn yourself, exhort yourself, and say to yourself: 'Hope thou in God'–instead of muttering in this depressed, unhappy way. And then you must go on to remind yourself of God, Who God is, and what God is and what God has done, and what God has pledged Himself to do. Then having done that, end on this great note: defy yourself, and defy other people, and defy the devil and the whole world, and say with this man: 'I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance, who is also the health of my countenance and my God'.

So today, I turn my thoughts to truth:

How I feel doesn't necessarily reflect reality.

This too shall pass.

This world is not my home. Part of my unease is run-of-the-mill longing for heaven.

God is in control, as he always has been.

God has sustained me in the past. He will sustain me in the future.

"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).

______________________

[1] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure, page 21.Staci Eastinhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-37108051313759298462014-10-22T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-22T05:00:02.556-04:00Why I love Spurgeon

Painting by Robert Bucknell

God has blessed His church with theologians, past and present, who have equipped the saints through their sermons and writings. Kim wrote last week of her appreciation for the good Doctor, Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I am going to borrow her idea and share why I love Charles Spurgeon.

I first heard of Charles Spurgeon from a fellow InterVarsity member when I was in college. I still remember his exact words: "Spurgeon is awesome!" To be honest, my first thought was, "Why on earth would someone want to read anything by a long-dead Baptist preacher?"

Fast forward nearly 30 years. The bottom had just dropped out of my marriage. I wasn't attending a local church at the time, which is another story. I had no idea where to turn for help, so I called a close friend who promptly told me, "You need to read some Spurgeon." I wasn't sure what advice a 19th-century minister could give to a 21st-century woman who was facing a broken marriage, but I was desperate. I googled "Charles Spurgeon" to see what I would find. The first site on Google's list was The Spurgeon Archive. This seemed like a good place to start, so I clicked the link for the daily devotions. Given my present state, it would not be an exaggeration to say that I had never read anything like this in my life.

Even though I had been a believer since childhood, my view of God was pretty pitiful. Like Job, I couldn't wrap my mind around the idea that God would allow His children to suffer, and like Job's friends, there was a nagging sense that if I had been a better Christian, none of this would be happening right now. On top of this, I was spiritually malnourished from the lack of sound teaching and fellowship.

My view of God was small, but Spurgeon's view of God was BIG. The God he described was glorious and awesome in His holiness and power. Yet He was unchanging in His love for and faithfulness to His children. If there was any doubt on that score, look at the Cross and look at Christ. He also ordains every second of our lives, watching over us as a loving Father who has our eternal good in mind.

This was food and drink to my starving soul. I eagerly read Morning and Evening and Faith's Checkbook each day. I printed out sermon after sermon until I had bulging 3-ring binder. Spurgeon's love of God and His Word was so contagious that I began to read the Bible in a new light. My trial did not miraculously disappear. I still shed many tears and battled fear and unbelief, but my view of God changed which changed everything.

I truly believe God used this long-dead Baptist preacher to keep me from throwing in the towel and abandoning the faith. My weak and rather unbiblical understanding would never have stood the test, but He was faithful to give me a bigger glimpse of Himself in His power, His love, and His sovereignty.

So I thank God for His faithful servants down through the ages, and I especially thank Him for Charles Spurgeon.

The Lord and no one else shall save me. I desire no other helper and would not trust in an arm of flesh even if I could. I will cry to Him evening, and morning, and noon, and I will cry to no one else, for He is all sufficient.

How He will save me I cannot guess; but He will do it, I know. He will do it in the best and surest way, and He will do it in the largest, truest, and fullest sense. Out of this trouble and all future troubles the great I AM will bring me as surely as He lives; and when death comes and all the mysteries of eternity follow thereon, still will this be true: "the Lord shall save me." This shall be my song all through this autumn day. Is it not as a ripe apple from the tree of life? I will feed upon it. How sweet it is to my taste!

Faith's Check Book, August 28

Resources:

The Spurgeon Archive - For all things Spurgeon.

Spurgeon Gems - All of his sermons are available in .pdf or .zip format for easy download.

