Category: Encouragements and Exhortations

On more than one occasion an unbeliever has responded to our life story by saying: “So, you’ve adopted four kids and you’re moving to Africa…you’re definitely going to Heaven.”  Typically, people either love us or despise us for who we are and what we are pursuing.  We are not surprised when we are hated, but what turns our stomachs is when people mistakenly assume that we are good enough, on our own, to be approved by God.  The line of reasoning seems to be, “Well if you’re willing to sacrifice that much, God will have to let you into Heaven.” …

We’ve been amazed to see that there have been around 1,100 page views of our previous post about Noah’s sudden death.  This plainly testifies to how loved and respected he was by so many.  Clearly, we all feel sad, but what else are we to feel?  How could the Lord be using his death for our good? In looking up a couple Scripture passages, we’re convinced that Noah’s death serves to remind us that… Life is Brief We still cannot believe Noah is gone.  We cannot believe that we will not be working with him and we will never see…

We have been in Dallas a whole two weeks now and have thoroughly been enjoying our time here…and yet it just does not feel quite like “home.” Louisville is home. Immanuel Baptist church is home. Southern Seminary is home. A Woman’s Choice Resource Center is home. Home is where our friends and loved ones are…right? We listened to a sermon a couple months ago where John Piper said that the Lord brings things into our lives to remind us that this world is not supposed to be our home. He brings in minor, and sometimes major, discomforts to teach us…

People who preach the Gospel to themselves ought to be the most hardcore, committed soldiers for Jesus out of anyone. Why? Because we know that a self-centered Gospel is not a complete Gospel. Instead, the Good News reminds us that we have been redeemed out of slavery to sin, given the Holy Spirit, and charged to walk in the good works prepared by God himself before the beginning of time. So, as I am rehearsing the Gospel during my daily devotions, I am reminded not only of God’s amazing love for me, but I am also calling myself to “suit…

We have four toddlers and, as many people know, the toddler in his most natural state is often found shouting “Mine, Mine, Mine!” in the face of his brothers and sisters. We actually have one child that tries to carry all of her favorite toys around with her so that her brothers and sister cannot touch them. Ironically, her hands are so full that she cannot even enjoy playing with them. Day in and day out they strive to create little kingdoms for themselves where they have all their favorite things around them and seek to bring others into subjection…

I recently attended a FIRE Conference in Indiana and the theme of the conference was the Wrath of God. It is not a topic that we really like to talk about much in our culture, so it is a bit shocking that an organization would commit so much time to it. However, I was struck by the fact that there are so many passages that not only talk about the wrath of God, but encourage us to consider it. One such verse that hit me as particularly clear was: Romans 11:22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God:…

“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” Hebrews 13:3 I have recently read a book that has changed my life. It is called Safely Home by Randy Alcorn.In a note at the end of the book, it was explained that this book was written to “make a statement concerning the persecuted church.”And this book made a very loud statement to me.It opened my eyes to the fact that I have brothers and sisters in prison right now who have been torn away from…

Perhaps you can relate to my natural reaction to seeing pretty much any movie that exposes social injustice: I want to suit up and fight! Perhaps you have grown in your awareness of sex trafficking, and you resolve to do something about it. Or, you listen to a sanctity of life sermon, or see pictures in a magazine of the starving oppressed of Africa, or an art exhibit highlighting the wounded children of war-torn nations, or a presentation about all of the Bible-less peoples of the world. Your senses are aroused, eyes are opened to the need, and righteous anger…