2013 Jan/Feb setapartgirl online issue

setapartgirl

LESLIE LUDY’S

MAGAZINE

Preach Christ AT ALL TIMES, p. 10

HOW TO FIND A GODLY GUY

IN A GODLY WAY, p. 26

PURIFIED OF THE PAST a warrior-poet’s perspective, p. 38

The Haiti Letters

the justice rescue project, p. 66

r a e y new Y P P A H

U S AT F O L L A FROM

l r i g t r a p a set

Sister of the Common Life

MEET ERVINA, p. 86

JAN/FEB 2013

letter from leslie ludy BESTSELLING AUTHOR FOUNDER, setapartgirl

The launch of a new year provides a great reminder to pause and evaluate our lives. I’ve learned that there are two very different ways to accomplish this. The first is the shallow, worldly kind of self-examination that causes us to ask questions such as, Am I reaching my personal goals? and Am I fulfilling my destiny? and Am I being true to myself? Most women’s magazines out there today encourage us to take this approach, and if we heed this advice, the result is a lifestyle of selfishness, petty obsessions, and wasted time. The following pages challenge us to ask an entirely different set of questions: Am I spending my time on God’s priorities?

Am I living worthy of the calling I have received? Am I bringing glory to Him? It’s so easy in our modern times to become consumed with our own happiness, rather than honoring, knowing, loving, and glorifying the One who gave us life. But I have found when I exchange self-reflection for self-denial, kneel at the feet of Jesus, and say, “Search me oh God and know my heart!,” His gentle, refining touch upon my soul leads to true happiness, true joy, and true peace. Surprisingly, happiness isn’t found in being true to ourselves or fulfilling our personal goals.

Rather, it’s found in giving up our lives in absolute surrender to the King of all kings. In this new year, God is reminding me afresh to scratch all my personal goals and desires in exchange for only one: to live “always, only for my King!” Such a new year’s resolution requires heavenly, supernatural grace – it’s not something we can ever do in our own strength. But that is the beauty of His ways.

He always gives us everything we need for life and godliness – when we look to Him alone. I pray this new magazine issue will inspire you toward that end!

Leslie

p.s. I’m very excited to introduce you to our Justice Rescue Project how you can stand for vulnerable children in Haiti!

- read page 66 to learn

letter from the setapartgirl team COLORADO | Tessa, Mandy, & Lauren

Happy 2013, dear sisters! The commencing of this new year has brought with it a joyful anticipation for what the Lord has in store for the coming weeks and months.

The excitement is fresh. The vision is renewed. The motivation is joyful and sincere.

And yet, as 2012 passes and we eagerly step in to a new and unknown year, we are challenged afresh to remember that, as Christians, we do not have to wait around for January 1st to arrive before we can be filled with that sense of hope, expectancy, and excitement for the days to come.

The world around us sees the new year as a time for transformation, growth, and change – new career goals, new weight-loss goals, new financial goals, and new personal “goodness” goals. And while there is nothing wrong with enjoying a fresh start, we have the joy of knowing that our Father is constantly at work in our lives – from the turning of the clock at midnight on January 1st, until the last ten seconds of the next December 31st. His mercies are new every morning. His grace is freshly given for every good work. And when July comes around, He will still be working, supplying, teaching, refining, and renewing. He does not give up on us halfway through the year and wait until the beginning of the next to continue His good and perfect work in us. The work He does in the first week of January is just as important to Him as the work He does in last week September.

With that wonderful truth in mind, may we join with Paul in saying, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” And may we not only say it this month, but next month, in thirteen weeks, and 237 days from now – filled with a daily expectancy and steadfast hope that He who began His good work in us will be faithful to complete it!

Tessa, Mandy, & Lauren

p.s. We want to take a moment to thank Annie Wesche, our beloved Creative Director, for tirelessly helping with our setapartgirl magazine issues even from the mission field in Haiti these past months! Though juggling babies and the daily challenges of missionary life, she’s continued to pour out for the ministry of setapartgirl- even from a distance! We love you Annie!

inthisissue set apart femininity

Explore God’s Sacred Intent for Your Life

10 l Preach Christ at All Times: If Neccessary, Use Words 18 l Prepared to Pour Out: Becoming a Woman of Influence

set apart relationships

Honoring God in Love and Romance

26 l How to Find a Godly Guy In a Godly Way 38 l Purified of the Past: The Truth About Redemption

set apart walk

Cultivate Your Daily Romance with Christ

48 l The Art of Undistracted Prayer

set apart lifestyle

Applying the Gospel to Everyday Life

54 l setapartgirl Annual Conference Simulcast 100 l Christian Romance Novels: Friend or Foe?

set apart motherhood

Discover God’s Heart for Home and Family

110 l Saying “Yes” to the Inconvenient 118 l Kiddo Spot

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from the New King James Version.

66

Copyright 2013 The Church at Ellerslie.

All rights reserved.

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

66 l BONUS: The Haiti Letters

18

26 38

6 8

48

ineveryissue 8

setapartgirl playlist

62

Q&A with Leslie

86

Sister of the Common Life

109

Leslie’s Blog

122

Staff Sermon Picks

“...it’s time we recognize and embrace the supernatural power that Christ provides to equip us to live triumphant, victorious, valiant lives – lives that literally shock this world around us...”

- Leslie Ludy

setapartgirl

quote

about leslie

FOUNDER, setapartgirl

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 eighteen 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 eighteen 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 worldimpacting Christian service, and draws men and women of all ages from around the world.

contributor

Christy Osborne

Designer | Colorado

Christy serves as a student life intern here at Ellerslie, joyfully serving in whatever way is needed. She has a passionate heart for the overseas mission field, and this past year has had the opportunity to pour out her life for the least while spending several weeks in both Haiti and Mexico. Christy’s design contribution to this Jan/Feb issue is just one of the many ways she has blessed the setapartgirl team by selflessly giving of her time and energy, while using her God-given artistic talent to further the work of His kingdom!

setapartgirl

PLAYLIST

LESLIE’S PICK: One Less by Matthew West beautifully TEAM PICKS:

expresses the miracle of adoption - always brings tears to my eyes!

AMELIA: ONE LIFE TO LOSE

by Laura Story LAUREN: BELIEVE

by Hillsong Live MANDY: REDEEMER

by Crabb Family ANNIE: THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING

by Matt Papa GRACE: WHAT CAN I DO BUT PRAISE YOU

by Paul Baloche TESSA: I TURN TO YOU

by Selah MARLENE: GOD OF THIS CITY

by Chris Tomlin AMY: JESUS, I AM RESTING

by Matthew Smith

Note: Ping has been discontinued, but all of these songs can still be found on iTunes!

take it deeper

SET-APART FEMININITY

This is a powerful, candid, conversational book in which I pass on a compelling vision for femininity that can forever alter your existence and take you far beyond the unfulfilling trends of modern culture. This book is a radical call to a version of femininity in which everything – from the way you relate with guys to the focus and direction of your life – is shaped by an intimate relationship with the King of kings.

• • • • •

Unlock God’s sacred call upon your life Understand God’s pattern for true feminine beauty Captivate the heart of a Christ-like guy Align your daily existence with God’s priorities Find real fulfillment by living a poured-out life

Heroic femininity is well within your reach!

ORDER NOW

preach

Christ

at all times

(IF NECCESSARY, USE WORDS)

by Leslie Ludy

a

sa

femininity

college student named Amanda recently asked me, “How can I share about God’s Truth to all the lukewarm Christians in my life? I get so frustrated seeing their mediocrity and I just don’t know how to get through to them!”

It’s a sentiment to which many of us can relate. When we feel passionately about Christianity, we long for those we love to know Jesus the same way we do. We see their lives of compromise and long for them to experience something better, but aren’t quite sure how to get through to them.

When I first surrendered my life to Christ at the age of sixteen, many of my acquaintances noticed that my life suddenly looked different. A casual friend of mine, Staci, once asked me why I was no longer dating. I was thrilled that someone wanted to know about my convictions about true purity! So with great enthusiasm and zeal, I launched into a fiery ten-minute lecture about the sinfulness of shallow dating relationships and the dangers of temporary flings. “God doesn’t want us dating around,” I proclaimed. “We should be letting Him write our love stories!”

Staci gave me an odd look. “Oh, uh, that’s...interesting,” she mumbled before quickly coming up with an excuse to leave.

It didn’t take me long to realize that zealously yapping about my convictions wasn’t enough to make someone “see the Light.” Whenever I tried to proclaim Truth to the people in my life, they simply shrugged it off as a youthful “phase” I was going through, and returned to their mediocre, sin-filled existences.

Why isn’t anyone responding to all this great Scriptural Truth I’m giving them? I wondered. I’m saying all the right things!

But as I prayed about it, I began to realize that that was exactly the problem. I was saying all the right things. But that was all.

Instead of leaning on the Spirit of God to gently work in others’ hearts and lives,

wrestling in diligent prayer for their souls, and allowing them to see a consistent example of Jesus Christ in my lifestyle, I was merely shoving Truth in their faces.

I was expecting them to instantly “get it” because of my brilliant, compelling arguments.

When I read the statement from St. Francis of Assisi that says, “Preach Christ at all times, and if necessary, use words,” it

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femininity completely transformed my approach. I realized that words were not my primary tool for communicating Truth – my life was.

...words were not my primary tool for communicating Truth – my life was.

The Bible says that a truly wise person uses few words (see Prov.

17:27), and in James 1:19-20 we are commanded to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to become angry: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” There is a time and place for well-chosen words of Truth. There is even a time and place for righteous indignation when it comes to defending the name of our King. But primarily, it is not going to be angry, insistent words that will win others to Jesus Christ. A compelling argument can never take the place of a consistent example.

As I submitted this area of my life to God, He began to show me His pattern for communicating Truth to my friends and loved ones. He began to show me how to preach Christ at all times, even without using words.

If you’ve ever wondered how to reach the people in your life with the message of Truth you know they desperately need to hear, consider the following practical suggestions from God’s Word.

start with prayer First John 5:14-16 exhorts us,

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life…” (emphasis mine).

When we see compromise in someone’s life, our first response should not be confronting them or trying to convince them to change their ways. Rather, God’s Word says that if we see our brother or sister sinning, we are to ask in faith for that person to be delivered from sin and set upon the

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femininity path of life. We are to have confidence that God hears us, believing that He will (not might) bring victory in the other person’s life through our importunate prayers.

Even those people in our lives who seem like the toughest “nuts to crack” are not above the power of prayer – “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37).

Often our human tendency is a desire to rush headlong into the situation and try to use our debate skills to bring about change in someone’s life. But we must remember that true heart-change is a work of the Spirit of God, and not of the flesh. It is not something we can accomplish in our own strength. And if we give in to fleshly anger and frustration, we get in the way of God’s work in the other person’s soul. As it says in Zech. 4:6, “…‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.’”

First Timothy 4:12 commands us, “...set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (NIV).

...true heart-change is a work of the spirit of god, and not of the flesh.

And as mentioned earlier, James reminds us that “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Prayer is a far more powerful weapon that human words will ever be: “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14).

live it out If your life is going to make an impact on others, they can’t merely hear your convictions spoken; they must see your convictions lived. In my own life, I discovered that when I lived a faithful, consistent example of the things I believed, people would seek me out and invite me to share my convictions with them.

I didn’t have to force Truth down their throats; rather, they saw something in my life that made them want to know more.

I remember hearing the story of two young women in China who became Christians and went from village to village sharing the Gospel with everyone they met. They were so in love with Jesus Christ that their faces literally glowed. And many times they didn’t even have to seek opportunity to share their faith; people noticed the radiant glow of their faces and

If your life is going to make an impact on others...they must see your convictions lived.

sa

femininity asked them, “What do you have inside of you? Whatever it is, I want it!” That should be the example of every set-apart young woman. Set the stage for your words by backing them up with your life. If you do, you’ll never have to force the Truth on people; they will come to you, wanting to know more. And they will look to your life to prove that what you speak is true.

The words of first Peter 3:15-16 sum it up well: “...Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (NIV).

I will never forget hearing the true story of a cruel communist who was thrown into a prison cell with a Christian pastor.

The pastor preached the Gospel to the communist relentlessly for months.

Finally, the communist had had enough.

“That’s it,” he told the pastor. “I’m sick of hearing about this Jesus. I will give you once sentence to tell me who Jesus is, and then I don’t want to hear about Him ever again!” Without hesitation the pastor replied, “He’s like me.” After a moment of silence the communist said, “If He is like you, I am ready to give my life to Him.” Oh, may this be the testimony of our lives! When anyone asks us what Jesus is like, may we be able to say without hesitation, “He’s like me.”

