2011MAR/APR setapartgirl ISSUE

setapartgirl

LE SLI E L UDY’ S

MAGAZINE

JOIN US IN COLORADO!

The 2011 Annual

setapartgirl

CONFERENCE May 27th - 28th

Register now! p.14

IN THIS ISSUE: What a Godly Man Wants (In a Wife) p.18 On Tour with His Little Feet International Children’s Choir p.45 Blending Modesty & Style p.56 Plus, more from Leslie on Set Apart Motherhood

p.77

meet rachel sister of the common life p.70

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MARCH / A P RI L 20 11

letter from leslie BEST-SELLING AUTHOR FOUNDER, SET APART GIRL

Spring is my absolute favorite time of year. It was during a spring season many years ago that God got ahold of my life, rescued me from myself, and taught me how to build my existence around Him.

All these years later,

whenever I catch a hint of warmth in the air, see tiny new buds on the trees, or smell the freshness after a spring rain, I am reminded once

Photos by Lauren Torres

again of how He pursued me, how He loved me even when I had gone astray, and how He welcomed me back with such infinite tenderness, love, and forgiveness.

He transformed me from the inside out, and brought me from

death into Life.

Spring is such an amazing picture of exchanging death for life. The cold dreariness of winter is shed, and nourishing beauty emerges in its place.

Slumbering, barren trees transform into glorious displays of vibrant living color. New flowers burst forth from the ground. Insects and birds suddenly appear, filling the breeze with their songs, buzzes, and chirps.

If our God is able to create such astounding transformation in nature, how much more in the human soul! As this new spring approaches, I am celebrating the reality that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17) I pray that this magazine issue will build your faith around the God who is able to bring You from death into His abundant Life - no matter where you have been or what you are going through. Just look outside your window, and you will see His transforming power.

For His glory,

Leslie

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letter from annie CREATIVE DIRECTOR

With every new issue, Leslie and I have been astounded at the hunger and passion you've shared for setapartgirl online magazine. It's been a sacred labor of love from our team - first, unto our Jesus, and second, for each of you who have chosen to turn from the godless message of our culture and walk the narrow road of Set Apart Femininity with our matchless Savior. So, as new things are unfolding, we just can't help but share it with you!

For some time we've dreamed and prayed about taking setapartgirl to print and after a bit of trembling hesitation, we believe that God is leading us into this new adventure.

And what God alone has built only needs God alone to

lead it and provide every step along the way!

While it could be close to a year before the first issue "hits the stands," we want to invite you to join with us now in prayer during this time of preparation. See page 17 to learn how you can get updates on our progress and also join with us on Facebook!

May love for our Beloved lead us, may the cries of young women in this generation be met with truth and hope, and may you continue to be set ablaze with passion for your First Love, Jesus Christ!

HIS and yours,

annie

Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie. Â All rights reserved. Â No material from this website may be copied, reproduced, or distributed without express written permission from The Church at Ellerslie.

set apart femininity Explore God’s Sacred Intent for Your Life Top 10 Time Wasters, Part 3 Set Apart Quote

8 30

set apart relationships

Honoring God in Love and Romance What a Godly Man Wants Returning to My First Love

18 24

set apart walk

Cultivate Your Daily Romance with Christ Living by Faith, Not Feeling Yet Will I Praise Him His Little Feet Update

32 37 45

set apart style

Showcasing the Radiance of Christ Charm is Deceitful Blending Modesty & Style

51 56

set apart motherhood

Discover God’s Heart for Home and Family A Well-Ordered Home The Kiddo Spot

77 84

BONUS PHOTO SHOOT p.86

Harper Grace turns

4!

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ineveryissue 7

our contributors

50

reaching the orphan

65

q&a with leslie

67

staff book recommendations

68

devotional

70

sister of the common life

100

set apart voices

32

7 7

70

7 3

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OUR TEAM leslie

FOUNDER, SET APART GIRL

Leslie Ludy is a bestselling author and speaker with a passion for reaching her generation with the hope of Christ.

She and her husband, Eric, have been writing and speaking together for the past fifteen years. Widely known for their bestselling classic, When God Writes Your Love Story, Eric and Leslie have become foremost voices on some of the most poignant issues facing the church today, such as relationships, purity, holiness, and living a fully consecrated life for Christ. Together, they are the authors of fifteen books that have been translated into over a dozen languages around the world. For more about Leslie’s books, click here. Leslie and Eric are the founders and directors of Ellerslie Leadership Training based in Windsor, Colorado – an intensive discipleship training program that prepares future leaders for world-impacting Christian service, and draws men and women of all ages from around the world.

annie

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Annie Wesche is the Creative Director for both Set Apart Girl and Ellerslie Leadership Training. As editor and designer of setapartgirl online magazine, Annie has won the hearts of young women around the globe with her sense of style, warmth of manner, and passion for Jesus Christ. Annie’s heart is gripped with a love for orphaned and vulnerable children and she has traveled internationally as a professional photographer to tell their stories and champion their rescue.

jade

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Jade Valcarcel serves as the executive assistant for Set Apart Girl as well as part-time nanny to the four Ludy kiddos. She grew up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and has spent time as a missionary in Seoul, South Korea, where she taught conversational English to children ages 3-16 and led a Bible study for women. Jade is passionate about writing, serving children, cooking and being the hands and feet of Christ to the least.

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OUR CONTRIBUTORS kelsey nannemann

WRITER | NEW MEXICO

ASHLEY’S ARTICLE PAGE 24

I’m originally from uniquely beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico, but God has currently stationed me in charming Windsor, Colorado while I attend Ellerslie Leadership Training. Here at Ellerslie, God is teaching more and more about the exchanged life. I am learning to die to myself so that He might fill me with Himself and equip me for the work that He has called me to. I am also preparing to do university ministries in Paris, France come this fall, and so excited to see how the Lord will lead me.

ashley green

WRITER | MINNESOTA

ASHLEY’S ARTICLE PAGE 32

I live in the beautiful state of Minnesota and am currently pursuing a degree in elementary education. My heart's greatest desire is to use the skills I am learning to reach children in need - whether that be here in the States or abroad. I have found that no matter where I am, there is no greater joy than living my life wholly and passionately for my King!

jasmin howell

WRITER | ALBERTA

JASMIN’S ARTICLE PAGE 37

Alberta is an absolutely beautiful Canadian province. My husband and I live there in a booming town located between two major cities. I teach English at a local college and have the privilege of impacting the lives of thirty students every day. In my life there is no more challenging an environment to speak of our Lord than in a college. Students learn about every worldly philosophy, their hearts are turned to anything but God, and my setapart walk is watched very closely. Praise the Lord that He constantly equips me to speak His Name, just as He does all believers - each in our unique God-given place of ministry!

tessa hershberger

WRITER | OHIO

TESSA’S ARTICLE PAGE 45

Windsor, CO is currently "home," as I am finishing up my last semester of Ellerslie Training. In anticipation of Spring's near arrival and the beautiful new life it will bring, I am so much looking forward to seeing how God also does a work of "new" in my own life. Of course, there will be days when it seems the snow may never melt, but the God I've come to love has proven Himself trustworthy over and over, and never fails to make the sun shine and the flowers bloom in His perfect timing. He Who has promised is faithful!

amy meyers

WRITER | ILLINOIS

AMY’S ARTICLE PAGE 45

Right now, I'm excited to be in my final semester of Ellerslie Leadership Training, seeing all the Lord is doing in every life here. He is at work! The scent of spring is in the air, despite the pockets of snow still lingering, and Jesus is calling me unto Himself to enjoy Him and all He has made. "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come..." Song of Solomon 2:10b-12a

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1 0 time

top

wasters

Part 3

by Leslie Ludy

Laziness.

Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.

(Proverbs 20:13)

As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed.

(Proverbs 26:14) Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie. Â All rights reserved. Â No material from this website may be copied, reproduced, or distributed without express written permission from The Church at Ellerslie.

How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?

(Proverbs 6:9) When I was seventeen, God challenged me to build my life around Him. Not to just fit Him into my life when it was convenient, but to center my entire existence, every moment of my daily life upon cultivating intimacy with my true King, Jesus Christ. He was stirring my soul towards hours of prayer, long, uninterrupted times in His presence, and giving Him the very best hours of my day – every day.

It didn’t seem like a very practical request.

In fact, I didn’t believe it was really possible to live that way. I mean, how could I devote hours of every day to prayer when I was in the middle of high school? How could I spend long periods

of time cultivating intimacy with Jesus Christ when I had so many deadlines, assignments and commitments? I had a job. I had homework. I had the expectations of my friends and family.

I read the Scriptures in the Bible about “praying without ceasing” but I assumed these statements were poeticsounding ideals, rather than actual commands from the King of all kings. So I shrugged them off as extreme and unnecessary.

As far as I could tell, I was living a normal, healthy Christian lifestyle doing the best I could with my daily decisions. I sincerely desired Jesus Christ to have first place, but for some reason, my life always felt too rushed and busy to truly build my

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day around Him. The idea of spending hours in prayer seemed completely unrealistic. And besides, I didn’t know any other Christians who were living that way.

And yet, His soft request continued to stir within my soul.

Build your life around Me. “Build your life around Me.” But how?

Elisabeth Elliot wrote, “God never issued instructions which He is not prepared to enable us to follow.” So one morning I knelt by my bed and asked God to show me specifically what was standing in the way of the fully consecrated life He was calling me to live. And suddenly, He opened my eyes to see it. There was a huge, ugly monster in my life, standing belligerently in my way and hindering me daily from living a life of absolute devotion to my King.

Laziness.

It was most evidenced in my sleep habits. My flesh preferred staying up late to watch movies, spend time with friends or work on hobbies. And I gave into this craving night after night.

As a result, I would sleep in as late as possible the next morning, then fly out of bed, get ready in a frenzy – cramming in five or ten minutes of distracted prayer and Bible study before I rushed out the door. On weekends, I would

sleep in even later just because I could, not even starting my day until close to lunchtime. And whatever time was leftover was taken with errands, shopping, and social activities.

I had been complaining that my life was too full to devote hours to prayer and seeking God. Yet in reality, I was simply too lazy to make it my highest priority. Sleep was something I had always thought of as being under my jurisdiction – that it was my innate right to go to bed and get up when I felt like it, and that it was totally reasonable to expect eight or nine hours of sleep every night, and several extra hours of sleep on the weekends.

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But now the Spirit of God was shining His searchlight within my soul, convicting me of this ugly laziness, and asking me to usher it to the door and kick it out of my life. Sleep, He taught me, was not to control my life. It was to become a tool to serve His purposes and not my own fleshly whims.

The Apostle Paul said, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Cor. 9:27)

This was precisely what God was asking me to do.

This was precisely what God was asking me to do - discipline my body, let Him take control of my sleep habits, and banish laziness from my daily life.

The next season of my life was a bit like going through boot camp. My sleep habits were completely overhauled by the enabling grace of God. I learned the discipline of having a regular bedtime, cutting off my “leisure” activities and saying no to many social invitations in order to keep it. I trained my body to consistently get up early, and to jump out of bed quickly without pressing the snooze button. I learned how to use my “extra time” on week-

ends not to lazily lounge in bed, but to serve others, spend time in prayer and Bible study, and build deeper relationships with my family members.

It was not easy. It was not comfortable. It didn’t happen without loud protests from my flesh. But once I achieved victory in this area, it changed my life forever. Conquering my laziness enabled me to develop a level of intimacy with my King that I never even knew was possible.

Breaking the Laziness Cycle The word “discipline” has almost become taboo in today’s modern Christian world. It conjures up images of dour legalism and miserable lists of rules and regulations. Yet godly discipline is nothing of the sort. It is an act of worship - a crucifying of the selfish and fleshly agenda in order to surrender to Christ’s pure and perfect agenda.

Discipline does not bring misery and restriction into our life. Rather, it brings glorious freedom. When our flesh is under subjection to the Spirit of God, we are free to live as He calls us to live.

We are able to give our time, our energy and our lives fully to the things of His Kingdom. Discipline is an amazing gift and an invaluable tool to usher us to the presence of the King of all kings.

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In her book Discipline; the Glad Surrender, Elisabeth Elliot writes, “Discipline, for the Christian, begins with the body. We have only one. It is this body that is the primary material given to us for sacrifice. We cannot give our hearts to God and keep our bodies for ourselves.”

