Memory Verse Routine that Works!

Memory Verse Routine that Works!
(or Raisins and Verses Time)

by Abby Fleming 

 My Inspiration
My kids are smarter than I am. Well, they have a better memory at least. It's always amazing to me what they can remember. Can you relate to any of these?


“Mommy, yesterday at lunch you said that I could have a special treat today!”
When reading a favorite book, “Wait, you didn't read that right. You skipped some words.”
After her second ever Veggie Tales, “and now it's time for silly songs with Larry...”
Any kind of slightly annoying kids' songs are engrained in their little minds after only one or two times of listening to them!
Potty songs, anyone??


Even before I had kids, I knew that I wanted to take this uncanny ability of theirs to remember EVERYTHING and use it for something beneficial to them... memory verses. This decision was inspired by two families.





I worked in an Awana Club with the first family when I was back in high school. For those of you who don't know, Awana is a children's club with a huge emphasis on Bible memorization. It's a great program, but at the time I didn't fully understand how important it was that the children were memorizing Bible verses. At a leadership meeting one night, we were discussing whether we ought to include more “fun” things in lieu of some of the memory verse time. I was all for it, but the Mom of this family disagreed with me. She talked about how her children were like sponges, soaking up everything and how she wanted to use this time in their lives to help them soak up as many Bible verses as they could hold. The value she placed on this was contagious.


Later, when I was working my first teaching job, a fellow teacher invited my husband and I to his home for a family dinner. At the time, he had two very young children. After dinner, they told us that they needed to practice their family memory verses together. I was sitting there expecting something to the extent of “God is love” when they started reciting the entire chapter of Genesis One (motions included)!! I was blown away at what they could do at such young ages. I was also inspired to higher my expectations for my kids one day.

How we made it work
Today, I am “Mommy” to a 3 year old daughter and a 1 ½ year old son. After several hiccups and failed attempts, we have come to a memory verse routine that works well for us. I hope it can help you find a system that works for you!

 The first thing we did was buy a highly recommended CD, “Hide 'em in Your Heart” by Steve Green. It is a CD composed entirely of verses set to music, but in a kid friendly (and amazingly not annoying to parents) way. There's just something about music that can help our minds remember things.

I decided to use this to help my daughter memorize the verses on the CD. After owning and listening to it for a while, we started practicing. Our practicing revolves around three words: consistent, rewarded and relaxed.


Consistent. I established a certain time every day when we practice our memory verses. For us, it's in the morning right after breakfast, while we are still at the table. We break her verse down into very small phrases (2-4 words) and repeat them to her with the same exact intonation every time. Then, she repeats the phrase back to us until she can do it on her own. The next day, we review what she already knows and pick up practicing where we left off. Now that she's used to it, she can usually add a new phrase on every day or two.


Rewarded. We all need some sort of motivation, and our kids are no different. We've somehow convinced our daughter that raisins are a special treat, so that is our token bribery... I mean reward. We actually call it “Raisins and Verses Time” now. When she first started, we would line up the raisins, one for each word, and she could eat them as she said the words.

Now, we break it up into two piles of raisins. First, she says all her previously learned verses, we give her lots and lots of praise, and she eats her first pile of raisins. Then, we work on her new verse, sometimes reinforcing the phrase she learned yesterday, sometimes adding a new phrase, always with lots of praise.


Relaxed. We've learned that our daughter learns her verses much quicker and happier if we keep it a fun and relaxed time. There is no pressure. Sometimes, she gets on a roll and can do a new phrase every day. Sometimes, we take a week on a two word phrase. There is no rush. No one is keeping score. We're thrilled for every verse she can hide in that little heart of hers.


With this routine, our daughter has learned 6 good sized verses and is now working on the Lord's Prayer. It's not quite Genesis 1, but we're pretty proud of her!

I mentioned I have a 1 ½ year old son too. He can't talk much yet, but he was feeling a little left out during “Raisins and Verses Time” and very jealous that she was getting extra raisins. So, he now has his own verse that he tries to say every day, too. One day, it will sound like “God is love”, but for now it sounds more like, “Dg!! La!”. He gets a couple raisins and lots of praise, and he gives us a big grin. It's a pretty good trade off.

I hope you can use this to find a system that works for you!! 

--- --- ---

Abby graduated from Emmaus Bible College with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and Biblical Studies. Also at Emmaus, she met and married her husband, Dan, who is currently pursuing a PhD in Theological Studies - Historical Theology. As you read, they have a daughter and a son with another son expected in either January or February, 2015. Abby is always thinking of creative ideas to keep her kids learning and exploring, and she always makes time for having people over to chat!

