“The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman. For I have accepted God’s idea of me, and my whole life is an offering back to Him of all that I am and all that He wants me to be.”
–Elisabeth Elliot
A Different Kind of Woman
2 Feb posted by
Listings 2/16/11
16 Feb posted by
I am renaming my “Recommended Links” to “Listings.” Sounds so old-fashioned, doesn’t it?:)
MightyBookJr.com: Free Year of Online Kids Books—(I found this offer last week and hope it is still valid.) Mighty Books Jr. is offering a free membership to their website – a $99 value. This website has over 850 animated books online, perfect for all types of students, including children with special needs. Check it out!
What We Love Artsy Writing Project for the Week of Valentine’s Day—Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, February is still a month to focus on love. This is a great project for the whole family, and would make a great keepsake.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss, The Interview Pt. 1—Girl talk has a 4-part interview with Nancy Leigh DeMoss, from Revive Our Hearts radio. It is a blessing to read how this single woman allows God to use her. Pt. 2 | Pt. 3 | Pt. 4
Have You Started a Forest Fire Today?—True Woman has a very convicting article on the power of the tongue. I never really realized how voicing our feelings can make them worse. “Have you ever noticed how once you state something it seems to become more concrete?”
Cyber-sex Is Still Cheating—Be very careful how you conduct yourself online with the opposite sex. I personally will not chat or email with another man unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Taking Better Photos~Even with a “Cheap” Camera—Lizzie at A Dusty Frame shares some fantastic tips on getting great shots with your regular camera. I often drool over cameras I want, but now am encouraged to use what I have!
Kitchen Tip Tuesdays: How to easily access spices in your kitchen cupboard—Tammy shares a great tip on easily getting to your spices stored in cabinets. I already store mine in a basket, but never thought to label the tops. Great idea!
5 February 1957 “Sleekness in Design for ’57 and the Need For The Latest Thing”—I really enjoy reading The Apron Revolution blog, where the author chronicles how she lives her present life as if she was living in the 1950s. I really recommend reading this recent article discussing how we can get caught up trying to keep up with the Joneses. “Styles change and desires with them, but we must remember that deep down, it is all manufactured. Not only the product but the desire.”
Introducing BLB.sc!—Blue Letter Bible, one of my favorite Bible research sources, now has a new BLB URL shortener. This is very useful when you need to link to these tools on Facebook or Twitter.
500 Posts and Counting—Be sure to listen to the beautiful singing of this precious boy that has several disabilities. Oh, how precious!
Four Reasons Busyness is a Bad Idea—Busyness is something I hate and try to stay away from if at all possible. Blissfully Domestic shares great reasons to keep yourself from it.
Recommended Listening: How God Overcomes Failure in Your Family
16 Aug posted by
Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss is doing a series this week called “How God Overcomes Failure in Your Family” with Bro. Voddie Baucham. You’ll not want to miss this! If you have never heard Bro. Voddie, you are in for a treat! Prepare to be convicted and encouraged by this great man of God who was raised in less than ideal circumstances. God is God over all our situations, and He can redeem each and every one of them!
“Here’s what you need to know: I didn’t grow up with godly manhood in my life. I did not grow up with godly examples in my life.
“I just came back from Los Angeles, and, in God’s providence, last weekend I had a conference in the LA area. I grew up in Los Angeles. I grew up in drug-invested, gang-invested, south central Los Angeles, California. I was raised by a single, teenage, Buddhist mother. I never heard the gospel until my freshman year in college. I grew up with my mother, so I didn’t have much connection with my father’s side of the family.
“God’s bigger than the failures in your families. My wife Bridget and I, of the last two generations of both sides of our families, 25 marriages, 22 divorces. That’s our legacy.
“Here’s what I want you to know: God is able, and He is sufficient.”
Read the transcripts or listen to the series here: ROH Radio :: How God Overcomes Failure in Your Family (Voddie Baucham)
A Missionary to My Own People
28 Oct posted by
“I finally came to the point of deciding that my heart’s desire was that at age sixty I will want to have given my life to my children. To know that I gave all I had. To have no regrets. To do the best that I could. I made a choice to invest myself in my home. Not to give lip service to it, but to dig in and really make a difference. Not to just mark off time, but to do it well, to give of myself. I am being called to be a missionary. Not to Africa, but ‘to my own people.’ To my little ones. To my family.”
– Kym Wright
Author of Women: Living Life on Purpose
alWright! Publishing
– Kym Wright
Author of Women: Living Life on Purpose
alWright! Publishing
In Times Like These
9 Sep posted by
In times like these, when the news is terrifying, and it seems the whole world has gone crazy, my heart is tempted to falter, to be terribly afraid. To get my mind off this fear and onto positive things, I remember what God has told me to do, what orders He gave me in His Word. I remember my place as a mother. I’m to be a keeper at home and a witness for Christ. I am to keep on until He comes or calls me home. I’m to overcome evil with good. The good I do for Christ—my obedience—along with fervent prayer, does more to fight the evil in this world than anything else I could do.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and …though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof” (Ps. 46:1-3).
