I recently had been given an opportunity to deliver a sermon at St. Stephen’s Presbyterian church in Scarborough, ON. I was shocked to have even been asked. Lord am I equipped? Lord what if I make a mistake? Lord I am not even formally trained! Where do I even begin?
Through the power of the Holy Spirit and through prayer I realized it wasn’t about me. It was about the almighty Lord and how I was able to be obedient enough to listen. Thank you to Reverend Alexander Wilson, Linda Wilson, Oliver Wilson and St. Stephen’s for this opportunity to glorify God.
God continues to remind me that it is He who qualifies us and equips us to serve Him. It is God who gave me the wisdom to deliver His truth on healing. Thank you Lord for the courage to try something new and to step out of my comfort zone all to glorify you.
Readings: Psalm 103; Jeremiah 30:4-17; Mark 5:25-34
Sermon: Wounded Healer by Justine Lee
Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.
Created especially for girls ages 8 to 12, this beautiful Bible provides ample space for young artists to express themselves through coloring and journaling.
I received a copy of the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls from Zondervan (HarperCollins Christian Publishing) for this review. This post is sponsored by Zondervan.
This is a beautiful colouring Bible and it provides enough space for writing in the margins. The paper is still relatively thin, so I would caution the use of markers/pens/ink that will bleed right through. The paper is white with a bit of a greyish hue instead of off-white or cream. The font is roughly between 8 to 9 in size. The Bible comes with one ribbon book marking. There are verses throughout the Bible that can be further enhanced with colouring in the margins. There are no Bible tabs or side markings to indicate each book. Overall, it’s absolutely beautiful. What a great Bible to dwell in God’s Word! Click here for free access to colouring pages.
About the NIV Beautiful Colouring Bible for Girls:
Girls can get creative with the detailed, ready-to-color line art surrounding the hundreds of inspiring verses in the NIV Beautiful Word™ Coloring Bible for Girls. This Bible is a perfect gift for a special young girl in your life and will become a cherished keepsake full of personalized creative expressions of faith.
Features include:
Hundreds of verses illustrated in ready-to-color line art
Thicker white paper for enduring note-taking
Lined, wide margins for notes, reflections and art
Complete text of the accurate, readable and clear New International Version (NIV)
Easy-to-read black letter text in single-column format
Lays flat in your hand or on your desk
Ribbon marker
Beautifully designed Leathersoft-over-board cover featuring screen-printing and other cover embellishments
8-point type size
Using the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version (NIV) text makes the Bible accessible and easy-to-read for kids. The NIV is the result of over 50 years of work by the Committee on Bible Translation, who oversee the efforts of many contributing scholars. Representing the spectrum of evangelicalism, the translators come from a wide range of denominations and various countries and continually review new research to ensure the NIV remains at the forefront of accessibility, relevance, and authority. Every NIV Bible that is purchased helps Biblica translate and give Bibles to people in need around the world.
Learn to recognize and process feelings of shame in a biblical way to restore God-ordained self-worth and hope. Read More
Category:
Religion, Christianity, Self-Help
Author: Denise
Pass
Format: Paperback,
240 pages
Publisher:
Abidington Press, USA
ISBN: 9781501869686
Pub Date: August
21, 2018
I am in awe of the author’s ability to be
vulnerable and share her story in order to help and encourage others when
dealing with their own version of shame. Her emotions are real and raw. Denise Pass openly shares her experience of
shame when her ex-husband sexually abused their thirteen year old daughter. What
made matters worse, was that she did not receive the support that she needed from
her church during a time of turmoil and trauma.
Her story is guided deeply in Scripture.
She writes about shame that is relatable as we all experience shame in our own
individualized ways. Each chapter ends with a review and reflection, reflection
questions, an opportunity to “name your shame—and let it go”, a devotional and
a prayer. Her book is thoughtfully structured and organized. I think the most
important part in her book is where she discerns condemnation from
conviction. When we can distinguish and identify
the differences between the two, only then are we “able to hear the voice of
God when shame calls our name” (Pass, 2018, p. 24). What is unique about this book is that the
author includes a reference guide at the end of her book which lists various
topics of shame, its roots (where our feeling of shame stems from) and its cure
(what we can do to overcome shame).