This blog post was first published on Abby's family's blog, Around the Table.

Our Perspective in Suffering

by Renee Gowler

Part 3 of a 3-part series on the hope of Christ. See Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

(source)

It’s the week before final exams and 15 days until Christmas.

Feeling stressed? Me, too.

Can I share something encouraging with you? Read 2 Corinthians 4:18 -

“So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

There’s a lot going on in this familiar passage. We see the contrast between the seen and unseen, and between the eternal and temporary. There’s irony, too, as we’re told to fix our eyes on what we can’t see (thanks for that, Paul).

Many things could be said about this single verse, but as we come to the end of this 3-part series on suffering, and as we are all probably feeling a little frazzled, there’s one thing I want you to notice: You can choose your perspective.

Read that Corinthians verse again, my friend. See the choice implied there?

We can actively decide where we will hold our gaze, and we can pick our focus. Our two choices are the visible, temporary things or eternal and unseen things.

Now, I think it’s clear what the temporary, “see-able” things are in life. For Paul, it was the floggings, the slander from false accusers, and the shipwrecks (plural!). For us, maybe it’s the stress of seminary, the cancer diagnosis, the gossiping friend, or in my case, the potty-training toddler.

Paul tells us NOT to fix our gaze on these things, so what are we looking at instead? What are the
eternal, unseen things?

Ready for the “Sunday school answer”?
Jesus.

He is the eternal and unseen One, and we can choose to fix our eyes on Him. Christ. The image of the invisible God, the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His being.

He is our sovereign creator, our great high priest, our spotless lamb who knew no sin, the One who was wounded so we could be healed. He is everything that was promised. Eve’s offspring who
crushed the snake, Abraham’s seed with blessing for the nations, David’s son with an eternal throne, the Suffering Servant, who knows what pain feels like.

And by God’s grace, we can look upwards at Him and the incredible promises in His Word. His resurrection power inside of us enables us to see Him, and He will open the eyes of our hearts to behold Himself.

But first…we must choose our perspective.
So, make your choice.
Because you can.

You HAVE an option here, my friend. You may not have control over anything else that happens to you today.
But you CAN choose your perspective.
Pick Jesus.

Love Forgives

by Laura Bazal



This chapter...talk about uncomfortable conviction. 

Should we ever expect conviction to be comfortable?  Of course not, as anything convicting points out a flaw that we need to deal with, and usually that flaw, or sin, makes us feel comfortable in the first place.

What place does resentment hold in your heart, mind, and spirit?  Do you go about quickly pursuing the wise way to forgive and forget, or do you hold on to the flaws of the past, present, or projected future and make yourself an idol of superiority over someone else's error?  If you lean more toward the second, then you're not living out Christ's love. 

It's very easy for me to find comfort in resentment.  This is because I really do not like confrontation; if I've been wronged, it often(regrettably) takes me too long to forgive the person, people, group, or organization - whatever it may be.  In all that waiting, I end up doing them wrong, too, and sinning in my own heart by holding onto all that unforgiveness.

Ryken illustrates for us how love is not resentful.  He points out that Jesus, when wronged in a multitude of ways by Peter during the most sensitive of hours, not only confronted and forgave Peter for his betrayal, but He made a point to show his love to him and give him renewed purpose by participating in Christ's life and mission.  Jesus freed Peter from his guilt and restored the relationship Peter had tarnished, and we are called to do the same. 

Forgiveness is freeing - that's was a resounding theme espoused in our small group on Monday.  It's freeing for the person who did wrong, and it's freeing for the person who was wronged.  How are we to live if our life is fueled yet also enslaved by anger and resentment?  No, life comes from those things - only sin and death do. 

Christians are to live in the freedom of Christ, and that's the freedom that gives a person the ability to be fueled by God's love and extend that freeing forgiveness to others. 

Our group also touched on the theme of restoration.  What relationships in your life need to be restored?  I will tell you that this chapter made me think good and hard about who I needed to work with in my life.  It also made me think of the people I need to receive forgiveness from, too. 

Forgiving is hard, but it's mainly hard because hurt can give us an excuse to hold onto pain like a lifeline.  Our life comes from Christ, and we live - and love -  because of his forgiveness.

Finally, Ryken used an example of what it looks like to forgive from the testimony of Kim Phuc, which can be read here. It's poignant, to say the least, and really shows how we should live out forgiveness the way 1st Corinthians calls us to do.

