Praying for the YWOW Conference This Weekend

Hey Everybody,

It's almost here! The Young Woman of Worth Conference in Auburn, Kentucky, is this Saturday! It is only two days away, and Danya and I are so excited! The conference is focused on the Old Testament story of Esther, and the entire day will wrap itself around what the Lord has to say to today's 21st Century young women through that ancient text.

Esther. You know, I just feel like I know her after studying her for all these months! I'm convinced she was a teenager. Chuck Swindoll, in his book on Esther, noted that she couldn't have been more than 20, and she was probably much younger. She had already been through so much, and to see how the Lord elevated her to the position of queen--not so she could finally have a cushy life, but so she could be in the right place at the right time to save her people.

Today's young women of worth have a people to save, as well. They have an entire generation of peers who do not know the Lord. In fact, in the area where my family serves right here in Nashville, the latest stats revealed a community of 75% second-generation unchurched. And it's moving into the third generation rapidly.

Will you pray for these girls and the conference this Saturday? It seems that the enemy is quite unhappy with what we're trying to do. The event planner is dealing with kidney stones this week (please pray for her), and there have been many other setbacks and hurdles that we have encountered over the past several months. But God has a plan, and the enemy's plans are sure to be thwarted as the Lord reigns sovereignly over this Saturday, as surely as He triumphed in the book of Esther!

Here's what I'm speaking on and how you can pray!

Session One: Esther: Your Time is Now In this session, I'm telling the story of Esther. This sets the tone for the day and everything that is going on. Pray for the girls to really get the picture of what happened and the amazing way that the Lord choreographed the whole thing!

Session Two: What Are You Soaking In? Esther soaked in oil of myrrh, and she picked up its fragrance--a fragrance that distinguished royalty and marked those who were set apart. Pray for me as I direct the girls to think about what they are soaking in (their culture, choices, and attitudes) and how it is determining how they influence others and how they identify themselves.

Session Three: Whatever Pleases the King This was Esther's tagline--it was how she lived her life. Please pray for me as I talk about today's issues with the girls, including cutting, eating disorders, and purity. I cannot do the convicting--that's the Holy Spirit's job--so pray that the Lord will use me to prepare the way for the Spirit to move in a mighty way in the hearts of these girls. Pray for a life-transforming day and for many to come to know Jesus Christ in a real and personal way!

Thanks, y'all. :)

Lake Winnie

Hey Everybody,

As a Nashvillian, I sure do miss Opryland! I grew up with that park, and Rich and I loved taking the kids before it closed several years ago (to make way for the Opry Mills mall). A couple of years ago, we were introduced to Lake Winnie when our church's children's department went for a day trip. It's a nice little park, and our family really enjoyed spending the day there last Sunday.

Isn't it funny how things change as we get older? As a kid I would go to Opryland with friends and I would ride everything! I'll admit, I've always been a little hesitant when it comes to major roller coasters, but as a teen, I suppressed my common sense :) and rode them anyway!

But then I turned 40.

Here's a ride the kids talked me into riding two years ago: The Pirate.

This is a ride that would never have bothered me when I was young. In fact, I would have considered it tame, LOL! But not anymore! I foolishly got on that thing, and once it took off, I thought I was headed for glory! I was ready to jump out of my skin! I was singing hymns and praying and seriously trying to keep it together because I was scared to death. I looked around at my kids and my husband, and I couldn't believe that they looked like they were enjoying it! I thought they were out of their minds! Once I got off, I stayed off. :)

I couldn't even manage the swings this year. THE SWINGS! How lame is that? But yet, I did fine on the sky ride thing that travels across the park. I even took pictures! Oh, and I rode the Scrambler--no problem. So I was trying to figure out what my deal was, and evidently, I can take the motion, and I can take the heights, separately. But put them together? No way. I can't handle it. Yeah, life changes after 40.

Fortunately, however, some things haven't changed since I was young. I can still pick up a cute guy. :)

The CSTHEA Fair

Hey Everybody!

It always takes me a while to get caught up after being out of town. I'm still not unpacked, and I haven't even gone near the washing machine yet, but I uploaded my pictures! :) First things first, right?

Here I am with Kris, of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you might remember Kris from last year's Season of Change blog tour. She brought me a wonderful lunch into the fair, and we had some time to sit and visit, talking homeschooling, blogging, and even church backgrounds, too!

