Be the New Girl.

   

     When was the last time you walked into a room and didn't know anyone?  I encourage you to experience this at least once a year.  I've been the "new girl" this past month.  My preacher husband is the new pastor of a wonderful church.  So, I guess to be more precise, I've been the "new preacher's wife."  It has been good for me, as it has helped me to get a taste of what it may feel like for a first time visitor to our church. Granted, I have not had the true "new girl" experience, as church members have been so welcoming to me and my family---but, I feel that I have experienced that "new girl" feeling. 
     Obviously, not everyone can move to a new city for that "new girl" experience, but we all go out of town several times a year.  I challenge you to visit a church while you are away on vacation or visiting family.  Get a taste of what it's like to be "the new girl"  (or guy!).  To get the true experience you'll need to attend Sunday School and the worship service.  Yep.  Be all in.
     Soon afterward evaluate how the visit went.  How did it feel?  Were you made to feel welcome?  Did people even speak to you?  Did they get past, "hello"?  Were you invited to go out to lunch?  How were your children welcomed into their classrooms?  Was there a security procedure in practice that made you feel more comfortable about leaving your child?  A lot of these questions never cross our minds when we have been attending the same church for years.  But these are all important things to consider in your own church.  When you get back to your home church, remember the way you felt as "the new girl" and put into practice the things that will help visitors to feel welcome!

My View from the Front Pew~~~Polite or Profound?

  Last night my preacher husband gave the homily at our community Thanksgiving service.  The part that stood out the most to me was when he spoke about the two types of gratitude.  You can have polite gratitude.  This is when someone holds the door open for you at Wal-Mart and you say "thank-you."  You probably don't even know this person and are just saying "thank-you" to be polite.  The second type of gratitude is profound gratitude.  An example of this would be when someone saves your life or the life of someone you love.  You run to them, wrap your arms around them and say "THANK-YOU."
     There is no one who has done more for us than Jesus.  He died so that we may have our sins forgiven and have eternal life.  This Thanksgiving, which type of gratitude will we have towards Him?  Will we give a polite "thank-you" or a profound "THANK-YOU" to God?

 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.

Psalm 100:4

My View from the Front Pew~~~The Cup of Suffering

     Today my preacher husband preached on "The Cup of Suffering".  Jesus willingly suffered for us...he took upon himself the sin and guilt of all the world.  He physically suffered a brutal death.  He did it ALL because of His great love for us and because he wanted to do the Father's will.

     As Christians, we nod our head when we hear that we need to be willing to suffer for the cause of Christ.  We agree that we need to drink from the Cup of Suffering, when and if that is ever required of us.  Truth is...most of us Americans have no idea what that really means.  As my preacher husband said this morning, "Americans don't do suffering well."  Most of us (and I include myself in that "us".) are pretty spoiled. 

 



     How about the cup of costliness?  Would we drink that?  Would we be willing, for example to go on a mission trip even though it cost us our beach vacation?  Would we willingly cut back on sports activities or eating out so that we could support an orphan across the ocean?  What about trading the  time you would normally spend relaxing to attend a Bible study?

 

 



     Or maybe we should start with drinking the cup of "inconvenience."  Would we drink even that?  Serving God is rarely convenient.  Most of the time it requires us to go out of our way, get up early, go to bed late, practice patience, get dirty, receive criticism, make a change to our schedule...or even do something we'd rather not do. 

 

 

     What cup are you willing to drink from?   

 

 

Matthew 20: 17-23

Matthew 26: 36-46


Starbucks photo credit
splashed coffee photo credit
girl drinking photo credit

13 Ways to Pray for Your Church

     Our church is currently ending week 5 of "40 Days of Discernment".  These 40 days are a time of concentrated prayer for our church...as we seek God's will for what is next. 
     In one of the devotions for our 40 days was a list of ways to pray for our church.  I like it so much, and think it to be such a great guide, I just had to share.  I'm going to tear this page out of my devotional materials and keep it where I do my Bible study so that I can be reminded of how to pray for my church each day.

 

 Pray for.....