And by the same token, we cannot give our hearts to God and keep our sleep habits for ourselves. If we attempt to do so, we will find that our Christian life is made up of “good intentions” rather than a life lived in the presence of our King. Personally, I do not want to look back at my life and see countless mornings of pressing the snooze button when I could have been in the throne room of the Most High God. What heartbreaking regret.

If you feel the gentle conviction of God’s Spirit that your sleep habits need to change, here are some key Scriptural principles to ponder:

1. Rising Early for Prayer Scripture puts a high value on waking up early, even before dawn, and giving the first-fruits of our day to God in prayer, worship and seeking His face: You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. (Ps 63:1) Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. (Ps 57:8)

[The virtuous woman] also rises while it is yet night. . . (Proverbs 31:15) Jesus Himself set for us a clear example of rising early to seek the Father’s face: “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He pray-ed.” (Mark 1:35) There is something so refreshing about rising early to seek God in prayer.

Though prayer is powerful no matter when we do it, there is something extra powerful about early morning-prayer. It is the ultimate way to crucify self from the very beginning of our day; to silence our selfish, lazy, controlling flesh and yield to the Spirit of God. Its an opportunity to declare with our lives, not just our lips, that Jesus truly is our most important priority. It gives the Spirit of God, rather than our fleshly whims, the first say.

John Bunyan said, “He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.” I have found this to be absolutely true in my own life. Whenever I allow myself to oversleep and miss my time in God’s presence, the entire day feels “off.” But when I discipline my flesh and make my early morning prayer a non-negotiable, I walk in the sweet presence of my King for the rest of my day. Jesus said “Seek first the Kingdom of God,” and when I apply this command to my prayer life by

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proper alignment.

If your flesh balks at the idea of waking up early to pray, here are a few practical suggestions:

•

Memorize a simple Scripture to recite the moment your alarm goes off. I love to whisper Psalm 118:24 first thing in the morning: “This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Meditating upon Truth turns my focus toward my King and helps me to rejoice rather than complain or focus on my rebellious flesh that is begging me to pull the covers back over my head.

“He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.”

- John Bunyan seeking Him in my first act of the day, every other area of my life comes into

•

Recruit an accountability partner who is willing to get up early along with you. Even if you don’t physically meet to pray with this person, just a quick phone call to say “I’m awake, and I’m starting my prayer time now” can do wonders at silencing the temptation to push the snooze button.

• Gradually train your body toward an earlier wake-up time. If you have never fasted in your life and then suddenly attempt a 40 day fast,

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l a u n an

Join us in Colorado!

2011 Conference

setapartgirl

with Leslie Ludy

for women and girls of all ages May 27-29, Ellerslie Campus, Windsor, CO

REGISTER NOW!

In every generation there are a few...

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you are setting yourself up for failure.

In the same way, if you are used to waking up at 9 a.m. and you try to switch cold-turkey to a 5 a.m. wakeup time, chances are you will wane in your commitment after a day or two.

Instead, try setting your alarm for 20 minutes earlier for the first couple of days. Then, set it for another 20 minutes earlier and work on that new discipline for a few days. Continue this pattern until you have reached the wake-up time that you feel God is asking of you. Let your body get used to change over a period of a few weeks, rather than biting off more than you can chew in one day.

I recently had a conversation with a young woman named Rachel who has focused intensely on silencing her flesh in order to make time in God’s presence her highest priority.

“Seeking God early in the morning is like finding a hidden treasure,” she said. “You have to be willing to look where no one else wants to look in order to find it. I have found that it all

2. Silencing the Voice of Flesh

hinges upon having a desire to spend time with Christ - seeing it as a privilege and not just something I am obligated to do. When it becomes a joy and not just a duty, I am eager to get up and give Him the first-fruits of my day. But if I see it as an obligation, it’s easy to keep putting if off until later.”

Rachel told me that the most important part of her prayer-life discipline is a decision she makes every night before she goes to bed. “I have to predecide that spending time with Christ is worth the effort of getting out of bed, no matter how I might feel when my alarm goes off. If I have already made the decision that I’m getting up no matter what, then I don’t give my flesh any opportunity to try to talk me out of it.”

Paul wrote three simple yet powerful words that express the essence of the Christ life: “I die daily.” (1 Cor. 15:31) Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) If we fail to apply these principles to the practical areas of our life, such as our sleep habits, we fail to obey our King. Re-training our sleep habits means silencing the voice of our selfish flesh on a daily basis. It means literally ignoring what our body is crying out for (the luxury of sleeping whenever we feel like it) and awakening to what the Spirit of God is whispering to our soul (the privilege of dying to self and spending ample time in His presence.)

...if i see it as an obligation, it’s easy to keep putting it off until later.

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What Makes Life Work On two different occasions, the disciples fished all night long and caught absolutely nothing. But when Jesus came and stood in their midst, they merely had to let down their net once and such an abundance was caught that they didn’t even have room in their boat to contain it all. (See Luke 5:4 and John 21:3-6) When prayer is missing from our life and we are controlled by sleep and laziness, we spend countless time and energy trying to make our life work, constantly failing and beating our head against the wall in frustration. But as it says in Psalm 1, when we meditate upon our Lord day and night, we

become like a tree that brings forth much fruit – and everything that we do just works. Our time is multiplied. Our effectiveness is multiplied. Our energy is multiplied. Life becomes fruitful instead of frustrating.

Discipline is not something that can be gained in one night. It requires faithful training, dedication, and consistency. It requires an infusion of the enabling grace of God. And it takes faith to believe that change is possible – “by the power that worketh in us.” When we are willing to run the race with patience, the rewards are off-the-charts amazing. A life built around our Prince is the most fulfilling life we could ever imagine.

And there is no other way to find it but to die – that we might truly live.*

...When we meditate upon our lord day and night, we become like a tree that brings forth much fruit...

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a guy shares his thoughts

What a Godly Guy Wants .

(in a wife)

by an anonymous Warrior-Poet-in-the-Making copyright 2010 The Church at Ellerslie, all rights reserved

18

T

his may not come as a surprise to anyone, but most Christian girls want to marry a Warrior-Poet sort of man. I don’t blame them. Christ-crafted masculinity is truly a wonder to behold, and true men of God are what true women of God should want to marry. These men are inspired by sacrificial love. They are motivated by the thought of spending their strength to rescue the weak. They have sworn to protect innocence and honor everywhere. They are unafraid of bleeding for their King on a spiritual battlefield, or weeping over the sickening injustice of the sex-trade. Their heart is noble. Their eyes are kind, rich and pure. Their thoughts are lofty and unsullied by worldliness. Why would a young woman not want to marry a man like that?

Nevertheless, I have a “bone to pick” with a mentality that lingers around the halls of Christendom. It is like there is a mysterious Think-tank out there that breeds this idea that Godly, eligible young men need a little nudging in the area of pursuing marriage. There’s this unspoken rule that says if a young man is “godly,” tolerably good-looking, and single then it is his Christian duty to rescue one of the millions of lovely, godly, young ladies from the jaws of certain old-maid-dom! The Think-tank says, “You’re a Godly young man, what are you waiting around for? Can’t you see there are plenty of good Christian

girls who would love to marry a young man like yourself? Is there something w ro n g w i t h y o u ? A re y o u b e i n g conceited? Do you need me to introduce you to my daughter?”

Honestly, I am tired of people telling me to stop twiddling my thumbs in a corner and get to work on this marriage business. I am wearied with the unspoken idea that it’s my Christian obligation to simply get married. The Think-tank says I need to “get to work.” I say that waiting on God is the work. The Think-tank says that if I want to get married then I need to “get moving.” I say, “Waiting on God is moving forward.”

However, since it seems like this enigmatic Think-tank takes supreme delight in planning the future marital bliss of Warrior-Poet’s such as myself, I am going to do something that will confound them for years to come. I am announcing to the world what a Warrior-Poet is looking for in a wife. This is not just one young man’s sentimental ideals. This is a

His heart is irrevocably given to his King...

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peek into the sacred inner depths of Warrior-Poets everywhere.

Are you ready for this? Take a deep breath as what I’m about to say is probably shocking! I might get in trouble for saying it, but I’ve kept it in long enough, and somebody has to say it. So, here goes:

A Warrior-Poet does not want to marry a nice Christian girl.

There, I said it. Now let me explain what I mean...

A Warrior-Poet has heard the call of God upon his life and he is sobered by the grim task appointed to him by heaven. He has begged for the harshest tasks, the hardest knocks, and the darkest dens. He is called to battle. He is called to go into the greatest strongholds of hell upon this earth and make a stand for his King. He knows that his very life will likely be sacrificed in order to plant the flag of Jesus upon the highest hill of the land. And he rejoices in his commission. He delights to carry out the enterprise of his Heavenly Commander.

He is prepared to die a martyr’s death.

He has surrendered, if necessary, the joys of marital bliss in order to glorify the King more fully. However, if God graciously allows him to wed, he is not interested in a girl that is infatuated with this world.

A Warrior-Poet is insulted by the type of man that many Christian girls are attracted to. These are not true men.

More often than not, they are completely

He does not want a girl who trifles with Christianity. opposite of what a true man should be.

Just because he is a worship leader or youth pastor at your church does not make him a man. Just because he is in a Christian band and is on the radio does not make him a man. Just because the large majority of Christian girls are infatuated with the so-called hunky, vampiric heroics of Edward Cullen, does not make him a man. The Warrior-Poet has been tested in the prayer-closet, proven in his deportment, and justified by his consistency. He may not be cool by the world’s criterion, but if you want to marry such a man, do not affront his masculinity by being smitten with such paltry examples of manhood.

While nice Christian girls are fairly common, they are not impressive to a Warrior-Poet. He does not want his future wife wasting her time pining away

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for him. He wants her spending her years of singleness upon the Lord Jesus. He wants to marry a girl who, when he stretches out his neck for the sake of the Gospel, pours his blood out for Jesus’ fame and earns the privilege of a martyr’s crown, stretches her neck out beside his in glad and joyous love for Christ.

He does not want a girl that trifles with Christianity. He wants a woman who is radically given to Christ. He does not want a girl who prays tepid, lukewarm prayers. He wants a woman who lives in defiance of the powers of Hell. He does not want a girl who is self-adorning with the latest fashions and trends. He wants a woman who is adorned with the inner jewelry of Christ-given holiness. He does

not want a girl who dishonors and belittles her parents. He wants a woman who honors the authorities God has placed in her life and serves them with charity and gladness. He does not want a girl whose Bible is an accessory to her wardrobe. He wants a woman whose hunger and thirst is to know the Lord, and who diligently feasts upon His word.

He does not want a girl whose tongue is a deceptive weapon of selfishness. He wants a woman whose words drip with the honey of the name Jesus. He does not want a girl who uses her feminine beauty to seduce, manipulate, and control men. He wants to marry a girl whose body has been surrendered to Christ and is therefore a temple of the Holy Spirit.

A Warrior-Poet wants an Elisabeth Elliot, who will labor for the gospel among the very people that took her beloved. He wants a Narcissa Whitman, who will adventurously endure hardship and death alongside her husband.

He wants a Betty Stamm, who will courage-ously face death rather than deny her Savior, although it means orphaning her newborn baby. He wants a Catherine Booth, who, though ridiculed and beaten, will unabashedly preach the gospel to the impoverished and depraved masses. He wants

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a Sabina Wurmbrand, who will gladly surrender her husband in order that the glory of her King might not be made a mockery. He wants an Amy Carmichael, who will rise up in heroic boldness and defy earthly powers that are hell-bent on allowing the defilement of little girls. He wants a Gladys Aylward, who will persistently follow the call of God. He wants a Maria Dyer Taylor, who will patiently endure derision in order to wait upon God’s timing for marriage to her darling Hudson. He wants a Nancy Judson, who will tirelessly serve him while he is in prison for the Gospel. This is the sort of woman a Warrior-Poet wants.

While the world would see this sort of woman as incredibly boring, repulsive, ghastly, and uninteresting, a Warrior-Poet finds this sort of woman to be incredibly fascinating, exquisitely attractive, ravishingly gorgeous, stunningly heavenly, and undeniably captivating! She has been crafted by the King, and a Warrior-Poet cherishes his King’s handiwork. This sort of man will endure the impatience and

ruthless criticism of the Think-tank in order to win such a bride!