I love CSTHEA. We have been now five years in a row, and it feels like it's my fair! When my friend Sandy and I go to our MTHEA fair, we end up gabbing and visiting with everyone that we haven't seen in months and months, and it is just like a huge reunion. I feel that way at CSTHEA, too! You've got to know that I love these people because I am bringing them pickles, for cryin' out loud! Hopefully, these pickles will carry them through their rough and tumble days of homeschooling! (But if that doesn't work, please buy my books! LOL!)

I also got to meet my bloggy friend Jane of Jumpin' in the Jungle. Jane won me over right away because she laughed in all the right places during my talk on "Passionate Parenting!" That's very important! She got a jar of pickles, too, and quickly sampled them--after all, when it comes to pickles, there is no time to be wasted!

Speaking of time, there is still time this summer to have some FUN, y'all! I'll be posting pictures from Lake Winnie tomorrow! Whatever you think is fun, whether it is browsing through curriculum, riding water rides, or just sitting on your porch with a glass of tea, don't forget to take the time and make the plans to do it before summer slips away! And do it with your kids, because they will always remember the fun stuff!

Home Again!

Hey Everybody,

We are home from a great weekend in Chattanooga! It was so much fun seeing everyone at the CSTHEA fair--and meeting my bloggy friends Kris and Jane in person (and delivering their pickles!). Yesterday we spent the day at what I think is one of Tennessee's best kept secrets: Lake Winnepesaukah! I'll post pictures tomorrow!

Have a great day!

Consider This #8

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians (3:1-2)

Here's something to think about this weekend:

"Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire." ~William Butler Yeats

Homeschooling: That Thing I Do (Part Four)

In Full Bloom!

(This is the last in a series of four posts. Scroll down if you need to catch up.)

Hey Everybody,

Probably the question that I was asked most often along the way was "What about socialization?" It concerned everyone: family members, church friends, even strangers. I think people questioned a couple of things. First, how would my kids be exposed to other children? And second, if we were at home all the time, how would my kids have a balanced view of society?

As a veteran homeschooling mom today, those questions seem almost laughable (except I remember how much I stressed over them!). Now squarely on the other side, I can see clearly that neither was a valid concern. First, let's look at friendships and socialization with other children.

We have always been active in church, which has been the primary venue for friendships. We had friends in our neighborhood. And we were part of a large homeschooling support group. My children were never isolated. They spent plenty of time with like-age friends. Homeschooling, however, gives my kids the opportunity to be exposed to people of all ages and develop relationships outside their own same-age group. It also has challenged them with the opportunity to develop real, deep friendships with their siblings. God places us in families with people of different ages and different personalities in order to teach us how to get along with others. The family unit can be the first and best place that your child learns how to "win friends and influence people," and the greatest textbook for this is Proverbs!

Second, one of my primary reasons for homeschooling was to give my children the most balanced perspective of the world: God's perspective. How?

His Word. God doesn't hold back in telling the truth on human nature. As we confronted events in biblical history, we laid a foundation of right perspective. I told my kids the truth and answered their questions in an age-appropriate manner. For example, oddly enough, we were memorizing the Ten Commandments when (then President) Clinton's indiscretions were exposed in the press. My children caught snatches of it and were asking questions as we were going over the commandment which states: Do not commit adultery. We talked about it. (That's only one example out of a myriad of stories I could tell of God's perfect timing in handling the initial conversations of difficult subjects.)

His Worth. In my book, Season of Change, I tell the story of our move to an inner-city church. Of course, my children have been exposed to lots of things there, but because they were grounded in His Word, they have been able to step out into the world. Even without going to an inner-city church, homeschooled children are exposed to the world through media offerings and through other people. My goal as a parent is to move from guarding them during the early years, to grounding them through their growing up years, to guiding them through those high school years. Constantly reminding them of their worth in Christ Jesus, and His shed blood that covers them, gives them the knowledge of His Love for them. That plants a desire in them to share that love with others.

Years ago, my friend Sandy summed up homeschooling well when she said, "I'm not doing this to raise Einsteins. I just want to raise children who grow up to be adults who love the Lord and love other people--kids who become people that are kind, decent, caring individuals." That's when the seed you planted is in full bloom.

