(Continued)

Lately I have been pondering the tremendous blessing of my loving parents. I have always been grateful for them, of course; but as I grow older, I notice even more keenly their fervency in prayers, their perpetual sacrifices, and the immense responsibility which they take quite seriously. In this article, I hope to convey to my sisters in Christ some thoughts regarding how we can express our gratitude to our parents, practical ways to be a blessing to them, and ideas for a deeper relationship with them.

In a day and age when skinny jeans, fair-trade vanilla soy lattes, and iPhones are commonplace, it may seem like the idea of honoring your parents is archaic. However, as Christians, we understand that the Scriptures are timeless. They were written for a people, both then and now, with an aptitude to concoct all sorts of sin and rebellion in their hearts. I find it comforting to know that the roads we travel are well worn, and that the very malady that strains our familial relationships, relies on Scripture for its cure.

“Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of Thy countenance. In Thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in Thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For Thou art the glory of their strength: and in Thy favor our horn shall be exalted. For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our King.” ~Psalm 89:15–18~
 
My sister’s diligent efforts in studying for the local Bible Bee competition culminated in a grand vacation to Bible Bee Nationals which our entire family was able to enjoy. Thus, on this particular November day, I found myself in a dazzling hotel in Schaumburg, Illinois, surrounded by godly, likeminded believers who truly treasured God’s Word.

I was in the process of running an errand when I overheard a conversation between two young men on the hotel elevator. One of them, having noticed the other’s Bible Bee contestant shirt, asked, “How is your test day going?” When the contestant replied that all seemed to be going well, the young man continued, “Are you ready to dominate the Bible?”

I felt stunned. Immediately, my heart was filled with grief and disappointment at the sound of one esteeming God’s Word in such an irreverent manner. As if any mere human could possibly supersede God’s holy, inerrant, immutable Word! How I longed to lovingly but firmly refute his statement! Before my mind could collect a response, however, the contestant spoke up, smiling in obvious earnestness: “I don’t believe the Bible can be dominated.”

Visibly embarrassed, the other young man made feeble attempts to rectify his original statement. “Well, yeah,” he stammered, “but, well, be dominated by the Bible . . . you know what I mean.”

As the elevator reached its destination, the contestant thought for one brief moment before he said, “I do want my life to be controlled by God’s Word.”

​[I want to clarify that the National Bible Bee in no way endorses or facilitates inappropriate attitudes toward God’s Word. Rather, the contestant’s response in this story is a more accurate picture of what God is using the Bible Bee to work in families all across the nation. The person who made the other statement was not even enrolled in the Bible Bee, and I do believe that he did not intend to be irreverent toward God’s Word. He seemed caught up in the excitement of the event, and simply used the wrong words. However, the object lesson I gained from the situation became the foundation for others, including this article.]

Start each day praising the Lord for His lovingkindness & End each day praising Him for His faithfulness
“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High: to show forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night... For Thou, LORD, hast made me glad through Thy work: I will triumph in the works of Thy hands. O LORD, how great are Thy works! and Thy thoughts are very deep.” from Psalm 92

I have been reflecting much lately on the mercies of God. Truly, they are new every morning and His compassions never fail! To commence my day praising the Lord and end it equally joyful is a mighty refresher as I spend the in-between time serving Him! It also aids me in maintaining a Christ-centered perspective. We are glad to do His work and we will triumph in His hands!
 
 
Remember that you are a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ & should Delight in doing His Will from the Heart
“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” Ephesians 6:5-8
 
Who we serve makes all the difference, girls!  Do we serve Him in singleness of heart? Consider what an honor it is to be called a servant of Christ and live out that honor each day. It is a truly marvelous thought. Also, are we serving Him with our hands and our heart? He wants both! As we give Him our heart, the hands will follow along quite pleasantly. Fulfilling God’s will for our lives is very serious and it should come from a heart intent on pleasing Him. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord—He will reward you!
 
 
Take time to be refreshed...physically, emotionally, and spiritually;
Rest on the Lord's Day
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” Psalm 46:10-11
 
I have learned that there should be moments (and occasional seasons) of rest. Even the physical upkeep of our bodies (the temple of the Holy Spirit) is important. Allow the Lord to minister to you during moments of discouragement, just as He did for Elijah. Remember that you are not alone. Without a respite, the journey was too much for Elijah, one of God’s most devoted servants (1 Kings 19). He, too, needed to be refreshed in the Lord and have physical needs met. The effectiveness of our service to the Lord is in direct proportion to how much we allow Him to fill us with Himself. Daily personal time with the Lord is an absolute necessity! Faithful attendance to your local church--preaching of God’s Word, worshipping the Lord, and rich fellowship--is also very important. Be sure to rest as much as possible on the Lord’s Day, setting aside each Sunday to honor Him.
 
 
Make every duty of service to your King, something to be thoroughly enjoyed
“He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.” Proverbs 29:21
 
“I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8
 
We are more than servants; we are daughters of the Most High, joint heirs with Christ! His gentleness as He tenderly teaches and guides makes us great (Psalm 18:35). Since God is our Father as well as our King, learn to really delight in doing His work. Make the jobs fun. You might not always do what you like, but you can like everything you do. Think of practical ways to make your service more enjoyable--a pretty apron, background music or singing, enlisting help, keeping written records of your service journey...be creative and enjoy every minute!
 
 
 
Establish godly friendships with family and others who will encourage you as you serve the Lord
 “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by
hearty counsel.” Proverbs 27:9
 
The Lord is the only One we ultimately need, but He delights in using His children to encourage one another. He did not intend for us to walk alone. Surround yourself with encouragement through family, friends, mentors, books, and sermons that will point you back to the Lord as you serve Him.
 
Keep your eyes on the Anchor of your soul...Jesus, the Author & Finisher of your faith
“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 24-25
 
As servants of the Lord, we long to be faithful all our days. The key is to look unto Jesus, Who is working through us, the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is faithful!! Hebrews 12:1-3

What do you think are the most desired qualities in a wife and mother? That she can cook a mouth-watering roast? Or bake up scrumptious scones? Or maybe keep the home neat as a pin? Maybe running a household of ten smoothly? Or maybe being able to knit a cardigan, teach seven homeschoolers, and feed the baby all at the same time?! All these skills are wonderful and would be greatly appreciated by a husband :), but the most important thing as we prepare to be a godly wife and mother is…

our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

I was sorting some paperwork and ran across my sermon notes from a series of messages preached by my pastor about “Five Crossroads of the Christian Life.” One of those crossroads was Satisfaction—Giving Thanks. I thought perhaps the following thoughts from the sermon would be an encouragement:

Hello Girls,
  
For my family, hospitality is very important. And I can’t say that we have always done hospitality the same way, which is why I would like to share my stories and some suggestions of hospitality.
  
First of all, hospitality and family boils down to the same thing: to bring glory to God. Then it is clear to see that:
  
​The family is powerful.