E-books by Charles Spurgeon

Persishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-18163989377763104992014-10-20T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-20T09:16:31.816-04:00Food for Thought
 Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

~Psalm 73:25-26

All the riches of the covenant of grace that Christ has purchased with his precious blood, and all the good that an infinite God can give, you shall have them. God will fill your soul to its utmost capacity. When you have these, you desire no more and quietly rest forever. What a portion is this! The pleasures of sin are for a season, a little inch of time. This portion is forever...Death parts all other portions from the sons of men, but gives you your full portion. Then you will know your portion's true worth. When fire burns up the world it will not even singe your portion. You may stand upon the ruins of the world and sing: I have lost nothing, I have my inheritance, my happiness, and my God still.

~George Swinnock

Voices From The Past - Puritan Devotional Readings
firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-87953766235685900972014-10-17T05:30:00.000-04:002014-10-17T23:47:49.129-04:00Believers Have New Life

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked . . .

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved . . . . (Ephesians 2:1, 5 ESV)
God's salvation, Paul writes, brings spiritual life to people who are spiritually dead. Scripture also calls this work of the Holy Spirit being born again (John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23), being newly created (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17), or becoming a new self or person (Ephesians 4:24). Theologians usually call it regeneration.

Everything Changes

This pivotal transformation occurs when God implants spiritual life in someone who, to use another scriptural term, has been spiritually dead. When this change happens, says Louis Berkhof, "the governing disposition of [a person's] soul is made holy".1 If you're familiar with Ephesians 2, you know that between the verses quoted above, Paul says that our natural governing disposition—the spiritually dead one—is decidedly unholy. A spiritually dead person is

following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind . . . . (Ephesians 2:2-3)
Before we are reborn, we are governed by Satan and our own sinful desires, but when we are reborn, we come under the dominion of the Holy Spirit. Or to put it another way, in the new birth, the Spirit unites us to Christ, who lives his resurrection life in us.

At the moment our new life begins, everything changes. Without new life, we see no need for repentance, but with new life, repentance becomes a life principle. Without new life, we have no desire or ability to follow Christ, but with new life, we do.

New Life Gives Faith

Someone who has been born again believes Christ, loves him, and trusts him. In the last post in this series, we learned God gives us the faith by which we are saved. He does this by implanting new life within us, and "conscious, intentional, active faith in Christ is [the] immediate fruit"2 of this new life. Everyone who has been regenerated repents and believes, and no one repents and believes without it.

New Life Grows Holiness

What's more, regeneration brings ongoing changes in our attitudes and actions. Like faith, obedience is also a fruit of regeneration. The person who has been born again is increasingly obedient to Christ (1 John 2:29); they cannot keep on living a life of sin (1 John 3:9). Yes, sin will continue to be a problem in this life, but someone with new life keeps on growing in holiness.

Theologians call this process—the growing holiness of the one who is regenerated—sanctification. Sanctification is primarily God's work, for the Holy Spirit works within the believer, causing them to want to please God and giving them the power to do it (Philippians 2:13). But the believer has work to do, too (Philippians 2:12). The believer's effort is God-dependent effort, but it's real effort.

Out with the Old, In with the New

Fundamentally, a believer's work in sanctification is to become, more and more, what they already have become through God's regenerating work. Paul exhorts the believer to "put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life" and "put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Jesus, the one we have been united with in the new birth, whose resurrection life gives us our new life, is our example as we live out our new life of obedience. In sanctification, we are becoming conformed to his image—and the more we grow in our knowledge him, the more we become like him (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Are you a believer? Then strive to be what you already are—a new person recreated to be like Christ.

Learn More

Study Ephesians 2:1-10 and Ephesians 4:17-32. Read the entire book of 1 John to learn more about the life results of being born again.

Read up on regeneration and sanctification in your favorite systematic theology. In Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, chapter 34 is about regeneration, and chapter 38 on sanctification. You can also read about regeneration and sanctification online from Berkhof's Systematic Theology.

Read the chapters Regeneration and Holiness and Sanctification in J. I. Packer's 18 Words: The Most Important Words You Will Ever Know(previously known as God's Words).