Homeschooling: That Thing I Do! (A Four-Part Series)

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four


Learning as I go,

Homeschooling: That Thing I Do (Part Three)

Hey Everybody,

If you've missed the first two parts of this post, please scroll down and catch up!

I played the game of, "Am I really supposed to be doing this?" many times after we made the decision to homeschool. It was just May, but when I thought about homeschooling kindergarten, I knew fall was fast approaching. It was hard not to second-guess such a decision on days when the baby was screaming, the laundry was piled up, I hadn't had time for a shower, and the dishes hadn't even been done since the night before.

On what was probably the worst day ever, I was trying to iron a few things in a house that looked like a Tennessee tornado had blown through. (With everything else that needed doing, I'm not sure why I was ironing, but I was.) Seeing tear drops on the shirt I was ironing, I realized I was crying. And I was thinking, There's no way. I cannot even manage this house. I will never be able to homeschool in the fall. I can't even get it together now. So I prayed, "Lord, if you really have called me to homeschool, then I need a sign. You have to give me something I can hang my hat on here, because I'm looking at what I see and I do not see any way that I can do this."

About an hour later, someone knocked on the door. I was surprised out of my mind to see that it was our friends Jim and Vicky, all the way from Charlotte, NC. They were traveling to Texas, and they just thought they would stop in Nashville and see if we were home. Immediately, I knew. Thank You, God! You sent me Vicky! Vicky, one of my dearest friends, was a homeschooling mom and a homemaking mentor to me when we lived in Charlotte (where Danya was born). She spent the afternoon holding the baby, helping me clean up my house, and telling me over and over again that yes, I could do it. Yes, there would be days like this--but yes, God was faithful and His Grace was sufficient.

What an answer to prayer! I hung my hat on that special afternoon for many years to come.

And the seed began to bud.

Homeschooling: That Thing I Do (Part Two)

Hey Everybody,

If you missed Part One of this post, scroll down and read it first.

So, I knew I was going to homeschool after that, right? No, not really. Over the years, after Rich and I met and married, the Lord began to put us together with other people who were planning and pursuing the homeschooling lifestyle. One thing you need to know: You really cannot stereotype homeschoolers. I have met all different kinds over the past 13 years of being involved in it. Homeschoolers are not necessarily bread-baking, denim jumper-wearing, hair-in-a-bun kind of gals (although some are). They are not necessarily married. There are single moms who homeschool, city gals who homeschool, and even some who don't bake their own bread! They are not necessarily Christians. But I think they all love chocolate!

As we met more and more people who were homeschooling, it began to look do-able. It became an option, along with traditional schooling. When Danya was around four years old, Rich and I began to really pray about what we were supposed to do. I remember making a list of reasons why I wanted to homeschool.

At the top of my list was that I wanted to spend the most time that I possibly could with my kids. (That goes back to the snow day I mentioned in the last post.)

I also wanted them to spend time with each other. At the time, David was almost two, and Baby Derek was on the way. I wanted my kids to know each other and like being together.

I wanted to teach them. Whether they were going to be slow learners or over-achievers, I wanted to have the handle on it and provide whatever they needed.

I also wanted to be able to incorporate God into every aspect of their education. I wanted prayer and Bible study to be a part of each day. I wanted them to be involved in ministering to their community and to have time for those things. If I did this, I wanted it to be for His Glory.

Also, I looked ahead to the last years of high school. If we made it all the way, I wanted my kids to have the time to be able to experiment with internships in careers they were interested in.

And you know what? I knew that I couldn't not do it. I was called to homeschool, even if I didn't have any real reasons other than that I knew this was what I was supposed to do.

So here we are! That thing I do, homeschooling, has been a journey of joy. Long days? You betcha! But my, the years have been awfully short.

Homeschooling: That Thing I Do (Part One)

Hey Everybody,

Today I am getting ready for the CSTHEA homeschool fair coming up this weekend in Chattanooga, Tennessee! I am so excited about seeing the folks there! I am also excited about getting my kids their books for the upcoming school year!

