5 books that changed who I am: meme

Nicole tagged me in a meme, started by Ally. To play along, I need to share five books that changed who I am. Rules are:

• Tag between 3 and 5 people
• link back to this post.
• call the post '5 books that changed who I am'
• enjoy.

I agree with Nicole, I really struggled to narrow it to 5.


1. The Bible - completely transformed my life with God's gracious offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, and continues to do so. It was the book of James from which I was converted and it still holds a special place in my heart.


2. Praying the Scriptures for your children, Jodie Bernt. This book helped me to think about better ways to pray and how to pray straight from the bible. It changed my whole prayer life.



3. The Busy Christian's Guide to Busyness, Tim Chester. This is a recent addition and it has really helped me at what I would categorise to be 'an extremely busy life stage'. I have had many misconceptions about the reasons for my own busyness torn down, and I still trying to think through much of it and how I need to deal with a tendency to overcommit for sinful reasons. (I recently blogged through this one in detail on in tandem).


4. Operation World, Jason Mandryk. While I don't read and pray from this nearly as often as I would like, I love what this book does. It's a prayer guide that covers every nation and contains a wealth of information to help you pray for the people of the world intelligently and informatively. It will broaden your horizons and make you realise how big God is, how large his church, and how small you are in comparison.


5. And for fiction, I can hardly choose. To sneak in a few extra titles, in the past year I have absolutely loved The Book Thief and The Time Traveller's Wife. However, for a series of books that I love and are my 'comfort' books - I read them when I need a break - I can't go past Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series. They combine history, romance and a wonderful story of an entire marriage. If only she would finish the 8th in the series soon!


I am going to break the rules at this point, and not really tag anyone, but if you want to continue go for it. However, I do know 3 bloggers who are big book fans, so perhaps Meredith, Tamie or Jenny might be up for it? No pressure though...it is a little like a chain letter!

Grief just is

Following on from yesterday's reference to Sarie's blog, there is another great article there by Narelle Jarrett on the grief of singleness. Here is an extract:

Grief demands to be recognized and allowed to be what it is - an uncontrollable emotional response - sadness - in the experience of a great loss.

No one chooses grief - it just is.
It sweeps across us unexpectedly, it catches us by surprise and it refuses to disappear just because we want it to.

It demands acknowledgement, it demands that we pay attention. That is why it is so cruel when we are called to 'trust God and get on with serving'.... In most instances we are in fact already doing just that...

Because the griefs of singleness and of not having children are so deep, so real and so totally right, they can't be dismissed or dealt with by anything other than allowing ourselves to grieve. Grieving with the friends who understand and who don't imply we are being self centred or self-pitying or even that we're doubting God's goodness. Such hurtful and totally inappropriate, even cruel responses to women and men in grief, do not help. In fact they add to the isolation and loneliness of grief.

It's a good, honest article, which many of us would benefit from. Read the whole post here.

Fruitful children

I was honoured to be a guest blogger last week. Sarie invited me to submit a piece for her blog Complementarity and Culture for her series on complementarity and family. She asked for a piece of Scripture which has affected our marriage or parenting. I chose Galatians 5:22-23 and it's impact on our family.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

I have always loved this verse, since my early days in the faith – it seemed to cover all aspects of the Christian life. It was a goal to aim for, even if I knew I failed. Now, as a parent, I find these descriptions now on my tongue, more than they ever were before.

Since the children were born, my regular prayer point – both for my own personal prayer, and for anyone who prays for me – was that I would be more a patient, kind and gentle mother. This is from someone, who at one point, would have thought she really was a rather patient, kind and gentle person! Boy, did having children ever cure me of that delusion!

If you would like to read the rest, click over to Sarie's post.

Beginning with God

Beginning with God

For the next few weeks I am going to review some bible reading material for different age groups. I have been a fan of the The Good Book Company material for some time now, and their personal bible reading material for children is the main reason why.

The Beginning with God material is perfect for perfect for pre-schoolers (age 3-5). We started this with Amy when she turned 3 and she was just the right age. It has been designed to go alongside The Beginner's Bible, which is widely available. Using the stories from The Beginner's Bible, it picks out a key point to talk about, prayers to pray and a continual emphasis that these are true stories about God and his work in the world. You can do optional activities to emphasise which are suggested, and there is a sticker for each day when you have completed the study.

My daughter loves it - she begs to do 'bible time' with me each day, and it has been a special time for the two of us when the others are at school.

It's a great way to get little ones used to the idea of interacting with the bible, rather than just reading it.

If you want to see some examples of the material, go to the links available via here.

Take Heart

Take Heart: For families living with disability, Kate Hurley

After reading Ella, another friend recommended Take Heart, which also addresses living with disability in a family, but from a broader perspective.

