New Year; New Me

Last year, I read through the Bible audibly by listening to Get In the Word with Truth's Table. This is a podcast by the women of Truth's Table. It's not a podcast, though; the two hosts read through passages from the Old and New Testaments and then end with a spirit-inspired prayer. It seems the Bible is read in chronological order, so on listening, you'll learn, for example, that a lot of Chronicles is a recap or sometimes a repeat of other books - Genesis, Kings, and Daniel.

Listening to the Word makes certain words and phrases stand out that you may have glossed over previously. This practice of waking up and listening to the word provides an excellent start to my day. I used to try to listen while walking or muddling around the kitchen, but these days, I simply sit and do nothing but listen. I am 100% present.

The Rabbit

In my neighborhood, I usually see a family of wild rabbits with bushy white tails. They're harmless and pretty, but they hop quickly. As I studied the pace of their movements, I remembered that in the sport of Track and Field, if you want the field to go faster than intended, there's usually a rabbit in the race. The rabbit's role is to set the pace for the field, but the rabbit does not complete the race. He merely ensures that the others running are doing what they're supposed to do so that when he drops out, the remaining runners have the momentum to keep going.


According to Runners World, in distances as short as the 800 meters and as long as the marathon, the

Examine Yourself

Yesterday being the first Sunday of the month was Communion Sunday in many churches. It's a time during the service where the Lord's Supper is celebrated and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 is read to provide a framework around this symbolic meal.

As this passage was read recently, the phrase "let a man examine himself" resonated with me. It stopped me in my tracks and forced me to take a more in-depth look at myself. I had to take time to examine myself, to self-reflect. There is a thoughtfulness to my approach.  When I understand the significance of this meal, I am grateful. Though solemn, it's a celebration, not a funeral.

Let a man examine himself. This phrase was said in the context of partaking in a ceremonial meal that represented something sacred and holy - the Lord's Supper; A Love Feast; a fellowship with no sense of rush. A unifying event. Though God says to come as you are a heart examination needs to take place in order to partake. We are encouraged to understand the reasons for the Lord's Supper and its implications for us.

Seven Times A Day

As I was reading Psalm 119, I became fascinated by verse 164, which says "Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments."

Recall that this is the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses, where practically every verse highlights the attributes of God's Word, all from the very personal perspective of its author.

The Word of God can literally save a life: George Wishart was the Bishop of Edinburgh in the 17th century. Wishart was condemned to death and would have been executed. But when he was on the scaffold, he made use of a custom that allowed the condemned person to choose one psalm to be sung, and he chose Psalm 119. Before two-thirds of the psalm was sung, his pardon arrived, and his life was spared. [Source: blueletterbible.org]

Back to verse 164 - what makes a person so emphatic in their declaration of praise? Well, one quick answer is already noted in the verse - it's because of God's righteous judgments. He has seen that God has always done right by Him; He has never left or abandon him.

Women of the Word - Kristie Anyabwile

Kristie is a force to be reckoned with. Instead of falling prey to labels and being pigeonholed, she’s rooted her identity in her calling as a Christian, wife, mother, and servant of the local church—specifically, she notes, in that order. She supports her husband as he pastors Washington, D.C.’s Anacostia River Church, discipling other women as she writes and speaks about her own experiences as a wife, mother, and follower of Jesus (christianitytoday.com).We all need someone like Kristie in our lives, someone who knows the Word and with God's help lives out the word. She is as resourceful as she is serious but possesses a zest for life. Meet this month's Woman of the Word - Kristie Anyabwile.

Kristie Anyabwile

The Heart of Giving Series - Stewardship: What Does it Really Mean?

As a child in Sunday School, I learned the parable of the talents which goes like this: Before going on a trip, the master divided up his talents (i.e. a considerable amount of money) between three of his servants. Of his three servants, he gave one five talents, one two talents, and another one talent. The servant with the five talents invested them wisely and his five talents became ten. The same for the one with the two - his two talents became four. But the servant who got one talent hid it out of fear from his master and did nothing with it. The master was upset and gave that one talent to the servant who had the most.