This will be Danya's senior year, which is unbelievable to me. I remember when I was just starting out, and oh my, her senior year seemed quite far away! But what a wonderful journey it has been for our family. When I am asked about homeschooling, I will quickly say that I do not believe that homeschooling is for everyone! I believe it is a calling--just like anything that you give your life to. My dad, a pastor, would never walk around telling other people that they should be preachers, too. That is his calling. My mom was called to teach in public school for decades. She didn't think that everyone else should do that as well. When you are called to something, whether your calling is dentistry, homemaking, fire fighting, or counseling, then that is what you should be doing. That said, who knows? You may have stumbled upon my blog today with questions of your own as the new school year approaches. So in case the Lord is calling you to homeschool, or if you simply wonder what would ever possess someone to go this route, I'm sharing my story.

I felt the Lord calling me to be a homeschooling mom before I even knew there was such a thing! It began when I just eight years old! I was home from school for a "snow day." I loved being at home (and still do!). Snow days were such a treat because my mom and sister were home from school, too. I'm not sure why, but on this snow day I decided to count up the number of hours each week that I spent in school, the number of hours I spent sleeping, and the number of hours I actually had at home. Even at eight years old, I remember thinking that I didn't like the way those numbers added up. I know it may sound really strange to some of you (maybe all of you!), but I believe that the seed for homeschooling was planted in my heart that day.

Fast forward nearly ten years (1985). This time, I was a high school senior, at home with a bad case of "senioritis." LOL! I was watching the Phil Donahue show, and Phil's guests that day were David and Micki Colfax. They were getting national attention for their outrageous decision to homeschool their four boys. I was glued to the screen! The Colfaxes had written a book about their experience with home education, and the proof was in the pudding: Their sons were all headed for Ivy League schools. Impressive! The seed settled into fertile soil.

Less than two years later, I was working my summer job at a Christian book store in the mall. It was in-between my freshman and sophomore years of college; you know, that time in life when you are absolutely convinced that you know everything! :) Working at the mall had afforded me a view of the world that I had not seen much of in my 19 years--mainly because I had not been around many children--but I had soon seen my share of spoiled, bratty kids terrorizing their parents. I recommended Dr. Dobson's books to everyone who walked in the store with a screaming child (or even a slightly pouty one!). One afternoon, a cute little mom came in with two kids, probably around 6 and 8 years old. These two well-behaved children quietly followed their mom around for several minutes, then asked for permission to go look around. (I was hot on their heels since I had also had my share of picking up after kids whose parents were not watching them!) They went to the children's books, sat down, and carefully began looking at them. Beautiful!

In all my wisdom, I said to the mom, "Your kids are really well-behaved. What school do they go to?" As if the school was responsible for her children's behavior--I realized later how that must have sounded. She looked at me and answered in a tone I deserved, "These children are homeschooled!"

At that point, the seed in my heart began to take root.

More tomorrow!

Freezer Pickles!

Hey Everybody,

I have been busy putting up cucumbers (freezer pickles) and tomatoes today. I'm exhausted. I am hardly ever in the kitchen for so long at one time! And as long as I was there, up to my neck in cukes, I made a zucchini/squash casserole and a mess of fried okra for dinner! Ahhh, some things are so worth the effort! :)

As requested, the freezer pickle recipe (courtesy of The Pickle Fairy!):

You will need:

• 1 T. pickling salt OR regular salt
• 1/2 t. celery seeds OR celery salt
• 1 c. white vinegar
• 2 c. white sugar
• 7 - 8 cups thinly sliced cucumbers (Scrub them to get all the prickly things off. Cut off any bad places. And if they are too bendy, my MIL says to pitch them! Leave the peel ON.)
• 1 sweet onion sliced (You can also add red and/or green pepper thinly sliced.)

Combine first four ingredients into a large bowl with a lid. Stir well; you want all that sugar to dissolve. Add the cukes and onion (and the peppers if you want those, too). Stir some more. When you get tired of stirring it, have a nearby child shake it for you. He'll think it's fun. When he doesn't think it is fun anymore, it will be ready to go in the fridge. :) Keep it there for three days, stirring well once each day. If there are any left after the three days (they tend to disappear around my house), put them in freezer bags or containers. They will keep for months. Thaw before serving (although I like them kind of icy!).

Consider This #7

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians (3:1-2)

Here's something to think about this weekend:

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." ~Lewis Grizzard

The Pickle Fairy

Hey Everybody,

You've heard of Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and even the Great Pumpkin, but have you ever heard of the Pickle Fairy?

