The Notable Blogger

Posts Tagged ‘Christian Living’

Living in the hardest hit housing market in the country while surviving on a real estate–dependent income is a lamentable combination. I don’t recommend it. We are blessed to have our home, to have our food supplies and to be able to afford fresh groceries. We have two (yes, two) vehicles, and we put gas in them when we need to. But the fact is, things ain’t pretty right now. (You know they’re ugly when I say “ain’t!”) It could (and might) get a lot worse. It could (and will) eventually get better. In the meantime, losing the house is always on the fringe of our thoughts.

I know others who have it worse, much worse. I know people who have lost their farms, homes, or jobs. I also know people who madly spent themselves into a mire of debt, spent their home equity, and then freely gave up their houses and abandoned their debts without a glance back. We also know companies who have declared bankruptcy and walked away from their financial obligations, money owed not only to corporations but to individuals, to us.

A few short years ago, we had a lot of sweat and blood (a little too much blood) equity in our house. In between running a business and catering to the needs of a pregnant wife and (then only) four children, my husband worked hard to build this place we call home. Today, although we did not spend it, the equity is gone and we are now floating upside-down. Paying off the enormous void between what we owe and what our charming abode is worth takes a sizeable chunk out of our rapidly shrinking income. If we were to walk away from our house right now, we would be in a situation that could allow us to focus on the music mission. We would also be nearly debt-free. It is a temptation.

“What’s a Christian to do when she doesn’t know what’s right and what’s wrong?” I ask myself, out loud…talking to myself…again.

“Look it up in the Bible,” a child’s voice calls out. Oh to have had such wisdom before the grey hair!

I obey.

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again:
but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
~Psalm 37:21

I love the King James, but you, perhaps, may not, so:

The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously.
~Psalm 37:21

That settles it. A Christian should not voluntarily walk away from his debt.

When faced with economic hardship, a Christian must make every effort to shave off unnecessary expenses. (Satellite television, Starbucks, and even date night are unnecessary expenses, in case you were wondering). Debt settlement is a responsible debt-reduction option that should be pursued before bankruptcy is considered. Having experienced this ourselves, I can assure you it is doable and extremely helpful if you are in a tight place.

If, after seeking guidance, stripping the budget, and looking into debt settlement, there is no option but to declare bankruptcy, the Christian should still make every attempt to repay the debts as soon as he is able. Generally companies will not accept post-bankruptcy repayment efforts, in which case your debt is forgiven and obligation has ended. I can, however, think of a small business or two that would benefit from the fulfillment of currently abandoned financial obligations.

My last word: tough economic times can be frightening. You do not need to go it alone.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

While I was compensated for this blog entry, it does represent my views at the time of writing. Notable Blogger will never publish anything that conflicts with our views, ethics, or Christian values.

Life is a harsh teacher. There is no grace period for late papers, no test re-take policy, and very little recess. After about sixth grade, there isn’t even a milk break. The whole life process itself is a learning experience, training and developing each participant into the person he or she is today, preparing for the person he will be tomorrow. The failures, the hurdles, the stumbles in life all have a hand. They all serve a purpose. They are all part of the lesson.

I’ve had some pretty notable life lessons over the past few months. It occurred to me not too long ago, while inspecting the multi-colored underside of my upper cabinets, that there is a reason a blender comes with a lid. Note to self: use it. I’ve also learned and relearned that it is not wise to say “yes” to a small child unless you are absolutely sure what he is asking…and even then it may be unwise. I’ve also learned a lot about making assumptions. One stands out. It is not wise to assume that the window in the nursing mothers’ room at the church you are visiting is one-way glass. Major oops.

Of all the lessons I’ve learned, the greatest, yet most difficult, is trust. I know the lessons well:

Trust the Creator with your life on earth and your life in glory through faith in Christ. Trust Him with the small details and the big decisions. Trust His will. Don’t make trust only an issue of the head, but a hope of the heart and an action of the body. Don’t just say, for example, that you trust God to care for you in the economic crisis; believe it by still giving out of your lack. Don’t just say, for example, that you trust God to work beauty into your marriage; believe it by handing the reins to Him through prayer rather than giving your tongue free rein. Don’t just say, for example, that you trust God with your family size; believe it by relinquishing control. Trust.

I am not good at trusting. I am a failure, in fact. Worse than that, I talk the talk and stumble through the process of putting one foot in front of the other. Anxiety becomes my god and I leave the Father of Trust with His arms held out to me, longing to gather me in. I leave Him for the idol throne of fear where I am annointed with guilt and despair.