...

Want to reach people in your life with the Truth? Lean on the Spirit of God. Give yourself to faith-filled wrestling prayer, set a consistent Christ-like example, and shine the light of Jesus Christ everywhere you go.

And let your words merely be an outflow of the Spirit within you. Let us follow in the steps of our Lord, who said, “...The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works” (John 14:10 NASB).

]

setapartgirl

presents

the ANNUAL GIRLS CONFERENCE with bestselling author LESLIE LUDY & other guest speakers

Consecration May 31-June 2, 2013

MADE STRONG TO BE POURED OUT

But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.

Psalm 4:3

JOIN US in Windsor, Colorado or host your own LIVE SIMULCAST! click here for more info

PREPARED TO

pour out BECOMING A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE

by Amy Meyers

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femininity

Her name was Naomi. For me, she

was someone I knew would answer any question I had, comfort me when I was down, and listen when I just needed to talk.

But she was also a beloved sister-in-Christ who would never fail to press me into Him, refute lies I was believing with Truth, and encourage me to dig into the Word and wrestle in prayer when I was struggling.

Such people were difficult to come by for me as a child, and I remember have a deep desire to be just like Naomi when I grew up.

As I matured in years and my feet became steadfast on the narrow way, others began coming to me, asking for prayer, wanting to talk, or in need of encouragement. But rather than making me feel important or excited to finally be “Naomi” to someone else, it made me realize the great weight and significance of such a position, and my tremendous inability to speak anything that would be of any solace or challenge to another apart from Christ. I saw how my childish ideals of Naomi’s great wisdom and knowledge of Truth did not come from herself, but rather from a deep abiding relationship with Jesus. She never spoke her own words, but only what He was speaking through her. This revelation caused me to cast myself upon the Rock more than I ever had before, and I began to see that it was only through absolute dependence upon Him and constantly remaining in the Word and prayer that I

would ever be able to effectively speak His words of healing and comfort to a hurting soul.

She never spoke her own words, but only what He was speaking through her.

Along this walk of reliance, my gracious Father has taught me many things about ministering to others, but the most important, apart from total dependence upon Him, is the concept of readiness.

Before starting our day, we get ready, both physically and spiritually, and prepare ourselves for what the day will hold. In the same way, I found that I had to be ready to speak into the life of another. But it is the rare occasion that someone sets up a time to get together with me and says, “Oh, and by the way, I will be asking you a really tough question when we meet so you might want to study up.” More often than not, the person will just come up to me and ask to talk – no prep time. But our God is so faithful to provide, if we are faithful to diligently give ourselves to the study of His Word and the practice of prayer and abiding in Him. If our hearts are constantly attuned to His, while we may not always have the perfect words to say, we will never fail to have the Answer

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femininity to offer anyone who has need. Here are a few things I have learned to do that keep my heart and soul ever-ready to be Christ’s love (or mouthpiece) to another.

Be Ready to

pray

As Christians, we have the blessed reality of being constantly connected to our Beloved. He never leaves our sides for an instant, and is ever at the ready to flood our hearts with exactly what is needed for any given situation. We also have the privilege of petitioning Him on behalf of others. Rather than simply “diving in” with your own thoughts on someone’s perplexing problem or crucial questions, lift the time up to the Lord in prayer, asking Him to direct every word spoken and to give the wisdom needed to rightly assess the situation in light of the Truth. He will not fail to meet you and lead you in such as way that will cause the person you are with to leave your time together encouraged and pointed to Him rather than you.

Be Ready to

give truth When someone comes to us with a need, whether it be emotional, spiritual, or practical, our first offering must be

the Word of God. His wisdom, love, and encouragement far exceeds anything we could think up on our own to share. In order to remain constantly with the Word on our tongues, we must purpose to keep the Word ever before our eyes and thusly, always hidden in our hearts. If the words of Truth are being perpetually meditated upon, they will be what flows forth from our lips the moment we are asked to advise or called upon to encourage, even if we do not happen to have our Bible tucked under our arm at that exact moment.

His wisdom, love, and encouragement far exceeds anything we could think up on our own to share.

Be Ready to

testify

There is nothing more refreshing or encouraging to a weary or troubled soul than to hear a triumphant story of God’s goodness. Purpose to keep a right perspective on your own life, and seek to remind yourself often of the ways that God has been faithful to you or how He came through in an impossible situation.

If your heart is a fountain of thanks and praise to your perfect Father, then you will never fail to have a beautiful testimony of

His wonders to share. Trust also that He will bring to mind the exact story from your own life that will be of greatest cheer and challenge to the hearer.

Be Ready to

remind Rather than merely sympathizing with someone in a time of distress or trouble, why not point them heavenward? When circumstances are difficult, Truth can sometimes get lost in the clouds of care and concern. But our God never fails to be at work in the lives of His children, even when the darkest nights are upon us. If the other person is walking with the Lord, you can help them to shift their eyes from themselves and all things gloom and doom, and encourage them with the promise that Jesus will bring good from their trial as He promises (see Rom. 8:28).

Take the opportunity to point out the specific (even seemingly small) ways you see the hand of the Lord moving in their situation. They will surely begin to see more clearly and be challenged to see the positive rather than the negative and go away with a song of praise in their mouth.

Be Ready to

listen

Sometimes the very thing needed to make someone feel valued and comforted is to

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femininity simply sit and listen to them. While we do not allow them to just “get it out” and vent every fleshly thought, grudge, or frustration they may have, there is a time to keep our mouths closed and refrain from offering what we think would be the “perfect advice.” If we are prayerful, the Lord will not fail to make it clear when and what we are to speak. However, He will not always lead us to preach a sermon to those who come to us in need. Our place may simply be to show His love to them through an attentive ear – and maybe a cup of earl gray tea.

Be Ready to

remember After someone has confided in you, sought your counsel, or asked you for prayer, be faithful to bring them before the Lord, allowing Him to truly share His heart for them with you. Ask Him to lead you in how to follow up with them and encourage them further. It could be something as simple as a sweet card to let them know you are keeping them in prayer, or maybe a surprise bouquet of flowers at their door with a Scripture or quote written on a card attached to it. Be purposeful to keep that person in your mind and make it a point to pray for them regularly, always having an open ear to the Lord to hear what He

might have you do – He alone knows what is best for each of His children.

...He alone knows what is best for each of His children.

While God has expanded my view of what it truly means to speak His words and show forth His love to those who come to me for encouragement and prayer, the process is continual. With every fresh opportunity to speak of what He has done in my own life, petition Him on another’s behalf, or share a verse that has challenged me in similar circumstances, I never fail to end the time with a greater understanding of my deep need for Him and a renewed desire to dig into the Word and press into prayer harder than ever, that I might be better equipped the next time. And while I do purpose to prepare myself, I find such joy in the fact that Jesus does not select those who have memorized the entire Bible or can say a perfectly eloquent prayer to share His heart with others. Rather, He absolutely delights to use the ones who have fully given themselves in complete surrender and are willing to follow His lead without question, knowing that He will supply them with everything they need to speak His words and pray His prayers for those He brings their way. ]

If we are prayerful, the Lord will not fail to make it clear when and what we are to speak.

sa

relationships

HOW TO find a GODLY GUY in a

Godly Way

by Leslie Ludy

A

well-known Christian magazine recently asked me to share my opinion about whether Christian singles should use online dating services to find a spouse. It’s certainly a hot topic among today’s Christian young women. Every week, it seems, I encounter young women who are wrestling with thoughts like, When am I finally going to meet Prince Charming? and How am I ever going to find him? Should I try a little harder to get a guy’s attention – maybe create a really nice profile of myself for an online dating service? Or spice up my Facebook page with some photos of myself in a swimsuit?

After all, I’m not getting any younger, and I don’t want to wait forever!

A plethora of books, blogs, advice columns, and magazine articles have surfaced in the last few years, attempting to give Christian young women some helpful tips for snagging a godly guy and achieving that much-desired state of wedded bliss.

“Call him up and invite him out to coffee!” offers one expert. “Just because you are the woman doesn’t mean you can’t give the guy a nudge in the right direction. Let him know you are interested – otherwise he may overlook you and move on to a different girl!”

“Join eHarmony and fast!” advises another voice. “When it comes to finding

a husband, if you snooze, you lose! Online dating gives you far more guys to choose from so you can ‘shop’ for the partner you’ve always dreamed of!”

“You’ve got to be aggressive when it comes to finding a husband,” says yet another book on helping single young women find their husbands. “If you fall for that old-fashioned notion of ‘waiting on God’ for your spouse, you are likely to still be waiting when you are ninety years old!”

For many young women, these arguments can seem compelling. Modern experts point out that the odds are against you; that today’s men are less interested in commitment and marriage than ever before – therefore, it is up to you, as a woman who knows what she wants, to help push things in the right direction.

When it comes to finding a guy, there are loads of tips and techniques available for you to glean from. You can read books on how to strike up a conversation with a guy, get him to notice you, and increase your odds of him falling in love with you, and even books with tips on how to subtly push him toward a marriage commitment if he’s dragging his feet.

Well, I’d like to offer you some tips of my own on how to find a godly marriage partner.

These tips don’t involve witty conversation starters or learning how to seduce a guy without acting like you are. And they won’t help you create a more appealing online profile. The tips I’m about to give you come straight out of the Word of God. And God is the greatest Romance Expert who ever lived. No matter what modern experts say about “the overabundance of strong Christian women compared to the overwhelming lack of godly males,” or the fact that “today’s men are more afraid of commitment than any generation before them” – these things do not hinder God’s ability to script beautiful love stories for His children. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And His pattern does not need to adapt around modern culture.

His Word is timeless. And unlike the “new and hip” yet totally unproven relationship trends of our time, God’s romance advice always works.

TIP #1: Give God the Pen (and Let Him Keep It) Growing up in church, I listened carefully to the instructions given by my youth group leaders, and tried to follow the Christian “rules” of dating to the letter. But those rules never protected me from a broken heart and shattered life.

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relationships

...God is the greatest Romance Expert who ever lived.

And as I observed my Christian friends, I saw they were all in the same boat I was in: an endless cycle of shallow and cheap romances that never lasted and left us emotionally bleeding and insecure.

It was my desperation that finally motivated me to start praying. I’d been a Christian from the time I was five, but since then God had taken a back seat

in my life. I would have said that He was my highest priority – but in reality, I was far more preoccupied with guys, friends, and my social status. I didn’t really see anything wrong with the way I’d chosen to live. After all, I was going to church, dating “Christian” guys, and committed to saving sex until marriage. My life was far more moral than most of my peers. Even though God wasn’t the centerpiece of my

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relationships daily life, I assumed that I was still on good terms with Him. But the fact that I kept getting my heart broken again and again finally made me wonder if I was doing something wrong.

After a nasty break-up, still wallowing in depression and confusion, I began to cry out to God for answers. “God, what am I doing wrong?” I cried out. “I’ve followed the Christian dating rules. Why am I so miserable and insecure? Why does every relationship end this way?”

Then came a soft tugging upon my heart.

Suddenly I somehow knew that my life did not need to be this way and that God had something better for me. I felt Him gently whisper these words to my soul: You continue to get your heart broken because you are holding the pen of your life and trying to write your own story. I am the Author of true love. I am the Creator of romance. I know your every heart’s desire. I want to script a beautiful tale just for you, but first you must give the pen to Me. You must let Me become the center of your existence. You must let Me have total control of your love life, and every other area of your life as well.

The thought of giving God complete control of my life, especially my love life,

was a bit daunting. I didn’t really mind obeying certain Christian guidelines for dating, as long as I could still hold the pen and write the story myself. But letting go of my right to make all my own decisions about relationships? I just wasn’t sure if I was ready to give God that much control.

God was asking me to trust Him – fully, completely, and whole-heartedly. He was asking me to allow Him to write my love story. But what if He let me down? Even though my Sunday school upbringing had taught me that God loved me, inwardly I always felt like maybe He was more interested in making me miserable than in blessing my life. What if I gave Him the pen and He completely destroyed this area of my life? What if He never allowed me to find a love story at all? Or what if He directed me to someone I wasn’t even attracted to?

I wrestled intensely with the decision. And in spite of all my fears and misgivings about turning the pen of my life over to God, one realization was extremely clear. As long as I continued writing my own story, I knew I would only find more heartache and disappointment. I had only made a mess of this area of my life thus far. It was clear that I needed some serious help.