I rate this book 5 starts out of 5. If you
are looking for healing and validation, this book would be a great start to
read. I believe that the Bible is our main guide and it was helpful for me to
have it with me as I read the book.
*Note: I was given a free copy and all
views are my own.
About the book:
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus.” — Romans 8:1
Shame is an assault on the core of who we are. It assassinates
our character, minimizes our worth, and dashes our hope. Like Adam and Eve, we
often hide shame, but hiding never heals it. Left unattended, shame can develop
into a crippling reality that paralyzes us. Like an infectious disease, shame
impacts everyone . . . but not all shame is bad.
Shame can either be an oppressive and powerful tool of worldly
condemnation or a source of conviction that God uses to bring his people back
to himself. Having the discernment to know the difference and recognize shame
in its many forms can change the course of one’s life.
In a transparently honest style, Pass shares of her experience
dealing with shame after learning that her former husband was a sexual
offender. Having lived through the aftermath, she leads you into God’s Word
where you will see for yourself that God is bigger than your pain, shame,
mistakes, and limitations.
Shame Off You shares how
freedom can be found in choosing to break the cycle of shame by learning from
the past, developing healthy thinking patterns, silencing lies, and overcoming
the traps of vanity and other people’s opinions.
Denise Pass, author of Shame Off You,
is an award-winning CCM recording artist and singer-songwriter, accomplished
writer/blogger, speaker and worship leader at women’s conferences as well as a
worship leader on staff at her home church. After a crushing discovery of her
former husband’s hidden life as a repetitive sex offender, and surviving a
painful divorce, she now shares an inspirational message through her ministry,
Seeing Deep Ministries, about seeing the deeper truth in God’s word when life
hurts. Denise also founded and directed a home educational co-op for 12 years
and engaged in many educational pursuits, including forming and directing a
classical children’s choir. A graduate from the University of Maryland, Denise
now resides in Virginia, with her “Kinsman Redeemer” husband and five children.
Are you interested in speaking up about faith with compassion and humility?Read More
Category:
Religion, Christianity
Author: Steve
Brown
Format: Paperback,
160 pages
Publisher:
New Growth Press, USA
ISBN: 9781948130967
Pub Date: June
3, 2019
I have received the paperback copy of this book and I found that the back description of this book did not provide an adequate synopsis about the topic. I had to read the press release description of the book to truly understand the foundational message. Note: You will need to be in the right mindset to read this book—in other words, get ready for some deep reading! If you’re looking for a light read, you may want to postpone this one. Overall, I agree with what the author’s message is: that Christians can speak up about faith with confidence and humility. It does, however, take the author two chapters in to get to the point of the book. I found it difficult to follow because there were so many points in each chapter that I lost sight of where it was going. There was great humour and reference to Scripture throughout. There is a lot of content that can be thinned out and sifted.
I was given a free copy and my views are my own
About the Author
Steve Brown
Steve Brown is the Founder of Key Life Network, Inc., the Bible teacher on the radio program Key Life and host of the talk show Steve Brown, Etc. He was a pastor for more than thirty years and continues speaking extensively.
He has authored numerous books, including How to Talk So People Will Listen, Three Free Sins, Hidden Agendas and his latest release, Talk the Walk. Brown has also written for publications such as Leadership, Decision, Plain Truth, and Today’s Christian Woman. He previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of Christianity Today and Harvest USA.
Brown and his wife have two married daughters and three granddaughters. They make their home in Orlando, FL.
This is a great children’s story about sin and the book
equips parents and teachers to teach our children about sin. The story is about
a boy who makes the wrong choice by taking a muddy path home from school. Along the way he falls and gets his new
school uniform completely dirty. When he
got home, instead of telling his mom and dad the truth, he ran through the
house straight to his room leaving a trail of mud behind him and tried to hide
his muddy mess under his bed. His mom and dad saw the muddy track and
confronted the boy. They asked him to
get cleaned up and even after he took a shower the boy still didn’t feel
clean. Deep down inside he still felt
the mud. When it was time to confront
his parents he initially blamed the mud but his parents pointed out that there
is no one else to blame but himself. Eventually he confessed his sin to his
parents and finally God. His parents
taught him that we are all born with sin but it’s Jesus who saves us.
