Embracing the Role of Helper

When you think of a strong, powerful, worthy woman- what do you think of? In the beginning God created man. But God saw that man was lacking something... someone. God then created woman from man, and thus began a beautiful love story that has continued through generations until now. God knew that Adam needed Eve.

Gen 2:18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

Even from the very start we see two distinct roles given to man and woman. Man was created to lead. Woman was created to help. They complete one another. Things have not changed. Things have not changed because God knew then and knows now that His creations have true joy and purpose when they fulfill the roles that they were created to fulfill. He, our Creator, knows full well that we- through our roles- complete one another.

So I ask you again: when you think of a strong, powerful, worthy woman- what do you think of? I fear that today we see women imitating men and think that they have truly attained worth and strength. We see women pushing men into the role of coward and we think somehow that this makes those of our gender more powerful.

The truth is, women cannot fill the role of leader. Women are helpers. It's just a matter of helping well or helping badly. Men cannot fill the role of helper. They lead well or they lead badly- but they always lead. So what we have in our society is an excess of worthless leaders and failure helpers.

Are you helping the men in your life lead well? You cannot strip them of their role, because it was placed within them by God. If you are not helping them lead, you are failing at your role of helper and becoming a weak woman rather than a strong one. Women who spend their lives seeking to be what they are not- men- are weak in their purpose. We wonder where all the real men are as we trample them in our goal of becoming what they should be.

The role of helper is most clearly seen in the marriage relationship when a woman becomes a help-meet to her husband. But I believe that if God created women to be helpers, we have that responsibility in all stages of life. The role of help-meet to a husband is a specific and special role- different from that of helper to anyone else. But that does not mean that outside of marriage women are not to excel at helping those around them. When we choose to serve ourselves as unmarried women, perhaps attaining male-like character qualities, we miss out on what God has in store for us as women. He knows the innermost desires of our hearts and He has set before us a path where we can truly attain honor and glory through our service, and through our help to the men in our lives. I would like to state very clearly that even women who remain unmarried their entire lives should never be made to feel that they must fill a more masculine role to have worth. A lifestyle of godly femininity is something all women should seek.

It really doesn't matter what you or I think, or how we see women. What matters is how God sees us. Are we pleasing Him? Do we understand the role He has set before us and are we striving to do His will? Or are we giving into the lies of the world and forgetting why we were created? God said that He was creating a help-meet suitable for man. And we, women, were designed to be that help-meet. What can I do today to encourage the men in my church? How can I make sure my brother knows I support Him as he becomes a leader? Does my dad understand how much I appreciate his protection and leadership? How can I help them become even better men? Do I envy their role, or do I rejoice in the fact that God has placed good men in my life? If there are men in my life who are not leading well, do I try to steal their role or do I seek to encourage them to be better? Do I spend my life trying to be a man through my endeavors, or do I cherish the role God created me for?

Let us love and support and honor the men we have been blessed with. Let us spur them on in their role of leadership. Let us seek to raise up more Godly men. Let us do all of this instead of trying, and failing, to become men ourselves. Let's stop asking, "Where are all of the real men?" while we forsake our role of becoming real women. I hope we will embrace the job God gave us to do and pursue true womanhood. This is how we become strong, powerful, and worthy in His eyes.

Lessons from the Gray-haired Row

There is a very clear image in my mind of a man named Dean. On hands and knees, this old man worked his way up and down the narrow side aisles of the church building- scrubbing the base boards. There is another clear image in my mind of Dean, this time praying to his God with truth and reverence. Long, beautiful prayers. They were beautiful, but mostly because of the honesty coming straight from his heart. I can hear him sing hymns such as "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Up From the Grave He Arose" in his gruff bass, making melody in his heart to the Lord. I can remember sitting at his feet, so to speak, learning from his stories and jokes and the years of wisdom in his day to day conversations. He knew His God. He knew God's Word. How? Because he read it. He studied it. And he lived it.



Dean was one of a kind, but he is also one of many. One of many Godly men and women from past generations who knew their God and His Word. And as I think of them, there are no words to describe how extremely thankful I am. These are people who started congregations and strengthened the congregations they were in. They raised their children to know how to get to Heaven, and how to serve the church in the mean time. They taught Bible classes and cooked for potlucks.They scrubbed base boards and mowed church yards. They showed hospitality to their friends and neighbors, and to one another. They sat in business meetings,working out how to best use what God had blessed them with. They stood for what was Biblical and spoke against what was not- ensuring that we, the future generations, would have solid congregations to serve and worship with.



