by Kimberly | May 9, 2012 | Books
Growing up I can’t think of a single tradition we had as a family. Kind sad – but that doesn’t mean I can’t start any in our new family, especially as we welcome baby boy into the world in a few short months.
Noel Piper has written a tremendous book on why do you have traditions? I mean why do you watch the Rose Bowl Parade every New Years? Why do you go to grandma’s house for Easter lunch every year? What makes something a tradition? How do you start new ones?
Through many personal stories and Scriptural citations, Mrs. Piper exhorts families to share in traditions together that embrace the Savior and exalt Him to a world that doesn’t know Him. As parents, we have a huge burden and responsibility (and joy) to raise our children in the ways of Jesus – to help them come to know Christ and see Him for who He is. How do your traditions/holidays/birthdays, etc explain and display Christ to them and neighbors and other family members?
Honestly, I felt like the best part of the book was the one at the end about worship services and little children. Her and her pastor husband, John, gave great advice and helpful hints for having young children in corporate worship services. This is such an important issue in many churches. And I think every parent/couple must know what will happen come Sunday morning.
My one regret with this book is that I didn’t read it with my husband. A wife shouldn’t really establish traditions by herself and this book would have been great, or at least to discuss with my husband, so we can think and plan traditions for our family. I’m sure he is open for discussion!
“We are always teaching our children, whether we mean to or not.” (pg 34)
“Children need teaching from the Bible so they can grow into men and women of God. That’s what we long for on their behalf and what God offers through His Word.” (pg 44)
“Our celebrations work good in our own lives and in other people whose lives touch ours, by kindling our love fo God, by increasing our knowledge of Him, and by helping us remember who God is and how He works.” (pg 64)
by Kimberly | May 8, 2012 | Books, marriage
Using her years of ministry experience and over 100 surveys by minister’s wives with years in the ministry as well, Tina Wright writes a helpful and encouraging book for all ministry wives.
Its funny, I got this book years after I met Tina (about 5 years ago now) and just read it – only 7 months after I got married. The chapters are short, readable, makes you laugh, think, cry, uses illustrations you will definitely be able to identify with, and just a pick me up. I joked with E after each brief time I read a chapter or two. “You really like it when I read some of Tina’s book, don’t you. You get encouraged!” I would always say something positive and encouraging to my husband when I put down her book.
That is what I’ve learned from Tina, both in real life and through her book. I loved reading her book because I knew some of the people and stories that she shared. I also knew she, though not perfect, strived to live out the principles she put forth in Help! These aren’t just lofty ideas that can’t be obtained. Through her almost 20 years serving alongside Steve in ministry, through moves, schooling, raising three children, etc – she has had plenty of practice with the ideas and truths in this book.
Most ministry wives (especially moms) do not think they have time to read. You can easily read a chapter of this book in 10 minutes. I think we all can find 10 minutes, and believe me – your life, marriage, and ministry will be changed because of the biblical truths Tina gives in this book.
Thank you sweet friend. You are missed.
Photo credit: GreenFlash Productions from our wedding.
by Kimberly | May 7, 2012 | Books
I really enjoy reading books by people that I know…you feel more personally connected to the writer and therefore, the book itself. Brian Croft is a dear friend of my husband. He is the pastor of a church in Louisville, KY. He writes a blog for “normal” pastors called Practical Shepherding.
I picked this book (actually, thank you Eric for getting it for me) due to a friend’s asking if I had read it or knew anything about it. My pastor had just finished preaching through Hebrews 11 (the chapter of the Bible this book is based on) and life is just a BIT of a struggle right now. This was a perfect book.
Brian’s strength, both in his books and on his blog, is that he knows his audience. He is writing to pastors, not necessarily the mega church, celebrity pastors, but normal pastors who serve normal churches. These are the pastors who probably don’t get book deals or radio shows and their churches don’t put our their own CDs or fill up football stadiums. These are the pastors that shepherd anywhere from 15 – 500 people and press on, week in and week out. They may struggle with being the only staff pastor or may struggle with leadership issues. They may not have a huge choir and still sing from accompaniment tapes because their church hasn’t made it to the 21st Century. Brian knows his audience. He doesn’t use big theological terms (if he does, he defines them) and he uses stories that will resonate with the majority of his readers. This is a great benefit to his books that all authors need to learn (including me)!
