Number Your Days

This morning started out like any other day. While I was in the kitchen preparing some food, Hannah listened to some music while coloring. Her ears perk up when any "Frozen" song comes on. This one happened to be 'Do you want to build a snowman'. In the movie, when the bridge of the song plays, that is when it shows the tragic ship wreck of the parents of Anna and Elsa. Hannah turned to me and said,

Hannah - "The Mommy and Daddy dead."

Me - "Yes, Hannah, they did die."

Hannah - "...and you dead too."

Me - "One day I'll die"

And then I proceeded to cry (silly hormones) and tried to explain in toddler terms that one day we would die.

That got me thinking about a conversation I had with Jeremy earlier today. We discussed how heaven and hell don't seem to be real to most people, even believing Christians. Ourselves included. The way we can tell that is that there seems to be no urgency in telling people about the coming judgment. If we do truly believe that there will be an end to our lives, that we'll have to call into account our past deeds or lack thereof (not accepting Christ), then we would be telling everyone we know to come to the Lord.

"teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom." -Psalm 90:12

I'll admit I haven't been holding up my end of the Great Commission lately. I think distractions in my life get in the way much of the time and His command goes uncompleted. But I don't want it to be that way. I want to live my life in light of the fact that I will be facing the Creator of the universe one day, knowing that I faithfully pursued His instructions to us. But I know myself and I am a still a sinner, and at the very least, my prayer is that I would rely on Christ to help me because I need all the help I can get! This is not a minor issue, it really is a matter of life or death.

Every Thought Captive {Our Favorite Children's Books}

Last month our sweet girl turned two. Hard to believe she's already so big! What a joy she is in our lives. I could write for hours sharing all the cute things she does or says but I'll save that for another time. ;)

We have decided that we will be homeschooling Hannah and any other kiddos that come along, and while we are still in the pre-school age, we are trying to lay the groundwork for her further education. Hannah loves reading. She loves when we read to her and when she "reads" to herself. We are at the library every week for story time and book collecting.

In the few years we've had her in our lives we've read our share of children's books. Some good, some not so good. But it is fun finding the gems, looking for more awesome books by the author and checking them out over and over again. I've found some to be our all time favorites because in them I see God and how He is working in our lives and in the world. Let me share with you a few on our list:

One Winter's Day is about little Hedgehog. His home has been blown over and he needs to get to his friend Badger's house before the big snowstorm hits. He's all bundled up for his journey and he encounters some animals in need along the way. It is a sweet story about seeing the need in the lives of other people and how we can be His hands and feet and give of ourselves for our friends.

Any one of these books by Steve Jenkins; My First Day, Time to Sleep, or Mama Built a Little Nest. All of Mr. Jenkins' books are about animals and the many habits and or peculiar things they do. When I read these books to Hannah, I had to stop for a minute and digest what they were saying. I couldn't help but see the Father's hand in their being. There was no gradual progression for these animals to do these very distinct things to survive, they were either there in the first place or they wouldn't survive, period. It's wonderful to see His handiwork in random books about animals.

The classic kids book, People In Your Neighborhood, reminds us of the many people we come in contact with and serves as a nice add-on to the parable about the good samaritan. Who is our neighbor? It's any number of people we encounter on a daily basis and when you talk to your child about how we can live out the story of the good samaritan, we can show them that we have the opportunity to bless people all around us; your postman, your grocer or your doctor, etc...

Someday Loves You, Mr. Hatch is one of my favorites! I first discovered this book when Hannah was still in the womb. I actually found the website, Storyline Online, where actors and actresses read children's books. This story shows how simple acts of kindness can bless someone, how one person can affect great change in their community, and about how we can show kindness towards others to show them the love we have through Christ. "We love because He first loved us."- 1 John 4:19

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. - 2 Corinthians 10:5

I have been reading the book, Home Education by Charlotte Mason. It is a fascinating book that gives you the nuts and bolts foundation for how to educate your children at home. One section that really struck me was about helping our children adopt good habits. We think as we are accustomed to think. And those thoughts become our habits and feelings which then rule the child or his character. It is our job as parents to help point our children to Christ in every way we can. In the book of Deuteronomy, we are instructed to teach our children when they wake up and when they go to sleep, when they are out and about and when we are at home. As I read these children's books to Hannah, even if they are not 'christian' per say, we are always using the things in front of us to teach her about God and His great love for us. Take a look at your children's book shelf and see the many ways we can take their little thoughts captive for Christ and His kingdom!