So, if you want a Warrior-Poet for a husband, this is what his heart is drawn to. His heart is irrevocably given to his King, and his greatest wish for a wife is a woman that has given herself in radical abandon to that King. If you want an incredible husband and marriage, then yield yourself to the fires of refining.

Do not use God as a means to marriage; make God your supreme delight. Forsake all, even the promise of a Warrior-Poet husband, in order to make much of Jesus. Break your dreams and desires and wishes as fragrant perfume upon the precious head of Jesus. If you’re less attractive to the world, and have a few unsightly calluses, scars, or limps because of living surrendered to God’s work, a WarriorPoet will still count you as the most glorious, radiant, blazingly-beautiful, and stunningly-breathtaking woman to ever grace the planet. *

ANONYMOUS & on purpose.

Since our last anonymous article we’ve had a few attempts to inquire about the identity of our male contributors. I’m afraid we’ll be keeping the authors under-wraps and for a very good reason. A glimpse of a single warrior poet is enough to send a single setapart young lady into distraction. So, rather than reveal our ‘sources’ for guy thoughts, we encourage you to keep your gaze set upon the Author of romance and not on the author of these articles. (P.S. Don’t even try to get it out of Jade.)

Copyright 2010 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

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Inspire the guys in your life towards true masculinity Learn more about the pattern of warrior poet manhood copyright 2010 The Church at Ellerslie, all rights reserved

23

Returning

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24

First to my Love.

by Kelsey Nannemann

I walked into my dad’s office one November afternoon and asked if we could talk. He looked up at me and soon had concern written all over his face. I couldn’t hold back my emotions anymore. Suddenly I choked out the words, “Dad… I need to break up with him.” I burst into tears as he wrapped his arms around me. I knew that the decision I was about to make would be one of the most difficult - but most important - of my entire life.

It sometimes seems as if I’m looking into another person’s life when I think back on the pain and confusion that had overtaken me that winter.

Growing up, I genuinely loved the Lord and had an ongoing relationship with Him. But as I grew older, I began to forsake my first Love. I knew that

there were things in my life that I had been holding back from Him; things that He needed to clean out. I was not finding my fulfillment in Him anymore.

I was looking to the things of this world to bring me satisfaction. Soon, a relation-ship with a guy came along and completely took over my life. I became engaged to this man, but instead of a beautiful romance that brought me joy, this relationship was slowly destroying me.

I built my life around my fiancé, giving him everything I knew to give...

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25

I built my life around my fiancé, giving him everything I knew to give: my money, my time, my purity, and my heart.

I was so wrapped around him that nothing else seemed to matter to me anymore. My relationship with my family was getting more and more distant every single day. I had sacrificed every friendship I had for the sake of keeping him happy. I barely left my house unless I was going to work or spending time with him. Church was the greatest chore of all. I sat there amidst the congregation, thinking only of what a hypocrite I was and wondering if it was ever possible for me to change. My relationship with God was absolutely nonexistent. In my mind’s eye He was distant, uncaring, and impossible to reach, though I would have adamantly denied these statements had anyone bothered to ask.

The Christian morals that I had grown up with were thrown down the drain and I was preparing for marriage to someone that I didn’t love or respect, someone who made me miserable. I felt trapped in the relationship but I was too afraid and prideful to try and get out. I wanted things to be the way they used to be with God, but I thought that I had messed up too badly for Him to give me another chance.

I had known the Truth and I had trampled on it. I was convinced that I would have to live the rest of my life suffering the consequences of my mistakes.

The regret of what I had done washed over me as I stood there crying in

my dad’s arms. I had no way to fix the situation I was in. All I could do was face it. I can’t explain to you the agonizing pain, the complete helplessness, loneliness, and terrifying fear that had overtaken me. In that moment I wanted nothing more than for the earth to open up and swallow me whole so that I would never again have to face what I had done and what I was going to do. I had reached my end and knew without a shadow of a doubt that I couldn’t handle life on my own anymore. It was there, crying in my dad’s arms, that I knew how much I needed Jesus Christ. And it was there in my dad’s arms that Jesus whispered to me, “Kelsey, I will be with you, but you must obey.”

My dad and I sat down to try and figure out how I was going to go through the break up. I can honestly say that it was the worst night of my entire life. The promise God whispered to me earlier that day was the only thing that sustained me.

At first the loneliness and the depression swallowed me whole. For months after that I didn’t feel any freedom, joy, or victory, and rarely did I feel His presence. I had completely forgotten how to pray, how to read my Bible, and how to love. Learning to have a relationship with Him again was extremely difficult.

But everything had begun to change the day I decided to once again commit myself to the Lord and return to

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26

my first Love. I realized that I missed Jesus so much, and I knew that all I needed and wanted was Him. I remembered the love that I could feel in His presence, and the way that He cared about every little thing in my life.

I suddenly realized that those things which I had been holding so closely, those things He hated, the things which separated me from Him - they were never worth it. To have Him was all that mattered. And so I rid my life of everything He hated, everything I could think of. I began to meet with Him again. It was awkward at first. I thought that He would be mad at me for what I had done, but I was wrong. I realized that the only thing that kept us apart was me - my pride, selfishness, and belief that I could fix myself on my own.

Every day He shares His heart with me in greater ways, and every day I love Him more.

I spend hours every day learning about Him and there’s still always so much more. Recently I’ve discovered how jealous He is for me. Rather than being bothered by this fact, it’s made me realize how much He loves me - that He wants to be a part of every aspect of my life and have me wholly to Himself. As I re-learned how to surrender everything I was to Him, He met me where I was. He brought so much healing and wholeness into my life that it can only be described as a miracle, a beautiful work of God. If you knew the person that I used to be,

you too would never stop praising Him for the great love, compassion, and power that He has displayed in me.

He brought so much healing and wholeness into my life that it can only be described as a miracle...

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27

Perhaps you are feeling the extent of how much you need Jesus and how much you want Him in your life. Day in and day out I see other young women going about their busy lives, clinging to everything they can to find satisfaction.

Instead of coming to Him, I see them trying instead to find what they desire in a relationship, in a job, in their appearance, in their reputation, or even in their possessions.

In order to have a fulfilling romance with Him, we must remain faithful to Him. If you were to have an earthly marriage, you would never expect your husband to think that it would be okay for you to have an affair. In the same way, it is not okay for us to have a love affair with the world when our only love should be for God. First John 2:15 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” God makes it black and white for us. In Luke 11:23 He says, “He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.”

I once thought it was possible for me to love the world and still love God. I believed that I would be able to do whatever I wanted to throughout most of the week so long as I allocated some time for reading my Bible and going to church.

I thought that if I did those things, I would have God when I needed Him and could pursue all of my desires in the world as well. I was convinced that I could have

any type of relationship I wanted to and still be able to maintain my relationship with Him. And most importantly, I thought that I was all I needed to live the Christian life.

And oh how wrong I was! God makes it clear that if we want to have a relationship with Him, we must give Him everything.

When I gave God everything I knew to give, I didn’t realize what I would in turn receive- His life! He has given me His joy, His peace, His love, and His Spirit living within me. I could not possibly ask for anything sweeter.

Let us remember Mary of Bethany and the example that she set for us so many years ago. Mary took her most prized possession and poured all of it out at Jesus’ feet. As a woman in her time, Mary would not have been able to provide for herself, but would have been dependent on others to provide for her. The bottle of spikenard was nearly the value of a brand new car in our day. To pour the spikenard upon Jesus’ feet was no small act of love. She poured out the thing which would offer her security and provision for years to come. Jesus Christ was honored and glorified by her act, and used her as an example for all of us. He said in Mark 14:9, “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

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28

“

Let me encourage you, sweet sister, to give everything to your King. Do not hold anything back from Him, including yourself. As you pour out that which is

most precious to you upon His feet, He will exchange your life for His. *

Do not hold anything back from Him...

THESE ARE A FEW OF THE KELSEY’S FAVORITE THINGS... laying in the grass on a warm summer day

coffee, tea, and most hot drinks | journals

snuggling up under a warm blanket | roses | Paul Washer sermons dove milk chocolate | sweet laughs and cuddles from my nieces city life | books | coffee shops | Ellerslie prayer sessions

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29

setapart QUOTE "The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman."

- Elisabeth Elliot Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

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shows young women the significant role they play in helping guys discover true manhood as God intended it to be, in all of its glory, strength, nobility and honor.

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extremely practical - tackling key areas such as guy/girl friendships, physical and emotional boundaries, modesty, flirting, and laying the foundation for a God-scripted love story.

A great book for small group discussions - appropriate for younger teens yet

relevant2011 for college age at and older. Â All rights reserved. Â Copyright The Church Ellerslie.

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living by faith

not feeling.

by Ashley Green

It comes when I least expect it. I

I should. Up until a couple months ago,

never quite know when to expect it, but

my life was controlled more by my

it’s a feeling that overtakes me. It comes

feelings and emotions than it was by

in different forms, from not sensing the

Christ.

nearness of my Lord, to being consumed

with the Lord hinged on whether or not I

with thoughts of my issues and problems,

was feeling close to Him; the productivity

to not feeling motivated to do what I know

of my day was based on whether or not I

The profitableness of my times

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“If you would live in victory over the circumstances, great and small, that come to you each day…and if you want God’s life and power to well up from the depths of your being…then you must refuse to be dominated by the seen and the felt.”

- Amy Carmichael

was feeling stimulated; and my faith in

own ability! In His gentle way, God began

God rested upon what my emotions were

transforming this area of my life, teaching

telling me at the moment.

me to trust Him more than I trusted my

I knew this was not the way God

feelings or emotions. He reminded me

wanted me to live, but I felt helpless to do

that He isn’t any less present when I’m

anything to change it. In my own strength,

feeling distant from Him. He isn’t any less

there was no way I could alter this

powerful when I’m feeling down. And He

unhealthy pattern. Praise the Lord that it

isn’t any less faithful when I’m feeling

is HIS work that changes us, and not our

weak. He is still the same! My Lord never

i knew this was not the way God wanted me to live Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

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changes, and He isn’t affected by my up-

has been enabling me to trust Him even

and-down emotions.

when I’m not experiencing any emotion,

In the well-known devotional

even when my flesh tells me that I should

Streams in the Desert, the author shares:

give up. No matter what the circum-

“We have taken a great step toward

stance, my desire is to trust my never-

maturity when we trust God without

changing Lord. I will wait for Him. I will

relying on our feelings.

believe He is fully capable of doing what

It is more of a

blessing when we believe without experiencing any emotion.

While the first

level of faith believes when our emotions are favorable, the second believes when all feelings are absent. And the third level transcends the two, for it is faith that believes God and His Word when circumstances, emotions, appearances, people, and human reason all seem to urge something to the contrary.”

This quote was such a challenge to me – a challenge to stop allowing my feelings and emotions to dictate how I live. With great patience and mercy, God

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feelings come and feelings go, emotions change, but our Lord He is always the same!

He promised.

And my heart will cry, “I

know that my Redeemer lives!”

love for Him.

Oh, blessed

thought. Not that I don’t enjoy feelings of love, joy, and peace – I do! But I don’t need them.”

I couldn’t agree with her more.

Feelings of love and joy are wonderful,

By His

but they aren’t essential to my walk with

supernatural strength, I will refuse to be

the Lord. The more I tune out the voice

dominated by the seen and the felt.

of self and ignore my emotions, the more

A few months ago, a dear friend

I come to know this God who is worthy

wrote this to me: “Something I’ve been

of my life. Our God is a Rock…He’s

thinking about lately is how often I think

changeless! Feelings come, feelings go,

that my relationship with the Lord is

and emotions change; but our Lord – He

centered on feeling. As if when I’m not

is always the same!

feeling joy while reading or praying it’s

“By this we shall know that we are

not profitable, or I’m not getting anything

of the truth and reassure our heart before

out of it. It’s discouraging to not feel love

Him; for whenever our heart condemns

or joy or peace. But…when I choose to

us, God is greater than our heart, and He

read my Bible and pray especially when I

knows everything.” (1 John 3:19-20)*

don’t feel like it, the Lord is pleased because nothing is a greater proof of my

THESE ARE A FEW OF THE ASHLEY’S FAVORITE THINGS... time with family | hand-written letters fellowshipping with sisters in Christ | taking hundreds of photos journalling with soft music playing | freshly fallen snow | spending hours in God’s presence | sweet kiddos | worshipping at the piano Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

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patience copyright 2010 The Church at Ellerslie, all rights reserved

36

M

y husband adores my love for “pretty things”: dainty silver spoons, vintage teacups, beautiful artwork, small songbirds, fancy stationary and fun jewelry. Throughout our three and a half years of marriage he has come to realize the importance of these things to me, how they inspire me, lift my spirits and give me small measures of delight.