This story was always used to exemplify the

The Best Exemplar

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As women, sometimes we struggle with housekeeping don't we, especially when we have a growing family. Recognizing that there's a place for neatness we try to keep everything neat all the time and this is where our unrealistic expectations begin to get the best of us. Maybe secretly we do believe that neatness is next to godliness.

We want our living rooms to be works of arts instead of actually being lived in; we want our kitchens and our bedrooms to be Pinterest worthy and there should be no toys or clothing on any of the floors. The only place that might be allowed to be messy is the laundry room - and even there we drive ourselves crazy: we should have bins for each person and each color; washed laundry should be folded into neat stacks so that family members can easily spot their clothes. In other words, even the laundry area must be neat! Who can stay sane? We set unrealistic examples for those around us while perhaps driving them and ourselves crazy.

What Do You Need Him to Be?

Have you ever read a book that changed you? If you've read such a book you will notice that upon each successive reading, you were transformed again because you noticed something new. Some books can do this but as an avid reader, I know that they're not as timeless or alive as the Bible. No book has impacted or changed me like the Bible.

Without knowing it, whenever you read the Bible it is ministering to your deepest needs because that's what it was meant to do. (2 Timothy 3:16) There is nothing that you are going through that you won't find a relatable story, phrase or thought that can provide insight, foresight, and hindsight for you and your situation. As you read and your deepest needs are met in a supernatural way, you may wonder why you've never done this before. Discover the God of the Bible, who is what you need to him to be, at just the right time.

Flies and Lies

I hate flies. Somehow they get in - whether through a crevice or a door left open, then they show up with that annoying buzzing. It seems they are attracted to bright lights and food. There was a time that I had a tiny hole in the screen of my window. In what seemed to be instant, one fly multiplied into ten, and I was on a rampage.

I hate flies. To get rid of flies, I have used towels, shoes, and a fly swatter. When I use the wrong tool, I may kill the fly, but more often than not I damage something in the surrounding area. When I use a shoe, I miss. But when I use a fly swatter, I'm so precise it's incredible. There's something about the length of the handle and the lightness of the swatter that makes it so effective. I feel powerful when I'm eradicating these pests with the right tool.

Lies are like flies. Lies get in whether through a subtle thought or a bold-faced lie. Lies buzz around and take on a life of their own. Lies seem to be attracted to our propensity to deny truth and believe a lie. Lies can proliferate until we can no longer discern the truth. Unlike flies, the buzz of a lie may not always be annoying until you recognize it for what it is.
Buzzz.......you're ugly.

Buzzz......you're worthless.

Buzzz.......I'm smart therefore I'm better than all of you.

Buzzz.....It's OK to talk about her.

Buzzz.....Since we're in a relationship, we can do whatever we want and no one needs to know.

Buzzz......I'll buy this dress and wear it with the tags, then return it.

Buzzz......type Amen and send this email to 10 people so that you can be blessed.

The only way to recognize lies is to know the truth, if not any lie can seem plausible. The best source of truth starts with the Bible as it is the ultimate lie swatter! (John 17:17) As a source of truth, it eradicates lies. It's powerful (Psalm 119:89), timeless (Psalm 119: 137,138), consistent, provides discernment (1Thessalonians 5:21), trustworthy (Numbers 23:19) and provides a standard (2 Timothy 3:16).  Using the sword of the word you will feel powerful as you wield it. But use it wisely - be prayerful and wise as you eradicate lies. Study the Word, so that you can recognize the incessant buzzing of a lie and then eliminate it.

The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. Psalm 119:130 [NLT]

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23 [NLT]

Lies, like flies, have no power over you. When you recognize a lie for what it is, kill it.

On Being a Wife - Job's Wife

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"Why don't you curse God and die?" This is what Job's wife said to Job at the height of his suffering. Job had recently lost his livestock, his children, and his health. Job's wife was there as he was going through all of his losses, because she also lost possessions and her children also, but not her health. The loss of her children would be just as painful as the loss of Job's health; she was suffering in conjunction with Job.

