setapartgirl
LESLIE LUDY’S
MAGAZINE
Normal Christianity
ANSWERING TO YOUR HIGH CALLING, p. 8
THERE’S THIS GUY: Responding to the Distraction of Attraction,
p. 42
BEAUTY DEFINED A Warrior-Poet’s Perspective,
p. 34
TEN EASY-TO-GIVE MEALS Delicious Ways to Bless Others, p. 58
Sister of the Common Life
MEET CHRISTY, p. 74
MAR/APR 2013
FOUNDER’S letter
As women, one of our greatest
weaknesses is basing our emotions upon our circumstances. We tend to buy into the idea that, “I’ll be truly happy when I finally...get married, or lose weight, or buy my dream home, etc., etc.” But the reality is that when we put our hope and expectations in anything other than Jesus Christ, we will not find the fulfillment and happiness we seek. At the time I’m writing this letter, there are many things in my life that are unfinished and unsettled. Due to a recent home renovation, my house is in total disarray, and I’m beginning to wonder if things will ever feel orderly again. Due to some delays with our current adoption, we are several months behind on the expected arrival date for our Haitian twins. Due to an extremely busy year, my childtraining goals are not being met as quickly as I wish they were. And the list goes on. It’s quite tempting to put my happiness and contentment on hold until each one
of these issues is resolved. But this time of year, as we remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, is the perfect reminder that I already have everything I could possibly need for real happiness and fulfillment. Even if none of my earthly “dreams” ever became a reality, He has already made my dreams come true. He has rescued, redeemed, and set me free. He has given me the gift of Himself. There is never a reason not to be happy again! I pray that this new magazine issue will be a refreshing reminder to your soul of the unspeakable treasure you have in Him!
Leslie
setapartgirl TEAM PICKS:
PLAYLIST
ANNIE: ALL I ASK by Meredith Andrews MANDY: ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST by Sovereign Grace Music TESSA: YOU CAN DO ANYTHING by Matt Papa LAUREN: I’LL SAY YES by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir GRACE: I LOVE TO PRAISE YOUR NAME by Fernando Ortega AMELIA: PROMISES by Sanctus Real
Note: Ping has been discontinued, but all of these songs can still be found on iTunes!
LESLIE’S PICK:
CAPTIVATED by Vicki Beeching
is a beautiful reminder to keep our eyes upon Christ and make Him our first love!
IN THIS
issue
26 4 3 42
SET APART WALK
Cultivate Your Daily Romance with Christ 8 l Normal Christianity 16 l Creative Journaling
SET APART FEMININITY
Explore God’s Sacred Intent for Your Life 26 l Inspiring True Beauty 34 l Beauty Defined
SET APART RELATIONSHIPS Honoring God in Love and Romance 42 l There’s This Guy 50 l Catering to His Convictions
SET APART LIFESTYLE
Applying the Gospel to Everday Life 58 l Ten Easy-to-Give Meals
74
58
86
8
16 SET APART MOTHERHOOD
Discovering God’s Heart for Home and Family 86 l The Twelve Thousand Dollar Penny 94 l Kiddo Spot
ineveryissue 3
setapartgirl playlist
70
Q&A
74
Sister of the Common Life
85
Leslie’s Blog
98
Recommendations
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from the New King James Version. 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.
“Then let us fill all of our pauses with praise! Let us give all that lies within us not to the voices of the enemy, but to pure praise, to pure loving adoration, and to worship from a grateful heart – a heart that is trained to look up.” - Amy Carmichael
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
Elsje Zornes
Designer | Colorado
Elsje Zornes has been selflessly serving on the Ellerslie staff for several months, alongside her husband Ben. Her life is a steadfast and beautiful display of set-apart femininity, a passion for the Lord and His glory, and a humble given-ness to pouring out for her husband and those around her. God has given Elsje a particular heart for little kiddos, and as a native of South Africa, a love for warm weather! We are so grateful for Elsje’s willingness to come alongside the setapartgirl team and help with magazine design, and trust you will be blessed through her work in this issue, and issues to come!
ISSUE contributors
normal CHRISTIANITY Answering to Your High Calling BY LESLIE LUDY
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” Ephesians 4:1
a
Christian publisher once told me, “You shouldn’t always write about missionary Christians like Gladys Aylward and Amy Carmichael. Why don’t you share about some normal, everyday Christians who live in the suburbs and
SET APART
work for IBM? Those kinds of Christians are just as important as the ones who go to the mission field. Don’t just focus on Christians who had a ‘special calling’ to go and change the world.” I’ve thought about that statement many
walk
times over. What is normal Christianity? Do certain Christians have a special call to live radical lives of abandon to Jesus Christ, while the rest of us are free to wallow in mediocrity and self-indulgence? The heroic Christian women whom I admire the most lived anything but
passionately, ardently, fervently IN LOVE with Jesus Christ
Gladys Aylwar Amy Carmichael
Amy Carmichael sacrificed her right to be married and chose instead to spend her life rescuing 1,000 children from being sold into temple prostitution in India. Her romance with Jesus Christ far exceeded the most beautiful fairy tale ever written.
Sabina Wurmbrand sacrificed her right to live “happily ever after” with the love of her life, Richard, when it came down to a
Sabina Wurmbrand
“normal, everyday lives.” They all had one very important thing in common: they were passionately, ardently, fervently in love with Jesus Christ. They put Jesus Christ above pleasure, riches, comforts, family, friends, and worldly applause. And they put Jesus Christ far above their “right” to live a self-indulgent, pleasure-seeking life.
rd
choice between saving her husband and standing up for her First Love, Jesus Christ. She inspired her husband to stand against those who were blaspheming Christʼs name, and as a result she and Richard were separated by imprisonment for ten long years. Gladys Aylward spent all of her youth and beauty in a war-torn Chinese village, choosing service for the kingdom of God over marriage, family, and the comforts of this world. And as a result, a hundred violent prisoners were subdued into quiet obedience, two hundred orphans’ lives were saved, and thousands were pulled out of darkness into God’s marvelous light. Catherine Booth laid down her right to a comfortable marriage and family life – not only allowing her husband to pour out his life for the destitute and dying, but serving right by his side as he did so. She chose all-night prayer gatherings, long days trudging through slums, and attack from the modern Church over a stable existence in a cute home with a white picket fence.
...laid down her right... SHE CHOSE...
...nothing was more important than protecting
THE HONOR OF THEIR LORD AND KING.
When I study these women’s lives, I am astounded and inspired by their level of commitment to Jesus Christ. They didnʼt just say He was their first love; they lived it. Whether they gave up their right to be married in order to serve Christ, or gave up the “happily ever after” lifestyle they’d always dreamed of, nothing was more important than protecting the honor of their Lord and King. I’ve heard many modern believers refer to the great heroes of ages past as “special Christians.” So let’s take a moment to
explore this question – did these great women fall into a “special category,” living extreme lives of radical devotion that most ordinary followers of Christ are not called to live? I fear that all too many of us have fallen prey to the lie that the Christian life is all about us. All too often, we assume we are living the normal Christian life if we attend church a couple times a week, listen to Christian music on our iPod, and sign an abstinence commitment in our teen years. But the normal Christian life is so much
more than a commitment to some moral standards or squeezing some Christian activity into our self-focused, self-built lives.
all nations. To seek and save the lost. To be His hands and feet to the fatherless. To give up our very lives for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Ian Thomas said,
This is not a special calling for a few select followers of Christ. This is the high and sacred call that God has placed every single one of His children. Jesus said, “... As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21).
The Christian life can be explained only in terms of Jesus Christ, and if your life as a Christian can still be explained in terms of you – your personality, your willpower, your gift, your talent, your money, your courage, your scholarship, your dedication, your sacrifice, or your anything – then although you may have the Christian life, you are not yet living it. Christ said, “...Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34). The word deny here literally translates, “to forget oneself, lose sight of oneself and one’s own interests.” We are meant to let all thoughts of self become swallowed up in Him. This is normal Christianity. Radical self-denial, self-sacrifice, and selfabandonment. Completely forgetting about self and self-interest, and willingly and gladly pouring our lives out for the glory of our King. We are called to far more than most of us ever dream or imagine. To go into all the world and make disciples of
When we give our lives to Jesus Christ, we exchange the normal and comfortable for the radical, extreme, and foolish. Normal Christianity means never being “normal” again.
normal
CHRISTIANITY means never being “normal” again
What does this radical life of abandon to Christ look like on a practical level? Itʼs not about following a formula, but about absolute obedience to the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Itʼs about laying down selfish pursuits and becoming consumed only with serving and loving our King. It looks different for each life, but in every case,
there is the fruit of extreme selflessness and radical pouring out for His glory. Jolene, a recently married woman from Montana, chose several years ago to pour out her life for foster children in need, and even adopted a thirteen-year-old boy as her own when she was still single. Karris, a young woman from California, chose to leave her home and comforts in her early twenties to give her life for orphans in Haiti. Annie, our setapartgirl Creative Director, has spent years of her life sacrificially giving her very best time, talents, and energy to build young women into mighty warriors for the kingdom of God.
CHRIST
has placed this same high calling upon your life. No matter where you have been or where you are at, Christ has placed this same high calling upon your life. Steal away to be alone with Christ, and lay your life before Him. Allow Him to gently reveal to you the selfish patterns of your life, and ask Him to forgive you and remake you
in each of those areas. Exchange your right to live a comfortable, predictable life for the privilege of losing everything for His sake. And then get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. As Jesus said, “... whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but
whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35 KJV). Truly, there is no better way to live.
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TRULY, THERE IS NO BETTER WAY
to live.
