2008 at 4:06 pm | by Carolyn Mahaney
Filed under
Motherhood
While spending time with friends this past weekend, one of them read this little excerpt from Charles Bridges book, The Christian Ministry (p. 178):
"It
is faith that enlivens our work with perpetual cheerfulness. It commits
every part of it to God, in the hope, that even mistakes shall be
overruled for his glory; and thus relieves us from an oppressive
anxiety, often attendant upon a deep sense of our responsibility. The
shortest way to peace will be found in casting ourselves upon God for
daily pardon of deficiencies and supplies of grace, without looking too
eagerly for present fruit."
I’ve read these words
before; however, given my tendency to be anxious over my mistakes or
"look too eagerly for present fruit" (particularly as a mom), it
soundly encouraged and challenged my soul to hear them again. In fact,
we may have even used this quote in a past post, but I thought maybe
one or two of you might also be so inclined to this oppressive
anxiety Mr. Bridges speaks of (especially if you are a mom!) that you
too might find it helpful to read again.
Remember that the shortest path to peace is to cast yourself upon God.
"You keep him in perfectpeace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3
Christmas is in the air. My local grocery store already has all their ugly decorations hanging from the lamp posts. Mike gave me a new Christmas CD the other day, and to top things off we girls had our annual shopping trip recently.
I’m already thinking through my gift list for this year and I bet many of you are too. So I have a tip to get you started. Living with not one but three sports fans (my husband, brother, and father) I have the perfect recommendation for any sports fan in your life—Game Day for the Glory of God: A Guide for Athletes, Fans, and Wannabes. My dad had the honor of writing the foreword for this book which we have included here. So go ahead and get some early Christmas shopping done today.
Foreword to Game Day for the Glory of God by CJ Mahaney
This is the book I needed way back when.
I grew up passionate about sports. I played baseball, basketball, and football, and I swam competitively. And when I wasn’t playing sports, I was watching sports. Sadly, I think it was all a waste.
Yep, all of it. I wasted my sports because I didn’t play for the glory of God. I played for the glory of C.J. Like I said, I wish I had this book years ago. (Being a Christian would have helped as well!)
I wasted years of playing sports. But it can be different for you. And it will be, if you will read and apply the content of this unique book. My friend Stephen Altrogge has given us a book we desperately need, on a topic rarely addressed. He applies the gospel, not just to our behavior, but to our hearts. He is theologically informed, reminding us that sports are a gift from God and a potential means to grow in godliness. Whether it’s a real sport like basketball, soccer, and golf, or a bogus sport like croquet, Stephen wants us to glorify God when we play. (And if you think croquet is actually a sport, we need to talk.)
So whether you are an athlete (like me), a wannabe (like my friends), a parent, a coach, or simply a fan, Game Day for the Glory of God will provide you with a biblical perspective on sports. In the light of the gospel, you will see game day—and yes, even practice—as a moment of eternal significance, whether you win or lose.
The following is an open letter from a girltalk reader to President-Elect Barack Obama. Her words eloquently capture our hearts on this historic day.
Dear President-Elect Obama,
Today I shed tears of joy, along with hundreds of thousands of Americans, for the great victory of your election. The significance of this moment cannot be overstated. Our African-American friends have been oppressed and cast aside for generations in this country of ours. Now, may the shame be completely wiped away and may the glory that this nation represents and strives for become a reality for more and more of our once silenced citizens.
I confess I did not cast my vote for you. Not because you failed to inspire me with your speeches, because you did. Not because you do not impress me with your leadership and vision, because you do. I cast my vote for another based upon my concern for another segment of our society which is downtrodden and cast aside, the weak, the innocent; the unborn.
Mr. President-Elect, I pray that your heart would be burdened as well to do all in your power to encourage the life that is even now forming in many to come to fruition, to share in this great moment in our nation’s history. We all know the times are difficult and no one will escape the trials at hand. Just as this is true, so is the gift and privilege we have to live it. May the millions of unborn get this chance as well. May the virtue of responsibility reign as mothers choose to carry the fruit of their wombs to term, to give the gift of life to another. I ask, President Obama, that you would prayerfully consider your pay grade since indeed it has now risen at this moment in our history. May you be the champion of all those who are weak yet share the same right to life.
Albert Mohler offers advice for how to pray on this election day. “Christians face the responsibility to vote, not only as citizens, but as Christians who seek to honor and follow Christ in all things. But, beyond the vote, we also bear responsibility to pray for our nation.”
Here in America all the talk is about the election. But what does the church need to understand at a time like this? John Piper answers this important question from a biblical perspective: “We don’t live for politics,” he insists, “we don’t base our confidence about the future on whoever gets elected.” Click below to watch the entire video.
While spending time with friends this past weekend, one of them read this little excerpt from Charles Bridges book, The Christian Ministry (p. 178):