The Solid Rock
Lyrics and music by Ruth C. Jones.
1. In times like these
you need a Savior
In times like these you need an anchor
Be very sure,
be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock
Refrain:
This Rock is Jesus,
Yes He’s the One
This Rock is Jesus,
the only One
Be very sure,
be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock
2. In times like these
you need the Bible
In times like these
O be not idle
Be very sure,
be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock
3. In times like these
I have a Savior
In times like these
I have an anchor
I’m very sure,
I’m very sure
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock
A Titus 2 Blog
13 Jul posted by
I recently rediscovered a beloved blog writer, who had closed her previous blog. I have been just delighted as I’ve read her entries. Morning Cuppas With Glenys is written by a true older Titus 2 lady. Each post is written in gentleness and genuine love, while still telling the truth from the Word of God. Both my mom and I have been loving perusing her blog entries—getting homemaking encouragement that is hard to find—and viewing the beautiful pictures.
I’ve been going through a hard, exhausting time lately, trying to make things balance as a Christian mother who truly just wants to be a Proverbs 31/Titus 2 woman, while struggling as I handle life as a single mother. Many blog posts have meant a lot to me, especially the following.
Let’s be gracious to single mothers: As a single mother, I’ve experienced many of the things Glenys describes. I know other single moms who’ve been there as well.
Recognising False Guilt: Although I am not dealing with chronic illness, I struggle feeling like I ought to be doing more in the way of my home keeping, even though I have my home business and homeschooling that take up the vast majority of my time and energy. This post was comforting to me. My thoughts are also with my oldest daughter’s future as she is still experiencing chronic physical problems, even more than previously thought.
Investing in Eternal Treasures: This post reminds me that even in my situation, God still expects me to be the keeper of my home. I’ve recently felt the pinch of the economic situation and felt I should spend more time on my computer to bring in money. This post reminded me of what I’ve always believed—as I keep my priorities in order, He will provide for us, just as He always has. Our situation has been much bleaker than it is now, and I must not stop trusting in Him as our provider. I should do what I can to bring in an income; however, my priorities must be right. Our situation does not negate the need to rear my daughters for the Lord and teach them all the skills they will need as adult women.
There Is No Better Place Than Home: I especially love this quote, “The homemaker is a servant who is ministering for the LORD as much as any preacher or evangelist- the future of her family and therefore, society does indeed rest in her hands and the results will be eternal.”
The Fairy Godmother’s Not Coming!: This post really inspired me to quit thinking things to death and just do them!
There are many other posts that I dearly love, but these are some of my favorites. I encourage you to visit Morning Cuppas With Glenys often to be encouraged and refreshed by a godly older sister in Christ who has been there.
Wives, Mothers, and Homemakers
16 May posted by
With Mother’s Day, there has been many great messages on the radio regarding mothers and homemakers. I hope the following resources bless you!
Revive Our Hearts had a series called A Woman After God’s Own Heart.
John MacArthur of Grace to You had a two-part series called Hannah: A Godly Mother.
The Longing for a Child (Day 1)
The Heart of a Mother (Day 2)
John MacArthur of Grace to You had a two-part series called Hannah: A Godly Mother.
Read Sermon | Listen to Radio Programs
Family Life Today had a series called Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World. Carolyn McCulley was the guest speaker. I have heard her many times on the radio and just love to hear what she has to say. (She also has the sweetest voice to me!) As a former feminist, Carolyn has much knowledge to share with Christian women. To find out more about her, you can visit her website, CarolynMcCulley.com, her book site, Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World, and her blog, Radical Womanhood.
Waking Up to Faith (Day 1)
Feminism’s Beginnings (Day 2)
Feminism’s Impact on Marriage and Family (Day 3)
Feminism’s Beginnings (Day 2)
Feminism’s Impact on Marriage and Family (Day 3)
On day 3 of the series, a song called “Homemaker” by Paul Overstreet was played. I had never heard it and couldn’t believe there actually was a song about a woman who ignored the world and poured her life into her family and home. I just love it! The video below is actually a tribute to Paul Overstreet, but listen to the wonderful words!
I have a book by Donna Otto called The Stay-at-Home Mom that I just love. I got it when Donna was a guest on Elisabeth Elliot’s radio program, Gateway to Joy. I was thrilled to find Donna’s website, Homemakers by Choice, and her podcasts at Oneplace. Donna had several podcasts on mothering, including one in which she shares the bad relationship with her Mom as she was growing up.
Are You Making a Living?
