He leads...She guides

The following is a big chunk of text stolen from 'Doing things right in matters of the heart'...girltalks current book for their bookclub. I just found this very helpful, and sorry to some of you, it pretty much applies to marriage! Oh yeah and they are on ch10 or something, this is from ch7, im a bit behind.

In matters of the heart, it is right that men should lead and women welcome and guide that leadership. She is helpmate (gen2v18). Her goal is to give her man all the help he needs to lead well. His goal is to humbly accept the responsibility and not run from it or wield it like a club.
The guidance that she provides him comes mainly in two forms: in helping him think clearly and encouraging him to act confidently. What comes from this is a shared victory. If it proves a mistake, it is borne together. Either way, what is fostered is true unity of spirit which is the heart of the matter, where the two become one. We have to work at it, but if we do, true unity is fostered and preserved in the complementary exchange of male leadership and female guidance.

i dont know if this is helpful for anyone reading or not. im not sure if this is a universal thing but the more i read about marriage i know im not alone. i feel like im more of the leader but know in my head i shouldnt be. some older women have told me that u have this picture of marriage in ur head and u submitting but the reality is just not the same. but i think thats a bit of a cop out. i doubt it is something that comes easy peasy the day u get home from honeymoon. it has to be worked at. it is not effortless. women secretly want to lead and men secretly dont want to. but to be wise, would be to resist this desire and instead of getting annoyed about things that arent done, leave him some space to become the leader that God wants him to be. im not very patient and by no means have mastered this...so join me in my aim to help our husbands be the leader that God wants them to be.

This week on girltalk...

...they have posted about motherhood, which I thought some of you might enjoy.

Do not forsake meeting together...

Some of you more knowledgeable ones reading this know the exact wording of the verse and reference. But I experienced real meaning of it yesterday. Do not forsake meeting together with other believers...
Yesterday morning to be honest I didn't really want to go to church...I don't know why but staying in bed seemed a much easier option. But we got there and was I glad...within seconds of corporate worship I was convicted of all my selfish thoughts. It's not about me. God is amazing and I should be living my life full of praise for all that he has done.
Just being there got me back on track. Gilbert Lennox was speaking on Psalm 103. Excellent.

Anyway I better go to work...don't let exhaustion get the better of you guys. Do not forsake meeting together with other believers.

Check this out!

Please please PLEASE follow this link to Tim's post on Hollywood and God. Watch the video's.
http://classyasanything.blogspot.com/

We are back...

The pic I put on my last post of blue skies was a little optimistic...this one describes it a little better. Was a lovely slow-paced holiday anyway, despite the rain...
I would recommend 'The God I love' by Joni Eareckson Tada, story about her life, pretty good I liked it.
Haven't finished 'Knowing God' by J I Packer but what I have read is really good, brutally honest. Don't think I could cope with reading more than a chapter a day, he leaves you with a lot to think about...and my brain isn't up to much these days!
One more week of freedom and then I will be joining the rest of you in the world of employment...will be a nice change sure :)

We're all going on a...summer holiday....

We head off tomorrow to Co. Clare for a week which I am highly excited about, and I know some others are heading away soon so I just want to wish you well and that you spend plenty of time reading good books and relaxing etc etc.
I'm bringing 'Knowing God' by J I Packer. It has been mentioned loads by girltalk and CJ Mahaney etc so why not eh?!
Also 'The God I Love' by Joni Eareckson Tada. Also mentioned on girltalk and given to me by a friend. Lots of small typing so looks like it will keep me going for a while...
Dan is bringing a few Max Lucado books which he has recently started getting into.
Then hopefully when I get home I will be recieving a big parcel from John Piper's $5 book sale :)
Let me know what you guys are reading and what you recommend. Happy reading :)

More books...

I started this book yesterday, and I hope to finish it tonight. Every Woman's Marriage by Shannon Ethridge. It's really easy reading and full of practical advice, though there isn't as much of scripture being quoted as I would like. It has already highlighted lots of things I deal with incorrectly...so hopefully after reading how other people have learnt the lessons from decades of marriage, I can change my ways now, after 22 months of marriage.

Update

Hello, sorry for neglecting you all. Just thought I would update you on what I have been reading recently. Feel free to leave a comment or post on your summer reading!

Hardly surprising since girltalk is all I talk about but I have joined the girltalk book club. YAY! I know Barbara has too so can I encourage you to join us?? And it isn't necessarily females only! This friday will be week 4 of 'Doing things right in matters of the heart' by John Ensor. So quick...hop over to amazon and order your copy now. Some bits are really good, he includes quite a lot of quotes from english literature and songs etc which sometimes go over my head but on the whole, I think it is worth the read. Primarily aimed at single people too but I encourage married people to read also...

