Just A Reminder: He Made Us

O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me.  

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.  

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.  

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether.  

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 

and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

~Psalm 139:1-4, 23-24

I love this reminder of God's sovereignty.  Here the Psalmist is telling us that God knows everything about us: when we sit down, when we rise up, our thoughts, and every word our tongue speaks—compassing every single tiny detail about us.  Then in verse 14 of the same chapter David continues:

"I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: 

marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

I love that.  I love how God fashioned us and created us—each with different personalities, looks, and characteristics—and loves us each as something terrifically exceptional and incomparable because He made us.  There is such power in those three words: He made us.  If He made us, and He is God Almighty, then nothing can be wrong, absolutely nothing.  And even more than that, He knows everything about us, even from our very number of hairs (Matt.10:30; Luke 12:7). That alone is astounding.amazing.powerful.awing.inspiring.extraordinary.bliss.

Doesn't that alone tell you how supremely excellent our God is?

I don't know about you, but I need to be reminded every day of just that, and I think that goes for all of us.  Too often we are burdened down by the cares of this world and forget of how wonderfully crafted we are and how much mercy God bestows on us each and every day.  We forget all of the extensive blessings that God has given us (i.e. breath, health, food, raiment) as we dwell on the negatives of life.  Even if we are not blessed with great material wealth, while we retain breath in our body we have been given a gift.  And an even greater gift we have been given is the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Even when we compare how much we don't have (material wealth) to how much we do have (eternal wealth), I'd say we have much more than we deserve. 

Like I said, I don't know about you, but I need to be reminded every day of just that.

Just What My Big Idea Is...

Just so that there isn't anyone confused about my big idea...

My topic will be dealing with the issue of brothers and sisters.  You know, why we can't get along, what the Bible has to say about sibling relationships, what the answers are to problems in the home, how we can actually like our siblings, all the trouble little brothers and sisters cause...

Oops.  Okay, all the trouble that oldests can cause too.

I know that there is already a tremendous book out there on the market, but because we can't have too much material on the subject (especially from different perspectives, and I have a good one with seven siblings)—and there isn't much to choose from anyway—I have been urged and propelled forward by my parents with a "go ahead" sign.  Or rather, "go ahead" words.  Anyway, there you have it.  My big idea.  Pretty big indeed.  So far things are looking good, but how can I say that when I know how critical I am of my own writings?  Well, okay, going good in the aspect that at least I'm finding things to write about.

On a serious note, I have determined to make this journey (let's call it a quest) one that will transform my relationships with my siblings.  I'm tired of the sub-par standard of just trying to get along.  It isn't enough any more, and it hasn't satisfied through the years.  As I grow older I see the damage I have caused in the lives of my siblings, and I don't want to live with the regret that I didn't fix the problem when I had a chance.  What are oldest sisters for (or brothers for that matter)?  So this book is a really a test of myself: do I have enough courage and fortitude to admit when I'm wrong, correct my mistakes, and press on toward making my siblings my best friends—truly?  For I genuinely want to be their best friend, and they to be mine.  But there are many bitter roots to weed out first.  Mostly from the deeds that I have done, because, after all, I am the oldest siblings who is the example (once I hated my mom constantly telling me that I was the example to the rest of my siblings, but just as it can be used for bad, it can definitely be used for good).

Pray for me as I write.  Pray for me as I attempt and resolve and conquer the obstacles before me.  I want to be able to persevere at the end of this book and say with all honestly, "My siblings are my best friends."  Of course, I may have many good outside friends, but I want my siblings to be my best friends.  Forever and ever.  Just like Anne and Diana in Anne of Green Gables.  They were inseparable.  They did everything together.  They shared secrets, passions, pursuits, hopes, dreams, ideals, expectations and thoughts for the future, fears, likes and dislikes, and spent all of their time together, from when they were little girls until they grew up.  Though they had other friends, they were the best of bosom friends.  That is how I want my siblings and I to be.

Just a summary so you don't leave my blog with a perplexed look.  Then again, you still might.  At least I tried.

"Thy Will Be Done"

I've decided not to get married.

At least not yet.

My charming little sister Clara once told me, "I'm glad you're not married.  I hope you never get married...at least not yet."  Boy did I feel loved!  As much as a young woman cannot wait to get married, right then and there I didn't want to.  I often long for the day when I will have a home of my own to care for, children to nurture, and a husband to love.  But if I miss the golden years at home, what will I gain in the future marriage years?  If I take these years for granted, who is to say I won't do the same later on?