Every summer, David goes out to the garden to gather the cucumbers. My, my, my--they seem to grow exponentially! Day after day they pile up on the counters and overflow the veggie bins in the fridge. See, here's my problem: If I can't make a casserole with them, or eat them in the mornings with grits, I hardly know just what to do with them! But then, just when I least expect it...just when cucumber stress has me wringing my hands and crying in my tomato sandwiches...the Pickle Fairy comes along!

She sneaks them out of the fridge, stuffing them in her pockets. She slides them off the countertops, filling up her purse. She loads them carefully in her picklemobile. And a few days later, my cucumbers return. But they are no longer mere cucumbers!

In a metamorphosis that challenges that of the caterpillar to butterfly, my cukes come back in gleaming Mason jars with gorgeous gold lids. They are sliced, sealed, and soaking in what I like to call a pickle wonderland.

Well, y'all, while there is no Santa (ya heard it here first! LOL!), Tooth Fairy, or Great Pumpkin, my mom-in-law, who has actually received marriage proposals from people who have been blessed to receive a jar of her pickles, is the real Pickle Fairy! This year, besides the gift of 12 beautiful jars of her make-a-grown-man-cry good pickles, she also helped me make freezer pickles. Wow! In the words of Barney Fife, I am pickled tink! :)

Thanks, Granna! I love the Pickle Fairy! (Don't you wish you had one?)

The Coupon Thang. . .Works!

Hey Everybody,
It finally happened! The "coupon thang" works! I actually saved more than I spent the other day! I am so excited about it that I had to take a picture to show you! I got all those groceries (all items that we regularly eat/drink) for $34.35. And I saved? $35.72! How did I do it?

Keep in mind, I had my coupon stash well stocked! (Been working on that for weeks, and my mom is giving me the ones she doesn't use. Plus, we have a coupon board at church.) I checked the Sunday ads and came upon Publix's Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF). Because I know my main, full-time store--Kroger--inside and out (and let me tell you, I felt totally guilty for even stepping foot into Publix! I felt like some sort of traitor!), I knew which were really good deals, and which were just the same prices as Kroger. I had coupons to take the BOGOF price even further. In fact, I bought the three Post cereals (pictured) for:

$7.50 (These were 2 for $5, I bought three.)
-1.00 (I had a coupon for $1 off 2 boxes.)
-1.00 (I had another coupon for $1 off 1 box.)

$5.50 is my total for three boxes, but WAIT! Publix had a store coupon: Buy three Post cereals and get a FREE milk! Yes! I got Purity (why not?) which was retailed at $4.09! That was totally my best deal--EVER!

I was so excited, y'all! I called Kelly when I got home and she rejoiced with me! I'm telling you, I really didn't think that I could save money with coupons. I just didn't think it would pay off. But when did I start this? May 20th. It has not even been two months! Oh, and those DiJiorno Flatbread things? One of them was absolutely FREE--through a coupon I signed up for online and received in the mail.

That coupon thang...works! And with Angel Food coming up this week, my grand total for this week's groceries comes to: $64.35. Remarkable!

I Know, I Know--He's Adorable!

Hey Everybody,

Around here, birthdays are never limited to a mere 24-hour celebration. Oh no! :) David's is the only summer birthday in our family, and so we all enjoy the many ways we can celebrate his big day (make that plural), whether it's with swimming, canoeing, caving, water parks, or whatever "outdoor thang" he can think up!

This year, David's 15th birthday actually began Sunday when friends came over for a camp out. I love David's friends. They are all great guys, and he has been lately blessed with those "iron sharpens iron" kind of friends for which I have long been praying. Thank you, Lord! As stinky, sweaty, hungry boys descended on our home yesterday (and as my daughter escaped to her best friend's house!), I was once again struck by how obviously different things are between girls and guys. Thus, to illustrate, and in honor of my David's big 1-5, I give you:

The Top Five Things You Will Never Overhear at a
Girls' Sleepover:

Number Five: ". . .take a whiz in the bushes. . ."

Number Four: "I've got some bug spray. Let's make this a real camp fire!"

Number Three: "This is my third burger. What else are we having?"

Number Two: "Let's watch Nacho Libre."

Number One: "Dude! Smell this!"

Now we take the party into Day 3. It continues as we celebrate with both sets of grandparents all day and the All Star Game tonight.