CJ Mahaney says “Doing Things Right in Matters of the Heart defines and describes biblical masculinity and femininity for single adults. I would also encourage those who are married to read it. John Ensor is a creative and theologically astute writer. I have thanked him for writing this book and you will too.”

Here are a few quotes I have highlighted...

If we do not seek our happiness in God and make him our perfect and everlasting happiness, then every good thing becomes a substitute for God; it becomes an idol.

The idealism and romanticism found in so many paperback romances and films reflect our search to find our eternal happiness in a human relationship.

Idyllic love is idolatry because it places on man what only God can provide. No man can fulfill the deepest longings of the human heart because these longings belong to God alone and cannot be filled by another.

Dream Home

I don't know whether it is part of my role as 'homemaker' that I often find myself dreaming of our perfect home... bigger and better! I love to read those 'house & home' magazines but recently I have been finding that it makes me want more and be discontent with what I have...which is sin afterall. Found this post on 'girltalk' (I know, surprise surprise) so if you're anything like me I know you will appreciate this...
http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/2006/09/your_dream_hous_1.html

True beauty

The following is taken from 'Girl Talk' by Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Mahaney Whitacre.


The beauty our culture esteems may turn heads, but the beauty God calls us to cultivate will make a lasting impact. When a cute girl walks by, people notice - guys especially. But that's the end of it. Her beauty makes a fleeting momentary impression. However, a girl who cultivates her inner beauty, who cultivates a steadfast trust in God - her beauty will have a lasting effect on the lives she touches.

So which beauty are you going for? Here's a ten question quiz to help you determine the truth.

1. Do I spend more time each day caring for my personal appearance than I do in Bible study, prayer, and worship?


2. Do I spend excessive money on clothes, hair and makeup, or is it an amount that is God-honouring?


3. Do I want to lose weight to 'feel better about myself,' or do I desire to be self-disciplined for the glory of God?


4. Am I on a quest for thinness to impress others, or do I seek to cultivate eating habits that honour God?


5. Do I exercise to try to create or maintain a good figure, or do I exercise to strengthen my body for God's service?


6. Is there anything about my appearance I wish I could change, or am I grateful to God for the way He created me?


7. Am I jealous of the appearance of other girls, or am I truly glad when I observe girls who are more physically attractive than I?


8. Do I covet the wardrobe of others, or do I genuinely rejoice when other girls are able to afford and purchase new clothing?


9. When I attend an activity, do I sinfully compare myself with others, or do I ask God to show me whom to love and how to do it?


10. Do I ever dress immodestly or with the intent of drawing attention to myself, or do I always dress in a manner that pleases God?

If most of your answers were 'yes' to the first half of these questions, then it's likely you've been sinfully striving after physical beauty to get attention. Why not make a switch and spend your time and energy on beauty that will never fade? Cultivate a trust in God that will draw attention to the beauty of the gospel. God is eager and willing to help you to change.

A loving God has determined what we look like. He decided how tall we would be, the colour of our eyes, and all the unique features that make up our appearance - right down to our fingers. We can spend the rest of our lives pining about the results of God's determination, or we can receive with gratefulness His design, knowing that He does all things for His glory and our good.

David said, "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made" Ps.139v14. When was the last time you worshiped God for the way He created your body? Anything less than a heart filled with gratitude and praise to God for our physical appearance is sinful and grieves the Lord.

We must not simply reject the world's view of beauty, but we must also pursue true beauty as defined by the Bible: the inward beauty of the heart. And this beauty has some serious advantages over the world's beauty. It lasts longer, works better, and is pleasing to the one whose opinion matters the most. So instead of an extreme body makeover, maybe it's time for an extreme heart makeover. Let's pursue the feminine beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.

BBC goings-on

Just thought I would update the rest of the world on last nights meeting. Our numbers were few but it was a really good night and discussion was focused :) We had started a chapter on being moulded by Discipline. Last month the girls had studied the necessity of discipline so we looked at different areas of discipline last night. Our mind, will, emotions, bodies. We ran out of time so will look at 'time' at our next meeting.

Our mind: Rom 12v2 tells us to let God transfom you into a new person by changing the way you think. We are also to trust in Him (Isaiah 26v3), bring thoughts into captivity and under the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10v5) and set our minds on things above (Col 3v2). The mind is emphasised as it controls our everything. Rom 8v6-8 makes it abundantly clear that the way you think is intimately related to how you live, whether in Christ, the spirit and by faith, or alternatively in the flesh, sin and spiritual death. A sinful mind leads to separation from God and we cannot please Him.