Let's just say it's not easy accepting someone else's will other than our own.  We're selfish, and usually we will admit it in a not-so-subtle way.  We want what we want, and sometimes we will do anything to get our way.  We are kind of like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum because he wants something.  He will scream and kick his little legs, and do just about anything to get his way.  If his mother is too soft and lenient, she will eventually give in to his whims, instead of administering the whipping he really deserves.  We are that way with God many times.  We'll fight back because we want our way.  Why is it so hard to say "Thy will be done"?

“A great many Christians actually seem to think that all their Father in heaven wants is a chance to make them miserable, and to take away all their blessings, and they imagine, poor souls, that if they hold on to things in their own will, they can hinder Him from doing this. I am shamed to write the words, and yet we must face a fact, which is making wretched hundreds of lives.

"A Christian lady who had this feeling, was once expressing to a friend how impossible she found it to say, 'Thy will be done,' and how afraid she should be to do it.  She was the mother of one little boy, who was the heir to a great fortune, and the idol of her heart.

"After she had stated her difficulties fully, her friend said, 'Suppose your little Charley should come running to you tomorrow and say, 'Mother, I have made up my mind to let you have your own way with me from this time forward.  I am always going to obey you, and I want you to do just whatever you think best with me.  I know you love me, and I am going to trust myself to your love.'  How would you feel toward him?  Would you say to yourself, 'Ah, now I shall take away all his pleasures, and fill his life with every hard and disagreeable thing I can find.  I will compel him to do just the things that are the most difficult for him to do and will give him all sorts of impossible commands.'  'Oh, no, no, no!' exclaimed the indignant mother.  'You know I would not.  You know I would hug him to my heart and cover him with kisses, and would hasten to fill his life with all that was sweetest and best.'   'And are you more tender and more loving than God?' asked her friend.  'Ah, no,' was the reply, 'I see my mistake, and I will not be afraid of saying 'Thy will be done, to my Heavenly Father, any more than I would want my Charley to be afraid of saying it to me.'"  (Excerpted from The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life, by Hannah Whitall Smith)

There's not just one aspect of life we are afraid of committing wholly to God.  We are scared over the smallest things.  We want a good and happy life, but we also want the things we want.  What we don't realize is that we will have the best life when we submit to God's will.  Most people have a false conception of God's will.  God is angry at wickedness, but He is loving and just toward those who follow and serve Him in obedience.  He isn't out to get us, or to take away every earthly and spiritual blessing.  Amazingly enough, He only wants what is best for us. (1 Peter 5:7; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:9)  We miss out on the best years of our lives by worrying about unnecessary things.  If we would only trust God, how much happier and blessed we would be!

We can't just submit one area of our life to God; we have to give him everything, including our hopes, dreams, and expectations for the future.  It's not an unachievable feat.  Just think of how much more peace we could have.  All those worry wrinkles would disappear.

Look at submission this way.  We find it hard to submit to our parents.  As we get older, we want more responsibility and freedom from authority. (That's our human rebelliousness working.)  If we are unwilling to accept God's will, we will most assuredly be unwilling to accept human authority.  If a young woman in the home will not accept her father's authority, she will not accept her husband's later on in life.  She may think that a different life would be better, but if we are not faithful in small things, we certainly will not be faithful in the bigger ones.  If we antagonize our siblings, we'll antagonize our children.   If we disrespect our parents, how could we be ready for a faithful commitment to marriage with a partner we are to respect "till death" do us part?   We would blow it, just like we did in our teenage years.

If we find it hard to accept human authority, how much more harder it is to accept God's will!  But why?  Why do we have such a problem?  All we are doing is making each situation difficult.  It does not have to be that way.  When we realize that man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, and that God wants only what is best for us (because everything is to bring Him glory -Revelation 4:11), then we can begin to say without hesitance "Thy will be done."

Yes, I plan on getting married someday (if it is the Lord's will.)  However, for now I'll accept God's plan for commitment in the home and accept whatever He brings my way.  We have a cheerful heart only when we submit to God's will.  I'll be content in the home.

Preacher's Kid

There is a lot of pressure on preacher’s kids.  (Face it—we're oddballs.)  We are supposed to act different, talk different, think different, watch different movies, listen to different music, wear different clothes, have different friends and families, read different books, and so on.  It all comes down to behavior.  Sometimes we may be referred to as weird.  On the other hand, if we don't live up to our expectations, we're scoffed at even more for not being a representative of Christ.  Suddenly, we're ironic.  Perhaps there isn't any truth to this Christian business after all.  Isn't that a truce broken in our Salt and Light mandate? (Matthew 5:13-16)

Being any kind of Christian in a humanistic world is hard.  I'm not talking about wishy-washy hypocritical Christians who proclaim good works in the streets and practice sin in their homes.  They may write a bestseller book with a big cheesy smile on the cover, but it doesn't mean they are right, honest, or Christ-like (Matthew 7:15, 21-23). Recognition by the secular world does not mean they accept Christianity.  In fact, Jesus said that we would be persecuted and reviled for His sake.  (Matthew 5:11; 10:22)  If the world didn't accept its Saviour when He came, why should it accept His disciples?