SET APART
walk
Creati v e journaling by Ervina Yoder
they
sit on the bottom shelf of a dark cherry bookshelf, stacks of leather and moleskin and spiral-bound. Collections from the years. Stories of my life. Tributes to my God. It was during the early years of school that my homeschooling mother introduced me to the concept of creative journaling. At first, I wrote because it was an academic requirement, then I wrote to use up pretty journals given to me as birthday gifts, and then I wrote because it became a way for me to process life as I articulated my prayers in written vulnerability before God.
Although to some, journaling may seem dauntingly time-consuming, boring, or simply unnecessary, I have found several excellent reasons to consistently keep a journal in my walk with Christ. Along with copying a verse or two from my personal devotional time each morning and applying it to my day, stories of God’s provision, goodness, and intimate involvement in the most personal details of my life are woven throughout the pages in testimonies I would have otherwise forgotten. My favorite way to describe the purpose of intentional journaling is the
challenge found in Don Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life: “Consider journaling, not only ‘for the purpose of godliness,’ but also as a way to raise up ‘a monument of God’s faithfulness’ in your life.”
...I have found several excellent reasons to consistently keep a journal in my walk with Christ.
a short description, and then highlights it after the need has been answered. Over and over, I have been challenged by her diligence, and motivated to keep a similar record of God’s specific responses in my life.
TO COLLECT SPIRITUAL QUOTES The ever-classic, always-relevant words and poems of Elisabeth Elliot, Amy Carmichael, A. W. Tozer, George Mueller, Hannah Whitall Smith, and many others are scripted in various styles throughout my pages. Often they relate to a particular situation in my life or an area in which I am praying for victory. I refer back to them when needing a fresh challenge for the day, extra emphasis for a Bible study I am teaching, or something special to include in a note to a friend.
Here are just a few inspiring reasons to put this discipline into practice in your own life:
TO CAPTURE SPECIAL EVENTS
TO REMEMBER PRAYER NEEDS
Scattered throughout recent journals are pictures printed out on cheap printer paper, taped-in stubs from memorable events, airline tickets from an international flight, glued sugar packets from a cafe where I prepared a Bible study, music ripped out from an old hymnal, pieces of maps from a foreign city, encouraging notes from
Every so often in her journal, my sister has a page dedicated to prayer burdens the Lord is pressing upon her. As they come, she lists the name of a person along with
“...stories oovfision, r p s ' d o G ess, and goodn lvement intimate instvopersonal in the moof my life details throughout are wovenpages...� the
friends, business cards from a restaurant that rescued women caught in human trafficking, an anklet woven for me by a precious little girl whose language I barely speak, and a sketching of the rooftop view from my summer home in Cambodia.
TO KEEP A WATCH ON YOUR SOUL Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks‌or the pen. What things do you spend most of your time thinking about? How is your character straying from
or looking more like that of Christ? Where is your heart focused? Does it lean more toward the things of the world or the things of His Word? Is Jesus the focal point or are your emotions dominating the pages? Even if it started with good intentions, journaling can quickly become more like a diary – a place to vent, a means of uncorking, or brewing over things and introspecting. Our inmost thoughts, desires, temptations, hurts, and disappointments get written down. Pages can fill with lonely, romantic blather. This is neither healthy nor wise; many of these inmost thoughts should be ignored instead of being immortalized.
Spending hours reflecting upon yourself and dumpster-diving into your soul is not wise. Proverbs 15:14 says, “...the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.” Realize that journaling requires discipline; beware the subtle undertones of self and be careful not to allow its expression to overtake the expression of the work the Lord wants to do in you.
wise. My favorite example from Scripture is David and his one hundred and fortyone Psalms. We catch an intimate glimpse of this man’s friendship with God through the way he articulated his heart in song and poetry. In chapter 107, he wrote what I think is the best biblical motivation for keeping record of spiritual victories:
...out of the Is Jesus the focal abundance of the point or are your heart, the mouth emotions dominating speaks...or the pen. the pages? TO REMEMBER THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD How has He proven His goodness to you lately? What prayers has He specifically answered? What Scriptures have been highlighting your everyday life? The Bible is overflowing with teaching on many subjects, including how we should use our words. Journal-keeping can be a positive way to use words if the journal-keeper is
“Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and lovingkindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and rehearse His deeds with shouts of joy and singing!” (Psalm 107:21-22 AMP). “Rehearsing His deeds” is what I want my journaling to center around and focus on. It is what I want most obviously exuding from hundreds of pages’ worth of handwritten words. I don’t want to look
back and read trivial affections and selfcentered expression; I want books full of creativity and overflowing with shouts of joy! The works of Christ in my life are so many more than I will ever deserve or will ever be able to write down. I want to record far more victory than defeat, far more joy
The Bible is overflowing with teaching on many subjects, including how we should use our words. Journalkeeping can be a positive way to use words if the journalkeeper is wise.
than discouragement, far more Jesus than Ervina. Yes, it is my life and I do not want to sugarcoat the most personal details of it, but never do I want the focus to move from who my God is to who I am. When I read back over years of emotion and stories and decisions and memories and growth, I see a subtly-changing tone from the ten-year-old who wrote of birthday parties and sister annoyances to the twenty-three-year-old who more fully realizes the glory of God and the sacred purpose of life. I find that there are so many times I would have forgotten how God’s mercy played into this exact situation, or how certain verses particularly impacted me in that season, or how a relationship was redeemed in response to those prayers. Chronicling the past twelve years reveals the joy of realizing I am not the same person now as I was then – not even close – as the Lord has gently and ever-sointentionally drawn me into deeper places with Him. And if that is not cause enough to continue, in another dozen years I pray that I will see even more of His fullness in my life. There is always room for more rehearsing and greater celebration of our God proving Himself unfailingly faithful. Does not His faithfulness deserve a monument in each of our lives? *
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Does not His faithfulness deserve a monument in each of our lives?
take it deeper
Authentic
Beauty
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For most of my young adult life, I had known Jesus Christ only as the One who had saved me from my sins. I had been looking to an earthly romance to fulfill the deepest desires of my heart. I had been searching for an earthly prince to rescue me, to carry me away to his castle, to love and cherish me forever – to fulfill my feminine desire for tender romance. But until Jesus Christ becomes the Lover of our soul – the very center of our existence – we will always be looking in the wrong places to fulfill our feminine longing for tender romance. We will end up broken-hearted and disillusioned, time and time again. Christ alone can truly fulfill the desires of our heart. Authentic Beauty is a personal and practical book about becoming a set-apart young woman in today’s perverse generation.
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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
Inspiring TRUE BEAUTY by Amy Meyers and Tessa Thompson
Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior‌ so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the Word of God will not be dishonored. TITUS 2:3-5
Think back to when you were twelve years old. Life was becoming more than playing in the back yard and collecting beanie babies. Yet you still were not always sure how to respond to your new and changing vision of what life ought to look like. For many of us, there was that one older girl who seemed to embody every quality we desired to possess; whether it was perfectly straight hair or the way she always knew how to encourage those around her. Some of us were blessed to have that person truly invest in our lives; for others, we simply observed and gleaned from her life at a distance. And through those influences, whether direct or indirect, we caught the vision for a life of genuine femininity and love for Christ.
SET APART
femininity
As we mature in Christ (and in years), we are given the opportunity to be that person in another girl’s life. However, we do not have to wait until we are married or going gray before we take intentional action to reach out to the younger women God has placed around us. And just as we treasured the wisdom and insight we gained from those older women in our lives growing up, so the words we speak and things we do to invest in the lives of younger girls will hold weight and significance with them. Therefore, we have the God-given responsibility to prayerfully take up this place of influence, and walk it out with great dependence upon the Lord.
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The following suggestions are ways we can practically have an eternal impact on the younger women God hallmarks in our lives.
Give
• Pull out any modest, feminine clothing that you have grown out of or do not wear anymore. Rather than putting the clothes in a plastic grocery bag, package them in a beautiful way that will make the recipient feel like she is receiving a gift (tying a satin ribbon around a stack of shirts, wrapping the clothes in pretty tissue paper, or including a piece of jewelry). • Buy a beautiful journal (or decorate the cover of a plain one) and encourage her to use it for writing out her prayers or for keeping a record of “memorials” in her walk with God. (See Creative Journaling on page 16 for more inspiring ideas to pass on!) • If you come across an inspiring quote from Christian history that really challenges you in your own walk with Christ or is relevant to a situation she is in, take the time to share it, even if it is just through a quick email written during your lunch break. • Pass on your copy of a book that has greatly impacted your walk with Christ and encouraged you to live fully set-apart for Him. You could, of course, buy a
new copy, but there is certainly something special about being entrusted with the dearly-loved, underlined, and dog-eared copy that belonged to someone you look up to. • Offer practical suggestions regarding quiet times with the Lord, since that is the source of any beauty a young woman will ever have. Most young girls don’t really know how to start fully giving their day to God, so give ideas for topics of study, a book for her to go through, or specific ways she can begin to cultivate a vibrant romance with Jesus.
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Say
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• When giving encouragement, whether verbal or written, make it a point to focus on the inward, Christ-like beauty you see in her life (her generosity, her gentleness, her peaceful manner), rather than her outward beauty (hair, clothes, makeup, etc.). This will encourage her to continue seeking after true, lasting loveliness in her life.
• In conversation, be purposeful to ask meaningful questions that will help to eliminate idle chatter, which only takes the focus off of Christ. Some good questions to start with are, “What is something God has been teaching you in the past month?,” “What is one way God has shown you His faithfulness?,” and “Who is someone from Christian history that challenges you?” • While Christ must remain the center of everything you share with younger girls, don’t be afraid to share practical wisdom as well, such as how to apply makeup well. But always, always keep Christ as the central reason for everything outward they do – it is not done for physical appeal or external beauty, but to avoid being a distraction and to take care of what He has entrusted us with. • Talk openly with her about your commitment to purity with the opposite sex and (if you are single) your devotion to waiting upon the Lord for your future husband. Young girls (especially “tweens”) are just starting to get interested in boys, and it is a great time to give them a vision for how to honor Christ with this area of their lives.