Life is sweet!

In a Heartbeat

If you're up early today, head over to Christian Family Radio and you might be able to catch some snippets of the interview that Danya, Melody, and I taped last Thursday up in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Just click "Listen Online" and from there it's pretty easy to open up their streaming broadcast in whatever player you have. If you're reading this post later in the day, check out DJ Susan West's "The Morning Cruise" page and you may be able to listen to us in the "As Heard on the Show" archives!

We first met Suz back in 2007 when we were promoting the Girl of Worth Conference! She is just as you would expect her to be if you are one of her radio listeners: funny, smart, and so into Jesus! Suz is a great interviewer because she has a way of making people feel so comfortable and not pressured at all; we all just felt like we were talking to a great friend! Suz is definitely a friend and a sister in the Lord!

Here are Danya and Melody sharing their hearts for a generation of teen girls who are caught up in a culture that has devalued them. Melody is absolutely driven with a passion for Jesus Christ that is inspiring to everyone she meets. The Young Woman of Worth Conference is something that the Lord planted in her heart, and it is her obedience that is bringing it to pass. She is a pleasure to work with, and I am blessed to call her my friend. :)

We are also particularly excited because Suz will be playing one of Danya's new songs, "In A Heartbeat." I don't know if the song will be included in the archived segments or not, but if you listen to the show live, you'll get to hear it for sure. You will love it! (It's my new favorite--I call it the happy song!) In fact, this song is now available by clicking HERE. Check out the preview! Do you love it too? I guarantee if you download it, it will be the best $.89 you will spend all day! CAUTION: "In a Heartbeat" is addicting--play it once, and you will play it over and over!

Consider This #6

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians (3:1-2)

Here's something to think about this weekend:

Grace is something you can never get but can only be given. There's no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about anymore than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks. . . .

A good night's sleep is grace and so are good dreams. Most tears are grace. The smell of rain is grace. Somebody loving you is grace. ~Frederick Buechner

More about the Young Woman of Worth Conference

If you're visiting today because you live in or around the Bowling Green, KY, area, a special welcome to you!

Hey Everybody,

Danya and I have a couple of promotion events scheduled today in Bowling Green, KY, as we gear up for the Young Woman of Worth Conference coming up on Saturday, August 1st! We'll be going by Christian Family Radio to visit with Suz on The Morning Cruise. Then we'll pop over to WBKO's MidDay Live.

Today's young women face so many challenges. One of those struggles is with their self-image. Girls are sent conflicting messages that leave them feeling confused and isolated. For example:

• Look like a street walker in the way you dress, but be a girl who is respected by the guys.


• Play dumb in order to gain laughs and popularity, but make sure you get the grades you need to go to a good college.


• Have a boyfriend that you've been dating for a year or more, but don't get serious with him or plan your life around him.

Those are just a few instances of things real girls have said they deal with. The only person who can lead a double life and get away with it is Hannah Montana, an image most 10th - 12th grade girls today have seen getting lots of attention over the past several years. But honestly, there is no way to have the best of both worlds. It's just conflict and chaos.

So where does that leave a young woman? What is she to think about herself? How does she reconcile the image the world pushes on her outwardly with the image of God that nudges quietly from the inside? She has to know what she is worth, and that has to be a place, a standard, a depth of certainty that she can go back to time and time...and time...again.

The Young Woman of Worth Conference is a day set aside for girls to learn what they are worth. And here's something I've discovered: Whether it's a diamond ring, a baseball signed by a Hall of Famer, or a beautiful shawl that a wonderful husband brought home all the way from Kenya, when you know how much something is worth, you know how to treat it. I believe that once we lead girls into an understanding of how much they are worth to Christ Jesus, the Lover of their souls, how much they are valued, and how much they are loved by Him--then they will know how to treat themselves (and one another).

Please pray for this conference!

Just Visiting!

Hey Everybody,

How is your summer going?

I have really loved having some time to just get back to simple, you know? Just simply being with friends and family and enjoying time for talking, or visiting as we say around here!

Rich just returned from a ten-day mission trip to Kenya. (I will post some pictures soon. The beauty of that land is truly incredible.) Of course, I really missed him, but God was so kind in that a friend of mine, who has been a missionary in Jerusalem for two years, was coming to Nashville to spend some time, and God arranged for her trip to coincide with Rich's! Having a houseguest along with my kids' friends hanging out made for a just a fun week of visiting, and it served as a great reminder to me of what is truly important to the Lord: relationships!