So, more out of desperation than confidence, I invited the Creator of the

“I am the

Author of true love.

I am the

Creator of romance.

I know

your every heart’s desire.”

Universe to be the center of my love life.

Did He disappoint me? Just the opposite.

I was soon to discover that the Author of love and romance, who loved me more than I could comprehend, had a plan for my love life that would take my breath away with its beauty.

When God promised a son to Abraham in his old age, Abraham did what seemed only natural to do – he tried to give God a

helping hand. After all, God had said that He wanted to give him a son. What was so wrong with using the good common sense that God had given him and sleeping with his wife’s maidservant? It was the only way, as far as Abraham could see, that God’s desire for him to be a father would ever happen. The thought of just waiting around until Abraham and Sarah were both on death’s doorstep was laughable.

As the common saying goes, “God can’t

steer a parked car!” Abraham bought that very lie – hook, line, and sinker. (By the way, God can make bread out of stones and dry land out of an ocean – somehow I don’t think steering a parked car is much of an issue for Him.) So Abraham did what countless single young women do – he tried to help God out, tried to speed things up, tried to use the resources he had to make God’s plan happen. And he ended up not with the son God had promised him, but with his own humanly-crafted solution – Ishmael.

Ishmael was not God’s perfect plan for Abraham’s legacy. Rather, God said of Ishmael, “He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him...” (Gen. 16:12).

God told Abraham that He would establish his seed through a child named Isaac who would be born to him and his wife Sara in their old age. Abraham’s response was, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!” (Gen. 17:18). Like so many of us, Abraham longed for his own handiwork to be blessed

by God, rather than having to wait for God to fulfill His promise in His own time and way. God challenges us to let Him write our love stories in His own time and way, and our immediate response is, “Oh, that I could just create my own story and have You bless it!” That’s what our selfish nature

Do you

really bel

that Christ can

craves. But our Lord has something far better in store, if only we would trust Him. Allow the Spirit of God to search your heart. Are you trying to create an Ishmael of your own making? Are you attempting to give God a hand in finding a guy and getting married? Do you really believe that Christ can fill you as your all in all? And are you willing to make Him your first love, even if no earthly love story comes your way?

TIP #2: Pursue Jesus Christ (Not Marriage)

lieve

f ill you as your

all in all?

These are difficult questions to face. But remember that God cares more about this area of your life than even you do. He wants first place in your heart, not to make you miserable, but to bless you beyond all you could ask or think. Just read the rest of Abraham’s story, when God’s promise of Isaac actually came to pass, and be reminded of the loving, faithful, awesome God you serve! A heart centered upon Christ is not a sentence of death – it’s a doorway into abundant life, into the most glorious romance you could ever imagine.

Here is the truth that many of us hesitate to really believe: if and when the time comes for us to be married, God will orchestrate the love story. But in the meantime, our focus is to be on serving Him and pouring our life out for Him, not on getting serious about getting married. The timing is up to Him, not us.

Why am I so convinced that we are to remain fully dependent upon Christ in every area of our life, including this one?

Because Jesus left us an example that we should follow in His steps (see 1 Peter 2:21). And as part of His example to us, Jesus did nothing of His own volition, but only what the Father told Him to do, and only when the Father told Him to do it: “...

Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner’” (John 5:19).

What strange words to come from the King of all kings! He could do nothing of Himself? The One who created the heavens and the earth? It’s not that Jesus was actually helpless – it’s that He deliberately

chose to be completely dependent upon His Father for every word, every choice, and every action. He said: “...The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works” (John 14:10 NASB).

As Ian Thomas so eloquently explained, “The Lord Jesus acted at all times on the assumption that His Father was handling the situation, and Jesus simply took care to obey His Father’s instructions. Even when He was being reviled and tortured, ‘He left His case in the hands of God’ (1 Peter 2:23). By this submission to His Father, Jesus ‘learned obedience’ (Heb. 5:8) as a Man, and the obedience was total; ‘He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death – even the death of the Cross’ (Phil. 2:8). Now, as God, He asks

the same of you and me (The Indwelling Life of Christ, p. 20).

Trusting God to orchestrate our love story doesn’t mean shunning men or avoiding friendships with the opposite sex. Certainly it is a great idea to pray for our future spouse and to be obedient to God’s voice as He guides our steps in the process of finding a spouse.

But marriage is not what we are called to pursue. Rather, His Word tells us in no uncertain terms what we are called to pursue: “Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace…” (2 Tim. 2:22 NASB).

So, ditch online dating and Facebook flirting (real-life flirting, too, for that matter).

Don’t build your life around the

pursuit of guys.

Build your life around the pursuit of

Jesus Christ.

Don’t build your life around the pursuit of guys. Build your life around the pursuit of Jesus Christ. Find your fulfillment in Him and Him alone. If His plan for you is marriage, it should merely be an outflow of a much more important love story – your daily, intimate love relationship with the King of all kings. And if you are uncertain that He alone is enough to fulfill you at the deepest level, just take a look at these amazing promises from His Word:

“O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup...” (Psalm 16:5).

“Jehovah is my shepherd, I do not lack.”

(Psalm 23:1 YLT).

“For He satisfies the longing soul...”

(Psalm 107:9). “…the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph. 1:23).

TIP #3: Spend Your Time Serving (Not Searching) If you are single, God has a much higher calling upon your life than spending all your time and energy trying to snag Mr. Right. As Paul wrote, being unmarried is an amazing opportunity to serve the Lord without distraction (see 1 Cor. 7:34). God has not called us to build our lives around the pursuit of our own selfish desires, but to be poured-out sacrifices for His kingdom. One of the great tragedies of American Christian young women is our total preoccupation with self. When we are seeking our own happiness by desperately searching for a husband, it keeps us consumed with me, me, me, while the rest of the world is sick and oppressed and dying and impoverished.

In the single season of life, we are freer than we’ll ever be to give our lives to those in need and become Christ’s advocates for the least around the world.

But we don’t use our advantage for that

cause. Instead, we sit around complaining about the lack of available men and evaluating our own emotions. We attend retreats that are all about how we can feel better about ourselves and live more fulfilled lives. We read books about how we can somehow find the right guy. We spend hours online frittering our time away in endless social networks. We waste countless hours at the mall, snatching up the latest trends and trying to become more appealing to the opposite sex. We live a life completely focused on self.

Meanwhile, children are starving, women are being prostituted, and countless families around the world are ripped apart by disease and poverty.

In your single years, more than ever, you have the ability to give your life for them; to

Focus on

pour out your time, your energy, your love, and your resources to those who have God’s special favor – the poor and the least. Are you using this gift for the benefit of those in need, or are you squandering it on yourself?

One of the best ways to find a godly marriage partner is to stop hunting for one, and instead focus your entire life around Jesus Christ and His priorities – which means living a poured-out life. We should never put off fulfilling God’s calling upon our life because we haven’t met our man yet.

If He wants you to be married, He is more than capable of bringing a man into your life in the most unlikely way, in the most unlikely place. God can bring your spouse

for Jesus Christ

pouring your life out

...and leave the rest to to you in the remotest village in Africa, or in the most hidden slum of Haiti. Or like He did for my sister-in-law Krissy, He can bring your man along even in rural Michigan where the only available men seemed to be elderly widowers! I’ve heard many amazing testimonies of women who didn’t put their life’s calling on hold until they met their man, but willingly followed the call of God on their lives and became active in work for His kingdom – even though it meant being less available to the opposite sex. And amazingly, it was in a place of seeming obscurity that God wrote their love stories and brought along their husbands.

Him.

Remember that there are many Christbuilt warrior-poet men out there who are praying and hoping for a set-apart young woman – one who is not following after the trends of the culture, one who is not wallowing around in discontentment or on the prowl for a guy. Nothing would thrill a true warrior-poet’s heart more than to know that his future bride was spilling her life out for the sake of the Gospel. Want to find a godly guy? Focus on pouring your life out for Jesus Christ, and leave the rest to Him. As it says in Psalm 57:2, He will be more than faithful to fulfill His purposes for you. ]

purified

THE TRUTH ABOUT REDEMPTION.

of the past by an anonymous warrior-poet-in-the-making

T

hroughout the years I have been a fan of fairy tales. I especially like the bustling bicepted knight who rides in on his trusty, gallant steed, kills the dragon, whisks the beautiful princess out of the castle tower, and soon marries her – both living happily ever after. I love the fearless fighting, the noble character, and the relentlessness to save the life and win the heart of the princess. While it has been years since I had make-believe sword fights or galloped around the house on my stick horse, I still have the same desire: to woo and win the heart of a set-apart woman.

Excuse me, God? You want me to marry a prostitute? Do you know what prostitutes are like? They’re not…pure.

In like manner, women have the yearning to be wooed and won. They long to be swept off their feet and ride off into the sunset with their valiant warrior-poet.

Every set-apart woman desires their future husband to be godly, honorable, and pure; just as every warrior-poet longs for his future spouse to be pure of heart, mind, and body. But what happens when the heroic knight rides in and finds that the princess has a not-so-pure past? What if it is not sparkling and white? Will a godly man ever sweep her off her feet?

The first words God spoke to Hosea were not confirmation that God had called him to be a prophet (like God gave Jeremiah), but rather a command to love and marry Gomer, the harlot who was defiled, impure, and an outcast. Hosea obeyed and found himself truly in love with this woman. A few years later, Hosea wakes up to find his three children – but no Gomer. Where did she go? Sadly, she had returned to her previous life and was selling herself once again. God calls Hosea for a second time, saying: “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery…” (Hosea 3:1).

For a long time I have been fascinated with Hosea the prophet. In the second verse of this book, when God began to speak to Hosea, the Lord said: “Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry…” (Hosea 1:2).

...WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE HEROIC KNIGHT RIDES IN AND FINDS THAT THE PRINCESS HAS A NOT-SO-PURE PAST?

Excuse me, God? I know I love her and all, but look what she’s done! She’s not… pure.

sa walk

How can you know that a heroic warrior-poet will love you regardless of your past and sweep you off your feet? Because that is what Jesus has done for His bride, the Church.

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The beauty of the book of Hosea is the picture of God’s relentless and passionate love for His bride. God uses the life of Hosea to showcase His love for Israel.

Israel had “committed great harlotry by departing from the LORD” (Hosea 1:2).

Have we not all done the same?

Psalm 14:3 says, “They have all turned

aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.”

Ezekiel 16:1-14 is a great picture of this.

As God speaks to the nation of Israel (and to us), He compares them to a newborn baby covered in filth and blood. They were despised, discarded, defiled, and not… pure. But God was so overcome with love that against all reason He cried out, “Live!”

and proceeds to explain in verses 9-14 how He washed their filth, clothed their nakedness, and made them beautiful.

WE WHO WERE ONCE DEFILED AND DISCARDED HAVE BEEN CLOTHED with Christ AND FIND OUR LIFE IN HIM. Is this not exactly what Christ has done on the cross? We have all turned aside, become corrupt and filled with sin, and prostituted ourselves to the world. Yet against all reason, the King of kings and Lord of lords, “who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4-6). We who were once defiled and discarded have been clothed with Christ and find our life in Him. Hebrews 10:22-23 declares, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of

faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Do you not see that in Jesus our bodies have been washed with pure water and our heart is brand new, cleansed from an evil conscience, and full of the assurance of faith? In other words, you are a new creation! Your old life, the old way of doing things, and your past impurity have all passed away; behold, all things have become new (see 2 Cor. 5:17). Jesus has forgiven your sins and has set you free from the power of sin! You can, from this moment forward, live in triumph and victory and freedom – but only as you remain IN Him. How can you know that a heroic warriorpoet will love you regardless of your past and sweep you off your feet? Because that is what Jesus has done for His bride, the Church. The Church wasn’t a spotless bride, but Jesus still decided to choose her. It was through His death and resurrection that Jesus made her a spotless bride; which means He chose her when she was not yet pure. Jesus was able to look beyond the filth and impurity and see what the Church was supposed to be: a set-apart, spotless bride who lives surrendered and dependent upon

Him. And He made it possible for her to become just that.

A true, godly warrior-poet is filled with the Spirit of Jesus, which means that His heart, His nature, and His attitude are working through that warrior-poet’s life.

As a warrior-poet, I do long for a bride who is pure of mind, heart, soul, and body.

But whenever God chooses to reveal my future wife to me, despite her past, I know without a doubt that I will see her through the eyes of Jesus and love her with His love. I will see a set-apart woman who is fully given over to the King, a woman who is completely surrendered and dependent upon Jesus, and a woman who has been forgiven, washed clean, and made new.