Another of Brian’s strengths is his pointing to Christ through all of his chapters. This is what the writer of Hebrews wants to do anyway (doesn’t the whole Bible point to Christ?). The main goal of the book of Hebrews is for the reader to see that Christ is better, He is more supreme. Brian helps us see that AGAIN (because we often need to be reminded) by looking at the lives of the saints mentioned in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11). He shows us how God compels normal every day people, great sinners in need of a HUGE Savior, to persevere and endure to the end for great would be their reward!
Maybe life for you is kinda tough. Maybe you or your family is going through a tough time and you want to be made aware of God’s infinite faithfulness to us in giving us Christ. Pick up this book. Pastors, there is a specific chapter for you at the end, but the rest of the book can really be read and applied by everyone. The chapters are short and applicable – in fact there are application questions at the end of each of the chapters.
Be encouraged. Your God is good and faithful. Thank you Brian.
by Kimberly | May 3, 2012 | photo shoot
Its really interesting who God brings into your life and what their passions are. I first met Carrie back when I was doing college ministry at a local church and she was a student at UNC. How both of our lives have changed!
Her interests: designing beautiful girl’s clothing (all you moms out there need a new dress for your daughters – right?), loving people, encouraging them, being real with friends, making dreams happen for others. She is sweet and loves pink (can you tell by these pictures?). We had a fun photo shoot with balloons, fun accessories, and the hottest day in Durham so far. American Tobacco was quiet this morning for which I was thankful and the wind kept to a minimum so the balloons weren’t ALL over the place.
Loving God…loving others – this is what she likes to do!
by Kimberly | May 3, 2012 | Worship
Back before Easter our church commissioned a new Durham church, SoDu, and one of the songs we sang that day was this one by Jeff Bourque. He is a worship pastor near Nashville and a friend of my husband. I didn’t know it that well the first time, two weeks later, I wept through it hardly able to get the words out, and since then I’ve sung it as one of my new favorite songs. The words are challenging and exhortational!
May we run this race, may we keep the faith; may our eyes be fixed on Jesus –
That we’ll not lose heart in our struggle with sin, and through suffering know endurance.
May we arm ourselves with the mind of Christ to rejoice in trials and be not surprised.
May our hearts be so consumed by You that we never cease to praise.
May our company be the saints You’ve called may we all stand firm in one spirit –
That the gospel’s truth may resound on earth, that all living things may hear it.
May the fruits of faith mark the path we trod through the life of Christ, to the glory of God.
May our hearts be so consumed by You that we never cease to praise.
May the words we share be Your grace and peace, may our tongues speak Your proclamations –
That the many parts of the body of Christ be affirmed in their right relation.
As we long and wait for the groom to come, may we learn to love, and spur each other on.
May our hearts be so consumed by You that we never cease to praise.
When that day arrives, and the race is won, when our griefs give way to deliverance,
We will fully know, as we’re fully known all our groans will end as new songs begin,
And a multitude from every tribe and tongue wearing robes of white, will stand before Your throne
And our hearts will be so consumed by You that we’ll never cease to praise!
Written by Jeff Bourque. 2004 Universal Music Corp. / Cumberland Belle Music (ASCAP).
by Kimberly | May 2, 2012 | food
I was inspired on Friday afternoon to make a key lime pie. I should have let it chill more, but other than that – its pretty tasty!
1 pre-made graham cracker crust
2 key lime pie yogurts (6 oz)
1/2 cup coolwhip
1 block 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup lime curd
Topping
1 pint heavy whipping cream
3 T sugar
lime zest
Hershey’s Special Dark ice cream topping
Mix filling, pour into crust. Whip cream until desired stiffness, then add in sugar. Set it atop the filling. Zest the lime on top as a pretty garnish. Heat syrup in microwave and then swirl on top of pie for an elegant finish (and I loved the bitterness with the tang of the lime!)
For best results:
Let it chill overnight. This helps with the stiffness of the filling
Use a cold clean knife and a pie server to get out a clean slice
by Kimberly | May 1, 2012 | Uncategorized
Its the first day of a new month, so these are the books I hope to complete this month. We’ll see how the book reviews are this month to see what I finish:
Boyhood and Beyond – Bob Schulz
My former boss recommended this book for me to read as I continue to pray for baby Campbell and as we raise him to fear God and be a man. I look forward to jumping into it!
Parenting by God’s Promises – Joel Beeke
Picked this one up while in Louisville for T4G at SBTS’s Lifeway. Looks like a helpful read for us as new parents.