{
Do
}
• If you disciple one girl regularly, seek to involve her in as many things as possible that are others-focused (i.e. taking a meal to a grieving family, watching the kiddos of the single mom in your church, serving breakfast at a homeless shelter, etc.). Encourage her often to think of others, even if you simply suggest that she write a sweet note to an elderly woman at church or do something unexpected for her mom at home. • Offer suggestions for books to read, music to listen to, ways to spend free time, sermons to read or listen to, movies to watch (or avoid), etc. Be sure that you are practicing this in your own life, and that any time you are together you are only doing activities that will center both minds on Christ and His Word. • Prayerfully consider meeting with a younger girl on a regular basis. You could read an inspiring Christian biography together, study a book of the Bible, or
And Remember‌
Your silent influence can have as much impact, if not more, than anything you directly say or do.
spend focused time wrestling in prayer for something God has placed on both of your hearts, such as the unborn or child slavery. • Every time you get together with a younger girl, be sure to pray for her, praising the Lord for the ways you see Him working in her life and asking Him to continue what He has begun. This affirmation will be invaluable!
And Remember... • Your daily life – the way you dress, what you say, your behavior, your body language, how you spend your time – is constantly being watched by young women who are looking for a right pattern to follow. Your silent influence can have as much impact, if not more, than anything you directly say or do. • We are not to be crutches to younger girls, becoming the first place they run to in a time of need. Rather, we are to always be pointing them to Jesus as the foremost counselor and helper in their lives. • Do not advise others to do anything that you are not practicing in your own life – they will see the hypocrisy and your influence will no longer be effective. • As you consider how God might ask you to sow in the lives of others, take the time to pray for His specific guidance with expectation that He will give you wisdom and discernment in even the smallest of details.
...even in t he smallest of det ails.
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beau ty l
defined by an anonymous warrior-poet-in-the-making
SET APART
femininity
a Warrior-Poet
speaks up
the other day a friend and I went to visit the Apple store. When we arrived, I was reminded of why I don’t like going to the mall: the barrage of materialism, sexuality, and marketing was everywhere. While I enjoyed the Apple store, the walk through the mall to get there left me nauseous. Beauty is constantly being pushed at us. You as women have many voices pushing the culture’s beauty agenda upon you. Fashion magazines, cosmetic surgery, movies, television, and the culturally savvy masculine voice are all screaming, “You need to be more beautiful!” And yet the shape of beauty is constantly changing. In the 17th and 18th centuries, beauty, success, and prosperity were measured by the width of the waistline – plump was pretty. In today’s culture, the mantra is, “the thinner the better.” Obviously, beauty must mean something more than a fleeting complexion or a lustful desire of what guys want a woman’s body to look like. How then are we, both warrior-poet men and set-apart women, to understand true beauty, beauty as God intended it to be? I love a good crossword puzzle, and the fun of thinking through different words that mean the same thing. According to my thesaurus, a few synonyms for beauty
are: attractiveness, prettiness, good looks, allure, charm, appeal, grace, elegance, splendor, decorativeness, glamour, and perhaps my favorite: pulchritude. Growing up, I heard it said countless times: “Pulchritude is in the eye of the beholder.” But is it? Could it be that beauty transcends what you or I behold? What if beauty is bigger than appearance or personality? Look at how the concept of beauty is seen throughout Scripture: “Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!” (1 Ch. 16:29). “Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (Psalm 29:2). “Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth” (Psalm 96:9). The essence of beauty is God. Why then does the psalmist declare the beauty of holiness? Because God is holy. He doesn’t have holiness, He is holiness. He is the full expression and fulfillment of holiness. Holiness is beautiful because God is beautiful.
Could it be that beauty transcends what you or I behold? What if beauty is bigger than appearance or personality? “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:17). “Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary” (Psalm 96:6). “One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). “Your eyes will see the King in His beauty...” (Is. 33:17). While it is true that there are several references in Scripture to the beauty of
people and objects, the concept of beauty stems from the fact that God Himself is beautiful. The reason the people of Israel were considered beautiful is not because they were elegantly adorned or into the latest fashion, but because the King of all kings, the beautiful and majestic Lord Himself, dwelt among them (see Psalm 50:2, Is. 28:5, Lam. 2:15, Hosea 14:6, and Zech. 9:16-17). The Israelites were described as a beautiful people because a beautiful God inhabited them. This is clearly seen in Ezekiel 16:14-15, speaking of Jerusalem: “‘Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured
out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it.’” What may appear to be a shocking statement from the lips of God is actually deep sadness. God looks at Israel and says with a pained voice, “You were once beautiful; I adorned you with Myself and set you as a picture to the nations of what I look like. And your fame was known throughout the lands because of My beauty being displayed in and through you. But rather than continue to live in My beauty, you began to trust in your own and are now acting as a harlot.”
When a set-apart woman is captured and captivated by Him, and her life is all about one thing - CHRIST - then to a warrior-poet, she truly is the most
beautiful and romantic thing to behold. Ouch. Israel receives a heartwrenching rebuke from the Lord for turning to their own perception of beauty rather than living in the splendor of His. What if beauty was never meant to be about us? I’m not suggesting that we stop taking showers, leave our homes unkempt, or start dressing shabbily. On the contrary, our lives should be laced with honor and respect; but the beauty of them is all about Him, not us. Peter makes an interesting statement when he writes, “Do not let your
adornment be merely outward – arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel – rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:34). We are not to define beauty in how we look, act, or dress. We find our beauty and worth in the person of Jesus. He is the standard by which all things are compared. When we find our place in Him, we take on His loveliness which far outshines our external physical beauty. It is Jesus shining through our lives that captivates the world and draws people to Himself. In The Lost Art of True Beauty, Leslie writes, Women who exuded enchanting beauty can be found all throughout the pages of Christian history...[they] rejected the empty feminine charm of the world and embraced an altogether different kind of beauty – the beauty of Jesus Christ. They showcased femininity as God intended it to be in all its elegance, grace, nobility, and lasting loveliness...[God] created us to shine with royal beauty. Not to dazzle with a self-promoting beauty; but to be a sparkling reflection of the stunning beauty of our King. True beauty is found in Jesus. When a set-
apart woman is captured and captivated by Him, and her life is all about one thing – Christ – then to a warrior-poet, she truly is the most beautiful, romantic, and enchanting thing to behold. It is not about outward appearance; it is about the life which flows out of intimacy with the King. May I propose a new set of synonyms for godly beauty not found in your thesaurus? A captivating, set-apart woman who is utterly beautiful is one who:
is consumed with intimacy with Jesus consistently sneaks away to spend time with her heavenly Bridegroom loves the least of this world, rescues the orphan, and cares for the widow proclaims the Gospel with no thought to her life, comfort, or social status
lives with elegant modesty which dares not distract others or draw attention to herself lives completely abandoned, pouredout, available, surrendered, and dependent upon Jesus Christ As one of my friends said in a recent warriorpoet article: “I can’t tell you the beauty that is seen in a woman when she has been with the Lord, dwelling on His majesty and greatness.” Yes, it is true that the shape of worldly beauty continues to change. Women are bombarded daily with a thousand messages about how to look, act, and draw attention to themselves. But if you wish to live a beautiful, set-apart life, it can only be done in Jesus. In light of this biblical understanding, I plan on marrying the most captivating and beautiful of all women – not because she turns heads or makes men stop in their tracks, but because she is so caught up in Jesus that His beauty has become hers.
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...if you wish to live a beautiful, set-apart life, it can only be done in Jesus.
relationships
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SET APART
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PART 1
RELATIONSHIP SERIES
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with Leslie Ludy
A MESSAGE FROM LESLIE:
I am very excited to begin this new series of articles on relationships! Honoring Christ in the area of romance,
all the way from boy-meets-girl to wedding day, can be extremely challenging. It’s so easy to take our cues from the culture, or be led by our own emotions, rather than building this part of our life around God’s ways, His Word, and His pattern. My hope and prayer is that these upcoming articles will bring practical, godly inspiration to all the key issues of guy/ girl relationships – exploring what it means to truly honor God in friendship, relationship, engagement, and a marriage. No matter what mistakes you’ve made in the past, you have the amazing opportunity to handle this area of your life 100% right, starting today, by the grace of God! His mercies are new every morning. May you be blessed as you seek to put Him first in this crucial area of your life.
THERE’S
THIS GUY RESPONDING TO THE DISTRACTION OF ATTRACTION
OVER
the past fifteen years, I’ve had the privilege of counseling
hundreds of young women in the area of romance and relationships. And I cannot even count the number of young women who have come to me with scenarios that begin with the words, “So, there’s this guy...”
and emotional life than meeting a guy she’s attracted to. You may have been thriving in your relationship with Christ, fully satisfied in pouring your life out for others, and then you meet an amazing godly man and, wham! Suddenly, all your thoughts, attention, and focus become centered around one thing – that guy.
There is nothing more potentially distracting to a young woman’s spiritual
Being attracted to a guy isn’t wrong in itself; it’s a natural part of the way God
made us. But if we don’t handle attraction correctly, it can also become one of the most dangerous stumbling blocks to our spiritual walk. If you allow attraction toward a guy to overtake your thoughts and emotions, it can easily become an idol in your life that is taking your focus off Christ. Attraction can quickly morph into an unhealthy emotional obsession with someone – clouding your relationship with your King and dishonoring your relationship with your future husband.
