A Smoky Mountain Summer

Imagine the heat of a Tennessee summer evening tingling your skin; the rolling hills yawning with each swoop and stretch; and the insects singing a sweet summer symphony, their unassuming lullaby soothing to the soul. This is just a glimmer of what Tennessee was to hold for me, only a glimpse of the rich nourishment that was to come from this shower of blessings.

On June 18th I began my trek to the Smoky Mountain Christian Village in Sevierville, Tennessee. What this six week adventure was to hold, I had yet to discover. After about a six hour drive, I arrived at my cozy summer home. It was upon my arrival that I met the young woman who would come to be such an encouragement to me, a true lady after God's own heart: Jacquelyn.



Jacquelyn is not your typical, run-of-the-mill woman. She is feisty, inquisitive, and oh so entertaining. Her spunk and passion are contagious and she makes your heart smile. (You should check out her blog: beneathakansansky.blogspot.com)

The Lord continued to bless me with priceless friendships. Andrew and Hunter were the maintenance crew additions for the summer, and what godly men they were! They had such zeal and love for the Lord that you couldn't help but feel the fervor emminating from them. Abbie and Ruthie, two darling Kansan recruits, were like a beam of sunshine in a grey sky. They added so much pizzaz to our little quartet of femininity. I would be working side by side with those two young ladies for my main duty of the summer: kitchen staff.

We were responsible for providing meals for week-long camps for two weeks. Now, I've cooked for ten people, maybe even 12; but that is no comparison to fifty. There was quite a bit of stress and a few messes made, but the additional help we received was wonderful! The camp director, Brock Shinkle, and his wife Annie have two little girls, a little boy, and just added another little man last week. Their two daughters, Emma and Elsie, were such a big help through the weeks. They were so willing to lend a hand and always wanted to know what they could help with.

Miss Elsie

The rest of the summer staff also assisted us in our mealtime duties. I know we were SO thankful for the extra hands!

While we had many responsibilities through the week, we always made time for a little fun. Jacquelyn, in all her brilliance, planned a tea party for all the girls. It was so fun and so cute! We had an exquisite tablescape and all kinds of delicious finger foods.

Ruthie and her moustache cup :)

Emma and Elsie all dolled up for the tea party!

We also had a fun friend to add to our entertainment: Waldo. Waldo was our Japanese transportation adventure, through which I learned to drive a manual for the first time! He was our trusty truck to take us to and fro about the campus and also aided in a pretty epic water balloon fight.

Through the duration of my stay at my home away from home, the Lord opened these droopy eyes to so many vibrant truths. The girls and I did a study on the book of Ruth. We worked through the beginning of the wonderful book "Lady In Waiting." (I highly, and I mean highly, recommend this book for any single woman of any age.) God opened my eyes to idols I had hidden in my heart and renewed my spirit within me. The encouragement I received from all of my fellow servants and the friendships I gained are priceless.

A scripture I have learned to cling to is 1 Corinthians 7:27, 32-35: "Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife... But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction."

My heart's desire is to have a family of my own, but I was made aware through my study of Ruth that my singleness is a blessed time, not a cursed one. God has entrusted me with this time to whole-heartedly serve Him. I have opportunities now that I will not have as a married woman and I want to be a good and faithful steward of my time. Jesus needs to be, has to be, my primary focus and the only God in my life. No man can fill that part of me and now is the time to really solidly establish Christ as the center of my life.

Words seem much too empty in comparison to the fullness I received in my six weeks in Tennessee. In its majestic mountains, its trees so tall and protective, its simplicity, calm and soothing. God is an artist of works refined, an author of words sublime, and a Father of love divine. Behold, what manner of love the Father has given unto us! This love was only deepened and magnified in my short but life-long adventure. My mission to the mountains. My Smoky Mountain Summer.

~Brittney

We Will Never Be the Same

Lord of All

This week has been a reminder that the God I serve really is Lord of All. I am humbled daily that the King of Kings chooses to bless me...me, an undeserving servant with gifts greater than I could ever imagine.