May we all forgive because of the love, the forgiveness, of Christ.

Meet Your Leadership Team - Part 2

Ruth Scharf
 

Husband: Greg Scharf. We have been married 38 years.
 

Children; Graham, Rebecca, Elisabeth, Katherine; live in Charlottesville, VA

               Roger, Haley, Anna, Peter, Henry; live in St. Paul, MN 

               Gordon, Virginia; live in Beijing, China

Home before Trinity: Fargo, ND; Toronto, Canada; London England; Nairobi, Kenya.
 

How long have you been married: We have been at TEDS for 15 years, since Greg was asked to join the Pastoral Theology dept.

Information about you - your current/past job(s), education, topics important to you, interests and hobbies, fun facts, etc!
Greg and I met and married in London, England where he was an associate pastor at All Souls Church, Langham Place. Prior to this associate's position he was one of the first interns for John Stott. I was working in London as a physical therapist and a part time intern at All Souls working with international students. We served in London, Toronto and for 19 years in Fargo North Dakota with the EFCA in a church plant, Salem Evangelical free Church.

Currently I work as a teacher assistant in the Special Education District of Lake County school for the deaf and hard of hearing.

 

I love learning from other women concerning their walk with the Lord, their countries of origin and service.

I love to try new recipes and trying new foods! I enjoy cooking and baking.

I enjoy crafts and gardening... for the flowers!

Hospitality gives me  the opportunity to get to know people. I enjoy having people in our home for meals or to stay.

We host a small group for our church.

I enjoy travel and having a mother of 95 and a mother-in-law of 97, children and grandchildren all living in different states and the world causes destination specific travel.

What is your roll on the leadership team?: I am a faculty wife adviser.

 

What do you look forward to this year while filling this roll?: I look forward to learning and growing in Christ and seeing those on the Ministry Team learn and grow this year. Seeing this always gives me great encouragement and also stretches me as we face different challenges during the year. Serving with Suzanne is a great encouragement to me. This summer we have studied and prepared for the upcoming study of 1 Corinthians 13. This has challenged me and caused me to grow. I look forward to continued learning and growing in my understanding how to Love as Christ loves and also how to encourage others to put  into practice all that we learn.

What do you like about TWF?: TWF is a place to get to know other student wives and some faculty wives. This is a unique period in the life of every student family and there is the opportunity to learn and grow together. Every year is different and each year a blessing in my own life. It is  so encouraging to see gifts in others strengthened and emerge to bless the wider community. TWF is a safe place to try out different ministry positions ,use ones gifts, and a wonderful place of friendship and support.

Advice or encouragement to new wives: Don't think we are perfect or have it all together. We are all  learning and growing. "one beggar to another pointing each other to Christ". Come and find a place where you can continue to grow in your faith, have opportunities to serve and try new things, meet new people from all over the world, and taste the joy of supporting others and being supported in prayer and friendship.


Michelle Lipscomb

Husband's name: Anthony

How long have you been married: 11 years

Do you have any children?: Abby 5, Toby 10 months
Where is home (before Trinity - as far back as you want to go): Fredericksburg, VA

How long have you been at TEDS & what brought you here (degree, calling, etc.): been here 2 years. My husband wants to be a professor, so he is finishing up a ThM and applying to doctoral programs in OT languages and linguistics.

Information about you - your current/past job(s), education, topics important to you, interests and hobbies, fun facts, etc!  I have a B.A. in English/education from Nyack College. I spent 9 years as a technical writer for the navy before becoming a stay at home mom. I currently work as a part-time line editor for the TIU USSC. When I get free time from my kids, I like to read and knit/crochet/cross stitch.

What is your roll on the leadership team?: Treasurer/on-campus small group co-leader

What do you look forward to this year while filling this roll?: I particularly look forward to being challenged as a small group leader. It'll be a stretch for me since I tend toward being an introvert.

What do you like about TWF?: community and like-minded friendships

Advice or encouragement to new wives: go to the botanic gardens! They are awesome!

Stacey Casey

Husband's name: Josh

How long have you been married: 3

Do you have any children?: Emmaline, almost 2 yrs

Where is home (before Trinity): Nebraska

How long have you been at TEDS & what brought you here (degree, calling, etc.): My husband had been a distance student at Trinity for about 5 years while serving as a youth pastor. We moved last August to complete the rest of the MDiv.