Maybe the best way to sum up my feelings toward these people is to quote from the Bible that they loved so much:



Philippians 1:3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.



And now as I look at my own generation, I see the result of their hard work and love. I see many strong congregations and I see people with a passion for serving their God. But I see something else that concerns me. I see an attitude of "Look how far WE'VE come! Look how educated WE are and look at what WE'RE discovering." Friends, there is nothing new under the sun. And we would do well to remember the people who set the foundation for where we are today in the Church.



I fear that we look at past generations and laugh. We laugh at their hymns and the words they use. We laugh at their methods of teaching and their understanding of the Scriptures. We laugh at them if they were "uneducated" and if they lacked a title. We laugh at their "rules" and the way they lived their lives and raised their children.



While we laugh, we're "coming up with" "new" ideas. We're so smart. We're so much more evolved than those old folks. Our "movements" are THE WAY to grow the church. Our state of the art preaching and teaching are such an improvement. Our contemporary singing and worship is so much more edifying! Our degrees and innovative educational endeavors are far superior. Right?



I would like to strongly disagree. As I said before, there is nothing new under the sun (Eccl 1:9). Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday and forever (Heb 13:8). Really, we're the same. We're all people and we all sin. We all need God and we can all be redeemed through His Son, Jesus Christ. We can be in Heaven with God at the end of this life if we do what He has told us to in His Word. And that hasn't changed. The knowledge we have about salvation- our brethren in past generations had that too. And it hasn't changed. There is nothing new-and-improved about it and it has not evolved. It was perfect from the start. And since this is the case, maybe we need to be looking to the gray haired in our congregations for leadership, ideas, wisdom and advice. After all, they are the ones with the years of study and service. They have been living it far longer than we have, and I'd be willing to bet (if I did that...) that they know a little (a lot) more than we do about life and godliness.



I'm writing this because of what I sometimes see in myself, and what I have recently seen as a problem in my generation. When something strikes me as interesting and convicting, it's easy to get caught up in excitement and think,"Wow! Look what I discovered!" Perhaps a better approach would be to ask someone who knows much more about Christianity than I do to study it with me and to give me sound advice and encouragement in my own study. They, the older generations, have earned this respect. And little do we know what we're missing out on if we over look them in our quest to reach the world for Christ.



There may be a lot more to the polyester, gray haired row in our buildings than we think. And, you know what? Hymns are no less holy than"praise" songs. Your degree and title mean very little if you can't take instruction from the wise. Your "movement" has been tried before- I bet the "old folks" have some pointers. Your teaching methods, if they teach the truth, are nice- but not any more so than the methods that have been successfully teaching the Word for years before you were born.



I would rather sit at the feet of Dean than the most innovatively-educated, modern-speaking, praise-song-singing, up-to-date, movement-following man from my generation. Let's learn from these older people while we can. Let's sit at their feet and humbly realize that we do not know it all.

Swing Life Away

What does it mean to live the simple life? I think it means having a child-like excitement about the everyday things.

I was recently introduced to the song Swing Life Away by Rise Against. The words that really jumped out at me are as follows:



We live on front porches and swing life away.
We get by just fine here on minimum wage.

Maybe nothing too profound. Except that no one seems to get it.

"We live on front porches and swing life away." I have this amazing memory from my childhood. This memory is of sitting on my friend Nancy's porch swing, drinking lemonade, and enjoying conversation with this sweet older lady. I have plenty of other memories of spending time swinging on her porch swing, enjoying the breeze on sunny days. Simple. But why does that memory stay when so many other childhood memories are gone? It was special to me as a child, and still is.

So living the simple life may mean having a child-like excitement about the things in life. But the problem is, I think even kids today are missing that. Working at a children's party facility opened my eyes to a whole world of materialism that I never would have imagined. To say it's wrong to have a fun birthday party jumping on inflatables with friends is not my goal, nor do I believe that. (I've had my fair share of parties there, and I enjoy the environment ; ) ) But coordinating the parties for two year olds with 30+ gift bearing friends is an experience. As the mom carries out a load of battery run gadgets, video games, and bicycles she often calls out, "Thanks! We'll be back next year!" I always wonder what will be left to give that child on his third birthday. A cell phone? What about his 10th birthday? A car?

