Where is God? Where Are You?

Something that has really been upon my heart lately that has broken me away from my silence.  I realize I have not written in close to a year, but much has happened this year.  Maybe I'll get into all of that in another post.


But right now, my heart is heavy.  I am so discouraged lately...not by homosexuals or abortionists or even atheists.  I'm greatly discouraged by the "Church."


I guess I expect the world to act like the world, but I expect the Church to act like Christians.  I guess we all have our own convictions and views of what "Christianity" is, and while I see room for slight variances, there is just too much division between us when there really shouldn't be.

1)  Take for example modesty.  Now, we all have different ideas of what is modest, probably based upon our experiences.  However, if we look at a person's wardrobe, you can often tell if they are trying to 1) Please themselves, 2) Please the opposite sex, or 3) Please the Lord.

I am probably slightly stricter than many on modesty, but even when someone does not have as strict as a conviction as I do, I can still tell when they are trying to please the Lord with their modesty.  They do not have to have my convictions to do this.  However, when a Sister in Christ is exposing her breasts, thighs, and figure, it's also very clear to me whom she is trying to please:  the world.  Sometimes it's done subconsciously (for I used to do this), but the effects are still the same.

If anyone preaches on modesty, they are being legalistic.  This is one example of how Christians are out to please themselves instead of God first.

2)  Look at the movies, music, and television shows that are popular among Christians.  I know what is popular amongst Christians because I hear it being spoken about to one another and even broadcasted on Christian radio.  Often, these movies and shows have mostly good endings, but may have cursing, immodesty, sexual scenes or innuendos, and often the characters display the flesh, and not fruits of the Spirit.

I remember as a teen purchasing a DVD player that would remove cursing from the movies.  I was not about to sacrifice my movies, and obviously I knew there were things in the movies that didn't please the Lord, or I wouldn't have purchased the DVD player.  But I just could not imagine giving up my entertainment.  I convinced myself that God wanted me to be "happy."

Another example of when Christians put their own desires above the Lord's.

3)  That brings me to my third example.  God only wants us to be happy if it is in His Will, for His glory.  He doesn't want us to be happy in sin.....even if it's only a small, quick, seemingly meaningless sin.  If our happiness is just a feeling, it's not joy.  It's worldly.  You see, the Apostle Paul encourages us to be content no matter the state we are in.  We are not to change our circumstances to fit how we want to feel, we are to change our feelings around our circumstances.  The problem is, that takes work.  Growing in character means we will be unhappy at times.  Christ did not have emotional happiness dying upon the Cross, but He had JOY knowing He was suffering as a covering of our transgressions.

How can we expect our Savior to live the life He did?  Did He really walk this sinless life so we could have our conveniences, or did He do it so we could have eternal life?  If your answer is the latter, than why are we not following His example?  Shouldn't we be taking up our Cross daily and following His example?!


It is so easy for us to get caught up in what everyone else is doing.  Sister so and so did this and Bro. so and so went there.  We fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others instead of God's Word and to Jesus Christ Himself.  We will not be judged based upon how much less sin we did than everyone else, but we will be judged upon every single opportunity we did not take to preach the Gospel.

Often, when someone shares a personal conviction that someone disagrees with, instead of pointing out Scripture of why they have a different viewpoint, I too often hear a defense justifying something of their opinion (which will clearly not be based off of the Word of God).  Now I'm speaking of Christians.  As Christians, our decisions SHOULD be based off of Scripture, NOT of how we think God should act or would do.  We have the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, we shouldn't have to justify anything!

I hear the "Church" spending more time defending going to watch a movie, wear an outfit, participating in certain activities, even LYING and DRINKING more than I hear them defending the Word of God.  I used to be apart of this "Church."  Don't get me wrong, I genuinely wanted to please the Lord, but I didn't realize that I wanted to please myself more.  God had to wake me up from my blindness and get me back into reading the Word (which I was not doing regularly, another sign that I was not putting God first in my life).

This is what God used to wake me up, and if you're struggling with putting God above all worldly things (which by the way, I still have this struggle with the flesh), maybe this will help you as well:


God showed me that I was looking for the line of sin.  I wanted a Bible that was written like the Ten Commandments, "Can I do this or not?"  Almost like the magic 8 ball that used to be popular.  I didn't want to take the time to study the Word of God or get in my closet and pray and wait for His answer (patience has never been a virtue of mine).  I simply wanted to know, "God, can I go see this movie?, Can I wear this outfit?, etc."  If God told me "No", I would be a "good little Christian" and not do it.  But my heart was not doing it only because I didn't want to do wrong.  I wasn't being obedient out of my love for God to please Him.


I would want to dress as close to the world as I could without sinning.  I wanted to be fashionable and look nice, but I didn't want to sin.  I wanted to be entertained by books, movies, and music...you know, the same type that the world produced, but without sinning.  I wanted to be involved in all of the fun things the world did, as long as it didn't involve sin.  In my mind, I saw nothing wrong with this type of mentality.  I genuinely thought I was "good."  My pride from comparing myself to others blinded me from how God saw me.