Listen to Wayne Grudem teach about regeneration and sanctification (part 1, part 2, part 3).

1] Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof, page 469

2] Concise Theology by J. I. Packer, page 158.

This post is the latest in a series of posts on truths every Christian woman should know. Here are the previous posts:

God Has Spoken (posted at the True Woman Blog)

God Is Three and God Is One

God Is Who He Is

God Had a Plan

God Created the Universe

We Are Made in God's Image

We Are All Sinners

God Saves

The Son Came

Jesus Lived and Died

Jesus Is Risen

Jesus Is Lord

We Must Believe

Rebecca Starkhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-20489882305668631332014-10-15T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-15T05:00:01.795-04:00Why I Love the Doctor

(And no, just for the record, it's not this Doctor, although I do find him entertaining)

The first thing I ever read by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was Spiritual Depression. I saw the title and synopsis at an online Christian bookseller, and I liked how it sounded. I had been going through a spiritually dry time, and it sounded like just the thing I needed.

That was beginning of a beautiful friendship, as they say. Following that book, I wanted to know more about Dr. Lloyd-Jones, so I read the two-volume biography by Iain Murray (which I highly recommend). Since then, I have read others of Lloyd-Jones's books. He is one of my favourite preachers.

Lloyd-Jones, a Welshman, began his career as a medical doctor, but after a couple of years, felt himself called to ministry. After ten years with a church in Wales, in 1939, he went to Westminster Chapel in London, where he served alongside G. Campbell Morgan, and eventually became the sole minister there. He is recognized as one of the 20th century's greatest preachers. That was what he was above all, a preacher.

If you are looking for encouraging reading, I cannot recommend Lloyd-Jones enough. Lloyd-Jones's books are based upon his sermons, which are plentiful. You could spend a lifetime reading his material. His study on Romans contains fourteen volumes alone.

Lloyd-Jones saw the urgency for the gospel to be proclaimed. He saw the necessity for personal holiness. He saw the need for self-examination. He wasn't caught up in popular trends or fashion. He was simply concerned with people hearing the Scriptures expounded so that they might live in light of them. I have certainly not read everything by Lloyd-Jones, and there are probably things I might disagree with, but whenever I have delved into a volume of his, I have come away having learned something, been encouraged, and been inspired to press on in my life of faith. He explained things thoroughly and clearly, and always with the goal of making these truths real and active in our lives.

Here at the Out of the Ordinary, we are all acquainted with the Doctor. In fact, when I polled my fellow bloggers here, asking for their recommended Lloyd-Jones volume, four of them said Spiritual Depression. Persis also recommended Authority, and Becky recommended Faith Tried and Triumphant. That volume is out of print now, but its contents can be read in two volumes, Faith on Trial, and From Fear to Faith. I have read Faith on Trial, and it is indeed very good. In addition to Spritual Depression, I would highly recommend Studies on the Sermon on the Mount. My friend and I read it together, meeting weekly to discuss it.

Currently, I am reading Lloyd-Jones's volume on I John, Life in Christ. I am teaching I John, and in my preparations, I read the relevant sections after studying. His explanations are always so insightful, and I have borrowed some of his thoughts and used them in my Sunday school class.

Here is a quote from that book which I recently found encouraging. He is commenting on I John 3:3, and how we purify ourselves:

I purify myself by considering Him, by looking at Him and His perfect life; that is the pattern I am to follow. We are reminded of that by the Apostle Paul. God has called us that we may be 'conformed to the image of his Son' (Rom 8:29). So if that is God's plan and purpose for me, then the first thing I must do is look at the Lord Jesus Christ, to look at the way He conducted Himself in this life and world. I am to be like Him, so I consider Him. I realise that is what I am destined for, so I begin to put it into practise.
Notice how Lloyd-Jones points us back to looking at Christ? He does that a lot. He also exhorts us to examine ourselves, and "talk" to ourselves, asking ourselves questions about our attitudes. This is the kind of encouragement I need daily. Books abound with practical advice, with "how to" approaches, and approaches that are ultimately only applicable to one season of life or circumstance. Lloyd-Jones's counsel was for an entire life time, because it always focuses us back to Christ, to who we are, and to how we must relate to Christ properly.