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."  ~Matthew 10:16

Yes, I'm a preacher's kid.  In addition, I am also a young woman living in a secular world.  I feel the pressure hitting me like a ton of bricks.  But I'm no different from y'all.  There's only one thing that makes me different from the world's young people.  Yep, you guessed it.  I'm a preacher's kid.

No, I'm not ashamed of my heritage.  My father is a pastor, my grandpa is a pastor, and one of my great-great-great-grandfathers was a pastor.  There are even more scattered throughout our ancestors.  The point is this: my life has been intertwined with God in the midst of it.  I'm a preacher's kid of a preacher's kid.  Where's the shame in that?  I'm proud of it.

The only thing I regret is my poor ability for handling certain situations.  I've stuck my foot in my mouth, I've stood back and followed the crowd, I've not been a leader, and I've spurted some pretty crazy ideas. (Just ask my mom.)  Right now I wish I had charged full ahead into my insecurities...but I didn't.  There have been many times I've wished to go back and redo my life.  Of course, we always wish for the impossible.

Although I may not be where I wish to be, I'd say I've come a long way in some areas.  Two years ago I never would have imagined this blog, my writing, our traipse through Georgia, the beginning of Covenant Baptist Church and Covenant Commission, the birth of Liberty (my baby sister), my 16th birthday (two years ago it seemed like forever), the crazy ups and downs of life...hey, even my photography!  Life is peculiar sometimes, isn't it? 

However, I could really better myself.  I may be swept up into the pressure of being a preacher's kid sometimes, but I don't have to be.  What I am can be a good thing.

Every aspect of this world has tribulation.  We may be hit with tragedy, trial, sorrow, or pain, but Christ foretold that these things would happen.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  ~John 16:33

 Isn't that comforting?

"What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?"  ~Romans 8:31

The world’s opinion should not matter to us.  Why should we care about the opinions of those who reject our Saviour and faith?

While we are to be God's witnesses for the gospel, the world just hardens their hearts against us.  From history, we can learn that tribulation worketh patience (Romans 5:3).  From the lives of the martyrs we see glory and fortitude and everlasting life.  They received their crown with the words "well done, thou good and faithful servant" for their service in the kingdom.  What is our persecution compared to theirs?  True, mental stress can be just as horrible as physical pain, but have we ever suffered starvation in a cold, damp dungeon, or felt the flames rise higher and higher around our legs?  Nor have we been tortured for Christ's sake in a country wholly hostile to Jesus.  Think again when all seems lost.  We live freely (for the most part anyway), breathe the clean air every day, walk wherever we please unconstrained, and worship God wherever we will.  How long our freedoms will last, God only knows.  For now we ought to be profoundly thankful that we live, and move, and have our being, for it is all through Jesus Christ. 
Anyway, Paul's words should give us comfort: 

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  ~Romans 8:18  

That is saying a lot, considering all that Paul went through - beatings, a stoning, being left for dead, thrown into prison, and eventually beheaded—all for Christ's sake.  Surely we can bear our burdens easier when we really give it some thought.

So, I may be a preacher's kid with all its peculiar pressures, but I've found out that life is much better when I have a positive outlook.   Who cares if I'm a little bizarre?  I'm a preacher's kid, what do you expect?

"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place."  ~2Corinthians 2:14

There is nothing sweeter than Scripture for a troubled heart.  God really is good.  But He is also just.  He destroys the wicked and cannot tolerate sin, yet He is faithful to those who love Him.  His words to us are sweeter than honey. (Psalm 19:7-11)  I believe He would rather see a smile on our faces and joyfully praising Him than to have a "woe is me" mentality.

I'm sure preachers kids can relate.  It's awfully hard to live up to high expectations when our nature is sinful.  Sometimes we are given bad names because of what we are.  The bad names really come from preachers kids who don't fulfill their God-given duty.  I may fail many times, but I don't like being categorized in that lot.   Sometimes it seems like we have to endure more than we can handle.  However, Jesus said we will not be tempted with more than we are able.  Hallelujah! Through Christ, we will conquer over all!

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, for Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither heath, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate s from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  ~Romans 8:35

A Change in the Wind

Hello all my adoring fans and readers! (Hey, I can dream, can't I?)