God has now impressed upon my heart to not look for the line of sin, but to be as far from it as possible!  You see, God is nowhere near that line of sin.  So when I stand near the line, I may not be crossing it, but I'm still far from God.  When I'm far from God, my judgment is cloudy.  

I live between two towns.  My address is in one town, but I actually live closer to the other one.  No matter what my address says, in my life, I have been more heavily influenced by the town I live the closest to.

You see, I may not have crossed that line of sin, but when I'm closer to the world than I am to God, I'm not glorifying Him.  In fact, sin is not just a direct violation of God's Word, sin is doing anything out of the will of God, and I can promise you, God does not want us anywhere near that line.

So now, instead of asking myself of how close to the line of sin I can get, I try to remember to ask myself "Is this edifying to God?"  When I screen videos for my children to watch, I no longer just try to make sure there is nothing "bad" in it.  I now try to make sure that what they are watching will benefit them in their life.

I find my 2 and 3 (almost 4) year olds quoting Scripture and trying to determine who has to be Pharaoh and who gets to be Moses when they are pretend playing.  Sure, my kids could have spent time learning things in a book or on video that "wasn't bad", but what value would it have for their eternity?

My husband and I both grew up in Christian homes and we are so thankful for that.  But neither one of us were encouraged to read our Bibles everyday.  We spend our times doing things we wanted to do (not "bad" things).  We chose to spend that time primarily for ourselves (convincing ourselves we deserve "me" time, which ended up being most all of our time).  Most of what we learned biblically was within the church.  And unfortunately, the "Church" has gotten away from the New Testament Church that was for the Believer and has now transitioned into an entertainment center to try and convince non-believers to come and see that Christians can have just as much fun.  The problem is, those from the world are coming for the fun, not the Word.  We hope they would get saved in the few minutes we squeeze the Word of God in, but the reality is, these people are changing our churches, we are not changing them.

The Church was set up for believers to encourage, equip, and exhort one another.  If an unbeliever came along, they would welcome them with open arms, but they would not welcome the sin.  They would not tiptoe around the sin.  The purpose of the Church is to equip, encourage, and exhort one another together, so we can go INTO the World and preach the Gospel.  The sinner would be welcome into the Church, and they would either change and stay, or feel so uncomfortable and out of their element from the Holy Spirit working in their heart, they would leave and run from God.  The number one priority of the Church is not actually to win souls (though that is amazing if that happens), but to train the Saints so when the Saints go into their parts of the World, they are taking the Gospel to those people.

The problem is, we want the witnessing to be done in the church.  When we do this, it's a controlled environment, positive peer pressure, and the preacher does most of the work (for that's why we pay him, so we don't have to do our job as much).  If we do more witnessing in world than in the church, we'd have to talk to people (and even though I like to talk, I still get nervous speaking with strangers).  Many Christians are convinced to win others by their life, and while that is VERY important, that is not the only example Christ gave us.  If we truly want to please the Lord, we will GO into the world and PREACH the Gospel with our lips, not just our lives.

I believe if God has truly transformed our hearts and lives, we won't be able to keep IT in.  We will be so excited to tell....just like a little kid who heard a good secret.  Man, if sharing the Good News of Jesus was as important to us as it was about learning new, juicy gossip, our entire World would be in revival and our Country would be in a different state.  Our Country is not fallen because of the homosexuals, and abortionists, and evolutionists out there.  Our Country is in a dire state because it no longer looks to God as its Master, but He's more of a God who saved us, so we are thankful and give Him our Sundays as our appreciation.



So to sum it up, the "Church" has me concerned for many reasons:

1)  The Church justifies their sins as opposed to defending their beliefs with Scripture.

2)  The Church looks just like the world, but with designer clothes on.

3)  The Church doesn't agree with the government, but has enjoyed the benefits and freebies it gives them, so it doesn't throw too big of a fit.

4)  The Church has made itself a god over God Himself.

5)  The Church has changed God's Word to align with its new beliefs.



I know this is not every Christian.  However, this is a sad trend that is growing more and more popular as time goes on.  This has happened in the past, and God has always responded with wrath.  God has amazing mercy, but He HATES sin, and sin will be destroyed.


The whole point of this post is for you to ask yourself this question, "Am I trying to please God 100% above all else?", or "Am I trying to please myself and still working within God's standards?"

I never want to go back to asking myself the latter question.  As Christians, we have liberty in Christ.  We are no longer bound to the Law of Moses.  But that doesn't mean that we should take that liberty and do as we please....we should still only want to do things that are pleasing to the Lord.


There are many Christians out there that have stricter convictions than I do myself.  I'm okay with that.  I may not agree with them, but I am so thankful they have convictions and are trying to discern and live for the Lord over themselves and what they believe they have a "right" to do.

1 Corinthians 10:23

" All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."


These conversations are not always comfortable, but true friends encourage us to walk closer to the Lord, even if it points out our own sins.  True friends care more about our eternity and what God will say to us on Judgment Day than what we want to hear today.  What kind of friend are you?