In addition to Lloyd-Jones's books, do check out The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Trust, where you can listen to his sermons and learn more about him. If you sample his writing and preaching, you will be blessed.Kim Shayhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-7914475768503753742014-10-13T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-13T09:38:47.290-04:00Book Review: CaptivatingThis review originally appeared on my personal blog.

Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge has been one of the most popular books in the Christian market over the last decade. Its 2005 release has led to the publication of journals, Bible studies, gift books, and an updated edition. Ideas put forth in this book have found their way into a lot of Christian women's books, even from authors who have a reputation for being biblical and orthodox.

This is not a comprehensive review. I found many things in this book that are unbiblical, but I'm not going to pull it apart point by point. I am going to focus on two things: what makes the book insightful (and therefore popular), and the book's most glaring error (which in many ways leads to all its other errors).

What it Got Right

There's a reason why this book is so popular, and there's a reason why so many women find it helpful. The authors have a good handle on what makes women tick. Women are relational. In fact, we obsess over our relationships in ways men often don't understand. This goes back to the curse found in Genesis 3:16. Just as men tend to find their worth and identity in their work (Genesis 3:17-19), women tend to find their worth and identity in relationships. But since we live in a world marred by sin, these things don't bring the peace that we think they should.

According to the Eldredges, when a woman has been hurt in relationships, she tends to respond in two different ways. She either becomes controlling or desolate. These titles are self-explanatory, and we all know women who fall in these categories. The controlling woman strives to take matters into her own hands, while the desolate woman continues to put herself at the mercy of people who treat her badly.

This is one of the more insightful explanations of the connection between the Fall and women's behavior that I've read. Since understanding why we do what we do is enlightening (especially for women who are well-grounded in Scripture otherwise), I understand why so many women find this book helpful.

Now, even with that, there are problems with this portion of the book. They put a lot of blame for a woman's troubles on things that happened in her childhood. I'm not saying a woman (or anyone) should be made to feel that abuse is her fault, so please don't misunderstand me on that. But although they devote plenty of space to the ways others sin against us, they rarely mention how we sin against God.

They also state that Satan has a special hatred for women and attacks her more forcefully. I don't know of any place in Scripture that confirms this. Yes, Satan is our enemy and accuser, but we sin when we give way to our own evil desires (James 1:14).

The Most Glaring Error

Out of all the errors of the book, the most glaring one is its insufficient view of God. God is portrayed throughout the book as "yearning for us," and several places state that we as women can "minister to God." In one section, they even claim that there is "in God's heart a place that you alone can fill." (Location 1323, Kindle edition)

This is a direct contradiction to the Scriptural teaching of God's self-sufficiency (or, as Arthur Pink says in his book The Attributes of God, God's Solitariness). This is not some obscure, hidden attribute, but something taught plainly in Scripture.

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything (Acts 17:24–25).

And also:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:33-36).

To quote Pink:

God was under no constraint, no obligation, no necessity to create. That he chose to do so was purely a sovereign act on his part, caused by nothing outside himself, determined by nothing but his own mere good pleasure; for he "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" (Ephesians 1:11). That he did create was simply for his manifestative glory.

I'm not being nitpicky by objecting to this. With such a low view of God, they cannot point women to a higher love and devotion. If there is something in us that can "minister to" or "fill" God, that would mean that God is somehow lacking and therefore not perfect. Only a perfect God deserves our trust and worship. All of God's divine attributes hang together; if we lose one, we lose them all.

Women's desire for love and beauty is part of what makes us God's image bearers. (The Eldredges refer to this as our desire to be romanced, to take part in a grand adventure, and to uncover beauty.) Like all good things, though, the human tendency is to turn them into ultimate things. For many women, the good desire for love and beauty is an idol. Instead of showing us how these earthly desires are often a poor reflection of what we can only find in our relationship with Christ, they instead bring Jesus down to the level of some ideal, earthly boyfriend.