Wonderful Blessing #1: Three weeks ago, my hubby put our house up for sale by listing it on a website. He is quite the visionary and keeps me ready and waiting for new adventures. Neither one of us thought that it would get much interest, much less an offer. However, yesterday, we officially sold our sweet, red farmhouse. It took a mere three weeks from listing to closing for this process to be completed. What's more, the profit we were blessed to receive will be most helpful in putting a down payment on our home-to-be, wherever that home-to-be may be. We are so excited to see where the Lord takes us from here and what he has in store. I am so abundantly thankful to my amazing husband for following the prompting of the wonderful Counselor, and I pray that we are sensitive to his timing as we search for our next residence.

Wonderful Blessing #2: My parents have graciously opened their home to us for an undetermined amount of time while we house/land hunt. This week we will be moving in, which will be like a trip down memory lane, because we are staying in the room my sister and I used to share. My sister has moved from her room into what used to be the office/homeschool room, and the office moved to what used to be the dining room. Everyone has been so accommodating and hospitable through this transition. We are happy to be together and (Mom and I especially) are excited to be refining our creative homemaking skills together...(sewing projects, experimental bread and cinnamon roll recipes, and the like) We like to think of our soon-to-be full house as an "Incubator for Sanctification." And a full house it will be: My sister, who is commuting to a nearby college, by brothers, who are both homeschooled, my mom (Nana), my dad (Poppy), my loving husband, and our baby boy, who is nine months old...Which brings me to...

Wonderful Blessing #3: Just a few short hours before we closed on our house, I was surprised and overjoyed to find that the Lord is blessing us with another gift, a precious baby, due in late April. The joy that fills my heart is indescribable! I had this wonderful plan to tell my husband in a cute, creative way (which I had to come up with quickly on my own, because the ideas I looked up on the Internet were not so creative.) I left the house and headed for a card store where I bought a Daddy-to-be card. I put it in the envelope and wrote our address on the front, with a made up return address (in handwriting that looked nothing like my own)and headed home to stick it in the mailbox for him to find when he got home. That's when he called me, wondering where I was...Yes, he had beaten me to the house. Shortly after I hung up the phone, I remembered that I had left the pregnancy test in the bathroom! I called back, trying to think of a way to keep him out of the bathroom until I got home. Ring, Ring, "Hi, Honey. Do you have something you want to tell me???" my husband questioned. "Ummmmm, like what?" I replied, trying to hold in the news that was about to burst at the seams. "Honnnneyyyy..." Yep, again I was too late! But all I could do was giggle like a little school girl! Hubby asked, " Are you being serious or are you joking?" I told him I was serious and that there is no way (that I'm aware of)to fake a pregnancy test. I also told him that I had just called to keep him away from the bathroom and away from that pregnancy test. When I arrived at home, I still gave Hubby the card and he gave me a sweet hug and two kisses (one for me and one for the baby) When the surprise of it all had worn off a bit, Hubby told me that it wasn't the pregnancy test that he found. He opened the computer to check an email from the realtor and what popped up but a web page that said "Creative Ways to Tell your Husband You're Pregnant." Oops! I guess this was as creative a way as any...or at least as surprising! Needless to say, I will do a better job of covering my tracks next time! :) But any faint disappointment I may have had from my plan being for naught, was swept away with the elation we are feeling!

So there you have it, three wonderful blessings packed into three wonderful days. A brilliant husband who loves me fully and introduces me to new adventures, a sweet baby boy to love and to train, a gracious family who is a great example of hospitality, and a chance to live out the faith I have in the One who writes my days, not knowing what is written in the next chapter, or even on the next page. I am so grateful to my God for providing, and even going above and beyond what I need. Yes, my God is a magnificent Savior, Redeemer, King of Kings, and Lord of All.

Jessica

Biblical Womanhood

Is my behavior reverent today?

Meditating on the Cross

Sometimes when I read God's word, I feel overwhelmed with love and encouragement. Other times I'm struck with conviction that burns in my gut. Just when I think I am reading too deeply into a passage, or I am more concerned with man's judgement than that of my Father, the Lord faithfully shows me the weaknesses in my heart.

My flesh is far too easily swayed by this sinful world in which we live. The enemy cleverly and craftily uses the culture to seduce me into believing there is no black and white, only grey. That lie would be easy to swallow if it weren't for God's Word.