Curse God and die - was this the raging of a mad woman or someone who was overly concerned for her husband?

If God knew Job was a righteous man, surely his wife knew. She knew his heart. Seeing him at his lowest point and not being able to do anything for him, she probably blurted out what she thought would release him from his misery - death. And since Job was so righteous the only sure fire way that she could think of for death to occur would be to curse God, anger God, reject the very deity that Job has been so faithful to his whole life; because in her grief, she had a warped view of God.

But Job's response indicated that he knew that she wasn't literally suggesting he do so - he said she speaks like a foolish woman, not that she was a foolish woman. Job knew his wife was not a foolish woman but again in her grief, she sounded like something she was not. Job was a smart man and recognized that. Because whatever his response and reaction to her, the Bible says, "In all of this Job sinned not."  He didn't sin in his response to her.  Sometimes in wanting the best for our spouses and doing all that we can but yet not feeling their pain, our anguished thoughts may not come out as clearly as they should. According to Job's wife, death would release Job from his suffering.

The Bible doesn't indicate that Job's wife suffered a greater fate for her words, and we know that Job was restored and went on to have ten more children. When we are suffering in marriage, the whole unit suffers, but we may not always express ourselves poignantly in our deepest grief to each other. This is where knowing each other's heart and having a solid foundation is important. This is why you never stop talking and communicating with each other.

If you've lashed out at your spouse because of their pain, I hope your spouse receives it in the spirit it was intended. I hope they understand that it pains you to see them suffer and if you could you would do anything humanly possible to stop their pain. I hope they don't respond in kind to you. I hope you get the opportunity to come back and clearly express yourself and perhaps ask forgiveness. Tricky times wreak havoc, but let's use it to come together, not pull apart. .

But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong. Job 2:10 [NLT]

What can you learn from Job's wife?

Graduates From A Peculiar Institution

Have you ever reviewed or become aware of your family history and discovered some appalling fact? Slavery in American history is like that - appalling. Perhaps I was asleep during much of my history lessons, but I do not recall learning for any length of time about the cruelties of slavery and what Black Americans endured. In hindsight, I would have to say it was glossed over or whitewashed (pun intended). I did not intentionally start out to discover all I could about slavery, but the more I read the more I wanted to know, and it has been a devastating knowledge. Like Malcolm X, I can honestly say, I will not forget how shocked I was when I started reading about slavery's total horror.

I struggled with how men could be so cruel to their fellow man; what goes on in one's mind to remove all humanity from another soul; is this what happens when profit is placed over people; why the need to punish so severely with whippings and maiming; and why was all of this sanctioned by the laws of the land.

My curiosity was stoked by current events and by reading fiction and historical fiction around the Civil War. In the past months I have read:

1. The Invention of Wings - Sue Monk Kidd
2. Somebody Knows my Name - Lawrence Hill
3. Candle In the Darkness - Lynn Austin
4. Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe
5. 12 years a Slave - Solomon Northrup
6. Thirty Years a Slave From Bondage to Freedom: The Institution of Slavery as Seen on the Plantation and in the Home of the Planter: Autobiography of Louis Hughes - Louis Hughes
7. When I Was a Slave: Memoirs from the Slave Narrative Collection - Norman R. Yetman
8. American Slavery As It Is, Testimony of a Thousand Witnesses (Illustrated and Annotated) - by Theodore Dwight Weld
9. Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom; or, the escape of William and Ellen Craft from slavery - by Ellen and William Craft

For approximately 250 years black people were treated worse than animals in the name of capitalism. So much of this country was literally built on the backs of slaves. Slaves were used to doing labor that the white man would not do. In America, there were two distinctions of slavery - Northern and Southern and every slave knew that if you were sold down south it was worse than your worse day as a Northern Slave. If you were white you could own a black person and no one would question it; therefore the worst white person could own a black person and no questions would be asked. As a slave, you were subjected to the whims of your master - whatever they may be. As a slave, you were not entitled to any thoughts or rights. Being kidnapped into slavery was a very real fear - thousands were kidnapped from the North and sold into slavery in the South.