Embracing Imperfect

 

I fall victim to it all the time. I'll be checking my facebook or instagram and see a friend on a fabulous summer vacation or just complete a swanky new home project, and I get jealous. I want to also be having a fabulous time and a beautiful home so I try and make myself look like I too am living an equally as amazing life. But it's all a show. It's all my way to look like I'm perfect. It's this thing I feel I need to achieve. To be a perfect mom and wife. To be an excellent home maker and cook. To be a totally toned and fit woman. There's certainly nothing wrong with wanting to do well at something or enjoying yourself on a vacation, not at all, but there is a problem with seeing someone else have those things and then coveting after them. My reality, however, is imperfection. We can't always afford expensive vacations (staycations here we

come! :P), we don't own a house so there are no projects to be done, and I am by no means a perfect mother! Every day is a constant reminder of my imperfect existence.

As you know, ever since the birth of my daughter, I've been on a journey to get back into shape. I recently finished two more sessions of the workout program that changed my life and perspective on living a healthy lifestyle. I don't know what happened at the end of this last session, but I kind of went off the deep end. I've always been good about my food choices and kept on a pretty focused meal planning system (never feeling deprived of delicious food mind you and definitely not starving myself!) but I ended up eating like cookie monster for the last several weeks, literally devouring everything in sight including all those not so good for you items, i.e. boxed cookies, cereal. It's carb city over here! Jeremy and I have been hoping to add another little one to our family soon so when my pants started to feel tight I got hopeful that that was the reason why. When I found out it was just me putting on a few pounds I realized I had a problem. I recently signed up for my first half marathon and I just finished week one of my training. Getting back into the swing of things is tough, but it is absolutely necessary or I'll never grow, well, not in the way I want!

I feel like this applies in all areas of my life right now. I viewed a series of baby & toddler early development informational videos this last week. Usually when Hannah disobeys my instructions and outright defies me I get angry and/or frustrated and proceed to punish or discipline her in whatever way needs to be done at the time. After viewing those videos, my perspective changed. The doctors explained that each and every  baby or toddler is testing their boundaries, learning how far they can act or do in a certain situation. They are just seeing where those limits lie. And every time they do this it serves as an opportunity to teach. That's our job as parents and  I feel like I completely overlook that part most of the time and instead of seeing the teachable moment I just see a difficult situation that I have to begrudgingly deal with. Now I'm using my new perspective to approach each situation with more love and patience knowing that it's my job to teach her to control herself, to obey her parents and to enjoy the moment within the boundaries we've set.

These two areas in my life serve as examples of just how imperfect I am. That doesn't mean I wallow in my imperfection and say woe is me. We must strive for excellence, and for the God honoring desires we have, but also know that we're never going to be perfect. We're never going to be the best dressed, have the nicest house, or go on the best vacations. We need to stop trying to keep up with the Jones's (and by we, I mean me!! :) ) I'm beginning to embrace the fact that I'll never be an amazing athlete or perfect mother but I can learn from my mistakes and move forward knowing that they serve as a steppingstone to help me become a better person, someone that knows that it's God's grace that covers those mistakes and sins in my life. My identity is in who I am in Christ, not in what I achieve or do on instagram or facebook.

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." -2 Corinthians 12:9

Hosanna, Hosanna {Palm Sunday Craft and Treat}

^"A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” - Matthew 21:8-11

Hannah may be young but she is soaking up so much information at this age. I can see her learning and growing on a daily basis and I am just amazed. That is why we are starting young teaching our little lady about Jesus and the things of God.

Yesterday we taught her about Palm Sunday and Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. She loved when I traced around her little hands to make the "palm branches" and then waving it around in the air while I sang a kid song about Palm Sunday. She especially loved when I made treats for my AWANA girls. I think she thought they were for her! I did let her lick the frosting off the whisk. ;)

One of the verses that drives me as a parent is the one from Deuteronomy 6:7 that says, "You shall teach them [God's Words] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." It is our duty, no matter how young (or old for that matter), to teach our children God's truth. I hope and pray that she will someday come to know and love the Lord but until then I will continue to share and impress upon her how good He is to me and been in my life!