It also makes me wonder if the two year old has any concept of the fact that a fun day can consist of sitting in a sand box with a cardboard box and a stick for hours on end. Or sitting on a porch swing drinking lemonade with an older lady.

A few months ago my friend Ray, an older gentleman in my church, was telling me about his birthdays as a child. He described walking down the stairs on the big day, his excitement growing with each step. The source of this excitement? When he got downstairs into the kitchen, his mom would give him a kiss, smile and say, "Happy Birthday. I love you!". And maybe, if it was a good year, there would be a cake in the oven.

I compare this to the chaotic party room filled with jealous, crying two year olds and the birthday boy, covered in a pile of expensive toys, who can barely open another gift because of the overwhelming environment. I compare a kiss on the cheek and a happy birthday wish from a loving mom to a party that eventually adds up to several hundred dollars EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. And it makes me wonder what is wrong with us. We've forgotten the joy of simplicity. Not only have we forgotten it, we have robbed our children of it.

"We get by just fine here on minimum wage." Contentment is not often the forte of the American people seeking the "American Dream", and beyond. But nothing is as satisfying as being content in "whatsoever state you are in". (Phil. 4:11) Maybe kids require a more extravagant birthday party every year because their parents require a more extravagant lifestyle every year. Maybe kids are discontent with their toys because parents are discontent with THEIR toys (a new car here, a new house there). Kids have been taught that happiness can be bought. And they've been taught that by example. In case you didn't know, happiness can't be bought. And that's why materialism never ends. We think, "Oh if I could just have or do THAT , I'd be happy." And once we have or have done THAT there is always another THAT to have or do. And so true happiness always barely escapes us because we throw out the contentment that happiness requires. Children have been blessed with a natural appreciation for the simple things. Let's learn from that instead of training them out of it.

My hope for my friends and family is that you would all love living simply and find happiness in the everyday things. I hope the kids in my life know what to do when they're handed a cardboard box. I hope they have experienced a world made out of rocks. I hope they know that a Weeping Willow tree can provide days of happiness and entertainment and that a sandbox is where the real fun happens. I hope they realize that a kiss and "Happy Birthday. I love you!" from mom is worth excitement in every step to get to it. And I hope they know that to swing life, or the afternoon, away on a porch swing with a glass of lemonade is happiness.

"... Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands..." 1 Thess 4:11

Love me or hate me. Take it or leave it. My thoughts on Twilight.

Twilight. As the next movie gets closer, I see the excitement rising from many of my girl friends. And shockingly, from some of my guy friends too. The guys I don't really understand, but I understand the following this series has from young women. I get the teeny-bopper girl appeal. Edward (in some sick way) is what girls want. He is a mysterious man who comes out of nowhere to love and rescue his girl.

I read all four books and I saw the first movie three times. That's when I started to realize that my Twilight obsession needed to end. Actually, that's not true. I realized my Twilight obsession needed to end a little ways into the first book. But Twilight, for me, was addicting. And it was the kind of book that I HAD to know the ending to. I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed it. Yet even as I enjoyed it I read it with a nagging feeling that maybe I shouldn't be enjoying it. I gave up the Twilight series- movies, books, Team Jacob fan club membership- all of it.

What do I have against Twilight? This could be a book.

I am no feminist, but I hate that the "heroine" is portrayed as weak and clumsy and that she finds her worth in a man (if you can call him a "man"). I hate that the book is so poorly written but somehow draws its readers in. I hate that Bella is so annoying. I hate that Edward sparkles. I hate that Jacob falls in love with a baby. I hate that Bella constantly has guys chasing her down. I hate the hundreds of millions of times that Bella refers to Edward as "god-like", "angelic", and "beautiful". I hate that it's somehow OK for Edward to switch moods and become angry for no reason. I hate that Jacob never seems to be able to find a shirt (we wouldn't want him to rip another one!). I hate that Bella is suicidal when Edward leaves her. I hate that Edward would like nothing better than to eat Bella because she is somehow extra tasty. I hate that Bella would be alright with being eaten. I hate that Bella uses guys to her own advantage and ditches them as she wishes. I hate that the human men in her life were not enough for her. And I HATE the "spida monkey" quote.

As you go to watch Eclipse, let me just give you a little food for thought. There are only two things I PASSIONATELY hate about the Twilight series.

