Hear, O Lord, our supplication;
Let our souls on Thee repose!
Be our refuge, our salvation,
’Mid ten thousand threatening foes.
Lord, Thy saints have many troubles,
In their path lies many a snare:
But before Thy breath like bubbles,
Melt they soon in idle air.
Cunning are the foe’s devices,
Bitter are his words of gall;
Sin on every side entices;
Lord, conduct us safe through all.
Be our foes by Thee confounded,
Let the world Thy goodness see,
While, by might and love surrounded,
We rejoice, and trust in Thee.
Henry F. Lyte
May 14, 2010
May 13, 2010
A Crazy Family!
Daddy got a turkey on his first day out! They boys where very impressed!
This was like the fifth one we took and by that time I was like "take this silly photo."
Happy Mother's day!
brothers who love each other, or love to choke each other. Just kidding, they were posing and couldn't contain their excitement!
Love these faces!! They are so sweet!
Petra is getting big! She and Gresham enjoy their snacks and Petra loves being a big girl!
May 08, 2010
May 04, 2010
My 5 Musts
As we all know I am a die hard reader. I think if you added up all the hours I spend with my head stuck in a book of some sort it would be pretty embarrassing. I don't even get in the car without a book, on the off chance I will end up waiting for someone or something and thinking to myself...."Man wish I had a book!" So since I love to read and have read a lot of books, here are five books I think you MUST read before you die!
Five books I think you should read all the way through before you die are................
We all probably know what my first recommendation will be. Yeah, I am also a die hard Bible Fan! So many people complain about inconsistencies in the bible or the total inaccuracies without ever having read it. They say it is totally unbelievable and totally irrelevant to their lives, when they have never cracked it open, much less read the entire thing! So I say, if you think you cannot complain about the president if you didn't vote, then you cannot complain about the Bible if you have never even read it! And I bet you heard that argument from someone else who never has read it either!
The second book I think every one should read is by Francine Rivers. All of her work is fabulous, but these five novellas especially are amazing. They are about women and so women will definitely identify well with these novellas, but they are also very applicable to men and I think everyone should read them once. It makes the bible come to life almost a nearly as a bible class can. You can almost smell the world of the Old Testament in these short books. All are wonderful and all are unique in that they reveal the human condition is the same over thousands of generations! You must read these!
My third book is a memoir of the wife of Richard Baxter, Margaret. I ordered this book online from a paperback sharing organization, based solely on the fact that it was Baxter and also Packer wrote the introduction. I never imagined to find such a jewel in this little and very poignant book. I have never seen the puritans as more human (I mean the English puritans since the American puritans make it hard to see than in any way but human!) here we find the struggle with the flesh and the Love of a man for his wife who even in her struggles still sought after Christ! And Hoe Baxter Loved her! Loved her so much this was his act of grief. To record their love story, but more than that their path through life alongside one another. Man this is loving one
another as Christ calls us to. LOVED this book!
My fourth recommendation is a book that I read in college and while I enjoyed it, I don't think I really understood it then. Now about 8 years later I have begun to revisit it and have found such a gem of christian life and truth that I don't know why I wasn't more astounded that this man was able to pen this book. I cannot figure whether he was able to understand these truths because of the era or simply because God gifted him at the right place at the right time. It is just amazing his understanding of the cost the gospel carries and the huge responsibility we have, if we are truly disciples, to follow Him totally! If you are a christian or even if you think you are a christian, you must read this!
My last recommendation is a classic of Christianity. The confessions of St. Augustine and while I don't agree with all the things that he says, obviously. Overall this man is still being printed for a reason! I mean seriously, he understood his own heart so transparently it's amazing! He wasn't afraid to reveal himself as a base and unrighteous person. He also wasn't afraid to trust the Lord in all things and at all times. Here is a book that must be read by anyone. Augustine wasn't playing at church. He wasn't pretending to follow after Christ for some unknown reason. He understood he had been ransomed from a very sinful life and therefore he dedicated his life to the service of Christ. Read it, Seriously!
There are several other books I want to recommend for everyone to read. I haven't read all that much, there is still so much left for me to read. I hope though that you join me in reading these gifted authors as they impart their wisdom to us. Obviously the bible is inspired of God, but the others have used their creative minds to His glory and I know if you read these books you cannot help but understand the glories of Calvary better and our God in a deeper manner than ever before!