It is also excellent. Ella was a personal story of one woman’s experience, this is a compilation of many families’ experiences.

What is the greatest strength however, is the biblical input it also provides. This is an unashamedly Christian resource, written by Christians and for Christians. It will help those who are already in the role of parent and carer, and others as they seek to understand and support those around them who care for people with disability.

It’s primary focus is children, all perspectives are written by parents or grandparents, however some of those children are now adults. It represents a high number of families managing autism, but also includes Down’s syndrome, deafness and some congenital and rarer disabilities.

Each section begins with a one-page summary of a characteristic of God and the way he has worked in the world, these include:

• we are made in His image
• the eternal hope we have in Christ
• the peace of God
• prayer
• love, etc.

Each is very simple, yet also incredibly profound and helpful when thinking about disability. Each brings the Scripture to bear on the truth and shows how God works. It’s easy to read quite quickly, yet a slower and more thoughtful reading of each would bear much fruit. Interspersed between each of these sections is a personal testimony, mainly by parents, and here is where much of the emotion is found.

In the introduction, Kirk Patston makes a very helpful comment, which those of use who count ourselves ‘able-bodied’ would do well to remember: “When it comes to the ability to be wise, we are all disabled.” (p9)

Cecily Paterson, in her account of her son with autism, says this:

If we humans were truly able to love, having a disabled child would not be a cause of such sorrow. It might create a few extra challenges, but parents would not fear for their children, and societies would care for them. The ‘imperfect people’ in our world show up everybody else’s imperfection.

Love isn’t always easy. It isn’t always convenient. And the objects of love are not always attractive. I’m stunned again to think how great is God’s love for us, who are truly and thoroughly disabled, that he should give up his own son to make us perfect and beautiful in his sight. (p18)

For me, the most practically helpful section was the final chapter on how our churches can help. There were practical suggestions, but also the recognition that families with disabilities need understanding and they also need to understand ways people try to help (even if it’s not that helpful). There are suggestions for how we can support carers, siblings and those with disabilities, as well as making our churches better equipped to welcome those with disabilities. There is also the reminder that as a church we need to be willing to support these families for the long term: practically, with prayer, and with love and care.

For such a short book, it packs an incredible punch.

Bringing up Boys

Bringing up Boys, Dr James Dobson

I read this a few years ago, realising it had a lot in it, but also that most of it wasn't yet applicable for my little tiny boy. Decisions about schooling, how boys relate, older boys, etc - it all seemed to far away to have to think about.

Now, however, my son is 8, and it all seems a lot more relevant. I enjoyed going back and re-reading it. Just like Bringing up Girls, which I reviewed last year, it contains lots of stories and anecdotes, which makes it very easy and interesting reading.

The main thrust of the book seems to be addressing all the issues that affect boys, so there is a lot of information and statistics to support his views. Dobson presents many issues that affect boys: the breakdown of family, absent fathers, the impact of feminism, women in the workplace, the gay lobby, post-modernism and educational decisions. There is a lot to digest and a lot of background provided so that you can understand the issues. I found this helpful on many levels, not just those related to having sons.

However, I do imagine you could end up feeling very guilty if you are a single mother, if you work as a mother, if you work long hours as a father, if you put your children into daycare, etc. He is sympathetic to the challenges many parents face, but he is also not hesitant in backing his views of things that can harm boys.

Obviously, being written by an American, it has a very strong emphasis on developments in the US, particularly with respect to educational policy and the gay lobby. I found myself wondering how strong the parallels really were between our two countries, but without a doubt it has overlap to the Australian context, perhaps just not as extreme. I did find myself thankful that we don't live in the US and have to deal with some of the issues there. When I first read this book, I grasped the argument for home-schooling and appreciated it as an option for the first time, whereas previously I never had.

Just like Bringing up Girls, I think the most helpful parts are those encouragements and instructions to mothers and fathers - to continue to love each other, serve their families, raise their children with integrity, kindness and love; to be involved in the lives of their kids and seek to pass on their faith.

A challenge to us all, but a worthwhile one.

The Busy Christian... Conclusion

This series was originally posted on In Tandem, a blog for ministry wives

The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness
Conclusion: Finding rest in the midst of busyness

The answer to our busyness is not in routines, organisation or doing more.

The answer to our busyness is theological. Our busyness turns on how we view God.

As Christians we should expect to be busy. We give our lives to Christ and no longer claim our time as our own. But we can find rest in our busyness and joy in our labour.

More often that not, those who complain about their busyness are those who are not finding joy in God. And those who rejoice in God as the Saviour, Master, Provider, Refuge, Joy and Hope do not find their busyness a burden. (p170)

Chester suggests that at the end of the day we could pray: “God, you have been with me all day. Have I spent my time well today?”