What is also helpful is that there are two pages for parents
and teachers that focus on helping your child understand sin and the gospel. What’s really great is the author also adds
in key Bible verses to remember at the end of the book. I had my children ages 8 and 9 read each page
and they were able to grasp the concept pretty quickly into the story. The
story is lengthy compared to other children’s books and the wording is small which
may make it challenging for younger children to follow along. The pictures are
very detailed which can be distracting for a young reader who is trying to read
the small font. I would recommend seeing more books with characters of
different ethnicities and different type of families such as adoptive families and/or
including grandparents.
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Our salvation through believing in Jesus Christ as our saviour and by God’s saving grace does not automatically grant us immunity from our worldly trials, troubles, tribulation and suffering. If you’re interested in reading more on what I think about on why suffering exists, please come back and click here. Jesus, both divine and human, knows all about suffering and He knows what you are going through. Yes. He does. Through Scripture and in faith we have learned that God is in control during difficult situations, but what do we do as God’s passengers while He is taking the wheel? What are some things that we can do in the meantime?
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29: 11
God, our Creator, is our ultimate music conductor to our symphony of life. In fact, every single day of our lives have already been recorded in His book (Psalm 139: 16). He has made us from dust and to dust we shall return. I recall how painful it was waiting to become a mom and bearing the possibility that I would never become a mom. Every year, every day, every week, every day and every minute was unbearable. Looking back, God has taught me that He was in control the whole time. When God is in control what should we do while He carries out His plan?
1. Praise God
Praise God
The first thing we should do in amidst
of our troubling circumstances is to praise Him. The first thing Paul did to address the
unhappy church of Corinth was to praise our Lord.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3
Paul’s leadership was in question, but before defending his integrity and dwelling on the problems he praised God. I must admit, I often forget to do this. When my integrity is in question or if there are troubles at work or at home, my human instinct is to react emotionally, defend my character and then to start fixing the problem. After studying 2 Corinthians Paul has taught me to praise God first above all else. Praise God for who He is and not for what He has or has not done for us.
2. Pray
2. Pray
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24
Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalm 27: 7-8
Jesus prayed in Gethsamane before he was arrested. He knew exactly what had to be done and what was about to happen. Instead of running, complaining, or speaking up for the wrongful accusations about Him, Jesus prayed. Praying doesn’t have to be formal nor does it need to have the perfect wording or phrases. When we pray we are having a conversation with God and we can talk to Him anywhere and at any time. We can pray out loud, in a cry or in a whisper, quietly in our thoughts and/or with others. When you talk to Him, express your worries, frustrations and anger. Ask Him to carry you through your darkest and deepest valley.
3. Be Still
3 Be still
As I previously mentioned, I am one
who is quick to take action and problem solve when unanticipated issues
arise. I do this, because I firmly
believe that there is no time to waste. If I address the problem now, I can
prevent it from getting worse and the answer/solution will make it go away. I
can then move on with living the busyness of life including parenting and the
responsibilities at work.
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Be still, and know that I am God! Psalm 46: 1, 10
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:39-40
However, I am reminded through Scripture that we are called to be still. Being still is when we can listen and hear what God is whispering. Being still even if it’s just deep breathing for 2-5 minutes will bring down our stress response. When we are quiet we are more able to focus on God when the waves in our lives are drowning us. Are we able to put time aside in our day to be still and be with God? Do we have time to read the Bible? Pray?
4. Open Our Hearts
4. Open our hearts
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. Ephesians 1:18
As our Father He is our parent who knows what is best for us and is teaching and guiding us—we just have to open our hearts to Him and listen. Allow your heart to be open to our Lord who wants to help you and comfort you. You may be going through heartache but even during the heartache He can bring you peace within your heart.