Quick and Easy Palm Sunday Cupcakes {No Recipe Required}

  
 I wanted to make a treat for my AWANA girls but I didn't have much time to do any serious baking. I bought some pre-made muffins/cupcakes at the supermarket and then whipped up a quick frosting to top them with. For the toppers I used the sugared "fruit" candy. Cut the green candies  length-wise and stick a toothpick in them. The cut sides are super sticky so they stick together well. Stick them together to resemble a palm branch. My toothpicks were really long for some reason so I made some little banners that said hosanna on them. They turned out pretty cute. I even gave the girls some chocolate gold coins to represent Jesus throwing out the money changers at the temple. :P Enjoy the rest of Passion Week and remembering our Savior and His great love for us!

Love in Action

I'm gonna kick off my return to blogging with a question that my husband and I have been discussing lately and that is: what does genuine Christian faith look like in the life of a believer? How does the Spirit work in him or her. It seemed to us that something seems missing in what we see in so much of the church today; including our own lives.

All too often I find myself living the christian lifestyle; going to church, dressing modestly, not watching or listening to inappropriate things, etc.. but not have a desire to further my relationship with God. I may look the part but in essence, I am behaving like an atheist. I hate that. I hate days when I am not seeking God or delving into His word for my spiritual food for the day. I want to love Him and desire Him all the days of my life but some days my sinful desires win and I choose to rely on my own strength and knowledge to make it through.

I came across this image online and it really made me think. Take away the Jesus stickers, clothes, jewelry, etc.. and would people be able to tell that you loved Jesus? What differentiates us from the rest of the world? The verses referenced were exactly what my husband and I had been looking for. That is the church. That is what genuine faith looks like.

Romans 12:9-21 ⁹ Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. ¹⁰ Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. ¹¹ Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. ¹² Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. ¹³ When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. ¹⁵ Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! ¹⁷ Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. ¹⁸ Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. ²⁰ Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” ²¹ Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

I need to be reminded (many times) of gospel truths before they really begin to sink in. Dwelling on these passages for a few minutes each day really helps me to focus on what my objective is in this world. The chief end of man is to glorify God and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to live out the words of this passage. I am choosing to rely on Him to help me have genuine faith and demonstrate love in action.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

During this season, as in every day, we are faced with two choices: focus on Christ and His coming or focus on any and everything else. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the glitz and glamour of the day (Christmas, or any day for that matter) that we forget the one who it is all about.

Each and every year since the time that Jeremy and I came to know the Lord, it seems we weed out more and more 'things' from our Christmas to make room for what really matters. I need to remind myself to not waste my life on trivialities because they will suck away my time and energy for the Lord. Satan would have me spend all my time out shopping or attending any number of parties this season, anything to keep me busy and away from time in worship of Jesus. It's not easy, because the world will have you think the gifts and lights and caroling is what it's all about but that just isn't true. What is true is that we as Christians should be preparing for and anticipating Christ's return- that's what Advent is all about. We celebrate His first coming as the little babe who was born to die for the sins of the world. And we look forward to the day when He comes back as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to rule and reign on earth.

These last few days have been precious as I've studied God's word and reflected on His plan in my life and His plan in the world. We serve an amazing God who had the rescue plan for all humanity planned even before the foundations on the earth. He knew what would happen in Eden. He knew we would need a Savior. And He planned to come down to earth to save us. Christmas is merry because God loves us so much. We have been reconciled to our Holy God through His Son. I pray you too are having a merry Christmas reflecting on the Lord and anticipating His triumphal return!

"Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him" Matthew 2:2

Songs of Christmas; Songs of Truth

It has already begun; the beautiful Christmas songs playing in the stores and on the radio. I'm sure we all have our favorites but last year I realized so many of them have gospel truths smack dab in the middle of them. How cool to have them heard by so many each year!?

{Hark the Herald Angel Sing}
Those angels were harking because a baby boy was born, the baby born to die. As the 2nd verse states, He was ‘veiled in flesh – the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity’ and ‘Jesus, our Emmanuel’. According to Matthew 1:23, Emmanuel is translated ‘God with us’. Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel, the Savior of the world, left His throne and became a man. He left His heavenly home to save us from our sins, which all started in the Garden of Eden. Because that sweet baby was born we can join the triumph of the skies, we can have second birth, and we can be full of peace and joy because God and sinners have truly been reconciled because of the blood of Christ!

