Earlier this week a good friend of mine posted a "guest post" that I wrote about being "Completely Pro-Life." She has asked various friends and bloggers to write about what it means to be pro-life in every stage of life. I chose to write about being an advocate for life in the womb.
Missions Wednesday: Poland
Many of us remember the recent plane crash that took the life of Poland’s President, First Lady, and many of the country’s leaders. Tragedy can often bring a country to attention that was not previously on our minds. Apart from the fact that my sister-in-law is Polish (a descendant of Polish immigrants), my knowledge pretty much ends there. So today’s country is Poland.
Searching for Significance
We all want it. Deep in the core of our being we want our choices, our actions, our dreams and desires to count for something—to do something big. We want our lives to be important, to matter and make a difference. Very few people seek to live insignificant lives, right? The quest for significance is part of who we are. It is a God given desire. Often the question we must ask ourselves is where am I looking for my significance?
Missions Wednesday: France
What countries come to your mind when you think about missions? Unfortunately, for me, I tend to think only about countries that are impoverished or heavily persecuted. I don’t usually think about countries that are similar to America in economic and cultural status. What I fail to realize is that God desires ALL nations to come to Christ, including ones that look like me. My problem is that I separate where I would like to visit from where I would like to minister. For me, Europe is where you go and vacation and all other areas are where you take Jesus. Terrible thinking, isn’t it?
Up Close and Personal
It happens all of the time. A friend hurts our feelings. A pastor doesn’t understand us fully. A spouse lets us down. A teacher treats us like we are ignorant. A boss is short and demanding. We walk away thinking, “wow, he wasn’t as nice as I thought he would be.” And then disappointment sets in. Sometimes disappointment turns into bitterness or anger. We begin to resent the particular person for their failure towards us.
Preserving My Time
Today has been a lazy day. And boy do I like it! About a month or two ago a dear friend encouraged me to examine my schedule and cut things out that took me away from my husband and my home. As she wisely observed, I had begun to fill my evenings, and even my Saturday's, with a lot of other things that had very little to do with my husband. I had assumed that since he was studying I could just do whatever I wanted. He didn't need me around, right? Well, what happened was these other "things" became overwhelming. Suddenly, I wasn't just away from home too much, but I was exhausted and moody when I was home. Not good.
A Sad and Slippery Slope
Missions Wednesday: Japan
In college, a professor told my world religions class that the years following World War II were prime opportunities for missionaries to enter into Japan and bring the Gospel. They were a country defeated by war, and while they had been following the false god of emperor worship, they were weak and vulnerable and potentially could have been receptive to the Gospel.
Elisabeth Elliot on Submission
Like so many other women, I have been tremendously shaped by the writings of Elisabeth Elliot. Her wisdom, honesty, and biblical faithfulness has grown me in ways I probably don’t even know fully yet. God has used her life and ministry to help me establish convictions and passions that I am so grateful for (and grateful to my mom for giving me my first Elisabeth Elliot book!).
Missions Wednesday: Sudan
Few things have shaped my understanding of God’s call to go and tell the nations about Christ more than John Piper. And I am sure many other people would say the same thing. Pastor John says that “missions exists because worship doesn’t.” All people worship something. As image bearers of God we are born to be worshippers. Our hearts yearn to be filled and give glory to something. The problem is we worship the wrong thing. Our worship is too small. Missions exists to get worshippers of King Jesus.