Information about you - your current/past job(s), education, topics important to you, interests and hobbies, fun facts, etc! I am currently working for Chicago Public Schools as a high school special education teacher. I love my job but hate my commute. :) Family, social justice, volleyball, parenting, freezer meals, community and reading fill most of my thoughts and time...and I am grateful that I enjoy them all!

 

What is your roll on the leadership team?: Mom's Ministry Co-coordinator

What do you look forward to this year while filling this roll?: I'm eager to get to know people better and help connect moms to great resources, including each other.

What do you like about TWF?: I appreciate TWF's mission and am so thankful for how TWF helped get me connected when we moved here. My friends, support system and my personal growth is, in large part, due to TWF.

Advice or encouragement to new wives: Be patient and keep on keeping on!

A Spirit of Thanksgiving

by Bethany Cayton

The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday elicits much stirring in me.  My mind wanders to memories sitting around the Thanksgiving table, each person saying why they’re thankful. My stomach growls thinking of my mother’s sweet potato casserole that arguably could be served as a dessert rather than a side dish. And my back begins to ache a bit, thinking of our annual family football game that involves full-on tackling - no flag belts in this family!

But mostly, the stirring that takes place inside me is one of warmth and richness, recalling the many reasons I have to be thankful.

Recently I participated in a bible study and the topic of conversation was joy. One person mentioned how easily we fail to experience joy in our own lives, and the importance of identifying the barriers that impede us in living a joy-filled life.

As I sat there and listened to many of the women share their struggles with living a joy and peace-filled life, Paul’s words in Colossians 3 came to mind:

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

As I read these words, I am drawn to the role gratitude and thanksgiving play in the life of the believer.  It seems that gratitude and giving thanks to God is a discipline that leads to a joy- and peace-filled life. 

Ultimately, the hope and reason for being thankful lies in the gospel message, the truth that God gave the best and greatest gift of his Son so that we might be spared the penalty we deserve and instead have hope for eternal life. 

When we take the time to thank God, we force ourselves to dwell and think upon the goodness of God, the character of God and the actions of God.  

As we let the gospel message dwell in us, it pours out from us as we live on mission with God. As we live on mission with God, we do all things for the glory of God, giving thanks to him!

I pray this Thanksgiving season that the peace of Christ would dwell richly among you, the church, and that your gratitude would stem from a place of deep conviction knowing the depth of love God has for you. 

-- -- --

This blog post was first published on the National Christian Foundation - Greater Chicago website.  Thank you, Bethany, for submitting it!

The Purpose of Suffering - Part 2

by Renee Gowler

This is Part 2 of a 3-part series.  To see Part 1, click here.



It never fails. 

It’s 9:00 p.m., and I just got done doing 3 day’s worth of dishes. My shirt is wet, and my fingers are wrinkly from the dishwater. Every plate, cup, fork, mixing bowl, and baby bottle has been washed, rinsed, and stacked to dry. I even scrubbed down the sides of the sink and wiped the counters. I step back, and behold the fruit of my hard work– an empty sink! It does exist!

And even as I stand there, basking in my glorious accomplishment…my dear husband walks in the kitchen…and drops off his dirty cereal bowl - in my empty sink.

<sigh>

I don’t know about you, but as a homemaker, I am tempted to feel like a lot of what I do every single day is pretty much…pointless. Dishes get dirty again. Laundry hampers refill. Toys that were once neatly organized are thrown all over the house. Honestly, it’s a fight to remember the bigger picture sometimes, isn’t it?

(My almost-empty sink taunts me.)

But on my good days, by God’s grace, I’m reminded that there’s a point to the drudgery. I remember that there’s a reason behind the endless washing and tidying. God reminds me that I’m working to create an orderly, safe, and beautiful space for my family…a space where we can grow and love one another and welcome people through our front door. There’s a goal behind the tedious work that makes it all worthwhile.

We can have hope in the midst of the mess when we remember there’s a point.

Paul expressed this truth in 2 Corinthians 4:17, where he writes: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Paul says that our troubles are DOING something. There’s a point to the trouble, and the point is glory…eternal and more “worth it” than we could ever imagine.

Now, in Part 1 of this series, I talked about the paradox of suffering found in 2 Corinthians 4:16…that we can be outwardly wasting away, but inwardly renewed at the same time. And that post may have left you wondering, “How?” How can we be inwardly renewed, yet outwardly wasting away? How can we have hope even in the midst of suffering?

Here’s the “how,” my friend: we can be inwardly renewed by remembering there is a purpose in our suffering.

There’s a point to the trouble.