5. Repent
5. Repent
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:9
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139: 23-24
To repent is to have sincere remorse for our wrongdoings. We must ask ourselves, is what we are going through a result of our wrongdoings? Pray that God will reveal all that needs revealing. We are undeserving but by through His grace, He wants to forgive us. God always keeps His promises, we just have to be patient and self-reflect on our thoughts and actions. Are we living the way God wants us to live? To repent is to take accountability for what we have or have not done that goes against God’s teaching. When you repent, remember that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Forgive yourself and do not dwell on the past because dwelling does not change things. It’s Jesus who makes us new.
6. Sing
6. Sing
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. Psalm 40: 3
Let all that I am praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath. Psalm 146:2
I don’t know about you but when I am tired, anxious, upset or sad there’s nothing like a good praise song that I could sing to that will lift up my spirits. Singing allows me to focus on God above and away from the raging waters. What’s your favourite worship song? I would love to hear more about it in the comments section!
7. Write a Gratitude List
7. Write a gratitude list
In Psalm 103 David lists all of the things that he loves about God and all that He has done for him. When we are stuck in our troubles, it is easy to focus on all of the wrong things happening in our lives. Naturally, we complain and vent to our spouses, family, friends and maybe coworkers. On the other hand, listing things that we are grateful for even during troubling times can help put things into perspective. A gratitude list helps us to lift our eyes towards Him instead of concentrating on ourselves.
8. Help and Comfort Others
8. Help and comfort others
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:4
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. Proverbs 12:25
Helping and comforting others is another way to glorify God while He is working in the background. Is what you are going through or what you have experienced something that is relatable to someone else’s struggles? Is God using you so that you can comfort others? Instead of focusing on our troubles are we able to redirect our time towards helping others. We are called to use our spiritual gifts and our personal challenges should not stop us from helping others. Perhaps you may know someone who could use some babysitting assistance or someone who can pick up groceries for them. Have you considered starting a small group at your church? Helping and comforting can also come in the form of a phone call, a card and even a smile. Friend, pause and take a moment to pray about what God wants you do to do help others.
9. Positive Self-Talk
9. Positive self-talk
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Speaking negatively about ourselves prevents us from acknowledging God’s great work and who He created us to be. I will never be good enough. I am a horrible mother. I will never get a job. I am not smart enough. I am ugly. I am too fat. I am not enough. I failed my marrige. Friend, God has created us in His own image. Click here to learn more. God, our loving Father, wants what is best for us. So when we start thinking negatively and our thoughts start falling down the rabbit hole, redirect those thoughts in a positive direction. Think about those amazing spiritual gifts God has given you. I pray that you will take a moment today to reflect and acknowledge something positive about yourself.
10. Let it Go and Let God
10. Let it go and let God
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5: 6-7
Our human capabilities are just that—human. There are limits. We can only do so much. After that, we have to surrender and submit to God’s will. While we are trying God is also working in the background. We must allow ourselves to lift up our worries, angst and challenges to God. Pray that the Holy Spirit will come upon you so that you can let it Go and let God do the work.
My dear friend, I pray that in the deepest of valleys and through the raging waters that you look to God first. Seek Him first. Praise Him first. Pray to Him first. Love Him First. If you need a prayer, nothing is too big or too small for the Lord. I am also happy to pray for you. Please feel free to submit your prayer on my prayer page.
Mother’s Day is a day that stirs up a lot of emotions within
me. Over the years this day has built layers
upon layers of various feelings in my heart. Like rings within a tree trunk so
is my heart marked with rings of happiness, despair, joy and sadness. Perhaps
this may the same for you. On this day, someone is remembering a mother they
have lost or a mother they have never met. There are some who are mothers but
cannot hold their child because their child is no longer here on earth. There
are women who choose not to have children and struggle with the world’s
pressure and false expectation that motherhood defines a woman. There are women
who are stigmatized with infertility who long to have a child but God has said not yet. There are mothers who are
raising children with a disability and/or mental illness. There are single
mothers, birth mothers and foster mothers each trying to juggle their own
emotions of what this day represents for them. Every woman is different and
will experience this day differently and in their own way.
