This morning I was catching up on my blog reading (I am still far, far behind) and began by reading book reviewer extraordinaire Tim Challies' post because his post title caught my eye. Love or Die.  It's the name of his latest book review. The following quote from the book is what prompted me to order my own copy. I'll simply say, my love is being tested at this time. 

Love requires both a subject and an object, thus love is a corporate learning experience. We grow in love by engagement with other people, not in isolation from them.

Christians cannot develop love by sitting at home alone on the couch watching TV preachers or by attending a weekly, one-hour church service. It is only through participation in "the household of God," the local church (1 Tim, 3:15), with all of its weaknesses and faults, that love is taught, modeled, learned, tested, practiced, and matured. By dealing with difficult people, facing painful conflicts, forgiving hurts and injustices, reconciling estranged relationships, and helping needy members, our love is tested and matures.

One simply cannot grow in love without the stresses and strains of life together in the household of God, the local church. The local church truly is "a spiritual workshop for the development of agape love" and "one of the very best laboratories in which individual believers may discover their real spiritual emptiness and begin to grow in agape love." If you are not a participating member of a local church, then you are not in God's school of love.

The book can be ordered from Lewis and Roth Publishers. 

 

This morning I was catching up on my blog reading (I am still far, far behind) and began by reading book reviewer extraordinaire Tim Challies' post because his post title caught my eye. Love or Die.  It's the name of his latest book review. The following quote from the book is what prompted me to order my own copy. I'll simply say, my love is being tested at this time. 

Love requires both a subject and an object, thus love is a corporate learning experience. We grow in love by engagement with other people, not in isolation from them.

Christians cannot develop love by sitting at home alone on the couch watching TV preachers or by attending a weekly, one-hour church service. It is only through participation in "the household of God," the local church (1 Tim, 3:15), with all of its weaknesses and faults, that love is taught, modeled, learned, tested, practiced, and matured. By dealing with difficult people, facing painful conflicts, forgiving hurts and injustices, reconciling estranged relationships, and helping needy members, our love is tested and matures.

One simply cannot grow in love without the stresses and strains of life together in the household of God, the local church. The local church truly is "a spiritual workshop for the development of agape love" and "one of the very best laboratories in which individual believers may discover their real spiritual emptiness and begin to grow in agape love." If you are not a participating member of a local church, then you are not in God's school of love.

The book can be ordered from Lewis and Roth Publishers. 

 

...and much more eloquently, I will add. *wink* Chris Rosebrough of Fighting for the Faith shared his testimony on how he escaped legalism and found the amazing grace that is found in the Gospel. 

You can read his account here, here, here and here or listen to it via podcast. It is well worth the time...

Chris said:

The Gospel Has Taught Me That...

Because of Jesus Christ ALL of my sins are forgiven. This includes every sin I will ever commit in my lifetime.

Because of Jesus Christ I have peace with God.

Because of Jesus Christ I have a Loving Father in Heaven.

Because of Jesus Christ I have hope.

Jesus Christ will one day say to me, ”Well done thou good and faithful servant.“ Not because of any righteousness on my part but because of His Righteousness that is given to me as a gift through faith.

Now that's great news! 

...and much more eloquently, I will add. *wink* Chris Rosebrough of Fighting for the Faith shared his testimony on how he escaped legalism and found the amazing grace that is found in the Gospel. 

You can read his account here, here, here and here or listen to it via podcast. It is well worth the time...

Chris said:

The Gospel Has Taught Me That...

Because of Jesus Christ ALL of my sins are forgiven. This includes every sin I will ever commit in my lifetime.

Because of Jesus Christ I have peace with God.

Because of Jesus Christ I have a Loving Father in Heaven.

Because of Jesus Christ I have hope.

Jesus Christ will one day say to me, ”Well done thou good and faithful servant.“ Not because of any righteousness on my part but because of His Righteousness that is given to me as a gift through faith.

Now that's great news! 

My Husband Rocks ~ Hardworking

Come join the fun of My Husband Rocks Friday.

We aren't done with the den yet, but it's getting close. All that's needed to do in there is inside work, so he is now working on the rest of the windows on the house to get most of them done before the snow flies. 

My baby works all day long doing some thing I don't understand with chips for cell phones, and then comes home and works another 4 or 5 hours on the house. I am grateful to have hardworking and highly intelligent man as my husband. 

Come join the fun of My Husband Rocks Friday.

We aren't done with the den yet, but it's getting close. All that's needed to do in there is inside work, so he is now working on the rest of the windows on the house to get most of them done before the snow flies. 

My baby works all day long doing some thing I don't understand with chips for cell phones, and then comes home and works another 4 or 5 hours on the house. I am grateful to have hardworking and highly intelligent man as my husband. 

