Trifecta of Helpfulness

Three articles written by some dear and wise sisters about expectations, lies, and lust. (click the titles to view the articles in their entirety).


Beth Spraul: You've Got Lies 
"Why does Hollywood know how to make a movie that most women will not only love, but want to own -- and then be willing to watch countless times, sighing or tearing each time at the same sappy endings? Could it be that these movies strike an emotional nerve -- a nerve that longs for the bliss of falling in love with the perfect man or the rush of romance that will replace our emptiness and loneliness?  Whether we realize it or not... films communicate underlying emotional messages to us. What are these messages teaching us about life, love, and romance? Better yet, what do these films teach us about the nature of true masculinity and femininity? Does watching such movies actually affect our understanding of romance or shape how we go about looking for this ideal husband? "


Betsy Hart: Beware Romantic Pornography 
"When you’ve seen one romantic comedy you’ve of course seen them all. There is some level of confusion involving a wonderful woman and an idiotic man. He doesn’t know how romantic he really is until the wonderful woman shows him the way and reveals his fabulous, sensitive, romantic side that was aching to get out all along we find. He so wants to talk about his feelings, just like her best girlfriends! Who knew? Romantic man finally realizes he cannot live without said woman, and pursues her in an ever-so-sensitive if bumbling way. There seems to typically be a fountain involved at some point. Just as sexual pornography twists an understanding for men about real women’s bodies and sexual appetites, so romantic pornography twists the perception for women about real men and how they “ought” to behave toward women, which tends to amount to, well, behaving like a woman. "


Carolyn McCulley: Lust: Not for Men Only 
"For years most churches herded the men off to talk about lust, while gathering the women to discuss modesty. While those are valid and much needed messages, they are incomplete for the culture in which we now live...Sex is God's idea and his good gift to be properly stewarded within his design. For that reason, the church should be the most pro-sex group there is. We have a message of hope and redemption in the morass of sexual confusion. But first we need to help the women who are confused and in our churches right now."

Welcome to Monday

The beautiful and witty Miss RT shared this gem with me and totally made the Monday manageable.
I'm still giggling....
oh the elusivity of productivity....

Gentle and Quiet

God has kindly provided me co-workers who are also dear sisters in Christ. We e-mail encouraging passages, thoughts about Scripture, prayer requests, etc a few times a week to help us work unto the Lord and care well for each other. Today, MB sent a poem from Amy Carmichael that was posted on the Girls Gone Wise blog.

1 Peter 3 instructs godly woman to adorn themselves with a gentle and quiet spirit. The source of her beauty comes from her inner-self. When I first read this, I thought I would have to chop off half of my personality in order for my life to be characterized by gentle quietness. However, it is not so much about the volume or quantity of words as it is having a settled and steadfast disposition. When I am confident in Christ, trusting in His sufficiency, I don't clamor to prove my worth. I don't cry out in anxiety. I don't throw a fit to get my way. I don't have to use noise to attract attention. My desire is to point attention away from myself and toward a God who is perfectly beautiful. A woman whose mind and heart are set on Christ, who like the holy women of the past, puts her hope in God, this woman's beauty will speak though a gentle and quiet spirit.

Give Me a Quiet Mind

When winds are blowing, waves are rising, falling

And all the air is full of dust and spray,

When voices like to sea birds' plaintive calling,

Confuse my day,

Then, then I know Thee, Lord of highest heaven.

In newborn need discover Thee, and find

Nought can discomfort him to whom is given

A quiet mind.

When hopes have failed, and heavy sadness crusheth,

And doubt and fear would weave their deadly spell,

Then thought of Thee my troubled spirit husheth,

And all is well.

In midnight hour when weariness ignoreth

Heaven's starry house, and battle wounds are mine,

Then Thy right hand uplifteth and outpoureth

Love's oil and wine.

O blessed Lord, beyond the moment's sorrow

I see above, beneath, before, behind -

Eternal love. Give me today, tomorrow,

A quiet mind.

(From the collected poems of Amy Carmichael)

Smörgåsbord 6.2.11

Hometown pride: Way to get it Grand Rapids

Job searching: I would love to refer someone for this job

King of the Hill: The only time I have seen this show, or will promote watching even a part of this show

T.G.I.F (tomorrow): Every Friday Ligonier sells a handful of resources for just $5

Pour l'amour: I'm going home and packing my bags right now

He too was distressed

Isaiah 63:7-9 "I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which He is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us - yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to His compassion and many kindnesses. He said, 'surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me;" and so He became their Savior. In all their distresses He too was distressed, and the angel of His presence saved them. In His love and mercy He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old."