{Joy to the World}
I’ve shared before about my tendency to be like Martha when I know I should be more like Mary, so the ‘aha’ moment in this song is the line – “Let every heart prepare Him room”. He has come down to earth to redeem the whole world, if we will but come to Him and accept Him in our hearts. Once you have accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, daily you are relying on Him to give you His strength and wisdom. That is where the Martha syndrome comes into play. The trivialities of life often times seem like the most important things and distract us from God. Especially during Christmas time, there is a tendency to focus on the tree, the presents and the many activities. Jesus' birth is just an after thought. This should not be.. it is His birthday, after all, and you wouldn't have a birthday party for your child and leave your little one at home would you? This carol reminds us to make Jesus at home in our hearts- our first priority over all things. What a great reminder of putting Him first always!

{What Child is This?}
For an onlooker it is natural to ask- who is this child? What's all the fuss about? Scripture tells us of a coming Messiah long before He was born in a manger. There are 300+ prophecies fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ. Some of them were prophecies of things like his family lineage, where he would be born, etc.. So who exactly is He? He is the Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Creator of all things, Great High Priest, Savior of the world, The Resurrection and the life, and the righteous judge. It is inconceivable* that the Creator of the universe would come in the flesh (incarnation= in carne {meat or flesh})

"Hail, hail, the Word made flesh, the babe, the Son of Mary"

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So now when you hear those old familiar songs playing in Safeway or other shopping center you can smile to know that the gospel is being spread for all to hear!

Here I stand, I can do no other

Today is Halloween, my Mom's birthday and Reformation Day. Tonight we will be celebrating with my Mom and eating lots of candy but I just wanted to take a moment now to reflect on Martin Luther, the reformation and the other movers and shakers in the christian world that had a profound impact on the way we worship.



It was October 31st, 1517 when Martin Luther posted the 95 theses on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, in protest to the way the Catholic church had been selling indulgences and various other practices & beliefs. Luther's desire was for a pure and biblically based belief, not one that had fluff and extra-biblical (man-made) 'doctrines'. At the top of the 95 theses, Luther wrote that it was "out of love for the truth" that he was bringing those issues up. It should be a concern to us all to preserve and believe in the pure and unadulterated Word of God.

Then there is William Tyndale who just a few shorts years later was fighting to make bibles available to the common people in the their own language. Tyndale took advantage of the newly invented printing press and was able to mass produce the english bible as well as some of his own writing against the Catholic church's practices. Tyndale's translation was banned and Tyndale himself was killed and then burned at the stake in 1536.

There are some stern warnings in the bible about making sure that we are following the Word as it came from the people who were first inspired by God (2 Corinthians 11:1-4; Galatians 1:8. These men, along with other brave christians, fought the good fight for Christ and His Word. They risked their lives and some actually gave their lives in the pursuit of the true and pure Word of God. In these days when it seems there are so many different beliefs in the world, even within the christian church, it would serve us well to cling to the holy and precious Word that God gave us and not what men impose to be 'true'. What a happy reformation day it is to know we have brothers and sisters in the faith who fought the good fight of faith so that Christ's church would prevail!

Faith in Action {In appreciation of my Pastor}

October is 'Pastor Appreciation Month' and I find it a fitting time to write a blog of appreciation about my pastor. The way we ended up at our church was definitely divinely orchestrated. But that's the way God works, right?!

Ours is a straight outta the bible church. Our pastor teaches from Genesis to Revelation. He doesn't skip parts that others may shy away from, even the uncomfortable parts. Frankly, life is uncomfortable sometimes and we can either ignore those parts and sacrifice not learning invaluable lessons or deal with them directly with the wisdom of God. For His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts and I will trust Him even if I don't understand 'why' always.

Pastor Paul has been going through an in depth series on the law for the last several months. He has taught on everything from how to deal with difficult neighbors, usury, and taking time to rest on the sabbath. He goes over the hebrew words and explains in detail the context on the scripture so we can truly know what God means to teach us in His word.

It was a month or so ago when something happened in my life that made me think twice about a situation. I was presented with a few different approaches to take but only one of them was the right way to handle it. It was in that circumstance in my every day life that I realized that God's word has been hidden in my heart. Pastor Paul had cultivated these precious words in my heart and at that moment they grew into a flower of faith in action. It's amazing what God's word can do and also to see the men He calls to lead His people. Thank you Pastor Paul for all that you do!

God Moments

Ever read your bible and find yourself getting excited because you've stumbled upon an amazing verse? Ever just have to tell someone about it because it's too good not to share? Jeremy is usually the person I do my sharing with but there are times when I tell him and it may not be as exciting to him or he is preoccupied with something else and he is clearly not understanding how unbelievably cool it is. Well those are the times when I remember that I shared that moment with the One who I was excited about in the first place. I cherish those God moments, just me and Him, taking in His word and loving every minute of it!