Like I said earlier, many women claim this book has helped them. I'm sure some of them have managed to discard the errors and draw help from the insights. But I fear that many women have been soothed into thinking their idolatrous earthly longings are holy. As heartbreaking as it is when people reject the true God, it's perhaps a greater tragedy when they unwittingly put their trust in a false one.

*This review is based on the Kindle version of the original 2005 edition.Staci Eastinhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-47092382339871394702014-10-10T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-10T05:00:01.117-04:00Jesus is my lifeI remembered her from a couple of weeks earlier. As she walked toward the door, arms laden with the packages of diapers and wipes I'd just given her, I asked her about her church. In their last visit she and her daughter told me they attended a local Hispanic church but I asked again in the hopes of beginning a gospel conversation.

Nearly all of our clients at the pregnancy center claim some sort of church affiliation. It's a rare client indeed that will freely confess her unbelief. Probing more deeply into what the client means both by church attendance and faith in Christ helps expose the true state of both.

So I asked about church and she responded with such emphatic affirmation that I inquired more directly: "So you're a believer in Christ?" She responded with a great smile and a happy stream of Spanish. She gestured toward the ceiling and clutched her heart and concluded in halting, broken English, "Jesus is my life."

Chill bumps erupted on my arms and tears sprang to my eyes. What a beautiful, humble testimony! "Mine too!" I exclaimed and we hugged. She pointed once again to heaven and joyously affirmed, "You...my sister in Christ." Again, the big smile. Again, a hug. Again, a tear. Or maybe two.

We couldn't be more different, she and I. Me comfortably ensconced in my middle class, affluent world with its first world "probz" and she needy, impoverished, a minority in a culture where she cannot even speak the language with any degree of fluency.

As we hugged and shared smiles and tears, I saw the beautiful, precious, glorious reality of John's vision in Revelation. Every tongue, every tribe, every nation, she, and I, all before the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The bond this precious woman of God and I share in the Lord extends far beyond race, language, and socioeconomic barriers. Glory to God, Jesus has broken down the dividing wall! We are sisters, our hearts knit together by the blood of the Son of God who died to set us free. What glory. What grace.

The evident joy and unwavering faith of this sweet client of mine humble me and instruct me. O, for faith to say "Jesus is my life" not only when I have everything but even when I have nothing.

He is all in all, yes and amen.

Author's note: a version of this post first appeared at my personal blog in June, 2013. Lisa email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-66081295199261860052014-10-08T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-08T05:00:04.794-04:00Be good and angryThis world can be such a beautiful place. There are natural wonders that take our breath away. God has blessed us with relationships that fill us with joy. His kindness is seen in the seemingly insignificant moments of everyday life.

But this world can also be a tragic place. Nothing has been exempt from the curse. We suffer from the effects of sin in our bodies. We suffer at the hands of one another. The sheer weight of the sorrow in this world is overwhelming if you stop and think about it. So sometimes it's easier to not think. It's tempting to turn off the news and move to a bunker in the wilderness just to get away from the injustice, greed, ambition, and corruption.

But I don't think God has meant us to become hermits. We still live in this world even though we are not of it. Neither does He want us to become callous and numb to the brokenness all around us. We should care deeply about justice and desire righteousness to prevail because our God is a just and holy God. We should care deeply because we have a hope that the world desperately needs. So where to we begin?

Well according to Paul Tripp, we start by getting angry:

Righteous anger should yank all of us out of selfish passivity. Righteous anger should call all of us to be a part of God's revolution of grace. It should propel us to do anything we can to lift the load of people's suffering and to bring them into the freedom of God's truth.

What is this anger like? It is kind and compassionate. It is tender and giving. It is patient and perserverant. It will make your heart open and your conscience sensitive. It will cause you to slow down and pay attention. It will cause you to expand the borders of your concern beyond you and yours…

Most of all, we need to pray that we would be angry. We must pray that a holy zeal for what is right and good would so fill our hearts that the evils around us, that greet us daily, would not be okay with us. We must pray that we would be angry until there is no reason to be angry anymore. And we must be vigilant, looking for every opportunity to express the righteous indignation of justice, mercy, wisdom, grace, compassion, patience, perseverance, and love. We must be agitated and restless until his kingdom has finally come and his will is finally being done on earth as it is in heaven. For the sake of his honor and his kingdom, we must determine to be good and angry at the same time...