Hebrews 4:14-16 "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

C.H. Spurgeon
"God had one Son without sin, but not a single child without the rod. It is a great joy to believe that Jesus has been tempted in all pints like as we are...The idea of strangeness in our trials must be banished at once and for ever, for He who is the head of all saints, knows by experience the grief which we think so peculiar... Courage, soldiers of the Cross, the King Himself triumphed after going over, and so shall you." [Morning and Evening, May 31]

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."

Thankful to be adopted by the Father of compassion and God of all comfort. No trial we face is one with which  He is unfamiliar. "Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head." [William Cowper, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way"]

Contentment

Contentment is not a word that characterizes my life. These past few weeks in particular fighting has felt like failing. In God's kindness, He has sent reinforcements to help me fight to believe truth. The words of a sweet sister on a walk home from work, the preaching of a faithful pastor who feeds the flock well, and the writing of a dead Englishman.

Last Sunday MD preached from Psalm 80 - The Believer and Trials.

Sometimes trials come from losing something we had, or not getting something that we want, or having what we do not want. Through these, God is kindly showing us "that we don't have to have all those things we thought we had to have... we just need Him. If we have Him we have enough. He will provide for us everything we have to have." God is "peeling out of our hands things we cherish, things that are blessings from Him as He shows us what we really have to have is Him."

This brought to mind Philippians 4:19 "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

J.C. Ryle said

“Reader, if God has given you His only begotten Son, beware of doubting His kindness and love, in any painful providence of your daily life! Never allow yourself to think hard thoughts of God. Never suppose that He can give you anything which is not really for your good. Remember the words of Paul: ‘He who spared not His own Son—but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things’ (Romans 8:32).

See in every sorrow and trouble of your earthly pilgrimage the hand of Him who gave Christ to die for your sins! That hand can never smite you except in love! He who gave His only begotten Son for you, will never withhold anything from you which is really for your good. Lean back on this thought and be content. Say to yourself in the darkest hour of trial, ‘This also is ordered by Him who gave Christ to die for my sins. It cannot be wrong. It is done in love. It must be well.’"

These have been sweet meditations to fuel my fight for contentment and store up trust in God's goodness in the midst of trial - I have all that I need.

Smörgåsbord

Stealing from Tim Challies' format of "A La Carte" postings, here is a smattering of fun found recently around the web-o-sphere. Enjoy

Grammar humor: Grammar nerds are the most hilarious. I really want to adopt alot now.

Living in the District: Freakishly mostly accurate. Still have not managed to save the world yet...

Running melodies: Great little tool that helps you sync your steps to songs.

Arab Spring: A really helpful interactive timeline of protests and unrest in the Middle East beginning Dec 2010

Too stinkin' cute: Winning ad out of 30 children interviewed whose best friend is someone from another ethnic group, helping to breakdown the racial divide between the Malay and the Chinese.

Snail Mail

I love snail mail. There is nothing better - ok, maybe there are a few things better, but that's not the point - than receiving an envelope with your name and address in the middle. Whenever I see the mail sprawled across our hardwood floors (we have a mail slot in our door, so mail time is never very tidy) my heart beats in anticipation that perhaps sometime last week or a few days ago, someone took the time to carve each letter of my name, spend 44 cents on a stamp, and slide it into a mail bin just for me! It feels like Christmas opening that envelope and the grin on my face probably does match that of a 4 year old. Then comes the excitement of the card itself - florals, stripes, a silly picture, hand made, black and white, ribbon, the possibilities are endless, you never know what you are getting. (p.s. this one cracks me up!)

(Thank you TJ for sharing)

And then the sweetest moment of all - curling up and reading. I find it mandatory to sit, preferably legs tucked underneath, no distractions when reading these words. Writing takes longer than typing, so someone put time and thought into crafting and formulating diction meant for me. I just soak it in. Sure, E-mail is great, it's efficient, easy, to the point. But snail mail is special. It's intentional, thoughtful, slow, meaningful, personal. The experience of snail mail makes me smile.

And in case you need a Father's Day snail mail card idea, check this guy out - easier than it looks, I promise.