Our will: Our will is something within us behind our emotions and desires, that after all decides and controls us. Our response to God should never be contingent upon how we feel. In Psalm 101v1-4 the psalmist pushed evil things away, and Psalm 119v107,173 the psalmist kept his feet from evil, God's hand helps us.

Our emotions: one of the best ways of handling our emotions is to fully acknowledge our feelings to God. Psalm 109 (read it, its nuts) shows David being really angry, hurt and rejected. But he expressed his emotions to God absolutely honestly, did not dress them up in any way. v30-31 shows how he ends up praising God, as God saves you from those who condemn you. Similarly in Lamentations 3v1-26 Jeremiah felt pretty wick but then in v21 his thinking is transformed...God's compassions fail not. they are new every morning. great is thy faithfulness. we all know the verse/song. but we were freshly amazed at how God's mercies/love is NEW EVERY MORNING. Like NEW. EVERY MORNING. Anyway maybe you had to be there but I hope these words touch your heart anew as you read this. God loves you, every day.

Here is a quote from Hannah Whitall Smith (iv never heard of her before this) but i think she puts it well ...
cease to consider your emotions, for they are only the servants; and regard simply your will, which is the real king in your being. Is that given up to God? Does your will decide to believe? Does your will choose to obey?

Our bodies: Our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor6v19) We are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom12v1) and beat them into submission (1Cor9v24-27). We kind of wondered how are we practically to do beat ourselves into submission...comments please! It is important to honour and discipline our bodies because we our body is a temple and we are not our own. Proverbs 31 woman is our example (v17) she girds herself with strength (spiritual, mental and physical fitness for her God-given task) and makes her arms strong and firm.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to the BBC. Join us with help of our master as we strive to become more disciplined in becoming His women of excellence.

BBC

BBC is on tonight, so pray for FOCUSED discussion, and movement in our hearts as we study more about becoming women of excellence!

The 7:47 Principle

Did the title get you thinking? Try Luke...7v47.
Daniel and I, the rascals that we are, didn't go out to the meeting we had planned to go to on sunday night...but we recieved much more blessing by staying in. (Well, I suppose I can't really know what might have happened had we gone out, but stay with me on this one.) We started reading Max Lucado's "A love worth giving" together.

The first chapter talks about the time where the 'woman' washes Jesus' feet with her tears and hair, and a vial of perfume, from Luke 7. Simon is harsh and distant. He wasn't too thrilled about this 'sinner' touching his Jesus. She came thirsty for God's love, whereas Simon doesn't even know he is thirsty. Instead of being aware of his need for grace, he was analysing it. A person who is forgiven little shows only little love. But how we try to love as though we can do it by force of will...
Could it be that the first step of love is not toward them but toward Him? Is the secret to loving receiving? You give love first by receiving it "We love, because he first loved us" 1 John 4v19.
Long to be more loving? Begin by accepting your place as a dearly loved child. (Eph 5v1-2)
Want to learn to forgive? Then consider how you have been forgiven. (Eph 4v32)
Finding it hard to put others first? Think of the way Christ put you first. (Phil 2v6)
Need more patience? Drink from the patience of God ("Pet 3v9)
Generosity? Consider God's generosity (Rom 5v8)
Everyone annoying you/ungrateful/cranky? God puts up with you (me) when you (I) act the same (Luke 6v35)

Can't we love like this? Not without God's help we can't. We may suceed for a time but our relationships need more than a social gesture. Some of our spouses need a foot washing. A few of our friends need a flood of tears. Our (your) children need to be covered in the oil of love. But we can't give these things to others if we have not received them ourselves. We need a transfusion from God. Start by receiving His love.

He loves you so much. A friend reminded me of that last night, and I was freshly amazed by it. I think we are so quick to forget or trivialise the fact that God loves us. May he give us a deeper understanding of his passionate, extravagant, demonstrated love for us, and may we allow that to overflow into our interactions with others, on a daily basis. Guys this has to be real, much more than head knowledge. How else can we make a difference?

(P.S) Lots of the above is paraphrased from the 1st ch of A Love Worth Giving (Max Lucado)...so credit to him for his wonderful use of words, but more importantly to our heavenly father for the principles we live under. We love him because he first loved us...WOW!

10 things now to stay at home later...