1. Members that are sick
2. The Pastor/staff
3. For Revival and spiritual renewal
4. For specific lost individuals
5. For upcoming events
6. For Sunday School leaders and teachers to be effective (and I would add: Wednesday night teachers, etc.)
7. For growing disciples
8. For our church to outreach to our community
9. For the deacons and other church leadership
10. For the sermon the pastor will deliver
11. For special music that will touch people's hearts
12. For the challenges various families face
13. For stronger commitment to the Lord and His Church

 

     Wow...what would happen if all church members prayed for their church daily in this way???  

 

 

 

justpitchingmytent,

(in a world that's not my home)

 

Letha

Preach LOUDLY!

     Today we were reading about the Byzantine Empire and Justinian the Emperor.  My PK's and I thought one of his laws was particularly hilarious:

"WHEN A BISHOP, PRIEST, OR PASTOR IS PRAYING OR PREACHING, HE HAS TO SPEAK LOUDLY ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR.  IF HE DOESN'T, GOD WILL PUNISH HIM--AND SO WILL THE EMPEROR!"

 



Our Summer Vacation--Part 1 (errr...I mean Our Field Trip to Passages!)

Our first stop was to the Passages Bible Exhibit in Atlanta, GA.  My preacher husband and I had received free tickets at a pastor's conference we attended.  We were so glad to find out about such a wonderful traveling exhibit, and didn't want to miss out on such a great opportunity for us and our children.  (And yes, I did count it as a school day!) 

 

The kids were so excited to have their very own headset and ipod.  We all loved the ipods; you could simply type in the # of a specific exhibit, and you would hear commentary about it.   They also had "scavenger hunt" type questions to find/figure out along the way. 

 

At the entrance, learning how to use the ipods. 

Checking our answers.  The boys both received prizes.  :)

We had a great time...spent about 3-4 hours here...still not enough time to see it all.  One of my most important parts was the Gutenburg Gress exhibit.  We all got a copy of scripture from the press.  What fun to see the press at work!  A quote that moved me (especially after experiencing the prior exhibits where men copied the Bible by hand):

"It's only a press, but a press from which will flow a constant stream.  Through it, God will spread His Word.  A spring of truth will flow from it.  Like a new star it will scatter the darkness of ignorance and cause an unknown light to shine for all.

---Johannes Gutenburg

We were not allowed to take pictures inside, so here is a link to their website.  If this traveling exhibit comes to a city near you, I hope you and your family will go.  It is more than just a museum...it will move you--to think about all that had to happen to bring us God's Word as we have it today.  Very humbling.

(My View from the Fourth Pew) "Leave a Margin"



     Remember back in our school days when the teacher would tell us, "Don't write in the margins."?  You had to be careful to not start a long word before coming to that red line, or a least had to be proficient at using hyphens.  Who knew that life was like this piece of notebook paper?

       Last week, while my family and I were on a church retreat, we visited a church near our camp.   The sermon was very good...but the point I remember most was when he said, "We need to leave a margin."  That really resonated with me.   We fill our lives with a lot of "busy", and usually don't have a lot of margin. 

     I told my preacher husband last week I was going to blog about leaving a margin.  He laughed...we both knew we needed to do better in this area.  I thought about it throughout the week-- about what "leaving a margin" meant for me and my family.
     There are practical applications.  I think of this especially when it comes to raising children/teenagers.  They need to be bored sometimes.  This is a glorious thing.  It means they are not over-stimulated or too busy.  They have time to think and to dream.  I was proud that I may have accomplished this...just the other day one of my boys was outside staring at the dirt.  He had some margin in his life. 

     "Leaving a margin" has great spiritual implications.  We need to leave a margin so that we are quiet and unhurried enough to hear from God.  I'm not really referring to having our daily quiet times (which are vital).  I'm talking more about having empty space on our calendar and in our head.  Time where we can sit and gaze at the lake, or watch our children run through the yard.  Time to just take it all in, and to hear that still, small voice of God.