On that note, I invite you to celebrate with me that over 350 dear
souls came to know the Lord in a personal relationship through Jesus
Christ as a result of the Kenyan mission trip! Praise the Lord!

Please say a prayer that those new Christians would dig deep into God's Word. Pray that the Kenyan pastors would have renewed strength and joy that will fuel them for discipling these new converts. And pray for these folks to boldly share their Christian faith with the people in their lives--family members, friends, anyone with whom they are in a relationship.

Relationships are where we share Christ. When we are in a relationship with someone, sharing a home, sharing a workplace, sharing a church--the rubber hits the road of Christianity. You have to be real. And people are looking for real: A real faith that really means something in real life. The enemy often tries to distract me from those personal relationships that are so important. Do you find that happening in your life? I don't mean my relationship with the Lord--of course the enemy tries to distract and deter me from living that top priority. What I am talking about are those relationships with friends and family that often fall by the wayside of busy-ness.

Is there someone in your life with whom you need to re-connect?

Pick up the phone and visit with them!

Or drop by and sit out on the porch and visit!

Summer is all about visiting and catching up, and sometimes you don't need to go any further than your next door neighbor to invest in a relationship that could lead to the ultimate relationship: knowing Christ.

Do it!

Yes. Zucchini!

Hey Everybody,

My son's friend, M., came over and grabbed the chair next to mine. It was our annual Fourth of July church picnic, moved indoors because of rain (make that because of a deluge!), but M. had a question just for me.

"Zucchini, Miss Rebecca?"

The expression on his face said it all. This year, for the first time ever, I entered the church's annual dessert contest. My entry? A pan of zucchini brownies. Not kidding! I have had this recipe forever, and I finally decided to try it. M. couldn't believe that he had eaten a zucchini brownie, and that he had actually enjoyed it!

If you have lots of zucchini in your garden, have some fun and try this recipe. This proves that a little chocolate and sugar can cover a multitude of...vegetables! (Or something like that, right?)

What you need:

1/2 c. butter (or margarine)
1 3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. sour milk (add 1 1/2 t. vinegar)
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
2 1/2 c. flour
4 T. cocoa
2 c. grated zucchini

What you do:

Cream butter, sugar, and oil. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla, milk, and salt. Sift flour, baking soda, and cocoa; add to mixture. Add zucchini and mix well. Put in lightly greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top before baking OR use your favorite frosting after baking. Bake 45 minutes at 325. (I'm sorry I don't have a picture for y'all!)

btw, I did not win the contest (sniff!), but I think everyone would agree that this is a great way to eat your vegetables! :)

Consider This #5

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians (3:1-2)

Here's something to think about this Fourth of July weekend:

"It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded,
not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of
Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded
asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here." ~Patrick Henry, May 1765
Speech to the House of Burgesses

Why Purity?



Click on the button to view all my Porn and Purity articles!



This week I've been talking about developing a perspective of purity. I've enjoyed your comments and feedback. I'm sure that this is a topic that I will come back to often on my blog, but as I wrap up this week, I want to spend some time talking about what purity really is and why it is important. As a mom and as a speaker, it has been crucial for me to be able to simply articulate the reasons why purity is something that is to be valued.
Why should we live a lifestyle of purity? The simple answer is that we strive for purity because it gives God glory. That is the bottom line. God’s Glory is at the core of everything He does, and it should be at the core of everything we do. Revelation 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” God created all things, and He created them for His pleasure. His pleasure, the Bible tells us, is in receiving glory, which is defined as adoring praise and worshipful thanksgiving.

So if we consider the fact that God does everything He does so that His name will be exalted, honored, and glorified, then we must understand that He had holy intentions in setting forth the institution of the family. And to make a long story short, the specific purpose of marriage was that it would mirror the great love of Christ for the church. In Ephesians, Paul teaches husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church.

The passionate intimacy that husbands and wives share is a picture, an
example, of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church. God is
glorified by this.