Five books I think you should read all the way through before you die are................
We all probably know what my first recommendation will be. Yeah, I am also a die hard Bible Fan! So many people complain about inconsistencies in the bible or the total inaccuracies without ever having read it. They say it is totally unbelievable and totally irrelevant to their lives, when they have never cracked it open, much less read the entire thing! So I say, if you think you cannot complain about the president if you didn't vote, then you cannot complain about the Bible if you have never even read it! And I bet you heard that argument from someone else who never has read it either!
The second book I think every one should read is by Francine Rivers. All of her work is fabulous, but these five novellas especially are amazing. They are about women and so women will definitely identify well with these novellas, but they are also very applicable to men and I think everyone should read them once. It makes the bible come to life almost a nearly as a bible class can. You can almost smell the world of the Old Testament in these short books. All are wonderful and all are unique in that they reveal the human condition is the same over thousands of generations! You must read these!
My third book is a memoir of the wife of Richard Baxter, Margaret. I ordered this book online from a paperback sharing organization, based solely on the fact that it was Baxter and also Packer wrote the introduction. I never imagined to find such a jewel in this little and very poignant book. I have never seen the puritans as more human (I mean the English puritans since the American puritans make it hard to see than in any way but human!) here we find the struggle with the flesh and the Love of a man for his wife who even in her struggles still sought after Christ! And Hoe Baxter Loved her! Loved her so much this was his act of grief. To record their love story, but more than that their path through life alongside one another. Man this is loving one
another as Christ calls us to. LOVED this book!
My fourth recommendation is a book that I read in college and while I enjoyed it, I don't think I really understood it then. Now about 8 years later I have begun to revisit it and have found such a gem of christian life and truth that I don't know why I wasn't more astounded that this man was able to pen this book. I cannot figure whether he was able to understand these truths because of the era or simply because God gifted him at the right place at the right time. It is just amazing his understanding of the cost the gospel carries and the huge responsibility we have, if we are truly disciples, to follow Him totally! If you are a christian or even if you think you are a christian, you must read this!
My last recommendation is a classic of Christianity. The confessions of St. Augustine and while I don't agree with all the things that he says, obviously. Overall this man is still being printed for a reason! I mean seriously, he understood his own heart so transparently it's amazing! He wasn't afraid to reveal himself as a base and unrighteous person. He also wasn't afraid to trust the Lord in all things and at all times. Here is a book that must be read by anyone. Augustine wasn't playing at church. He wasn't pretending to follow after Christ for some unknown reason. He understood he had been ransomed from a very sinful life and therefore he dedicated his life to the service of Christ. Read it, Seriously!
There are several other books I want to recommend for everyone to read. I haven't read all that much, there is still so much left for me to read. I hope though that you join me in reading these gifted authors as they impart their wisdom to us. Obviously the bible is inspired of God, but the others have used their creative minds to His glory and I know if you read these books you cannot help but understand the glories of Calvary better and our God in a deeper manner than ever before!
May 02, 2010
Saved?
I am certain after reading this above one word question you are already mulling over whether or not you are or are not saved. And I am equally certain you think you have a good understanding of what that means. But do you really know what you are saved from?
R.C. Sproul wrote this fabulous little book "Saved from What?" (Buy it here) which very simply answers this basic and yet not so basic question. I thought his answer was very clear and what most people wouldn't think. What do you say you are saved from? Sin? Hell? Damnation? Yourself? What are you saved from? Sproul says it is very clear, you are Saved from God.
Ummm, Larissa, are you sure about that? Heck, Yeah!! Why else would God have sent His only Son to suffer and die? Because HE KNEW that you and me were hopeless against Him apart from His own intervention! Does this change your view of being "saved"?
Have you always thought that, sweet gentle God just liked little Larissa so much, because "Awe, bless her cotton pickin' heart..." isn't she just the sweetest thing?! Did you really think that?! No. God is holy. And when I say Holy I mean you in his presence means destruction 100 times out of 100. You aren't a good person, you aren't lovable, you aren't sweet, you are a vessel of wrath!