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Should I Public, Private, or Homeschool my Children, and What Does the Bible Have to Say About it?

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This is a big debate amongst Christians, and while many of you may know where I stand on this issue, I would warn you against reading blogs and such to support and justify your stance:  Not even this blog.  We need to be looking at the Word of God for our answers.  If the Word of God doesn't align with our decisions, we need to change them, not try and find another way to interpret the verses in God's Word.

With that being said, there is nothing specifically spoken about formal education.  When the Bible was written, parents taught their children....everyone "homeschooled."  Government had not come in to set up a standard, there were no licensed teachers, and there was no curriculum to go by.  You learned what your parents knew.

With that, you had some uneducated children.  For if you had lazy parents or uneducated parents, the children would likely be a byproduct of their raising from home.  Yet despite not knowing how to solve a quadratic equation, some mighty men and women of God were brought up.

Let me warn you: this blog post is not just for anyone.  This blog post is for Christian moms.  Even if you have not graduated high school...if you can read this post....you have enough education to train your children via homeschool.

However, most moms would not say they think they're incapable of teaching their children (for they would never swallow their pride long enough to notice an area they could be lacking in...which by the way, you can seek outside sources when homeschooling).  Most moms, in my experience, claim one of two reasons for not homeschooling their children:


1)  My children need socialization and not sheltering by their Mommy.

2)  I want my children to be a light in the public school system so that others may come to know Christ.


There are other reasons such as "having" to work and such.  However, if after this post you find that God is telling you that homeschooling is best for your children, He will make a way to supply your needs. It may take a lot of work and sacrifice, but God wants to see His children being obedient to Him.

I'm going to first address these two common reasons that I hear moms say they send their children to public school.  Then, we're going to look at the Bible...because my opinion really doesn't matter (although I like to think it does).  What matters is the opinion of whom we are trying to please and of whom WILL one day judge us based upon every single decision we have made in our short lifespan.


Okay, so let's address common excuse #1:

My children need socialization and not sheltering by their Mommy

This is an excuse I used even when I KNEW I would never have children.  I went to public school my entire life.  I tried to do what was right, and even though I was far from perfect, I managed to graduate without having ever had a drink, or a smoke, or sex, or anything of the like.  For most parents, that would be a successful child raising.

I knew some homeschooled children and they were socially AWKWARD...with all caps, because it was terrible.  I thought these children had to be soooo sheltered.  They were really, really weird.  Sure their grades were good, but honestly, if you can't communicate well with someone, or if you're so awkward when speaking to others...who is going to hire you anyway?

I was a social butterfly in school, so to me, this homeschooling concept was so foreign.  Why would anyone homeschool?!

As time went on, and I got to know these homeschooling kids better (through church groups, 4H, etc.), I learned that these kids were VERY socialized and not sheltered much at all.  They were actually around people ALL the time (far more than the average public school student).  They weren't awkward because they weren't socialized...I can't tell you exactly WHY they were awkward, other than, when I met the rest of their family...it just seemed to be in the genes.

So don't automatically assume that every homeschooling child you meet and is socially awkward, must be awkward due to sheltering.  It's not the case.  It's the parents.  In fact, I've seen many public school children this way too.  It's not the public school system either...once again, it's the parenting...

Let me also say, I would far rather my child be "socially awkward" than to expose them the wiles of the devil.  It's a no-brainer to me.

My previous view of homeschooling was a child sitting in a desk at home for 7 hours a day with no one but their siblings and mom...textbook on their desk...doing the same things I did...only without all of the "cool" people around me.  Boy did I have a poor vision of what homeschooling actually was.

Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that in some homeschools, the children would be better off in public school, but homeschooling is what the parents make of it.  You can make it exactly like public school, more like a private school, or you can make it completely different than everything you know.  There is no one set way to do it.  Once again, your child's failures and successes rest upon the shoulders of the parents (aka, the teacher).  If you send your children off to school, you will still be the one judged for what they are taught while they are there.  If you can't be 100% certain that your children are being raised in line with your personal family convictions....well then you might as well not have the convictions to begin with.  What would be the point?  You'd just be a hypocrite if you are believe one thing, but then allow your children to attend a school that teaches something contradictory.  The Spirit convicts us for a reason.  I may not be able to tell you what your convictions are, but if the Holy Spirit lays something upon your heart, you need to secure your family.

For example, we all know God is our Creator and we are not here by a big bang.  Yet, textbooks all across America are now teaching this to our children.  We teach our children one thing at home, and the teachers teach them something else at school (in private schools, this may not be as dramatic, but there is likely to be some conviction you have as a family that differs from even the best of Christian teachers).  I have seen dozens of children who have grown up in loving Christian homes, begin to believe in evolution and homosexual marriage because what they were being taught at school turned out to be stronger than what the parents were teaching at home.  They have 7 hours a day with your children to teach them their agenda.  Do you spend 7 hours a day unwinding the damage that is being done?  Why even risk it?  Our children's lives are too precious to do so.