My blog posts have been pretty sporadic over the year that I've been blogging.  Apparently I can't stick to a specific schedule.  I've tried that several times.  I know that I'm not rhetoric, but what would you, my loyal fans, like to hear from me? (Please don't tell me you'd rather I shut my big mouth...unless you really mean it.)  What would you like to gain from this blog?  My purpose is threefold: to help fellow brothers and sisters (as well as myself!), show forth God's glory, and to convince y'all that there's a dork out there who makes plenty of mistakes...just like you and everybody else.  There's only one thing - we can conquer those things, whether petty or considerable in size.  I want to be effective in what I do, but I need some feedback.

My random (and sometimes sloppy) writing style is going through some major changes. (I have several articles on the horizon, but don't expect too much too soon.)  I'm going to write more often (something I love to do, so it shouldn't be a problem. However, considering the business of life...we'll see.), and more worthwhile.  What are your major concerns?  What do you struggle with most?  What are your dreams, hopes, thoughts, and expectations for the future?  What are your tastes, passions, pursuits?  As for mine, they're practically endless.  We'll not go into them just right now.

What do young women struggle with the most?  That's easy: acceptance.  Many different things fall under that category.  But what about young men?  For that I haven't an answer. (After all, we are different.)  We all struggle with many things, but since God created us male and female, there are hundreds of differences between us.  Surely you've noticed that if your household contains each gender.

What are your worries relating to America?  Do you now fully realize that she is sinking steadily?  Do you see the Constitution being torn apart into little pieces by the ones who have sworn to uphold it?  That's too much irony for me.  What would our founding fathers say?

Every life has a different story.  Is it beautiful or mournfully lonely?  Is it overflowing with happiness or perhaps full of trials?  Is it a victory that overcomes the world?  Just like a writer struggles with different styles for each character, so we live day to day with different characteristics in our lives.  What's your story?

I'd love to hear from you anytime at rachel@covenantdevotion.com with questions, comments, or perhaps a word of encouragement.  Hey, I'd even welcome criticism! (Give it a try.)  Feedback could also help me decide what to write about.  I'm not saying that I'll have all the answers (heaven forbid!), but with lots of study, and principle help from our Lord Jesus Christ, the major issues of life can be fought and won!  "I have not yet begun to fight!" said John Paul Jones.  Let our words be the same.

Lord, we give this day to You,

Bless it - come what may.

Guide us in what e'er we do,

Love us day by day.

Lord, we lift our hands to You in praise,

Bless us - come what may.

Grasp us as to You our hearts we raise,

Love us day by day.

Although many issues in our day and age are desperately serious, hope also remains.  Jesus Christ has promised that one day all the kingdoms of this world will be the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. (Revelation 11:15)  We don't know if America will be vanquished or not.  While hope remains, we are to fight and press on.  Christ will come out victorious in the end and all enemies will be His footstool.  Because we have something to live for, why not live?

Only A Fool Will Edit His Own Writing

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction."  ~Proverbs 1:7

A long time ago, some very sound advice was given to my dad from a wise friend and mentor.  That same advice was passed along to me.  I like to think that I take after my daddy in many ways.

Only a fool will edit his own writing.

Even "big-shot" writers need an editor.  As my dad has taught me, everyone makes mistakes; we can't expect anyone to be perfect - even good writers.  We all need a little help.  Especially we who aren't as good as X.

I had to learn that lesson in a not-so-easy way.  Not that I consider myself better than any, I would write and edit my own stuff.  Needless to say, there were times when I could have given my articles a better shot.  Perhaps a little help?  Yeah, that's it.  I'd scribble my thoughts down on paper, type it up on the computer, paste it to my blog, and presto!  Completed.  That's me.  Impulsive.

Eventually, Daddy kindly but firmly told me that things needed to change.  And he was right!  Running my articles past Mom or Dad helps me see my mistakes so I can better them.  Besides, a second opinion is always a nice requirement.  Especially if one wants better success.  Honestly though, I could have responded to his kind rebuke with a prideful attitude and thought I knew better than my own papa. (Heaven forbid!)  Or I could have burst into tears and given up writing altogether, especially since I'm not perfect and can't do anything right!  (That's a laugh.  No one is and no one can.)  Emotional dramatic extreme is just too common for girls.  We can flood the house with tears over the silliest things.

Isn't life pretty precarious at times?  One minute we're dancing among the clouds...

...The next we feel lower than a worm.  I guess that's the way human beings were created.  Living in an imperfect world, in a flawed body, with a sinful heart, we must expect some things to seem like...unfair.  Others seem more blessed than we.  Others have different skills and gifts.  I can look around and find things that I'm at a disadvantage with compared to other people.  I can wish and cry and complain all I want, but I'm unique in my own way.  On the plain and unfashionable side maybe, but I can still live passionately for what I believe is right.