But God loved us in a holy way, knowing that even though it would cost Him significantly, we would never be able to enter into His presence without the blood of Christ, because 100 times out of 100 our badness would have to be destroyed! God Himself would pour out His wrath on us, unless He Himself made a way for our pathetic selves! This kinda changes things doesn't it?!
You are saved......wait for it......from God! You are saved from having God's wrath poured out on your sweet and fabulous head, for eternity. Is this what happened at your conversion? Did you understand that you were so damaged that God would never allow you into His presence without the full brunt of His wrath? Did you understand that He knew the implications of our plight? This is no "Bad, Larissa, you sinned Larissa, let's just have a koom-bye-ya hug and don't you do it again, sweetie!" This is us drinking down the cup of wrath intended for all those who rebel against the Lord. God is love. He loved us so much He made a way for us not to experience that wrath, not because we were so sweet and cuddly, but because HE IS SO HOLY!
So if God save us from Himself. Does that mean we can just go ahead willy nilly ignoring his words and saying this sin is acceptable, "Larissa she is just a passionate Girl and her emotions get the better of her, Bless her heart!" Should we allow sin to abound that grace many abound? MAY IT NEVER BE! Do you understand that a HOLY God intervened in a GRAND way to redeem disgusting rabble like us? Or did you miss the whole point of being saved? Did you think it was praying a prayer, or accepting a gift? Did you think it was just admitting in an offhanded way "I sin all the time..."? Or did you think you had so badly transgressed the Law of God that you are incapable of ever being in His presence, save the blood of Christ?
Don't be deceived, friend, you have been saved (if indeed you have been redeemed) from the wrath of God, by the Loving Kindness of God, through the Grace of God, by the Providence of God. Read Sproul's book and also the Bible.
R.C. Sproul wrote this fabulous little book "Saved from What?" (Buy it here) which very simply answers this basic and yet not so basic question. I thought his answer was very clear and what most people wouldn't think. What do you say you are saved from? Sin? Hell? Damnation? Yourself? What are you saved from? Sproul says it is very clear, you are Saved from God.
Ummm, Larissa, are you sure about that? Heck, Yeah!! Why else would God have sent His only Son to suffer and die? Because HE KNEW that you and me were hopeless against Him apart from His own intervention! Does this change your view of being "saved"?
Have you always thought that, sweet gentle God just liked little Larissa so much, because "Awe, bless her cotton pickin' heart..." isn't she just the sweetest thing?! Did you really think that?! No. God is holy. And when I say Holy I mean you in his presence means destruction 100 times out of 100. You aren't a good person, you aren't lovable, you aren't sweet, you are a vessel of wrath!
But God loved us in a holy way, knowing that even though it would cost Him significantly, we would never be able to enter into His presence without the blood of Christ, because 100 times out of 100 our badness would have to be destroyed! God Himself would pour out His wrath on us, unless He Himself made a way for our pathetic selves! This kinda changes things doesn't it?!
You are saved......wait for it......from God! You are saved from having God's wrath poured out on your sweet and fabulous head, for eternity. Is this what happened at your conversion? Did you understand that you were so damaged that God would never allow you into His presence without the full brunt of His wrath? Did you understand that He knew the implications of our plight? This is no "Bad, Larissa, you sinned Larissa, let's just have a koom-bye-ya hug and don't you do it again, sweetie!" This is us drinking down the cup of wrath intended for all those who rebel against the Lord. God is love. He loved us so much He made a way for us not to experience that wrath, not because we were so sweet and cuddly, but because HE IS SO HOLY!
So if God save us from Himself. Does that mean we can just go ahead willy nilly ignoring his words and saying this sin is acceptable, "Larissa she is just a passionate Girl and her emotions get the better of her, Bless her heart!" Should we allow sin to abound that grace many abound? MAY IT NEVER BE! Do you understand that a HOLY God intervened in a GRAND way to redeem disgusting rabble like us? Or did you miss the whole point of being saved? Did you think it was praying a prayer, or accepting a gift? Did you think it was just admitting in an offhanded way "I sin all the time..."? Or did you think you had so badly transgressed the Law of God that you are incapable of ever being in His presence, save the blood of Christ?
Don't be deceived, friend, you have been saved (if indeed you have been redeemed) from the wrath of God, by the Loving Kindness of God, through the Grace of God, by the Providence of God. Read Sproul's book and also the Bible.
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