And it’s glorious.

My seemingly trivial “trouble” is my never-empty sink, and maybe you resonate with that today. Maybe your troubles aren’t devastating or news-worthy. But maybe they are just as difficult because they are constant, draining, unyielding, and unnoticed by others. My sister, remember there’s a reason behind the small, daily, often-repeated, and unglamorous tasks you’re doing.

But perhaps your trouble IS devastating. Maybe the grief is all-consuming. The physical pain may be agonizing, and the despair feels overwhelming. My sister, may I remind you of this truth, too?

The trouble you’re enduring is achieving something amazing, something eternal. There’s a purpose in your grief.

You may never fully understand God’s purposes on this side of heaven, but that doesn’t change the promise that there IS a reason, there IS a point, and because of Jesus, there’s hope, too.

You may not want to hear that right now, but please read it again:

There is a point.

There is a reason.

There’s hope because of Jesus.

Freeze Meals? Yes, please!

by Stacey Casey


I tried my first batch of freezer meals with my friend, Wendy. I was pregnant with my daughter and as we later found out, she was pregnant with their son! It was an exhausting but such a fun day.

Wendy and I, with our husbands hanging out watching football, spent an entire day chopping veggies, cooking meat, simmering soups, writing labels and putting meals in the freezer. All the meals involved cooking ahead of time and then freezing. In the end, after a full 8+ hours in the
kitchen, we each went home with 10 meals - pretty good deal!

I would have done it again in a heartbeat prior to motherhood. But realistically, I didn’t have 8+ hours to spend in the kitchen anymore, especially for only 10 meals. And what exactly my daughter
would do during this process, I wasn’t quite sure.

Fast forward 2 years and my family and I arrive at Trinity. Ten months in, we decide I need
to take a different job and go back to teaching full-time. Freezing meals ahead of time became a must for our family’s survival, at least one that involved a somewhat balanced home-cooked meal before 10 p.m. each night.

Source

 So, I began my next freezer meal journey. And in that, I’ve  learned a few things. My husband, Josh, said, “wherever we end up next, I’ll give you a couple days a year to freeze meals, if you want.” He’s a big fan.

I’ll share what my process looks like. It will totally depend on personality, what you eat, how big your family is, how many meals you’d like to freeze but hopefully, it’ll help somebody get started.


My Freezer Meal Process:

1. Make a goal and a plan

Maybe your goal is to put 3 meals in the freezer for finals week or one  meal a week for the winter. Maybe it’s 20. For me, I’ve had to be ambitious. I do meals for a semester at a time now. Last go around, my goal was 50, but I only made 46 before school started. I’m hopeful it will last us until Christmas break, though.

Choose your recipes and make a shopping list. I like to double or triple (or half, depending on the recipe) almost everything. So I really only chose about 25 different dishes.
2. Schedule a time to shop, a time to prep, and a time to cook

I like to shop in the morning, with my daughter if I’m real organized (or alone, if possible), do some prep the night before and make meals like crazy the next day. I write or type all my labels for meals, write on freezer bags, etc the night before. My preference is then to organize by proteins. So I’ll cook all the chicken and get those in freezer, then move onto beef, etc.

3. Organize your freezer

I know a concern might be not having enough room to freeze meals but really you can fit more than you think. Organize your freezer and think about what you really use and need in there. Freeze gallon-sized bags flat and then stand up once they are frozen to make more room.

4. Enjoy!

During an unexpected crazy week or for a break once in a while, pull that meal out of your freezer and be grateful for your previous efforts. :) I like to meal plan once a week and pull everything out that I plan to use that week. Then I don’t think about what we’re having for dinner every day. It’s so nice to know the plan so whoever gets home first can turn the oven on and our meal is on its way!


Here are our family’s top 3 favorite freezer meals:


Ham, Broccoli, & Rice Casserole
(from the kitchen of my mother)
2 cups cooked rice
20 oz chopped broccoli (about 3 cups)
2 cups cheddar cheese (more or less, depending on taste)
½ lb sliced mushroom (optional)
1 can cream of celery or mushroom
1 cup mayo (more or less, depending on taste)
¼ tsp mustard
¼ tsp curry powder
¼-½ cup parmesan cheese
2 cups cubed ham

Mix and put into a 9x13 glass or aluminium foil container (divide into 2 or 3 meals, if desire). Sprinkle parmesan on top. Cover & freeze. To bake, thaw in fridge overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.