The meaning of Mother’s Day changed for me for good was during the year my husband and I found ourselves in the deepest valley of infertility. This was thirteen years ago and I must admit, Mother’s Day was not the day that I was glad and rejoicing in. Each month of seeing the one lonely line instead of two brought me indescribable pain, profound heartache and utter disappointment. The infamous “two-week-wait” (aka 2WW) was tormenting for me and I was full of angst. I did everything right: I ate the right food, exercised regularly and lived my life according to time, calendar days and when my basal body temperature peaked. All my life I was taught that if I worked hard in everything I do my hard work would pay off. I thought this applied with pregnancy and so each month, even though I worked hard, I felt like an utter failure. In hindsight, I have learned that doing everything right does not guarantee a child.
During this time of trying to conceive I realized that the more I tried to take control the more I grew further away from God. I was resentful and angry with God. Worst yet, I doubted Him. Why would God allow me to suffer this way? Why would He allow other women to get pregnant and not me? What have I done wrong? I look to Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel and I can relate to Hannah’s tears because she too was unable to have a child.
I felt like a failure when other women around me were getting pregnant. In 1 Samuel 1:6 “Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.” In fact, in addition to God I resented other pregnant women around me. Often women would share openly that they hardly tried and each time I heard those words my heart was stung. I wished I had the grace like Elizabeth when she visited Mary for the first time.
“Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, ‘God has blessed you above all women and your child is blessed.’ “
Luke 1: 42
Instead of being happy for the women around me, I was
filled with anger, rage and envy. I write this not to make others feel bad but
I share this because I am living proof of where one can end up if their faith
is fragile. Looking back evidently I was
not in a good place. My faith was extremely
weak and I saw God as someone who did things for me rather seeing Him for who He is. I thought if I prayed hard
enough or did certain things He would give me a child. The longing and desperation of wanting to get
pregnant became my idol. It has taken me years to realize that I needed to
repair my relationship with God and it only has been in the recent years that I
have started to build my relationship with Him.
Our season of infertility took us through failed IUIs and
IVF procedures followed by acupuncture and drinking Chinese herbal teas all of which
drained our bank accounts. Unbeknownst
to me at the time, God then led us through the door of adoption. This door took
us through social worker appointments, more medical testing, fingerprinting and
financial scrutiny—you’d think we were criminals. He called us to adopt a baby
in South Korea and so we did. We were grateful to adopt one child and just when
I had thought we figured everything out, God had a bigger plan for us. Almost two years after our first adoption,
God called us to adopt another.
Somewhere around the world I am connected to a woman whom I have never met because we share our two sons. I think of her often and especially on Mother’s Day. In fact for each of our adoptions we travelled to South Korea around Mother’s Day. This woman made the decision to give her two babies to complete strangers in faith that they will be taken care of. That to me is deep love and humility. I think no less of her and in fact the opposite. On Mother’s Day I remind my boys to remember their Tummy Mummy and we pray for her often. I remind them that we don’t always get what we want or when we want but rather in God’s perfect timing.
I realize that now through my season of suffering, being
in the deepest valley of infertility and the wait for adoption I am meant to reach
out and comfort others.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1: 3-5)
Perhaps, God meant for me to
undergo such suffering in order for me to grow closer to Him. This was His plan
for me so that I may write about this in hopes to comfort others.
Friend <Your Name Here>, whether it’s today, tomorrow or in the future I pray that on Mother’s Day (and each day) that the Holy Spirit will come upon you to celebrate that This is the day the Lord Has Made. We will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalms 118:24). During times of sadness and despair we can still be joyful and be comforted through Jesus. He took on our sins, carried His cross and died for us. He knows our suffering. If today reminds you of pain I have faith that God will have the last say and He will make it right for you, if not here on earth, it will be made right in heaven. Or if you know someone who may struggle on this day pray for her. Lord, may you bring comfort and peace in every woman’s heart.
May 8, 2010May 20, 2012
Justine, Writer of The Scarlet Rope
To read more on my thoughts about suffering, click here.
If you’re looking for the right Bible for you please visit my Shop Page.
I would like to say thank you to Audra Jennings who gave me this opportunity to be a part of her book blog tour. I really wanted my first book review to be on a really good book and God has blessed me with this opportunity. So here we go!!
