The Cost of Comfortable

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,"

Philippians 3:7-8

I have read these verses a thousand times, always with a certain apathetic regard for the passage. For a moment my heart exults in the knowledge that this is the way I was made to live, but this fleeting thought succumbs the fact that I am too comfortable to truly endure the "loss of all things." 


But this summer, the time came when God would allow my lazy heart to sleep no longer. My mother checked out a book-on-tape called Kisses from Katie. The passion and joy this book excited in my heart brought those verses to life. Katie, the author, is a 22 year old missionary to Uganda and she wrote this book about how her ministry came to be (she's been there since she was 19). I don't personally feel called to the mission field, but this book cut sharply through my contented passivity. You see, my ideal lifestyle has always been this: a calm, easy existence. To be successful was to have enough. But Katie truly discovered the heart of God. As I read her words heavy with compassion, love, and burdened care for the least of these, God exposed my ideal existence for what it really was: fearful selfishness. 

Lynley's (potential) Big Break

                  

I say that Progressive should hire me as their back up!

The Power of the Church Rests in Christ Alone

The quote below is an excerpt from a sermon by John Piper on the issue of same-sex marriage. Please understand that (in context) he is not speaking about if you ought to vote on the issue, nor is he saying we should, as Christians, vote for (or against) legalized homosexual marriage. To hear his theological stance on this issue, you can listen to his sermon here. I would highly encourage you to do so.

Below merely summarizes my own thoughts on the church and political activism. I think Piper hits the nail right on the head regarding the power of the Church and its place in the political arena.

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"Don't press the organization of the Church or her pastors into political activism. Pray that the Church and her ministers would feed the flock with the Word of God centered on the gospel of Christ crucified and risen. Expect from your shepherds not that they would rally you behind political candidates or legislative initiatives, but that they would point you over and over and over to God and to His Word and to the Cross.


Now, please try to understand this concluding point. When I warn you against politicizing me or politicizing the institution called Bethlehem [Church], or the Church in general, I do so not to diminish the Churches power but to increase it. The impact of the Church for the glory of Christ and for the good of the world does not increase when she shifts her focus from worship of God, winning of souls, and maturing and nurturing of faith, and raising up of a new generation. It doesn't! It feels in the moment like it does, "Hah, Look how many people showed up for the rally!" or, "Look at how many signatures they got in that church," or, "Look at how that committee is functioning..." it feels powerful! [But just] give it a generation, and little by little that vaunted power bleeds away the very nature of the Church and it's power.  

The Best Love Story to Remember

Last month, I posted a video and a few words entitled "A Love Story You'll Never Forget"- it was a truly moving story. One reader, my writing-major-roommate-to-be, was so touched by the young couple that she wrote a beautiful reflection on what she had just witnessed. Tabitha is a gifted writer and was good enough to share this reflection with me and in turn allow me to share it with you.

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Once Upon a Time...

Two very special people decided to love each other,

And when they decided to love each other,

Together with Christ, they were able to write this beautiful story.

~Lynley Turkelson

I just watched the movie of Ian and Larissa on YouTube - John Piper tweeted it and I’ve seen it
come up a couple other times, and have been wanting to watch it but haven’t until this quiet, overcast Tuesday morning. It brought me almost to tears. The love of Larissa for her husband who no longer looks attractive and can barely speak (certainly not with a clear, handsome voice) is so touching. Gentleness and peace and satisfaction run throughout her words and her demeanor.

Book Review: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Philip Yancey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was, by far, one of the best books I have EVER read. "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" unites the two topics that I love the most: God and human anatomy and physiology. Yancey writes in such beautiful language and detail that even if you have never found the human body particularly intriguing, you can't help but be drawn into his story. Yancey compares human body structures to those of the body of Christ, and the metaphor work's beautifully. I would go on, except I fear that by talking about the book, I will fail to portray how good it really is. I cannot recommend this book more highly.


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Organizing for the Type C Personality

Do you ever find that (no matter how hard you try) you can't STAY organized? Do you ever fret about how your room can only stay clean a maximum of 2-3 days before it gets dirty again? Are you ever overwhelmed by trying to clean up you things - so much so that often you just don't try?

If you could identify with any of the above statements, then you are reading the right blog post! My room at home is usually horribly messy and I struggle to even make attempts at cleaning it. However, my mom came to the rescue and brought home a book from the library called, Organizing Solutions for People with ADD by Susan Pinsky. Of course, I naturally laughed at the title and immediately thought that the book wouldn't be right for me, but I was proved wrong. This list of 14 rules have become the key to my success in room cleaning. Try a few and let me know how it turns out!

The 14 Rules of Organizing*

1. Give everything a home
2. Store things on the wall or on a shelf, NEVER on the floor.
3. Take advantage of vertical storage space by using tall shelves and bureaus. 
4. Wherever possible, use hooks instead of hangers. 
5. Don't increase your storage - reduce your inventory.
6. Touch it ONLY ONCE (File or toss mail as soon as you open it; don't add it to a pile you'll have to sort again later). 
7. If you haven't used it in a year, discard it. 
8. Duplicate when necessary to store things where you use them (toilet bowl brush in every bathroom).
9. Eliminate items that unnecessarily duplicate functions (hand can opener or electric can opener, not both).
10. Arrange your possessions within activity ares or zones. 
11. Don't overcrowd shelving, cabinets, and drawers. 
12. Make your things easy to access and easy to put away. 
13. Name your cabinets and shelves (dish cabinet, sock drawer) to remind you that only these specific items are stored therein. 
14. Make sure the "rough storage" areas in your home are well lit and easily accessible. Guard these areas well - they are more valuable than any other living area. 

*From Organizing Solutions for People with Attention Deficit Disorder by Susan C. Pinsky 

This list can also be found online at www.organizationallyours.com Visit this link find out more about her book and how to organize effectively.

Book Review: The Visitation

The Visitation by Frank Peretti
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was great! Peretti spun this tale with his usual mystery, cunning, and suspense. It's not my favorite novel of his--that will forever belong to his book The Prophet--however, it was still an entertaining and powerful read.


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