Sweet & Tangy Meatballs
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/02/10-slow-cooker-freezer-meals-in-less.html
1 (12 oz) jar chili sauce (homemade or store bought)
1 (16-18 oz) jar grape jelly
1 (2lb) package frozen meatballs.

Combine chili sauce and grape jelly until smooth. Place meatballs in a gallon-sized freezer bag with sauce mixture. Mix to coat meatballs. Zip closed.

When ready to eat, thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH 1-2 hours or LOW 3-4 hours in crock pot. Serve over rice.


Black Bean & Corn Salsa Chicken
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/02/10-slow-cooker-freezer-meals-in-less.html

2 (14 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 (14 oz) cans corn, drained (or frozen)
1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning
1 lb chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 cup water

Place all ingredients into re-sealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together in bag and zip closed. When ready to eat, thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 7-8 hours. When finished cooking, shred chicken. Serve over rice, with tortilla chips, over a salad, or wrapped
in tortillas. So many possibilities. Garnish with cheese, sour cream, avocado, tomatoes, etc.


My biggest piece of advice is don’t do the first batch alone. Find a friend, give me a call, have a small group cooking party - you get the idea. It’ll be a lot more fun, you can learn together and then with the first one under your belt, the next go around is much less intimidating.



Happy freezing and much love,

Stacey

Love Is Not Self-Seeking.

by Bethany Cayton

The account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane is a passage familiar to many. It’s
the passage that displays Jesus praying to his father for God’s will to be done, while
the disciples sleep a few stone throws away.

In this week’s study of Loving the Way Jesus Loves, the author, Phil Ryken has us look at this familiar passage and focuses the lens on Jesus and his selfless nature. I went into this chapter knowing that I would feel the heaviness of application. After all, we can all be less self-seeking and more selfless when loving those around us.

But what I didn’t expect was the radical perspective change that happened while rereading the account of Jesus in Gethsemane.

It was the night before He died. The Last Supper had just wrapped up and Jesus calls a prayer meeting with his disciples. He takes his three close friends, has them walk further into the garden, and leaves them to “keep watch and pray” while he gets alone with His father.

Matthew describes Jesus during this time as “sorrowful and troubled” (v37) and that he tells the three disciples close to him “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here watch with me.” I don’t know about you, but it’s hard for me to read Matthew 26 and reconcile Jesus being fully God and fully man.

It’s hard for me to read that Jesus was sorrowful, troubled and overwhelmed - so much so, that he was sweating drops of blood! (Luke 22.44). Jesus had the power to end it; He is sovereign and could have mastered up a plan that would have avoided such physical and emotional pain, right?

Instead, Jesus chose obedience - obedience to the father, and that makes his decision to sacrifice himself all the more a reflection of his divinity.

If you look at the life and ministry of Jesus, you see that all throughout scripture, his life is marked by obedience. As he is performing miracles, teaching and investing in his disciples, he repeatedly gives all authority to God, articulating that everything he does has been instructed by the Father.

The perfect lamb, obedient til death.

Jesus had all divine power to avoid what was awaiting him in the garden, and yet he still chose to be obedient shows me the divine nature of Christ, being both fully God and fully man.

So, what does this mean for us as sinful, inherently disobedient people? It means we should be like Christ in his life and in his death (Phil 3.10). Paul writes it this way in Philippians 2:5-11

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God,
 did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing
 by taking the very nature of a servant,
 being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man,
 he humbled himself
 by becoming obedient to death—
 even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
 and gave him the name that is above every name 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
 in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
 to the glory of God the Father.

Obedient to death, even death on the cross! May I ask, friend, are you being obedient in your own life? What about in the areas of loving selflessly? How are you doing loving your spouse intentionally? Your children? We can take hope by looking at the life and death of Christ, and follow his example of praying in the garden and following through with obedience.

I pray today, you would have encouragement from being united with Christ and comfort from his love, taking hold of the common bond in the spirit, so that your joy may be complete (Phil. 2.1-2).

--- --- ---

Bethany Cayton is the one of the leaders for the Highwood small group.  She originally hails from the countryside of Virginia and attended college in Ohio.  She and her husband, Kyle, an MDiv student, are small group leaders in their church in the Chicago suburbs, and they both love hosting friends and family in their home.  When Bethany isn't working at a nearby Christian non-profit, she enjoys being active outside, fitness activities, and exploring the Greater Chicago area with Kyle. As said by Bethany, "we like to eat our way through the city."