Help! I’m a Minister’s Wife – Tina Wright
A sweet friend, mentor, and minister’s wife herself (and new Florida resident) wrote this book a while ago. This has already been such a blessing to me as a I read it and think through how she has lived this out and how I can live its principles out too in my marriage.
A Faith That Endures – Brian Croft
My pastor just finished preaching through Hebrews 11 and reading Brian’s thoughts on it are proving a helpful reminder. Also, getting to know his family and him (as he is one of my hub’s best friends) is a laugh!
Loving the Way Jesus Loves – Philip Ryken
Yes, I’m still working on this. It is a quite difficult read just because its convicting!
Treasuring God in Our Traditions – Noel Piper
This book has been helpful in thinking through what I want our family to be like and how we incorporate the gospel in our daily lives as a family.
A Woman’s Wisdom – Lydia Brownback
This is my book for Crossway this month. Very excited about this as the hubs and I have been reading, meditating, and attempting to memorize James (some say the NT book of Proverbs) this year. I always need to know how to apply God’s Word in my life!
by Kimberly | Apr 30, 2012 | Uncategorized
“Curse God and die!”
No, that would probably never come out of our mouths, but what else comes out of our mouths when we speak to our husbands that lead us down the road to becoming like Job’s wife.
Job, the very real, very discouraged, very Godly man in the Old Testament, had a wife who told him what to do when all was seemingly falling apart in his life (and in the life of his family).
Job 2:9 says this “Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.’
Job had just lost his children, his property and his health. He was down and being tempted and tested by Satan (Job 1-2:8).
Taken from John Piper’s The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God:
“That day was like a hundred years. At dusk his wife returned. And she was brusque and cool. “Do you still cling to God?” she asked, and saw his wordless nod. “I think you are a fool. How much from him will you endure till such a love as this from God, the Great, is seen to be a form of hate? Here’s my advice for you to try: Curse God, tonight, and die. And I will follow soon – a widow robbed of everything.” And Dinah sobbed. And tears ran down Job’s horrid face. He pulled himself up from his place, and by some power of grace, he stood beside his wife and said, “I would, no doubt, in your place feel the same. But, wife, I cannot curse the name that never treated me unfair, and just this day has answered prayer.” “What prayer? What did you bid him do?” “That I should bear this pain, not you.”
Are we like Job’s wife?
When times are tough and ministry is discouraging? When our children are not following in the patterns that we have set up for them as parents? When life is depressing to our husbands and he wonders what to do…who are we to him? When he works on a project and doesn’t see it go anywhere? When his writing is slowly coming? When his students don’t do well on exams that he gives them? When God seems to be silent to him? When he has disagreements with co-workers? When people slander him in the workplace? Do we encourage him or do we tell him to curse God and die. Like I said at the beginning, I’m sure none of you would say this to your husband. But, do we say something similar?
Have words like the following ever come out of your mouth:
“Honey, just do _____________ and get out of the situation. I know its not quite right but what else can you do?”
“Dear, why are you always so miserable when you come home from the office? Don’t you know that I and the kids need you to be here.”
“_____, God really doesn’t care about us right now, and you aren’t leading us very well. Why can’t you lead better?”
“Oh, honey, please stay in bed, you know you don’t want to go to work today. It’s going to be a tough day. Home is better!”
Or maybe its not even what we say, but our demeanor when our husbands walk through the door at night. Are we comforting and make home to be a calm place for him to be, or do we demand to have our way, and try to offer our “opinions” on any given matter at work, claiming that we know better because we are women and have those great “personal skills” and “a woman’s intuition”.
If our adivce isn’t rooted in Scripture and Biblical principles, then we are not benefiting our husbands.
There are several truths of Scripture that come into play when the situation at home or our husband’s work is not what it should be, when we are faced with a discouraged spouse, or when life is just hard. Memorize these, ask the Spirit to help you the next time you really want to act out in the flesh, but instead you should be a helpmeet to your husband.
James 3:8-12: So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Proverbs 31:11-12, 25-26: “The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm all the days of her life. Strength and dignity are her clothing and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness if on her tongue.”
1 Peter 3:4-5, 10-11: “Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands. For whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.”