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Sheltering is not isolation.  A homeschooling family should never isolate their children:

Acts 1:8

 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Mark 16:15-16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

In fact, no matter how you school, you should be following these verses individually, and as a family.  So if you see a homeschooled child being isolated, it's just as unbiblical.

Homeschooling does allow a few things to complete Acts 1:8 and Mark 16:15-16:

1)  You have more time when you homeschool.  Homeschooled children usually complete their schoolwork in half the time of public and private school children.  This allows more free time to actually go into the world and witness to others.

2)  Homeschooled children have the opportunity of watching their parents witness by example.  Let's face it, if you send your children off to school, they only have evenings and weekends to see you witnessing to others on a regular basis.  If they are not seeing this, you are sending them into the public school system without effectively showing them how to share the Gospel.  The Bible doesn't just say to "Go ye into all the world..."  Jesus didn't just leave it at that...if that were the case, public school would be superior.  But Jesus said to do that AND to preach the Gospel....

How can your children preach the Gospel if their parents have never taken the time to show them?  I would bet that most professing Christian children have never seen their parents go out and witness to a stranger...or maybe even close friend....and share the Gospel of Jesus.

Certainly, just because you homeschool, doesn't mean you do this, but it does allow for more opportunity since your children are with a parent all day long.  Suddenly, they are seeing mom by example, good or bad, instead of just hearing what should be done.

Maybe you're one of those very, very  few parents who really do this...so your child has seen and been taught how to effectively share the Gospel with their friends at school.  What about the part that says "to every creature?"

If you are tied down to a school, for most of the day, five days a week (usually 6 if sports are involved), how can you go into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature?  Certainly, Jesus wasn't saying that I personally have to share the Gospel with every person....but the church as a whole needs to witness to every creature.  However, we are limiting our world to a small building to share the Gospel with.  Are these people important?  Of course, but we could run into these same people in the grocery store and share the Gospel with them there, while also sharing with many other people in the same trip.


Excuse #2:

I want my children to be a light in the public school system so that others may come to know Christ.

Proverbs 4:14 & 15

"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away."

Proverbs 1:10 & 15

"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not...

My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:"

The Bible clearly tells us to not even enter into the path of the wicked, and if you don't think schools are not full of wickedness, I think you need to really see what is going on.  Sure, some schools are worse than others, but just because one has "less wickedness" does not mean it lacks wickedness.  And these verses tell us CLEARLY to turn from it and run!  In my reading of Proverbs, I honestly could not justify sending my children to a place that would not allow me to teach my children the ways found in this book of wisdom.

Surely God knew that public schools would be the norm...even for Christians.  Yet all throughout the Bible, God has called us to a different path.  And you can bet in most situations, if we are on the same page as the rest of the world, we are not walking the straight and narrow path Jesus paved for us.

For some reason we have engraved into our heads that if we don't do the same things that unbelievers do; if we don't go to the same places, if we don't look the same way....we will never be able to witness to them.  I hear this a lot.  And honestly, I hear it from people who admit they don't go out and witness anyways!

We can witness to these same people when we see them at the grocery store, at the park, or at the post office.  We don't have to get to know someone really well to bring up the Gospel, but if you were to ask a professing Christian why they haven't witnessed to a stranger, they'd tell you they need to get to know them better so they can be their friend and bring it up.   But when you ask them why they haven't witnessed to close friends and family they say they haven't because they don't want a awkward strain in the relationship.

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Hmmmm.....that devil is sure a sly 'ole fox.

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Now if you think I sound controversial already, you haven't heard me yet.  I'm fixing to talk about a part of this whole thing that will make you uneasy in your seat.  Many of you probably already think I'm judgmental if you don't homeschool your children.  It's not so.  I just don't see how we can accomplish fulfilling God's Word by sending our children away for 7 hours or more a day:

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  Proverbs 22:6

If we are not with them most of the day, the school is training them....not us.

So what about those really godly parents you know that have children who are not saved?  This is a hot topic to discuss.  I usually hear that the above verse means that if you train up a child right, it doesn't always mean he'll follow God, but that he'll always remember what he was taught.

My friend, I don't need a Greek/Hebrew dictionary to understand this verse.  That is NOT what this verse is saying.  This verse is clearly saying that in whatever way you train a child, good or bad, even when he is old and gray, he will still be on that path.

To think that I am some high and mighty parent that I am a better person than those godly parents that I know whose children rebelled would be a lutacris belief.  That's exactly what I'd be saying, though, if I were saying that I could send my children to public school and be certain they won't rebel.

Some of the godliest people I know sent their children to public school and lost their children.  I am not above them.  I know they did the best they could do.  I know they have regrets (as I already have in some of my decisions as a mom).  But by God's grace, He has shown me His Word and then given me live examples to watch in this area.

These godly parents taught their children at home, but they were no match for the influence of their children's peers and teachers.

Now, we do have freewill.  There is no doubt about that.  I can't force my children to love Jesus.