THE GUY YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO MIGHT SEEM LIKE THE ONLY WARRIORPOET IN EXISTENCE... But if you handle attraction right from the beginning, it doesn’t need to become a stumbling block to your inner purity and set-apartness for Christ. Here are some practical suggestions for dealing with feelings of attraction toward “that guy”:
GIVE IT TO GOD The best thing you can do when you feel attracted to a guy is to immediately give your feelings to God: Lord, thank you for the qualities I see in this guy. Please take my emotions and guard them. Enable me to keep my heart protected for my future husband. If it is Your desire that I enter a
relationship with this guy, then I leave the details in Your hands. May I not manipulate or grow impatient, but allow You to remain in complete control. You will be faithful. You care more about this area of my life than even I do. The guy you are attracted to might seem like the only warrior-poet in existence, and you might not be able to imagine living life without him. But the reality is that if he is not the one God wants you to marry, then the guy He has chosen for you will fit your life even more perfectly, and what you esteem in him will be even more than what you see in this guy. Don’t allow your emotions to lead the way – take a step back and surrender them afresh to your loving Father. When your heart is fully yielded to Christ, you will be far more able to discern between His voice and the voice of your own desires.
GUARD YOUR THOUGHT LIFE Many young women struggle with keeping their thoughts upon Christ – especially when there is a guy in their life whom they are attracted to. When you see an attractive and Christ-like guy, it’s tempting to let your mind continually dwell upon him and get carried away with imaginations, desires, and fantasies about him. Even a Christ-built warrior-poet can claim an
unhealthy hold upon your thought life if you are not guarded and purposeful about “taking every thought captive.” It’s not wrong to notice or think about a guy’s good qualities, but to continually dwell upon him day and night is not God’s best for your mind, heart, or emotions. Ask God to enable you to keep your thoughts upon Jesus Christ – not upon a guy. If you continually struggle with an “onslaught” of distracting thoughts about a guy, you can take some proactive steps to shift the pattern. First, the moment the thoughts come in, immediately start praying. Yes, you can briefly pray for the guy you are thinking about, but it’s better to pray for someone else so that your prayers don’t become another catalyst for obsessive thoughts. Pick someone in your life that needs the love of Christ, and aggressively pray for that person’s soul. Whenever the
enemy tries to distract you, you can “hit back” by praying intensely for an unsaved person. It’s one of the best strategies against spiritual attack – the enemy will back off when he realizes that it only turns you into a prayer warrior for the kingdom of God.
ASK GOD TO ENABLE YOU TO KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS UPON JESUS CHRIST - NOT UPON A GUY Memorizing and meditating upon Scripture is another excellent way to center your thoughts upon Jesus Christ. Remember, Christ is the “Word of God made flesh,” so when you dwell upon Scripture, you are dwelling upon Him. At first, it might feel mechanical to memorize verses and recite them in your mind to ward-off distracting thoughts about a guy. However, you will find that after you get into the habit of doing it, it becomes life-giving and refreshing. When Truth is in the forefront of your mind, you are far less likely to allow your emotions to carry you away into a path of error.
take the situation into your own hands and “make something happen.” A great promise to remember during times like this is Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in
the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (NASB). Your
DON’T ACT DIFFERENTLY AROUND HIM When you are attracted to a guy, it’s easy to allow your emotions to change the way you act around him. Whether you go out of your way to be around him, ignore other people in order to talk to him, or change your behavior to get him to notice you – attraction can quickly morph into manipulation. Rather than trusting God to open up a relationship if and when He desires, you might feel an urgent need to
faithful King knows every longing, dream, and desire within your heart. If you leave the pen in His hands, He will be more than faithful to script the story in His own perfect way – not only meeting the desires of your heart, but going exceedingly, abundantly beyond all you could ask or think. Taking matters into your own hands will only diminish the beautiful work of God in your life. Ask Him for the grace to remain trusting and yielded – no matter how strong your feelings toward a guy might be. Let the Spirit of God guide your actions and convict you of any change in behavior that you’ve allowed in because of your own impatience or fear that you might “miss your chance.” He will be more than faithful, if you simply give Him the chance to be who He says He is. As David the Psalmist declares: “Oh, taste and
see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:810).
These are not just poetic words – they are the very words of God to you, His precious daughter. Ask Him for the grace to trust Him with all your heart, especially in this area of your life, and you will not be disappointed. He is faithful!
MAKE CHRIST YOUR FIRST LOVE So many of us, though we claim to know Jesus Christ, are still longing for our deepest desires to be fulfilled by someone else. We frantically seek the man of our dreams, giving ourselves completely to one relationship after the next, hoping that when we finally find the right guy our romantic fantasies will become reality. “Jesus Christ is your true Prince,” I often say to young women, “the One who gave His very life just to be with you, the One who can rescue you from the dungeon you are in, the One who can transform you into a radiant princess, the One who can carry you away to His beautiful land to cherish you forever. He is the only One who can meet your deepest longings; He is the only One worthy of your entire heart, life, soul, and body – all you are and all you have. Jesus Christ is the Prince you should passionately pursue with all your heart.”
ASK HIM FOR THE GRACE TO TRUST HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ESPECIALLY IN THIS AREA OF YOUR LIFE, AND YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. “Yeah, sure, okay, whatever,” is the typical response, followed by, “but there’s this guy I met...” Many of us don’t ever realize that Jesus Christ is not a flimsy flannel board figure from a Sunday school lesson; that He is not a stern dictator looking down on us from heaven to make sure we obey His rules; that He is not a distant being who is too busy running the world to care about the details of our day-to-day lives; and that He is so much more than someone we say we believe in to keep ourselves out of hell when we die. He is the Lover of our soul. Our true Prince. The One we have been longing for, searching for, and dreaming of since childhood. The One who will love us the way no one else can love us; the One who will cherish us forever; the One who will transform us from a hopeless girl in rags into a beautiful, confident, radiant princess. He is the One who makes us ready for true, lasting, human love. And He is the One who meets our deepest needs when human love falls short.
No matter how attracted you may feel toward someone, remember that he could never compare to your true Bridegroom, the Lover of your soul. Find your satisfaction in Jesus Christ alone, no matter how great or godly a man He brings into your life.
JESUS CHRIST IS THE PRINCE YOU SHOULD PASSIONATELY PURSUE WITH ALL YOUR HEART. Psalm 107:9 says, “...He satisfies the longing soul...” If you are finding your deepest fulfillment in Him alone, all your needs, wants, dreams, and desires will be fully met – no matter what happens with “this guy.” This guy is nothing compared to your true Prince. There is no greater lover than the King of all kings! And He will be more than faithful to fulfill His loving purposes for your life, if you put Him first.
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PART 1
RELATIONSHIP SERIES
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with Leslie Ludy
SET APART
relationships
Catering to HIS CONVICTIONS by Tessa Thompson
“You two would be perfect together.” I rolled my eyes as my friend David continued to tell me about his “amazing” single friend, Steve, and tried to convince me that I would certainly agree if I met him. I casually laughed it off with his wife, quite aware of his frequent and impractical efforts at playing matchmaker. Just four months later, however, I was hesitantly agreeing to have dinner with this supposed
perfect match, and before I knew it found myself officially “in a relationship” with him. From the very beginning, I was quickly persuaded that I had been introduced to someone much better than the typical “great Christian guy.” Steve loved talking about God, and was ready and eager to explain what he believed and why he
believed it. I was especially impressed when he confidently voiced his conviction right from the onset that a couple should not kiss until they were engaged (a pretty high standard compared to other “Christian“ relationships I had witnessed). And the more I heard him talk about his strong desire to be a husband and father who served and loved according to the standard set by Christ, the more certain I became that it would be great to marry this guy. After all, I had never been treated with such gentlemanly care and masculine strength. On the outside, it appeared as though I had hit the jackpot. My friends all gave their enthusiastic approval, happy I had seemingly been blessed with a wonderful man of God. I too grew increasingly grateful for the relationship, feeling as though I’d been given a remarkable gift, a gift I had been waiting and hoping for ever since God began to shape my expectations for relationships and marriage.
And yet, there was something going on inside that did not quite match up with the outward appearance of things. It was one of those feelings you get when you are not one hundred percent assured that all is well and right. As much as I hated to admit it, there was a small check in my heart, and a lack of absolute peace and confidence that Steve was everything I wanted him to be (and everything God wanted him to be, for that matter). Though his standards in certain areas were strong and even challenging to me, his words and actions in other areas started to make it clear that we had several different convictions
Maybe I’m the one who needs to change my convictions, I thought. Perhaps I had misunderstood Scipture or was being too strict and legalistic.
regarding what the daily Christian lifestyle ought to look like. For example, years before this relationship, God had challenged me to raise my standards in the area of media intake – movies, music, TV, and the like. Despite the fact that most Christians follow right along with the world when it comes to entertainment, God showed me that His pattern was one that truly required being separate from the world (see 2 Cor. 6:17). I was glad to learn that Steve did not watch TV very often, however, when I learned what shows he did choose to watch, it was clear that they were not at all “separate” from the world’s ways and ideas.