Taking God with you into the busyness of life means:

• resting on God our Saviour when we fell the need to prove ourselves
• serving God our Master when we worry about other people’s expectations
• trusting God our Provider when we worry about things getting out of control
• making God our Refuge when we want to escape from busyness or through busyness
• enjoying God our Joy when we feel the attraction of over-working for more money
• waiting for God our Hope when we fell we have to make the most of life now (p170-1)

As we finish this series on busyness and you have a chance to reflect on your life and the way you live it, remember these words of Jesus:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)

Mother's Day

I wonder what Mother's Day means to you. It may cover a large range of emotions, perhaps:

Joy & thankfulness

• for your mother, and your relationship with her
• for the blessing of your own children, and your relationship with them
• for the encouragement it is to see you mother or children continuing on in the faith and growing stronger

Sadness

• at the distance that separates you from your mother or your children
• because you are estranged from your mother or your children, and you long to repair the rift
• because you watch them make choices that you disagree with, and wonder how to support them

Grief

• at the loss of your mother
• at the loss of your child
• at the loss of the chance to become a mother

Tiredness

• because of the day-to-day realities of being a mum
• because of the need for you to care for your elderly mother

We experience these emotions at different times, but Mother's Day is one of those days that can bring them out a little more.

****

Whatever your emotions on Mother's Day, I hope you have a chance to stop and:

• give thanks for those women who have mothered you and cared for you
• to pray for yourself as you mother and care for the children around you

I will be.

To Be Like Jesus

Continuing with music reviews for another week, we are loving the Sovereign Grace Kids CD To Be Like Jesus.

Two tracks about Jesus set the scene: To Be Like Jesus and Nothing Better than Jesus. Using the fruits of the spirit from Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, they have come up with a song to talk about each one. They are great songs, catchy and fun with good lyrics.

And as you would hope from good Christian kids music - not only will your kids learn, you will be similarly challenged as you sing along.

If you want to try before you buy, have a listen here.

The Busy Christian... Chapter 12

This series was originally posted on In Tandem, a blog for ministry wives

The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness,
Chapter 12: I’m busy because I want to make the most out of life - the liberating hope of God

It’s so easy to get caught on the treadmill thinking: I have to make the most out of this life. I have to give my children every opportunity. I have to see the world.

As God has been mostly been removed from general life, our lives have become purely focussed on this life, now. No longer to people look forward to eternity or outward to see the bigger picture of God in control. Now, the focus is all me, now:

Life is no longer a brief interval in eternity. People’s horizons are entirely focused on this world. Goals have to be fulfilled in this lifetime and so each day time must be used intensively. We have secularized time. It is no longer time in eternity. It’s just time. (p156)

The truth: an eternal future

For Christians it would do us well to remember that the days will never end, there is infinite time.

In addition, we need to remember that we are sinful people living in a sinful world. Sickness, suffering, and death are a reality. Sometimes, rather than wanting to search to get more out of life, we need to accept the life that we have:

That’s the way it is. Get used to it. And don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about missing out. Some of your friends may be out late partying, jetting round the world, climbing the corporate ladder. But this is the life God has given you – and he is always wise and always good. (p159)

The truth: a better future

a better world is coming for the children of God. You don’t need to rush around having every experience going. You don’t need to ‘realise your potential’. You just need to glorify God and enjoy him for ever. You don’t need to give yourself and breakdown trying to create a perfect life. Christ has already given himself to create a perfect life. Your role is to wait patiently. What should we do about our busyness? We should wait. Wait for the eternal rest of God. (p162)

A wise heart

The Psalm for this chapter is Psalm 90 – a meditation on a wise heart.

4 For a thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep men away in the sleep of death;
they are like the new grass of the morning—
6 though in the morning it springs up new,
by evening it is dry and withered…
12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Relent, O LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.
17 May the favour of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

Some things to think about:

• Do you fall into the trap of wanting all the experiences or opportunities of this life? Is that the message you are giving to your children?
• How does remembering your eternal and better future help?
• Do you trust God that he has given you a good life?

Next week – Conclusion

Home by Nathan Tasker

Having heard that Nathan Tasker's new album Home was recently released, I rushed out to get a copy. Having been a friend of Nathan and fan of his music since his humble beginnings with a demo tape around 1993, it's been exciting to see his music ministry grow over the years.

This latest CD has quickly shot to the top of our favourite music in the house - it's on almost repeatedly in the car (especially when I need a break from kids music!).