However, this year has not been a year of “pretty things” in the way this girl could ever have imagined. Rather this year has been characterized by dust, dirt, cracked concrete, displacement, discomfort, disruption, mold, nails, rotten wood and wet, wet, wet. Literally.

I want to tell you a story.

Yet Will I Praise Him .

by Jasmin Howell

My husband and I own three rental properties, all of which have experienced major disasters in the past year. We love the Lord, strive to follow Him, and be obedient. Life has been good to us.

But then...one property is vandalized by a young boy who breaks into the property, plugs the toilet and floods the basement, pours a powdered cleaning agent into the heating vents, burns magazines on the carpet, breaks a window - and is never heard from again.

The damage is substantial and expensive. We clean it as best we can and find new tenants immediately. Life goes on.

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Months later torrential summer rains fall on our city for a few weeks.

Water begins to pour into the basement of our home, destroying walls, floors, furniture and revealing severe cracking in the concrete foundation of our home.

Simultaneously in our third property, water damage (the result of unnoticed long-term problems) is discovered along with the presence of black mold. We must make a hard decision: do we fix our own home first, or do we fix the other property, which must remain rented? My own basement, which had been lovingly decorated and beautiful, is in shambles.

We fix the other property first, a hard decision for this “pretty things” girl. Three months, three walls, three win-dows, a

new roof, and an entirely new paint job later there is no more money to fix our own home. It is in disarray. The insurance company does nothing. Mold starts to grow and we begin to grow somewhat anxious and weary of these troubles.

A few months later, we receive disaster relief money from the government to fix our basement. We are overjoyed! We take down the walls in the basement of our home and find that the mold is bad and unsafe to live with. We move out for a few days to have the mold taken care of and while we are gone, a toilet seal on the second floor breaks and our toilet runs for 18 hours.

My husband returns to our home only to discover that our kitchen has flooded, and that water from the toilet has leaked into the basement and both the basement ceiling and our kitchen is destroyed. Our house is now entirely uninhabitable.

And trust me when I say the mess was not pretty.

Weeks later, while still displaced from our home, dealing with our unhelpful insurance company, struggling financially and beginning to feel the pressing temptation to despair, my treasured grandmother passes away suddenly, putting the lid on a year of personal and financial trial. The distress is overwhelming. The grief is real. The loss is great.

Here’s another story.

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Our house was entirely uninhabitable.

Job is a wealthy man who has seven sons and three daughters. He owns seven hundred sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and tons of servants. He was “blameless and upright; he feared God..the greatest man among all the people.” (Job 1: 1-3) In one day Job’s oxen, donkeys, sheep, servants, and camels are killed, carried off by raiders from adjoining nations or burned up by fire from heaven.

Later that same day, a mighty wind sweeps across his land, collapsing his house on his children and killing them all.

Job falls to the ground, overwhelmed, and then...he becomes afflicted with painful sores from “the soles of his feet to the top of his head.” (Job 2:7) He raises his voice to the Lord. His grief is real. His loss is great.

Why do I bring up this character Job and compare his situation to my own? With uncanny timing, I have been studying the book of Job with some girlfriends of mine, and we have all been blown away by this man’s integrity. I have learned so much from reading about

Job’s relationship with God. I have learned so much from his responses.

Primarily, I have seen how far my own responses to loss, grief and tragedy fall from the standard that God upholds in His Word. Job is described by God three separate times in the first two chapters of the book in the following way: “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job 1:1, 8 & Job 2:3) Clearly, Job’s time of loss was also devoid of “pretty things”: his livestock, his land, his health and his children. Job’s life after his multiple losses was characterized by the ashes of grief, sickness, sorrow, near-death, dust, discomfort, displacement, disruption and mess, mess, mess. But my amazement at Job never ceases.

In the middle of the multiple losses my husband and I faced, I was pressed upon by Job’s comment to his impudent wife, who told Job to curse God and die.

He says to her, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10) Sometimes, during my moments of greatest grief, I felt God using these words to speak directly to my equally stubborn heart. Earlier I described how Job fell to the ground, overwhelmed. Was he overwhelmed with anger, or did he become bitter, cursing or blaming God for his losses? Remarkably no - he does tear his robe and shave his head, all

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Job had no idea that what was going on behind the scenes was a test of his integrity and unwavering faith. outward signs of his grief, and I would consider this response to loss normal.

But it is what Job does next that has me in considerable awe and results in God upholding him before Satan as the model of Christian behavior. Job falls to his knees on the ground and...wait for it...worships God. Worships Him? Is that a typo? I pull the words up close to my nose for the third time. Maybe I need a new prescription for my glasses. No, it is unmistakeable: “he fell to the ground in worship.” (Job 1:20) This response completely humbles me. And Job didn’t

stop there; he also cried, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21) Praise and worship as a response to loss? Oh boy, do I have a lot to learn.

What was my response to the disasters that came upon my husband and I? Oh, I showed outward signs of grief alright: tears, tears and more tears.

By the time our kitchen flooded, I was close to collapsing under the weight of loss stacked upon loss. I grieved and I prayed. But did I worship? Did I praise God just because He is God? Um, let me double check my journal from that time: as I recall, it was a struggle. Praising was a hard thing to do during that time. But it was Job’s first response, not his last ditch effort to maintain his sanity. And when I searched for what it was that led Job to worship God in his time of loss, I found that all of Job’s responses are full of complete confidence in God’s perfect sovereignty and justice. And Job’s life is characterized by complete trust in God to perform what is right. The most amazing part is that through all his trials, Job had no idea that what was going on behind the scenes was a test of his integrity and unwavering faith. His full trust in God was of utmost importance because he was being watched by Satan. Job’s trials were actually to accomplish the greater purpose of

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bringing God victory in the heavenly realms. I wonder what greater purpose my trials are accomplishing for God? I probably won’t understand this while on earth.

The whole book of Job is an overwhelming testimony of one man’s reaction to trial, sorrow and grief, but more-so it is a book of victory: God’s alone. God is victorious because Job remains obedient and trustworthy.

Prior to the trials he faced, Job was a diligent servant of God who accepted the sovereignty of the Lord -

. n i a g . loss but he was richly blessed. Life was good.

But Job’s greatest test was not how he reacted in the midst of great prosperity, wealth, success and happiness, but in trouble. Throughout the entire book Job never sins by charging God with wrongdoing (Job 1:22). He doesn’t place blame there. He proclaims God’s continuing justice and faithfulness in every chapter and finally, at the end of the book, it is God who is glorified and has the victory. Is God being glorified through every chapter of my life? Just as Satan put forth the challenge that Job would curse God if afflicted, the world is watching how I, a follower of Jesus Christ, act when afflicted. Do I cave and

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fold to the weight of grief and my emotions? Do I question God’s love for me? I’m not sure that my life was the greatest display of Godliness through all the trials my husband and I faced, but I learned what my life should look like at such a time.

So where is the gain in my story?

Nothing at least that can be seen in the physical realm. As I write this, our house is still a mess. My husband and I are living with friends. Our basement is still destroyed from the flooding. We still have no resources to fix the problems. My grandma will not be returning. I am growing to understand the significance of my responses to all God’s plans -

whether for “good” or “trouble” as Job describes.

Eventually Job’s worldly possessions are returned to him tenfold. It says, “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first.” (Job 42:12) He has more that he ever had before, his gains greatly outweigh his losses. He has more pretty things than he had to begin with. Yet, Job’s greatest gain was God’s pleasure in him, not the returning of his worldly possessions. Job’s responses are full of hope, restoration and recovery - if not on earth then in eternity. His greatest desire is to ascribe greatness to God, regardless of his circumstances.

Job’s greatest hope is not in earthly

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...to learn to bend my knee in worship before God no matter my circumstances is a gain that will never be measured on earth.

things which is why he can react as he did.

I have learned to look for pretty things in heaps of rotten wood, in destroyed kitchens, in dusty, moldy basements, and in the death of a loved one. To learn to bend my knee in worship before God no matter my circumstances is a gain that will never be measured on earth. I pray that in my life God will be victorious through the testimony of my response to the circumstances of this life on earth. To say to the Lord: “I am unworthy - how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth” (Job 40: 4) and simply trust - neither arguing with God, nor blaming Him, but allowing His plans be carried out in me, to worship Him at all times and rejoice when He is victoriously seen. *

THESE ARE A FEW OF THE JASMIN’S FAVORITE THINGS... the lush green grasses of England | bare feet my A.M. coffee before anyone else is awake giggling with my husband | walking beside rivers | learning doctrine peanut butter and green olives (though not together) the mountains and fields of Alberta | wee little birdies and the sound of their singing time with family and friends | sitting in humongous armchairs cool, crisp daysreserved. that require warm sweaters Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie.

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Wrestling

Prayer

Wrestling Prayer is filled with practical ways to help you build a stronger prayer life. A lot of us feel defeated in our spiritual life. Many of us have tried praying without success, and our expectations of God diminished as a result. For much of my Christian journey, this was how I felt in my prayer life - frustrated and discouraged. But over the past few years, I’ve learned some important things about prayer that have revolutionized my spiritual walk.

Prayer can’t be baked down into a step-by-step recipe or cookie-cutter

formula, but there are some Biblical principles that, when applied to your personal prayer life, can revolutionize your experience with a God who hears and answers prayer. If you are feeling lackluster in your prayer life, don’t miss this challenging and inspiring book!

a passionate communion with God copyright 2010 The Church at Ellerslie, all rights reserved

44

OnTour with

His Little Feet INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHOIR

by Tessa Hershberger & Amy Meyers

Something had changed. It wasn’t the first time the students at Ellerslie had seen the precious kiddos of His Little Feet perform, but there was something different about their performance on the night of the Winter/Spring Ellerslie banquet. The girls were wearing the same brightly colored dresses, and the boys were heartily pounding on the same conga drums- but there was a completely different spirit evident in the

children that shone through their radiant smiles and ignited their worship.

Christa Hahn, co-founder of His Little Feet, began to notice the same change during their recent tour to the West Coast: “When they were first singing the songs, they sang with everything they had, but now, there is a stance in their worship

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that they are singing to a God that is not just in Haiti but a God that is here, a God that, when we get in the bus and go to another city, is still there.”

From the end of December 2010 to midFebruary 2011, the fifteen kiddos and their “aunties” and “uncles” (aka: the His Little Feet staff) called their cozy tour bus home. For six eventful weeks, their “home away from home” took them from Windsor, Colorado to California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Every week they traveled to a new area and performed two to three concerts in local churches.

The His Little Feet performances are not merely to entertain or inform, but to give the churches the opportunity to respond to the growing plight of destitute children around the world. At each performance, Christa and her husband Mike present practical ways to become the hands and feet of Christ to those who hold a special place in His heart.

One of the most significant facets of the tour for the staff was witnessing the multiple ways the audiences reacted. His Little Feet intern, Carrie Perrine, commented: “Some crowds were more lively than others. But it was really incredible to see.

People would be weeping, they would be standing up and cheering. Some churches would get up and sing with the kids…tears streaming down their faces or they would just be rejoicing, worshiping the Lord with the kids. It was really

special to see the impact that the children make. And it’s been thousands of people. We can’t even see all the impact that they have made.”

Christa pointed out how people would leave a concert with more than they ever anticipated from a children’s choir: “People seem to come to a concert expecting a performance and they walk away with broken and contrite hearts before the Lord. I think that comes from the testimony of the children. The things that have happened in their past, they have every reason not to praise God. Yet they have an uninhibited worship to the Lord that is shocking, even to me, even to me.”