A TRUE, GODLY WARRIOR-POET IS FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT OF JESUS, WHICH MEANS THAT HIS HEART, HIS NATURE, AND HIS ATTITUDE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT WARRIOR-POET’S LIFE.

Not long ago I read Elisabeth Elliot’s book, Quest for Love. In one of the final chapters, Elisabeth shares the story of a young woman who, in her twenties, began to take her relationship with Jesus seriously. As she contemplated marriage, she was fearful of what her future husband might think of her not-so-pure past. She poured out her heart to her mentor, and was greatly comforted by the motherly woman’s response: “She assured me that should God bring a young man into my life, then at the right time God would both give me courage to tell him and would pour out His grace on the young man so that he would readily forgive me.”

While it may not be easy to have such a conversation, rest assured that true, godly warrior-poets will “love [their] wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27). Jesus has taken the Church, made her a spotless bride, and loved her unconditionally – despite her past. If you are found in Him, then He has done the same to you; and a godly man who looks at your life will only see you surrendered, spotless, and pure before the King. ]

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...a godly man who looks at your life will only see you surrendered, spotless, and pure before the King.

Ellerslie Leadership Training A Semester at Ellerslie with Eric and Leslie Ludy

A MESSAGE FROM ERIC & LESLIE The Ellerslie semester-long intensive training program combines powerful biblical training with a set-apart, spiritually-rich environment, tailor-made for cultivating intimacy with Christ and becoming equipped for worldimpacting 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 personally invest in your spiritual life through this program!

upcoming sessions: 2013 Summer:

June 15 - August 18

2013 Fall:

October 12 - December 15

apply at:

www.Ellerslie.com

take it deeper

WRESTLING

PRAYER

WRESTLING PRAYER is filled with practical

ways to help you build a stronger prayer life. Many 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 ORDER NOW step-by-step recipe or cookie-cutter formula. But there are some biblical principles that, when applied to our personal prayer life, can revolutionalize 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!

sa walk

THE ART OF

UNDISTRACTED PRAYER practical tips for a fresh focus

by the setapartgirl team

P

erhaps the most amazing privilege of the Christian life is storming the throne of grace and laboring in fervent prayer for the things burdening God’s heart. However, any Christian who has embarked on such a heroic act would easily agree that it requires much effort to fix your eyes upon Jesus – and keep them there. What starts out as a well-meaning, passionate time of communion with God can quickly turn into a mental struggle in which the human brain becomes a revolving door with random thoughts

trailing in and out. But God is deserving of all of us – our attention, our energies, and our listening ears – and thus we must take determined action to ward off anything that would seek to distract our minds from being perfectly in tune with His Spirit.

All of us on the setapartgirl team have desired to triumph over this obstacle in our own spiritual lives, and God has faithfully shown us specific ways to stay focused in the prayer closet. Here is some of what we’ve learned:

AMY

By far, the most valuable asset to my prayer life has been a little closet under the stairs of my basement home. It may sound strange to some, but for me it has become a haven, a sweet refuge where I can steal away for some alone time with my King. This tiny room is absolutely void of clutter and is always kept clean and orderly, with my Bibles, study books, and sermon notes neatly stored in a basket. I do not fold my laundry, check my email, or chat on the phone in this sacred place – it is a sanctuary, utterly set-apart for the cultivation of my relationship with Jesus. While this tucked away corner of my house may not be the most elaborately decorated or boast the most stunning view, it is free of anything that would distract my gaze from being wholly fixed upon my beautiful Savior. It’s our own little hideaway to commune with each other, share our hearts, and fall deeper in love every single morning.

MADISON

I have a mind that is swirling with ten different thoughts or ideas at any given moment, and when I begin to pray, they all clamor for my attention.

I may start out praying silently in my head about one thing, and before I know it, I am wandering down a completely different path. One way I guard against such travels of the mind is to pray out loud. When I audibly give voice to my prayers, my mind is better able to focus and all other possible roads of thought fade away. If I am in a setting where it might be distracting to pray out loud, I write my prayers down in my journal if I have it with me, or any paper I have on hand.

LAUREN

One thing that helps me stay focused during my prayer times is to MOVE! I have found that I tend to get drowsy and foggy (especially early in the morning) if I try to pray while curled up with a blanket or kneeling for a long time. Because of this, I like to pace back and forth or walk around the room I’m praying in. I still love to kneel when I pray, but if I realize I’m starting to lose focus, then I know it’s time to get up and move! It may feel strange at first to pace while praying (it did for me), but if it keeps you sharp and focused, then go for it! Jesus is worthy of our undivided attention and fellowship, so our prayer lives must be protected at all costs.

Jesus is worthy of our

undivided attention and fellowship...

MANDY

Heading out for an early morning walk is one of my favored methods of practicing undistracted prayer. Escaping my normal, daily surroundings to journey out for prayer energizes my body and practically aids in keeping me focused.

As I am out and about treading a familiar path, the chance of my eyes being drawn to a picture-framed memory or sticky note reminder is eliminated. As you set your pace to pray in the fresh air, I am certain you will discover the beauty and delight in set-apart, distraction-free time with the heavenly Bridegroom. As the old whimsical hymn says, “And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am his own! And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known!�

TESSA

When God first began to train me in prayer a few years ago, I didn’t even try to get down on my knees until I’d returned from the kitchen with a cup of coffee to give a little boost to my morning sluggishness. Oh, how patient He has been with me ever since! This past year, I discovered one specific and very simple thing I could do differently. Every night before I go to bed, I fill up my water bottle and set it out where I can easily grab it when I get out of bed to pray. Trying to enjoy (and wake up with) a steaming cup of coffee at the same time I was trying to pray was a distraction – not to mention a time waster if I was the first one up and had to make the coffee. Drinking water while I pray is a good way to rejuvenate my body in the morning, and yet is not in any way a hindrance to keeping my focus where it should be.

MARLENE

It’s strange, but as soon as I start praying, my mind runs off in all directions! I have to do...I shouldn’t forget...ah, what a great time we had...oh, I wonder...sigh. I am not praying at all! My escape route? Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (see 2 Cor. 10:5). If the thought popping up is a “do” or “remember” one, I quickly jot it down on my computer or a sticky note and continue praying. This way, it won’t distract me again (and I won’t forget about it either). But if it’s a wandering thought into lala-land, I throw it out at once with a white-knuckled fist and a firm, out loud “NO,” and instantly get back to what I was praying. I work hard to be focused and sharp, to be there 100% – for I am having a most important conversation with my Beloved, the King of all kings.

AMELIA

If you’re in a place where you can’t find a quiet spot, find some calm instrumental music to put on your iPod to tune out the noises around you. It’s best if there are no words to ensure a focused time of prayer, otherwise it might become a distraction. There are times to worship and times to press into fervent prayer. Sometimes I get sidetracked by worshiping God or thinking about the music instead of wrestling in prayer, so I purposefully do not listen to worship music during those times.

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Another thing that can either help or hinder your prayers is writing them out. Typing on your computer may cause a temptation to check your email or hop on Facebook. If this is a problem for you, take the initiative to disconnect from the Internet during your prayer time. Writing prayers in a journal is less distracting, but if there is a tendency to doodle or pay too much attention to how nice your writing looks, this may need to be avoided. I love to write my prayers, but sometimes I end up not really praying and start writing about my day or life in general, so I have to be watchful about staying on track. ...

While none of us are perfect in this area, every morning is a new opportunity to give our full attention to Christ and allow Him to continually train us in the prayer closet. If we are purposeful to remove anything (even good things) that might stand in the way of unhindered communion with our King, and go before His throne with a willing heart and steadfast resolve, He will be faithful to shape us into the mighty women of prayer we are all called to be. ]

the

setapartgirl

ANNUAL GIRLS CONFERENCE

SIMULCAST EVENT Bring the set-apart message to your small group, church, or community!

O

ver a year ago, God put it on Eric and Leslie’s heart to expand their vision for the annual setapartgirl conference, and explore the idea of streaming it via live simulcast. Of course, this was no small dream and no small task, requiring meticulous planning, much technical detail, and a whole lot of faith in God’s ability to handle the rest! But though it was a daring venture, it was amazing to think of how the Lord could use the simulcast to reach hundreds of girls around the country and world through powerful messages filled with the life-changing truths of God’s Word. Eric and Leslie knew our God was able to pull it off, and registration was soon open.

Several months later, in May of 2012, the weekend of the conference arrived.

By that time, more than 125 different

locations around the world were registered for the simulcast, including Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Guatemala, and Ecuador!

And glory to our God, everything went smoothly, and the simulcast turned out to be a huge success.

This year, we are excited to again be offering the conference via simulcast, and we are eager to see how the Lord will again show His great faithfulness through this event.

We would like to encourage you, dear sisters, to prayerfully consider hosting your own simulcast event. And since we realize that the idea of it may come across as a bit intimidating to some of you, we wanted to take some time to explain a few details, answer a few questions, and inspire you with the ideas and testimonies from some of last year’s simulcast hosts.

SO WHAT EXACTLY DO I NEED TO DO OR HAVE IN ORDER TO HOST A SIMULCAST? On the technical side of things, you need to have good, high-speed Internet access in order to stream the live simulcast, or watch the recorded sessions from Vimeo.com. One indication of this would be an Internet connection that is through Internet lines and not just through a phone line. If you’re not sure about your Internet speed, you can test it by going to Vimeo.com and try watching some videos there. If it takes awhile to load a video, then you’ll know that you will need to allow time to pre-load the video before you watch it for the conference.

If you’ve having a very small group (up to three people), you can use just your computer to watch the sessions, but you might want to make sure you have external speakers so you can hear well! For a larger group, you can get special cables to connect your laptop with a big-screen TV, or for a really big group you can use a projector (with a screen). You’ll need a sound system for this method as well. If you want to host it at your church, they may have the equipment you need and may be able to help you with the planning and set-up. If you’re not tech-savvy, don’t

worry – there are bound to be some men at your church who are and would be willing to help. Try starting with the tech team at your church, or a family friend who is known for their technical skills.

You will also need to have a place or room that’s large enough and comfortable. You will want to have some sort of plan for snacks and/or meals, since it’s an overnight and all-day event. Depending on the group size and location you could think about doing an overnight event, but it’s not necessary. There are lots of options for how to do the schedule, meals, etc. A good idea is to get a small team of people together who can help decide what would work best for the weekend and assist you in carrying out the details. You can charge a fee to those who come to help cover the cost of the simulcast, food, books you might order, etc.

Depending on how you schedule the weekend, there may be extra time on Saturday afternoon when there’s no sessions to watch, so you could have some small group/discussion time or another activity such as a meaningful craft. There are endless possibilities to how God can build each individual event – dream big, be practical, pray much, and have fun!

A few more answers to your questions: Q: HOW WILL THE SIMULCAST WORK IF I’M IN A DIFFERENT TIME ZONE? A:

Each session will be streamed live and also recorded. Then we will upload each recorded session to individual links on Vimeo.com, which takes us approximately two hours. For example, the Friday night session will end at 9pm MST, but the recorded sessions will not be available for viewing on Vimeo until 11pm MST. The recorded sessions will not be downloadable – you can only watch/stream them from Vimeo.com, which means you will need good and dependable Internet access. The recorded sessions on Vimeo will be available for two weeks (through June 16, 2013), so if you have a schedule or time zone conflict with the original date and time of the conference, you can watch the sessions at a time that is convenient for you within that two-week time frame.

Q: WHAT IS THE COST OF THE SIMULCAST AND WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE? A:

The simulcast will include six general sessions and a breakout Q&A session with Leslie. The cost for the simulcast is $79. For an additional $5 you can get a link to downloadable session notes, which you can print and hand out to those who attend your simulcast event. All simulcast hosts will also be given the option to purchase Eric and Leslie’s books at a discounted price, at the time they register online.

Q: CAN I PURCHASE A DVD OR AUDIO RECORDINGS OF THE SESSIONS AFTER THE CONFERENCE? A:

We will not be offering a DVD for purchase, but the audio will be available to download for a small fee.