More for Mom will encourage women to stop believing the lie that more is needed from them, and start living with the truth that more is available for them.
With real-life talk, humor and convicting biblical truths, Kristin Funston helps hard working mamas to look at each day and each facet of their life to discover what happens when they believe God has more for them than what they think the world needs from them.
And what He has available is a whole and holy life, just waiting to be claimed–a salvation and day-to-day reality complete just as it is. The pieces of each mom’s life–the work life, mom life, social life, etc.–are mended together through Christ to complete her one whole life, set apart because of Him.
This book is a stepping stone to help working mothers reset their spiritual and emotional health, habits, and relationship with God. There are performance pressures at work, home, and mind-sets that affect a mom’s ability to feel complete and live more closely aligned with God. This book includes the beginning steps for moms to walk in wholeness and holiness by asking God for more.
My thoughts:
I love the look of the book and I love how soft the book
feels as I hold it. It has a matte and
smooth texture. There’s a comforting feel to it as I hold it while reading.
Kristen has the gift of writing and makes you feel that she is having a real conversation with you right in the moment. She is real and speaks from the heart. Her introduction “A Quick Note to My Friend” immediately made me feel drawn to the book from the start. Her writing of real life experiences allowed her to relate to my own. Her writing style spoke to me comfortably.
Right off the bat she set the stage of what we do as moms (ie. helping our kids with homework, preparing dinner, taking the kids to practice, going to work) as a form of “giving” rather than doing and connects this with how God gives plentifully in our lives. She put things into perspective for me to “give from a place of abundance where we can do more than just give; we can give in a celebratory way because we’ve already received more than would ever be enough” (p. XIII). Wow! She delivered such a profound message and I was only on the introduction! Kristen described that her book entails a “ride and an awakening process”. She doesn’t like. What she says is true! Get ready for the ride and an awakening.
Her book is also geared towards moms in different seasons ranging from children in diapers to children getting their first job. As I wrote this blog and simultaneously reading this book, my kids were arguing with each other and I had to stop and referee. When I came back to the book I immediately knew this book was meant for me. This book is for all hard working moms (paid or unpaid, working at home or at an office) or what she calls “work-hard mamas”. She validated my unending feeling of busyness, my hunger for closeness with Jesus while struggling with the world’s expectations. It’s for aunts and grandmothers too!
I could not put this book down! Apart from reading the Bible, going to work, completing church responsibilities, being a wife, and “mommy-ing”, this book was in my hands and in front of my face–at all times.
This book is refreshing, validating and the best part is it’s deeply rooted in Scripture. So if you are a busy mom and in need of a meaningful book (in addition to the Bible), this is the book for you. I promise you it’s worth the read and will provide you with a whole new outlook during those frustrating and crazy-never-ending moments.
**The above link is an affiliate link to this book. In other words, I may receive compensation for purchases made through this link and I will use it towards keeping this site up to date. This compensation is at no additional cost to you. The price you pay after clicking on my link is the same price you would pay if you visited this site on your own. I am an independent blogger and my recommendations are based on my own opinions **
Funston
has a master’s degree in Communication Studies from New Mexico State
University. A mom to three girls and not-so-domestic wife
to an entrepreneurial athlete, Funston and her family live outside of Memphis,
TN.
With
a passion for writing, Kristin Funston
encourages women in a way that is relatable and practical, with a healthy dose
of humor. In addition to be a writer, Funston is a member and employee of Hope Presbyterian Church
and works as the Marriage and Family Coordinator and a leader in the women’s
ministry.
Convinced
“balance” is a myth, Funston is also passionate about helping and encouraging
women to embrace their current season and experience God in the everyday. She
shares her humor and writing on motherhood on her blog and has been featured on
multiple other blogs including The Better Mom, City Moms Blog, TODAY Parenting,
and Scary Mommy.