God calls you to be good and he calls you to be angry. This broken world desperately needs people who will answer his call.

Broken-Down House, Paul David Tripp, Shepherd Press, 2009, pp. 132-134.Persishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-87763520173715475202014-10-06T08:43:00.000-04:002014-10-06T08:43:01.678-04:00Still Fighting for My Girl's Dreams16 candles will be pulled out of the box tomorrow. I consider how quickly time has passed since we pulled out a single candle. Back then she was too young to wish, so I made them for her. Even now as she wishes, I silently lift my prayers to the Lord. I listen to her dreams and I think, Go for it!

Although her plans have changed somewhat since I wrote this post in May 2013, these words still rings true...

At 14, I dreamed of a big career in a big city 700 miles to the north. I didn't understand the bemused smile my mother usually wore as I spouted off my grand plans. I had my life mapped out, but I didn't need that map. Although I anticipated having a 10-hour drive to my parents' home, it takes a mere 10 minutes.

Which is why I, too, wear a bemused expression when my daughter reels off her great plans for her big life in a city 500 miles to the south. I tell her something my mother wasn't able to tell me, The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)Still, I'm glad my girl has big dreams. Who am I to say that they have not been given to her by God? Her preferred career would give her an opportunity to minister to people in need. It may be that He has a place for her in this particular field for just that purpose.

It seems the blogosphere has recently been inundated with posts about Biblical womanhood and complementarianism. (For the record, I am a complementarian.) I don't want to add to the clamor and I'm not responding to any post I've read. I do want to encourage other mothers to fight for their girl's dreams, no matter what they are.

Some girls dream of impacting the world for Christ through their homes; they have a God-given desire to marry, have children, and work faithfully, full-time at home. This is a noble calling of the Lord and if it is the call our daughter feels, we should not hesitate to offer our support and encouragement in that direction. We should teach her the art of homemaking, procure or provide lessons in different domestic skills, and instruct her in the values and benefits of being a stay-at-home wife and mother.

Other girls dream of living out the Gospel in the workplace. This, too, can be a noble calling from the Lord. Our society benefits when Christian women serve others through their careers. Our support and encouragement is no less important if this is our daughter's inclination. In addition to educating her about her responsibilities as a wife and mother, we can look for opportunities to learn about the benefits - and the pitfalls - of a specific career. We can help her be as prepared and knowledgeable as possible.

In short, we should exhort her to work heartily, as for the Lord (Colossians 3:23) in her chosen vocation. Even if she chooses a path that is not our own.

We should also be honest about our own calling. My daughter has seen the positives and negatives that accompany having a career outside of the home. She also realizes that our home and family mean more to me than my job. I have taught her that a woman has an incredible opportunity to minister to and bless her family by providing home-cooked meals and keeping a clean home. As much as I have tried to model that for her, she has seen how difficult it is to provide these things when employed outside of the home. She knows that stay-at-home mothers face challenges as well. Whatever choice she makes will require sacrifice. Neither situation is perfect, because we live in a fallen world. It is imperative that she realize that.

Finally, we should accept the fact that we don't know what God has planned for our daughter's future. He may call her into the mission field in Africa or in the local hospital. Perhaps she will remain single. Perhaps she will have a husband but no children. I don't know if God has given my daughter this particular ambition because He's going to allow her to find the cure for cancer or to prepare her to homeschool the one who will. I only know that I will rejoice in whatever blessing the Lord bestows upon her, whether it is a big career or a big family. If she seeks to do everything to the glory of the Lord (1 Cor. 10:31), how could I ask for more?email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873453867984233607.post-46912612996448078212014-10-03T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-03T05:00:01.959-04:00Of God, Boxes, and Hooks

Like Kim, I've had a busy week, so I've set aside the series of posts on things every woman should know. Instead, I've redone and reposted a post first published on my personal blog several years ago.