    

"After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.  When evening came, he was there alone..."   Matthew 14:23

Just Pitching My Tent,

(In a world that is not my home)

Letha

My View from the Front Pew~One way to grow as a Christian

     Yesterday my preacher husband's sermon title was "Together".  (Based on 15: 1-2, 22-32)  One of the together things we can do as a church is serve.  My husband shared that if you are not serving, you cannot grow in your faith.  (I wanted to shout a hearty, "AMEN!"---but, I thought better of it and just nodded my head.)
     I have lived this whole idea of serving leading to a deeper faith and closer relationship to Jesus Christ and know it to be true.   In serving God in the local church, He has stretched me beyond what I thought I was capable of.  The Lord has brought me to prayer as I sought His counsel and will.  Some of the closest friendships I have came from serving alongside people in the church. (I always look forward to serving alongside someone "new", because I know we will form a bond that can only come from serving our Lord together.)  In preparing to teach children God's Word, I have had to study first.  When disappointments come with serving, (and they will!) I have learned to lean on the Lord...and to be reminded that HE is the only one I need approval from.
     Each of these times my faith has grown and has been stretched.  What deepens my faith the most, though, are those "God moments".  ...When I get to lead a child to Christ...When my former Bible Drillers return to watch and encourage the new Bible Drillers...When more than half of our congregation shows up for a day-long mission trip...When I teach Preschoolers a story from the Bible and see a "light" go on.... When a family come to visit our church for VBS, and years later they are still there...serving!

     If you are not currently serving in your local church, why not pray about doing so today?  

FUN(ny) Friday

One last little tidbit from our pastor's retreat....

Johnny Hunt joking around with the pastors in the room....    

"You know how it is...You preachers wear the pants in the family---but your wife picks them out."

This really cracked me up!  My preacher hubby and I had a good laugh over this, because most times I really do pick out his pants!  :)

GratiTuesday--My 10 Gifts!

     I wanted to share a bit more about the Timothy/Barnabas Retreat my preacher husband and I attended a week 1/2 ago...

     The pastor's wives were treated so well!  We heard great speakers, made new friends (and prayer partners...mine is a homeschool mom...how cool is that?), were encouraged along with our husbands...AND we got free gifts everytime we turned around!  I felt so spoiled! The men said they were jealous...all they got were books!  :)  (I also received an animal print scarf...but gave it to my mom.)

 

I am so GRATEFUL for these gifts and the people who donated/provided them! 




Check out more Gratituesday posts here...



Both at the Same Time

     Last week during the Timothy/Barnabas Pastor's Retreat I had a moment (actually more than once) when someone was teaching and God's truth was revealed to me in a fresh way.  They were not teaching anything I had never heard of before, it was just the way it was explained, or how I received it that was new.
     One of our worship leaders was leading in prayer...he talked about how God is both "Abba Father/Daddy" and "Lord of Lords" all at the same time.  I knew this.  I have heard both of these things  most of my life.  I guess it was just the juxtaposition of those 2 truths that struck me.  We can go and sit in Abba Father's lap, but we approach Him with great awe and reverence because he is the Lord of Lords. 
     This all just came together for me.  As I stood there singing, an image quickly came to my mind: I, the daughter of the king,  entered the throne room- but I still bowed before my Daddy.  He then welcomed me lovingly to come and sit in His lap and talk to Him.  Wow.  Both at the same time.
    


Letha

GratiTuesday-- Timothy+Barnabas Pastor's Retreat

 

 

 