However, If I take my children out for a walk every single day for exercise, they may or may not do it when they are older.  On the one hand, I could take them walking and tell them how much my legs hurt and how I can't wait to get back in the air conditioned house.  In this case, despite the child being told and taught to walk every day, they will likely have a great distaste for exercise when they are older.  Why?  Because exercise has become a chore in their lives.  Sure, one day they could become a health nut, but it will be due to some other influence in their lives.  It won't be because mom was negative about what they should do!  But what if mom took her kids on a walk and stayed positive?  What if she pointed out all of the animals and sounds?  What is she told the children how walking will keep their body healthy and strong?  This child (unless other negative influences that the parents allow become stronger) will grow up with a love for exercise.

It's more than teaching your children Bible Songs to sing.  It's more than making them go to church every Sunday.  It's even more than Family Bible Time and going on mission trips.  We must SHOW our children JESUS first.  Once our children are saved, all we have to do is to give them the tools they need....the tools that are given to us in the Bible.  So many parents spend more time at their children's ball games than they do praying with their child.  We can't blame the raising of our children on "free will" when we are not being obedient to God's Word and taking our roles as parents seriously.

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.  Proverbs 11:14

What does this verse mean?  It means that if we are not surrounded by a MULTITUDE (not one or two friends who are saved) of counsellors, we are in danger of "falling."  We are sacrificing the safety of our children's future upon being with their "friends" for seven hours a day or so that we can have that extra job to live the lifestyle we want.  If we look at our hearts, we're not even really considering what God has said.  Maybe you've never even read any of these verses before.  I know that I hadn't read many of them.  Therefore, the decisions I thought I would make for my future children were based upon my judgments of what I thought was right.  It wasn't based on God's Word.  How dangerous that is for us to do.


Take a deep breath...stop screaming at me because you think I'm judging you.  Take me out of the equation.  Take a good look at your life right now.  Did you and your husband pray before sending your children to school?  Did you even consider homeschooling?  Was it done in prayer or was it done from a decision you made?

Now think for a moment that your life has ended.  Suddenly, all of that extra sleep we wanted doesn't matter, who won the state tournament is a blur,  and that fight you had with your husband has completely left your memory.  You're standing before an Almighty God getting ready to give an account for your decisions.  Certianly, we know we're human.  We know we have a long list...but in that moment...standing before God, we won't be thinking about how at least our sins are less than "so and so's".  We'll be thinking of how much we have disappointed our Creator.

If you want to homeschool, but your husband says "no" or is not completely on board, check out this post.

I may not get everything right in life.  If you read my other posts, you will see how open and honest I am about my miserable failures.  I talk about my struggles with gluttony, pride, contentment, selfishness, the list goes on for miles.  But someone took the time to introduce to me a better way.  Someone took the time to show me that we can raise our children according to the Bible without compromising even the smallest detail.  I just want to be that person for you.


If you go on to send your children to school, that is your decision.  It does not affect me.  It does not make me think I am better than you.  It does make me think that I have made a better decision in this area, but I'm sure you could point to ways where you have made better decisions than I.  In fact, if you do it in love, I'd love for you to point out a better way for me to do anything.  I won't be offended.  I WANT to do what is most pleasing and edifying, so if there is a better way, please tell me!

I encourage debate (as in educated, kind, and meant to persuade...not arguing) on this topic!  If you don't like what I said, please...let me know (kindly), but do so with Scripture backing up your opinion.  I don't care what you think about this matter...I care what God says.  At the end of the day, we may all agree to disagree, and that's okay.  But regardless of the topic, we all need to be sharing God's Word and applying it to our lives.  That's what I'm doing here.  I hope that regardless of the issue, you will make no decisions based upon feelings or what you think God would say...let's do it all by seeking His Holy Spirit and seeking the answers in His Word!

May we shoot our arrows farther than we were able to go ourselves.  I want my children to be a better mom, Christian, wife, and servant than I will ever be.  I want them to go farther...and that training starts now...it starts at home with me.

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Motherhood: Don't Overthink It.

 

 

Today I want to introduce to you our first guest blogger!  She is a sweet friend of mine who loves the Lord and tries to serve Him with her life.  I asked her to write a post of encouragement to Christian moms, and BE READY...she is quite the encourager!  So if you feel overworked and/or unworthy as your calling as a mom, this post is for you!  I hope you'll hop on over at her website by clicking here.


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Hi, my name is Bethany. I am 24, married to a wonderful man named Eric and we are missionaries to Haiti. And, can I tell you a secret? I am not a mother.

That’s right, it’s a girl with no children writing to mothers on a mothering blog.

Whew, glad that is out in the open!

With us both understanding that my experience with motherhood being very much on the outside looking in.. Can I share a thought on motherhood with you today? Can I speak for non-mothers everywhere? For all of the rest of us out in this big world who haven’t carried an actual human inside their body? (Which, if you think about it, might be the most amazing thing ever.)

First of all, three things…

You are amazing.

Stop being so hard on yourself.

Stop overthinking it.

I am convinced that America is a tough place to rear a child. Far more difficult than people might think. Maybe not tough in a physical way, but in a spiritual way. Our country is rich in blessings, and we should be grateful for those, but it is also filled with overwhelming expectations for women and mothers alike.