I tried to be open and willing to be corrected, listening carefully to his many well-thought-out explanations for why it was perfectly fine for a Christian to unwind with a drink, and why it was beneficial to watch television shows that mock Christianity (supposedly they help us “relate to society” better). When I boldly (and yet a little nervously) expressed my concern that the relationship was progressing too much physically, I tried to relax and validate his contradicting judgment. Maybe I’m the one who needs to change my convictions, I thought. Perhaps I had misunderstood Scripture or was being too strict and legalistic. Or perhaps I was being too paranoid about everything. Besides, I thought, wouldn’t it be foolish to give up such an otherwise perfect guy? Do the particular differences I’m concerned about really matter that much? And yet, as hard as I tried to be at peace, the check in my heart would not go away, and the distressing question as to whether I should be in the relationship or not was constantly at the forefront of my mind. Unfortunately, rather than first taking the time to learn his habits, observe his life, and examine his words, I simply took my friend’s word for it that Steve was the greatest Christian guy in town. But by the
time I really began to realize that we were not on the same page, I was so caught up in the excitement of the relationship and the prospect of marriage that to end the relationship right then and there was, in my mind, out of the question. The result was a painstaking and confusing process of both trying to convince myself that he was right and trying to convince him that I was right – or worse, simply tolerating a particular difference and letting it go.
May we...cater only to the standards of our True Prince! Looking back, I am so thankful that my relationship with Steve ended after a year. Soon after our break-up, it became plain and clear to me that he was not the setapart warrior-poet I had been waiting for. He was not living a life of utmost purity and honor before the Lord, and was not pursuing passionate, unpolluted intimacy with his King. I was not blind to that fact for the entire twelve months – I simply chose not to act upon it with the intensity I should have, and instead went to God with confused question after confused question. Proverbs 4:25-27 says, “Let your eyes
look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or to the left; remove your foot from evil.” What appears to be a “great Christian guy” is perhaps one of the most likely things to turn our heads. One minute we’re walking with our eyes fixed straight ahead, firm in our convictions and steadfast in our standards, and the next minute our eyes are fixed on Mr. So-and-so. And if Mr. So-and-so seems to be a cut above the rest, it is often quite easy to disregard certain areas of his life in which he is not truly living set-apart, and then attempt to persuade ourselves that he is the warrior-poet we’ve had our hearts set on. In the meantime, we begin to turn to the right and to the left, allowing small compromises while trying to stay focused on the impressive fact that Mr. So-and-so only listens to Christian music and doesn’t play video games. Yes, warrior-poet manhood is somewhat of a rare find these days – but that fact does not give us the excuse to lay aside the standard God has called us to. If we have made the decision to walk the narrow road of a life fully surrendered to the Lord and separate from the world, we must be aware that allowing God to write
God will not ask us to settle for a man whose Christian walk requires forcing ourselves into peace and assurance that he truly is a man of God. our love story and bring a real warriorpoet into our lives requires a willingness to turn our heads (and hearts) away from a hundred “half-set-apart” guys along the way. God will not ask us to settle for a man whose Christian walk requires forcing ourselves into peace and assurance that he truly is a man of God. If we have to work our consciences to reassurance of his character or find ourselves trying to sidestep “questionables” in a guy’s life, we can be sure that he is not the man God desires us to be with. And if we are already
in a relationship of that sort, the time is now – not after one more debate or “thinking it through” again – to break it off with a calm and confident trust that God will be faithful to bring a real warrior-poet into our life when and if marriage is His perfect will for us. May we resolutely fix our eyes straight ahead on the pattern for holiness and purity Christ has set before us, and cater only to the standards of our True Prince!
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the LOST ART of order! now
take it deeper
TRUE BEAUTY In today’s sex-obsessed society, pop culture’s idea of feminine beauty seems to be all about looking like the hottest models, movie stars, or pop singers, but the end results are often tragic – overwhelming insecurity, eating disorders, and sexual promiscuity. This book presents a whole different vision for feminine loveliness as God intended it to be – the breathtaking radiance of a young woman who has been transformed by Christ from the inside out. This book offers a lot of practical advice about how to:
• showcase Christ’s beauty in the way you dress, act, and live • overcome insecurity and see yourself as God sees you • become attractive to the right kind of guy • build your femininity on God’s values instead of the world’s
The Lost Art of True Beauty will lead you on a life-changing journey to become a woman of feminine loveliness, inner radiance, and timeless grace!
“I love how The Lost Art of True Beauty blends the sacred and the practical in such a simple, beautiful way – it truly is a treasure to read. It takes the foundation of a life fully surrendered to Jesus Christ and then provides ideas that allows the reader to implement them into their own lives.” - Amazon.com review
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SET APART
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give meals
by Amy Meyers and Tessa Thompson
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hen your friend has a baby, a new family moves into your neighborhood, a member of your church loses her husband, or God opens your eyes to someone in need of an unexpected blessing, bringing over a hot meal is a great way to encourage and support them. Although living in a dorm room, a busy schedule, or a lack of cooking skills can prove to make extending this kindness to others more challenging, it is possible for anyone to cook a delicious meal for someone in need. The best place to begin is in prayer. God knows each individual so intimately that He even knows what the person you are seeking to bless would like to eat! Ask Him to bring it all together: the exact recipe to use, the finances to provide the meal, the time to shop and prepare the meal, and the wisdom to know any extra touches to include. Maybe that family rarely has dessert and it would be a real treat to include a carton of ice cream and a few toppings. Or perhaps their favorite dish has always been homemade
spaghetti and meatballs, but they haven’t had the time to make it in months. If your ear is open to the leading of the Lord, He will direct you in exactly how you are to bless and serve another in His name. These are ten meals that are low cost, simple to put together, and easy to transport. Feel free to tweak these recipes to make them your own or whip up an old
...He will direct you in exactly how you are to bless and serve another in His name.
family favorite for someone in your world who needs to feel the love of a sister-inChrist and the nourishment of a homecooked meal.
ITALIAN SPAGHETTI AND HOMEMADE MEATBALLS 8 oz. spaghetti noodles 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (store-bought or homemade) 1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or chicken (add 1 Tbs oil if chicken) 1 egg 3/4 cup bread crumbs 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 tsp basil 1 tsp parsley 1/2 tsp thyme 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder Mix until thoroughly blended. Form into 1-inch balls. Bake @ 350° for 20-25 minutes, if chicken or turkey. Bake for 30-35 minutes, if beef. Cook pasta. Heat pasta sauce with the cooked meatballs. Plate pasta with sauce and meatballs and serve!
MEXICAN ENCHILADAS Sauce 1 can cream of chicken soup ½ 8 oz. jar picante salsa 1 small can chopped green chilies
Filling 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded 1/2 cup sour cream 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 6 tortillas milk Combine sauce ingredients. Place a little bit of chicken, sauce, sour cream, and cheese in tortillas and roll them up. Place rolled enchiladas side by side in baking dish. Thin remaining sauce with milk and pour over rolled enchiladas, then sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake @ 350° for about 20 minutes.
CASSEROLE RANCHO POTATO CASSEROLE 1 lb. ground beef or turkey 1 box Au Gratin or three-cheese potatoes 2 1/4 cups boiling water
1 cup corn (canned: drained; frozen: thawed; or fresh: cooked) 2/3 cup milk 1 cup shredded cheese Preheat oven to 400°. Brown meat.
MAIN-DISH SALAD CHICKEN TORTELLINI
Mix potatoes with water. Add other ingredients. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
3 cups cooked chicken, cubed 1 head of lettuce 2 cups cooked tortellini
MAIN-DISH SOUP
2 cups croutons Caesar dressing
WHITE CHILI
2 chicken breasts 1 onion 1 clove garlic 3 cans chicken broth (14 oz. each) 1 can white navy beans 2 cans great northern beans 1 can chopped green chilies 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp white pepper Sauté first three ingredients in oil until chicken is cooked through. Add other ingredients. Optional toppings: cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips.
Just mix and serve!
BREAKFAST FOR DINNER BREAKFAST CASSEROLE 10 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1 (4 oz) can green chilies 1/4 cup onion 1/2 bag hash browns 2 cups cheddar cheese 1/2 cup breakfast meat (bacon, sausage, or ham)
Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Place hash browns in dish and bake @ 400° for 20 minutes. Blend first five ingredients in a blender. Place cheese and meat over cooked hash browns and pour egg mixture on top. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until set.
ASIAN
CHICKEN STIR-FRY 2 pounds cubed chicken breast 2 large cloves garlic (pressed) 3/4 cup purple onion 2 cups broccoli 1 1/2 cups coined carrots 1 medium-sized green pepper 1 medium-sized red pepper 1 small yellow squash 1 small Italian squash 1 cup grape tomatoes olive oil 1-2 Tbs sesame seeds handful of sliced almonds or pine nuts basil rosemary garlic powder sea salt black pepper
Season chicken as desired (basil, rosemary, garlic powder, pepper, sea salt). In a frying pan, cook chicken in olive oil on medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Increase heat, adding in pressed garlic, onion, and carrots, and lightly sauté. Add in broccoli, peppers, squash, and nuts (if desired), again lightly sautéing. Finally add tomato, sesame seeds and spices to preferred taste.
Note: Vegetable amounts are variable and easily interchangeable. Instead of buying special vegetables, use whatever (preferably fresh or frozen) vegetables you have on hand. Snow peas, mushrooms, asparagus, corn, you name it! Consider cutting your vegetables in a unique shape. Long strips of onion, carrots coined with a wavy cutting tool, squash cut in half circles, etc. Serve with brown rice or a wild rice blend.
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FRESH & HEALTHY
BLACK BEAN HUMMUS 1 can drained black beans* 1 Tbs tahini 3-4 Tbs olive oil 1 large clove garlic juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes sea salt Drain juice from black beans and place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add additional olive oil if necessary. Stir in additional lemon juice and spices to preferred zesty and spicy flavor. Place in a fun bowl, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkled red pepper flakes. Serve with pita chips or raw vegetables.
