According to the numbers, here are the top ten most viewed posts on girltalk in 2012. Some of these made us laugh and some made us scratch our heads. But most of all this list makes us grateful. Grateful, and still a bit amazed, that you all would read our blog through another year. Grateful for children and photography and soup. Grateful for God’s sustaining grace.
2012 at 3:41 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Motherhood
As a mom with two boys I’m always eager to point them to godly men, starting with their dad, who make the lessons we teach them “come to life.” Today my brother has an article about Tim Tebow and the recent attacks on his character. A great tool for parents to use with their children (and a great example for parents too!):
Proverbs 22:1 says: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.”
This verse explains what the media doesn’t seem to get about Tim Tebow. Character is more important to Tebow than being a starting quarterback. Honoring God means more to him than having a successful season.
“Ultimately, character is more important than reputation” explains John Kitchen in his commentary on Proverbs. “You can control your character (by God’s grace), but your reputation is not always within your power.”
Wise words from Mr. Kitchen. By God’s grace Tebow has been giving attention to his character since he became a Christian. And he will need God’s grace as talking heads, fueled by anonymous sources, continue to try to claw away at his reputation.
I’m sure Tim Tebow would be the first to admit that he is not flawless. He knows he is a sinner in need of a Savior. You don’t need anonymous sources with Tebow. Just ask him straight up. But Tebow has conducted himself impressively as he has been mistreated and maligned by the Jets and by the press.
No doubt these “phony as a three-dollar bill” type attacks will continue. But as Tebow continues to walk in integrity, by the grace of God, he will prove the attacks, and not his character, to be phony.
May God give him grace to continue to display true character, only possible because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We’ve all made our New Year’s resolutions: Spend (a little) less money on shoes, organize the kitchen cabinets, dig out the exercise DVD from under the bed, check the Facebook feed fewer times per day.
But wait. Have we resolved to do the one thing that is necessary in 2013?
“Our purpose in life—if we have the Holy Spirit” he says, “is godliness: you want to be like Jesus, and you want to be with Jesus.”
And there’s only one way for that to happen.
By practicing the spiritual disciplines.
By sitting at Jesus’ feet.
“Godly people are godly people primarily because they are disciplined people. And it has always been that way” insists Dr. Whitney:
“You can go all the way back through the history of the church and all the famous heroes of church history. You can be sure that all those men and women became godly men and women – not because God zapped them in some way that he hasn’t zapped you….Those great men and women of faith became more like Jesus the same way you and I do: by means of sustained, unspectacular, routine discipline. Godly people are godly people because they are disciplined people. It’s always been so.”
We want to urge you to read Dr. Whitney’s book, especially chapters 1-4,13. It will strengthen your desire and resolve to be more like Jesus and be with Jesus more often in 2013.
While you bake cookies or wrap presents with the kiddos this weekend, here are four-fun filled episodes of a kid talk Christmas with Mr. B, Mrs. B, and Caly. Listen and rejoice!
Grab your Christmas snacks and gather ‘round to enjoy a one-of-a kind telling of the Christmas story with Mr. and Mrs. B. Merry Christmas boys and girls!
We are very mindful that there are many people who experience grief and sadness during the Christmas season. My sister-in-law Sharon is one of them.
On July 8, 2003 Sharon lost Dave, her husband of 32 years, to a brain tumor. We all desperately miss Dave’s joy, his impeccable sense of humor, his servant’s heart, and his delicious cooking. However, the intense grief that Sharon and her five children have experienced these past two and a half years is a testimony to the love they had for Dave, and his love for them.
And yet, through this unimaginable hardship, Sharon’s faith in God’s sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness has remained strong. She has truly grieved with hope. While not a day goes by that she does not desperately miss “Her Bud” (as she and Dave would call each other) she displays a selfless strength in serving others that only comes from knowing Jesus Christ.
For this reason, we asked Sharon to share about both the pain, but more importantly the comfort she experiences at Christmastime. We pray her thoughts will provide hope to those of you who have lost a loved one. And for the rest of us, may we extend discerning care to those we know who are grieving this Christmas.
I believe there is only one answer to the question of how I experience God’s comfort at Christmastime, and that is for me to be on my knees basking in and staying grounded in the Word of God. His words touch my heart and soul, as he is the ultimate comforter. And from him come all other forms of comfort, as well.
Of course, snags are everywhere this time of year. If you’ve ever driven through the mountains, you’ve probably seen signs that read, “Beware of falling rocks.” For me as a widow, the holidays can be full of “falling rocks” in the form of that invitation or Christmas card addressed to only one name, traditions that are no longer an option, having to pass by the men’s department no longer looking for that annual sweater or tie, or even getting a whiff of my husband’s favorite cologne in the crowds of shoppers. Like a thorn on a rose pricks the finger, these reminders of a love lost prick my fragile, already bleeding heart. The challenge becomes surfacing from the pain of the past and wanting to live joyfully in the present with a hope for the future.
Although I have yet to get through the season without heartache and tears, and this will be my third Christmas without my husband, my Lord is faithful to supply the needed comfort. I should add here that I must choose to be comforted, as the temptation can be to fall into the sin of self-pity. If you are a widow, you know you can feel the pain of loneliness even when you’re in a group—even a group of family and friends. Those who help me to surface from the pain are not afraid of my sudden tears that may spill over in an instant unexpectedly, as they realize that may be the only language I can speak at the moment. They respect my need to talk at length about my current grief, or my desire not to talk at all. They give me much-appreciated hugs and tell me they care. They sometimes share remembrances of my husband that make me smile through the tears, knowing the memories may cause pain but are certainly treasured. Comfort has also come in the form of e-mails and phone calls and cards, all with words of love and encouragement. This past Sunday, I was comforted by a word shared during worship from one of the pastors with an encouragement for widows and single parents.
I think it is important to note here that we should not assume someone is no longer grieving, or not grieving as much, because a number of years have passed. I am among those who, before I became a widow, mistakenly thought that the one-year anniversary marked the end of the grieving process, that somehow things became easier and got back to “normal.” Where did that idea come from? That’s not accurate. I believe grieving is actually a gift, a good and necessary gift, a process, and a journey that, because of the depth of our love, may last until I see my Bud again. And, yes, the severity of my grieving is increased during the holidays. But as I respond to the pain and embrace with gratefulness the comforts he sends, I learn endurance and perseverance; and I realize that everything is part of the process of sanctification. And I am overwhelmed—not by my grief—but by his love for me.