WHAT GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD ARE SAYING ABOUT THEIR OWN SIMULCAST EVENTS LAST YEAR! EMILY SAYS: I held a setapartgirl conference at my home the weekend of June 1-2. Leading up to the weekend, I announced the conference to my church’s middle and high school girls, as well as a college group and singles group at another church. Because I held it at my home, I was limited on space, but we ended up having more than enough room! There were around 20 girls for the weekend including several moms. Only one of the girls had ever read or heard the set-apart message, so I was excited to be able to share this radical, sacred message that God has used in my life. In addition to watching the sessions and enjoying the food my mom graciously prepared, I also had a drawing to give away several door prizes including Set-Apart Femininity books and lovely Scripture cards that the girls could place in their rooms.

After each session, I shared some things that the Lord has taught and convicted me of over the years. I also allowed time for the girls to voice their thoughts. Personally, I have heard Leslie’s message many times (reading her books, listening to her podcasts, attending the conference), but I

was reminded of so many things that God wanted me to continue to apply in my life and convicted of areas where I have given in to the world’s temptation. Overall, the weekend was a refreshing time to fellowship with other girls while listening to the Lord’s leading and sweet voice!

HANNA SAYS: While reading the setapartgirl magazine, I found out about the conference. I immediately began to dream about how incredible and precious it would be to go to Colorado and meet other girls who have the same pursuit as I do, and also learn of Him more and how could I do my best for Him. But unfortunately, the dates of the conference were right in the middle of my school year, so it would have been too difficult for me to go. So, when the simulcast option was available, God began to touch my heart and I started to dream about hosting a simulcast event here in Guatemala. But there were many seeming hindrances, such as the language barrier (not many people fully understand English in my country). So, I left it, thinking that it was impossible. When I’d had a special longing in my heart to attend the

conference, I had sent Amelia an email to find out more about how the simulcast would work. When I received the reply, I felt that God was, in this way, supporting me and making my dream come true. I immediately thought of girls who knew English and may be interested, and I began extending invitations. The girls who accepted the invitation passed the news on and invited other girls they knew.

It was incredible, because all the girls who attended were so caught up in the messages! I know God sent the ones who will change their lives, and who want to follow God wholeheartedly! It still amazes me a lot how He orchestrated the details, how He changed my life (I am a shy girl, so inviting people to attend an event was something outside of my comfort zone – but it is Him in me!), how He moved hearts and lives during the conference, how He spoke so perfectly and purposely through Leslie, and how amazingly I could feel my family´s support and help!

HEATHER SAYS: The moment I heard about the simulcast, I knew God was telling me to take a leap of faith and obey Him! The journey was exhilarating, heart-wrenching, and so fulfilling for me! I am overwhelmed with thankfulness that the Lord chose me to serve Him in this way!

It was such an honor and a blessing! Every

step of the way He provided exactly what I needed. When I didn’t know where to begin, God brought a wonderful older woman to come alongside me and mentor me with the planning of the event. When my health seemed as though it was going to fail several times as I got up in front of the church to promote the event, God always calmed my symptoms down and gave me just the strength I needed! Every time something would go wrong and I would question if God really wanted me to be doing this, He would always provide an answer. There were so many other ways in which He was so faithful to me in bringing this all together, but to name them all would take far too long.

We had our conference on June 2nd from 9am to 4pm, and it was just lovely.

There were about 55 ladies between

the approximate ages of 11 and 65 who participated! After each session we had about 20 minutes of small group discussion time. In between these times, we broke up the day with breakfast, lunch, and several times of worship. It was just amazing. So many women have responded saying how blessed they were, and how greatly there hearts were affected by Leslie’s teaching! Moms of teenage daughters were just overjoyed that I brought Leslie to their attention! I even had the opportunity to witness to a friend of mine I have been praying for for over two years! It truly was a beautiful display of God at work! I printed out copies of the Cleaning the Sanctuary

material for everyone to take home and go through, so they could better apply the message to their lives. I also gave them a complete reference listing of all of Eric and Leslie’s materials! I’m hoping that God uses these things to get everyone as fired up about the set-apart life as I am!

LAURA SAYS: We held our setapartgirl conference this last weekend and had 10 attend. It was a special time of fellowship and encouragement. My husband and I previewed the conference together the week before and were very encouraged.

We had a picnic at the park, a motherdaughter photo shoot, and time to relax together and swim. The girls were talking about wanting to plan a similar event next year and invite their friends. Both the moms and girls brainstormed together ways to encourage one another to apply what we learned.

SUSANNA SAYS: God provided in so many ways and gave wisdom for all the details. He truly orchestrated each part.

We decorated in a simple yet elegant way. I was praying that we could make it special and meaningful for the girls who came, even with a very low budget. My mom strung up lights around the center of the fellowship hall, where the tables for

meals were. We had ivory tablecloths on the tables, each with a square of brightly colored, summery cloth in the center and an Izze bottle filled with beautiful pink flowers. I included enough money in the registration fee to purchase books for all the girls who came. My mom (and a few other girls who helped) put ribbon and a bow around each book, and we set up a special table for girls to choose what book they wanted to take home with them. I also wrote a letter to each of the girls that they received with their book, to encourage them after Christ and let them know that they were cheered on, prayed for, and supported by their fellow set-apart sisters in Christ. At meal times we had discussion questions to focus our conversation around Christ and building one another up, and my mom led a short Bible study during breakfast on Saturday morning. It was so exciting each time God brought an idea to mind or had someone else suggest a way to add special touches to each part of the conference! They were answers to prayer, and I pray, set an environment that drew ladies’ hearts after Him and lifted Him high.

BETHANY SAYS: I began toying with the idea of simulcasting, but I really didn’t think it was possible because I am fairly tech-illiterate. As I was talking about it one

day to a few moms, one of them told me that her husband’s photography studio might be an option. A few months later I contacted him, and he provided his place at no cost, and all the materials (sound system, high speed Internet, and projector).

He also helped me set everything up, and was there multiple times throughout the conference in order to check up on things.

Everything I needed for the simulcast just fell into place with hardly any effort on my part, and I know it was because the Lord directed the entire thing from start to finish.

] FOR MORE INFORMATION

ABOUT HOSTING read our brochure | click here

OR REGISTER NOW TO HOST YOUR OWN EVENT

SIMULCAST | click here

MORE QUESTIONS? W E WA N T T O H E L P Y O U !

email Amelia | coordinator

amelia@setapartgirl.com

NOTE FROM LESLIE: I normally interject my own answers in this Q&A section.

However, I thought you would be encouraged to hear some answers from other setapart young women. The following is a question that came into our ministry and was beautifully answered by a set-apart young woman here at Ellerslie named Vanessa. I hope you will be blessed and encouraged by what she shared.

with a set-apart girl

Q & A

Q: A:

Q&A Recently I have been in some situations where I have desired to reach out to members of the opposite sex, young men who have seemed lonely, upset, or just in need of a Savior. If I ever saw a girl in this state, I would jump on the opportunity to reach out to her. But it’s so different with guys. How do I reach out to the opposite sex without them thinking I’m romantically interested?

Your question reminds me of something I went through several years ago.

I met a young man in my youth group, and even though he was younger than me, we started a friendship. He was struggling with making Jesus his everything and giving up fleshly living, and I decided that I could help him.

Soon we were sharing things with each other that were totally inappropriate for a guy/girl friendship, and without either of us realizing it, we had become dependent on each other.

Our friendship never formed into a romance, and we thought of each other as brother and sister. But we were not brother and sister. And when I realized that we had gone too far, it was too late to try and undo everything.

I was trying to help him (at least I thought that I was doing that), but I was actually giving away too much, sacred things that I was supposed to only share with my mentor (a girl) or with my future husband. When God pointed out to me that this friendship was not healthy and pure, the way that God intended it to be, I realized that I had to end it. It was not easy at all, since we were very dependent on each other, but since I wanted to honor and glorify God and respect my future husband, I ended our friendship. It was not wrong to be friends with this young man – the problem was the intimacy of our conversations.

You can point someone to Jesus, but it is Jesus Himself who does the work.

I truly understand the desire you may have to share the Gospel with young men and to lead them to Christ, but the way that you want to reach them, as you describe in your question, may not be the best way. Leslie Ludy shared in her book Answering the Guy Questions, “Taking the initiative with a guy, even in the friendship stage, can be dangerous.

God designed men to be the leaders, the initiators, and the pursuers in male/female relationships...When a woman takes a leadership role, even in a friendship, she subtly disregards a man’s authority and position.”

Do not jump on the opportunity to reach out to a guy just because you “feel” that you have to, or because you think it is the best thing to do. You must be wise in the way that you approach him and talk to him. Remember that it is not our job, as young women, to disciple young men.

I am not saying you should ignore what God is showing you, but I encourage you to take different steps instead of doing things your own way. We have a powerful way of helping our brothers in Christ. James 5:16 says, “...The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” I would encourage you to first bring this young man’s life to the feet of Jesus, praying that God will give you an opportunity to share the Gospel with him. Ask God to open a door for you, in a way that this young man will come to you in a simple conversation and that you will be able to point him to Jesus. Remember that it is not you who changes a person’s heart, it is the Holy Spirit. You can point someone to Jesus, but it is Jesus Himself who does the work.

Also, I would encourage you to point this young man to a godly man who can help him at a deeper level. Pray that God will show you someone you can trust, and who will show Christ to this young man.

Q&A And one more thing my dear sister – if God wants you to reach out to this young man, allow Jesus to show you the way to do that. When Christ is in control, He gives you the right tools. Ask for His heart, His wisdom, and His will. As Proverbs 13:1 says, “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” And remember that everything we do is to bring glory to Christ and Him alone. If this situation is not going to bring glory to Christ, you should not be pursuing it. ]

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

James 5:16

Proverbs 31.30

Annie Wesche, Creative Director Correspondence from Haiti

The

Haiti Letters with love

THE HAITI LETTERS number four | October 2012 My dear friends, I want to walk you inside the gates of a horrifying compound. A property where just over fifty small children are held under the facade that such a place is actually an orphanage. In truth, the man who runs this operation holds these children as his private collection with which to woo in the dollars of well-meaning people who have no idea of the true corruption and abuse that is behind this man’s smiles and pleas for help. The children are in bondage to a false advocate, a man who calls himself a pastor and yet wears this title to exploit the suffering of children for his own selfish gain. He is not operating legally. He has no papers for these children. And yet many of these boys and girls have been in this prison for over six years.

As I walk you further in, your stomach tightens and sorrow floods your heart.

THE HAITI LETTERS number four | October 2012 (Journal Entries from our visits to check on and feed the children) SEPTEMBER 12, 2012 They live in cruel conditions - abused, starved, and neglected. The boys sleep in crowded tents with no blankets, only a thin layer of dirt that turns to mud when it rains. The girls sleep in small cement block rooms with padlocks on the doors to keep them in. Broken wooden bunk beds line the walls with moldy foam pads as their only cushioning. Stained sheets are available to a few, but with so many of the beds broken, the dirt floor is where most of the little girls sleep. There are no shoes. No underwear. No toys but for one plastic doll, a single toy car that ironically says “rescue vehicle” on the side, and the trash that litters the property. There are no bathrooms. Corners both inside and outside carry an unbearable stench, the evidence of being used repeatedly as a toilet. There is no food, anywhere. Many of the boys are naked and you find shame in the eyes of the ones old enough to know the indignity.

Their skin is ashy white, cracked, and wrinkled from severe dehydration.

Their little bodies have scratch scars from untreated scabies. Their bellies are swollen and hard from the worms that fill them. Their ribs protrude from their skinny chests and their knees are wider than their thighs.

Read that one again. Their knees are wider than their thighs. And they’re desperately thirsty.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012 Tonight around 6pm we went back to the orphanage. We carried food and water and were met by the pastor as we walked up to the

Gems

Cardo

THE HAITI LETTERS number four | October 2012 gate. We hadn’t let him know we were coming and he wasn’t happy. He didn’t turn us away but the spirit of control and darkness upon this man made me sick to my stomach. I stood face to face with him as he gave his reasons why we could not give food to the children. After listening but remaining unmoved in our desire to see the children, he finally, reluctantly, let us in ... without the food we had brought.

The thick darkness from the absence of electricity could not shroud the truth of what was in front of me. These children were dying. Their bellies were swollen and hard. They were filthy, mud caked on their legs. They were either visibly frightened or completely expressionless.

We handed them water bags, but they just held them. Drink, we said. Drink it now, not later, but they just looked away. One by one I began ripping the corners of the water bags open with my teeth, handing them back to the children, and when I did, every little mouth drank the bags dry. We found out the pastor had told the children not to open the bags. He would take them and resell them the following day.