One thing in which we all measure up to is foolishness.  Remember the time you blurted out something incomprehensible and everybody just stared?  Or maybe when you tripped down a flight of stairs, walked into a wall, or stood awkwardly in the middle of a room and felt utterly lost, confused, and foolish?  We all do silly things, and we all feel uneasy at some point or another.  I myself used to be terribly shy.  I haven't conquered that obstacle completely, but I used to be much worse.  I would not initiate any conversation unless I was specifically engaged.  Even then I was short and to the point.  Some people may call that dull.  Yet no one knew the inner longing of wanting to be like so-and-so who was outgoing and a great conversationalist.  But I've always been that way.  Honestly, I've wished so many times that I could hold all of my conversations on paper.  Maybe that's unusual?  My pen has always been stronger than my tongue.

I'm not one who (literally) voices my opinions forcefully.  Although, if you were given a glimpse into my brain, the force of the thoughts might drive you hundreds of miles away.  I need drawn out somehow.  But just because I bottle everything up inside of me doesn't mean it’s the way I should be.  Too many times I want to say something and don't.  Life comes at each of us in different angles sometimes.

Rebuke can be given in many ways.  But no matter the tone of voice or display of feeling, we should always be as the wise son that Proverbs talks about, who "heareth his father's instruction."  (Proverbs 13:1)  "A scorner heareth not rebuke."

As human beings, we all want to "show-off" our goodness.  For "the way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that harkeneth unto counsel is wise." ~Proverbs 12:15.  Wouldn't life be fuller in every sense if we behaved in a wise manner?  Instead we are usually prone to foolishness.  Will we be as the wise man who built his house upon a rock; and the rains descended and the floods came, yet he remained fast and secure; or as the foolish man who built his house upon the sand, and was left homeless, destitute, and helpless after the rain and floods washed his house away into the sea?  Which choice will it be?

Remember, only a fool will edit his own writing.  Are we foolish enough to edit the pages of our lives, or are we wise enough to leave that to God?  Only He holds the future.

Remaining Content in the Home

I love working in the kitchen.  The joy of cooking, the delicious aromas, and the fun of working alongside Mama and my sisters.  Some of my fondest memories will be the laughter and jokes shared during good times in the kitchen.  Then there is also the fact of the whole family gathering together around the dinner table after our thirty to forty minutes of sweat-work over the stove.  The happy times families can have together!  A family either pulls together through the good and bad times, or it will fall apart.  We see it across America today.  But that is another topic entirely...

How easy it is to remain content as a daughter in the home while the way is easy!  But then how hard it is to remain content in the home when the way becomes difficult!  Most people want to give in when things begin to look bleak and dreary.  Just like defeatism, this is a tragedy.  Defeatism can make young women look longingly at the world's independence.  "If only..."  runs through our minds.  But no, we shouldn't be thinking in "if only."  It will just get us into trouble.

Striving with contentment while the heart longs for "independence" (so-called) is practically impossible.  We can never be content until we root out of our hearts the longing and rebellion that remains.  Once it is removed, then we can begin practicing our contentment and patience.

Here I am, fifteen years old (although so close to sixteen I can begin to say "almost"), and I'm talking about remaining content while still at home?  You've got to be kidding!  Most stay-at-home daughters who might be getting impatient are in their twenties...so why me?

Let me share a secret with you about a young woman's heart: she longs desperately for the day when she will have that love and a home of her own.  A young woman dreams of the day that she will fall in love with the man who will remain hers forever.  However, is our desperate longing so desperate that discontentment will overtake our hearts?  Are we so desperate that all we ever think about is "love"?  Are we so desperate that we are constantly looking for "love" in all the wrong places, and at the wrong times?  Are we so desperate that any interest a young man displays (even the friendship type) sets our hearts to fluttering with giddiness and romance?  Are we also so desperate that we eat up romance novel after romance novel?  I'd say we're pretty desperate.

Romance novels.  A treacherous enemy.  In today's distorted world, we also have a distorted view about true love.  Fairytale romances certainly don't help.  Young girls nowadays are lost in an imaginary world of young men and women falling head-over-heels in love, and living happily ever after with the perfect marriage after a beautiful whirlwind courtship.  That isn't reality.

I admit: I've read plenty of romance novels in my day.  In fact, I have a bag of them in my closet.  I'll confess to an eager hunger to get my hands on those books, but what does it profit me?  A distorted view of love?  I don't need any more of that.  All that arises is discontentment with my position in life.  Even Christian romance is pretty twisted. (Can't we trust anything anymore?)  Most romance novels just feed our discontentment.