23 Apr posted by
A friend sent me this wonderful quote from Generation Cedar blog!
A man approaching retirement called the retirement office to inquire about his pension. Afterward, he was asked if his wife worked. “She’s worked all her life making me happy”, he replied. “Yes sir, but has she earned money to receive her pension?” “When we got married we agreed on an arrangement”, he said. “I would earn the living, and she would make the living worthwhile”.
Rest of this wonderful post here: Are You Making a Living?
Caring for Widows
29 Nov posted by
a. Verse 3 — “Honor widows that are widows indeed.” Widows without resources (“widows indeed”) are to be cared for and supported (“honor” means pay, cf. v. 17) and not forced to go to work, again reinforcing that a woman is to have her ministry in the home. I believe the principle of supporting a widow without resources could even be applied, for example, to a believing wife whose unbelieving husband commits adultery and forsakes her—leaving her with children at home. She should not be forced to go to work. A woman who has no resources is to be paid. Verse 4 tells us who should take care of her. (Emphasis mine.)
b. Verse 4 — “If any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.” If a man is related to a widow without resources, he is to practice his Christianity in the home by supplying her need before practicing it in the church. Again, that is so she can stay in the home—where God wants her to be. (Emphasis mine.)
Now remind yourself of one thing. The term is “widow” here and it appears several times in the text. Keep in mind the Greek word is chera and that word means bereft, alone, having been left alone. It has nothing to do with how the woman was left alone. It doesn’t necessarily tell us that the man died, such as the English word “widow” does. It simply says this is a formerly married woman who is now alone, whether through death, divorce, desertion, separation or whatever. The term itself does not necessitate a death. So the church then is obligated to take a good look at how it is to care for those women who have now lost their husband through death, divorce, desertion or whatever and are now alone unprotected, uncared for, unprovided for and vulnerable…and I might add even unfulfilled because of God’s design. (Emphasis mine.)
Now, I want you to look with me in verses 9 and 10 and the qualifications for being a part of this group. Now this is so basic. Here are the qualifications for a woman reaching sixty, having lost her husband to be put on this list, to be added to this group. Qualification number one, verse 9, “Let not a widow be enrolled or put on the list unless she’s over sixty.” That’s the idea. It starts with being over sixty. Now there’s nothing said here about support, as I said before. If you try to equate the two, and some people have tried to do that. They’ve tried to say, “Well the only widows a church is to support are the ones that are over sixty.” That’s not true. That’s not true at all. We have just said that the widows who are to be supported are any women who are without a husband and without support. There’s no age qualification. The age qualification comes for the widows who are put on this list of official servants in the church, not the ones that are supported by the church. The church is to take up the care and demonstrate the compassion of God to any woman who has lost her husband whatever age she is and make sure that her needs are met. (Emphasis mine.)
But when it comes to that official group of women who serve in the church, they have to be over sixty. There’s no age limit placed on the support issue. And I want you to understand that.
Copyright 2007, Grace to You. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Excerpts taken from the following articles and transcripts that originally appeared at Grace to You.
Articles
Widows in the Church, Part 1
Widows in the Church, Part 2
Widows in the Church, Part 3
Widows in the Church, Part 4
Transcripts
Widows in the Church, Part 1
(For some reason, part 1 is not available on the Grace to You website at this time.)
Widows in the Church, Part 2
Widows in the Church, Part 3
Widows in the Church, Part 4
Audio CDs
Widows in the Church, Part 1
Widows in the Church, Part 2
Widows in the Church, Part 3
Widows in the Church, Part 4
The Lovely Ideal of a Christian Mother
13 May posted by
“My mother’s habit was, every day, immediately after breakfast, to withdraw for an hour to her own room, and to spend that hour in reading the Bible, in meditation, and in prayer. From that hour, as from a pure fountain, she drew the strength and the sweetness which enabled her to fulfil all her duties, and to remain unruffled by all the worries and pettinesses which are so often the intolerable trial of narrow neighborhoods. As I think of her life, and of all it had to bear, I see the absolute triumph of Christian grace in the lovely ideal of a Christian lady. I never saw her temper disturbed; I never heard her speak one word of anger, or of calumny, or of idle gossip. I never observed in her any sign of a single sentiment unbecoming to a soul which had drunk of the river of the water of life, and which had fed upon manna in the barren wilderness. The world is the better for the passage of such souls across its surface. They may seem to be as much forgotten as the drops of rain which fall into the barren sea, but each rain-drop adds to the volume of refreshful and purifying waters. ‘The healing of the world is in its nameless saints. A single star seems nothing, but a thousand scattered stars break up the night and make it beautiful.’”
–Archdeacon Farrar
Quoted on page 17 of Dora’s Diary: Millstream Orchards Family by Carrie Bender
Quoted in Making the Most of Life by J. R. Miller
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