I knelt in front of every boy until my eyes adjusted to the darkness and I could make out each face. I found Davidson. He still looked frighteningly thin and sickly. Then the littlest boy, Gems. He had a fever and was covered in dust and filth, his belly nearly stone hard. Finally my eyes found Cardo, the boy whose face has only ever shown me one expression - blank. During our previous visit I sat and held him for over 2 hours and not once did his expression change. I asked if him if he was ok and picked up his frail body.

He was soaked in his own urine. The stench enveloping the children was thick and consuming. Cardo’s little frame was so light and skinny it was as if I held an infant in my arms. He held on to me and put his cheek weakly up against mine - the first response I’d ever seen from him.

These children don’t say anything. They are just too vulnerable. Too weak.

Too frightened.

THE HAITI LETTERS number four | October 2012 Why is it so complicated to rescue children in bondage? Show us the strongholds that block the way. Let’s go after them, tear them down, and deliver these little ones. Father, come! Come in Your power and righteousness and justice. I know that You will deliver these children. I know that You will rescue them and heal them. Let not one be lost, Jesus. Not one.

Come, Lord, and show us what’s next.

This is the reality of so many children in Haiti, and so many so-called orphanges. But this one is different. It’s different to me because I know about this one and I have looked into the eyes of the children there. And now I am a part of it. I either move to act on their behalf or shut my soul to the Father’s heart and join in with their oppressors by my indifference. There is no middle ground for me.

But what I must remember is that while I may lack in myself what’s needed for their rescue, Christ has and is everything needed for them. And I have Christ! He is the help, the healing, the provision, and the leading.

Our first response must always be to look unto Him.

I EITHER MOVE TO ACT ON THEIR BEHALF OR SHUT MY SOUL TO THE FATHER’S HEART AND JOIN IN WITH THEIR OPPRESSORS BY MY INDIFFERENCE.

For their

Redeemer is migh

Proverb

hty: He will plead their cause...

bs 23:11

RESCUE update : Since the first time we stepped through these gates, we have been working toward the rescue of these children.

When we first approached the government for their intervention, we were mocked for enquiring. “Don’t you already have 180 children at your creche?” they said. “Why don’t you worry about your own kids. Did you actually see the rape happen?” They had the testimonies and photos right in front of them showing the mistreatment of the children, but in reality what everyone is saying is, “No one here cares.” After all, this is happening all over Haiti, right? But they’re wrong. For a start, you and I care.

So, we prayed. We stood upon the promises of who our God is. We spent nights crying out through tears of ache and desperation. Lord, bring us an advocate! Set these captives free from their abusive oppressor! Turn indifferent hearts to feel the weight of responsibility to act! If there is another way, lead us in it. We know You do not forget the oppressed!

I will surely hear their cry.

Ex. 22:23 After weeks and weeks of fervent prayer, a miracle happened - the very government official who had mocked our outrage and deep concern, called and said they had changed their position and would both shut down the orphanage and bring justice to the man responsible for the abuse of these children! God had turned the hearts of men!

So, here is where this letter now finds us. We are finding property, preparing a place to receive the children once they are officially removed, and gathering all that will be needed for their immediate care. Once the children are received, we’ll begin seeking to find out if they have living parents, extended family, or are true orphans. Reuniting as many as we can with their families is our first priority and then, for those whom we are able, we will pursue adoption into a godly, forever family.

THE HAITI LETTERS number four | October 2012

The rescue still needs to take place. All these little hearts need the healing power of the Gospel and the love of their Savior Jesus. And countless children still have what is described in this letter as their daily reality. Our hearts should break with this knowledge of such suffering. It is only by the Lord’s choosing that we were not born into such a life, but this mercy and goodness come to us with a responsibility, and the Gospel which we have received now makes us doubly accountable to act on behalf of those weak, oppressed, and fatherless.

While this letter may bring heaviness to our hearts, I want to remember with you the triumphant power and faithfulness of our great King! He is in the rescue business and no one does it better than He does! Take seriously the weight and burden you feel by doing some serious praying. God hears the prayers of the righteous and the enemy trembles when we get to our knees and pray.

THE HAITI LETTERS number four | October 2012 Please join with me in praying that this rescue will happen quickly and that the perfect place will be provided to care for them. Pray for their oppressor, that this man will turn and repent before the Lord; that God would have mercy upon him and also keep him from further abuse of the vulnerable. And pray also for us, that we would walk in all wisdom, Truth, love, and in the leading of God’s Spirit.

The past few months have pressed me in many hard ways, but I have great joy in our faithful Jesus and also your hearts that are for Him and for His children. And as you can see in the photos here, even in the darkest places, God’s love can break through and His Life always brings hope!

Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. Psalm112:4 KJV I eagerly look forward to sharing with you the rest of this rescue story!

His and yours, with unwavering joy,

Annie

THE HAITI LETTERS bonus report | December 2012

BONUS: RESCUE update! faces of hope | answered prayer

It is my joyful privilege to introduce you to two beautiful answers to prayer: Erline and Karlinda. They are two out of ten children who have been rescued from the corrupt orphanage! These sisters have endured starvation, abuse, and hopelessness, but because of the grace and love of Jesus, there is such a marvelous work being done in their hearts! Oh, what a glorious Christ!

Please continue to pray - remember the little ones still in bondage and also these rescued ones who need the work of healing that only Jesus brings!

God is at work and what a high honor to be able to spend ourselves in prayer for the royalty of God’s heart!

ERLINE - May 2012

ERLINE - November 2012

OTHER CHILDREN RESCUED!

KARLINDA - May 2012 KARLINDA - November 2012

JUSTICE

RESCUE

PROJECT Inasmuch as you

did it unto

one

of the least of these...

you did it unto Me. Proverbs 23:11

HANDMADE HAITIAN

bracelets!

A colorful way to give to Haiti! One hundred percent of the profits from these unique handmade bracelets will go directly to support the children of the Justice Rescue Project, and help support the Haitian artisans who lovingly crafted each piece. These fun bracelets are available in many styles and colors!

Please visit our setapartgirl Etsy store to order!

Meet Ervina

SISTER OF THE

common life 1. When did you come to Christ and choose to live fully set-apart for Him?

The desire for Christ has been a part of me for as long as I can remember, but in the times when I haven’t maintained an intentional seeking after Him and His character, I have become blindingly sidetracked. I remember an intense talk with my mom one day that ended up with her looking me straight in the eye and saying, “Ervina, life is just not about you.” What felt like accusation was actually the truth of conviction because, at the time, my sixteen-year-old life was revolving around me and my emotions, my desires, my convenience, my schedule, my rebellion. I was surrendered to self, not Christ.

When a woman has a kingdom heart, she has an active understanding of what matters most to the heart of God. This perspective is a stark contrast to the average preoccupations of most girls. To gain this perspective and turn the

focus and direction of my life, I knew I had to make the decision to be emptied so Christ could be all. I also knew I had to intentionally invest my time and energy into something outside of myself. When I turned seventeen, I felt a specific call to disciple young women and found myself amazed with the brokenness that confronted me. Most of the girls came from abusive homes or shattered families, and all of them with hard questions and a desperate need for Jesus. I found I could only give what I possessed, which forced me to press into Christ like never before. I had to know Him, not just know about Him, because these girls saw through every clichÊ answer, reacted against rehearsed knowledge, and knew if what I had was genuine or just a pretense. This transformed my life with glorious purpose and fulltime learning, and constantly immersed me in new aspects of intercession, spiritual warfare, the love of Jesus, and the power of the Gospel.

...I knew I had to make the decision to be emptied so Christ could be all.

I look at myself five years ago and how the Lord has drawn me to Himself since then, and see so clearly that He will empty out all that I am before He will put His own resources in me. If I had managed to avoid each hard or challenging or growthproviding circumstance in the past six years, my life

would look completely different. It might be safer, yes, and more in control, but it would be lacking the absolute richness I’ve discovered. I would have chosen what I thought was better but sacrificed the wealth of a relationship with Jesus that is forged and purified and strengthened in the fires of stretched abilities, admitted weaknesses, deep pain, wrestling prayer, and impossible situations. With even the slightest taste of the victorious life, how can an easy one even compare?

2. What have been some of the greatest challenges and joys in living as a set-apart young woman?

As a woman, the challenge is in not being given over to the spontaneous feelings and emotions that would sidetrack me from confidently following God. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “My faith rests not in what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me.” In the past year especially, I have been asking God to show me how to live steadfastly. I know it’s possible because steadfastness is something I see all over Scripture, in men and women throughout history who have given their lives for the cause of Christ, and in the life of Christ Himself. If my God is rock-solid, as His follower I don’t have to be affected by every changing circumstance or influenced by the trends and patterns of this earth. I can maintain a quiet heart when the natural reaction would be to erupt in anxiety. I can remain unmoved when the earthquakes of distraction and noise and busyness shake me every day.

The joy of this life is made so much easier because I have been incredibly privileged to be surrounded by iron: friends who not only support me in my desire for Christ but whose lives deeply convict my places of selfishness and challenge me to go far beyond where I am. I love the never-ending exploration of the set-apart life alongside them. Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is

the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter” (KJV).

I feel like my life is a constant exploration of the faithfulness of God. He does conceal things that make me search out His glory, and I am no king but it is an honor and a delight to treasure-hunt His depths.

3. Can you tell us about your summer in Cambodia two years ago?

I always smile when I’m asked to tell stories about this place. It was a season of unmistakable calling and heart-wrenching love and understanding more of what Jesus wants from my life. My sister and I spent three months with a ministry called Children at Risk in a slum outside of Phnom Penh. In the past few years, we’ve made several short term trips to Southeast Asia together and neither of us could shake the burden God had given us for its people, specifically this country. Going into our summer, I told God what I wanted out of it was not fun

...the best of my plans are always a thousand times better when they’re overridden by His. and adventure; it wasn’t smooth adjustment and easy discipleship; it wasn’t the fulfilling of my expectations or the accomplishment of overseas ministry.

What I wanted was for Him to define the summer by a purpose entirely His own. I’ve found the best of my plans are always a thousand times better when they’re overridden by His. And as mine were being overridden, I found myself amazed at how He is so faithful to change me more than He changes things around me. I saw Him work in so many different, unique ways, but I’m convinced His deepest work was done in my heart, which is where it’s needed most. Being in constant ministry, giving to the starving, having love poured out instead of dug up, means I have to be changed to look like my Jesus. It means I have to be God-burdened, not burdened by my own doing. It means I have to learn in a deeper, daily way what it is to walk in the Spirit. I am not a great missionary. I don’t come close to an Amy Carmichael or a Hudson Taylor or a William Booth. But it’s their lives that spur me on toward an all-consumed abandonment to Christ and the carrying out of His redemption. The more time I spent in the Word, the more I saw how strongly the heart of God beats for justice. Depraved indifference became anguished awareness in those three months. I longed to meet the needs of the sick, the poor, the starving, the fatherless, the enslaved. But there were so many. Where do I start, God? “You start by loving the one.” The one precious child who runs into my lap and lays her head on my shoulder and transfers lice from her curly head to mine. The one old woman who doesn’t have enough money for the day’s rice but still sings hymns and wants to discuss 1 John. The one teenager who asks broken-English questions about Christianity.

Mingled with thrilling anticipation of the summer was a heaviness in my soul.

From my research on Cambodia, I was very aware that we were walking into one of the enemy’s playgrounds. Much of the physical evil happens after dark and behind closed doors, but the spiritual darkness hanging over the nation can be felt even on a sunny day. I’d heard countless speakers and seen YouTube videos and read books and perused statistics. But statistics are no longer numbers when you live in the middle of them instead of safely on the other side of the world. They’re real people. They’re faces I walk past every day. They’re children’s names I learn. They’re little personalities I fall in love with. Each time I washed dozens of heads of hair, or walked down a street followed by a crowd of children, or taught a girls’ discipleship group, or found myself surrounded by a hundred and fifty kids on a Sunday afternoon, the soul-deep joy got deeper. When He calls me to this place of

His purpose meeting my joy, pouring Jesus into every crack and corner of little lives is one of the absolute greatest privileges I know.

...pouring Jesus into every crack and corner of little lives is one of the absolute greatest privileges I know.

Since the summer, I feel like I’m constantly aware of areas where I need greater faith. Am I searching out causes I don’t know yet? Am I willing to be stretched daily? Am I in a place where I am experiencing absolute dependence on Christ, and if not, why? What am I doing to continue to learn, to increase and strengthen that faith?

“...Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” (James 2:5 KJV).