The Paradox of Suffering - Part 1

a 3-part series on the hope of Christ

by Renee Gowler


Last month, I had the privilege of having dinner with Joni Eareckson Tada. Have you heard this amazing woman’s story?

When Joni was an energetic, athletic 17 year old girl, she had a tragic diving accident, and she was instantly paralyzed from the neck down. She has spent the last 47 years in a wheel chair as a quadriplegic. She’s gone through years of therapy to regain just minimal movement of her arms. She can’t dress herself, eat by herself, go to the bathroom by herself, or reapply her own lipstick (which I observed before taking this photo with her, and she wanted to freshen up). 

Joni Eareckson Tada, center, with Renee, far right, and two friends

As if all this wasn’t difficult enough, Joni was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago! She went through the cancer treatments and thankfully is now cancer free, but she basically lives in constant pain because of all that her body has endured.

And yet…Joni glows with the glory of God. I have never met anyone like her.

Through the connection of a mutual friend, I was honored to sit around a beautiful table with her at a really fancy steakhouse in downtown Indianapolis (I was totally nervous and felt so out of my league!). As we ate together, I could not get over how gracious and joyful and selfless she was. We were singing songs, she asked to see pictures of my kids, she remembered my name and used it in conversation…she was just so others-focused.

Joni has every reason to be bitter and entitled, but by God’s grace, she is not.

She is a living example of the paradox Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 4:16…”Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

Outwardly, Joni is wasting away, decaying, in constant affliction, and yet…inwardly, she is renewed by Christ. There is a vast difference between the state of her body and the state of her soul. Her outward circumstances are utterly distinct from her inward reality.

Truly, it is a paradox.

Are you living in this paradox, too, my friend? Do you experience a similar tension between your outward circumstances and your inward reality? Or are hardships so severe right now that you are just wasting away with no inward renewal?

Have you forgotten that Christ’s resurrection power lives within you?

Let me remind you, sister, that there can be inward renewal because of the power of the Holy Spirit. Even in grueling pain, we can have joy because of Christ. And even in the midst of suffering, we can have hope in Christ.

It doesn’t make sense.

But…it’s possible.

May God be glorified as you display this paradox of suffering to the world around you!



P.S. Do you find yourself asking, “But, HOW!?” How can we experience this inward renewal? HOW does Joni get out of bed every morning? HOW can I have hope in the middle of my suffering? Check back in for Part 2 of this series…the Purpose of Suffering.

Love Always Hopes

 by Laura Bazal

Hope - to look forward with desire or reasonable confidence.

Hope - a person or thing in which trust is centered

Hope - to feel that something desired may happen.

Ryken states that Love always hopes and never loses confidence in the hope “about the goodness of God and his power to work in someone else’s life” (107).  If you, like me, know anyone who is not a Christian, and if you, like me, has prayed for that person to become a Christian for what seems like an endless amount of time, it is quite easy to lose this kind of hope when it’s sustained by evidences of change in another rather than the constancy of God’s love.  

The chapter was challenging indeed – if I really want to hope in the right way, I need to hope the way Jesus hoped in John 17.  Jesus hoped that we would be saved, that we would be protected from the Evil One, and that we would be sanctified to Him and unified with each other.  Why could Jesus hope this?  

It’s because he know that God’s Love was the determining factor in whether or not these things could come to fruition.  This same source of hope in the Father was what supplied him his strength and commitment to his father’s will – that the Father would still love him and raise him from the depths of sin (our sin) that Jesus fully and completely took on himself so we may be saved.  

Jesus loved God enough to hope that we, sinners, would be saved and desire God’s glory.  It was challenging for me to understand this idea more deeply.  To love is to hope – not hope sometimes, not hope when it’s easy, and not hope when I feel that I or someone deserves it.  Hope always.  Have hope in all things.  Hope now and until you are in Heaven with the Triune God.  

I will fully admit – there have been times where I just won’t hope.  

For a period of time during my experience with infertility, I settled into the numbness of continued disappointment and barely engaged in a glimmer of God’s hope.  Why should I hope if nothing is going to happen?  

I also struggle to hope when I see loved ones continually reject God.  Why should I hope if they have no desire to know him? 

Then there’s insecurity, loneliness, and persistent seasons of depression that are like a constant unwanted companion sitting at my side.  Why should I hope against these things if I know they will be back time and again?  

Why?  From God:

Romans 5: Therefore, having been justified by faith, ^[a]we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and ^[b]we exult in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only this, but ^[c]we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; ⁵ and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

I can trust that when God says for us to have hope, I can because of the constancy of his love.  He shows me how to hope and what to hope in, not just for my comfort or for my satisfaction it its own end, but for the ultimate glorification of Him in everything.   