The pressures of the American lifestyle, different cultural expectations, mainstream social media and who’s who of Pinterest crafts are heavy upon my heart... and I’m not even a mom. The decisions you are forced to make each day flood my Facebook feed. Opinions from newspapers and articles, the CDC and FDA, writers and bloggers about various issues. Issues that you, as a mom, must have a stance.

To illustrate, here’s a sampling from my current Facebook feed….

Vaccinations - Yes or no?

Schooling - Homeschooling, private schooling, public schooling?

Teen dress code - Can your young one wear leggings?

Media limitations - Too much TV for your kid? Do they play on an iPad?

Baby body wraps - Are you ruining your child's hip placement?

Baby food -  Best brands? Allergies? Organic?

Oh, goodness.. the list seems to go on forever. I can only imagine it has to get heavy for you some days, right? The societal pressures to measure up to? All the issues to have an opinion on?

My friend Rachel at findingjoy.net writes to mothers everyday. If you are a mother, her blog is a must follow.  I love her platform of “being real in motherhood.” And with Christmas here and gone, culminating in the biggest gift-giving holiday of the year, I think of all of you moms out there. Rachel wrote a recent letter to moms everywhere about the Christmas season:

“A dear friend told me yesterday “don’t dwell on all the big things just choose one thing to do and find joy in that.” So, yesterday I took my boys out for a bit – just because – and that was a moment that mattered. We talked about presents, family, and how much I loved them in all things. We didn’t do anything crazy. In fact, I spent $9 at Starbucks, wandered the toy aisles, and their highlight was the whole clementine orange sample at Target.  It was time given. Not stuff, not presents, not perfect trees, not twinkling lights, not gluten free cookies with royal icing, not any of that – it was me and them doing life together.  You know what? While we drove home through the snow they told me they had a great day. And my Elijah throughout the day kept saying best mom ever even though earlier in the day I was feeling like the worst. He didn’t see the undone stuff, the imperfect stuff, the stuff I wish was different. He saw his mom.”

The rest of us non-moms can see you without the blinders of this pressure filled and opinionated society. So can your kids.

We see you, tired and needing to sleep for an hour, but instead taking time to clean the dishes. We see you washing perfectly clean clothes for the third time because your children keep putting them back in the hamper. We see you teaching your child every moment of the day, repeating one word over and over, sounding like a crazy woman, and finally rejoicing when it’s finally repeated back to you. Your children see you hold open doors, say please and thank you, and put their blocks away at the end of the day. Your husband sees you clean and clean and wonder if there are sock-stealing elves that live in your dryer.

We see you giving your all. We see you loving beyond the barriers of your heart, and you are amazing.

One of the multitude of lessons that Haiti teaches is the beauty found in the small things. Beautiful is the mother who kisses her child’s forehead and prays for their future. Beautiful is the mom who disciplines, even when it has to be in public. Beautiful and precious is the mother whose heart is big enough to serve every day.

In America it’s easy to get caught up in the opinions and blog posts. It’s easy to be distracted from what really matters. With that in mind, here’s my final thought:

Don’t over think this whole motherhood thing.

Sure, think and pray and research and have opinions and platforms and passions and fight for your children and spouse and family and friends. But don’t over think whether you are good enough.

Don’t be distracted from the simple moments. Don’t over think those little moments. The moments that count. The moments that aren’t 27 presents on Christmas morning or the biggest dress in homecoming court.

The moments that are real. Moments that are burning eggs on a Sunday morning and, with a laugh, grabbing a sugar-filled pop-tart instead. Moments that are holding hands across the street and praying before bed. Moments of giving medicine for a cold and crawling in bed at night. Moments of soothing nightmares and peaceful walks at the park.

Those are the moments you’ll remember. Those are the moments when you find yourself resting in your calling as a mother. Those are the moments when we non-moms see you. Those are the moments your kids will hold dearly in their hearts as they grow older.

So today, as you begin the journey that awaits in 2014, remember these words:

You are amazing.

You are real.

Real isn’t perfect.  

Don’t be so hard on yourself.

We see you.

You are beautiful.

Don’t overthink it.

Just be real, have real moments.

Give love, be light.

Be you.

And everything else will work out just fine.

 

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I hope you'll check out Bethany's website here.  You can help support Bethany most importantly with your prayers!  Head on over to her website and let her know you are praying for her!  If you would like to support her financially, you may do so on her website or you can purchase products to support her and their mission in Haiti by clicking here.  If you think you might be interested in going to Haiti or helping out with her mission, what are you waiting for?!  Find out more information about mission trips here!  You can also get information about adoption in Haiti by clicking here.  I hope that you'll help her efforts in Haiti! 
 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Bethany is a wife, missionary, writer and book collector. Living and working alongside her husband as missionaries between two separate worlds – small town America and the Caribbean nation of Haiti, she works hard to daily bridge the culture gap between the two. When not in Haiti, she enjoys drinking iced chai and relaxing with a good book. But her heart is most content when she is in Haiti, working to build relationships with children in orphanages and people in communities around the country.

http://ericandbeth.us/

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How to Know, Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt, That You are Saved and Headed for Heaven!