Over and over He calls me back. My Father.

Come back, my dearling. Stop clinging to fear and cling instead to me. This life was never your problem to begin with, but something meant for you to hand to me. Lift your eyes, child, and look at me.  Stop fighting me.  Stop resisting my peace. Stop. Just…let me…be the God…the Father, I know you need. It is okay, my dearling, to trust me. I am not them. I AM. Trust.

Trust…

Lord, grant it.

It’s time for a confession:

I am a paranoid perfectionist. Yikes. That does not sound pretty. Well, it ain’t! (In fact, the perfectionist in me is having a very difficult time not removing that “ain’t.”)

I am one of those mothers who focuses on getting it right. I lie awake at night regretting words misspoken, time misspent, and attention misdirected. Comparing myself to the “experts” of Christian parenting, I see myself falling short, and soon battle the uphill struggle to catch up, measure up, straighten up, but I just can’t get it right. How will my failings affect my children?

What to do…what to do…?

When medical concerns come up (about every 15 minutes), I bolster my immune system, analyze medical records, dwell, dwell, dwell on every symptom in every family member, and settle into a pattern of anxiety bordering on panic. To whom should I listen? Where should I turn? What should I do?

Whom to trust…whom to trust…?

When financial issues arise, I struggle with my inadequacies. I seek to support and help my husband, but how? Should I step into this arena, head down that avenue, or tap this skill?

Where to turn…where to turn…?

In short, I have an exhausting mental character flaw that makes life a little more murky than it needs to be.

In steps God. Read the rest of this entry »

Parachutes, planes, prayer, and homeschool children. The combination hints strongly of a potential visit to the emergency room. Ah, not so! In this case, the combination represents little missionaries at work.

The Voice of the Martyrs supports a missionary pilot who attaches Bibles and short-wave radios to small parachutes and drops them into guerrilla-controlled areas of Columbia. He needs tens of thousands of parachutes to continue his mission.

We decided to help. While the Bagasao Children’s Prayer Club studied and prayed for the Columbians, we also put our hands to work measuring, cutting and sewing these parachutes.

Would you like to get involved? Follow these simple instructions, or follow our steps below! Read the rest of this entry »

Whether you call it Easter or Resurrection Day or spring…

Whether you celebrate with eggs or on your knees in gratefulness…

Whether you believe in the divinity of He who fulfilled over 160 Old Testament prophecies or think your own goodness will carry you to heaven…

Whether you celebrate Christ’s resurrection on Sunday or Friday or the second Tuesday of February or not at all…

Whether you tremble in fear over your sins or shed tears of grateful joy over your forgiveness…

Whether you deny the existence of a universal truth or cling firmly to the simple message of an unchanging Gospel…

The fact remains, and the fact is this:

Jesus lives.

Jesus saves.

The message is simple. The gift is free. The way is Christ.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
~John 3:16 (the Gospel in a nutshell)

While Modest Fashion Week has ended, please visit The Stay-at-Home Missionary and read about modesty, the whys and the how-tos. If you have an aversion to the term “modest dress” because you think you will be wearing flour sacks and sneakers, you will be pleased with what you read.

If you have daughters, invite them to join you, or print out the week’s messages. This is a huge issue among today’s Christians, and it is a blessing to see it addressed well!

Happy dressing!

Perhaps it is because I am attempting to raise five godly young women in an age of ungodliness. Perhaps it is because we struggle to appropriately dress our children modestly in a world of immodesty. Perhaps it is because my children see more skin in church than during the rest of the week. Whatever the reason, I have long been driven to write on the subject of modesty, or, rather the lack thereof, among Christian women (and men!).

Many have written on the subject of how Christians should dress. It has become a hot and legalistic topic. Blessed or cursed with quick guilt, I often find myself falling prey to the legalistic side of the issue, thus discounting the power Christ’s grace has over my life. At one point I began dressing according to how I felt other Christians expected me to dress, rather than how I was moved in my heart to dress out of gratefulness to God, obedience to my husband, and appreciation of the body the Creator gave me.

I am generally not long in the deadly talons of legalism before my husband frees me with the simple message of the power of grace.

He’s the source of my hope and rest,
Fount of all my relief;
Though I live with this thorn in my flesh,
He has given Grace beyond my need.

Grace beyond my need. As Christians we live under the grace of Christ. We have freedom under that grace to live out our love for Him. How do we then live? The Christian grace and love in our hearts should overflow not only into our words and actions, but also into our appearance. Read the rest of this entry »