James 2:5 will always remind me of Cambodia, the poor of this world being radiant brown faces that are sometimes too poor to buy the day’s rice, yet whose faith somehow exceeds mine. God chooses them to teach this American the simplicity and childlike joy of the Gospel. If that’s what it takes to be part of His kingdom, then I want this poverty in the world’s eyes.

4. What was one of the most impacting experiences you had there?

One of my favorite stories is from one Thursday while we were at our ministry house in the slum. We were trying our best to clean the always-dirty tile floor before the children arrived. But, like always, a crowd bursting with eagerness

danced outside the garage doorway and begged to be allowed to come in early.

One little boy caught our attention. “Can small-small children please come in?” he called out. We told him we’re sorry but small-small children would have to wait just a little longer. He sat on the ground to watch as we kept working. Ten minutes later, his hopeful little voice came again. “Can small-small children come in now?” “Yes,” we smiled even though the floor was still wet, “smallsmall children can come in now.” A huge grin lit up his dust-streaked face as he jumped up excitedly to grab his friend. “Hey!” we heard him say, “Jesus said we can come in now!”

I never want to forget that. I never want to forget what a responsibility and privilege it is to be the hands and feet of Christ. I never want to forget that sometimes I may be the only picture of Jesus someone has seen in their lifetime.

Another experience was about a month after we left and we found out one of our children drowned during a water festival. I remember thinking, “A few months ago, this wouldn’t have mattered.” I wouldn’t have heard about it, and even if I had, I wouldn’t have known him. He might have been a picture, but definitely not a child I saw riding an oversized yellow bike through the slum streets every day. He might have been a face, but not a soul I prayed for. He might have moved me to pity, but not to compassion. But he wasn’t just a picture or a face. He was Panya, an espresso-skinned boy with one eye that drooped and a tendency to laugh. I’m not sure what made me think life would freeze for my Cambodian kiddos, that they would stay the same after I left, but this was a harsh awakening. What do I do when I hear the news of death taking someone so young and my head is on the pillow but my heart is wide awake on the other side of the world? I felt intense sadness at first, but then I was struck with the realization that there shouldn’t be sadness in this precious life getting to see Jesus before I do. Where is the tragedy in trading a slum world for a heavenly one? What are dirt roads and tile floors compared to golden streets and the presence of a Father he never had? What is the love of a twenty-two-

year-old missionary from America next to the love of God? Out of a little boy’s death, my perspective shifted from mourning a life on earth to longing for my own slum world goodbye.

I never want to forget what a responsibility and privilege it is to be the hands and feet of Christ.

5. What is your desire for the young women in this generation?

I have a desire for the young women to radiate purity in their everyday lives.

Godly femininity is a high calling and the fact that I am a Christian should make me a radically different kind of woman. There is a tendency to accept a high standard in certain areas while drastically neglecting others. The desire to be like Christ must be all-consuming, in every way possible cultivating purity and blamelessness in body, soul, and mind. If only the knowledge of the Holy would press on us so deeply that we would fall on our faces more often than we fall to temptation. There is a huge need for discipleship, the older girls teaching the younger, and taking them not to a place of human dependence for their spiritual success, but to the rock-solid Truth of Jesus Christ and love of His Word. I want to see triumphant femininity, untainted by worldly influence and rooted in the radiant confidence that comes from knowing who God is.

6. Since your recent marriage, what has the Lord taught you about setapart femininity in specific regard to being a wife?

I loved my time of engagement. Eight months can be a long time to anticipate marriage, but it can also be a wonderful time set aside to prepare your heart

for more than just the wedding day. During this time of planning and waiting, I sensed the Lord wanted it to be an Esther season. More than dreaming up a beautiful day with a meaningful ceremony and blog-worthy details, He wanted me to seek out what it meant to actually be a wife. And not just any kind of wife, but one that follows His pattern and intent. What does it look like to go from being single to entering a lifelong commitment? What does it mean to become a man’s helpmeet? What sacrifices will be necessary?

I loved the opportunity to read good books, have intentional conversations with wise older women, study Scripture, and seek the Lord’s wisdom through prayer. My wedding day came and went, and it was one of the most splendid days of my life, but more than anything I was excited to begin life as a wife.

There are so many expectations the world puts on marriage. It assumes that the romance dies off around the time babies come along, that vision decreases instead of increasing, that the man gets consumed in his job while the woman becomes frustrated with the restrictions of motherhood,

and that they might eventually retire to a sunny place in Florida with no goals bigger than themselves. The world also expects it to be a rarity that wives would hold their husbands in highest respect. Within their womanly circles, they feel free to share every intimate secret and personal frustration in their marriage. Lately, I’ve been meditating on Proverbs 14:1: “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands” (KJV). A foolish woman, I realized, does not just let her house decay and eventually collapse from neglect. She is intentional about tearing it down with her words, actions, attitudes, and responses. Likewise, a wise woman does not just happen to have a godly house erected around her head as she goes about her days. A home of vision, peace, joy, purity, and love doesn’t just go up automatically. She is intentional about building it with her words, actions, attitudes, and responses. As a Jesus-loving woman who wants to be set-apart in my marriage, I want Him to constantly be training me in the truth of His Word and the ways He wants me to build my marriage and honor my husband. I must be purposeful in respecting my husband, both in private and public. I must seek his best above my own, trust his spiritual leadership, cultivate an atmosphere of peace for him to enjoy in our home, and support him in prayer and encouragement. What matters is not the standard set by other women, but the standard set by the Lord and His expectations for our marriage.

1. What is your advice to young women who greatly desire marriage, but find themselves in a season of waiting?

We’ve heard it before: marriage is the greatest opportunity for selflessness.

But why wait until marriage to practice selfless living? Why not take your gift of singleness – so easily manipulated into a self-absorbed, “me-first” mentality – and use it as an incredible opportunity to allow God to build unselfishness and servanthood in you right now? The world practically begs you to spend

time, money, energy, and creativity for the benefit of yourself. Consider the refreshing perspective of Elisabeth Elliot: “This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness.” As an unmarried woman, don’t let the offering of your singleness be wasted in self-promoting interests and pursuits. Turn it into a glad sacrifice. You’re not laying down your life for a husband right now, but who can you lay it down for daily? Your family? Your church body? Pray that the Lord will fill you with His joy, His purposes, and His love for others. Develop skills that will bless other people. If you live at home, find ways to relieve your mother’s responsibilities around the house. Cook a meal and take it to that mom in your church who has her hands full with three kiddos four and under.

Initiate a discipleship group with a younger group of girls. Spend time overseas to broaden your vision. Go visit the older woman in the nursing home who doesn’t get many visitors. Write that note of encouragement. Don’t look at the waiting like it’s preparation for a future of marriage so much as it’s simply walking in faithfulness to your Jesus. Single or married, it’s always first and foremost about Him, His Gospel, and His glory. To be faithful in little is to be faithful in much. His reward may not always include marriage, but it will be Himself, and that is a reward that will never disappoint. ]

Single or married, it’s always first and foremost about Him, His Gospel, and His glory.

A few of Ervina’s favorite things: holding my husband’s hand, walks down country roads on summer evenings, the book of Isaiah, cuddly babies, the frugal beauty of thrift stores, quiet corners at coffee shops, my sisterhood, rainy days when husband stays home, our little house in the city, a plane ticket to anywhere, my blonde-haired nieces, earl grey tea with milk and sugar

Romance

CHRISTIAN

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NOVELS: Friend or Foe?

by Tessa Thompson

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W

hile strolling through any typical bookstore, the Romance section is a pretty obvious place to avoid – the uncomfortably steamy cover illustrations alone are enough to cause innocent eyes to stumble. However, the Romance section at a professed Christian bookstore paints a different picture. The beautiful women bracing the front covers are dressed quite modestly, appearing rather pure and innocent. You can even read the back cover descriptions without your imagination going somewhere it should not. These descriptions promise a story that will “inspire faith, love, and life,“ and usually involve the lovely lady on the front cover, some sort of life dilemma or sudden calamity, and a handsome “man of faith” who helps her figure everything out – oh, and tenderly falls in love with her along the way.

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In comparison to the scenarios and content found in an abounding supply of crude romantic comedies and sensual novels, these “Christian love stories” appear to be absolutely harmless, the wholesome and upright choice for hopeless romantics who love an engaging plot with charming characters. After all, they do not contain profanity, they usually talk about biblical themes, and they inspire us to see God’s hand upon our own life stories.

WHAT, THEN, ARE THE GROUNDS FOR QUESTIONING?

At the beginning of his epistle to the Philippian church, Paul writes, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent…” (Phil. 1:9-10).

Paul’s great desire for the Philippians was that they would be a people who were able to discern correctly between things that were “excellent” and things that were not, and as a result, live as true and faithful examples of Jesus Christ. Without this careful judgment, they would easily end up entangled by things that didn’t necessarily appear harmful, but would nonetheless deceitfully lead them into sin and keep them from a life abounding with fruit for the glory of God. A few years ago, I went through a season in which God more deeply revealed to

me what a set-apart life really looks like.

I soon realized how far I was from truly having separated myself from the world in order to follow hard after Him. God gently showed me that in my quest for innocent downtime I was giving mindless hours to books, magazines, and movies that did not bring me any closer to Him, and only caused my mind to be fixed on earthly things rather than heavenly things.

I may have had higher standards than most Christians when it came to how I used my time and what I put into my mind, but I had failed to recognize what things were “excellent,” and what things were not. Though I wasn’t watching R-rated horror movies or spending entire Saturday afternoons watching reality TV reruns, I was giving hours to amusements that, although seemingly innocent and a cut above the rest, did not help to develop

the lily-white purity I so desired my life to exhibit, or press me on in a fervent pursuit to know and love the Lord.

...I HAD FAILED TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THINGS WERE “EXCELLENT”...

Unfortunately, it seems that the majority of us as Christians are more concerned about finding ways to enjoy the same modes of leisure and relaxation as the world than we are with carefully distinguishing what pursuits and interests – including Christian romance novels – steer our gaze even slightly away from Christ, distort Truth, or distract us from living the poured-out life

romance novels – steer our gaze even slightly away from Christ, distort Truth, or distract us from living the poured-out life He has called us to. There is nothing wrong in and of itself with a fiction love story; however, if we are not careful, we can all too easily become engulfed in a pursuit that causes us to run the race with a mediocre stroll rather than a resolute bolt to the finish line.

While Scripture doesn’t specifically address romance novels, it does give us everything we need to carefully weigh their value and make a Christ-honoring decision as to what role they should have in our lives. Let’s consider a few different points in the matter:

Thinking on Things Above Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” When our thoughts are constantly occupied with the intriguing lives of the characters we’re reading about, it is quite difficult to fix our mind upon heavenly things at the same time. How can we be in tune to God’s agenda throughout the day, pray without ceasing, or simply meditate on His faithfulness if we’re daydreaming about how the main character might fall for the handsome hero?

...WE CAN ALL TOO EASILY BECOME ENGULFED IN A PURSUIT THAT CAUSES US TO RUN THE RACE WITH A MEDIOCRE STROLL RATHER THAN A RESOLUTE BOLT TO THE FINISH LINE. Taking in Strong Meat While most Christian romance novels attempt to carry some sort of spiritual essence, let’s admit it – they do not exercise the brain in the same way a C.S. Lewis book does. We are instructed in 2 Peter 1:5 to “add to…faith virtue; and to

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virtue knowledge.” While the end goal of Christianity is not to become a scholar, we should constantly be growing in our understanding of spiritual truths. Reading novels may be easier on the brain, but if we avoid books of more substantial Truth, we hinder ourselves from maturing into daughters of the King who are able to digest the “strong meat” of Scripture (see Heb. 5:12-14), apply it to our lives, and impart it to others.

Discerning Sound Doctrine One of the most important reasons for growing in understanding of spiritual truths is so we can recognize that which is not Truth. Paul instructs Timothy to “hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me” (2 Tim. 1:13). If we do not have a firm grasp on Scripture, we will not be able to recognize the subtle lies a story may be teaching; without even realizing it, these half-truths will soon begin to shape our beliefs and lifestyles.

For example, many of the romances in Christian novels are instigated by nothing more than fleshly whims and desires rather than the Spirit of God. Unless we have a solid understanding of the sinful flesh and its necessary death in the Christian life, or a familiarity with what the Bible says about purity, we will start to have many unbiblical

ideals as to what a godly romance looks like. Just because that beautiful woman on the front cover goes to church every Sunday, it does not necessarily mean she has wholly surrendered to God and is allowing Him to script her love story.