God also intended for marriage to produce children who would, in turn, honor and glorify God in their lives. The second chapter of Malachi explains that God put two together in order that they might have godly offspring. Marriage also serves as a way of demonstrating that we can be satisfied with what God gives us. We work at our marriages and we strive to stay in them even when it’s tough, exalting God by trusting His will for our lives and His choice of our life’s partner. One writer said, “This exalts God by demonstrating His value and His ability to supply all our needs, while giving us deep, intense, and lasting joy in all circumstances.”

But everyone knows that we are living in a society in which brokenness abounds. We are literally smothered by our culture’s perversion. Because we have given man glory rather than giving God glory, the culture is saturated with evil. It’s my prayer that the information we have journeyed through together this week will help direct you to some real answers for bringing purity back to the forefront of our parenting. So let's review:

• Teach them early.
• Study the your child's culture--both personal and global.
• Pray: for your child, for his/her spouse, and for opportunities to point your child to Christ.

Why purity? Because it is for the Glory of God.

Purity's Front Lines



Click on the button to view all my Porn and Purity articles!



The battle for your child’s purity begins with prayer. If you want to capture her heart for Jesus, you must first understand that hearts are His business.

• Pray that God would give you opportunities to talk openly with your child about the wonderful gift of sex in age-appropriate ways.
• Pray that, through those simple conversations, the Holy Spirit would turn your child’s heart toward purity and holiness.
• Ask God to give your child the courage to go against the culture and follow hard after Christ.

And do not hesitate to pray with your child! Let him see and hear you going to the Father on his behalf.
When my children each turned five, we began the practice of praying for their spouse. Unless the Lord has blessed them with the gift of singleness, odds are that they are going to be married one day.

• That person is real.
• That person needs prayer.
• That person will battle tough times and difficult days.
• That person needs Jesus.

I truly believe that knowing there is a real person out there that God will put them together with (when the time is right) has been helpful to my teens. It has been essential in their seeing the big picture and understanding more distinctly God's plan for purity.
Learning as I go,

Understanding the Culture You Confront



Click on the button to view all my Porn and Purity articles!



Thanks for your comments yesterday. We certainly have a lot of work to do as parents, don't we? We have the task of going against the culture in which we live, and then teaching our children to do the same. In order to do this, it is to our benefit to do our homework! We have to know what our children are facing. My friend Susan Henson puts it this way:

“Children are being bombarded from every angle. Truth is no longer truth. Their
culture is morally relevant. Even for us moms, sometimes we don’t know what is
right and wrong. That’s why we must be intentionally studying the culture.”

There are two kinds of culture that parents must study: personal and global.

Your child’s personal culture varies according to her social environment. Her family and friends, her school, even where she lives will determine to some extent her picture of the world. At the same time, we are a global culture. Technology has enabled our children to be assaulted with sexual sights and sounds as early as they can handle a mouse or a remote control. “They will not be prepared to handle these temptations if a parent chooses silence,” says Susan. “It is crucial that parents today be even more aware of the gripping influences and effects of their child’s culture.” I don't know about you, but I want to be right there with my child, on the front lines! I want to help them with strategies for taking down the enemy. I want them to know what they're up against. And I want them to know this truth: Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world. I want that written on their hearts. What can we do?

Know her personal culture by:
Getting to know her friends. Who does she play with? Is she friends with a child who has two moms or two dads? What kinds of conversations does she have with her friends?

Exploring her school curriculum. Ask questions of your child’s teacher. Find out what he is learning in the way of social studies, community interests, history, and health. Read his textbooks and see for yourself the extent of the humanist spin on the material. As a homeschooling mom, this still applies. Sometimes we homeschoolers are guilty of making purchases via the advice of friends or a quick sampling at a homeschool fair. Know what you are getting! Be thorough.

Acknowledging your family. You know your family better than anyone. If your extended family members are not Christians, are they going to sabotage what you are trying to teach your child about purity and waiting for intimacy until marriage?

Know his global culture by:Praying for discernment. Ask God to reveal to you the hard-hitting media messages you may be tuning out, but your child is zeroing in on.

Becoming a student yourself. Learn current cultural statistics at sites like www.barna.org. Watch the news or read the newspaper. The Baptist Press online news source provides Christian coverage of national and world news.

Supervising his online activity. Check out the sites your child visits often. Keep up with the images he sees and the impressions it makes on him.

Let's commit to doing our homework, y'all. It will certainly make a difference when our families are faced with a test. :)