This album is centred around the idea of home, that we wait for heaven while we continue to live here now, in a broken world. The title track Home, is my favourite, a beautiful song about the end of our lives, and that we will indeed be going home. I also love Something Beautiful and Find my Way Home.

If you want some music to lift your gaze out of the present and help you think about things in light of our future hope, you will do well to try this.

The Busy Christian... Chapter 11

This series was originally posted on In Tandem, a blog for ministry wives

The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness,
Chapter 11: I’m busy because I need the money – the liberating joy of God

The lie: material possessions can satisfy

Our culture says that wealth, possessions and shopping are the route to satisfaction and fulfilment. But it’s a lie. (p139)

And so easily we buy the lie. We replace “I want” or “I desire” with “I need”. I need more money. I need the latest iPhone. I need a new TV. Do we really?

Our culture is characterized by the question: ‘How can I get more?’ Christian culture should be asking the opposite question: ‘How can I give up more?’ Think about the possessions you own and the activities you are involved in. Which could you give up to release time, space and money for God’s kingdom? How could you declutter your life and your home?... We need to think of luxury as the carefreeness of having too little rather than the burden of having too much. (p143, my emphasis)

With consumerism, Christians often ask ‘What is it OK to have?’ Why instead don’t we ask ‘What’s the least I can manage with?’

For those in full-time ministry, these can just as easily be our issues. With our up-to-date gadgets, nice clothes and houses full of pretty things, sometimes we hardly look different from the pagans around us. Or, sometimes it works the other way. We justify what we have and do, knowing that it’s less than others around us – yet fail to see our own materialism. Perhaps we even tend to pride that we are “not like them”. Or do we whinge that we don’t have what they do? Yet, we are still incredibly wealthy.

Do we ask ourselves “What is the least I can manage with?”
Do you compare yourself with others (to justify yourself), or do you ask what God wants of you?


The truth: the liberating joy of God

Perhaps our problem is not that we have desires we want to satisfy, bit that we are too easily satisfied. We are far too easily satisfied with the things of this world, instead we need to believe “that we find fulfilment, satisfaction, joy and identity in knowing God, and nowhere else.” (p143)

The antidote to materialism is the promise that our true treasure is in heaven. Materialism seeks to find meaning in this world. True faith has hope in the world to come.

Some of us fall into the trap of thinking if we have more, we will be happy. Others want security, to whom God will say “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you (Luke 12:20).

And we Christians fall into both camps – we look forward to treasure on heaven, yet we also like the treasures of this world too. So we are even busier, chasing after both.

Chester issues a challenge to think about having less. This may mean choosing to work less hours or not take the promotion, in order to have more time outside of work. It may be choosing the smaller house over the larger one, so that we don’t have to work so hard to pay for that larger mortgage. It may mean no longer reading “Better Homes and Gardens” or similar, and learning to be satisfied with the home that you have.

I think this is something that those of us in ministry should be striving to model. Consumerism is so rife we hardly notice it anymore. But we need to find ways to model it that are honest. If people think we have less because we cannot afford it, we are sending the wrong message. Ministers (at least those in the Western world) are generally not poor, we are paid enough to live on (and often much more than that). We need to be able to explain why we choose to spend less on some things, it’s a choice. Most ministry families who cry “poor me” have little understanding of true poverty.

How do you explain your financial choices to others?
How do you explain your financial choices to your children? (ie. We can’t afford it, or we choose to spend our money on other things?)
How can you remind yourself that our true riches are in heaven? Do you truly believe it?


A pure heart

The Psalm for this chapter is Psalm 73 – a meditation on a pure heart.

1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked...
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it was oppressive to me
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny...
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

Next week – Chapter 12: I’m busy because I want to make the most out of life

A praying godparent

We have 6 godchildren, and we are often thinking about how to remain involved in their lives, especially for the four that live interstate. When I think about what we promised their parents, a key part of being godparents was an ongoing commitment to pray for them, and wherever able - to be involved in their lives.

We definitely have prayed for all our godchildren since we became their godparents, and will continue to do, but as each child has gotten older, we want to let them to know that we pray for them.

A few of them are at school now, and can read and write, and so we have entered a new stage, actually asking them for prayer points. At the beginning of the year we sent a letter asking about them and what they would like prayer for - they filled it in and posted it back to us. Our Mr 8's godparents did the same with him this year and he was delighted to be able to fill in the sheet they sent him too.

Perhaps you also have godchildren, nieces and nephews, or grandchildren far away. It could be adapted to suit any child and situation, here are some things you could ask:

• What year are in at school?
• What is your teacher's name?
• Who are some of your friends?
• What do you like doing at school?
• What do you find a bit harder at school?
• What do you like doing at home?
• What do you want to thank God for?
• What would you like us to pray for?
• What are some things Mum & Dad would like us to pray for? (this could be the section where the parents tell us some more specific things)

We also included a little letter telling them we pray for them, that we love hearing from them, and some simple prayer points they could pray for us.