You've heard the argument, I'm sure. One person makes an assertion about God and another responds, "You can't put God in a box!"

And it's true. We can't put God in a box. God is Creator—the one who created us and created the boxes we exist in. We are the ones in boxes, and never the God who stands over us, hemming us in, "behind and before," determining our "times and the boundaries of our dwelling places."

God is in a category all by himself; that's part of what we mean when we say he is holy. He is not like us or anything else we know or experience. He is infinite and we are finite. We can't put him in a box.

Limiting God?

But sometimes the God-in-a-box statement is used to object to any definite statement about God. (Except, I suppose, the assertion that God is love. Everyone agrees with this one!) Since God is beyond us, mysterious, and incomprehensible, we can have no certain knowledge of him, the reasoning goes, and any assertions about him are bound to be false because they reduce the infinite, incomprehensible God to a statement (or set of statements) about him.

Particularly troubling to some are statements that God can't do something or must do something. They seem like automatic God-limiters, don't they? There are no rules or standards to which God must conform his actions and no limitations on his abilities, so can it ever right to say that God can't or must do something? If God is completely free, how can must and can't apply to him?

God Talks

What these arguments don't take into account is this: Our God is a talking God. He has chosen to communicate to us, telling us about himself. Yes, God is incomprehensible and free, but he also has a a definite nature. And he's chosen to communicate truths about who he is in language we can understand. God can't be put in a box, but in his Word he's given us big hooks to hang our hats on as we seek to know him.

He Is Unchanging

One aspect of God's revealed nature is his unchangeability. "I change not," he says, so we know he is who he is and he won't be morphing into someone or something else tomorrow or the next day—or ever.

It's because of his unchanging nature that we are not necessarily limiting God when we make must or can't statements about him. We are not limiting God, for instance, when we say he can't and won't lie. We're not saying there is a set of rules which includes a prohibition against lying to which God himself is bound, a set of rules that he must always keep even when he desires to do differently. What we are affirming is that God is truthful and he doesn't change; therefore, he cannot lie.

Saying that God must bring judgment against sin and sinners isn't limiting him either. It's simply acknowledging that God is characteristically and unchangeably just. Expressing himself fully and freely means that he always punishes (or judges) sin, and if he didn't he wouldn't be who he is.

Using God's Hooks

These examples show that some can't and must statements are simply declarations of God's perfect ability to forever be who he is, and to forever speak and act in accordance with who he is. When you get right down to it, a God with can'ts and musts is not less than a god without them, but more.

It's a good thing for us that God has can'ts and musts. A God who can't lie and can't deny himself is one who can be trusted. And when we assert and believe what God tells us about himself, including the biblical can't statements, we are not dishonouring him by limiting him, but honoring him by trusting his own revelation of himself. It glorifies God when we hang our hats on the hooks he has given us.Rebecca Starkhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
About جنگ حیوانات وحشی
جنگ حیوانات وحشی جنگ حیوانات وحشی Kirby gave Paul and Linda specially drawn illustration after learning of Macca`s tune `Magneto and Titanium Man,` which was inspired by Kirby`s Marvel Comics creations. The third girl, however, has fully sunk into the dank, murky depths of decadence that a refusal to grow out of teenage yaoi fandom yields, and currently lives in a grody mobile home while drawing crude, obscene Final Fantasy fanart and can frequently be seen in public with her diminutive douchebag boyfriend literally on a leash. The story of spear-wielding bodyguard Balsa`s efforts to protect a young prince from dangers both natural and supernatural has some technical flaws, but its storytelling strength is also more than enough to outweigh its weaknesses. جنگ حیوانات وحشی Women`s jeans are tight to the knee and then flare out slightly to the hem while men`s styles are usually flared/loose all the way from crotch to hem. حیوانات امریکی Today both boot-cut and flare-leg pants remain popular both in denim and higher quality office wear.
The crankshaft feels some number of foot-pounds of torque in the process. حیوانات نیک بنات Elapsed Time {e.
حیوانات نیک بنات And then there`s the Lottie`s discovery of Sara`s true identity, a potent bit of melodramatic plot convergence that for the length of a single episode transforms the series into something that may not actually jerk a few tears from the more tender-hearted. Lick Kiss - Just before kissing, gently run your tongue along you partners lip whether it be the top or bottom one depending on the position of your lips.
جنگ حیوانات وحشی Simply brush your lips lightly across the crown of their head.
} : The time it takes a drag-race vehicle to travel from the starting line to the finish line.


