by Kimberly | Jun 20, 2011 | Uncategorized
1. Planning a wedding is fun: and time consuming!
2. Delegation in all of life (well, most) is needed and helpful and humbling.
3. I love the people who are around me that I get to do life with!
4. And at times, I wish I could do everything myself, but it would not be near as good.
5. How do you bless others? how do you make it a priority in your family to bless others?
6. My Dad is a great Dad – he’s taken good care of me for 34.5 years and loves me more than anything (and he’s a fabulous genealogist, and he didn’t pay me to say this)!
7. The Connecting Conference is where you need to be in August!
Link Love:
1. Love this new resurgence post on being a wife.
2. Thank you Denny Burk for posting this: one of the songs in our wedding.
3. A pastor in Louisville about how to teach your children about God. Excellent. So glad he is one of Eric’s best friends.
4. See what my friend (who is a wonderful teacher and Mom) is developing to teach her daughter.
5. Wonderful tastes of summer! Thanks nick.
6. Love CCEF, Ed Welch, and sexual purity.
by Kimberly | Jun 13, 2011 | Uncategorized
1. Wow – its been a long time. Alaska was in the middle of it, then Memorial Day, then a half marathon, then… I GOT ENGAGED!!!
2. Yes, folks, you heard me right! I’m getting married to Mr. Eric Campbell – you should go check out his music.
3. God is amazingly gracious in my life. I really think the last 15 months of my life have the been the hardest and the best. And I think the next 4 will be the most hectic! But, bring it! 🙂
4. The Curriculum launch went so well and we’ve had overwhelming response to it by several people: Thank you Dr. Moore, Dr. Reid, and Jared Kennedy!
5. June is going to be a busy month: complete with wedding planning, writing, a hiking wknd with a friend, and a lake visit! Have I mentioned I love water?
6. One of my sweet couple friends welcomed a new baby in the world over the weekend and one is about to bring another sweet baby girl into the world tonight or tomorrow. I love babies!
Anyway, these are some great links I’ve been saving to share!
1. My former boss taught a class then wrote a book with fellow VP, Dan Dumas, all on Biblical Manhood. SO GOOD!
2. I had this on the big boat – need to make it. Healthy and yummy and perfect for summer!
3. Love this post by Matt Chandler!
4. I really love a natural food way of looking at health (instead of medicine). God gave us so much. here is a great read if you suffer from headaches!
5. Love this video talk by Piper, Keller, and Carson – three amazing men of God.
6. My friend David posted a great post for preparing for peace in relationships. So vital, especially in light of upcoming nuptials!
by Kimberly | May 20, 2011 | Books
Top 3 parenting books: EVER. Give Them Grace.
You don’t even need to be a parent to sit and just drink in the focus on grace in this book by Elyse and her daughter. I finished it being encouraged in my personal life and also more to want to be a parent one day and how hard that task is going to be!
Elyse focuses on grace: that undeserved richness that God has given to us through Christ by His life, death, resurrection, and glorification. All He has we have: His righteousness and holiness. How important it is that we live in this reality – in our daily lives and men and women, and also in how we parent.
Elyse is doctrinal and theological in this book: but she also gives you very practical conversations, prayers you can pray for your children. One of the conversations I heard recently while attending a parenting seminar was “who really thinks of these things in the heat of disciplining your child – when they are throwing a temper tantrum?” That is true – but that is where grace first needs to be applied to your life as a parent – to my life. Then to our kids’ lives! Even in the heat of the moment when they are screaming because they didn’t get to play the last game on the Wii.
I underlined so much in this book: but I’ll just pick out the good ones.
“Every way we try to make our kids good that isn’t rooted in the good news of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is damnable, crushing, despair-breeding, Pharisee-producing law.” – pg 36
“Every responsible parent wants obedient children. But if we’re confused about their ability to be good, we’ll end up lying to them about their desperate lostness outside of Christ. We’ll tell tehm they are good and that they can obey God’s law.” – pg 47
“Yes, God commands us to train our children, but care needs to be taken that this training doesn’t morph into something more important to us than God Himself.” – pg 56
“The humility that acquiesces to being led, managed, and trained flows out of an understanding of one’s own lostness and a growing understanding of and trust in God’s great offer of life. Only the good news of the gospel produces a truly submissive humility of heart.” – pg 86 – I thought this also applied to work relationships and marriage relationships. Really any relationship: if we choose to live our Philippians 2.
“Management charts may help you run the home more smoothly. They may also become your god. Management is simply your effort to control outward behavior. It is not meant to get to the heart, although a child’s obedience to the outward rules may be evidences of faith. Every parent has to manage her child’s behavior.” – pg 89 – What is your end goal in your home management?
Anyway…you get the drift. Elyse does a great job at engaging her readers and pointing them to the Son.
So, for every parent, person in ministry who works with parents, people who might be parents one day, people who just like kids – or anyone who knows parents or kids. I think that is everyone! 🙂 Go buy this book when it comes out!