One of the aspects of marriage that I know is a blessing to my husband is a quiet peaceful home. Let me be honest – I was pretty good at this before getting pregnant, now…not so much. But my hormones and throwing up activities don’t warrant me to not aim for this type of home. Reading Tina Wright’s book this week has been a helpful reminder to me. Knowing how she lives her life is also a great reminder. What I’ve tried to start doing is not doing any housework when the hubs is home. Then I’m not stressing out, complaining about everything I have to do – and I’m able to sit with him, do activities with him, and just be near him. This is a way to be “not Job’s wife” for my husband.
What will it take for you to put aside your desire to be in control of every situation and be Job’s wife to your husband? I hope the above Scriptures will help and the following quotes will help as well. This is an area I DAILY need to work on and am thankful for the Spirit’s help as I pursue biblical womanhood.
“The goodness of the gospel news is the magnificent beneficial overflow that comes from the God who is bountiful in mercy to sinners like me.” – Sam Crabtree, Practicing Affirmation, pg 19
“The startling truth about speech is that our words either serve to glorify and please Him or they exalt and please ourselves. A wife who doesn’t control her language has the power to make her husband miserable” – Elyse Fitzpatrick, Helper by Design, pg 167, 173 (my number one resource for recommending to women if they are engaged or if they are already wives)
Elyse counsels women to follow this line of thinking/action when speaking to our husbands:
1. Speak to God first. I often do this in reverse. I say something, then speak to God, then have to apologize and seek forgiveness.
2. Use pleasant, helpful words (Prov 16.24). This goes not only for what you say but how you say it. I often don’t raise my voice (because I don’t see much use in it), but I can say hurtful, unnecessary words in a hushed tone.
3. Use graceful, deliberate words (Col 4.6). Do we talk just to hear ourselves talk or to make sure our husband knows what we want? Most of the time, this isn’t beneficial. I am quite opinionated, but my husband will not benefit by always knowing my opinion. That’s usually just my pride talking.
4. Use truthful, yet loving words (Eph 4:15). When we do have an opportunity to correct or exhort our husbands, how do we take care with that engagement to bless him? Do we show grace and mercy and apply the gospel and Scripture, or do we spout off whatever we feel and speak out of hurt or self-righteousness?
5. Use wise, kind, and comforting words (Prov 31). I need to ALWAYS work on this one. Thankful so much my husband is patient with me when I fail in this area.
May we serve our husband’s well by speaking blessings to them and not want and desire our own way when life isn’t going quite like we planned it.
by Kimberly | Apr 26, 2012 | Books, food
I am so thankful for the public library – they have some great cookbooks.
Tyler Florence, as I’ve said before, is one of my favorite cooks, and this is one of his first cookbooks (if not his first). So, I can tell he’s come a long way in his writing style and use of photography, but the recipes are still stellar! This is a great beginner cookbook but one who has knowledge of cooking and money to spend. The recipes aren’t generally “cheap” but he does tell you why these ingredients are important. He also tells the beginning what to stock her kitchen and pantry with to be able to cook creatively!
I want to make these:
Cherry Poppy Seed Muffins (which I made and they were delicious)
Creamed Chicken with Mushrooms
Green Curry Chicken
All the sushi (when I’m not pregnant) – I love it how he teaches one how to make sushi and dim sum!
Chicken Cacciatore (I love Sara Foster’s – so I might see if its better)
All of his side dishes (which often make a meal.
Pick this up and cook through it. You will expand your cooking repertoire and eat good at the same time!
by Kimberly | Apr 25, 2012 | Books
This book combines two of my loves in literature: biography and theology
Zaspel completed a short summary of Warfield’s life that didn’t drag you down into the ins and outs, but gave you a clear and concise, personal look into the professor and writer’s life. He gave you enough to feel like you weren’t a stranger and could understand some of what shaped this thinker’s life.
The other part of the book is like a theology book that is thinner and more applicable. He highlights some of Warfield’s main thoughts and gives you reason and application into the Christian life. Topics range from the incarnation to the authority of the Bible.
My favorite quote:
“Ultimately his was a first for the gospel. Consistently at the center of Warfield’s attention was the glorious message of the divine rescue for sinners. If the attack was on the person of Christ, his concern was not academic only but soteriological – that we would be left without a Savior and without a gospel. If the attack was concerning the integrity of the Scriptures, his concern was not one of party spirit. It was that in the end we would be left without witness to Christ and, indeed, with a Christ who is himself mistaken as to the nature and authority of the book that was written about Him. If the attack was an Arminian one, his concern was that the gospel would be so watered down as to devalue Christ and render him much less than the mighty Savior He is.” – pg 31