(Instructions: http://www.marthastewart.com/265595/folded-shirt-card)

Time is a Funny Funny Thing

As with all CCEF materials, Tim Lane and Paul Tripp's workbook "Change and Your Relationships: A Mess Worth Making" has a cheesy title but a powerful message. Lesson 10 is on Time and Money (I spend neither of these extremely well). A helpful summary of the chapter: "one way to evaluate and discover what we treasure is to look at our schedules and checkbooks." (ouch)

I was particularly struck by the section on time, which comes out of Ephesians 5:15-21. Vs 15-16 state "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (NIV 1984). In the King James, "making the most of every opportunity" is translated as "redeeming the time." The original Greek language uses time in two main ways throughout Scripture:

Chronos = time in general, hours/weeks/years/etc
Kairos = the specific time between Jesus' first and second comings

In vs 16, the original is the word "kairos." The distinction helps us to understand what the time is for. Rather than referring to time in general, giving the sense that it is eternal, Paul speaks to the Ephesians that they are to use time for a purpose. They are to redeem the time exactly because this time is not forever. We live in a certain time, the time waiting for Jesus to return. Lane and Tripp write "This is a time of unique opportunity for us to display the grace of Christ to others. One day this season will come to an end when Christ returns in power and glory. Thus a more awkward bu appropriate rendering of this verse would be, "As you go about your life in this in-between time use it to its fullest to display the grace of Christ to others." (pg 108). Chronos means that this time will end and that it is for a particular purpose. "Make the most of every area in which God has placed you ... daily struggles [are] critical moments of redemptive opportunity rather than hindrances or distractions." God commands us to redeem this time, but also equips us with the grace to be able to do this, and gives us the motivation - Jesus is coming back!

[There is no quick fix when it comes to our hearts, and the way we use our time is a heart issue, but sometimes practical help enables us both to see and to guard our hearts better. Check out this tool, especially if like me the internet is your biggest temptation to waste time: https://www.rescuetime.com/]

Birthday Fundraiser

My birthday is on 4/20 - as is Hitler's birthday, as is the anniversary of the Columbine shooting, and as is an infamous day of Bob Marley-esque behavior.

This year, I'm using the day for good. In the words of Razoo's amazing graphic designer I am going to "donate the birthday, keep the party."

Join me in supporting the work of Bethany House of Northern Virginia. They are a small nonprofit making a huge difference in the lives of victims of domestic violence. They run an emergency hot-line, provide safe shelter, and help women and their children escape domestic abuse. Once safe, Bethany House provides them with counseling, job training, material support of food and clothing, and help these women start over new and independent lives. Statistically, those who have been abused are the most likely to become the abusers. Bethany House is working to stop the cycle of violence by offering support, empowerment, and a way out.

You can donate to my fundraiser by clicking the button below. (If you do donate, make sure to watch the thank you video on the right hand side of the screen right after you give). Thank you for considering! Your generosity truly does make a difference.

Do Not Be Anxious

Find more here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2011/04/12/scripture-memory-songs/

Life Lately in Links

Random life update with fun links, enjoy. 

Thanks to a beautifully awesome sister who lives in amazing vacation spots, I visited California for the first time, ever. We walked on cliffs, waded in the Pacific, tie-dyed shirts, hiked in a desert, hunted big-horned sheep, saw a dinosaur, ate apple pie, carne asado, cowgirl cookies (I could go on, let’s just say we ate a lot), saw seals, had a bonfire on the beach and roasted marshmallows, and dashed with warriors. I also experienced by first in-and-out burger and chocolate milkshake. Apparently there are a bajillion “secret” things I could have ordered.

A favorite, and perhaps most missed, Jersey tradition is pancakes with sweet sisters from Grace Tab. They gather edify one another by bashing each other’s taste in pancake stuffing or topping. Oh, and sometimes pray and say encouraging things to each other too. My heart is full of gratitude for these ladies – their kindness to me, their love for Jesus, and their service to build up the Church. (Even though Carrie likes her pancakes naked and can’t flip them). One day, we will be as cool as this guy:  (on page two there’s a toilet one… hehehe)

Baseball season has started. Someone please explain to me why it is necessary for one team to play another team five thousand times in a row. In what other sport do you play the same team over and over and over again?? I mean, if you didn’t win the first 15 games, I think you should just stop. But I enjoyed watching this.

I have a lot of pride in the fact that I have a dumb phone. It makes phone calls, like a phone should. And that is it. It also texts on occasion. But seriously, that is all. I have no idea what this phone does, but because of this commercial I very much want one: 

Bought tickets to Mumford and Sons in June with some lovely y'allternative ladies! 

Pretty Please

I would very much like this cake for my birthday

(http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2010/11/rainbow-cake.html)

If you made it for me, I would share a slice with you.. perhaps even two.