I'm directing you to a post for girls...10 things you should do before you have kids so its financially easier to stay at home once you have them. Hope it is appropriate to someone reading this...but i thought it was quite good. Be prepared - some of it is a bit american.

Ten Things Now to Stay at Home Later
by Heather Koerner

A few weeks ago I was sitting with a few fellow moms and running some article ideas by them while our kids played around our feet. My friends were being kind. To one idea, "Yeah, that sounds good." To another, "Sure, that could be interesting." And then I named off one more.
"So, I was also thinking about doing something like ... you know ... things you should do before you have kids so it's financially easier to stay at home later."
They hit the roof.
"Absolutely!" one cried, practically leaping off the couch. "That's the most important thing they need to know!"
"I sooo wish someone had told me that kind of stuff," the other agreed, emphatically nodding.
And so started a 45-minute conversation on "what I wish I had known back then." It was as if we all desperately wished we could send a letter back to our 20-something selves. We wanted to tell ourselves how important staying home with our kids means to us and how we needed to shape up financially to make it easier on our 30-something realities.
Unfortunately, not possible. But we can do the next best thing — we can send a letter to you. So, this is it. Our "top 10 things we wish someone had sat down and told us back then." May it bless you on your journey to motherhood.

#1 Ask God
All the financial wisdom in the world is garbage compared to God's wisdom. As you look down the road to motherhood, place it all in God's hands. Ask him to give you wisdom, financial and otherwise, to prepare you for this incredible voyage. As you read through this list, I hope you'll ask the Holy Spirit to come along with you. Ask Him what you need to be doing. Maybe it's on this page, maybe it's not. He'll know.

#2 Prepare to stay at home, even if you don't think you will
One of the mommies in our group, Ashley, hadn't thought much about staying home after her first child was born. After all, she had a "dream job." She expected to take her twelve weeks of maternity leave and dive back in.
But as the day approached for Ashley to return to work, things changed. It was "agonizing," she remembers. "I just broke down in tears at the thought of leaving my own child." So Ashley went to her husband. They knew money was going to be an issue — there was law school tuition to pay off — but both agreed that Ashley should stay home to raise Anna.
"Frankly," Ashley says, "I felt relieved. I just didn't care as much about my job as I did my new baby daughter."
You may think now that you'll want to work full-time after having children. You may feel the same way after your baby is born. But you may not. Arrange your finances now as if you are going to stay home, then you'll give yourself the option.

#3 Beware the student loan
Keep your educational goals in perspective with your other life goals. The simple truth is that you don't have to take on that much debt. There are steps you can take to reduce, or even eliminate, student loans.

#4 Communicate with your future spouse
Will he support a decision for you to raise your children? You may need to adjust your standard of living so that you can afford to stay at home. You need to find out what he thinks, my friend Ashley advises. "Talk to him about what you envision happening after the birth of your child. I think we all play out scenarios in our head of what life will be like. Make sure that your scenarios are pretty close."

#5 Pay off debt
In A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens describes Jacob Marley, Scrooge's ghostly visitor and old business partner, as dragging an oppressive chain of "cashboxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel"? Good visual, huh?
"I wear the chain I forged in life," groaned the Ghost, when questioned about it by Scrooge. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it."
The chain, of course, is symbolic of Marley's greed. But it wouldn't be a bad symbol of our personal debt. How many of us have built our debt link by link, of our own free will, only to realize that it's like a prison to us.
It's so tempting to buy. But later, when you are holding something eternal in your arms, will those purchases be blessings or burdens? If you haven't already, make getting rid of any debt your number two financial priority! Drive older cars, eliminate credit card debt and only buy big items once you've saved to pay for them. I promise you, you will reap the rewards. Instead of dragging your debt chain around the playground, you will feel like jumping and skipping with your kids.

#6 Save for your wedding
This may seem a little strange, but if I'm going to advise you to cut expenses on cars and other large purchases, it would be remiss not to mention one of the biggest expenses that newly married couples have: their weddings.
According to a 2005 study, the average wedding now costs over $26,000. Wow! That's a lot of money for one day. But if it's a day you've been waiting to celebrate your whole life, it can be downright difficult to be disciplined.
So, let's look at two things you can do. One, of course, is cut the expenses. My sister got married last year in an absolutely gorgeous ceremony with a wedding budget of $2,000. I saw what she did. It can be done! The second is to save like crazy for it. Will you be able to save $26,000? I'd be surprised. But you can save a lot. However much you have, you do need to commit to only spend what is in your budget. Let's all say it together: "If I need to finance it, I cannot afford it."

