Traditional Thursday-Wedding Bells Will Ring So Merrily...

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In September of 1953, two people vowed to share their lives together. Last week I was blessed to be able to honor those two people on their 60^th wedding anniversary. Calling this rare occasion a blessing seems grossly inadequate, yet that is exactly what it was-a blessing. It has been a blessing to share in the love and friendships these two people have kept over the years. It is a continual blessing to be able to learn from their years of wisdom and experience. I am honored and humbled to say I am one of their granddaughters and I am proud to say I come from a long line of love.

         They taught me that you fix things; you don’t just throw them away. They taught me that just because something may be new, it not necessarily more valuable. They taught me that going to church should never be a question or a discussion. When the doors are open, you go, period. They taught me to make wonderful memories, because no one can ever take those away from you. They taught me it’s okay to be silly sometimes; part of being a grown up is knowing when it’s all right to act like a kid. They taught me that country music is Johnny Cash, Porter Wagner and John Denver. They taught me every word of Country Roads. They taught me to always try to feed your company. They taught me that back porches are for long afternoon talks. They taught me that animals are just four-legged members of your family. They taught me to be like Lee Greenwood, Proud to be an American. They taught me that words do not properly express the beauty of Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains. They taught me never to stand in front of a gate when letting out a coon dog. They taught me how to make biscuits and cornbread. They introduced me to the true classic movie stars like James Stewart, Jane Powell, and June Allyson. They taught me that you needn’t have lots of money to be happy and that we should always be climbing happiness hill.

Sixty years together…something we all strive for but few of us actually achieve.

Work-To-Do-Wednesday-Overcoming Our Fears

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We must overcome our fear of…

1. Failure. In Matthew 25:25, the one talent man hid his talent because of his fear of failure. Don’t use the fear of failure as a reason not to ask someone to study the Bible with you. If you don’t know the answer to a question (and you won’t have answers to every question), just be honest. Offer to look into that particular question and meet again to discuss it.

2. Not fitting in. We all want to be loved and liked; it’s human nature. We have a fear of not fitting in and being made fun of, but as Christians, we are called to be different; to be a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus told us to expect persecution and to rejoice in it. He told us to be the light and salt of the world. He told us that the world hated him. If we are following His footsteps, why would they love us (John 15:18-19)?

3. Responsibility. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

4. Speaking to the lost. We are so guilty of using the excuse, “What if they won’t listen to me?” Jesus commands us in Matthew 28:18-20, to go and teach all nations. If we do not reach out to them, who will?

5. What others think or say about us. Peter was so afraid of what others would think of him that he denied our Lord altogether (Matthew 26:69ff).

How do we overcome these fears?

The more we study God’s word, the stronger we become.

To overcome fear we must stay in the word of God.

-adapted from a lesson taught by Brother Matt Choate

Tough Truth Tuesday- A Tough Place

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                  Christmas Island. A place I knew nothing about until this summer. Christmas island is a small island off the Coast of Australia-an Island where a group of 25 people went to visit this summer to share the good news of the gospel. I am blessed to call one of those 25 people my friend and privileged to hear him speak about this trip recently.

Christmas Island is considered to be a third world country. It is hard for me to imagine a place where people with so little material possessions and yet so much joy, but this is exactly how it was described to me.  It was described as a place where the term “door-knocking” means going from hut to hut and often knocking on anything but a door. It was described as a place of pure poverty; yet it was described as a place where visitors are always welcomed. It was described as a place where the answer to the question “Would you like to study the Bible with me?” is always yes. It was described as a place of real Christian persecution. A place where a man’s home was burned after he chose to become a New Testament Christian.

                  This was the description given to us, but this is not how I would define it.  Christmas Island is a place of hope-a place where the gospel is touching and changing lives. Christmas Island is a place of perseverance. The man whose home was burned down is an active member in the Lord’s church. Like Paul, this man is using his troubles and trials to further the work of the Lord. Christmas Island is a place that is in my prayers, because it is a home to my brothers and sisters in Christ. They are doing so much good there and I look forward to the day I will get to meet them-even if it is not on this side of heaven.

Mention-Worthy Monday-A Recipe for Peace (Book Review Ed.)

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Book Review: A Recipe for Peace by Janie Craun

This book is not what I expected. It is better. If you’re like me the thought of reading through recipes is not your favorite thing. Don’t let that prevent you from reading this book. Ms. Craun does a great job sharing her insights on the ingredients needed to obtain peace.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“True peace can live within the heart of a person even when things in the world are at their worst.”

“Our world is hungry for peace; the recipe is free and God wants us to share it.”

“Most of us who like to cook probably learned how in the same way- by watching someone else and following their directions. This is how we become adept at most any skill. We listen and watch; we learn and borrow.”

“Our souls need the spiritual sustenance that only Jesus can provide (John 6:35 50-51).”

“Being able to overcome bitterness is a sign of maturity.”

‘So often as Christian women we settle into a routine of family & work responsibilities. These tasks along with church work & other duties can cause us to neglect the joy that should be ours in Christ.”

“Forbearance is an expression of gentleness that does not fly off the handle easily or make a mountain out of every molehill…it is patient rather than contentious. Because we all often in many ways, we need the understanding of others (James 3: 2). That means we need to cut them some slack as well.”

“Jesus taught that God hasn’t just agreed to supply our needs; he wants to do it. What a comforting yet humbling thought.”

“Sometimes we lack what we need because we have never humbled ourselves to ask god for it.”

“You will find that the more you study the more your appetite for learning will increase.”

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” (Winston Churchill)

“Thinking optimistically is impossible if we let ourselves become consumed with worry.”

“Solomon wrote that for some, a friend exists that will stick closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Paul was blessed to have such a friend in timothy. The Philippian brethren had such a friend in Epaphroditus their messenger and minister who was longing to return to them (Philippians 2:25-26). Job’s friends on the other hand proved to be miserable comforters in his time of need (Job 16:2). Their friendship was lacking and failed to comfort. If you want to know peace, develop true friends. To do that, Solomon says, you must first be a friend to others (Proverbs 18:24).”