(Side note: Jeremy deserves credit for finding that un-be-lievable passage in Zechariah. Cross that with John 1:14 where the bible says that The Word (i.e. God) became flesh and dwelt among men in their midst. He is truly an awesome God, worthy of our praise!*

Living the Legacy

It is of utmost importance to me to live a life pleasing to God. The woman described in Proverbs 31:10-31 sure makes that cut and every day I strive to be that woman. Most days I barely even resemble her, but God is merciful and extends His hand of grace. I have come to realize that the key to becoming that women is to be intentional about it.

The Proverbs 31 woman doesn't just roll out of bed and hope that her family will be provided for, she works with eager hands (v.13) and gets up early to feed her family (v.15).

The Proverbs 31 woman doesn't rely on the government programs to help others, she opens her hands to the poor and needy (v.20). And when calamity hits home, she has no fear because she has prepared for this and clothed them in scarlet (v.21).

She clothes herself with strength and dignity (v.25).

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness (v.27).

This is a woman to look up to. She takes care of her family and her community by living a life of intention. We won't just wake up someday and be this woman, we have to live these verses out in our daily lives today and hereafter if we want to be the woman 'more precious than rubies'. What are you doing today to live an intentional life as you strive to become like the Proverbs 31 woman?

Children of God

"Jesus says to receive the kingdom of God — to come to Him — like children, fudgesicle stains and all. The fact that the Father loves, endures with, protects, provides for, instructs, and corrects us reveals that He’s glorious. We, by the grace of God, get to be children of God, the objects of the Father’s love, his glorious inconveniences. That’s what Christianity’s all about."


"We're a family. Church is like a big living room. God is our Father. And you know what happens at the house? The kids show up, they break things, they spill things, they make noise. Praise be to God. That's how it is in my house. That's how it is at this church." -Pastor Mark Driscoll from sermon 'Children are a Glorious Inconvenience'

When I feel overwhelmed

When I was young I always thought there would be a time in my life when I would be set and life would be easy. Don't we all wish that were true? Well, I have grown up and come to realize that life never really gets easy. We live our lives and complete our various daily tasks. Along the way we experience God's blessings but ultimately the struggles still come and the heartache, too, will inevitably rear it's ugly head.

I recently had to come to grips with this idea that life is tough. Jesus told us this some 2000+ years ago. So many times in the bible, He told us not to be afraid because He had out back.

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

What we must remember is that even though we will experience hardship in this life, He is there for us and He said "He will never leave us nor forsake us". What a wonderful truth we can rely on in those difficult moments of life. He is here. I am experiencing His peace because I know that He is always with me in the storms of my life!

Defeating Apathy

Ever feel like there are people around you who just don't seem to care? People are starving in other countries, even in our own backyards, yet nothing is done about it. I am not trying to point a finger, because I know there are times when I am just too "busy" with my own worries to help others, but I want to address a real problem plaguing America and plaguing the church; apathy.

What brought this subject to my attention are some recent fundraisers I've been working on. The latest one in particular is for victims of human trafficking / global sex trade. Believe it or not but slavery is still alive and active throughout the world and World Concern is doing something about it.

My experience in fundraising has been an up hill battle. I call and e-mail and facebook about a cause and then wait. And wait. And wait. It always seems to end up being me (and Jeremy of course) and my in-laws who donate or give any support. Why is this? I know that times are hard and money is tight. I know that we are all busy doing our own things and serving our own passions. I know that adding one more thing to our list of things to do or support may be too much for some.

What saddens me is that I thought people would want to help. In a world full of suffering and genuine need, but here in America we care more about what is happening with the latest celebrity couple or tv show the night before.

What I want to see is people embracing their God given duty to give to the orphan and widow. To care for the foreigner and downtrodden. When He was here that is exactly what He did and if He was here on earth today, that is what He would do now.

I am reminded of the story that Jesus told about the two sons, one who said he would not do as his father asked but then later did it and the other son who said he would do the task and didn't. How often is that us? We listen to a sermon on Sunday, say we'll help God's people as He has asked and then it slips right out our ears as we drive away.

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." -James 1:22

One of my favorite gospel songs has lyrics that inspire me to Get up in Jesus' name.