The wistful tone of Christa’s voice clearly indicated just how much she, personally, has been impacted by how God has

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worked through the children to move in so many hearts. She went on to say: “Some churches respond in silence and it takes weeks before we hear from them about what God has stirred in the life of their church from our program. Other churches, it’s that day [of the performance] where a pastor or family or a group of people from the church will approach Mikey and I and just say, ‘We have been completely struck by God’s presence and by God’s desire for us, as a body, to do something. And we are ready now.’”

The churches indeed showed their readiness. By the end of the tour, twentyfive people signed up to GO on a mission trip, twelve families committed to ADOPT, approximately 250 children had a new SPONSOR, and by the end of the concert, every church was inspired to GIVE. The children are always just as excited about the response as the staff and eagerly ask after each concert how many children received sponsors.

intern Rachel Baker: “There are three families in particular that I remember. After the boys would go to bed the parents came up to me and want to talk about adoption or how they can be involved in the future in the lives of these children specifically, and children in need around the world.”

Though the concerts had a profound effect upon every church and many individual families, the staff did not return from the tour without witnessing a movement of God upon their own hearts as well. Intern Brooke Berberich reflected on what God worked in her heart during the tour: “I have been learning how to, in a greater way and in a different way, completely surrender to Him and let Him control every part of my life. For me, it’s practicing His presence - whether or not I’m reading my Bible it should be every

Staying with the children in the host homes gave the staff an opportunity to get a more intimate look at how the concerts a ff e c t e d i n d i v i d u a l church families. This was a part of the tour that greatly touched

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single moment of every single day that I am speaking to Him and that He is speaking into me. I feel like in this time and in this season, I have been pouring out everything that He has poured into me. Sometimes I may feel dry, but as every moment of every day He speaks into my life, He is refilling me moment by moment and all I have to do is tap into His fountain of refreshing love.”

removes distractions as well, so it really helps us to focus on the ministry. I think that has really helped me to grow because it’s a very fulfilling way to live and we should all strive to live that way whether we are on the road or in a more permanent location.”

One might expect such a demanding schedule of constant ministry to hinder personal spiritual growth. Director of Team Operations Jennifer Mitchell, however, described tour life to be quite the opposite:

Dianelie, 7: Good!

“Your life is forcibly simplified when you are on the road, because you live out of a suitcase and are constantly moving from one home to another. I think it’s a good thing and I think it helps me, personally, to focus on the most important things in life such as my relationship with Christ and drawing on Jesus for my strength.

Being on the road

So, what’s life like on the bus?

Sterline, 12: It’s big!

Falencia, 10: I like looking out the window.

Djoulie, 8: Awesome!

Moise, 10: I like doing activities on the bus.

Likendley, 13: I like it because the bus is pretty inside.

Kesnel, 12: I like the activities.

Christa: It’s familiar.

Jennifer: It’s a place of quiet and stillness.

Brooke: It’s bonding time.

Rachel: It’s an adventure!

Carrie: Our home away from home.

Though many long hours were spent on the bus, the His Little Feet team had plenty of opportunities to stretch their legs and have some fun. In addition to their trip to the Pacific Ocean, the children also had the privilege of performing at Disneyland. With tears in her eyes, Christa recalled the outing she will never forget:

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“We walked down into the Grand Canyon and we were standing there and worshiping the Lord together and singing out. It’s a lot to take in to be standing in the presence of the creation of what God has done and then you are standing next to the most incredible young people who have given up a lot to be here. So, that was special.”

As much fun as they had along the way, they never lost sight of the true purpose of the trip: to give a face and voice to the millions of vulnerable children around the world without an advocate. As they head to the East Coast on the next leg of the tour, the whole team is expectant for how God will use them to open the eyes of

the American church to the need and awaken hearts to action.

With a big vision and hearts full of faith, the staff of His Little Feet are expectant to see God continue to prove Himself faithful. Their goal is to see 100 people sign up to GO, 1,000 people SPONSOR a child, 100 families ADOPT, and people prayerfully GIVE as God leads to promote the development of His Little Feet. *

A Message from Leslie: Girls - if you are looking for practical ways to support orphan work, I would highly recommend giving to His Little Feet. This ministry is the real deal - they have a Gospel-centered focus and a tireless passion for children in need. They are reaching vulnerable children in amazing ways and changing these precious lives for eternity. Gifts to His Little Feet will help provide for the practical needs of the choir children from Haiti as well as the needs of orphans around the world.

Visit their website today!

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WEBSITE

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www.hislittlefeet.org

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50

charm

i s de c ei tfu l.

Fleein g Feminine Manipulati on

by Leslie Ludy Copyright 2011 TheThe Church Ellerslie. Â All rights reserved. Â (Adapted from LostatArt of True Beauty)

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It wasn’t until I had a daughter that I began to fully realize how much women are naturally wired to use their feminine wiles in clever and strategic ways.

My little girl, Harper, who just turned four, is one of the most adorable children on the planet. (I can say this without sounding overly prideful since we adopted her from Korea!) The problem is – she knows she’s adorable. She con-stantly attempts to use her feminine charm to get her own way. If she wants a cookie, she’ll plead, “Mama I weally need a cookie,” and display the cutest, most heart-melting pout on her chubby cheeks. If I am busy cleaning up the kitchen and she wants to be held, she’ll sidle up to my leg and croon in her most pitiful, helpless-puppy voice, “Mama? I weally need you to cuddle with me.” If she wants to protest being left with a babysitter, she’ll wrap her arms tightly around my neck and snuggle up against me with a forlorn expression, as if to say, “how can you possibly bear to leave such a sweet and cuddly child like me?”

It’s all very calculated and clever.

Though we enjoy Harper’s cuteness, Eric and I have been very careful not to allow her charms to manipulate us. We never allow her to get her way when she uses these tactics. (Though I

can’t say the same for grand-parents, family friends, and even strangers at the grocery store! People we don’t even know frequently offer her candy or toys simply by seeing her tilt her head and grin at them.) But the amazing thing to me is that Harper somehow intrinsically knows how to use her femininity to twist someone’s arm – without ever being taught. Eric and I view these formative years as an opportunity to train Harper how to use her femininity to serve, rather than manipulate. Her little pout might seem adorable at the age of four. But it certainly will not be adorable at the age of sixteen. No matter how cute or innocent it seems now, it’s merely an evidence of her flesh at work, using her femininity for selfish purposes. That’s why this attitude needs to be purged from her through loving training and discipline.

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we cannot r eflect the glory of C hrist when we are vying for the glory of self.

But for all too many of us, these attitudes weren’t purged from us at a young age, and we grew into scheming, self-focused, manipulative young women. Proverbs 31:30 says, “Charm is deceitful.” When we use our feminine qualities – our affection, our physical appearance, our personality, and our emotions – for selfish purposes, we become deceitful and manipulative.

Often, without even realizing it, we try to control the people around us by the way we act. Instead of serving and meeting others’ needs, we are constantly in a power play for attention, approval, and position. And as I’ve said, we cannot reflect the glory of Christ when we are vying for the glory of self.

Scripture makes very clear the fact that deceitful feminine charm does not lead to true beauty. In order to become socially sensitive to those around us, we must learn to submit our feminine attributes to the Spirit of God – rather than the control of our flesh. Before we look at some of the practical ways that

we can excel at the art of social sensitivity, manipulation and selfishness must be purged from our existence.

Just as guys have a natural propensity toward lust, women often have a natural bent to manipulate and control others. Whether it takes the form of a center-stage personality, clever playacting, or merely using subtlety and

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c h a r m t o t w i s t s o m e o n e ’s a r m , manipulation is something we all need to be vigilantly on the look out for. When a sweet-looking little girl uses a pretty pout to get her way, it seems harmless and funny. But when manipulation is given the opportunity to grow and develop in a girl’s life, it becomes repulsive, ugly and relentlessly destructive – not only to her life, but to the many other lives that she affects.

It’s impossible to reflect the glory of Jesus Christ while being controlling and manipulative. Allow the Spirit of God to gently reveal any ways in which you have been allowing manipulation into your life and behavior, in big or small ways. Here are a few questions that might help get you started:

Do I use my physical appearance to get attention?

Do I use my personality to draw people’s focus to myself?

Do I play emotional games to gain control over others (being moody, giving people the silent treatment when I’m upset, etc)?

Do I use gossip or criticism to gain control over others?

Do I continually turn the topic of conversation to focus on me?

Do I notice the quiet people around me or am I too busy taking center-stage?

Is the motive of my heart to bring glory to Jesus Christ or to gain attention and approval for myself?

You may find it helpful to write down anything that God speaks to your heart. If you discover any level of manipulation in your life, big or small, ask God to forgive you, cleanse you, and purge it from your life by the power of His Spirit. Ask Him to re-train your habits and attitudes. You may even want to write down specific ideas for how you can begin behaving different in certain relationships or situations. Consider recruiting the help of a trusted, godly accountability partner. Meet with this person regularly to pray about this area of your life and talk through the ways in which God is helping you change and grow.

Remember, no matter how enslaved to wrong patterns you might feel, God is more than capable of transforming a controlling, manipulative female into a radiant, selfless, shining example of His beauty – all you must do is fully yield to His work. *

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Reflecting

Heaven’s Beauty in Your

Appearance PART TWO:

Blending Modesty & Style

by Leslie Ludy (Adapted from The Lost Art of True Beauty)

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WA CREATING

hen I was writing my book Answering the Guy Questions, I interviewed many godly young men to get their perspective on young women today. One of my questions was: “How can girls help guys become the men God created them to be?” Without hesitation, each of the young men responded, “By dressing more modestly!”

Beautiful Haven Turning a Dorm Room Into a Sanctuary Christ-built Warrior-Poets are longing for women who byyoung Jade Valcarcel

will dress in a way that assists a man’s mental purity, rather than tempts him to compromise. But being a young woman myself, I know that

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you can’t just say “dress more modestly” and leave it at that. I am well aware that this area is a huge challenge for modern Christian young women.

Just a few months ago, I went to the mall hoping to find a couple of summer tops. After visiting ten stores and trying on countless possibilities, I walked away empty-handed. Much to my frustration, the only shirts available were tight, low-cut and see-through – and unless I wanted to shop in the grandma section, there seemed to be no modest options. As fashion trends become more and more sensual, most Christian girls feel they have no choice but to comply with culture.

Dressing modestly (and fashionably) these days is an art form. Most of us aren’t willing to go to the effort it takes to overcome the challenges and dress with grace, mystique, and dignity. Add to that our desire to be found appealing to the opposite sex, and we end up with dismally low standards for the way we dress. We know that we’ll get more attention from guys in form-fitting tops, tight pants, and short skirts. And it’s all too tempting to rationalize immodesty because “at least this outfit isn’t as bad as a lot of things I could wear.” We think that as long as we aren’t going topless on the beach, we have an element of modesty. But what is God’s standard?

I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly. (1 Tim 2:9 NASB)

The word modestly here literally means “with shame and bashfulness” - not shamelessly flaunting our bodies, but exuding a sense of careful dignity and guardedness even in the way we dress.

The word discreetly means “to keep hidden”. Our body is for the enjoyment of one man alone – our husband. God asks us not to give other men the privilege of viewing what belongs only to the man we will spend the rest of our life with.

It’s easy to assume that true modesty means drab, shapeless, unfeminine

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Dressing modestly (and fashionably) these days is an art form. clothes that make us extremely unattractive. But God’s pattern doesn’t bring oppression and ugliness – it brings liberty and beauty. Contrary to popular belief, feminine beauty doesn’t have to mean sensuality. It is more than possible to exude the kind of dignity, grace and true feminine beauty that will captivate a man’s heart – without using sex-appeal to do it.

Don’t think of modest dressing as a dour duty that leads to restriction and misery. Rather, it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the stunning beauty of Christ, rather than the cheap counterfeit of feminine beauty espoused by the culture. It’s the ability to capture the heart of a Christ-built Warrior-Poet by a feminine grace unseen in today’s world. It restores the value and honor to femininity that every woman desires.

And it challenges young men to treat women with true respect and decorum instead of seeing them as cheap sex objects.