A good friend of mine had recently lent me her CD of 10-minute audio devotions by, Lifeway Women (similar to podcasts). One of the devotions was titled, “Knowing your Beliefs” by Mary Jo Sharp and it was about asking ourselves what is our own knowing of our beliefs. Why do we believe in Jesus? Why do we believe Jesus is the only way? These are questions we need to be prepared to answer. Mary Jo calls it being responsible with our beliefs or being a responsible believer. When we are responsible we would be more confident to engage in conversation with others about our faith, especially with those who have different beliefs. In her 10-minute devotion Mary Jo states that, “the first skill of a good ambassador is knowledge”. It’s reflecting on what is our own understanding of our faith.
As I write this blog I realize and confess to you and myself that I am not fully confident that I would be truly prepared to answer that question right on the spot. I pray that by the end of this blog I will know more about myself and most importantly more about God. I hope you will stop and pause with me to reflect on this too.
To believe is to accept something as true. Well how can I believe something as true when I cannot see God? From my recent blog post on What Does God Look Like I discuss God’s image. Oh how timely it was that I wrote about it prior to coming across this devotion. God is good! His image is in the Bible. The Bible is the Truth. The Bible is the Living Word of God. I believe in God because the Bible is the Living Truth.
I believe in God because He believes in me, not believed in past tense, but continues to believe in me. He doesn’t just support me once in my lifetime and then moves right on along. No. He holds on and He holds on tightly. Despite my faults, doubts and sins, He has never left my side. Too often enough I get sucked into life’s challenges, responsibilities and earthly expectations that I forget I am loved. When I gave up, when my faith was weak, He never gave up on me. His love is so beautiful it brings me to tears. I am so undeserving yet He loves me even though I strayed away.
I believe in God because His presence is everywhere. He is evident in my children when they laugh. He is present when my husband makes dinner for our family. He is in my car when I drive to work. When a friend comforts me He’s there. God is in all creation: the sun, sky, water, trees, animals and people. Even in tragedy He is always present. In His perfect timing His goodness will prevail. God will always bring good from evil.
I believe in God because He has a plan for me. My parents immigrated into Canada at a very young age, got married and then came me and my sister. They were hard working and taught us the value of education and having a good job. Most importantly they provided us with a solid foundation of faith. I was raised as Catholic and we attended church every Sunday as a family. As I grew older, the Sunday tradition faded. I went to University, got a nursing job in a busy Toronto hospital, married my husband and adopted two amazing boys. All the while I forgot about God. He was low on my priority list of expectations to fulfill. It was only until about four years ago, I felt a longing for more, more than just earthly achievements and material stuff. I wanted to have a relationship with God and the only way to do it was to find a church community that would help me. I wanted more than the tradition of going to church only to sit-kneel-and-stand. For some, including my parents, that works. For me, not so much. I needed meaning and a true relationship with God. According to God’s plan He led me to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church where I have met so many people to help me grow and mentor me in strengthening my faith in God. Here I am today. Who knew I would have taken a leap and started a blog? I’m sure God did!
I believe in God because there is more to life than our short time here on earth. I must use this time to learn more about God’s character and to be more like Him—loving, forgiving, compassionate, non-judgmental and patient.
Lastly, I believe in one true God because God is
love. It doesn’t get any better than
that.
God.
Is.
Love.
So, this brings me back to the question from the start: If someone were to ask you today, right now, right in this very moment, why you believe in God, would you be prepared to answer?
I am thankful to God that my friend had lent me her CD and that Mary Jo had asked that important question. After pausing and reflecting I can call myself a responsible believer. Will you take responsibility with me?
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
An old high school friend of mine had recently asked me to write a blog on the different Christian denominations. To be honest I am not a history expert by any means but I thought, sure why not! I must admit that I learned so much during my research along the way! I thought it was a great idea and decided to include a timeline and the details of the church history.
As an aside, if you are interested in bridal accessories and jewelry please feel free to visit and/or share my friend’s website Accessories by Talia by clicking here.