*Note: If additional liquid is needed to thin the black bean hummus, the drained bean juice can also be used in place of additional olive oil.Â
LETTUCE WRAP 1 head of leaf lettuce (green leaf, romaine, Boston, etc.) with larger leaves removed and washed (enough for about 2-3 per person) cooked chicken, diced or cut into thin strips (enough for 4-6 oz. per person) 6 carrots, cut into very thin julienne slices 2 cucumbers, with skin removed and cut into thin rounds 2 bell peppers, cut into very thin strips 2 tomatoes, with seeds and veins removed and cut into very thin strips
Dressing 1/2 cup mayo 1 Tbs dried basil 1 Tbs lemon juice 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 clove garlic, finely minced 2 tsp olive oil Stir all ingredients together until well blended. You can build the wraps by layering in a bit of each veggie, a few strips of chicken, and a drizzle of dressing into each lettuce leaf and rolling up, or you can place each element in a separate container or plastic baggie for the recipients to build their wraps to their particular taste.
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BANANA ICE CREAM 4 bananas 4 Tbs cocoa powder (or more, if you like it extra chocolate-y) approx. 1/2 cup milk (or milk substitute, i.e. soy, lactose-free, almond, etc.) Slice bananas and freeze. Once hardened completely, place bananas, cocoa, and half of the milk in a food processor or powerful blender. Blend until smooth, adding more milk as needed.
CROCK POT HERBED CHICKEN AND RED POTATOES whole chicken, rinsed 8-10 red potatoes 4-6 carrots 3-4 celery ribs 1 small onion 1 cup water 2 tsp parsley 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp marjoram salt pepper Peel carrots and cut them in half. Clean celery and cut into thirds. Cut onion in
fourths and pull layers apart. Spread all three vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot. Scrub potatoes, cut in half, and place on top of vegetables. Sprinkle half of the spices on the vegetables. Place the chicken, breast side down, on top of the vegetables. Add the water to the crock pot. Sprinkle the remaining spices on the chicken, and put on the lid. Cook on low for 4-5 hours until meat is cooked through.
*Note: If you cut a slit where the thigh connects to the back of the chicken and the juices run clear, it’s done! Also, if you want an extra herb-y chicken, lift the skin of the chicken breast, and sprinkle a little extra spices on the meat.
TABLE FOR TWO QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS 1/3 cup raw quinoa 2 bell peppers 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 garlic clove, finely minced 1⁄4 tsp thyme 1⁄4 tsp parsley
on but removing all veins and seeds. Brush with oil and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and lower heat to 350°. As the peppers roast, sauté onions and garlic in oil for about 5 minutes. Stir in spices and vegetables and cook for about 10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in cooked quinoa and diced chicken. Turn peppers over and spoon filling into each half. Bake @ 350° for 10 minutes.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM Mousse
1⁄4 tsp marjoram 1⁄4 tsp salt 1/2 cup diced carrot 1⁄4 cup diced celery 1⁄4 cup diced zucchini cooked chicken, diced Preheat oven to 400°. Put quinoa and 2/3 cup water in a covered pot. Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer for about 7-10 minutes until quinoa is soft and water is absorbed. While the quinoa is simmering, cut bell peppers in half, leaving the stems
1 tsp unflavored gelatin 1 Tbs cold water 2 Tbs boiling water 1/2 cup sugar 5 Tbs dark cocoa powder 1 cup cold whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small bowl (do not stir) and let soften for one minute. Add boiling water and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar and cocoa. Add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is
stiff. Add gelatin mixture and beat until blended.
Cream 1/2 cup whipping cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp powdered sugar Beat the whipping cream and vanilla in a chilled bowl just until it holds a loose peak (it should fall over, but stay on when you lift up the beaters). Add sugar and beat just until it holds a soft peak (a bit stronger hold than before, but not stiff).
Garnish mousse with cream and a strawberry (or a few strawberry slices) or layer the mousse, cream, and strawberries together in the serving dishes. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.
[More tips] • Package your meals in disposable freezer bags and aluminum baking pans in order to eliminate the need for the meal recipient to keep track of dishes and make sure they are returned. • Including a simple salad with any meal is a great idea. In case the recipient is not able to eat the meal right away, wrap the various salad toppings separately. • When including a salad, tweak it to go along with the meal (i.e. if making a Mexican meal, add corn, black beans, and cheese to the salad). • Consider having a “ready-to-give” meal in your freezer at all times, or at least keeping the ingredients on hand for a meal that can be prepared quickly when a need arises. • Find out if there are any relevant food allergies in the family you are cooking for, and be sensitive toward their specific needs.
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with a set-apart girl with a set-apart
girl
Q & A
Note from Leslie: I normally interject my own answers in this Q&A section. However, I thought you would be encouraged to hear some
Q&A
answers from other set-apart young women. The following was a question that came into our ministry and was beautifully answered by a set-apart young woman here at Ellerslie named Charity. I hope you will be blessed and encouraged by what she shared.
Q: A:
How do I stay pure for my future husband if I have a crush on a young man who may or may not be the one God has set aside for me? Let me begin by saying that I appreciate your desire to set yourself apart for your future marriage, and honor that man for whom God is preparing you. Even though you are still discovering what that looks like practically, the desire itself is still something rare indeed in the culture we live in. Clearly, there is something in you that longs for a relationship that gives glory to God by allowing Him to be seen in the orchestration and details, and not just a relationship modeled after the world’s version of this beautiful gift. This is an area in which the Lord has had to teach me a lot. I used to think I was doing pretty well, comparatively. After all, I’d never been in a relationship, and I used a lot of discretion in my interaction with men. But in the area of my thought life I was often given to imaginations of a relationship with a particular young man, or just replaying over and over again in my mind the last interaction I had with him. As I’ve learned more about God’s command to holiness, my mere embarrassment at these thoughts has turned to a sorrow that I was not honoring God in my thought life, not just a future husband. There are a few things I would like to share with you, and challenge you to think and pray about. First of all, I want to ask you what you mean by the word crush. Are you simply admiring the godly attributes in a young man that you hope
Q&A
to find in your husband someday? Or have these “admiring thoughts” been taking up more space in your mind, developing into something that consumes far too much time, if not most of your day? And if it’s the latter, are you okay with having that be a distraction just because the world has told you that “crushes are normal things that happen to every girl,” or do you actively war against those thoughts and seek to take them captive to the obedience of Christ? If you are seeking to have purity in your thought life, then think about what your motivation for that is. Is it only because you want to someday be able to tell your future husband that you honored him in every way while you were waiting for him? That is not a wrong desire at all, but is your first and foremost motivation for purity that your current pursuit of Jesus would be unhindered by distraction, and His pursuit of you would not be clouded by some fleshly desire? Now to another point of your question, regarding whether this young man is the “one” or not. Instead of spending time worrying about this, give it to prayer immediately, and don’t give it any place in your imagination. I know it is common enough in our culture to encourage women toward such thoughts, as if there was no hope for a relationship unless hours have been invested in worry and wonder. But I would encourage you to not awaken even thoughts until their due time. If this is your single season, then God has you here for a reason. And trust me, it’s so much better if you are not preoccupied with things that God alone is able to orchestrate to be as they ought to be. If you feel as though you agree with what I’m saying, but are just frustrated with the hold this still has in your life, please know that I have been in the same place – knowing it was wrong, but not able to deal with it on my own. First of all, you need to surrender it to Christ. Tell Him that you want purity
Q&A
in your thought life, and freedom from the hold this crush has had over you. Ask Him to cleanse your thoughts, and help you to dwell on those things that are pure and lovely and true and of good report. He alone is able to do it, but you also need to be willing to give it to Him. Secondly, even after this is surrendered, never let your guard down. I know from personal experience in this area that when I turn outward, asking the Lord for a burden and then giving myself to prayer for that burden, it has always been an effective weapon to keep those temptations from coming back.
He alone is able to do it, but you also need to be willing to give it to Him.
I do think that crushes, when given in to, are wrong. Not just because they put a stain on our emotional purity, but because they are a distraction from our walk with the Lord. I know that might sound awfully harsh, and it really does seem as though these things we call “crushes� cannot be helped at times. However, as we realize more fully the work of the cross, that our Lord purchased our entire being with His very blood, our natural response ought to be a zealous guarding of our hearts against all that would seek to come in and steel us away from this heavenly Bridegroom.
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CommonLife SISTER of the
MEET CHRISTY Christine Joy Osborne | AGE 26 HEROES OF THE FAITH: DAVID WILKERSON | KIETH GREEN
FAVORITE QUOTE:
“True godliness leaves the world convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that the only explanation for you is Jesus Christ, to whose eternally unchanging and altogether adequate ‘I AM’ your heart has learned to say with unshakeable faith, ‘Thou art!’” – Major Ian Thomas
CommonLife SISTER of the
Q:
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST WAYS YOUR LIFE HAS CHANGED SINCE CHOOSING TO LIVE SETAPART FOR THE LORD?
Sometimes it is hard to see, from so close up, what God has changed in your own life. Sometimes you wonder if the change was really all that significant, if there is any real difference. Sometimes it takes other people to help you see. Last spring when I was in Mexico talking to a good friend whom I had worked with down there years earlier, that is what happened. “Christy, you are so different.” I looked up from hanging a piece of clothing on the line to see my friend’s face, full of that open sincerity that always marks her. “Really?” She nodded. “You’re just…not selfish anymore.” She chuckled and started feeling embarrassed about saying something that could sound so mean, but I laughed too and told her not to worry. “It’s true,” I said. “I have been so selfish.”
Looking back over the past few years, I can see the way that God has changed my life from revolving around myself to revolving around Him. I know that can sound rather nebulous and general, but He has made it very specific and real to me as He asks for each area of my life – my time, my relationships, my dreams, my tastes, and the words that I speak. For most of my life I have said that I live for Him, but only recently have I been able to
begin realizing what that actually means lived out day by day. And let me tell you, it is amazing!