#7 Live on one income once you are married
This is from my friend, Christine. Every time I ask her advice on what I should write an article about she says the same thing, "Tell them to live on one income when they get married!"
"Yeah, Christine," I smile. "I've done that. A couple of times."
"You can never remind them enough," she says.

#8 Beware the mortgage monster
The first time I heard the word "DINK" was when I was one.
"You're a DINK," a male coworker told me.
"I'm a what?"
"A DINK. You know, a Double Income No Kids," he said.
"Okay, yeah, I get it."
"Soon, you'll be a SIKOM."
"Define," I said.
"A Single Income with Kids and an Oppressive Mortgage."
He was right. I'm now living on a single income. I have kids. And, though my husband I have taken steps toward taming the mortgage, it's still there.
Housing will be your number one budget expense. If you want to stay home with your kids, you need to be extraordinarily cautious about buying more house than you will be able to afford.

#9 Look for a side income
For many stay-at-home moms, our "side incomes" help to keep our families in the black. It may help to keep your family in the black, too. Have you thought about what you might be able to do while staying at home? The time to start developing that business is now, when you have the energy and time to devote to it.
It would be unfair, though, if I didn't mention that working out of your home while your children are young can be extraordinarily challenging. Those same friends who have side jobs also have to juggle babysitting schedules, willing relatives to watch their kids or very limited periods of productivity. Often I've found myself writing during nap times or very late at night, and am thankful for a husband and in-laws who help me to get my job done.

#10 Don't give up!
Does reading over this list discourage you? Are you feeling like you have so little time and so much to do? Like you'll never be able to stay at home and still make ends meet? Then, please, take this encouragement. You can do it! It may take a little sacrifice, it may take a lot, but you can do it. And I truly believe that God will delight in you and bless you for it!

Dearly loved one...

Found this on Beth Moore's blog...and thought it was nice so i wanted to share it with all the botteargirlys.

Dearly loved one
You’ve been called by God
To shine like a star
In a dark, depraved world
Don’t blend in
Refuse the daily temptation
To be absorbed in yourself
Take interest in others
Deliberately humble yourself
And live the life of a servant
As you live in the crisis
Of “continue to”
Keep working out
What God is working in
Watch your mouth
Choose words of life
And one glorious day
You will see the face of Christ
And He will show you
Every good purposeHe fulfilled through you
And there will be delight
Even if you are despised or ignored
You are Christ’s star
Go forth and shine

Prayer please

Hi,
I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, perhaps it is last minute desperation! But if anyone is looking at this tonight can you please pray for me...I have my final final tomorrow and I've looked at the stuff a zillion times (yes, that many) but like everyone I'm not so hot on recall so please pray that my memory will do its job tomorrow between 930 and 1230. Regardless of how the exam goes, I will have the biggest smile ever on my face at 1230. Here is a glimpse of what it will look like... :) That's me and Queen's finished with (I hope!).
I know this is hardly the most edifying post in the world, but God has brought me to this point and I know He will bring me through it. And even if things don't go the way I want, I know I have a wonderful Saviour in control of my life. Praise God He rescued me.

Feminine Appeal

Can I recommend a wonderful book? Please?

Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney. (Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother

It felt like it took forever to arrive but now that it has I'm thinking for the sake of my exams it maybe would have been better if it taken a bit longer. I seriously have to restrain myself from sitting and reading it from front to back, so far I have limited myself to the first two chapters and girls...you should all read. Especially if you are a parent. Carolyn keeps bringing everything back to the gospel, since this all started from Titus 2...the purpose of being transformed by Titus 2 is that the word of God may not be reviled (v5), so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us (v8), and so that in everything (we) may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour(v10).

I will leave you with a little bit to whett the old appetite...

"Our conduct has a direct influence on how people think about the gospel. The world doesn't judge us by our theology; the world judges us by our behaviour. People don't necessarily want to know what we believe about the Bible. They want to see if what we believe makes a difference in our lives. Our actions either bring honour to God or misrepresent His truth."

I should really be disappearing for a while until I get the finals out of the way :) May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Quiet times

Hi. Remember me??
Sorry I have not posted anything recently. I had noticed I had just been copying things from Girltalk so decided to stop being such a thief. Also I read Josh Harris's post about 'cheating your blog'...he warns about how addictive this all is and you are always cheating something of your time if you are giving your attention to something else (go read his full version, im sure i dont make much sense..go into Garys blog and theres a link there). Since creation of this blog I was worried some days I would devote more time to it than feeding myself spiritually so somedays time is so short and i need to stay close to my Jesus. But on the plus, it does hold me a little accountable and I do end up reading really encouraging stuff on other blogs.
Anyway here is something from Girltalk but really they stole it from Piper...I know you will enjoy. Quiet times are often neglected but perhaps the most important. So here is a word of encouragement...