I love pottery and crocks. I have several crocks around the house that I use as garbage cans. It's an idea I stole from my mom. This Rowe Pottery crock one is my favorite. My mom special ordered it for Russ and me as a wedding gift. It's about 6 1/2 " high. Just the right size for a plant, cut flowers or odds and ends. 

Come join us for Things In My House Thursday! It's fun!!

I love pottery and crocks. I have several crocks around the house that I use as garbage cans. It's an idea I stole from my mom. This Rowe Pottery crock one is my favorite. My mom special ordered it for Russ and me as a wedding gift. It's about 6 1/2 " high. Just the right size for a plant, cut flowers or odds and ends. 

Come join us for Things In My House Thursday! It's fun!!

Come join the blessing of Word Filled Wednesday, where it's ALL ABOUT HIM.

This beautiful young woman is 17 year old Amanda. Make sure you click on her button on the left side of my blog to read her update on her battle with cancer. 

Come join the blessing of Word Filled Wednesday, where it's ALL ABOUT HIM.

This beautiful young woman is 17 year old Amanda. Make sure you click on her button on the left side of my blog to read her update on her battle with cancer. 

I began to get a migraine at our church's business meeting Sunday night. It was a stressful, emotionally charged meeting that lasted over 3 hours. I ended up leaving church sobbing. It was hard to see my pastors being unfairly attacked. The stress of that meeting carried over to Monday, I decided to deal with it by bingeing, yes...bingeing on a whole bag of Brachs Malted Milk Balls. Big mistake. Not just because of the huge amount of calories, but chocolate and migraines do not go together well. Last night, I went to bed with the worst migraine I have ever had in my life. I had taken all the Frova, migraine medication, I was allowed. I took extra Xanax to try to get me to relax and to make me "pass out" so I could sleep through the the pain. Nothing was working. Russ rubbed my head for 2 hours as I alternated from sobbing, to almost relaxing enough to fall asleep, when the next wave of pain would come and I would sob again. Poor man felt so helpless. At 11:00 he called Laurie while I stumbled into the bathroom to run a hot tub bath, hoping the warm water would help me relax, which it did. After calling Laurie, he called my doctor's office and talked to who was on call. They said if I can't get to sleep, to get me to the ER where they would give me a large does of antihistamine in shot form to help me with the pain. I am thankful we didn't need to resort to that measure, but it's good to know what I can do if I ever have a migraine that severe again. 

I began to get a migraine at our church's business meeting Sunday night. It was a stressful, emotionally charged meeting that lasted over 3 hours. I ended up leaving church sobbing. It was hard to see my pastors being unfairly attacked. The stress of that meeting carried over to Monday, I decided to deal with it by bingeing, yes...bingeing on a whole bag of Brachs Malted Milk Balls. Big mistake. Not just because of the huge amount of calories, but chocolate and migraines do not go together well. Last night, I went to bed with the worst migraine I have ever had in my life. I had taken all the Frova, migraine medication, I was allowed. I took extra Xanax to try to get me to relax and to make me "pass out" so I could sleep through the the pain. Nothing was working. Russ rubbed my head for 2 hours as I alternated from sobbing, to almost relaxing enough to fall asleep, when the next wave of pain would come and I would sob again. Poor man felt so helpless. At 11:00 he called Laurie while I stumbled into the bathroom to run a hot tub bath, hoping the warm water would help me relax, which it did. After calling Laurie, he called my doctor's office and talked to who was on call. They said if I can't get to sleep, to get me to the ER where they would give me a large does of antihistamine in shot form to help me with the pain. I am thankful we didn't need to resort to that measure, but it's good to know what I can do if I ever have a migraine that severe again. 

Come join the fun of My Husband Rocks Friday. 

When I listen to my husband pray, my heart skips a beat. 

When I come down the steps in the early morning and see him reading his Bible, I seem to fall deeper in love with him. 

When I watch him serve at our church, my hear swells with pride.

 I thank You, Father, for blessing me with a godly man to love....

Come join the fun of My Husband Rocks Friday. 

When I listen to my husband pray, my heart skips a beat. 

When I come down the steps in the early morning and see him reading his Bible, I seem to fall deeper in love with him. 

When I watch him serve at our church, my hear swells with pride.

 I thank You, Father, for blessing me with a godly man to love....

This is one of my favorite pictures. 

My daddy bought it for us for Christmas a few years ago. I love it because I love chickadees, birch trees and I love that our names are carved in the trunk along with the year we got married. :o)

Come join us for Things In My House Thursday!

This is one of my favorite pictures. 

My daddy bought it for us for Christmas a few years ago. I love it because I love chickadees, birch trees and I love that our names are carved in the trunk along with the year we got married. :o)

Come join us for Things In My House Thursday!