Q:
WHAT IS ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES YOU HAVE FACED IN LIVING SURRENDERED TO YOUR KING, AND HOW HAS HE HELPED YOU OVERCOME IT?
Learning to live with open hands has not come easy to me. Naturally, I tend to feel the need to protect myself, my time, my friendships, my dreams, my reputation, my comfort, whatever. I get afraid that if I really let go of these things, I will be miserable. Take time, for instance. If I really give God all my time and do not guard “me time” in my day, won’t I just burn out? (I am not talking about guarding time with Him, but just personal rest or recreation.) For years I lived that way, feeling responsible for my own protection.
But now Jesus has changed – and is still changing – my heart. When I really look at His Word, I see that there is no option for co-leadership in Christianity. Either I am in control of my life, or He is. Either I decide how to manage my time and protect my friendships and plan my life, or I let Him decide. And as He gently proves to me how trustworthy and good He is, I realize that I am safer in His hands than in any other place in the universe. He never promised an easy path, but truly, as I have seen over and
CommonLife SISTER of the
over again, His ways are best. Why would I be afraid to let Him script my day, my life, since He is the one who invented the whole idea of life and beauty in the first place? Like I said, He is still teaching me how to walk in Him. But I can testify firsthand that as I choose to take my hands off of all that I am and have, He proves to be a much better caretaker than I could ever be!
Q:
CAN YOU BRIEFLY SHARE A BIT ABOUT YOUR RECENT WORK IN MEXICO AND SOMETHING GOD HAS TAUGHT YOU THROUGH IT?
Working at a Christian school for deaf, special needs, and at-risk children in Mexico has been one of the highlights of my life. I have been privileged to spend quite a bit of time down there on several occasions, doing anything from
When I really look at His Word, I see that there is no...co-leadership in Christianity. scrubbing floors or picking lice to making burritos, leading worship for the kids, or substitute teaching. Through it all God has taught me many things about myself (He still has a lot of work to do in me!), about caring for children and working alongside other believers (a big blessing and also very refining!), and about how real and available is His grace for every moment. One morning last month, as I sat at a white folding table with several impatient little students asking me what to do next, I took a deep breath and just had to laugh. What was I doing here? I love kids, but I am not necessarily gifted at managing large groups of them; especially not squirrelly,
squabbling ones who kept arguing over pencil sharpeners or getting out of their chairs and talking when they were supposed to be working. Nevertheless, there I was. Their teacher had to be gone that morning, and I was left with the class.
to enjoy the sweetness and beauty all around me – bright sparkling eyes, contagious little laughs, and glowing sunsets, to name a few – even in the more difficult times.
When He says that He will supply all our needs, He really means what He says.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO FEELS THEY CAN’T LIVE A POURED-OUT LIFE UNTIL THEY GO OVERSEAS?
But you know, it is situations like this that have drawn me closer to the Lord, situations where I know how badly I need Him, where I have to throw myself on His grace just to get through the day. I love it! And He really is true to His promises. When He says that He will supply all our needs, He really means what He says. When I step out in faith to do what He has put before me, He always comes through and gives me the grace and wisdom I need. When I walk in that grace, I am free
Q:
I have to chuckle a little when I think of that question, because I have thought that myself. Why is it so easy to imagine yourself on the other side of the world, pouring out selflessly day after day in the worst of conditions, but so hard to actually lay down your life here, for your own family, your own friends, your own co-workers? I have found, however, that while some job descriptions may sound more fun or glamorous, ultimately you are the same person, no matter where you are. I have personally proven that it is just as possible to be a self-centered, defeated
CommonLife SISTER of the
Christian on the mission field as anywhere else. My encouragement to anyone longing for faraway ministry would be this: keep on giving those dreams back to Jesus (if they are His dreams, then He will take care of them for the proper time; and if they are not, then you do not really want them anyway!), and throw yourself into whatever He has placed in front of you today. Look for ways to “wash the feet� of those around you, bring joy into
your home or workplace, and share the Gospel whenever you have the chance. Learning to die to self and let Him live in you is the absolute best preparation you could have for missionary life, and that is something you can allow Him to grow you in right where you are.
Q:
WHAT ARE SOME WAYS YOU PROTECT YOUR TIME AND
INTIMACY WITH THE LORD AMIDST YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE? It can be difficult, I’ll admit. But the more I get to know and love Him, the more I know I need that time with Him. If He is truly my food and drink, it should be no surprise that I begin to grow weak and hungry when I am not spending time in His presence! This was, I believe, one of my biggest mistakes in my earlier times in Mexico. With the kids getting up so early in the morning
and then so much going on during the day, I found it hard to take the time I needed with Jesus, so I often let it go. However, it was mostly a problem of priority, not of actual lack of time. I know that because in those days when I “could not find time” to pray and read the Word regularly, I somehow did find time to spend on Facebook, or watch a movie, or… you get the picture. You find time for what matters to you. So now, as I learn to let Him teach me how to walk, how to live, I find that I must be both disciplined and flexible in this area. Disciplined, because it is not always easy to get up in those early hours, or steal
CommonLife SISTER of the
Learning to die to self and let Him live in you is the absolute best preparation you could have for missionary life. away with Him when you could be doing something else. Flexible, because it doesn’t always look the same. Quiet time does not always mean sitting in a nice, airy room overlooking the ocean at a certain time of the morning, for example. Sometimes, for me, it means going into a crowded little storage room in the dark before the kids get up. Sometimes it means climbing a ladder up to the flat concrete roof above the kitchen, while the kids are busy doing their chores. But the good thing is that He desires that time with us more than even we do, so when we ask Him and let Him lead, He will make a way!
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A FEW OF HER FAVORITE THINGS the mist of a waterfall, penguins, the Spanish language, worship practice/jam sessions with friends, late-night talks, laughs, and prayer times, pencil portraits, thunderstorms, hanging out with my amazing family, “real” tortillas (homemade or from Mexico), the fact that God is a Rock that never changes, young coconut, reading the book of John
?
take it deeper
Answering
Guy Questions the
Answering the Guy Questions is a powerful book that dives into some of the toughest relationship questions I get asked by young women. If you have ever been discouraged, disgusted, depressed, or even defeated by the state of modern guys, this book can infuse you with vision, hope, and a practical means of doing something about it! This book is extremely practical – tackling key areas such as guy/girl friendships, physical and emotional boundaries, modesty, flirting, and laying the foundation for a God-scripted love story. A great book for small group discussion – appropriate for younger teens yet relevant for college age and older.
“A must read...Simple answers to tough questions all of us girls ask!” - Natalie, NY “This book is a fantastic ‘eye-opener’ for today’s young women who might be confused by what they long for in a man and what they see in the natural...” - Amazon.com review “The one thing I come away with from reading Leslie’s books, including this one, is the passion to seek more and more and more of Christ.” - Amazon.com review
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Marriage & mamahood Moments from my life.
MARRIAGE: The Simplicity of a Successful Marriage For quite a while, readers have been asking me to blog about my marriage. I find that it’s easier to write about my motherhood journey, because with four young children at home, fresh and funny stories readily abound. My marriage, however, seems to flow along with a consistent strength that is sometimes hard to express in a creative way, and there aren’t as many interesting stories to share. However, as I was thinking about my marriage tonight, I remembered a brilliant quote from C.T. Studd. He said, “Marriage can either be a great blessing or a great curse... CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST
trusting
It
was a cold January evening. The roads were icy. Snow was coming down in torrents. I had just finished packing for a two-week family vacation to sunny California. The car was finally loaded, and I was looking forward to crawling into bed after a very long day of laboring through eleven loads of laundry and cramming
swim vests, floaty toys, princess dresses, and Legos into overfilled suitcases. Around 9 p.m., five-year-old Harper came running into the kitchen. “I don’t feel good,” she whimpered, holding her chest. Assuming she must be dealing with some kind of indigestion, I had her drink some water and searched the vitamin cabinet for some
SET APART
motherhood
the twelve
thousand
DOLLAR
PENNY
g God in the helpless moments by Leslie Ludy
kind of tummy-aid. She continued crying and carrying on inconsolably for ten or fifteen minutes. No amount of comfort or physical help seemed to be working. Finally, she admitted the truth. “I swallowed a penny,” she reluctantly told me. “It’s stuck in my chest.” Of course, I had a
lovely lecture on the tip of my tongue, along the lines of, “Um, exactly how did you get a penny at nine o’ clock at night? Weren’t you supposed to be in bed? And why in the world did you put that penny in your mouth and swallow it? You are way too old to be doing such a thing!”
But now was not the time for an inquisition. I could get the details later. I bundled Harper up and headed to the emergency room, praying all the way, not only for Harper’s health but also for our safety through the hazardous driving conditions. It was well below zero outside. The roads were slippery and the visibility was poor. We finally made it to the hospital with the help of my dad, who met us en route and took over the driving.