Dr. Piper says: "Many good things do not happen in our lives for the simple lack of planning.... Most Christians neglect their Bibles not out of conscious disloyalty to Jesus, but because of failure to plan a time and place and method to read it".
Regarding time:
"I earnestly recommend that it be in the early morning, unless there are some extenuating circumstances. Entering the day without a serious meeting with God, over his Word and in prayer, is like entering the battle without tending to your weapons. It’s like taking a trip without filling the tires with air or the tank with gas. The human heart does not replenish itself with sleep. The body does, but not the heart. The spiritual air leaks from our tires, and the gas is consumed in the day. We replenish our hearts not with sleep, but with the Word of God and prayer."
Regarding place:
"Pick a place of seclusion…. It needs to be secluded so that you are not distracted, and so that you can speak out loud and sing and cry. If your family situation or home does not have such a place, then create it, not by space, but by rule.... One saintly mother with a large brood of children would use her apron to make a tent for her head and her Bible at the kitchen table and the children were taught, when mother is in her tent, make no noise."
Regarding method:
"There are many ways to read the Bible. Any is better than none. Coming to the appointed place and time with no plan for how to read the Bible usually results in a hit-and-miss approach that leave you feeling weak, unreal, and discouraged. For many years I have read through the Bible once each year following 'The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan'.... The design is to read daily from two Old Testament and two New Testament books. I find this variety helpful. Others don’t, and would rather use some other approach. That’s fine."

Wise words from the man himself. Anyway back to the revision for me (Daniel if you are reading this i know u r wondering why Im writing at all when i have so much work to do...but il just publically declare now how wonderful daniel is in his patience with me, his loving attitudes and servant heart...may i quote Winston Churchill...My dearest you are very precious to me and I rejoice indeed to have won and kept your loving heart. May it never cool towards me is my prayer and that I may deserve your love my resolve)

toodles

Thank you from Gary & Barbara

John 13:35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Thank you from Barbara and myself to all the girls from Bottear who showed that they are disciples of Jesus Christ by loving us over the past couple of weeks by their kindness in making our dinners every other evening!It has been a blessed time and we thank you all very much!
We love you!

Piper on Submission

I will admit this post is totally stolen from girltalk, but it's so good I don't care about plaigarising...
Today we want to refer you to an oustanding article by John Piper entitled "The Beautiful Faith of Fearless Submission." Here's an excerpt that will surely make you want to read more:
"A Christian woman does not put her hope in her husband, or in getting a husband. She does not put her hope in her looks. She puts her hope in the promises of God...She looks away from the troubles and miseries and obstacles of life that seem to make the future bleak, and she focuses her attention on the sovereign power and love of God who rules in heaven and does on earth whatever he pleases. She knows her Bible, and she knows her theology of the sovereignty of God, and she knows his promise that he will be with her and help her strengthen her no matter what. This is the deep, unshakeable root of Christian womanhood."
What did I tell you? This article is worth reading, studying, and sharing with friends. Or, if you prefer, you can listen, or even watch Dr. Piper deliver this sermon.
Have a good weekend :)

Virginia Tech...

GirlTalk posted helpful resources for times like after this shooting where people are horrified by the evil and wondering why our loving God allows it.
Here is one of the references from John Piper, I flicked through it and it seems pretty good (but what else would you expect from Piper!) It was originally written for the Columbine tragedy and amended for September 11th. I hope it is of some help. As a woman I always want to be really good at comforting others, and often feel like I have nothing to say. Piper here has loaded this with tons of verses to arm yourself with and basic truths to recall when times of trouble come.
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2001/1516_How_Shall_We_Minister_to_People_After_the_World_Trade_Tower_Terrorism_of_September_11_2001/

Christening

Was at a christening yesterday in a church of England church. Full of ceremony and robes and candles, standing up and sitting down, reading things out together. Even though I struggle to see the whole point of the christening, it was a lovely day and hopefully got the family thinking about the point of church and everything. The priest conducted a lovely ceremony...though some of the things were borderline dodgy about what I think she was saying the water was doing. (Now I understand why our pastor goes on and on about how at a adult baptismal service the water is doing nothing, it is just a symbol).