We are only just starting this, and I suspect it will change and adapt as the years go on. Perhaps I'll try write notes a few times a year as well. But for now, I feel a little bit better informed and more able to pray specifically for some of the children whose lives we are especially a part of.

If you want some more ideas about godparents and godchildren, I referred last year to this series by Meredith.

The Busy Christian... Chapter 10

This series was originally posted on In Tandem, a blog for ministry wives

The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness
Chapter 10: I’m busy because I prefer being under pressure – the liberating refuge of God

The lie: I work better under pressure

Do you tend to operate under this assumption? “I need the deadline to get motivated, I do my best work at the last minute.” Yes, sometimes, there’s a crisis and we just have to attend to it, but most of the time, we work to the last minute because we procrastinate.

Sometimes our procrastination is obvious like when we play solitaire on the computer. And sometimes we spend our time doing good things. We answer letters. Visit friends. It looks like we’re being diligent. We note all the important things we’re getting done. But if we would only be honest with ourselves, they’re all ways of putting off the task before us. (p127)

Procrastination tends to have three stages:

1. It’s not due yet – I have plenty of time
2. It’s crunch time – I have a right to neglect all my other responsibilities
3. I’ve finished the job – I have a right to reward myself

Do you recognise this pattern in yourself?

One of the things that adds to procrastination is that we tend to confuse urgency with importance. We deal with things according to urgency rather than importance. An ability to judge between the two will mean that important tasks are prioritised over unimportant urgent ones. I do like his point here:

Spend your time contributing to God’s kingdom the things God has equipped you to do. At the same time, be servant-hearted. Just because something is unimportant to you doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter to other people. (p129)

The common excuse of “I work better under pressure” ignores the reality that we have no problem doing the tasks we enjoy.

More importantly, it ignores the harmful impacts of our procrastination. Children go without parents, wives without husbands. Corners are cut. Co-workers are stressed. Others pick up our responsibilities. Our bodies are strained. And tired minds make us more susceptible to anger, resentment, jealousy and frustration. (p129)

There are two underlying causes of procrastination:

1. My pleasure – we procrastinate because we prioritise our pleasure. We avoid doing what we don’t want to do.
2. My pride – we procrastinate because our pride is threatened. Faced with a difficult task, we avoid it and to easier things to bolster our self-confidence. So procrastination can be a form of escapism.

Do you tend towards procrastination? What do you do when you procrastinate?
Is it your pride or your pleasure that tends to cause procrastination?
Do you tend to confuse urgent with important?
Is this an issue in your ministry? Does sermon preparation in your home always happen on Saturday nights? Do you always miss days off because tasks have not been completed earlier in the week? Can you address this issue with your husband?


The truth: God is my refuge

What should we do:

1. Repent “Acknowledge procrastination for what it is: self-deception, selfishness, escapism, pride...Turn from self back to God. Accept your responsibilities as he has given them to you” (p131)
2. Place your faith in God as your refuge. “We take refuge in all the things that make up our procrastination when we should take refuge in God.” (p131)

Another lie: Busyness is a refuge

We can be busy in one area of our lives as a way of hiding from problems in another area... We fill our lives with commitment and activities to avoid facing issues. (p132)

More work can seem attractive when life at home is hard. We can have a very-full diary to avoid having that difficult conversation. We need to make sure we are not using our inherent busyness to avoid things in our lives.

Are you using the excuse of busyness to avoid dealing with other issues?


An unshaken heart

The Psalm for this chapter is Psalm 62 – a meditation on an unshaken heart.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge. (v5-8)

Next week – Chapter 11: I’m busy because I need the money

Easter - part 3

I have looked at how we prepare for Easter with our family, and considered some resources you might like to use at Easter time. This post gives some ideas as to what you could do on the Easter weekend itself.

i) A Passover meal on Thursday night

We have an extremely simplified version of a Passover meal on Thursday night. We:

1. Wash one another's feet, to remind each other that Jesus washed his disciples' feet and read out John 13:5-17.
   
2. Sit down together to eat a meal. During the meal, which includes include roast lamb with herbs, unleavened bread and juice/wine, we explain that this was the type of food that was eaten on the night that the Israelites were saved by God and rescued from Egypt. They had to eat it in a rush, which is why the bread had no yeast in it. God commanded them to celebrate the Passover every year in this way, reading Ex 12:24-27.
3. After the food, we talk about how Jesus celebrated this same meal with his disciples, the night before he died, using some bread and a cup of wine/juice; reading Matthew 26:26-29.

