I know you’re dying to know what it is. We’re always looking for it. But it’s found in the most unlikely of places.

The world’s answer is pretty clear. It’s got a huge hook in my own heart’s sinful desires. Run after whatever would make me happy, at whatever cost to those around me. Find what fulfills me, and do it.

Carolyn Mahaney talks through her response to someone asking her “What do you do on the side?” She shares from the perspective of a homemaker, but think about how this plays out in your own life. Where do you feel “entitled” to things you desire. Are you working all day and feel like you “deserve” to just come home and indulge in laziness because you worked so hard? Or not have to talk to your family? Do you see your hard work and your serving and your laying down your life as just sacrifice, and then on the side you get to pursue what really fulfills you? Rest after work. Hanging out at a coffee shop after serving at Alpha. Which is really the secret to fulfillment?

Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:39 that “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” This may need to turn our world upside-down today if we’re going to really believe Him. And we can be sure that we will find life as we “lose” our own.

The following is from Elisabeth Elliot:

When personal relationships break down, it is a sure sign that there is some rift in one’s relationship with God. The deeper the rift, the broader will be the effect on the human level. Rebellion against our Creator and Redeemer–against the One who designed us and gives us the breath of life and loves us every minute of every day–is not only unreasonable but outrageous. The sense of outrage will reveal itself in our treatment of others.
We “get at” God by getting at those He has made, especially those whom his providence has placed close to us. We cannot bear the image of God in them, for we cannot bear the ineradicability of that image in our own being. It is a constant reminder of our own sin, which is the violation of the divine image. Without the consciousness of a legitimate claim on our lives, we could not know sin.
To recognize and submit to that claim is to return to peace and fellowship.

“If we claim to be sharing in his life while we walk in the dark, our words and our lives are a lie; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, then we share together a common life, and we are being cleansed from every sin by the blood of Jesus His Son” (l Jn 1:6,7 NEB).

This devotion from Charles Spurgeon reminded me to be thankful for affliction… especially during the times that I absent-mindedly refuse Him. 

Charles Haddon Spurgeon: Morning and Evening

The Bands of Love

“I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love.”
–Hosea 11:4

Our heavenly Father often draws us with the cords of love; but ah! how backward we are to run towards Him! How slowly do we respond to His gentle impulses! He draws us to exercise a more simple faith in Him; but we have not yet attained to Abraham’s confidence; we do not leave our worldly cares with God, but, like Martha, we cumber ourselves with much serving. Our meagre faith brings leanness into our souls; we do not open our mouths wide, though God has promised to fill them. Does He not this evening draw us to trust Him? Can we not hear Him say, “Come, My child, and trust Me. The veil is rent; enter into My presence, and approach boldly to the throne of My grace. I am worthy of thy fullest confidence, cast thy cares on Me. Shake thyself from the dust of thy cares, and put on thy beautiful garments of joy.” But, alas! though called with tones of love to the blessed exercise of this comforting grace, we will not come. At another time He draws us to closer communion with Himself.
We have been sitting on the doorstep of God’s house, and He bids us advance into the banqueting hall and sup with Him, but we decline the honour. There are secret rooms not yet opened to us; Jesus invites us to enter them, but we hold back. Shame on our cold hearts! We are but poor lovers of our sweet Lord Jesus, not fit to be His servants, much less to be His brides, and yet He hath exalted us to be bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh, married to Him by a glorious marriage-covenant. Herein is love! But it is love which takes no denial. If we obey not the gentle drawings of His love, He will send affliction to drive us into closer intimacy with Himself. Have us nearer He will. What foolish children we are to refuse those bands of love, and so bring upon our backs that scourge of small cords, which Jesus knows how to use!

Here’s an excerpt from Carolyn McCulley’s forthcoming book, Radical Womanhood. She discusses women’s rights and a letter from Abigail Adams to her husband, John Adams.

Carolyn Mahaney, in the midst of a moving their home, she shared this experience of fighting for believing truth:

In the midst of all this packing and unpacking I’ve found myself thinking, “When I get through this move, then I can get back to more important things.”

This is not the first time I’ve succumbed to such faulty thinking. Throughout my career as a homemaker I’ve been tempted to look past the duties of the day to the more “important,” “significant,” or “exciting” work of tomorrow.

“When the baby sleeps through the night, then I can begin to…”
“When the children are a little older I’ll have more time to….”
“When this sports season is over than I can turn my attention to….”
“If they ever graduate from high school, then I can finally….”

But there are no holding patterns in God’s kingdom. As homemakers [or college students, or full-time employees, or daughter], we are not simply circling the skies of life, waiting for God from His control tower to call us to real kingdom work. No, we’re doing that important work today. As Dorothy Patterson observes: “preparation and care of the family shelter are important enough for God himself to assign that responsibility” (e.g. Titus 2:3-5, Pr. 31).

If God himself has assigned me the task of caring for my home, then I don’t want to half-heartedly perform the duties of today, reserving my best efforts for “tomorrow.” Rather, I want to follow the advice of missionary Jim Elliot: “Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation that you believe to be the will of God.” I want to unpack boxes and scrub my new bathtub and run errands for the new home and take my son to the soccer scrimmage for the glory of the One who saved me and who, by His grace, called me to this wonderful work.

You may not be able to identify with the task of full-time homemaking and mothering, but we each are tempted to think our current season and task a dull one. One keeping us from the “real kingdom work.” Maybe you are the opposite of this example, and you feel like your single years or your full-time job are keeping you from the great joy and fulfillment of the calling as a wife and mother - a season which, in your mind, you’ll really begin to live the life God has for you. Today is the day to “live to the hilt” and this situation you find yourself in (sharing the Gospel, studying for a test, serving someone in your covenant group, washing your laundry, babysitting for a friend or sibling) is the very situation to “be all there.”

I love this part: “…we are not simply circling the skies of life, waiting for God from His control tower to call us to real kingdom work. No, we’re doing that important work today.”

“Tomorrow” (or “yesterday” for that matter) doesn’t hold the better life. Christ is in this moment, today, in this place. And in Him are all things, and all things are for Him, even the balancing of our checkbooks.

I read this on Justin Taylor’s website, Between Two Worlds, and all I can say is WOW. I am not finished listening to the messages, and I have a feeling that I will be without words when both have been heard. I did not want to wait to post this for I feel that such a time as this, when the fight on this side of heaven only increases, we must beg to see Jesus as BEAUTIFUL. So here is Justin’s post for the Resolved Conference. So listen, and beg of the Lord that this be fuel to fight, and fight well!

Find out more about Ellie and how she’s doing in this post Matt wrote from Children’s Hospital.

Although James tells us that when we sin we’re being lured away and enticed by our own desires, it seems we easily justify our actions by blaming things outside of ourselves. Here are 12 sins we blame on others.

Ellie Mason (Matt & Paula’s 3 year old daughter) was diagnosed with pneumonia last week and was taking antibiotics. Her fever remained and they brought her to the hospital yesterday where they found she has an abscess in her lung. They are trying an antibiotic treatment again, if this doesn’t work surgery may be required. Please pray that God would heal her, and that surgery wouldn’t be necessary. Pray for Matt and Paula and the boys as well that God would give them peace and draw them together as a family as they care for Ellie.

Carolyn McCulley posted a blog about the Ranch, the clinic, and the amazing people who served there. (There are a couple of pictures of some of our Lakeview Ladies.)

Thanks again to everyone that went and gave of their time, prayers and love. I am truly honored to call many of you my friends.