I thought I'd make a small point here: Jane Austin is one of my favorite authors.  Yes, I love her work, and yes, her books are Victorian novels of love, romance, strength, honor, integrity, and showing how to overcome difficulties in the world.   Am I going to throw the books out the window? No, but I'm not going to read them everyday...nor ever week...nor every month...

There is nothing wrong with reading a good fiction book once in a while, but not going overboard.  I don't want to become "hooked" again. (So no, I'm not giving up Mr. Darcy for good.)

I'm apt to make a fool of myself more times than not.  Talking over internet, or worse, talking in person, I always seem awkward and dumbly ignorant and unintelligent.  I've often sat staring around the room just because I can't think of anything to say.  (Like I've said before, my mind flows more clearly on paper than with my mouth.)   Or, I decide to take a stab in the dark, but blurt out something utterly incomprehensible.  Talk about remaining cosmopolitan.   My mind becomes immobile, or so it seems.  Most people don't know that 99.9 % of the things I'd really like to say are jumbled up inside of me.  Is it embarrassment?  Shyness?  Pride?  Fright?  Afraid of ridicule?  Perhaps all five?  Maybe.  But what does this have to do with remaining content in the home?

Just as I remain unsatisfied with my lack of conversing skills, so it is with discontentment, in anything.  The more I remain afraid, the more I sink into my little turtle shell, daring not ever! to come out into the sunlight.  My incompetency becomes deeper and deeper, and I grow weaker and weaker.  My discontentment grows, and I'll never rise to the occasion to deal with the situation.

Our problems have the same solution: shake off the shackles of discontentment and begin to live vivaciously with joy in our hearts.  Being shackled to the ground only hinders us from flying.

The next time discontentment rises in your heart, take special effort to remain loyal and kind.  Our families need us.  Do we really want to desert them to sow a few "wild oats"?  Those "wild oats" of independence only result in ruin.  Look at young women today.  Going off to college for four years after completing government school institutions.  Many lose more than just freedom.  Many give of themselves freely.  Many lose their virginity and purity.  Many go into careers that take over their whole lives, never enjoying the blessings of Daughterhood or Motherhood.  Do we want to give up our freedom for those shackles?  For we daughters are the ones with true freedom.  True freedom is taking responsibility and acting mature. True freedom is obeying what God has commanded.  What the world has may look like fun, but it is only "enjoyable" for a season. (Hebrews 11:25)  Whatsoever we sow, that shall we also reap. (Galatians 6:7)

Our twisted view of love will only set us off looking for that "perfect man" who will one day fulfill our every desire.  Isn't that ironic?  We know down deep there isn't any such perfect man, yet we're willing to search high and low for him endlessly.  We also know that we ourselves are far from perfect; how then can we think that a "perfect man" would marry an imperfect woman?  Utterly illogical.

I say we totally remove so-called "love" out of our minds.  After all, true love will one day be brought to us, if it is God's will, and in His timing.  Why do we want to be bogged down in the despair of discontentment and unsatisfaction?  We women are at our best when happy and ready to serve, not waiting for Prince Charming to ride along.  So put a smile on your face.  Grin at your reflection in the mirror if need be to boost your morale.  Give your sisters a kiss and your brothers a hug.  Share some laughter in the kitchen with your mother.  Show your support to your father by meaningful gestures.  Show your love.  Show your care.  Show your willingness to be a servant. (Mark 10:31,44; Luke 22:24-27)

Much better results will result from a proper attitude. And you know what?  God will one day reward our patience and fortitude.  Whether it is His will for you and I to marry or not, our perseverance will bear forth fruit. (Galatians 6:9)

Live every day as it were your last, for all too soon this life will be past. Kiss all your loved ones with tenderness and care, and show the whole world Christ's love which we should share. Make the most of your time with well-worth fruit, only what's done for Christ will one day take root.

The Tragedy of Defeatism

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." ~1Corinthians 15:57,58

Defeat is such an easy thing to give in to, but such an ugly word.  If every Christian gave up in defeat, where would the world be?  In an even bigger mess than we are today! (which is hard to imagine.)

What would have happened if our Pilgrim forefathers gave up in defeat?  They would have remained in religious shackles in England.  If they would have given up, our freedoms which we enjoy so leisurely today would not exist.  Their children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren would have suffered in chains their whole lives.

Let's go back even further.  Imagine yourself as Christopher Columbus.  31 days on the open sea, with no sight of land whatsoever.  The men are tired and restless, uneasy with fear.  They want to return to Spain, to give up the whole voyage altogether.  Columbus had doubts himself.  Was this really God's will for him?  His undaunted and intrepid courage he once had left him now feeling empty and forlorn.  He decided three more days they would press on, and if land was not sighted, they...would...turn...back...