     You may have noticed I didn't write any posts last week.  I was on a great trip with my preacher husband.  We attended the Timothy+Barnabas Pastor's Retreat (led byJohnny and Janet Hunt ) in Gatlinburg, GA.  It our first time ever to attend something like this.  By the end of the week I had that same feeling you get when you've been at church camp for a week.  I was exhausted, but spiritually rejuvenated.
     I am so grateful for this special time I had with my husband and other pastors and their wives.  Over the next several days, I will share a little each day about the time we had there. 
    

~~~~~

     I was so surprised when we got there at the amount of wives that attended with their husbands!  I think practically every preacher brought his wife.  This was so encouraging to see!  I know I wouldn't want to ever miss out on an opportunity to go to something like this with my preacher husband. 
     Each morning, all the wives met together for several hours.  We had many different women share/speak.  I think the one that spoke to me most directly was Kathy Ferguson Litton. (You can read more about her ministry and story here.) 
      

 

 

 

 

 

 

April Fools!

     It doesn't happen very often that April Fools Day falls on a Sunday.  I thought it would be great to play an April Fool's funny on my children during the Children's Sermon (along with the adults in the audience).
     As I began my time with the children, I took the microphone and told the children I thought that today I'd sing them a song.  (Note: I have NEVER sang a solo in our church...not even close!  I don't even sing in the choir.  The only people who get to hear me sing are the sweet 3 and 4 year olds I teach on Sunday mornings.) 
     I nodded to our pianist (we had this all worked out!) and she gave the introduction for "How Great Thou Art".  (How's that for my first solo?)  At the moment when I should've sang the first note--I said, "April Fools!".  Everyone laughed in relief!  It was a lot of fun to do that.  I tell you, though, I was so nervous!  It made me shaky just pretending like I was going to sing a song!! 
     I went on in my Children's Sermon to talk about expectations and Palm Sunday.  I asked the children if they expected me to sing.  Do you know that many of them said "no"!?  (I think they've heard me in Sunday School!)  I shared with them that what most people expected of Jesus was not the way God had planned.  Jesus' birth, life, Triumphal Entry, death and resurrection were all carried out in an unexpected way.  I am so thankful that God's plan was exactly how it was. (Scripture I used today: Zechariah 9:9, John 12:16)
      I'm sure our congregation is still breathing a sigh of relief that their preacher's wife did not attempt to sing today!  THAT was a MUCH better plan, trust me!!  :)

Field Trip to the AL State Senate/Capitol

     Yesterday my family and I took a very special field trip.  My preacher husband had been asked to pray for the opening session of the Alabama State Senate.  We woke up at dawn (so nervous not to be late) to get ourselves ready and in our Sunday best.  We arrived 45 minutes early, but we had an interesting time waiting outside the Lieutenant Governor's office, watching the hustle and bustle as the senators arrived.
      You know what, today my boys wrote about our field trip in their journals.  Here are some snippets from what they wrote...

...For an hour and thirty mintutes I sat there wondering what it would be like.  When we got to the town we went to the senate to pray and watch.  After dad prayed we watched about an hour of "thirty-five ayes and no nays," (which got really boring.)  Then we got to do a tour which was long and really interesting and fun....


....When it was time we went up to a fancy balcony that over looked the senate area; it had fold-down seats like in the movies, and was glassed in.  There were several groups of kids.  When my dad prayed, it was wonderful.  It wasn't too long.  Then the Senate began.  I saw pages on either side of the room.  They gave a roll call.  Then two senators started debating about something.  The other senators were talking while the people were debating!  It was so extremely rude!  The president woman (Lieutenant Gov.) had to bang the hammer.  But they started again!  Then they started voting on bills....

My view from the front pew the Senate Gallery

(That's my hubby right next to the Lt. Governor.)

Love this picture I got on our tour of the Capitol Building!

We had our own personal tour guide...she was fabulous! 

This is where the AL Senate used to meet, back in the day.  My boys and I agreed we thought it would be neat if they still met here.  (Minus the spitoons, please!)

Love the ending words of my youngest son's journal entry....

....Sometimes, days go way too fast.

GratiTuesday: "My Utmost for His Highest"

     This past week I have switched to a different devotional guide for my quiet time.  I no longer have easy access to a women's devotional magazine, and knew this would be a good time to try something new.  I decided to read the classic, "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.  My husband had it in his pastoral library, and he brought it home for me.   I have to admit, when I opened it I was a little disappointed.  The devotions looked really short and there was only one verse to go with each day.  I wanted more than that. 
