grace on difficult days

Everybody has rough days.  Hard days.  Painful days.  Difficult days.
It’s one of the things every human has in common, isn’t it?  It’s easy to become myopic on these days.
Lately I’ve been trying to recognize what God’s grace looks like in my life on these difficult days.  Intellectually I know that God’s grace may very well [...]

“..abortion has done what the Klan only dreamed of.” -Dr. Alveda King

CNS News reports that, “Abortion kills more black Americans than the seven leading causes of death combined, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 2005, the latest year for which the abortion numbers are available.”
And so, the spirit of Margaret Sanger lives on in Planned Parenthood.
Sanger, an ardent eugenicist and founder of Planned [...]

What kind of evangelical are you? Or, what do you do for Halloween?

Russel D. Moore provides these funny (and accurate) definitions of the many types of evangelical:
“If John Mark is right that an evangelical is “a fundamentalist who watches The Office,” then I’m written out of the definition since I’ve never seen the show. But, still, I think he’s on to something. Here’s an alternative try.
An evangelical [...]

a good day to honor 30 years of serious pastoring

I couldn’t be more thankful for the serious (see post below) preaching and pastoring of Pastor John Piper.
Don’t miss this wonderful telling of the story by Justin Taylor of how Pastor John went from professor to pastor.
It’s worth clicking over just to see the cross-bling picture.
I’m thankful to the Lord for the way His Word [...]

5 minutes of absolute ackwardness

Justin Taylor offers analysis on the inappropriate audience laughter during Pastor John’s message at a Christian counselor’s conference.
If you feel like being very uncomfortable, listen to the first 5 minutes of this sermon.
As Pastor John delivers a gut-wrenching opening to his sermon, the audience inexplicably roars in laughter at the most unbelievable moments.  Greg Gilbert [...]

a provocative reality for parents

Apart from their own sin nature, it’s almost certain that I will be the single biggest influence of sin in my children’s lives.
What do you think?  Do you own that?
Here’s why I own that and continue parenting with boldness(instead of throwing in the towel in hopelessness): Christ and His work on the Cross makes all [...]

the lynchpin of deep, lasting friendship: commitment.

Think of your closest and oldest friend.
How is that you are still friends with that person after years and years of life changes, moves, babies, marriages, conflicts, sin, and intrusions?  Or maybe a better question is: do you have a friend with which you’ve experienced a range of life and disagreements and have still maintained [...]

want something good for free?

Then go visit our friend at The Responsible Father.  (Same guy who hosts The Responsible Puppet in my blogroll).
He’s giving away 5 Fighter Verse Song CD’s.  I’ve recommended them before as a great tool to memorize Scripture and enjoy doing it!
What I may not have mentioned is that my husband Tom has worked closely with [...]

note to self: be a drop-out.

I sporadically participate in a competitive world of comparisons.
Note to self: drop out.
This is a plague for moms of every stripe.  Especially young moms with young kids (I think anyway, but who knows maybe it infects the moms with older kids too).
It’s as simple as seeing another child do well at something and, instead of [...]

it’s the old old story

I never grow tired of the Gospel. Not only has it forever changed my life and transformed who I am, it continues to be a balm in every circumstance.
This is what true Christians believe, and yes, it is foolishness, but to those of us who believe it is the power of God and the [...]