So, in having this meal together, we will remember how God saved his people the Israelites through the Passover and the exodus and we remember how Jesus has also saved us by dying for us at Easter time.

ii) Go to church on Good Friday

This may sound obvious, but I have observed many Christians (myself included in the past) don't seem to bother with church on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday. However, you really do appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus' death more by pausing on Good Friday, going to church and hearing the accounts of Jesus' death read out. It is a time for reflection on the seriousness of our sin and the price Jesus had to pay.

Our church has developed a tradition of having an event for internationals on Good Friday, usually lunch after church and a bushwalk. For people coming from a culture that has no Christian background - the idea of a holiday for Good Friday is very odd, and it's even stranger that the city shuts down completely on that day. Why not use that day to welcome others?


iii) Easter Saturday

Noel Piper (in Treasuring God in Our Traditions) suggests that Easter Saturday should be a day of waiting, with not too much excitement or fun things, to get an idea of how the disciples felt knowing that Jesus was dead and buried and unsure as to what would happen next. I like this idea.

iv) Easter Sunday

Go to church again - celebrate that Christ is risen!

In our house when we celebrate birthdays, we wake up to balloons and streamers around the house in honour of the special day. On Easter Sunday, we will also wake to balloons and streamers, to celebrate Jesus' being alive again, and because of that, our 'new birth' to eternal life.

You could have a little egg hunt on Sunday morning. We explain to our kids that "an empty egg, an empty tomb - they both remind us of good news" (thanks to Veggie Tales, see last week's post)

You could also have a 'Jesus is alive' cake with a smashed open chocolate egg to symbolise the empty tomb.

***

I hope you have a lovely Easter, remembering Christ's death for us and celebrating his resurrection.

The book that changed the world

Last week I had the privilege of attending the opening of a new exhibition in Adelaide. The Book that Changed the World celebrates the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Hosted by the Bible Society Australia and currently in the Barr Smith Library at Adelaide University, it is a fantastic exhibition.

It contains some historical bibles of Australia, including Captain John Hunter's Bible which came with him on the First Fleet in 1788, bibles for convicts (early 1800s), a bible to mark federation in 1901 and various bibles for wartime.

For me though, the main attraction of the exhibition are the very old bibles it contains, which show the development in translation and language:

• There are 2 printed Latin Vulgates (the bible first brought to England), from 1495 and 1537
• A 1571 volume of a Saxon bible - showing Saxon printing and writing (the language spoken in England)
  
• A number of illustrated bibles
• 1551 Tyndale Bible - one of the first printed English Scriptures
  
• 1607 Geneva Bible -widely used bible of the English Reformation. The one on display belonged to William the Shakespeare
  
• 1611 First Edition of the King James Bible

Rev Dr John Harris spoke on the night, giving a wonderful history of the King James Bible, especially how it came to be produced, the language of English at the time, and how the King James Bible has impacted the English language for 400 years. Most people of my parents generation or older grew up hearing the King James Bible, and while I did not, it is amazing how familiar the language is. If you have ever:

• escaped by the skin of your teeth (Job 19:20)
• had a fly in the ointment (Ecc 10:1)
  
• noted that your cup runneth over (Ps 23:5)
• walked through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4)
• seen the writing on the wall (Daniel 5)

it is thanks to the King James Bible.

Of course the bible is not only a wonderful document of history, but God's living word given for all people at all times. The Bible Society have done an excellent job of creating an exhibition which clearly shows not only the historical significance of these bibles, but the real impact the bible has made in the lives of so many people.

If you are in Adelaide, it's worth making a visit to see this exhibition, it will be here until April 28. Thankfully for others, it is then touring the Eastern states. It will go to Parliament House in Canberra, and then onto other major cities. Tour dates can be seen here.

The Busy Christian... Chapter 9

This series was originally posted on In Tandem, a blog for ministry wives

The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness
Chapter 9: I’m busy because otherwise things get out of control – the liberating rule of God

The lie: I can be in control

In this modern age, we tend to believe we are in control. We control nature – managing crops, healing diseases, the date of our baby’s arrival. We control our time – with planners and schedules.

The lie we fall for is that we can do everything and solve every problem, we just need to squeeze it all in. Yet,

The reality is that we are finite. Only God is infinite. Only God is truly in control. We think the solution is a course on time management. But the solution is recognizing that we are human and God is God. (p113)

The truth: the liberating rule of God

Why do some people get work so out of perspective? It could be because deep down they think that God either cannot or will not provide. Jesus warns of the same lack of faith in Luke 12, where he says the lilies do not work, yet God clothes them.