     I decided to give it a try anyway.  Boy, was I surprised!  Chambers knew how to pack a lot onto a small page.  Most days, he refers to other passages that I can read, or the devotion for the day just makes me want to read the entire passage from which the selected verse was chosen. His devotional readings really make one think!  First of all, it is written differently than we speak today...but also because the man was obviously gifted at thinking/writing about spiritual things.  I ususally end up reading the devotion several times, digging deep into the message.  (After telling my preacher husband this he said, "That book hasn't been around for 100 years for nothin'!")
      I can't believe I have never read this classic devotional book before!  (I mean, shouldn't that have been a requirement before we left seminary or something??...hehe!)  I encourage you to give it a try if you haven't already.



Just Pitching my Tent
(In a world that is not my home),

Letha



My View from the Front Pew~~Exodus and Egypt

     Today as I as sitting on the front pew listening to my husband preach his second sermon in his Exodus series, it hit me.  We just started studying Egypt last week!  I love how God works!  SO many times this has happened.  We have been learning about something in our homeschool, and something (totally unplanned) will take place that goes right along with our theme/topic of study.  I just love it when God does that. 
     (One other particular example that comes to mind:  A few years ago we were studying birds and on the way home one evening we saw an owl---and he let us look at him for a long time.) 
    

Leave a comment sharing how this has happened to you!  

My View from the Front Pew: Personal, but not Private

          I am adding the new label "My View from the Front Pew" to my blog to share with my readers some things I learn, see, or experience as I minister alongside my husband.  I figured out a long time ago (while we were still "young" in the ministry) that many times as a minster you get a "front row seat" to what God is doing in people's lives.  I remember discovering this first-hand as a youth minister's wife when I was on a mission trip with a bunch of teenagers.  What a joy it was to see up close God at work in their lives.  As a pastor's wife, people will sometimes share with me how God is speaking to them.  That happened today, in fact.  That's what I call getting a "front row seat".  (In reality, I actually DO sit on the front row in church, right next to my husband!)  There will always be trying times as we serve the Lord, but it is those "front row seat" moments that make it all worth-while.

     ~~~A little something from my notes I took during my husband's sermon: 

Luke 2:17-18 says,

    
     "When they (the shepherds) had seen him (Jesus), they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."

     We are called to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ...but NOT a private relationship.  Many times those two words are used interchangably in our vocabulary, but when it comes to our relationship with Jesus Christ, there is a vast difference in meaning.  As Christians, let us not confuse the two.  May we be like the shepherds and not keep the good news to ourselves!!

You Might be a Preacher's Kid if.... (#2)

   

     Last night was our church's Fall Festival.  As my sons and I were working on their costumes, we got to talking about the one time they went Trick-or-Treating.  It was several years ago when we lived in Texas.  Our church didn't have a Fall Festival that year, so we just went around to church member's homes along with those we knew in the communtiy.   At just about every home we visited, we were invited in.  Needless to say, we only made it to about 5 or 6 houses.  I remember my oldest son asking, "Mom, is this Trick-or-Treating or are we on visitation?!"  

Encouragement for the Minister's Wife

     Today my preacher husband gave me an assignment to read.  It was a short chapter entitled "The Ministry Wife".  It is from a book he is reading, Pastor's Handbook, by John Bisagno.  He thought it would be an encouragement to me, and it was.  (He is such a sweetheart, you know!)



     The author's wife gave a short testimony as part of the chapter.  She quoted a scripture that "has given (her) great pleasure through the years".  The scripture is from the Book of I Samuel after David destroyed the Amakelites. 

"The Share of the one who goes into battle is to be the same as the share of the one who remains with the supplies.  They will share equally"  (1 Sam. 30:24).

     I am so blessed to share in the ministry with my husband.  There a times that I feel "less" because I am simply remaining with the supplies (i.e. homeschooling our children, cooking a hot meal, etc.).  I don't feel that way for long because God (and my husband) will remind me that I am doing exactly what I am called to do.  I am fulfilling the role that my preacher husband needs most.  What a privilege to serve my Savior in this way!

You Might be a Preacher's Kid if....

....all of your major bodily injuries occur at church!! (Last time it was stitches!)

My oldest son was playing a fun game of football between the Wednesday night meal and youth group.  It looks as though he may have torn his ACL.  We are fervently praying this is not the case.  We will know more in 2 weeks after rehab.  PLEASE keep BTP in your prayers.  For those of you that know my son, crutches and a brace are just not his speed.  He is keeping a good attitude about it all.  His youth pastor started a series recently about the Fruit of the Spirit.  BTP shared with me yesterday that he learned Wednesday night during the study that you should have JOY even when things are not going well.  We are all going to try and keep that spirit of JOY! 

One of my favorites from college:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when ever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."   James 1:2-4