text:
CAMBRIDGE – Leave Blenheim Road the way it is. That's what residents of...
Federer clinches decisive point for Switzerland to win Davis Cup final...
Beyoncé Knowles and Jay Z looked like "newlyweds" when they...
Do you know of a youth in need of some guidance in resolving conflict and...
CAMBRIDGE – The newest Cambridge Community Players production may just...
The final installment in the look back at the year in local sports.
• The idea of a Canadian Junior B championship is under discussion with Hockey Canada.
• The Whitby Wild fold from the NRL and players are dispersed through a draft. The Turbos take Melissa Findlay, Jenna Dupuis, Kelsey Gallant, Deanna Nickel and Caitlin Hellingman, and get back Amanda Deveaux. The Turbos missed out on Breanne Hutchings again as she went to Richmond Hill.
• Gymnast Kirsten Peterman verbally commits to the University of Maryland.
• Talk of expanding the GOJHL and adding a fourth conference east of Guelph gets approval. Eleven teams put in applications to form the new loop. Decisions will be made in January on what the next step will be.
• The Cambridge Winter Hawks pick up Todd Bannerman from Oakville.
• Tyler Brush named to Team Canada for the World Floorball Championships in Switzerland.
• The Winter Hawks grab Mitch Klie and Lee Doherty from Guelph and send Mitch Figueiredo to their affiliate in Ayr.
• Olympic gymnast Victoria Moors and fellow Olympian Nathan Brannen were co-winners of the Tim Turow Award for the Cambridge Athlete of the Year.
• Darcy Brown finished 66th overall at the world triathlon championships in New Zealand.
• Sir John A MacDonald beat Jacob Hespeler 30-22 in the Waterloo County senior boys' football final in Waterloo.
• Waterloo Collegiate beats Jacob Hespeler 48-34 in the Waterloo County senior girls' basketball final.
• Jacob Hespeler senior boys' volleyball team wins the CWOSSA title 3-0 over Brantford North Park. North Park filed a protest over two players wearing the same number, but it was denied as one player was the libero.
• Whistle Bear golfers Keaton Jones, MacKenzie Raines and Jack Quirke win their respective divisions at the Maple Leaf Junior Tour National Championship in Arizona.
• The Winter Hawks go 4-3-2 in the month and are bumped out of first place by Caledonia.
• Carling Zeeman wins overall gold at the under-23 national rowing championship. She won a bronze at the worlds in July.
• The WCSSAA sports schedule is suspended from Dec. 10 to 31 by the Waterloo Region District School Board in response to the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation instructing teachers not to participate in before- or after-school activities.
• Scott Thorman officially retires from professional baseball. Drafted by the Atlanta Braves at 18, Thorman climbed up the ranks in the organization before being promoted to the Braves in 2006. He was given the first baseman's job in 2007, but he slumped at the plate and was taken off the 40-man roster at the end of the season and sent to the triple-A club in Richmond. After that, Thorman played triple-A for the remainder of his career in the Texas, Kansas City and Detroit organizations.
• It's announced that Kerry Leitch will be inducted into the Skate Canada hall of fame in 2014.
• Liam Wilson accepts a scholarship at Northeastern Junior College in Colorado.
Apple Auto Glass is an expert auto glass windshield repair and installation services company that...
Maybe you seriously overdid it at the gym and are still feeling the effects, or perhaps your doctor...
Ontario Auto Market and Tires in Kitchener has been providing Tri-City area drivers with top...
Fido or Fluffy are beloved members of your family. If your dog or cat is ill, you'd do anything to...