Keep Christ

 

 
"Keep Christ in Christmas" some like to picket. But what about

keeping Him in your today, tonight, tomorrow?

Keep Christ always.

Slice of Peace

I always seem to want to write around Thanksgiving. While some may think of it as a secular, all-inclusive type holiday, for me it's one of the most "religious". It's an entire day devoted to gratitude! No gifts, just grateful. Feasting on abundance, full, thankful. Family shhhing for grace. Bowing our heads. An over-cooked turkey, paired with raw thanks.

Paul says in Philippians,

"Don't worry about anything, 
instead pray about everything. 

Tell God what you need 
and thank Him for all he has done. 

Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."


Unending Thanksgiving begins by not worrying, but instead choosing to pray.

And prayer is two-part: 1) Tell God what you need (ask for help!)
                                  2) Thank Him for all He's already done (praise 'em!)

Only in doing the above will we know peace, God's Peace, which is so great it's beyond understanding. And that very Peace will protect our troubled hearts and worry-prone minds. Guarded for Good.


My practical way of following through with Paul's priceless advice has always been taking an old notebook and T-ing up all the pages. Then pouring it out as often as I can.

Tell God what you need / Thank Him for all He has done

Prayer is incomplete without thanksgiving and Thanksgiving is incomplete without prayer. Simple.

-Take life, omit worry. 

-Substitute with prayer. 

-Mix together some asking with thanking.

-Bake at 450* and enjoy.

Slice of Peace anyone?

Philippians 4:6-7

My Marriage > _________?

In our first year of marriage, Doug and I were invited to attend a marriage retreat. Actually, we were gifted the retreat, so it's more like we were forced. Doug was beyond reluctant to go... nightmares of bunking with other couples and talking it out Dr. Phil style for all to hear had him seriously concerned. But it wasn't any of that. It was simply solid time together, to reflect, reconnect, and relax. And Doug will tell you, it was the best thing he'd ever been forced into.


At the retreat that year, we committed to putting at least one weekend aside annually to get away from the chaos, the kids, work, whatever, and solely focus on God and each other, our marriage triangle. It's been nearly 5 years now of upholding our commitment, attending the same marriage retreat regardless of moving or more and more kids. But after inviting our local church to join us last year and realizing this year's retreat may not happen, Doug and I knew it was time to share what we had been blessed with and start one right here.

But this time, I was the reluctant one. It wasn't speaking up for marriage that I was afraid of, I honestly thought marriage ministry could well be something we ended up doing together, one day. I just had assumed and hoped it would be twentysome years from now so we could publicly say:

"Hi, we're Doug and Michelle, we've been married for over 25 years, have multiple grown children, and here we are now, still smiling, so you best listen to our wise, experienced advice."

But God wouldn't have it that way. Instead it's:

"Hi, we're Doug and Michelle, we really haven't been married too long, we have a bunch of little kids running around us constantly, and life is getting kind of messy...BUT we made a commitment to each other above all of that and we will intentionally do all we can RIGHT NOW to honor each other and our marriage."

We simply want to encourage other couples... just married, decades married, re-married, to make your marriage your priority. Because the kids will grow up and go. Eventually you'll retire from that hectic job. And you can be certain circumstances will change. But God-willing, your spouse will be remain by your side. So make your marriage your priority, right now and in every moment!

Consider joining us for a time away to renew your marriage.

Change of Address

Doug and I have moved as a family 6 times in less than 6 years. From my parents place to a rented shed, to an apartment with a mountain view, to a rancher (which was my pretty word for trailer), to his parents place, to an old farmhouse, and finally to our perfect family home we own now. And I plan to stay here for awhile. A really, long, settled while.


It's not like we were moving cross-country though; these half of a dozen relcations were just from NJ to Central PA or simply to the next town over to a place with a little more space (we also added a kid every other year or so). Our last move was less than a mile away just to have the unexpected opportunity to buy. Even still, it's a pain. The packing, the cleaning, the moving, the unpacking, and then...the dreaded change of address. Everything and everyone has to know you moved. I'm almost there... I still have some mail forwarded and some I have to pick-up in-person at my in-laws!

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I've been in Exodus in the Old Testament for almost two months now. It's the amazing story of Moses and how God shows His power and faithfulness to the people of Israel. It's thrilling, and long, and incredible, and a tad specific, and holy, and ancient, really ancient. But this past week, as I was reading some of God's instructions to His people from thousands of years ago, I realized God made quite the drastic move, a serious, unbelievable change of address.

"Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them," God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites in Exodus 25:8.

How incredible to have God live among his people, but how much more incredible is His set-up now!

I flipped straight to 1 Corinthians... in chapter 6, verse 19, the apostle Paul asks the Christ followers in the city of Corinth, Greece this: 

"Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?"

After God sent His Son to dwell on Earth, He sent His spirit to dwell in us. Quite intense relocations from a holy sanctuary built by the hands of the Israelites to the grounds of the Earth to me. Me. God lives in me. This body of mine He created houses His very own spirit. Not just among His people, but within His people. And all because of Christ and what He accomplished in order to make us holy.
We have been made into a sanctuary, suitable for God to dwell. What a change of address! What an incredible gift. What a responsibility.

He built me. He made me holy. I am the temple. His spirit was given to me. And He lives...in me.

Thank you, Lord, for moving. I'm so glad I opened the door.

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock." -God

(Revelation 3:19-20)