The slave had no family - he could be married, bought or sold at someone else's whim. Women were forced to breed either with other slaves or with their masters. Many were the children who were separated from their mothers never to be seen again. As a slave, the sanctity of marriage was invisible.

A slave was not fed or clothed as a human - livestock received better treatment than a slave. The favorite form of punishment seemed to be whippings with a cowhide or bullwhip. If one was particularly stubborn you could also be maimed or have your teeth knocked out. You were also branded like common cattle. Even if a master was not cruel in the outward sense of the word, a slave was considered "property for life."

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Slaves were whipped without mercy for minor infractions, worked from sun up to sun down, were given the worse food and only fed twice a day, could not take care of their babies and lived in constant fear while yearning for freedom. Though human, the slave had no rights. The slave was flogged, tortured and brutalized, yet was expected to continue working and produce. One of the greater cruelties of slavery was the child of a slave took the condition of the mother; therefore if the mother was a slave, the child was a slave even if the child was fathered by the master. How heartless a man must be to treat his flesh and blood as a slave; the slave had no rights except what his master desired.

Even if they were treated like brute beasts, not being allowed to learn, they knew what they were going through could never be right. Mothers murdered their children so that they wouldn't know the horrors of slavery. Many ran away; some succeeded and some did not. A slave knew that there was no worse fate for a slave than one who ran away but was caught. Dogs were set on him to catch him and if caught his punishment was more severe than anything he had endured to that point. For a slave was property and in running away you reduced the earning potential of the master.

The laws of this great country sanctioned slavery:

If more than seven slaves are found together in any road, without a white person— twenty lashes a piece. For visiting a plantation without a written pass— ten lashes . For letting loose a boat from where it is made fast— thirty nine lashes; and for the second offence, shall have his ear cut off. For having an article for sale without a ticket from his master— ten lashes. For being on horseback without the written permission of his master— twenty five lashes. For keeping or carrying a club - thirty-nine lashes. For having any article for sale without a ticket from his master - ten lashes. For traveling in any other than the most usual and accustomed road when going alone to any place - forty lashes. For traveling in the night without a pass - forty lashes. For being found in another person's negro quarters - forty lashes. For hunting with dogs in the woods - thirty lashes. For being on horseback without the written permission of his master - twenty-five lashes. For riding or going abroad in the night, or riding horses in the day time, without leave a slave may be whipped, cropped or branded on the cheek, or otherwise punish not extending to life, or as to render him unfit for labor.  (a subset of the laws in Southern slave code).

100 lashes were considered a severe whipping and depending on the offense, which could be anything. it could be up to 500 lashes. Overseers were the primary administrators of whippings, but sometimes it was the master himself or another slave, threatened with punishment, usually whipping if he didn't comply. "The slaveholders of America resort to every species of cruelty, but they can never reduce the slave to a willing obedience. The natural elasticity of the human soul repels the slightest attempt to enslave it." - Frederick Douglass

One of the more appalling cruelties that resulted from slavery was the rationalization by slaveholder that this was what God intended. It just goes to show how the mind of man can be so corrupted when he is blinded by his own sins. As Frederick Douglass so eloquently states: "It must also be stated that the American pulpit is on the side of slavery, and the Bible is blasphemously quoted in support of it." (Frederick Douglass) This is not the slavery of the Bible - for even when the Israelites were persecuted by the Egyptians, the Lord raised up someone so that they were removed from this slavery. The Bible does not condone White supremacy or any human supremacy for that matter. The institution of slavery as practiced in America was never sanctioned by the Bible.
Contrary to the claims of many skeptics, the New Testament proclaims that all people are equal in the eyes of God - even slaves:

• There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) 
• knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. (Ephesians 6:8) 
• And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him. (Ephesians 6:9) 
• a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. (Colossians 3:11) 

Over time,  slavery became a necessary evil. A startling statistic emerged in the 1970s, when economists taking a hardheaded look at slavery found that on the eve of the Civil War, enslaved black people, in the aggregate, formed the second most valuable capital asset in the United States. David Brion Davis sums up their findings: “In 1860, the value of Southern slaves was about three times the amount invested in manufacturing or railroads nationwide.” The only asset more valuable than the black people was the land itself.