Not Stirring Up Love Song of Songs 2:7 says, “...Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.” As females with a strong capacity to feel, it is easy for us to “stir up love” (or the desire for it) when we get wrapped up in a dramatic tale of heartbreak, love, and heroism. We don’t just observe the stories – we enter into them, relate ourselves to the characters, and allow our emotions to run free. As a result, continually reading one enchanting love story after another can quickly cause us to become obsessed

with our own God-written romances, breeding self-pity and discontent with the fact that a man like the one in the story has yet to sweep us off our feet, or cause us to start imagining ways that perhaps God could start a similar romance in our own lives.

WE DON’T JUST OBSERVE THE STORIES - WE ENTER INTO THEM...

There is a quote by Amy Carmichael that has been a great challenge to my soul when it has come to making decisions about the practical side of the set-apart life. In her book God’s Missionary she says, “It is not that He forbids us this or that indulgence or comfort of our life; it is not that He is stern, making upon us the call of the ascetic: but it is that we who love our Lord, and we whose affections are set on the things that are in Heaven, voluntarily and gladly lay aside the things that charm and ravish the world, that, for our part, our hearts may be ravished with the things of Heaven, and that our whole being may be

poured forth in constant and unreserved devotion in the service of the Lord who died to save us.”

If we are taking forward steps down the narrow path with a sincere desire to be wholly devoted to our Lord, and a soft yielded-ness to the gentle whispers of His Spirit, He faithfully continues to point things out to us that steal our affections, or keep us from being true reflections of Christ to the world around us. If this is a specific area in your life you sense the Lord putting His finger on, take some time to honestly examine your motives, and how it may be affecting the state of your heart and mind.

While the world seeks to find its entertainment and thrill from the fictitious stories in books and movies, we are ravished by the real-life, thrilling adventure of a life spent with and for Christ. While the world seeks downtime and mindless escapes in order to relax, we seek the strength and wisdom of Christ, and find great joy in using our brains to pursue a greater understanding of Him. While the world spends countless hours dwelling upon their own love story and daydreaming about the perfect romance, we have the confidence to surrender our love stories to the Lord, and go on pouring out for His kingdom in patience and trust.

...that I may gain and be found in Him.

Christ

...WE ARE RAVISHED BY THE REAL-LIFE, THRILLING ADVENTURE OF A LIFE SPENT WITH AND FOR CHRIST.

Later on in his epistle, Paul makes it clear to the Philippians what his sole aim in life is: “…that I may gain Christ and be found in Him…that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:810). Whatever did not press him closer to that goal, whatever did not prove itself “excellent” for the purpose of becoming more and more like his Savior, Paul counted as unworthy of his time and energy. Dear sisters, may this be our same goal each moment, and may we discern with humble honesty anything that may be keeping us from it. ]

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Marriage & mamahood Moments from my life.

MAMAHOOD: Waking Up with a Heavenly Attitude Have you ever heard that old saying, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”? I used to laugh at this quirky phrase, but now that I’m a mother, I’ve found that it has a lot of truth to it! I have learned that my attitude affects the spirit and atmosphere of my home, husband, and children in a dramatic way. If I am tense, stressed-out, and frazzled, then the entire household seems to follow suit. If I am peaceful, joyful, and constant of soul, then our home feels peaceful as well – even if things are a mess and the kids are acting a bit wild...

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motherhood

SAYING “YES” TO THE INCONVENIENT Joyfully yeilding to God’s agenda

by Leslie Ludy

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motherhood It started with a casual email.

Just a few friendly exchanges back and forth between myself and a young woman – a missionary to Haiti – who runs a rescue mission for abandoned babies. I wanted to interview her for setapartgirl; to find out more about her story and her work so that our readers could be inspired by her testimony and sacrificially poured-out life.

But after the third or forth email exchange, she sent me pictures of two tiny babies.

They were skinny, sickly, malnourished, and in desperate need of a family to take them in. She wrote, “God has put it on my heart to ask you this...will you prayerfully consider adopting these twins?” Suddenly this was no longer about an interview for setapartgirl. God was speaking to my spirit as I stared at the photos of the two little lives that had been thrown away and

left to die on the filthy streets of Haiti.

Completely out of the blue and at a very inconvenient time of life, God was showing me not just one little baby, but two, who needed a godly, loving home.

For about five years, life with the Ludy children had been a roller coaster of intensity, with four children coming along one right on top of the other, and coinciding with the launch of Ellerslie, our discipleship training school in Colorado – one of the most challenging ministry ventures we’ve ever undertaken. And now things were finally starting to settle a bit, getting a little more sane and predictable. My three-yearolds were finally potty trained! Our diaper days were gone! Our ministry and family life had been busy, full, and demanding for years. And early last year, we were finally

Will you adopt them? at a point where we felt we could come up for air.

But then those pictures came across my inbox; and the question, “Will you adopt them?” And though my flesh was balking and protesting, my heart already knew the answer.

Eric and I had been praying for several months that if and when God ever wanted us to adopt again, He would show us the specific children that we were to take in.

We didn’t feel led to apply at an adoption agency and be put on a waiting list. We weren’t even sure that God had more children for our family, but we wanted to make ourselves open and available to whatever He had in store. An email with specific children, specific stories, and a specific adoption request was certainly about as clear of an answer we ever could have asked for!

Still, we had to wrestle through the inconvenience of the whole situation. Two babies, fragile, sick, and needy, added to

a family already brimming over with small, loud, and demanding kiddos seemed a little...daunting. I mean, how much more noise could the Ludy parents handle? Our neighbors already thought that we ran a daycare center because of our odd mix of little kid dynamics. (For about two years, we pushed two double-strollers down the street whenever we took a walk. I don’t really blame them for wondering.) What will they think if we took in two more? How will all the car seats fit into our car? Can our washing machine handle all the extra loads of laundry? (We are already working it to its max each day!) Will we ever get a full night’s sleep again? Can we really afford all the expenses of six children? Will it hinder our ministry?

God’s answer to all these petty concerns was clear and unmistakable. All we had to do was open our Bibles to see His heart on the matter:

“Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me” (Matt. 18:5).

“Is this not the fast I have chosen... to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out?”

(Is. 58:6-7).

“God sets the solitary in families…”

(Psalm 68:6).

It didn’t take us along to realize that to say “yes” to this inconvenient task was to say “yes” to the King of kings. To receive these little ones was to receive more of Jesus Christ into our home. To touch them was to touch the very heart of God.

It was certainly not convenient for Jesus to leave His heavenly throne and sacrifice His life to rescue us. There was nothing comfortable or easy about it. Yet, He willingly gave all He had to give. And once again He was challenging us with the question – Would we not give all we had to Him in return? Suddenly, we could see it clearly. What a privilege and honor to say “yes” to the inconvenient; and in so doing, say “yes” to our Lord and Savior!

So, here we are, building more rooms in our home, stocking up on baby supplies, getting ready for another couple years of diapers, and preparing for the honor and blessing of receiving two little gifts from heaven into our home. Each diaper change, each sleepless night, each loud and demanding cry, each inconvenient moment, will be an opportunity to bless the heart of God – if only we are willing to say “yes” to Him, not just once, not just twice, but every moment for the rest of our lives. May we joyfully respond to such a privilege! ]

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What a privilege and honor to say “YES” to the inconvenient...

TO TOUCH THEM WAS TO TOUCH THE VERY HEART OF GOD.

THE HEART

T OF GOD. given photography

o d d Ki . t o p S

FEATURING:

f f u t s e cut

the

ludy kiddos are

SAYING & DOING

HUDSON, age 8

HARPER, age 6

Hudson and his siblings just started school at Ellerslie Prep Academy! He is the only one out of the Ludy kids who is in the “big-kid” classroom – everyone else is still in the “learning how to read” little kid classroom. Hudson came up with a plan to help graduate Harper, Kip, and Avy to the big-kid classroom as soon as possible. He invented a reading program called “ABC, 123” and illustrated it with all kinds of funny characters. He told me, “This will speed things up in teaching them how to read – their teachers at school are taking too long!”

She just had her very first ballet recital!

It was quite possibly one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen, and I honestly don’t think it’s just because I’m her mom! I had never really observed her ballet class, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. With a bunch of four- and five-year-olds, I kind of thought they would all just get up there and do “freestyle.” However, they had some cute choreography and Harper actually knew all of the moves. Her favorite was the “penguin turn” where you flare your hands out and spin around – she was quite nervous to be on stage, but once she finally did it, she was beaming with joy.

AVY, age 3 This has been a very big season – she moved out of her crib and got her first big-girl bed. Now we have the challenge of keeping her in it. When I put her down for a nap she always asks, “Are you going to come back in and check on me?” which is a sure sign that she’s plotting some kind of nap-time escapade. She also got her very first big-girl bike! It looks a lot like my old bike – a white basket with a pink flower, and purple streamers on the handles. She cruises around the driveway on that thing with a huge grin plastered on her face – she couldn’t be more excited.

KIP, age 4 I was changing his shirt and he said, “Mommy, do you want to push my belly button?” I said, “Sure!” and pretended I was pushing it like a button on an electronic toy. After I had pushed it two or three times, he said, “Don’t push it over and over again. Do you know why?” I said, “No, why?” And he answered, “Because if you do, it will run out of battery!” What a funny little guy!

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THE NUCLEAR “ARK” OF PRAYER So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt...if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

- Matthew 21:21-22 Doubt is a prayer killer. Just as selfishness disables the effectiveness of prayer, so does unbelief. Jesus says, “Do not doubt.” In other words, our faith must be unwavering, stouthearted, persistent, and immovable. It cannot be a hybrid of doubt and faith. It must be the pure-strain, the bold and daring request of the God-confident. The promises of prayer are extraordinary, but for prayer to work as God promises it to work, it must be purged of self and doubt.

When David took the throne of Israel, one of the first things he ventured to do was bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Certainly this plan pleased God’s heart. But God had prescribed a means of transporting the Ark...

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OUR TEAM RECOMMENDS:

CLASSIC SERMONS With the beginning of a new year, we thought you might enjoy a fresh take on the Staff Recommendations page. In the months to come, we will be sharing with you several powerful sermons that have greatly impacted our walks with the Lord. Our hope is that you will prayerfully read or listen to these messages with soft hearts and open ears, and that God will use them to grant you deeper revelations of Truth, increase your love for Him, and further conform you to the image of Christ! Happy reading (and listening)!

Marlene recommends: SONGS IN THE NIGHT

by Charles Spurgeon

FOR THE TRANSCRIPT, CLICK HERE

Night. We have all met him. When trials and troubles switch off our light and the shadows of doubt mock us in the frightful silence. When our minds are just one mute question mark.

But in the pitch-black darkness a wonderful star is brightly shining. Wow, Spurgeon found such a sparkling diamond in God’s Word! He lighted on Job 35:10, where it says that in the night – yes, in our nights – God, our Maker, gives us songs. Songs? Who can sing in the night? What is there to sing about in the night? That’s what Spurgeon asked also, and he answers these questions in this sermon. We can sing in the night, for God gives us the songs. And in His goodness, He ordered that a night will always be in between two days.

The sun will shine again. That is His promise. And that is life’s most beautiful refrain.

Lauren recommends: TEN SHEKELS AND A SHIRT

by Paris Reidhead FOR THE AUDIO, CLICK HERE FOR THE TRANSCRIPT, CLICK HERE I remember being gripped by this sermon during my year of Advanced Training at Ellerslie.

As my class finished listening to the message, many of us were on our knees in greater realization of our need for humility and consecration. The Truth in this sermon resonated with me because it gave articulation to the cry of Christ’s worthiness that had begun to form within me. As Paris Reidhead explains, if our sole motivation for coming to Jesus is our happiness and comfort, then we are actually participating in humanism, which is abominable to Him. When we truly catch a glimpse of the incredible worthiness of Christ, we will come to Him in love and obedience, embracing His cross with gratitude. My prayer is that this fiery sermon will leaving you crying out with the Christ-consumed Moravian missionaries, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!”

“Do not be lazy. Run each day’s race with all your might, so that at the end you will receive the victory wreath from God. Keep on running even when you have had a fall. The victory wreath is won by him who does not stay down, but always gets up again, grasps the banner of faith and keeps on running in the assurance that Jesus is Victor.”

– Basilea Schlink

inthenextissue THERE’S THIS GUY Leslie begins a new series on relationships!

NORMAL CHRISTIANITY gain a fresh vision for your high calling in Christ INSPIRING TRUE BEAUTY practical ideas for cultivating Christ-like radiance