(http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2010/11/rainbow-cake.html)

Thank you

Tears Make Good Fertilizer

We sang a sweet hymn at the end of evening service last night. The third verse reads:

"Morning and evening sow the seed, God's grace the effort shall succeed.

Seed-times of tears have oft been found with sheaves of joy and plenty crowned."
Words: Basil Manly, Jr. (1825-1892)

Recently I have been surrounded by some dear friends whom the Lord, in His good and strange providence, has called to sow seeds this season with their tears. In the midst of their loss and heartbreak, God consistently shows Himself to be sufficient for their every need and proves Himself worthy of their hope and trust.

Unlike my tendency to be harsh and tough, God has not called them to "suck it up" and get over it. He sweetly sympathizes with them in their weakness, equips them for what He has called them to, and endures all things with them.

The faithfulness of these friends in the midst of their sorrow convicts me of how conditional my obedience to and trust in the Lord is. When I am sad or even just cranky, I excuse myself from having to be faithful. But God ordains storm clouds and tears for our good - Not that we would stop being faithful, but that we would persevere and trust in Him.

May those who sow in tears

reap with shouts of joy!

He that goes forth weeping,

bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy,

bringing his sheaves with him.
- Psalm 126:5-6

What a sweet promise that when tears fall onto the seeds we sow, the harvest will be ripe with blessing.

John Piper says: "This psalm teaches the tough truth that there is work to be done whether I am emotionally up for it or not; and it is good for me to do it. Suppose you are in a blue funk and it is time to sow seed. Do you say, “I can’t sow the field this spring, because I am in a blue funk.” If you do that you will not eat in the winter.

But suppose you say, “I am in a blue funk. I cry if the milk runs out at breakfast. I cry if the phone and doorbell ring at the same time. I cry for no reason at all. But the field needs to be sowed. That is the way life is. I do not feel like it, but I will take my bag of seeds and go out in the fields and do my crying while I do my duty. I will sow in tears.”

Read the whole article here, it is worth the next 5 minutes of your life to consider this truth: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/taste-see-articles/talking-to-your-tears

Roasted Red Peppers

I am certainly very far from being a culinary extrodinaire. I'm completely content to have a dinner consist of carrots, a bowl of cereal, and a glass of red wine - don't worry mom, sometimes I throw in a handful of almonds for protein. (Thank God that I am currently single and thus unable to inflict my malnutrition upon others). BUT I had no idea that you could do this! Thank you Pioneer Woman

Yup, just throw the pepper right on top of the flame - how fun is that?!

Looking forward to trying this, when it's not my week to clean the kitchen... :)

Pray for Japan

Support the people of Japan, with your prayers and with your giving.

Welcome to the Real World

For some reason I believe the lie that my life has not yet started. I live as if in some sort of trial run - the points don’t really count, the clock isn’t really ticking. It’s the mentality reflected in the classic college reference to life after graduation as “the real world” and therefore at least for this stage of life, it's a show or a production where actions don’t have consequences or really affect anything. This thinking has spilled past caps and gowns, into Act II, Scene I and somehow I find myself in a drama I don’t think I like very much. Aspirations I built of the “real world” don’t play out quite as I directed them in my mind, the characters don’t keep their script, the emotions are way less exciting (though sometimes more dramatic), and the color isn’t quite as vivid.

This train of thought fuels my desire to hide from others, to not be honestly known by others, or at least to control what others know of me. So long as I keep playing my part, I can manipulate the scene and write the ending. The reality is, this “show” of my life actually IS my life. The habits and patterns, choices and decisions, yes’s and no’s, are real and have consequences – whether bad or good. I am choosing how I live in the decisions that I make, forming my character in the small moments of life. It will not magically start next year as if this is just a staging area, it has been happening. 

My life is not the ideals or the plans in my mind, it’s not what I write or plan for my life, but how I actually live.   It’s what I buy, not what my excel spreadsheet says my budget is. It's who I actually meet up with, not just who I want to or plan to meet up with. It’s how many times I hit the snooze button and how often I don’t read my Bible, not the reading plan I wrote for my quiet times. It’s who I actually pray for, not how many people I tell that I will pray for and then forget. It’s how often I check e-mail and facebook during the work day and rush through my actual work, not the productivity my co-workers assume I accomplish due to the sound of frantic key strokes (that are actually the dialogue of a g-chat). 