In his impassioned new memoir, “Between the World and Me,” Ta-Nehisi Coates writes, “In America, it is traditional to destroy the black body — it is heritage.” This statement seems inflammatory, but history and current events show the truth in this statement.

Frederick Douglass along with many others was a graduate from the peculiar institution of slavery. "I was a graduate from the peculiar institution," Mr. Collins used to say when introducing me, "with my diploma written on my back!" (Frederick Douglass Douglass, Frederick, 1817?-1895. My Bondage and My Freedom.) Many of our ancestors had their diplomas written on their backs. Since I am here today, it is from whence I came. I truly thank God, that my diploma is not written on my back.

As a Christian, I am called to be in the world but not of the world. In the world around me, I see racism toward black people in many shapes and forms. They are the stories that make it to headlines which can make one more wary and weary, and they are many that don't. Because of the cloud that hangs over our interactions, in trying not to make everything about race you recognize that race pervades many of our interactions.

I am grateful for the elasticity of the human soul, and that as a people we have been able to repel attempts to enslave. Hopefully, we can all learn from our history so that this never happens again. I'm also hopeful that this knowledge will help in strengthening the divide between races; that it won't continue to be minimized but at the very least acknowledged.

PS - I started writing this ~3 months ago, and even now it is one of the more difficult posts I have had to write.

What's That You Have In Your Hand?

This is what God said to Moses (Exodus 4:2) to demonstrate that he can use anything to show his Godness, His power, and His sovereignty. Moses was hesitant to do the task he was being called to, and God just wanted to let him know that he was not alone; that with Him, Moses could do what he was being called to do. We all know the story of Moses, how he led the Israelites out of Egypt. He's hailed as a hero but he started off very timid and got bolder as he saw how God worked. God doesn't need much to accomplish his purpose.
This song encapsulates what God can do with a little.

That's When He Steps In - by Alvin Slaughter

When we have a work to do

And the task ahead seems bigger than you

That's when He steps in

When you know in your heart that 

God's command takes more than can be done by man

That's when He steps in

He sees you at the point of your need

He sees you at the point of crossing your Red Sea

In the moment you call

When you've given your all

He steps in, He steps in

And He'll say

What's that you have in your hand

I can use it, if you're willing to lose it

Take the little you have and make it grand

I am El Shaddai and I'll more than supply your need

When all you have is oil in a jar

That's a reflection of where you are

That's when He steps in

A little boy's lunch of fish and bread

Is all you have for the need ahead

That's when He steps in

Let Him take it and bless it and break it and give it

He'll multiply it in the moment you live it

And in the moment you call

When you've given your all

He steps in, He steps in

And He'll say

What's that you have in your hand

I can use it, if you're willing to lose it

Take the little you have and make it grand

I am El Shaddai and I'll more than supply your need

(Repeat Chorus)


Are you willing to be used or are you hesitant like Moses? Is there something in your hand that God can use?

Good News

Last night at Bible Study during the praise and request time, we received some great news. Before I share the news, let me share with you what's happening.

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The women from my church meet once a week to fellowship and study. I joined because after 4 yrs of living in Southern California I was still craving connection with other women.  I thought in order for me to connect with others, they had to look like me or share the same cultural background - which is very superficial of me. So I had reservations when I started, but I did have a desire to learn and share God's Word more. We started in the spring and we are using David, Seeking a Heart Like His by Beth Moore as our guide. During the week you read and take notes and come ready to share (or not.)