How can anyone be CERTAIN, without any doubts, they are headed to Heaven?

I often notice the following types of people:

1)  Those who are clearly saved and living a life that declares this to everyone.
2)  Those who "said a prayer," but are uncertain if it was as simple as that.
3)  Those who "said a prayer" at a young age, and can't remember their entire experience.
4)  Those who claim salvation, but live only for Jesus when it is convenient for them.
5)  Those who are clearly living for themselves and seem to not have any conviction toward serving God.
6)  Those who show many fruits of a Christian, but also looks like the world in many other ways.

Do you fall into one of these scenarios?  Are you certain, 100%, of your salvation?

In this post, if you read it in its entirety, you will find the encouragement you need to know by the end of the day, for certain, if you are really saved or not.  No more doubts, no more questions.  You will be able to be CERTAIN from this day forward of your Salvation!  Are you ready?

What is Salvation?

First, we need to define what Salvation is.  Many people will claim it to be many different things, so I want to make sure we are on the same page.

I have heard many good people tell others, "All you have to do be saved is say the ABC's!"  The ABC's as I have heard them (you may have heard them differently) are:

A- Accept that you are a sinner and that God sent Jesus to die on the cross for your sins.

B- Believe that Jesus is the only way and believe upon Him and the Father.
C- Confess your sins.
My friend, if this is the plan of salvation you have followed, I'm sad to say that you are not saved.  While these are also required for salvation, there is one VERY important element that has been left off of this....


John 3:16-21

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."


YOU MUST REPENT AND TURN FROM YOUR SINS!!!

Does that mean you never sin again?  No!  But you are declaring before God and others that you will live a life that strives to turn from sin.  In other words, when you make a mistake, you do all you can to keep yourself from doing it again.  You are quick to repent and feel remorse for sinning against the Father.

I'm sad to say that many people believe they are going toward Heaven simply because they believe God is real.  Remember what the Bible says:

James 2:19

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."

It's more than just simply believing in God.  The devil knows for certain that God is real.  He's seen Him, been with Him.  He knows for certain that God is real and Holy!  Here, James says they even TREMBLE!  This verse should show you that it is much more than simply knowing that God is God and Holy.  The devil, himself, knows that Jesus died on the Cross. 

So not only do we need to believe that God is the perfect Creator of this world, but we need to believe that God loved us so much that He sent His perfect Son Jesus to be our bridge to Him.

Try to imagine for a moment a perfect God.  Imagine how He could not even tolerate sin or it would corrupt His holiness.  That is why Jesus came.  Previously, for people to speak to God, there was a divider.  Only the Priests could enter the Holy of Holies.  To pay for your sins you would have to sacrifice a clean lamb.  You see, something had to die for our sins.  Our sin is what separates us from God.  Jesus broke that divide and became our bridge.

When Jesus came, lived a perfect life, and died upon the Cross, He took the sin of the entire world (all that you ever did, and all that you will ever do) upon Himself.  God had to turn His back upon Jesus when He died upon the Cross.  A Holy God could not bear the sin.

Jesus came in the form of flesh so that you and I could have everlasting life with God in Heaven.  Not only do you have to believe that, you need to accept Jesus as your Savior (since He is our only chance at eternal life in Heaven), and we need to turn from our sins and live a life that is pleasing to Him. 

Everyone likes to quote John 3:16, as I have shown above, but the following verses are equally as important.  If you do evil, then you hate the light.  We are either living a life to serve God, or we are not.

Matthew 6:24
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. "

 

So Salvation is realizing the need for a Savior, believing that He died on the Cross and rose again in 3 days for you,  confessing your sins before God, and turning from those sins, striving to live a life pleasing to God, not to self.

Salvation, itself, is a very simple concept.  But it's difficult, as flesh, to turn from our sins.  It does not mean we will never sin again.  Once we have done the above, we are saved.  All of our sin is covered under the blood that Jesus shed on Calvary.  However, a person who is genuinely saved, and didn't just say a prayer to guarantee themselves into Heaven, will have remorse when they allow their flesh to win.  A Christian is quick to repent and does not want to sin because they want to be pleasing to their Lord.

So, am I saved?

 

So, how do I know if I'm really saved?  Maybe you were young and are unsure if you understood everything.  Maybe you don't really remember your Salvation experience so well.  Now that you understand what Salvation is, how do you know if you're saved or not?

First of all, let me say that Salvation is simple that, yes, even a 5 year old can understand it.  You don't have to be a Bible scholar, know the names of all the books of the Bible, know every Bible story, or how to pronounce all of the names in the first chapter of Matthew.

All you have to do for Salvation is what we talked about in the previous section (highlighted in purple).  So are you saved?