Please pray that I will be able to point Lucy's little eyes towards Jesus as she grows up. It seems difficult with the distance and everything but all things are possible with our God. And I also believe this role is biblically the responsibility of the parents and not mine but I have been invited to have an influence on Lucy's life so I plan to use it. My own God-parents have never even spoken to me about salvation or anything remotely biblical.

Also pray for the parents we know that they will look to their heavenly Father for instruction in parenting and not on the norm around them. That they will be brave enough to do what they feel convicted to do with their children, in discipline or in any area, even if their family and friends think it is strange.

Find your passion

I don't feel I have much to say today. I had written myself a note the other day telling myself to exhort the Bottear Girlys to 'find their passion' and do it. Not a message they havent' heard before. Usually I am quoting from something on this and I'm quite worried I will lose my point and just blabber on if I am just writing myself. But girls we need to find our passion for the Lord, and what we love to do for Him. and do something about it. We are not on this earth to just make it through to the end and think our life was 'ok' ...we did it, our marriage lasted all these years and is counted as success since it didn't end in divorce, we have a few kids and they're grown up and got 'decent' jobs, we own our own home, people think we are nice. What good is that for eternity eh?

You don't need to drop everything and run halfway across the globe to live totally for Jesus, do it here...where you are now. Live a life marked with passion and desire for your King. (I'm not claiming to have this sorted, I'm speaking to myself here). Do radical things to protect your time ALONE with your Saviour, you know the people that encourage you and get you fired up for God...spend time with them. And for the people who do the opposite (like encourage gossip, materialism)...pray that God will help you through that and give you the strength to keep your eyes on Him. Do whatever it takes but don't waste your life. Houses and cars and clothes count for nothing.

I've discovered my passion is women and I want wonderful marriages for the girls I know who are married...and the single girls I know, I want to see them fired up for Jesus, their husband. Not waiting around for Mr Right. When I see a husband or wife treating the other badly I just want to scream at them to wise up (I doubt that is the approach I should take). Same goes for the girls not treating their husbands the best. I want to see the wives joyfully looking after their home and children. Stuff the world's view of success; your priorities are Jesus, husband, children, in that order...not career, house, car, clothes, makeup...

Anyway enough of my rant. Hope this was useful. Feel free to correct me on anything.

Beautiful In God's Eyes

Hello all,
Hope you enjoyed the Easter hols! I had a good few sentences written there but why would you want to know. I'm recommending this book written by Elizabeth George, a friend in work recommended her stuff to me. In this book she goes through Proverbs 31 and I've found it really interesting as most times I go to read, it is talking about something specifically applicable to me. So maybe recommending it isn't totally useful because it has just spoken a lot to me and where I am now, but it's pretty easy reading and has some practical tips at the end of each chapter.
GirlTalk are also talking this week about keeping your home clean and pretty and how it reflects God's character by creating a beautiful environment for others to delight in. It's so sad I find that interesting but I think I am supposed to.
Also please remember to pray for the three-day-club at Bottear, Wendie teaching two nights and a girl from her church teaching the third. And also for Barbara and the impending birth :)

BBC update

Hi,
I knew I should have written this the night I came home as I have an awful memory but just thought I would let the world see a little of what goes on at BBC.
And I haven't been able to blog the past two days as my life has been madness trying to finish my dissertation as I wanted it done and handed in before Easter :)
We were finishing the Chapter on how a woman of excellence is exemplified by obedience. So as always, it was very helpful.

• We need to have the same attitude as Christ (Phil 2v5-8)...humble, a servant. Wendie shared how she had been studying how Christ was a servant. Not seeking glory, happy to do things without people noticing. (Wendie did a much better job of explaining it)...we all agreed how hard it is to do things without people noticing, there is a fine line between pure motives and motives for self.
• The purposes of trials are to glorify God. We should rejoice in them. Anybody want to add how we are supposed to do that?? We wondered are we to publically say we are rejoicing or is it more a matter of the heart?? Gary, John...help!!
• Promises for those who learn obedience through suffering...James1v12 - crown of life. James 5v11 - blessing compassion and mercy. 1Peter5v10 - perfect, established, strengthen and settled.
• "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees" Psalm 119v71.

"The present circumstance, which presses so hard against you, if surrendered to Christ, is the best shaped tool in the Father's hand to chisel you for eternity. Trust Him, then. Do not push away the instrument lest you lose its work."

• Is there a situation in your life with which you are struggling? How can you begin to specifically respond in a biblical way to this trial? Jesus said we are his friends if we obey him..John 15v14.