David was a man after God's own heart, though as you look at his life there were significant flaws and events that challenged him along the way.  David became king at age 30, but prior to that he had killed Goliath, was anointed as king, fought battles, committed adultery with Bathsheba, and had many wives (he seemed to have a weakness for women.) He had done a lifetime of living prior to becoming king, but at age 30 he was finally established as king. (There's a lesson here regarding God's timing.)

One of the highlights from last night's study (in addition to the good news) was an incident that occurred in 2 Sam 4. Saul's son Ishbosheth is murdered and David in turn puts to death the murderers. Violence breeds violence.  From this story, the writer of the Bible Study made this point - "we are not likely to draw actual swords and thrust them in to the bellies of our brothers and sisters in Christ, but when we use the word of God inappropriately, this is what we do. It is equivalent to what Peter did  when he used his sword to wrongfully cut off the ear of the soldier." This was food for thought, as I don't want to use the word of God inappropriately and cut off another's ear, so that they can't hear me.

Back to the good news - one of our members shared that she found Jesus, finally, and she has been so happy ever since. She came to our group because of her troubled circumstances. We had spent time praying with her, encouraging her, hugging and loving on her and helping her out financially.  But she was holding on to something and this week she could hold on no more. In her words she found Jesus and she has never been happier. It gave me goosebumps to see her joy because it was palpable, and I know that as we were happy the angels were rejoicing also.

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Psalms 30:11,12

Do you know Jesus? As a Christian do you think about how you use the Word? Do you always speak the truth in love?

Notes From My Bible

I wrote this 11 years ago! It was my first real attempt at putting my thoughts to paper for publication. Because the message is timeless, it has been on my mind recently.  Hope you enjoy.

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Many of us take notes in our Bibles as part of our personal time, during a seminar or listening to a pastor or teacher. The idea for this article came to me as I thought about the wealth of information contained in our personal notes and how these notes when re-read at various points of our lives still offer inspiration and insight. 

I decided to write "Notes From My Bible" for two reasons:

1. To encourage others to continue to do this (or to start) and to show how much knowledge is gained from snippets. 
2. The article is written in a light-hearted tone and is intended to whet the appetite.

Recently, I've been searching the scriptures more and in doing this I realize how important my Bible is to me. As a matter of fact, though I am married and my husband and I share many things, I must admit I get touchy when he uses my Bible. You see, besides the 66 books in the Bible, I have verses that are precious to me underlined, I've color-coded passages that moved me at various points of my life and I've taken notes from thousands of pastors and seminars. And so my Bible has become a wellspring of information (as it should be) not only for the inspired words but also as a source of reflection, as a source of answered prayer, and as a source of constant realization that I always need God. I never get too old to learn his lesson. Here are excerpts from some of the various notes in my Bible and what they've meant to me:

• If the _ _ _ _ _ fits, you're the wrong size! (world goes into the blank) I was in my late teens when I heard this, and I remember thinking I don't ever want the world to fit. But this one line had more impact on me than a sermon. It's powerful. 

• I will counsel you with mine eye! Psalm 32:8 …I was attending a women's bible study and the speaker said that she uses this verse with her children to reinforce the fact that she can look at them a certain way and they will know that they're in trouble. Of course, she said this with a twinkle in her eye!

• Children need pray and love. One of the best gift parents give their children is the gift of prayer. 

• If there is no mess, then there is no message! If there is no test, then there is no testimony! 

• 8/1/88 Prayer List – every time I see this, it reminds me that certain things are timeless. I still pray the same things today! 

Career direction – I need to feel that I'm doing something important and fulfilling
Families – improved relationships
A place to live (I was about to get married!)
Yearning to know the Word better

• 5/7/89 – The more I suffer the stronger I become….we faint not. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18. Ultimately we are victorious. Everything that happens is for our good. 

• The Lord builds self-esteem! Self-esteem is an on/off thing for me. I've reached the stage of my life where I know and am assured that He finds me worthy and that shoots any low self-esteem issues through the roof. 

• Impossible verses – Luke 1:37, Luke 18:27, Jeremiah 32:17,27 – Verses that strengthen our faith. 