We must remember that our bodies are not our own. (1 Cor. 6:19-20) Therefore, since our bodies house the presence of the Living God, we cannot just assume that it is our “right” to do whatever we want with them. Instead, our body is to be spent for the glory of our King – not for the selfish pleasure of lustful men or to gratify our own selfish desire to be found attractive to the opposite sex.

In addition to our body being the sacred temple of the Most High God, our body also belongs to our future husband. As it says in 1 Cor 7:4: The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. (NKJV) Therefore, we must consider our husband’s feelings and honor him with our body, even before we meet him. The Proverbs 31 woman “does her husband good and not harm ALL the days of her life,” not just after she is married.

Living to honor Jesus Christ and our future husband must be our core motivation when it comes to dressing modestly. If we are asking the question “how much can I get away with?” we are considering our own selfish desires above the desire of Christ.

A woman who exudes true feminine mystique is both modest and selfless.

She doesn’t hide her femininity; she

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dresses to reflect the joy and radiance that fill her soul. She dresses to honor her future husband and the men around her. Her outward beauty is an expression of the transformation Christ has made to her inner life. She puts effort into her appearance, not to gain approval and attention, but to show respect and honor to those she interacts with. Her goal is to point people’s eyes to Jesus and not to herself. She is modest and beautiful at the same time. In fact, her modesty is part of what makes her so beautiful and fascinating.

viewing you like a sex object.

It doesn’t mean hiding behind a long, tent-like robe. It just means guarding how much of your body is being exposed. So to make this principle a bit more practical, here are some of my personal tips on dressing with feminine dignity…

Making it Practical

Leslie’s Tips on Dressing with Feminine Dignity:

Dressing with selfless dignity means not giving other guys the pleasure of viewing what was only meant for your husband.

It means honoring and respecting your future spouse by keeping your body sacred and setapart for his eyes only. And it means respecting the men around you by not putting temptation right in front of their nose, and then blaming them for

Here is the rule of thumb that works for me on where to draw the line when it comes to showing skin: Any area of my body that can be associated with sensuality is not to be touched or seen by anyone other than my husband. For example, if

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someone touches me on the elbow, there isn’t anything sensual about it.

In fact, often at weddings or fancy restaurants, an usher or waiter will take me by the arm and lead me to my seat. Eric has no reason to be concerned about this kind of interaction, because there’s nothing sexual about it. But if a guy came up and touched me on the thigh or put his hand on my stomach, it’s a completely different story. Eric would have every reason to be jealous, angry and hurt, because that kind of touch can definitely be associated with sensuality.

Any area of my body that would be awkward or uncomfortable for another guy to touch is an area of my body that I keep hidden for my husband’s eyes alone. Upper chest, thighs, stomach – these might seem like harmless areas to show off, but if you were married and wanted to stay that way, you wouldn’t allow another guy to touch you in any of those places. So why would you allow another guy to have the privilege of looking at what was meant for your husband’s pleasure alone? When you keep your husband’s feelings at the forefront of your mind when deciding what to wear, the issue of how much skin to

show becomes far less complicated.

It’s important to apply this rule not only in the area of showing skin, but also when evaluating how tight your clothes are.

I have found that there are many stylish and looser fitting pants, skirts and blouses that are feminine and flattering without “giving away the farm.” They may be hard to find in the teeny-bopper stores at the mall where every pair of jeans is labeled “ultralow-cut-stretch”, but the young professional styles often have some pretty good options – or try local resale shops if you are on a tight budget. I’ve found that it’s better to have one or two pairs of classy, feminine jeans or pants than a whole closet full of super-tight ones that only

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get tighter every time you wash them! I feel so much more ladylike and dignified in looser-fitting feminine skirts, pants and blouses than I do in the body-hugging outfits so popular today.

And I’ve found that with some focused effort, I can be stylish and modest at the same time.

The bottom line: make it your goal that when a guy looks at you, he will notice the light of Christ in your eyes and the radiance of your smile rather than being distracted by the outline of your body.

Jade’s Tips on Dressing with Feminine Dignity:

nice pair of pants or jeans that are a hint lower than I would like, I make sure to buy extra long tank tops (from Target) to layer underneath the shirt or sweater I’m wearing with them. This assures that I can bend down with comfort and not worry about being immodest.

Besides, layering is a great way to add a nice touch to my outfits. Wearing a simple gray sweater and adding a long tank or two of a fun color underneath really makes the outfit pop. Paired with a soft scarf and some fun earrings, you’ve got a cute, modest, feminine outfit. I also love buying shirts that are cut similar to a halter top at the neck. I

So often I have girls tell me how hard it is to find “modest feminine” clothes and they don’t know how I find them.

They think I must shop at Ann Taylor or J.Crew and pay tons of money to find my clothes.

Well, nothing could be further from the truth! I have found that “accessories” make all the difference in the world, when putting an outfit together, and often my clothes come from second hand stores or even Target. If I find a Copyright 2010 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

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have a trusty gray cardigan that I wear with these, making the shirts fun and modest at the same time. I’ve discovered that with a little creative thinking, shirts I would normally have looked over in the past, can be worn with an awesome cardigan and scarf to make them modest and feminine.

few accessories, this look can also be feminine. I have a great pair of wide leg jeans that I love to wear with a really casual sweater, or long sleeve t-shirt.

Then I just add a long necklace, scarf, and pull my hair up with a cute flower pin and suddenly, I have a casual comfy, well put together outfit!

Truly, there is no excuse to dress immodest or sloppy, not when there are s o m a n y c u t e w a y s t o l a y e r, accessorize, and be creative with my style. Happy outfit creating everyone!

Annie’s Tips on Dressing with Feminine Dignity:

Now, I’m all about dressing up, but I also love being really comfortable and casual. However, this does not mean baggy clothes that look sloppy, even when wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. I love wearing a comfy sweatshirt or casual sweater, but by adding just a

I love wearing dresses, but these days not many stores carry lengths that suit a girl of a feminine, modest mindset. And even with the return of leggings, I just haven’t felt comfortable making skin tight leggings a substitute for tooshort frocks. Rather than give up on donning a dress until longer lengths come back in style, with a little ingenuity and a bit of perseverance I have found that you can make your own adjustments that allow you be a lady without the constant concern of tugging at your hem.

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First, if you haven’t already gotten inspired about it, begin taking a look at second-hand clothing stores (Nicer resale and consignment shops are my favorite!). They often have a mix of both up-to-date styles and the classic (not-so-short dresses), and I have found many gems there that don’t need a single alteration in their length.

Second, if I do find something lovely but just is a bit too short, I’ve had a friend who has skill with a sewing machine add a complimentary, fun fabric to the bottom hem. Not only do I add length and rescue an item from being tossed out, but I have added my own one-of-a-kind touch. And thirdly, I may find a beautiful short dress and rather than go it alone, I layer it over tailored pants and heels.

I may be wearing pants - which add comfort and modest security - but I’ve added the feminine feel of a dress.

And a bonus tip for your budget if you find yourself without the funds to add to your wardrobe, find a consignment shop to take your no longer used clothes to - sell a few to buy a few!

The greatest “tip” I know that affects my selfless style mindset is to pray about it. I truly believe that God wants all areas of our life to come under both His rulership and His provision.

The desire to dress with an elegant,

outward focus comes from a desire to glorify the Lord. And if He calls us to modesty, He has promised to make provision to help us fulfill that - even in a world that mocks purity and feminine mystique and stocks it’s racks with the opposite. There are many times when I have had need of a dress for church, a banquet, or work and rather than waste hours looking and be tempted by frustration searching the stores, I always begin with asking God to provide the perfect find to meet my need. As long as my heart rests far away from extravagance, over indulgence in clothes, and a self-focus, the Lord has always met my need and given amazing stories to testify of His jealous guardianship over this area of my life! *

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A Semester at Ellerslie wi! E"c and Leslie Ludy JOIN US IN COLORADO!

A MESSAGE FROM ERIC & LESLIE: The Ellerslie semester-long intensive training program combines powerful Biblical training with a set apart, spiritually-rich environment, tailormade for cultivating intimacy with Christ and becoming equipped for world-impacting Christian service.

It’s a life-changing experience designed to super-charge your spiritual walk, ground you in a Gospel worldview, give you an unshakeable passion for God’s Word, and prepare you for a lifestyle of Kingdom work.

We would count it a privilege to

upcoming sessions:

2011 Summer:

June 13 - August 13

2011 FALL: October 8 - December 11

2012 Winter/Spring: February 11 - April 15

personally invest into your spiritual life through this program!

a$ly at:

www.ellerslie.com

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?

Q&A with leslie

Q: A:

What are some practical ways that you and Eric keep your marriage from growing stale? How can I prepare now for a marriage that will stay vibrant?

Eric and I have been married for sixteen years, and we have always made it a high priority to treat each other with respect, even to this day. We work hard at sitting up straight, making eye contact, and listening when the other person is talking to us, especially when something important is being expressed. We try to maintain good table manners, even when it is just the two of us eating together. We don’t leave the bathroom door open when we are in there. We don’t make bodily noises around each other. We put basic effort into our physical appearance, even when it’s just the two of us at home all day; rather than just rolling out of bed and sticking on a pair of grungy sweats, we take the time to make ourselves presentable for each other. We greet each other with an enthusiastic smile in the morning, and take time to ask how the other

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person is doing. It is our goal never to treat each other with the attitude, “Why should I get excited to see you?

I’m around you everyday.”

These may seem like very basic, simple things to do, but they have gone a long way in keeping our marriage thriving and our romance alive and fresh.

Many couples assume that the moment they take their wedding vows is the moment they are free to be slobs around each other, but throwing dignity to the wind in your closest relationships shows an incredible amount of selfishness and lack of respect to them. Your spouse, parents, siblings and best friends are some of the most important people in your life. Why treat them as less valuable than a stranger at the local coffee shop?

Whether you are married or single, now is the perfect time to begin maintaining dignity in your closest relationships – especially the people you live with. While it is certainly not something to get uptight or stressed over, just showing basic honor and respect to the people you live with can go a long way in keeping those relationships strong and healthy.

I would encourage you to prayerfully examine the way you behave around the people you live with; those closest to you. If there are any ways in which you could show them more honor and respect, ask God to equip you to do so. Just adding in a little dignity can go a long way in bringing freshness and appreciation back into a stale, same-old relationship. *

.

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Leslie recommends:

THE SHAPING OF A CHRISTIAN FAMILY

by Elisabeth Elliot

This book is such a clear enunciation of the convictions God has placed upon my heart for child-training and family environment. It has given me fresh inspiration for building a homelife that honors and glorifies God in every area!

Elisabeth Elliot describes her home and family growing up and details the decisions her parents made that led her (and her siblings) into a vibrant relationship with Christ. It is my hope and prayer that Eric and I can follow in their footsteps!

Annie recommends: IF I PERISH

by Esther Ahn Kim

Looking for an epic adventure to get lost in?

Every so often I pick up a book that takes me back into the stories of historic Christianity.

Through each of them I am reminded of the endless promises God has given us, His children, as these heroes of the faith achieve the impossible, take part in heroic rescues, smile in adversity, love in the face of cruel hate, and see the Kingdom of our God brought to this earth. Esther Ahn Kimʼs story is no exception.

Jade recommends: THE PURSUIT OF MAN

by A.W. Tozer

This book has brought me face to face with my beautiful God! It is astounding that He is pursuing me, small as I am, as if I were the only person in the world. The fact that He is doing this with each of us individually is even more astounding. As Tozer says: “An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children.

He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all Himself as if there were no others.” Read this book and come to understand just a bit more how fully He desires to give all of Himself to you. Read this book and begin to realize how much He desires that we do the same in return...

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want weekly devotionals from leslie sent to your email inbox? #21 the cure for insecurity

John the Baptist declared, “I must decrease, so that He might increase!”

This isn’t just the secret to living out the true Gospel; it’s also the secret to glowing with divine loveliness. It’s the cure for female insecurity.

Think about it. A woman who has truly denied herself, taken up her cross, and become entirely consumed with Jesus Christ is not going to be insecure, starving herself and obsessed with making herself look more attractive. Rather, she’s so enraptured with Jesus Christ that she’s completely lost sight of herself. As Bishop Bardsley put it, “they care not at all what the world thinks of them, because they are entirely taken up with the tremendous realities of their King.”