I pray that you will be blessed in some way from this and strive to be more obedient to your master.

I thought this week was one of the best BBC's yet, for me that is. But that could just be dependent on my attitudes and openness to learn.

Yesterday's post in Girltalk links to this obedience quite well....check it out 'Gifts from God'. I thought it was lovely. For any mothers out there.

Enjoy the Easter hols everyone.

The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian

Gemma recommended this book to me and altho im still reading it at the minute i find it very encouraging and I think we could all learn alot from it, especially you married women. Its about praying for our husbands and not trying to change them ourselves but leaning on god and letting him change us and then them so that we can have marriages built upon gods word, and marriages that glorify him. A few verses that stuck out so far in it, romans 15 v 5 ( may the god of patience and comfort grant us to be like-minded toward one another, according to christ jesus. Matt 7 v 7-8 ( ask and it will be given to you: seek, and you will find: knock, and it will be opened to you. for everyone who asks recieves, and who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.) proverbs 24 v 3-4 ( through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.)

Solo Femininity

I have added a new link to the list...solo femininity. For the single girls amongst us. (Sorry in advance if I end up posting lots about wives and marriage)
I had a quick flick through the blog...there is so much text on there to get stuck into and Carolyn recommends lots of books to help you in the right direction.
But I just want to mention whether you are married, single or engaged, God has you where you are for a reason. And He wants you to glorify His holy name.
That's about as close to a sermon I have ever got, hehe.
(I'll be honest I'm still highly addicted to 'girltalk'.)

BBC

BBC meets tonight to further discuss 'becoming women of excellence'. Pray that our conversations would be Christ-centred and glorifying to our Father. And that the girlys would be well encouraged and edified.

A taste of 'Captivating'

"All women are called to mother. And all women are called to give birth. Women give birth to all kind of things - to books, to churches, to movements. Women give birth to ideas, to creative expressions, to ministries. We birth life in others by inviting them into deeper realms of healing, to deeper walks with God, to deeper intimacy with Jesus. A woman is not less of a woman because she is not a wife or has not physically borne a child. The heart and life of a woman is much more vast than that. All women are made in the image of God in that we bring forth life. When we enter into our world and into the lives of those we love and offer our tender and strong feminine hearts, we cannot help but mother them."

Captivating

Hey this is a book recommendation...
Captivating (unveiling the mystery of a woman's soul) by John and Stasi Eldredge
I just finished reading it yesterday. Wasn't mad keen on the start to be honest and my memory is so bad if i read something and don't look near it for a few days i come back and start reading without remembering anything that i had previously read. But i really liked the last few chapters, they started to talk some sense.
If anyone wants to borrow my copy just say to me!
Have a splendid monday.

Psalm 121

I thought to myself what better way to start this blog than with some wonderful verses...the first two are on the back of our bathroom door, you can't beat it.

I lift up my eyes to the hills-
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
(Psalm 121)

After the day I have had I can't really think of much to add from my own thoughts but these verses are marvellous!

I hope these verses speak to your heart...your help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth...isn't that amazing??
v5 'the Lord is your shade at your right hand'...according to MacArthur himself, your right hand represents your human need. He will look after you and shade you, at the point of your need.
(I hope that is of some comfort Barbara...considering what you will be going through this month!)
Oh and that reminds me...anybody apart from Gary who is reading this and wants to help provide meals for the Boals when Barbara comes home from hospital, please let me know. This time this ministry is called 'Fill the Boals'....hehe.
Right I am away to read a bit before I head out. Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Greetings again!

Hello there fellow bloggers...

This is my third and final attempt at setting up one of these blogs...if this one doesn't work perhaps it just isn't meant to be! And be warned...these blogs are VERY addictive..I'm not imagining that this one is going to be hold-onto-your-seat riveting, but if you start reading others (girls I highly recommend 'girltalk.blogs.com', if I haven't already raved on about it in person to you) I am not held responsible for the time you spend scanning through the archives for interesting topics.

Somehow this thing links up to the other blogs I've tried to create so please stop yourself from laughing at my incompetence.

On a more serious note...may this blog be used to glorify our master and encourage us to think about Him more and become more like Him. To centre our everything on Him, and to love Him the way we are called to.

I was encouraged to set this up by...yes you have guessed it...Gary Boal. Thank you Gary for your encouragement and the example that you and Barbara set for us. May men be men and women be women!

Enough, I better get back to writing some dissertation! Again, girls (and boys!) please leave comments so I know someone else is out there :) And I apologise now if my writing doesn't make sense!