How tears of defeat must have smarted his eyes!  His glorious vision of finding new lands for the furtherance of the gospel had come to a bitter end!  What went wrong?  Columbus felt sure it had been a dream sent directly from God.  Oh the shame and defeat of lost hopes!

But, behold!  On the early dawn of the third day, a cry of  "Land!"  rang forth.  Every foot must have raced to the deck, every eye eagerly peering into the horizon.  It was land!

Columbus' heart must have swelled with joy and praise!  Upon reaching shore, he knelt in humbleness and offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the God "which giveth us the victory."  

What would have happened if Columbus had given up totally before the three days were up?  Our flourishing land of America would have been left undiscovered.  Columbus would have returned to Spain in defeat, his chance lost forever.

Take a look at the American Revolution.  The small army of the colonies was very meager, and supplies were scarce.  Men shivered in the cold of winter, their bare feet leaving bloody tracks in the snow.  Yet they marched on, fearlessly into battle.  They grew thin and weak from lack of food, but their bravery overcame their gnawing stomachs.  They marched boldly behind their intrepid leader, the great General George Washington.  What would have happened if they had given up in defeat and surrendered to England, the mightiest nation of that day?  England's army was well-trained and well-fed.  They had more muskets and gunpowder than did the colonists.  They were proud--no one could defeat them!  However, something turned the tide for the American soldiers, a tide the British did not expect.

The American colonists placed their wholehearted devotion and faith in Jesus Christ.  They knew it was only He who could give them the victory.  Though their army was small, though they were weak, in God they were strong.  George Washington is a prime example.  For his faith, trust, and courage, God protected him, and gave the colonists victory over England.

But if defeat had conquered, if fear had overtaken every heart, England would have been victorious...and we would still be in bondage today. (from England, not our federal government.  Yeah, I know, now we have a similar problem today, only from our own leaders!)

Every Christian in history has to be future-oriented.  Our forefathers knew this.  They were willing to sacrifice their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, for liberty and the pursuit of happiness for generations to come.  They placed their complete faith in Jesus Christ.  They knew He was the supreme Ruler of all.  No country or nation can survive without God's law.  "As is the religion, so is the nation."  ~Charles Galloway.

Our forefathers, from Christopher Columbus, the Pilgrim settlers, the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Huss, William Tyndale, John Knox (all the Reformation leaders), the Southern army of the Confederate States of America, every soldier of America who has suffered and labored tirelessly for freedom, including countless others, all could have given up in hopelessness.  But the only important factor is this: they didn't.

Once America was great.  Our Founding Fathers created this nation to be for the people, under God.  Christianity was the supreme law of the land.  Alexis de Tocqueville said this about Christianity in America:

"There is no country in the whole world in which the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America, and there can be no greater proof of its utility, and of its conformity to human nature, than that its influence is most powerfully felt over the most enlightened and freest nation of the earth...Religion in America takes no direct part in the government of society, but it must, nevertheless, be regarded as the foremost of the political institutions of that country, for if it does not impart a taste for freedom, it facilitates the use of free institutions.  I am certain that the Americans hold religion to be indispensable to the maintenance of republican institutions.  This opinion is not peculiar to a class of citizens or to a party, but it belongs to the whole nation and to every rank of society."

Professor James Bryce of England shows agreement:

"It was religious zeal and religious conscience which led to the founding of the New England colonies two centuries and a half ago--those colonies whose spirit has in such large measure passed into the whole nation.  Religion and conscience have been a constantly active force in the American commonwealth ever since."

In 1787, the Continental Congress said that "Religion, morality, and knowledge are necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind."   When America was founded, no one could deny the major influence of Christianity in our nation.  Today, everything is different.

America has endured a long road, one of bumps and hills, ruts and ditches, obstacles and failures.  Our great nation has crumbled into a tiny portion of what it once was.  Socialism has entered past our guard.  Wickedness and vile roam the streets.  Infidelity and lust play games in front of our children.  Evolution and murder are common.  Have we given up in defeat?  Where is America?  Most importantly, where are the Christians?

The land we see today is no longer the nation of old.  Our forefathers would be horrified if they could see the country today.  Even the secularism of old cannot be compared with what it is today.