The first is that for some reason the Christian community has adopted this series as pure and even as a Christian series.

Why? Because they wait until after they're married to have sex. But please tell me that we don't have that skewed of a view of purity. Purity is a lifestyle, before and after marriage. Purity does not equal not having sex before you're married.

Edward and Bella do not live a lifestyle of purity. They want to 1. have sex and 2. eat each other (perhaps another portrayal of sex, in the guise of sucking blood). The only thing that keeps them from this is Edward's morals, because Bella doesn't mind not waiting. They may have waited, but certainly not from a lack of dwelling on it.

In the 80s as homosexuality started creeping into our media and entertainment, Christians were concerned and made a stand. Now as occult, blood sucking, people/animal attraction themes enter our media and entertainment, Christians find a way to make it Christian! What will be next? And will we even notice?

Twilight is about lust. It is about lusting after what is forbidden- the forbidden fruit that has always haunted us and caused us to sin.

The second thing that I passionately hate about Twilight is that many say it has a prolife message. This, quite bluntly, makes me ill. Bella becomes pregnant with Edward's child- half human, half vampire. The baby is attacking/eating her from within but she "chooses life". PEOPLE, what is WRONG with us?! There are a lot of things I could say. But let us STOP comparing a monster vampire eating its mother from the womb and born in a blood bath to the prolife message. This does not help the prolife cause. This is not a prolife story. And to be honest, I'm offended when I hear that Twilight has a prolife theme.

All of that said, I actually don't have a problem with people going to see Eclipse. We all make movie choices daily. My personal choice is to stay away from Twilight because from past experience I know how involved I get in it. One thing I ask of the Christian community- please do not make the assumption or claim that Twilight is a good or Christian series because its pro abstinence and prolife. I would like to think that the Christian young women of today have purer thoughts and hearts than the so-called pure Bella Swan. I would like to think that the Christian young men of today are stronger leaders with more pure intentions toward their Christian sisters than the so called pure Edward Cullen. And I would like to think that the prolife movement has much more to stand on than the life of a monster baby eating its mom.

Oh, and I prefer UNsparkly men who actually wear shirts.

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Education is Considered Anti Choice

http://bluewavenews.com/2010/05/24/norfolk-principal-gave-students-fetus-dolls/

Handing out "fetus dolls" in school is a reason to be put on administrative leave? Because that sounds EDUCATIONAL to me. "The card accompanying the doll described the first 12 weeks of fetal development." Is that not science? It sounds to me like maybe the school was actually doing its job- educating children on the science of fetal development.

“Some people think my life began at birth; but my life’s journey began long before I was born …” This is called truth. It's sad when a place of "education" is required to hide the truth from its students. It just goes to show that the pro choice movement is built on LIES. Lies that have infiltrated the public education system. What are children to believe? That *poof* on the day they were born they were just there? By all means do not explain to them that they developed in the womb before that, because that would be "anti choice".

Anti choice, in my eyes, would be hiding the truth of fetal development from children. If they don't have the facts, how do we expect them to make informed choices? Lying is easier, because then they will make the uninformed choice that the "pro choice" movement wants.

People are so blind that they think an unborn child is "disturbing to see". Let's show kids pictures of the blobs they "evolved from" but make sure they do not see thel creation they were in their mother's womb. Help them understand that they were once apes, but leave out the months before birth.

"Teaching students science based and medically approved sex education is out of bounds, but giving 8-10 year old children fetuses and promoting anti-choice propaganda is somehow acceptable to many on the right."

No, teaching children how to use condoms and have sex is out of bounds. Teaching them very basic science about the development of human beings is the JOB of educators.

Kudos to Ms. Holas for educating kids. Shame on the administration for promoting ignorance.

What I Learned From Rudy

What is God's best? And are you enjoying it?

I once heard that the goal in life should be to know God and to enjoy Him forever. I can't think of a greater goal. I would add that the goal should be to glorify Him and fulfill His purpose.

In a society of "follow your dreams" and "let your heart lead you", I wonder if we have become so blind to our true purpose that we try to fit God into our own dreams and goals, rather than fitting our dreams and goals into God's plan.