There is a delicate balance between being in the world but not of the world; loving my neighbor without shrouding that love in social tolerance. My heart's greatest desire is to love my Lord through obedience to His Word. Many times He draws out of me a love so deeply laden with passion and zeal for His testimonies, and I struggle to contain it. I pray that living out the love I have for my Savior, however pathetic my attemps, brings Him glory and draws others to Him. But there is still a longing to speak truth in love to my sons and daughters, brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as the lost. However, I know my words must come from a humble heart, and sometimes my passion and zeal begin to override humility. I am so grateful that Jesus is my navigator through these mine fields. If I continue to trust His sovereign voice, He will be able to use me in ways I am not able to foresee.

As I seek to daily die to self and live for Christ, the Holy Spirit empowers me to fight the battle that rages on within my flesh. The battle that tells me to keep silent; to speak an unfit word; to fear persecution; to fear being labeled judgemental and legalistic. But, Praise be to God for the encouragement and strength that only comes from Him. He provided the remedy to the disease of this world, the way to overcome sin. Jesus died on the cross, rose from the grave, took His place in Heaven and draws us, His followers, away from the world's allure and into His arms.

Sinful man lives in a corrupt world rescued by a perfect Savior. That is what I must keep in perspective. That is what must motivate my heart into action. C.J. Mahaney beautifully draws the scope of this issue into focus in this excerpt from the book Worldliness, "Meditate on the cross. Consider the wonders of the Savior who died for sinners and rose victorious over sin and death. Dwell where the cries of Clavary are louder than the clamor of the world."

Motherhood Is a Calling (And Where Your Children Rank)

What a wonderful post to encourage mothers!
"Behold, children are a gift of the LORD. The fruit of the womb is a reward." Psalm 127:3

Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.

Christian mothers carry their children in hostile territory. When you are in public with them, you are standing with, and defending, the objects of cultural dislike. You are publicly testifying that you value what God values, and that you refuse to value what the world values. You stand with the defenseless and in front of the needy. You represent everything that our culture hates, because you represent laying down your life for another—and laying down your life for another represents the gospel.

Our culture is simply afraid of death. Laying down your own life, in any way, is terrifying. Strangely, it is that fear that drives the abortion industry: fear that your dreams will die, that your future will die, that your freedom will die—and trying to escape that death by running into the arms of death.

Run to the Cross
But a Christian should have a different paradigm. We should run to to the cross. To death. So lay down your hopes. Lay down your future. Lay down your petty annoyances. Lay down your desire to be recognized. Lay down your fussiness at your children. Lay down your perfectly clean house. Lay down your grievances about the life you are living. Lay down the imaginary life you could have had by yourself. Let it go.

Death to yourself is not the end of the story. We, of all people, ought to know what follows death. The Christian life is resurrection life, life that cannot be contained by death, the kind of life that is only possible when you have been to the cross and back.

The Bible is clear about the value of children. Jesus loved them, and we are commanded to love them, to bring them up in the nurture of the Lord. We are to imitate God and take pleasure in our children.

Hands Full of Good Things
When my little girl told me, “Your hands are full!” I was so thankful that she already knew what my answer would be. It was the same one that I always gave: “Yes they are—full of good things!”

Live the gospel in the things that no one sees. Sacrifice for your children in places that only they will know about. Put their value ahead of yours. Grow them up in the clean air of gospel living. Your testimony to the gospel in the little details of your life is more valuable to them than you can imagine. If you tell them the gospel, but live to yourself, they will never believe it. Give your life for theirs every day, joyfully. Lay down pettiness. Lay down fussiness. Lay down resentment about the dishes, about the laundry, about how no one knows how hard you work.

Stop clinging to yourself and cling to the cross. There is more joy and more life and more laughter on the other side of death than you can possibly carry alone.

To continue reading click the link:

Motherhood Is a Calling (And Where Your Children Rank)

Divided: Is Modern Youth Ministry Multiplying or Dividing the Church?

Counter-Cultural, Controversial, Challenging, Life-Changing

To watch DIVIDED the movie, now for free, click HERE