A woman who has yielded her selfish agenda to the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who does not listen to the voice of her self but yields only to the voice of her King, is not going to become a sex object, throwing herself at guy after guy in desperation. Her security comes from a completely different source. She doesn’t derive her value from the attention of guys. Her value comes from knowing she has been redeemed and loved by the King of all kings. Her focus is on His desires, not on her own selfish wants.

The women throughout Christian history who have truly glowed with heavenly beauty all had one thing in common – an emptying of self. They were so caught up in the things of God that they gave no thought to their own lives...

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kindred heart

sister of the Common Life Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie. Â All rights reserved. Â No material from this website may be copied, reproduced, or distributed without express written permission from The Church at Ellerslie.

MEET RACHEL Q:

Rachel, when did you come to

Christ and decide to live a set-apart life for Him? There are two specific moments of surrender in my life to Christ. The first was a cold night in November when I was about 11 years old. I remember being bundled up as my family and I entered the church and sat near the back. It was a special service and near the end the speaker presented the gospel through art as he drew the crucifixion with chalk on the stage. As he presented the life and death of Christ, and it was through the pictures that God truly spoke to my heart. “This was my life and I gave it for you because I love you so much.” This was the first step of surrender of my life to Christ but it was later in the spring of the following year when, as I knelt down beside my bed, I truly surrendered the throne of my life to Christ and laid everything down on the altar.

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Q: What have been some of the greatest challenges and victories in your Christian walk?

I knew the nature of God in my head but for many years my life was bound by fear. I did not even know that I was not really trusting God as I tried desperately to please him so that He would not become angry with me. I did not truly know the nature of my God, I was caught in the ruse of legalism. He has so faithfully drawn me to Himself and shown me how the things in my life that were causing the fear were not from Him. Because of the stronghold that this was in my life, I would say that overcoming this is also one of the greatest victories - learning to know the character of my God and trust Him to be who He says He is; then living in light of that glorious truth.

Q: When did you develop a passion for serving on the mission field?

My mom has a passion for books; she loves books more than anyone I know. But not just any book, good books such as missionary biographies and C.S. Lewis. As I was growing up, my siblings and I would gather in the living room each day and she would read aloud at least one chapter of some epic tale. It was through the life of Hudson Taylor that God began speaking to me and awakening me to the thought of missions. As I learned about Hudson Taylor’s passion for the people of China and the way that he gave up all to go to them, God began to give me a burden and a love for people that are lost and dying without the hope of Christ in their lives.

Q: Tell us about your experience in Costa Rica.

I was actually in Costa Rica as an exchange student and I attended a language school there for about 3 ½ months. But while I thought I was going there to learn Spanish, God had much more in mind. The week that I arrived in Costa Rica I began to work with children of very poor families.

The place I worked was located in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica and had children from age two through middle school. I had the opportunity to build relationships with the Ninas (the other teachers) as well as the children and we had many beautiful moments together. However, it was Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

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during this time in Costa Rica that God truly put me into the prayer closet and every earthly comfort was stripped away. The idea that I had of missions had be grossly over romanticized as I was growing up and

“The idea that I had about missions had been grossly over-romanticized...” through this time in Costa Rica God brought me to the place of complete dependence on Him to see that while missions is not an easy or always romantic thing it is absolutely beautiful when done with Jesus. He taught me that He is all sufficient and that His grace and companionship are absolutely enough.

Q: What kind of ministry did you do there?

I worked at a day school for children of poor families. It was set up to help families whose young children had been staying home alone during the day or were on the streets as well as those that did not have another opportunity to go to school.

We had children from many different backgrounds including native Indians, Costa Ricans, and Chinese. We were able to do devotional time with the children and tell them about Jesus as well as teaching them to read and write and serving them a hot meal.

Q: You’re currently serving as an intern with His Little Feet Children’s Choir. How did God lead you there and what is your role within the ministry?

God is so faithful in His leading of our lives. From a young age He placed in me a deep love for children, but I never expected that He would use it in this way. I had been praying for God’s direction regarding a job that would have taken me back home to Ohio when I heard that Mike and Christa Hahn were looking for some help with the choir. I did not even know what specifically was needed but went to a meeting to find out more information. As soon as the meeting began God said, “This is it, this is what I have for you to do right now.” And I love it. I am a chaperone so I have the privilege of traveling with the kids and staying each night in a Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

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host home with two of the children. I am able to help them with homework as well as taking care of their general daily needs, and do devotions with them each night. At the concerts it is my responsibility to manage the product tables and help spread the word about the needs of orphans around the world.

Q: What are some of the memorable moments from this past season on the road?

There are so many special moments on the road but most of my favorites happened around our devotional time in the evening when we can sit and talk. Johnson and Ederson were my boys and there were many nights that as I would finish reading the Bible or telling them a story they would have questions and we would sit and talk about Jesus.

Praying with the kids is also one of my favorite things. Other memorable moments would include being able to experience their [the children’s] reaction to their first roller coaster ride and talking with people after concerts as they express the way in which God spoke to them through the children’s stories.

Q: How do you cultivate your walk with the Lord during the busyness of being on the road?

Although I am busy with the children and other little tasks, I have found that spending quite time in the morning before the kids wake up and again after they go to sleep is vital. God is so faithful to reveal Himself, it is a moment by moment way of living in surrender and communion with Him. It has also become one of my favorite things to look for God’s hand and record it throughout the day.

It is a great encouragement to look back on a week and see the many ways that God

“Although I am busy...spending quiet time in the morning before the kids wake up and again after they go to sleep is vital.”

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moved and the many things that he showed me about Himself. God is always doing something and He longs to share it with us.

Q: What would you share with other young women who feel a desire to serve the Lord in mission work or with vulnerable children?

Pray! I would encourage you to sit at the feet of the Savior and ask for His heart, for His burden and for His love. He is faithful and He will complete this work in you and He will use you.

I have seen the power of prayer many times in the lives of these children and I would ask that you would specifically pray for them as well.

They are representing the millions of orphaned and vulnerable children around the world and need the body of Christ fighting along their side.

THESE ARE A FEW OF RACHEL’S FAVORITE THINGS...

Truth mountains a gentle snowfall scarves coffee with friends good books the twinkle in a child’s eye my family sunshine

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A well-ordered home

Reflecting God’s Glory in Family Life

by Leslie Ludy

Katharine G. Howard (the mother of Elisabeth Elliot) wrote an inspiring article on parenting in which she stated: ”There is a great deal of talk these days about having things “unstructured.” Just how can a Christian make this jive with such Scriptures as, “Let everything be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40), or with a careful study of God’s creation? What would happen to the galaxies if they were unstructured?

Certainly there should be order in the home.”

As a mother of four small children (two toddlers and two preschoolers) building a well-ordered home has been both a

great delight and a great challenge. So many other parents have told me that it simply can’t be done. There seems to be a general belief among modern Christians that “we should all stop attempting to create a ‘perfect home’ and instead just chuckle and accept the chaos that comes with raising kids.”

In her book The Shaping of a Christian Family, Elisabeth Elliot describes a c a r t o o n s c e n e f ro m a C h r i s t i a n magazine, “the mother disheveled and harried, the children wildly out of control, the cat and dog tearing each other’s ears off, the father a helpless spectator.”

When Eric and I were first married, we visited homes like that - literally.

It

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bothered us to see so many Christian parents throw up their hands in defeat and allow disorder and mayhem to dominate their families. It caused us to begin talking about what we desired for our future family. We knew we wanted something different than the usual circus act. We wanted a home that was orderly - peaceful, beautiful, dignified, Christcentered - not just in its physical state, but even more importantly, in its spiritual state. We wanted a home that was a reflection of God’s glory in every possible area.

When we spoke of our vision to others, the typical response was a smug chuckle and the statement, “Well, just wait til you have kids. Then you’ll be forced to face reality!”

Others told us, “Life with kids is chaos – get used to it!”

throughout history who were excellent both in ministry and in raising their families. Their lives were not chaotic and harried, but triumphant and beautiful. I read about Catherine Booth who had a very large family and yet advanced the Kingdom of God all over the world through her work with the Salvation Army. I read about Elizabeth Fry who was an amazing governess of her home and large family at the same time she transformed the prison system in Europe for the glory of God. Their children “rose up and called them blessed.” Their lives made an eternal impact.

These stories brought great hope and encouragement to my heart.

And I began to finally have faith that a peaceful, beautiful, Christ-honoring, orderly home and family could actually become my reality, by the grace of God. There is an overriding belief in today’s world that children weaken a marriage,

People told us “Life with kiddos is chaos get used to it!”

For a while, I started to believe these statements, which is why it took a bit of courage for me to finally accept the call of motherhood. But a year or two before Hudson was born, I read a book called Great Women of the Christian Faith (by Edith Deen) that completely changed my perspective. The book described the lives of mighty Christian women

wreck havoc in a household, and turn a perfectly normal woman into a frazzled, frumpy, harried mess. But what is God’s perspective?

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;

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they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

(Psalm 127:3-5) Our Creator declares that children do not bring weakness, but strength. He tells us that they are like arrows in the hand of a warrior – like mighty weapons that equip us for battle.

So Eric and I have chosen to swim against this tide when it comes to building our home and family. We refuse to accept the “children are chaos” mentality. We believe that a Christian home is meant to be a true reflection of the nature and character of our God, even in the small day-to-day areas of life.

We are certainly not a finished product.

There are many areas of our parenting and home-life that are constantly being refined by the Spirit of God. But an orderly, Christ-centered home and family that reflects the glory of our King is our vision and our desire, and we are proactively aimed in that direction with the aid of our Lord.

Here are a few ways that I practically put these principles into action…

1. Proactive Child-Training We learned early in our parenting that unless we took a very proactive role in training, directing, and disciplining our

children, their selfish agendas would quickly take over and rule the atmosphere of our home. From the time Hudson was a newborn our philosophy was, “Hudson must learn how to become part of our family – not become the center of it.” This approach is much harder work for the parent, especially at first, than the attitude that says, “A baby gets whatever he wants simply by screaming for it.” It’s so much easier in the moment just to give in to a whining, screaming, demanding child than to take the time to train them how to yield to their parent’s will. After all, if you can make a child stop crying by giving him a cookie, why would you resort instead to a forty-five minute training session involving lots of unpleasant discipline?

Because it’s the only way a child can learn to submit to their parent’s authority, and ultimately to God’s authority. When parents take the easy road and give in to their children’s whims and demands, they are failing to lead them to Christ.

So for the past six years we have striven to bring the order of God’s Kingdom into every aspect of our parenting and homelife. Our babies are trained to sleep through the night at an early age rather than being fed every two hours until they are toddlers. They don’t rely on Mommy and Daddy to put them to sleep every night. They are not fed on demand, but according to a pre-decided routine.

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Our children have a structured schedule each day. They know what comes next.

Some people think this seems limiting and restrictive, but in our home it has had the opposite effect. Structure gives our children incredible security. It improves their behavior. It allows our family to have time for what is truly important rather than always responding to one crisis after the next.

Our kids know that they cannot get what they want by screaming or whining.

They are learning how to become a cooperative part of a family unit – rather than believing that they are the center of everything or that their wants and whims must be catered to.

Like I said, we are certainly not a finished product in any of these areas,

I find that when we put a high value on both the spiritual and physical orderliness of our home, there is beauty, peace, and dignity in raising children. but with God’s help we are diligently striving toward this vision and seeking to use every moment with our children wisely and not carelessly.

2. An Ordered Environment Having four small children has forced me to put a huge amount of focus, time, and effort into maintaining order in the daily flow of our household environment. As a mother, if I want to avoid becoming like the chaotic cartoon scene described earlier, then I must put a high priority on cleanliness, organization and systems in our home.

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left heaped on the floor, beds to remain un-made, or peanut butter and jelly streaks to adorn our kitchen walls.

Though it takes an enormous amount of work because of the ages of our kids, we make every effort to keep our house clean and uncluttered. We do not use our four small children as an excuse to live like slobs. This means we are constantly picking things up, constantly scrubbing dishes, constantly emptying diaper pails, and constantly teaching our children how to gather up their toys and put them away. There is not much time for “just sitting around” at our house.