Well, we can look at the fruits of your life today and tell.  I like how Steve Maxwell puts it:

 

Are you longing for Heaven?  Do you have a desire to see Jesus?  I've heard people say they want to go to Heaven, but not right now.  They've got too many good things going on in life.  My friend, you should want to be with Jesus right now!!!  If not, you need to re-evaluate your relationship with Him.  Christians WANT to be with Him in Heaven!  (You can view more of Steve Maxwell's ministry here!)

Okay, so are you saved?

 Let's take a look at the following questions to find out.  Make sure you are answering your questions honestly, and not trying to justify your sins.  Remember, your eternity is at stake!  There will be no justifying our sins on Judgment Day!

1)  When you sin, do you have a remorse?  I'm not just talking about a simple moral code.  All of us have a moral conscience.  If we didn't, none of us would ever see the need for a Savior. 

For example, if you could steal money from your employer and know 100% that you wouldn't get caught, would you do it?  Don't be quick to answer.  Let's say you could steal enough money to make sure you and anyone in your family would never have to work again, and no one would be the wiser that you took the money.  In fact, your company is so rich, they'd never even miss the money.  Would you do it?  If your answer is yes, then I would strongly question your salvation.  A Christian should have a desire to please the Lord and not want to break His Commandments. 

Sure, there was David in the Bible.  He planned out his adultery and even murder.  Yet, David was a man after God's own heart.  How can this be?  Well, certainly, David was human.  He allowed Himself to become distant from God.  When we are not in daily communion with Him, sin becomes easier.  And the more we sin, the easier it gets.  Also remember that David lived prior to Jesus'.  We now have the Holy Spirit for our constant conviction. 

 

So, if you sin, you will have remorse.  It doesn't mean you won't sin, but if you plan out your sins and dismiss the fact that it is unpleasing to God, I would question your Salvation.

2) Do others know you are a Christian?  Do your friends, family, and coworkers know that you are a child of God?  Do they see it in your lifestyle?  Do you tell them this?  If these people were to write your obituary, would "Christian" be one of the first things they said about you? 

You see, when we are saved, we should have a burning desire to tell others about Jesus.

                               

Are people surprised when you tell them you are a Christian?  They shouldn't be if you're living the life of telling others about Him.  A Christian will have a sincere desire for others to be saved.  So think about some people that you know for sure are headed for Hell.  Do you have a strong desire to see them saved and living right, or do you think they'd be getting what they deserve?  Maybe you're just indifferent about their soul.  A Christian, my friend, will have a desire to see all of the lost saved.  Do you have that desire?

3)  Have you ever sat down and prayed about your Salvation?  I know this sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how many people are going around doing good deeds, assuming they are saved.  WORKS WILL NOT GET YOU INTO HEAVEN.  Don't get me wrong, they are a RESULT of your Salvation, but no matter how many good things you have done, they cannot override yours sin.  You still need Jesus.  You still need the Cross. 

 

So, have you ever sat down and prayed for your Salvation?  Certainly, you may not remember every aspect of that experience.  For me, I was about 10.  I don't remember much about the prayer, but I do remember my heart.  I couldn't forget that.  What about you?

So does answering No to any of these questions mean I'm not saved?!

 

Most likely.  Understand me when I say, there is no way for me to know if you are saved or not.  You see, I don't know your heart.  But you do, and so does God.  You know if you're answering these questions honestly or not.  You are evaluating your own heart right now.  You know if you're trying to justify your actions.  I can't say, with certainty, that if you answered no to any of these questions that you're not saved, but you can answer that.

I CAN tell you, if you answered no to any of these questions, there is a real problem with your relationship with God.


                 So what if I still am not sure if I'm not saved?

Then get saved right now.  Think about it.  If you take steps to get saved now and weren't saved to begin with, you just gained an eternity in Heaven!  If you were already saved, then it doesn't hurt to reaffirm your salvation.  Either way, you can know for certain your heart right now, and know that you are 100% saved!  It is as simple as it is written above in purple.  Don't go to bed tonight without this assurance.  You may not have tomorrow.  You never have to question your salvation again!

 

 

If you're having doubts about backsliding and such, you can read my thoughts on Eternal Security Versus Losing your Salvation here.

There is a great 30 minute video you can watch about false converts.  You can watch it for free on youtube by clicking here, or by watching the video below:

False converts are flooding our churches.  They are "confessing" their sins and asking Jesus to come into their heart, but they are not making a change.  As a result, our churches are straying further and further from preaching the Gospel because it is filled with those who want the promise of Heaven, but without having to change their lifestyle.

I hope that if you may have been a false convert, you would consider rereading what is written above in purple!  Let today mark the day that you changed your eternity!


Okay, so whether you were saved or you just got saved, you're saved, so now what?

Now you need to follow the Lord in Baptism.  Make sure you are attending a Bible Preaching church regularly and tell your Pastor that you need to be baptized.  Church attendance does not save you, but a Christian should want to be with like-minded people. 

Now:
                                                     

Mark 16:15 & 16
 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. "

If you are saved, and want others to have the same assurance as you, I encourage you to share this post on Facebook, Google, Pinterest, and Twitter. 

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