There is much I can convince people I do, a character I can act and even convince myself that I am. But there is no dress-rehearsal, and there is actually One who does see. There is One who cannot be tricked or fooled or manipulated or deceived by a “show." Those times when I relish the fact that no one actually knows what I am thinking or planning or loving, someone actually does know, and knows even more than I do, because I can deceive myself, but not Him.

“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.” - Psalm 139:1-4

And this One who sees, His opinion actually matters. Funny (pathetic/sad actually) that I am so concerned about what people see, and not at all concerned about the opinion of the One who DOES see and whose judgment of my life DOES matter. But, this One who sees me fully, correctly, honestly, is also the One who loves me completely, fiercely, dearly. He knows not only what I do, but when, how and why I do it. The One who sees me, loves me.

 “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hands.” - Psalm 138:8

I am the work of His hands, not the production of a life that I get to create. Rather than spending time rehearsing a life where I am in control, I need to trust in the sovereignty of the One who created and sustains the real world. God is really in control, and God is really good. And I am seen, known, and loved by Him. In the words of Relient K: He's the only one who knows me yet still loves completely." That is real.

Begone Unbelief

Begone unbelief, my Savior is near,

And for my relief, will surely appear.

By faith let me wrestle with God in the storm

And help my, my Savior, the faith to adorn.

Though dark be my way, since He is my guide,

'Tis mine to obey and His to provide;

Though cisterns be broken and creatures all fail,

The word He has spoken will surely prevail.

Determined to save, He watched o'er my path,

When Satan's blind slave, I sported with death;

And can He have taught me to trust in His name,

And thus far have brought me, to put me to shame?

Why should I complain of want or distress,

Temptation or pain, He told me no less:

The heirs of salvation, I know from His word,

Through much tribulation must follow their Lord.

Since all that I meet will work for my good,

The bitter is sweet, the medicine food.

Though painful at present, will cease before long,

And then, O how glorious, the conqueror's song!

-John Newton

Taco + Korean = Takorean

You know you've made it when you can make men in thousand dollar suits wait in line for 45 minutes to eat something you've made in a truck. http://takorean.com/
Oh DC, you make me laugh.

Little fun on Friday

In an old house on the Hill, not really covered in vines

Live four single girls with very busy lives.

They leave the house way before nine

In heels and rain boots and sneakers so fine.

By God's providence, I call this house mine.

LY is not afraid of mice

JJ plays piano and even shovels ice

To gluten, eggs, and dairy foods,

JR just says "pooh pooh!"

Throwing it back to old school bedtime books for a little sneak peak into the awesomeness that is - very originally named - The House.

Hugely thankful to live with three women who love the Lord supremely, watch over my life carefully, and help me fight sin daily. Not to mention, who have super sweet dance moves, that very much resemble this:

Hope Does Not Disappoint

Romans 5:1-11
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. And HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT US, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone dies for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through this life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

A few weeks ago TG spoke on Sunday evening and asked “if you are discouraged, what is it that you are putting your hope in?” To put this into a statement: what discourages/disappoints you shows what you are putting hope in. The cause of disappointment is hoping in what can and does not deliver what’s expected. But Romans 5:5 says, “hope does not disappoint, (why?) because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” If my hope were in God, I would not be disappointed. That I am discouraged/disappointed reveals the truth that my heart hopes in things other than God.

Disappointment comes when I hope in something that cannot and has not promised to hold the weight of my hope; it is because I have put my hope in things that cannot deliver, cannot withstand that hope. MD often reminds us that Christians must lean the whole weight of their lives, all their hope, into Jesus. He is able and willing to support that weight, and proved it by bearing it on the cross and then rising from the grave, reigning victorious over that weight. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us… we have now been justified by his blood…saved from God’s wrath through him!”If you are a Christian, your hope is not just a wish or an ideal that you want to come true. No, the Christian’s hope is secure, it is a promise – Christ has died for you, you are justified by his blood, saved from God’s wrath. The Christian’s hope is a sure thing, hope does not disappoint.

Psalm 42:5 “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

A way to give - The Cohesion Project

From the man who brings you peanut butter italian ice, lets you park in his lot when the beach is packed, and only really works about 7 months out of the year, comes an inspiring documentary about three men who have cerebral palsy. One of them teaches special education in New Jersey and climbed Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast. Another won NBC's Last Comic Standing Season 4 and is a member of the U.S. Paralympics Soccer Team. The third was a successful VP at Merrill Lynch before founding IPS, which has partnered with PepsiCo, Target and Goldman Sachs.