Love Waits, and Its Full Extent

 by Jen Jacobs

In this week’s small group, we covered Chapter 5, Love Waits, and Chapter 6, Love’s Full Extent.  We packed a lot of information into this week’s group, but it was great to hear how much every group member is gleaning from this book.

Chapter 5 focuses on love being patient (1 Cor. 13:4).  A good synonym for this is forbearance  (p. 76), and Ryken goes on to write:

“In telling us to exercise patience, the Bible is simply calling us to imitate the character of our God, who is patient both in the sense of being slow to anger and in the sense of waiting for just right time to do something…….Not only is patience one of the essential attributes of God, therefore, but our very salvation depends on it” (p. 77).

Like God has been patient with us, we need to patient with those around us.  Given the day-to-day tasks that can easily frustrate us and tempt us to become impatient, Paul’s reminder to the Corinthians is extremely applicable for all of us today!

Ryken says that a good place to see the patience of love is in the story of Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44).  Instead of rushing to Bethany to heal his sick friend, Lazarus, Jesus waits a whole two days to make the journey there (v. 6). 

In the meantime, Lazarus dies, and his sisters, Mary and Martha, are grieving (v. 19).  We even see the raw emotion of our Saviour as he weeps (v. 35).  We then see Jesus’ power over death as He commands Lazarus, who had been dead 4 days at that point (v. 39), to come out from the tomb (v. 43-44). What a sight it must have been to those that saw this awesome miracle face-to-face!

Ryken reminds us:

“God is control.  God is at work.  All this true, yet knowing these truths does not mean that we will not suffer.  This is another lesson that John 11 teaches us about patience: love waits through suffering.” 

God uses our sufferings to produce patience and hope (p. 85, see Rom. 5:3-4).  Of course, none of us like to suffer, but the Bible has so much to say about suffering and its role in our lives (more than we can cover in this blog post!). 

When we get impatient, Ryken reminds us to focus on this truth:

“God will make everything come out right in the end.  Jesus is never early and never late but always right on time.  He is not indifferent to the suffering of a fallen world, any more than he was indifferent to Lazarus and his sisters.  In his love, he has a plan to bring all our sufferings to an end.  His great day will come at exactly the right moment.  When it comes, we will see his glory.  Then we will know that he was in control all along, working everything for good, even through suffering, and that there was never any reason for us to be impatient at all” (p. 88).

In the second part of our small group, we discussed Chapter 6, Love’s Full Extent.  “Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude” (1 Cor. 13:4-5). Ryken writes that lack of love is the root of rude or boastful behavior:

 “Why are we green with envy when someone else gets what we want?  Why is it so important to us for other people to praise our accomplishments? Why are rude to certain people in certain situations?  It is because we love ourselves the most, and because sometimes we hardly love other people at all.”(p. 95)

However, Jesus gives us a great example of selfless love when he washes his disciples feet in John 13:1-17.  Washing others’ feet may seem like an odd thing to do to us, but, in Jesus’ time, foot washing was a common practice. 

A good, polite host would have his servants wash his guests’ feet that were dirty from the road they walked to attend the event (p. 100).   He takes the place of humility and washes the disciples’ feet, even Judas’ feet who would betray him later.  By the power of God’s grace, this is an example we should follow:

“If Jesus has done this for us, then we should do the same for others.  The logical and practical conclusion is what Jesus did and said is that we are called to serve the way the Great One served, and to love the way that he loves.  Here is how Jesus clinched his argument:  ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.’ (John 13:16-17)" (p. 101). 

Whether we are at the grocery store or at the gym, may we all see the awesome opportunity to love and serve those around us! 

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Jen Jacobs is married to Sam and has a 1-year-old daughter named Jadyn.  While spending much of her life in the Southwest U.S., she actually has very strong roots in the Chicago area, so you can say that Jen is a big Bears and Whitesox fan!  When she is not spending time with her family and investing in her friends and neighbors, Jen is working as a personal trainer at a local wellness center and through her own business, Jen Jacobs Fitness. 

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We appreciate Jen sharing this week, and now you get the chance to do the same! E-mail twfcrowns@gmail.com with any questions or topics you would like to discuss or write about.  Really, any topic is worth considering for this blog as long as it's a service to our Trinity Wives community.  Please consider using your thoughts and experiences to bless your fellow seminary wives!