Labour is good, but labour which betrays a lack of trust in God’s ability to provide for his children is idolatrous. (p114)

Are you busy because you worry life will get out of control? Jesus says “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Luke 12:25)

Constant work is the behaviour of someone who things everything depends on them. Rest is the behaviour of someone who looks to God to provide. (p115)

A note about sleep

Chester challenges the assumption in Christian circles that it is more godly to get up early to pray that it is to sleep. He rightly asserts that we want to be prayerful people and those who turn to God’s word. However, why is it that we have decided that sleep is what should be sacrificed for prayer? When you lose sleep regularly, you are tired and when you are tired, you are grumpy, irritable and less patient – in essence, more sinful. A little suggestion from Chester – if you want to pray, turn off the TV.

I found this point extremely helpful. For years I have felt I should get early up every morning to pray, and have tried it from time to time. However, I cannot sustain it and I just feel guilty. Thanks to this book, I have embraced my need for sleep, and yet still found time in the day to pray. What do you think?


Trusting God for others

Another version of I’m busy because otherwise things get out of control is this: I’m busy because people need me. However, the reality is, we cannot solve everyone’s problem, nor are we indispensable. The simple fact is – I am not the Messiah and I am not anyone’s Saviour.

We do have a responsibility to serve and love others. We are to give until there is nothing left to give. But, then we are to stop. We cannot do more than we can do. And, we must remember that conversion is God’s job. Yes, we preach the message and we do it faithfully and wholeheartedly, but salvation and judgment are God’s work.


A restful heart

The Psalm for this chapter is Psalm 127 – a meditation on a restful heart. I’ll leave you with verses 1-2:

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Things to think about:

• My guess is that this is a prevalent reason amongst ministry wives – the feeling that ‘If I don’t do it, it won’t get done’. Do you feel this way?
• Do you try to be other people’s saviour?
• Do you truly believe that you are not indispensable?
• Do you find it hard to trust that God really is in control?

Next week – Chapter 10: I’m busy because I prefer being under pressure

Ella

Ella, Madeleine Witham

A friend lent me this book recently, and as I am always happy to receive recommendations, I was eager to read it.

Ella is the story of Madeline Witham and her daughter, who was born 14 years ago with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, a syndrome which is identified by particular physical characteristics and often includes intellectual disabilities.

It was confronting reading, there was so much raw emotion from Witham as she speaks of the joys and challenges of caring for Ella. It was definitely worth reading though for many reasons. It challenged me to think about the language we use when one is pregnant:

I go a little paler every time I hear someone say all they want is a healthy child, I experience a physical ache because it is so obvious that nobody wants a child who isn't "normal" or "perfect". Nobody wants a child like mine. (p19)

The frustrations many carers have when dealing with the medical profession:

There was much I was going to learn about how appallingly the health system cares for children who step outside the happy and self-satisfied label of "normal". (p25)

How hard mother's groups can be when your child isn't the same as everyone else's:

...no mother brags about a baby that is delayed in every way. I would take Ella to our mother's group meeting and my heart would just ache. I would feel physically torn to hear and see their babies and how normal they were. But you don't cry at mother's group. You cry when you put your little scrap in the car seat with her eyes focussed far away and wonder, "why you, and why her?" (p42-43)

The false idea that God gives parents of children with special needs extra patience, or a special ability to cope:

I am no different from any other parent. I don't have any training in Special Needs. I don't have a larger heart and a more patient disposition. I do what I have to do because I have no other choice. I am no saint. (p101)

And what she has learnt about love:

It is true that this child has taken away much that I thought I needed, but she has also brought me a great gift. She has taught me the meaning of unconditional love. It hasn't been an easy lesson to learn, but it has been by far the most valuable. (p45)

In the midst of her raising of Ella (and her older daughter), she was converted by the faithful ministry of a friend and minister. It seems that this has become her anchor over the years, and it was encouraging to read of her continued faith through the good and hard times:

Ella has been fearfully and wonderfully made by God, and she was born so the word of God might be displayed in her life. Amen to that. (p122)

It was an emotional and a challenging read, but I'm glad I did.

Easter - part 2

Last week I looked at preparing for Easter, now here are some resources that you could use to help your family or you celebrate Easter.

i) Books

Dave the Donkey, Dave McDonough

Dave the Donkey (by Andrew McDonough of the Lost Sheep series) has written a fantastic book about Easter for children, told by the donkey who carried Jesus into Jerusalem and his Grandpa donkey. It is well-written, tells the story with appropriate seriousness, but also ends up celebrating 'Long live the King!'

Chris, a reader, has recommended Jesus is Alive! for little ones (under 3-4 years). I haven't seen it, but we have the Christmas one, which is also very good. There is also an activity book to go along with it.

