love to paint

It seems that I often get excited about reading books.  Then they arrive and they sit on the table for a week, two, and sometimes even three.  Then, one day, I pick up the book and it's the right time to read it.  It's amazing to me how God keeps doing this in my life.  Orchestrating these little, minute decisions and pieces in the puzzle of my days.   This last weekend I picked up a book that opened my eyes and my heart a lot.  There was a hole that was filled by the Lord as I read it.  Compassion and sympathy filled a hole where hurt has been residing for several years.  My heart was encouraged by where the Lord has my husband and I now, by what he's been doing in my husband's heart and mind since he began seminary last August.  From what I just said, you might be surprised what the book is that I'm finishing up.   It's Dangerous Calling by Paul David Tripp.  It's a new book published by Crossway.  The title describes ...

I recently discovered when I began my search on CBD for an edition of The Pilgrim's Progress to read to my children that there are many editions out there. Pilgrim's Progress was written by John Bunyan while he was in prison in 1678 during a 12-year incarceration. He was in jail because he preached without the permission of the church of England.  The story is told in two parts.  The first is his dream of Christian journeying from his home through the Gates of Heaven to the City.  The second part is the story of his wife, Christiana, and her journey with their children after her husband had been gone a while. So, which do you choose?  Well, I think it depends on what you're looking for--and who you're looking for. If you're looking for a way to share the story with young children age 5-9 years old... ...you could listen to Adventures in Odyssey's rendition.  They did two episodes based on The Pilgrim's Progress .  I loved them.  You can purc...

In my last post, I shared that I'm going to read through the Bible using a curriculum titled The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Study by Starr Meade.  Originally, I requested this curriculum to review because several families in the homeschool networks I'm a part of have been looking for Bible curriculums for middle and high school students.  I've reviewed three other books by Starr Meade this year (Mighty Acts of God, God's Mighty Acts in Creation, and God's Mighty Acts of Salvation).  I've been impressed by Ms. Meade's ability to convey difficult theological concepts at a very age appropriate level for elementary, middle, and high school students. One of the questions one mom asked me about this study is whether or not it was practical.  I think she wanted to make sure that it was practical, but not solely application.  Here is Ms. Starr's response on pg. 12 to that concern: "Certainly the Bible is not just any book, and our goal is neve...

I have had a lot on my mind this afternoon.  I think the biggest thing is that it's easier to keep my mouth shut than to guard what comes out of it.  I second guess myself a lot.  There is a risk in opening my mouth.  A risk that I will say the wrong thing around people it will offend.  Sometimes I am a bit blunt--aren't we all?  Sometimes I am also very opinionated.  When I say something that I'm surprised at, I usually try to think about what the seed of it was.  I think I see in myself how a little seed can grow a big plant and a big idea.  Maybe that's why I'm so concerned about what's being published and the overt and subtle messages of fiction and nonfiction books. Over the past two years, I've found that there are publishers that I trust more than others.  By that I mean, that I feel safer usually reading a book published by one of these companies.  I've found their books to encourage me more in my walk with the Lord and m...

As women, our lives get busy and our attention has to be on so many different things that it is often difficult to slow down and articulate what we believe and be intentional about how we live our lives.  It is easy to get overwhelmed by the pressings and priorities of now and lose sight of the big picture.  I have had several women say to me that they don't want to read books that make them think.  They would like to read easy to read books.  They don't want to sort through theology and what they believe if it isn't easily decipherable.  At first, I was surprised by these comments and honestly shocked.  And then, of course, God put me in their shoes!! A few weeks ago, I said to a gal at church, that I just couldn't read any more heavy books about theology and living out the Gospel-centered life.  I was reading a book about the Emergent Church , Doctrine by Mark Driscoll, and another book at the time.  I was overwhelmed because I don't always h...