But I find that when we put a high value on both the spiritual and physical orderliness of our home, there is beauty, peace and dignity in raising children. We may not have the luxury of lots of leisure time, but keeping an orderly home allows us to guard what is truly important: prayer, worship, and plenty of time to be together as a couple and as a family. We laugh, we sing, we read, we tell stories, and we enjoy our life together – all of which would be i m p o s s i b l e i n a c h a o t i c , m e s s y, disorderly environment in which every child is screaming and demanding his own way or leaving his toys strewn about all over the house.

We are a work in progress. Some days, I feel that I truly am “on top” of the organization and systems in our home.

Other days, especially when life takes a hectic turn, there are areas of our house

that aren’t quite up to par.

But an orderly home brings glory to my King, and brings peace to our family. I view cleaning, organizing and maintaining our systems as part of my sacred calling as a mother, no matter how tired I might be or how little “leisure time” it might leave me.

3) Dressing with Dignity I’m always disturbed when I observe homemakers that habitually look like slobs, using the justification, “Why should I bother looking nice? I’m just hanging out with kids all day long.” This attitude disregards the value of guiding a home and caring for a family.

I’ve

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...dressing with dignity reminds me that my calling as a mother is worthy of my very best effort and my family deserving of my highest respect. observed that when a mother dresses with dignity, she takes her role far more seriously and the work she is doing begins to actually feel valuable and important.

If I dress haphazardly around my husband and kids, and only make myself look nice when we go out to meet other people, I’m sending the message that my family is not as worthy of my efforts as other people are; that I don’t feel like going to the trouble of making myself look good for those closest to me.

There is a big difference in how I feel on days when I’ve dressed hurriedly in sweats than on days when I put effort into my appearance.

When I am dressed sloppily, I am more prone to feel sloppy, lethargic and unmotivated as I go about my daily tasks. But when I’m dressed with dignity, it brings value to the things I’m working on - it reminds me, “This work is important.

It is deserving of my best attention and focus.”

There are certainly exceptions to this principle – on days when I am cleaning

out the garage or baking with the kids, it’s just more practical to wear jeans and a sweatshirt. But in my normal daily flow, dressing with dignity reminds me that my calling as a mother is worthy of my very best effort and my family deserving of my highest respect.

4) Laying Down Luxuries

As a woman, there is a constant temptation toward taking “personal time” – things like shopping, visiting with friends, taking up hobbies, or being part of social gatherings. But I have found that saying “no” to personal desires helps protect God’s sacred call upon my life as a mother. At this stage in my life, I rarely, if ever, take time to go shopping with friends or have a long chat with someone over a cup of coffee (except for Eric on our date nights!) I don’t spend time texting or talking on the phone. I don’t relax in front of T.V. or movies and I do not spend time on Facebook. I don’t spend time surfing the Internet just for fun. I don’t have any hobbies right now. It’s not that any of these activities are necessarily wrong, but God has given me a clear and

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specific calling in this season of my life, and I must be very watchful of how I use each moment of each day.

I don’t have the luxury of “me time.”

Instead, I have the privilege of teaching my children, serving my husband, and building our home into a sacred sanctuary. I don’t try to “take time for myself” as so many experts would encourage me to do. Rather, I take time for prayer. I focus on living a poured-out life, serving and giving in every way I can – starting with those in my very own home. When I say “no” to personal indulgences in order to say “yes” to God’s sacred call on my life as a mother, I find I’m not missing out on anything.

My life is not dull, depressing or stressful. Rather, I receive amazing joy, peace and fulfillment from knowing I am walking in obedience to my King. His pattern brings life, and life abundant! ~ Journalist Sydney J Harris wrote, “The commonest fallacy among women is that simply having children makes one a mother – which is as absurd as believing that having a piano makes one a musician.”

Well put.

By God’s grace I am endeavoring, day by day, to learn the art of excellent motherhood. Not so that others can see and applaud, but so that when I stand before my Maker one day soon, I will not be ashamed. *

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the

kiddo spot

HUDSON, age 6

He went to a camping store with Daddy and now he can’t stop talking about having a wilderness adventure. He has already picked out a yellow canoe, a huge orange life-vest, a cozy sleeping bag, and a super-cool tworoom tent. He has asked me if he can sell hot apple cider to raise the money to buy all of this gear.

I didn’t burst his bubble

by telling him how many years that would take.

Hudson is adventurer at heart.

He

wants to hike up a mountain, find a lake to fish in, then fry it up for dinner before we sleep in our new tent. I can tell we are in for a bit of outdoor excitement come summer.

84

e t custuff

HARPER, age 4

the ludy kids are “saying & doing”

She has been melting my heart lately. Every single time we are preparing to eat a meal she says, “Mama – can you sit wight by me? I weally, weally want you to sit wight by me.”

How can I possibly say no to such a request? So I have been sitting next to Harper a lot lately. She inches closer and closer until at last she is sitting on my lap like a snuggly little kitten.

KIPLING, age 2 At Ellerslie we have “Kiddo Night” every week – a time when all the children from our church community come and spend an evening with our Ellerslie students.

They sing and play games and do art projects.

Our kids love it – and little Kip

thinks about it all week long.

Every time we get into the car he says, “Kiddo

night?” with great anticipation.

It’s always kind of a let down for him when we

go anywhere else.

He talks about “Kiddo Night” when he first wakes up, all

throughout the day, and right before bed.

AVONLEA, age 1 Every morning when I walk into her bedroom she jumps furiously up and down in her crib while giggling hysterically. This kid absolutely loves life! She lives every moment to the max.

Her favorite new game is to squirm away from me while I

am trying to get her dressed and then run all over the house with a devious chuckle as I chase her. She thinks it is hilarious. Mommy doesn’t always find it so funny especially when I am running late and have to waste precious time tracking down a half-naked one-year-old.

But I can’t deny that it’s pretty cute

when I catch a glimpse of her chubby bare tummy streaking around the corner.

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sugar spice

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everything

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nice

GIVENPHOTOGRAPHY

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Harper Grace’s Favorite Things: Lambie lollipops tigers princess dresses rescuing orphans chocolate chips getting her back scratched being snuggled and tickled her “purple blankie” Copyright 2010 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

(which is actually pink)

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GIVENPHOTOGRAPHY

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presenting princess harper

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“

“I am a princess.

All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics.

Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses. All of us. Didn't your father ever tell you that?

Didn't he?!”

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- The Little Princess

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a lady in-training

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“

“Find a woman who cares about nothing but loving, serving, honoring, and glorifying Jesus Christ, and you will truly see who is the ‘fairest of them all.’”

- Leslie Ludy, Set Apart Femininity

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GIVENPHOTOGRAPHY

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GIVENPHOTOGRAPHY

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GIVENPHOTOGRAPHY

lambie

love Copyright 2010 The Church at Ellerslie. Â All rights reserved. Â No material from this website may be copied, reproduced, or distributed without express written permission from The Church at Ellerslie.

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“

Harper is our miracle from God. A child once said that Harper has "praying hands" because they look like they are always folded in prayer. Because of Harper's precious "praying hands" and the many prayers of the saints, God brought her into our family. There are no words to describe the gift that she is. May her praying hands cultivate a praying heart - both in her own life and in the lives of all she meets.

- Leslie Copyright 2010 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

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Set Apart Girls answer the question: SET APART VOICES

How do I avoid being distracted

by pop

culture

?

“

One of the main ways I avoid being distracted by pop culture is by deliberately choosing to turn my eyes and affections away from it. For example, I make it a point not to look at the countless magazines at the checkout line that contain the latest celebrity gossip, diet tips, and pointers on "how to be a better you." I limit my time spent on the internet. I make sure that watching movies is not a regular occurrence.

And most of all, I immerse myself in the Word, dwell on Truth, and ask the Lord to give me a heavenly perspective. As I practice turning my gaze away from the things of this world and focusing my attention instead on what really matters, pop culture becomes dimmer and dimmer in light of my beautiful Savior!

Ashley

19 | MINNESOTA

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The less time I spend watching TV, movies, or reading frivolous books, the more time I spend on my knees and in the Word. I did not notice this correlation until I cut off power to my television a year ago. Now I have to reactivate the power before I can even press the "on" button on the remote. Adding this extra work makes watching television less convenient and I therefore do it less often. I then find myself with ample amounts of free time which I instinctively fill with activities that draw me closer to God. I also turned off the radio in my car; I don’t even listen to CDs while driving. Instead, I invite the Lord to join me as I sing and pray to Him. He has blessed my drive time by granting me patience, refreshment, and even visions of His will. Friends have commented that they find it flabbergasting how I can spend up to five to six hours a day in a single sitting just reading the Bible, but I tell them honestly that doing so has actually fulfilled my need for fun!

The time I originally thought I did not have emerged only when I did away with the things that distracted me from God. Janae 27 | CALIFORNIA I grew up hearing a story from my father about a man who was teaching his son of the battle between good and evil. He told his son how there was a dog and a wolf at war within his soul. The son anxiously replied, “But which one will win?” The father answered with a truth that has impacted my life on countless occasions, “The one that you feed.”

There is no neutral entertainment. Something either feeds what God is desiring to work in my life (the Kingdom of Truth) or it feeds the demands of my flesh and the enemy’s agenda (gossip, discontent, lust, jealousy, self glorification, etc.). Things will either move us heavenward or drag our life back into the swamp of despair and filth which God has given His Son’s life to rescue us out of. It may be putting it plainly, but I know that my own soul has needed this wake up call to keep the necessary vigilant watch upon my soul. Only one King will sit on the throne of my heart and mind, and His name is Jesus.

Annie

27 | COLORADO

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Leslie’s Blog!

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Moments from my life.

go online to subscribe to Leslie’s blog MOTHERHOOD: Raising the Bar in Child-Training

Last night we tried something new at dinnertime. We set the table nicely and served dinner in the dining room, with our four kiddos seated in booster seats (except for Hudson). I’ve always tried to make dinnertime as nice and romantic as possible, but with two toddlers and two preschoolers who have no concept of etiquette, this is easier said then done. Many nights in the past few months dinnertime has brought screams (from the toddlers), sippy cups thrown across the room, and whining about the food. I realized it was time for a bit of reformation in this area.

So we decided to make dinner a formal affair. Never mind that Avy and Dub were hardly big enough to see over the top of the table, or that they kept trying to use their dinner plates as Frisbees. We decided to use mealtime as a training ground - to teach manners, etiquette, gratefulness and sensitivity to our four little “cave people ” (if you have ever seen an un-taught child eating a meal, this is a pretty good description of their behavior!)

It was a lot of extra work to set the table nicely and instruct four little children on how to sit quietly, chew with their mouths closed, and keep their elbows off the table...

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The Lost Art of True Beauty In today’s sex-obsessed society, pop-culture’s idea of feminine beauty seems to be all about looking like the hottest models, movie stars, or pop-singers, but the end results are often tragic - overwhelming insecurity, eating disorders, and sexual promiscuity.

This book presents a whole different vision for feminine loveliness as God intended it to be - the breathtaking radiance of a young woman who has been transformed by Christ from the inside out. This book offers lots of practical advice about how to: *Showcase Christ’s beauty in the way you dress, act, and live *Overcome insecurity and see yourself as God sees you *Become attractive to the right kind of guy *Build your femininity on God’s values instead of the world’s The Lost Art of True Beauty will lead you on a life-changing journey to becoming a woman of feminine grace, inner radiance and timeless appeal!

Copyright 2011 The Church at Ellerslie. All rights reserved.

No material from this website may be copied, reproduced, or distributed without express written permission from The Church at Ellerslie.

Authentic Beauty may very well be one of the rarest earthly treasures today. It holds a magnetism far beyond the loveliness of a properly painted face, and it possesses a charm that towers over the enchanting grace of a sweet personality. It is not ever to be discovered in the pomp and polish of high society, nor in the silk and satin of those conformed to popular culture. Rather, it emerges only rarely in each generation, and that in the life of a young woman-a young woman who is deeply loved by the Prince of her soul.

- Leslie Ludy, Authentic Beauty

inournextissue: Cultivating Beauty Creative ways to adorn your life with Truth Top Ten Time Wasters for Young Women, Part Four How to avoid this common trap!

Standing For the Least Fighting for the vulnerable in your own backyard

Soli Deo Gloria

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