America has progressed like Israel of old.  Once they were the glory and splendor of the entire world as they followed God's laws.  But false gods wormed their way into the lives of God's people.  Idolatry and infidelity reeked the land.  Because His people turned away from Him countless times, and though He gave them numerous chances, God eventually unleashed His curses upon them.  Every curse listed in Deuteronomy 28 will fall upon the heads of those who seek any god other than the Most High.  Yet, if God's people will turn from their wicked ways, God will heal the land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Today, most Christians have given up in defeat.  Bold, courageous hearts have given in to fear and doubt.  Not many are future-oriented. (However, there are those out there who are. Thank God for those who are making a difference!)  The children growing up today will live in a land flowing with dirt and slime, all because their parents have no thought to the truth.  Many Christians of today have mellowed out.  In fact, many even eagerly participate in the world's wickedness!  What about the verse which says,  "Love not the world, neither the things which are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." ~1 John 2:15

Defeat should not be an option for God's people.  Christ will one day overcome death.  Will we who live now forget His promises, and continue to follow the pattern of the world?  What will we say when we meet Jesus face-to-face?  "Sorry Lord, but I thought Satan was too powerful.  He, he tricked me!  Yes, that's it! He tricked me!"

"Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  ~James 4:7

As America becomes deeper and deeper into socialism and sin, will we Christians continue to tolerate such?  But we have Christ on our side! And one day He will make His enemies His footstool. (Hebrews 10:13) 

In the end, Christians will be victorious.  But before the end, it is our choice: do we give in to defeat, or will we keep fighting for Christ?  

Never let defeat conquer!

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."  ~Colossians 2:8

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."  ~Galatians 6:9

In Times of Trial

"The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." ~ Job1:21

Job's story is a sad one.  He was a righteous man, called "perfect and upright, one that feared God, and eschewed evil." (No, don't be silly here. He did not chew evil literally. What were you thinking? Ha! He shunned evil.)  God blessed him greatly with ten children, seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen,  five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household.  Verse three of Job chapter one says that he was the greatest of all the men of the east.

However, as we all know, disaster was to strike...

I'm sure Job started out that day feeling pretty splendid.  Another day to praise God and live in contentment.  He could have woke up feeling refreshed and eager for a new day, until...

A servant came running up to Job with the news: the Sabeans raided  a section and took away the oxen and donkeys, killing the servants who tended them.

Another servant comes running in haste with more news: a great fire from heaven burned up all the sheep and servants.

Another servant brings yet even more news: the Chaldeans raided a different section and took away the camels, killing the servants with the edge of the sword.

How terrible Job must have felt after all this!  All of his worldly possessions--gone.  Still, he must have sighed with relief at the thought: at least my family is safe!

However, another servant came with the last news: a great wind came and smote the house of Job's eldest son, crashing it down upon all of Job's children.

The agony of Job's heart must have been bitter indeed!  His precious children were lost from his grasp forever.  Surely hot tears of sorrow must have flowed from his eyes, hitting the dusty ground as they fell.  But what was Job's attitude through all this?

"Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshiped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." ~ Job 1:20-22

What amazing forbearance and fortitude!  Would that we had his faith and trust!  However, this still is not the end.

Job is then struck with severe, sore boils.  Imagine your whole body covered in aching, burning, itching, big red boils.  Even Job's own wife told him to curse God and die!  He seemed alone and forlorn.  His grief was great.

But he was not alone.  God Almighty was near.  He was not going to let His faithful servant Job die in despair.  The Lord had a purpose in Job's suffering.

How could Job have blessed and praised God in the midst of his trial?  How could he have continued on in his grief?

He rested upon God, placing all his trust in the One who has everything under control.  We too must place our trust in Jesus Christ.  

Can we truly question His motives?  He, who created the entire universe with His word, who died the cruel death upon the cross for our salvation if we would believe, He who sets everything in motion, and even knows the number of hair upon our head, who are we to question Him?  We are nothing but fallen and depraved human beings.  He is the all-powerful God who is everything.

"Behold, He taketh away, who can hinder Him? who will say unto Him, What doest Thou?" ~ Job 9:12

"For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." ~ Hebrews 12:6

We were created for God's glory. (Revelation 4:11)  Everything we do is to bring Him honor and glory.  Our trials are part of His plan.  His glory is to be shown, our faith is to be tested, and our sin is to be removed.  We cannot question Him, for He truly has our benefit in mind.  He wants His glory to be know throughout the  world.  He wants our faith to be true and strengthened.  He also wants our sin removed so that we may not be hindered in our relationship with Him.

One day "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:4)

In the end of Job's story, God again blessed him, but with much more than before.  God gave him fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.  God also gave Job ten more children, just as before.  Isn't God wonderful?

Do we have courage to stand up tall, throw back our shoulders with determination, look our trial in the eyes, and keep marching forward?  Do we have faith to trust God in everything?

Do you?