While this might not be as yummy as a squeeze cup of pistachio ice and vanilla soft-serve, it's just as refreshing, and doesn't get your hands all sticky when it melts. (if you live on the Jersey Shore then you know what I'm talking about).

Watch the video below, and click here to donate. For all you hipsters out there, if you give, you could say that you contributed to a hip and up-and-coming documentary, which gives you the same number of points as rocking a pair of skinny jeans with a vest.

Happy giving!

Mr. C.H.

"We do not need tomorrow's supplies; that day has not yet dawned, and its wants are as yet unborn. The thirst which we may suffer in the month of June does not need to be quenched in February, for we do not feel it yet; if we have enough for each day as the days arrive we shall never know want. Sufficient for the day is all that we can enjoy. We cannot eat or drink or wear more than the day's supply of food and raiment; the surplus gives us the care of storing it, and the anxiety of watching against a thief. One staff aids a traveller, but a bundle of staves is a heavy burden. Enough is not only as good as a feast, but is all that the greatest glutton can truly enjoy. 

Beloved Christian reader, in matters of grace you need a daily supply. You have no store of strength. Day by day must you seek help from above. It is a very sweet assurance that a daily portion is provided for you. In the word, through the ministry, by meditation, in prayer, and waiting upon God you shall receive renewed strength. In Jesus all needful things are laid up for you. Then enjoy your continual allowance. Never go hungry while the daily bread of grace is on the table of mercy."

- Spurgeon

Happy Giving

The inspiration for this blog comes from my work – yes, I just heard your “blech,” but hang with me… So work is work, and while there are many blech feelings, there are five million and 3/4 reasons why I love Razoo. Here are just a smidgen…

1. Coffee: If you’ve seen our electronic “barista”, you know what I’m talkin' bout. Kind of high maintenance, but keeps the office running on soy cappuccinos.
2. Snacks: Chocolate covered pretzels, dried mango, smoked almonds, milano cookies, nutella, Kashi, yuummmm.
3. Attire: I’m automatically overdressed for work in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, since at least I leave my shoes on all day.
4. Office supplies: Superflulous amounts of florescent sticky notes and retractable sharpies, but always lacking pens... yet another of life’s great mysteries.
5. Furniture: Exercise balls to sit on when restless and a broken couch dressed in a questionable shade of green
6. Décor: pictures of smiling children, subtle lime green accents and random yellow coat racks
7. Location, location, location: 12 minute (10 min 12 sec if I book it) walk to Trader Joes!
8. Resources: My own techteam on hand to fix the newest crisis involving any piece of plastic that plugs in, runs on a battery, and/or connects to the internet
9. Did I mention snacks and coffee?

Aside from the obvious perks, one of the best parts of my job is exposure to incredible people who are selflessly spending their lives serving others. This is also one of the hardest parts of my job. I am a do-er, but job requires that I be a sit-er. I live behind a computer screen twice the size of my TV, and read amazing stories of people that are doing things - teaching English in Cambodia, building houses in Honduras, rescuing orphans in China, healing the sick in Vietnam, creating a sustainable economy in East Africa, restoring hope in Pakistan, while I just sit. Many days I get fluttering of anxiety “why am I just sitting here?”

This can be a healthy encouragement to consider the needs of others and do what I can to help, an exhortation to stop being self-absorbed, but more often than not, this anxiety reveals my lack of trust in God's sovereignty and sufficiency.

I am prone believe the lies that I have to "do" to earn God's favor, that I have the ultimate power to fix things, and that my life is all about me. The truth is that my every breath is give to me not because I have merited it, but because I have been created by a good God. A God who has prepared good works for me to both walk in, as well as at times to “sit” in. God made me a human being, not a human-doing, and thus did not pick me due to my abilities or even potential. He does not demand performance as if he is holding a cosmic scouting combine, He lovingly equips me to be faithful with that to which He has called me. That may mean that I pack up my life, get on an airplane, and spend the rest of my life overseas. Or not . Regardless of location or position, I am called to be a loyal and faithful citizen of God's kingdom. Right now, that looks like sitting behind a computer screen, respecting my boss, loving my co-workers, serving our clients, and helping others to be faithful in other places.

I hope this blog will be a place where I can brag about the amazing things that people using Razoo are doing around the world, and here at home. I hope it is a place to praise God for all that He has given us to faithfully steward. Whether this inspires you to go, or whether this inspires you to remain where you are, I pray that it will encourage you to be faithful and remember that it's not all about you (or me).

Happy giving!