In the day which we live in, there's evil everywhere
The body seems discouraged and overcome with fear
Well God is needing soldiers, to get out of the pews
And take hold of the power that John and Peter used

My prayer is that God's people get out of the pews and live for Him. Love for Him. Serve and give for Him. We are the church and we are His hands and feet on earth. Let it not be said that we are hearers and not doers. Lord, help us to see the need in the world and take action in Jesus' precious and holy name. Amen.

In Remembrance of Me...

We are just about through the Passion Week and I am reminded that today is the day that the Lord instituted the Holy Communion, or Lord's Supper.

"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." - John 6:35

"And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me'." -Luke 22:19

It was on this day over 2,000 years ago that Jesus and His disciples partook of the Passover. But this Passover wasn't like any of the other Passovers, this one was special. It was there that Jesus commanded His disciples and His other called and chosen followers to remember His coming death and suffering for us. The way we remember that is by eating of the unleavened bread.

To understand the significance of the unleavened bread you have to look at how it is referenced through ought scripture. At the time of the first Passover in Egypt, the Children of Israel were in such a hurry to get out, that they just grabbed the bare essentials. That meant no yeast. God instructed them to observe that day each year to remember the great work He did for His children in redeeming them from the evils of Pharaoh and Egypt. Fast forward to Jesus' time when He told them to remember another day, when He would redeem them, once and for all, with His blood.

Still, there are other references to leaven or yeast in scripture that should be noted. "Whenever leaven is mentioned in the bible, 22 times in the Old Testament and 17 times in the New Testament, it always or almost always, represents sin or evil." The unleavened bread was without leaven or yeast which represents sin and Jesus, our 'bread of life', was without sin.

And still further, in the practice of a traditional Jewish Seder, the matzoh, or unleavened bread, is kept in a matzoh bag. Three pieces are kept in 3 different compartments of the bag. The middle bread is broken in two, and half of that will be hidden. After the meal, the children are sent out to find it. Then, every member of the family eats a small piece. I don't know about you, but everything about that and all of the other practices from a traditional seder meal, scream out to me, "This is all about Jesus!":

*The 3 different matzohs represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
*The middle matzoh being broken in two represents the Messiah; broken, striped and pierced for us all,
*And, the half of the middle matzoh that is hidden represents the body of Christ which was gone from the tomb

The bible is FULL of symbolism and I have to tell you, I love it! To understand the Jewish customs and know what meaning they had then, can add that much more meaning to your experience of Jesus now, because all scripture was written for our learning to teach us endurance and give us hope. And that hope we have when we take the time to remember Him and the sacrifice He made at His death on the cross.

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." -John 6:51

Love Letters

When Jeremy and I first started courting, he would send me love letters. Throughout the time that we were getting to know each other, these letters would arrive in my inbox (dating is so high tech these days :P) and with each sweetly written note, I could see the genuine feelings that were growing between us.

So it is with our relationships with others. I have been reminded of the verse in 2 Corinthians that says:

As I live my life and share my 'letter' with others, what message am I sending? How many times has my letter been spam, junk mail, or heaven forbid, hate mail.

I love the way this verse sounds from the Message: "Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it."

I want my letter to resound with the love of Jesus Christ. In a world full of all sorts of messages, I choose Christ as the letter and message I want to share. I want to BE a love letter for Him!

Abide in My Word

Do you ever sit through a sermon and have an 'aha!' moment, when something finally clicks, or when a verse just comes alive with wisdom? I had that experience during yesterdays sermon. The verse our pastor referenced was John 8:32, about knowing the truth and the truth setting us free. The sentence just before it is the one that caught my eye, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The key phrase being, abide in my word. In order to know what exactly His truth is, we need to be in His word. According to the definition, abide means to:


That means Jesus wants us to continually stay in His word. If we don't, we are bound to end up walking our own way only thinking we are walking in truth, but we are not. I know that is the case for me. If ever I go a few days without His Word guiding me, I face this world on my own and the results are disastrous. And honestly, I'm glad they are, because I never want to think I can handle life without Him and His guidance.


This last week I shared some precious time with my Lord, in His word. It is in those moments when I can learn more about the character of God and His truth, because His Word IS truth. There is nothing more precious to me than this special time I have with Him and as a spring cleaning measure in my life, I am 'cleaning out' all the junk that has entered in. The envy, the laziness, the too much TV habit, it's all gotta go because He means more to me than those things and I want to abide in Him! What spring cleaning do you need to do in order to more fully abide in Him?

What is man?

Wise Words

My Help, My Shield

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name.Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You." -Psalm 33.18-22