**Click on the photo to access the church history timeline.
Important Events
Seven weeks (c. 36 AD) after Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus’
disciples were together for the celebration of Pentecost. It was during this
gathering when God’s Spirit fell upon everyone otherwise known as a tongue-like
flame of fire resting on each of them. Everyone at this gathering rushed into
the streets and into the temple. Peter, one of the apostles, announced to all
the people that what they were witnessing was a fulfillment of Joel’s promise
about the outpouring of God’s Spirit in the “last days” (Shelley, 1995). Peter
called the people to repent and 3000 people accepted Peter’s invitation to be
baptized. This is how the Christian
church started.
Between 70 -312 AD: Within this period Christianity further spread throughout the Roman Empire and the Christians recognized this movement as Catholic (Shelley, 1995). Catholic Christianity was considered universal and was led by bishops (Shelley, 1995).
Between 312-590 AD: The Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and the
Christian Church was joined to power of the state (Shelley, 1995).
Between 590-1517: Over time, popes assumed more power and had been later viewed as corrupted by power which had caused reformers to call for change (Shelley, 1995). 1054 AD marked the split between the (Greek) Eastern Orthodox and (Roman) Western Churches (Woodhead, 2004). To read more on this split or otherwise known as the East-West Schism, I suggest you visit this great resource by clicking here.
Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a reformer who believed that nothing stood between him and God, including mediating authorities such as popes (Woodhead, 2004). He believed: in one high God; there was no need to call upon the assistance of saints, to place faith in relics, or to obey the pope; and there was no need for the church’s complicated system of confession and penance (Woodhead, 2004). In 1517, Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg. The theses attacked the sale of indulgences (instruments for granting forgiveness of sins) by popes and bishops to raise money (Woodhead, 2004). In other words, one had to pay in order to have their sins forgiven.
John Calvin (1509-1564) was a French lawyer and theologian who led the rest of the way of the Reformation (Woodhead, 2004). Calvanism became the dominant form of Protestanism in Switzerland, Poland, Hungary and a part of the Netherlands (Woodhead, 2004). Calvinists broke away from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th Century. To read more click here.
Here is a short list of some areas of Christianity:
Presbyterianism: Is one of the earliest denominations of the Reformation. Presbyterianism utilizes a system of government structure where representative assemblies of elders (Presbyteries) govern the church. In each church, elders are appointed and are responsible for their local congregation. In Canada, the highest governing body is The Presbyterian Church in Canada. It is structured in four levels: Session (at the congregational level), Presbytery, Synod and the General Assembly. Such structure allows the people to vote when making decisions. They believe in baptism and communion, the Bible and God. To read more please click here.
Anglicanism: Sometimes referred to as “Reformed Catholicism” stemmed from the Protestant Reformation. Anglicans view the Bible as the highest form of authority in matters of faith. The church government structure (episcopal form) consists of three pastoral offices: bishops, priests, and deacons. Women can be ordained priests, bishops and priests. Anglicans recognize Holy Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation, Penance, Ordination, Matrimony and Unction of the Sick. To read more click here and to read more on the Anglican Church of Canada click here.
Baptists: stem from the Anglican Church of England and believe in one God, the Trinity and Jesus as Lord and Saviour. The Bible is considered the authoritative rule of faith. Baptists believe in Baptism only after an individual has professed Jesus Christ as their Saviour as a public expression of their faith. To read more please click here
Catholicism: Roman Catholics believe: that the Roman Catholic Church is the one true church; that purgatory exists; that the clergy remain celibate; the practice of Adoration; and the belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and her bodily Assumption. The church structure is comprised of three orders of pastoral ministry: bishops, priests and deacons. The Pope is the highest ranking bishop. To read more please click here.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You’re still with me!!
Phew! I made it and so did you!! Thank you for staying with me on this one!! Despite my lack of experience in history, I had so much fun writing this one!
Please know that this was just a short list. If you want to learn more about other denominations please let me know in the comments section. I also welcome you to share interesting information about your area of faith.
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!
The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. (2018). Ordination of women in the Anglican church of Canada (deacons, priests and bishops). Retrieved from https://www.anglican.ca/ask/faq/ordination-of-women/
The Presbyterian Church in Canada. (N.D.). The Presbyterian church in Canada: who we are. Retrieved from https://presbyterian.ca/about/
Woodhead, L. (2004). An introduction to Christianity. Cambridge University Press.