It was well below zero outside. The roads were slippery and the visibility was poor. I assumed that when we got to the E.R., they would give her some kind of special drink to make the penny slippery enough to go down into her stomach. I didn’t really expect it to be a big ordeal, just a minor inconvenience. Well, not only did it turn out to be an ordeal, it was also one of the scariest and most miserable nights
of my life. After taking x-rays and waiting for two hours, the physician finally came in and told us we needed to transfer her to another hospital where they could do a special “procedure” to get the penny out. So we bundled up again and headed across town on the slippery roads. The next hospital was crowded and stressful. We were in a semi-private room shared by about twenty other people, with only a curtain to shield us from the disconcerting sounds of the injured and ill a few feet away. That was when I started to really feel my adrenaline pumping. I texted Eric, who informed me that he’d just been hit with a severe stomach virus and was flat on his back. He could hardly move, let alone get up and come to the hospital. My parents were there to lend their support. But it was going to be up to me to make all the decisions. My knees started feeling a little weak. Inwardly I reminded myself of
Christ’s promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you…” and recited the words over and over in my mind. After another set of x-rays and another long wait, the new physician told me that Harper needed to have emergency surgery. It wasn’t exactly the “simple procedure” I’d envisioned, where I could sit right by her side and hold her hand as they gently guided the coin down into her tummy. Rather, they would need to put her completely under and take her to the operating room. They would have to put her on a breathing tube and put a scope down her throat and into her chest. They assured me it was a “safe” process but meanwhile asked me to sign a legal form that said I understood all the risks of such a surgery. I couldn’t even bring myself to read the list of possible dangers. They had called a specialist surgeon to come to the hospital, and he came bustling into the room still in his jeans, hat, and jacket, hurriedly telling me he would get into his scrubs and meet me upstairs to prep her for surgery. Everything was happening quickly and urgently. I was scared. Really scared. It didn’t help a whole lot to hear the nurse say, “This is a routine surgery; lots of other kids swallow coins too!” This wasn’t any other kid. It was Harper, my precious little treasure
whom I’d nurtured and cared for since she was a tiny baby. She seemed so little and helpless as they put an IV into her arm and wheeled her away in a rolling hospital bed. I had only a few moments to kiss her, pray for her, and reassure her before they whisked her into surgery. They promised it would be quick, and that I should hear an update within 30 minutes or so. An hour went by and there was no word at all. I was pacing the waiting room floor, praying a mile a minute, and crying out to God for help. It was probably the longest hour of my life. I was truly in agony, wanting to know that Harper was okay and unable to hear any news.
I had only a few moments to kiss her, pray for her, and reassure her before they whisked her into surgery.
The nurse finally came in to say it was taking longer than they expected, because instead of pulling the penny up into her throat, they had inadvertently pushed it down into her tummy. But they had to find an x-ray specialist in order to take another picture and ensure that it was indeed in her tummy and not in her lungs or another risky location. They had given her more anesthesia, and she was still on a breathing tube, because they could not wake her up until they knew for sure where the penny was.
At this point, it was nearly 3 a.m. and I had been at the hospital for six hours. Eric was extremely ill and could only text a word or two at time. I felt so helpless. There was nothing I could do practically to help my daughter. All I could do was cry out to God for His divine intervention. Whenever I’ve faced a scary storm cloud in my mothering, I’m faced with two options. I can pay attention to the fear, the “what ifs” and focus on the wind and rain raging all around me. This choice always leads to
in Harper’s little life. I knew that He had not rescued her only to forsake her now. Though my heart was still racing and my knees were still a bit weak, I had the assurance that He would be faithful in this situation; that He would take care of His little princess named Harper; and that even though I was completely helpless in that moment, He was certainly not.
I knew that He had not rescued her only
trusting God utter despair. Or, I can choose instead to dwell upon the faithfulness and promises of God. And even though I might feel the emotions of fear or desperation, He has given me the power to take those thoughts and feelings captive, instead of allowing them to rule me. So at that moment, I called upon the grace of God to bring my tumultuous emotions under His control. I began to meditate upon His faithfulness in my life, especially all the supernatural ways He had worked
to forsake her now. The nurse looked at me and said, “Don’t worry, you are doing well. Most mothers would be lying on the floor in hysterics right about now.” Even though I didn’t feel very strong or resilient at that point in time, I realized that her observation was the evidence of God’s grace upon me. Though my emotions were in agony, my spirit began to trust that He was in control and that He would be faithful. For the next forty-five minutes as I again waited for word on how Harper was doing,
I repeatedly commanded my emotions to line up with my soul’s declaration: I will not fear, He will be faithful! Yes, the adrenaline and concern were still present. But I determined I would not allow panic or despair to set in. My focus had to remain on Him, and not on my circumstances. The moment I started looking at the wind and rain, and not at Him, I knew I would begin to sink – just like Peter had when attempting to walk on the water. Finally, the surgeon came out to tell us that the penny had landed safely in her tummy, and they were waking her up from the anesthesia. I began to rejoice in God’s faithfulness. Yet, it wasn’t until they allowed me to see her about an hour later that my heart really began to beat normally again. There she was, sleeping safely and peacefully, sporting a large gap where her loose front tooth had been knocked out during surgery. The words of Psalm 34:4 began resounding through my soul: “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Oh, what a trustworthy God we serve! A week or two after the hospital visit, I got Harper’s surgery bill in the mail. The penny she swallowed cost over twelve thousand
dollars to remove from her chest. A onecent coin had somehow turned into a twelve thousand dollar ordeal. But the spiritual reminder God gave me that night was truly invaluable.
He cares about
my children more than I ever could. And He will never leave or forsake me - or them.
As a parent, I must realize that I am not capable of protecting my children from
all danger. There will be moments in my mothering journey when I will feel helpless to take away their pain; when I will desperately want to remove them from harm’s way and yet be unable to do so. But even when all I can do is cry out to God for protection, help, and deliverance, I am not helpless. Because He is not helpless. He cares about my children more than I ever could. And He will never leave or forsake me – or them. Though I’m not a huge fan of Harper’s super-expensive penny, or the hospital bills to be paid, I do believe that experiencing God’s perfect faithfulness firsthand is a lesson worth spending twelve thousand dollars – and more – to learn.
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I am not helpless. Because He is not helpless.
o d Kid Spot cute stuff
the
ludy kiddos are
SAYING & DOING
HUDSON, age 8 Every year he hosts a Valentine’s Day party, and he looks online to find the perfect Valentine’s party favors to give out. Two years ago, he gave out plush Valentine’s snakes – pink and white snakes with hearts on them. (Why anyone would make such an item is still a mystery to me!) Last year, he chose Valentine’s pigs – little round and pink stuffed animals adorned with red hearts. (These, I must admit, were somewhat cute.) Every one of his guests, including all aunts, uncles, and grandparents, receives one. This year, Hudson chose to give out little stuffed lions with heart-shaped manes. First snakes, then pigs, and now lions. I can’t be sure, but I think his taste in stuffed animals is slowly becoming more refined!
Harper, age 6 She’s recently had the privilege of joining the His Little Feet choir! Singing and dancing on stage in front of hundreds of people has completely altered her life. She’s become much more outgoing and animated, and flashes her dazzling smile to everyone she meets, which is extra cute because she recently lost her front tooth. She even has a little solo, which she belts out right on cue. It is beyond precious and my heart melts every time I see it.
KIP, age 4 Here’s a funny story one of his teachers passed along to me. At school the other day, he was watching the snow fall out the window and sitting in front of a heater while changing his shoes. He looked at his teacher very seriously and asked, “If I sit here long enough, will I melt?”
AVY, age 3 Recently Avy asked me what holiday was coming next. I told her that Easter was on the way, and explained that Easter is when we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. A few days later she said, “Mama, when is it going to be Rooster?” It took me quite a while to figure out that she was trying to say, “When it is going to be Easter?” She was quite serious about her question, so it took a lot of strength for me to not laugh out loud right in front of her!
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Creating a Sacred Environment “She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.” – Proverbs 31:27 One of the most important aspects to a sacred lifestyle is the physical environment in which you cultivate your relationship with Christ, create memories, and deepen relationships with others. Whether your personal space consists of an entire home or one small corner of a dorm room, the atmosphere you create in your living environment speaks volumes about your inner priorities. Much like the way we dress, many of us are in need of a bit more class when it comes to our living environments. If we live in a sloppy, disorganized environment with clothes strewn all over the floor and dishes piled in the sink, we are likely to feel chaotic, scattered, and sloppy as we go about our daily tasks. Not only that, but we send the message to anyone who happens to come into our home that they were not important enough for us to take the time to create a pleasant atmosphere for them to enjoy...
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our team recommends:
CLASSIC SERMONS
Annie Recommends His and His Alone by KP Yohannan
FOR THE AUDIO, CLICK HERE I love this message! I often listen to missionary biographies and testimonies while I design or travel, and this is one I have returned to again and again! KP shares the stories of several different believers whose lives were marked by radical obedience, courage, boldness, and love, but who were on their own weak, frightened, and unknown. The secret to their triumph, power, and freedom from fear was the simple reality and declaration, “I am no more mine!” No matter how many times I listen to these testimonies I laugh, cry, and come away longing to give all to my worthy Savior and live every moment declaring the same - “I am no more mine!”
Tessa Recommends
a blow at self-righteousness by Charles Spurgeon
FOR THE TRANSCRIPT, CLICK HERE The Christian life is something that we must practically walk out on a day to day basis. The Spirit of God, ever faithful to grow and mature us, shapes our standards and convictions, our habits and lifestyles. But as He bids us to make specific changes and live a certain way, there comes with it a temptation to our easily deceived flesh, to begin putting our confidence in the good choices we make, the pitfalls we avoid, and the guidelines we submit to. I have stumbled upon this temptation in my own life, wanting to find security in all the things I did to live a “set-apart life.” This humbling sermon by Spurgeon is a much-needed reminder that any trust in my own “righteousness” is death to my soul. For no matter what I do and how saintly I attempt to live, I can claim absolutely no true righteousness of my own. Not only do Spurgeon’s words challenge me greatly to look away from self and depend upon Christ for a holy life, but they also press me toward a greater cherishing of the precious blood of Christ!
inthenextissue LESLIE’S RELATIONSHIP SERIES, PART 2 Walking in purity through the “friendship stage” UNNATURAL AFFECTIONS Honiring God in your friendships with other girls SERVING AS A SISTER Joyfully pouring out for your siblings and parents