I watched the movie "Rudy" with my dad last night. I love the movie and think it's a cool story. But I have never seen it the way I saw it this time. Consider the fact that my view on this is only from the movie, and I don't know how closely the movie follows real life. Rudy is the picture of "follow your dreams" and "let your heart lead you". As a boy he dreamed of playing football for his favorite college team- Notre Dame. Rudy's dream was not unlike most young boys' dreams, whether they dream of being astronauts or football players or the President of the United States. What was different about Rudy? He did everything in his power to live his dream, and accomplished it. Sort of.

You see, Rudy wasn't that great at football. In fact, he was kind of bad at it. Not to mention the fact that he didn't have the grades to go to Notre Dame, let alone as a football player. But his life wasn't all that bad. He had a family and a job and a girl (who had every hope and intention of being his wife). But for Rudy, that was not enough. Rudy wanted to play football for Notre Dame, as he had wished from boyhood. So he quit his job, left his family and ditched his would-be bride. He spent years trying to get good enough grades to attend Notre Dame. He was homeless, broke and relatively alone. Eventually Rudy did get into Notre Dame, and to everyone's disbelief (quite literally) he made the football team. But he never got to play. Until the last game when the crowd cheered him onto the field.. for about 10 seconds. Everyone told Rudy he couldn't do it. His parents advised against it, his girlfriend begged him not to go, and everyone along the way doubted him.

So he did it! Right? Sure, if his dream was to spend years of his life studying and trying to get good enough grades just so he could be on the football team. If his dream was to leave behind his family and friends back home to pursue a nearly impossible goal. If his dream was to give up the girl he "loved" (eventually to his brother) to play 10 seconds of a football game. If his dream was to tell the world that nothing mattered more than playing Notre Dame Football.

Personally, I don't think Rudy was created to be a football player. It's cool that he followed his heart and fulfilled a childhood dream. But what did he give up along the way? Did he really receive God's best for his life?

I think we get Rudy syndrome sometimes. We don't realize how good we have it. Instead, we run off chasing after dreams that have little to do with God's purpose for us. I believe God has a plan for each person, if we will only seek it. I don't believe God hides His plans from us- in fact, He makes them clear to us if we really want to see them.

I was reminded of this verse the other day: Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands.. 1 Thess. 4:11

I've seen it many times but it really hit me this time. What is my ambition? If you know me at all, you know that I don't believe Christians should only be concerned for their own quiet lives. No, I believe Christians should be in every sphere of society- even in the most powerful positions- influencing this world for the better. But what is the ultimate goal of influencing society? To live and to help others live quiet lives, attending to our own business and working with our hands. One brother at Pleasant Valley always prays that we may lead quiet lives glorifying God. There is really something to that. Does living a quiet life mean hiding ourselves away from the world? No. I believe it means living in accordance to God's purpose. Live quietly rather than seeking fame, fortune, education and prestige for the sake of personal fulfillment.

When we seek power, prestige, education and influence for the sake of fulfilling a personal dream, that is when we lose God's best for our lives. Why do you do what you do? Why do you have the ambitions that you have? If you're good at law, please pursue a career as a lawyer for the purpose of glorifying God. If your calling is medicine, become a doctor to glorify God. If you are a mother, focus on your children in order to glorify God. If you are good at football, by all means use that realm of influence to God's glory. But if you're not good at football, do not pursue it just to follow your heart or to pursue a childhood dream.

I do not know Sarah Palin's heart. But as I was thinking on this topic I couldn't stop her from coming to mind. She is a woman that has gained prestige. She obviously has a natural gift of leadership and is using it in the political sphere. But it makes me wonder what her childhood dream was. Did Sarah want to be a mom? Governor of Alaska? President of the United States? And can she really have it all? What was and is God's plan for Sarah?

I think I'll end by saying that God gives us dreams, goals and aspirations for a reason. I do not believe it's wrong to dream of what we could be. I don't think it's wrong to pursue dreams. But I do know that God knew each of us before we were born, and He has a plan for each one.

Jer. 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord.

God did not leave us to wonder what to do with our lives. He gave us His Word, the Bible, for a reason. Yes, we will have dreams as children. But do they line up with Scripture? He gave us godly people to turn to for advice. Who are you listening to? He gave us prayer so that we could seek His will. Do we use that avenue?

Don't give up God's best for your life. Don't pursue childish hopes and dreams when they take you away from reality. Don't follow your heart when it leads you away from a life filled with knowing God, fulfilling His purpose, glorifying Him and enjoying Him forever.

Sunny Potluck Sunday