Thanks Elyse and Crossway!
by Kimberly | May 18, 2011 | Women
I know, odd post title. Hear me out.
A few weekends ago I got a chance to sit in my favorite coffee shop (EVER. – well, at least so far) with a friend. Just sitting there, enjoying life. Journaling, sipping, talking, reading. I was doing some people watching (ok, I was eavesdropping on a conversation). This is what is so fabulous about coffee shops (and the Red Vanilla Chai Latte that was I sipping on that can only be found in Quills in Louisville).
So…I desire and digress…back to the conversation at hand.
The conversation was between two twenty-something women. Both cool Louisvillians who seemed like everyone else in Louisville. You know the cool Sojourn-esque artist, type look I’m talking about. Anyway…
One of them said to the other: “I used to think that wanting a man to lead in a relationship was great. Then I grew up. Then I matured. Now I don’t mind taking the lead and asserting myself. Why did I ever think that was wrong?”
BECAUSE IT IS! I really contained myself, grabbed my moleskin, and jotted it down. But, seriously, my heart broke for this young lady.
That is what our world trains women to think: that submission (to our husbands) is demeaning, immature, uncreative, death, borderline abuse, etc). When in reality – submission to Christ is the safest place we can be. And if God has supplied us with a husband – then that should be a joy to serve and submit joyfully and respectfully to them.
Instead, what I heard from this young lady is that the more mature I’ve gotten the more I want to be independent, free from constraint, in charge of my whole world, not wanting to submit to anyone but me. Well, that my friend, is a lie straight from Satan himself and one that is so harmful to a generation of ladies. But, seriously, it can affect all ladies at one time or another if we are unfamiliar to the truths of God’s Word or unwilling to live by those Words of Life.
Ephesians 5:20-24: “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything.”
And ultimately, if women are not willing to be lead and submit to their own husbands: then their problem isn’t with their husbands: it is usually more of a problem with their relationship with Christ. He has all authority (Matthew 28, Colossians 1).
So, dear Quills’ ladies: I pray that you will find rest and wisdom and trust and submission and ease of command in Christ. That He would be your all. That you would seek life and fulfillment and security there. That you would not feel the need to assert and lead. That Christ would be the head of your life, your soul, your mind, and your body. Your eternity depends on how Christ took the low place, served, and gave Himself a ransom for many.
Sincerely, Quill’s Red Vanilla Chai Latter Drinker, kim
by Kimberly | May 16, 2011 | Uncategorized
For the Church. For the Nations. For the Glory of God.
Some of you who are long time readers of this blog know that I moved back to Raleigh in March of 2010 to begin a job as a curriculum writer for Providence Baptist Church. This is technically my dream job. I never thought my dream job would be so hard, so big, or so rewarding. Honestly.
You can check out the website here, but I wanted to give an insiders view to the Curriculum.
I didn’t realize how time consuming and exhausting creativity could be. I love to write Bible studies and encourage others to be in the Word. But, teachers – I’ll hand it to you – making lesson plans day after day – you are my heroes!
This curriculum has been on my mind a lot. I’ll be listening to a sermon, a devotional, a song, or see a game or a craft – and think “what lesson could I use that in?”. I love it when a job is free enough to let me do that and have it not be a burden.
I could never do this on my own:
Steve Wright: Boss! Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Thank you for your encouragement and for pushing me in this direction almost daily. Thank you for grace. Thank you for your wisdom in the Connecting Church and Home Piece. Maybe one day I’ll get to write one because I’ll be a parent – but most of it will be what I learned from you!
Blake/Nick/Joel/Bryan/Tana/Laurie/Shannon/Neal and Heather/Mike: Guys – you are a pleasure to serve with in many different ways and for different amount of times. Thank you for your editing, your ideas, your crazy intro ideas, your hours of planning with me, book borrowing, etc.
Amy/Michele/Jennifer/Todd : These are the people behind the scenes – but you see their beautiful work. Amy: you make me laugh and grin with your artwork. Jennifer – no one would read this curriculum if you weren’t such a gracious editor. Michele: your design ability blows my mind. It is beautiful because of your work. Todd: your diligence into the website design was great – thank you for your patience and hard work.
Jared K/Randy S/TPJ/Michael/Jesse/Dr. Ware/Ken Coley and countless others: Your impact on my life in ministry has been so profound and believe me – much of what you have taught me over the years is in this curriculum. Thank you.
So, needless to say, this effort and resource that is still being made to help the next generation to Treasure Christ – it is for God’s glory – was not the result of me: but by an amazing team that I serve with here at Providence (including the pastors and elders that are such an encouragement to me in every step of this journey).
So…is your church needing a nw curriculum for everyone under the age of 18? Do you want a tool your parents can use to help teach their children to worship Christ and treasure Him above all else? Do you have a heart for the nations and want to see the Gospel taken to all peoples? Do you serve at a church where you don’t have a large budget for SS curriculum?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions – this curriculum is worth your look.
I certainly think so – and hopefully I’m not too biased!
I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have too: kim@pray.org