• The number of times the word, WORD appears in Psalm 119. I then go on to list a page full of examples like "thy WORD is a lamp unto my feet or a light unto my path (v105)," and "If the WORD is hidden in our hearts it becomes harder to sin (v11)". You'd be amazed at how powerful and far-reaching God's Word is once you go through this exercise. 

• An acronym for studying God's Word based on 2 Timothy 2:15 

Systematically
Tenaciously – persistently
Unfeignedly – genuine and sincere
Diligently – steady, earnest and energetic
Yield – If we study the Word of God, we yield to the Spirit naturally.

• Finding your personal gifts. Yet another acronym which offers guidance on determining your gifts, for we've all been given a gift. 

C – competence; what are you good at? Have others encouraged you in this area?
L – Love; what do I love doing? Discover the issues that concern you.
U – understanding yourself and what God is doing in your life.
E – experience; what has life prepared you for?
S – situation; where am I situated? Where do I spend my time?

These are only some of the snippets found on any white space in my Bible. I've run out of pages and now use a separate binder to take notes as the Holy Spirit moves me.

Do you take notes in your Bible? What's the best note you've ever written? How do you remember a great sermon? Please share in the comments.

On My Mind

• In the past two days in the LA Times they have been 2 research articles where race is a main factor. To summarize, according to the research - whites are outliving blacks, but the gap is narrowing and black girls don't benefit from exercise as much as their white peers.
• Exercise benefits black girls less than whites, study shows
• Life expectancy gap narrows between blacks, whites

• Last month I read a book called Fast Times in Palestine - I think many of us in this country don't have a true understanding of the Arab/Israeli conflict.  The gripping narrative focuses not only on violence, terror, and social and political upheavals but also on the daily rounds of house parties, concerts, barbecues, weddings, jokes, harvests, and romantic drama that happen in between. Its seamless blend of travelogue, memoir, and narrative journalism ramps the average American up to a sophisticated, multi-faceted understanding of the Israel/Palestine conflict. This book was a personal account of the author's time  in Palestine; I highly recommend it.

• And then this paragraph from the op-ed section in this article today: "Now once again Israel is faced with two options: Continue to exist as a Jewish state while controlling the Palestinians through military force and racist laws, or undertake a deep transformation into a real democracy where Israelis and Palestinians live as equals in a shared state, their shared homeland. For Israelis and Palestinians alike, the latter path promises a bright future."

• Reading the Bible as a family is such a stress reliever. No discussion is necessary, just read a chapter and let it speak to you.

• Some of my best blog posts were never written but left as comments on a provocative post.

• 50 Shades of Grey is all the rage, but I won't be joining the party.  I don't typically judge a book by it's cover, but having read similar types of books in the past, at this stage of the game I'd rather keep my mind pure.

• Don't go through life alone - cling to someone bigger than you - Jesus.

• Finally, today is National Running Day - I hope you got your run in.

• June is Black Music Month - On June 7, 1979, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the month of June as Black Music Month after tireless lobbying from Kenny Gamble of legendary songwriting team Gamble & Huff. Now that's something to celebrate! 

I had to do a brain dump - too much things on my mind. What's on your mind?

Experience and Expertise

My husband and I are having the most interesting conversations of late, which I really enjoy.

So Sunday, at church the pastor made a comment that when a young man is courting a woman he should also court her mother.  He then said, "I'm no expert but I have experience."

This led to a number of back and forth questions (in church).

Eventually after church, I asked, "Can you have expertise without experience?"

Before I tell you my final conclusions, I'd love to hear what you think.

Can you have expertise without experience? If yes, how? Isn't that just knowledge if there's no experience? Is one better than the other? Is this true for certain areas and not others? Do you think this relates to your Christian walk? Can you be an expert at being a Christian? Or can you be an experienced Christian? Or can you be both?

Conception Control

So after yesterday's post on very large families, it made me think about birth control or more specifically preventing the conception of children.