Meredith has been recommending this book - Jesus, Keep me Near the Cross, edited by Nancy Guthrie. There are twenty five readings. I am keen to hear her opinion after Easter.

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die, by John Piper is also well worth a read. I read my way though it 2 years ago and found it very helpful.

ii) DVDs

Prince of Egypt - This is a Dreamworks production, but it's pretty good and surprisingly accurate. I have often though it would be good to watch it on Maundy Thursday to enable us to think a bit more about the great act of redemption that the Passover and the Exodus was.

iii) Music

One of the CDs we have enjoyed listening to this year is A Very Veggie Easter, a Veggie Tales Production. We bought this one last year and really like it. It's has equal measure of fun and silliness, and seriousness about Easter - the kids love it and even G & I find the songs pretty catchy.

For more serious music reflection, I have collated my own collection of songs about Easter, mainly downloading specific songs from iTunes. These include:

- Easter Song (He is Risen)
- Christ the Lord is Risen today
- The Glories of Calvary
- See What a Morning
- The Power of the Cross
- When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
- Crown Him With Many Crowns

These are wonderful to listen to over the Easter weekend.


It seems there just aren't as many resources for Easter as there are for Christmas.

The Busy Christian... Chapter 8

This series was originally posted on In Tandem, a blog for ministry wives

The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness
Chapter 8: I’m busy because of other people’s expectations – the liberating fear of God

We feel expectations from other people – our bosses, our friends, our family, our church. We have a mental list of all the things we should be doing, and we feel either guilty or too busy (and most likely both).

Chester refers to the 80/20 rule – that is, we get 80% of our output from 20% of our input. Why not settle for most things being 80% fine, instead of spending a lot more time increasing things to 90 or 100%.

He issues a challenge for the preachers amongst us. Let’s say you take 4 hours to get a sermon 80% as good as it could be. Yes, more time will be a better sermon, but it make take another 4 hours to get it to 90%, and even longer to get to 100% (if you could get there!).

Why not settle for 80% and spend those hour hours doing something else? We should give God 100% of our lives, but that doesn’t mean every sermon has to be 100%. We need to view the ministry as a whole and think about how our time is best used. The point is we are finite and cannot do everything at 100%.... So, why don’t we settle for 80%? Because we fear other people’s disapproval. And so we become perfectionists and perfectionism makes you very busy. (p102)

What do you think about this? I’m not sure I fully agree, but I do see his point. I would not be keen for my husband or the other preachers at our church to consistently think that 80% good is good enough. Not all the time anyway. But note he only say 80% as good as it can be, not 80% as true or biblical as it can be! I suspect each would have to analyse your own reaction to this. If one tends to perfectionism, this could be exactly what they need to hear. If one tends toward under-preparing sermons, this would not be for them!


The lie: other people matter more than God

If I am doing more that I can to meet other people’s expectations then we are saying that other people’s approval matters more to me than God’s.

The bible calls this the fear of man.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. (Prov 29:25)

Fear of man can have many symptoms including susceptibility to peer pressure, a concern with self-esteem, comparing yourself to others, fear of being exposed and telling small lies to make yourself look good. But another symptom can be over-commitment and finding it hard to say ‘no’ when wisdom suggests you should.

What is the real lie here? The underlying idol is self – when we need approval and affirmation from other people, in effect we are wanting them to worship us.

Do you worry about what others think about you?
Do you say ‘yes’ because people expect you to? Do you do so that that people might like you, respect you and trust you? Do you do it to feel important?


The truth: God alone is my master

The answer is repent of our idolatry and turn to God… We need to fear God… To hear God is to respect, worship, trust and submit to God. The fear of God is the response to his glory, holiness, power and wrath. The fear of the Lord is recognising that he is so awesome, powerful, holy and good that we should serve and worship him more than anything else or anyone. (p104)

The fear of God is actually liberating:

1. When faced with a choice between pleasing a person and pleasing God, we know that we will want to please God. (Matthew 10:28). We are no longer controlled by other’s expectations, but the expectation of God. Of course we still serve other people, but we are not slaves to them.
2. God promises to care for those who fear him (Psalm 34:7-9, Psalm 27:1-3). No one is bigger than God.

A victorious heart

The Psalm for this chapter is Psalm 18 – a meditation on a victorious heart. This Psalm helps to remind us that the Lord is our rock (v1-3), that God is a powerful and amazing (v6-15) and he cares for us (v16-19), and that, in the end, we are on the side of victory (v28-50).

God can set you free from the tyranny of other people’s expectations. He can set you free to live with him alone as your Master. (p111)

Do you fear men more than you fear God?


Next week – Chapter 9: I’m busy because otherwise things get out of control.