There is no particular mention of birth control anywhere in the Bible - yet clearly some control was employed. Everyone did not have a large family. Even though families were large all the children did not come from the same woman. Abraham was the father of many nations and he had children from Sarah and Hagar. Jacob had twelve sons but they were from four different women and for a time Rachel could not have any children. She died in childbirth after giving birth to her last child.

In Bible times, to be barren was a source of shame. Hanna prayed for children until God blessed her with Samuel.

In Bible times, carrying on the family line was important. Levirate marriage (Deut: 25:5-6) is a type of marriage in which the brother of a deceased man is obligated to marry his brother's widow, and the widow is obligated to marry her deceased husband's brother. If a brother was not available the next of kin could marry - this is what happened to Ruth.

From the Bible we know that God controls everything including the womb; He blessed Sarah with a child at the age of 90. The same can be said of Elisabeth; Mary the mother of Jesus never knew a man yet gave birth.

From the way our bodies are made we know that there are certain times a month where we can conceive.

We also know that if you're breastfeeding it reduces one's fertility - so if you are constantly pregnant and nursing for any length of time, the chances of a very large family are reduced.

We also know that some women can have children and some can't and today the stigma is not as huge as it was in Biblical times.

We also know that there are medical reasons to limit having children or to not have any - I have a friend that has severe scoliosis and it was considered a miracle that she was able to get pregnant and deliver a baby.

There's a movement known as the Quiverfull movement. Prior to yesterday, I'd never heard of it.

Even though a woman is married she is still responsible for her body; the coming together of husband and wife is by mutual consent. 1 Corinthians 7:4 says - The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Each sex here is put on exactly the same footing.

There's a resource out there called Christian Family Planning - I came across it from reading another blog called tolovehonorandvacuum where she queried her readers for their thoughts on birth control. Due to this post I learned of a method called Fertility Awareness Method [FAM]; I think in my time we called this the Rhythm Method.

What to do with all of the above?

God has given us the responsibility for many decisions in life, including how many children to have. Does using birth control imply that we don't trust God? I don't think so. I think it is an area that requires pray and wisdom from God. When we manage our responsibilities it does not mean that we have stopped trusting God.

How did you approach your birth control decisions? Is preventing the conception of children a display of lack of trust in God? Any other thoughts?

Commercials

On my daily commute, I listen to Christian talk radio. Between shows, there are always these commercials that have nothing to do with Christianity; they usually sound like someone trying to promote their business to the Christian demographic (whatever that is). I hear these commercials so much, they become ingrained on my brain. The same thing happens when I watch TV.

So recently, a friend needed a ride to the airport and I was unable to accommodate her- but because I had recently viewed many commercials for a shuttle service to the airport at a great price, I suggested it to her, though I had never used the service myself. Turns out, the service was great and it lived up to what was portrayed.

What's my point? If we read the Bible with the same frequency as we listen to and watch commercials, we will be surprised at what comes to our brains and our mouths when we need it. Sometimes we may not even know that what we are saying is coming from the Bible, but because it is in us, it comes out. Because its coming from the Bible, it will be edifying, useful, and make you appear wise. If its spirit breathed it will also be the right application for the situation. This has happened to me many times,and when I take time to reflect, I realize that expression/thought/saying came straight from the Bible.

The most arcane instance of this was when the phrase "This thing was not done in a corner" came in to my mind. I did not ever remember reading this and I pondered where it came from. But this statement was made by Paul in his defense to King Agrippa and Festus about Jesus, in the book of Acts - it was so simple and powerful. The first time I read the book of Acts, I was a freshman in college and I read this book like it was an action adventure on a NYC subway - it was that good and I couldn't stop reading.

Do not only read the Bible as an intellectual pursuit, read it as a spiritual endeavor. Read it to know God; read it because you love God and have a relationship with him; read it because it can provide direction in every area of your life.

Like those commercials on TV and radio, you never know when words from the Bible will come back to you, but unlike commercials, the words from the Bible will not disappoint.