Life as a Christian Woman

Earlier this week, I attended the family visitation after the death of a former co-worker. His mom had also worked with us, so I knew her, his wife and kids, and his sister. His death was sudden and tragic. He was accidentally electrocuted and instantly killed.

Bob was a prominent citizen in my small hometown. He was an artist and had put a lot of time and talent into preserving our town’s history in art. A mural he painted in tribute to some of that history graces the side of a downtown building. He had worked on numerous projects to paint and draw historic buildings. But he wasn’t just an artist. He was a family man with a wife and two teenage daughters. He took care of his mother, a widow, and his sister, divorced with small children. He coached little league for a while, was active in his church, and often spent his spare time helping friends with whatever needed doing.

(more…)

Sorry I haven’t updated in a few days. I have taken some much needed time to rest my shoulder and had to prioritize my time on the computer. I have done pretty well with my attempt to only smoke outside. To be honest, sometimes I forget. But I am forgetting less frequently, and will usually realize it as soon as I have lit the cigarette. It has helped to cut down on the amount I am smoking.

(more…)

I want to apologize for my hiatus the last few days. It was necessary to rest my shoulder, and seems to have done some good. I still don’t know exactly what is wrong with it. I had an MRI last week, but do not go back to the doctor until October 2. However, the period of lowered activity has helped and I intend to pick back up my posts. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Look for a regular post later today.

Well, it has been a rough couple of weeks as you can probably tell by the drop in the frequency of posts here. My shoulder is still giving me problems, and I just had an MRI done today. It will be another couple of weeks before I find out what the treatment is going to be or exactly what is wrong with it. Thank you for bearing with me through this painful time. Some wonderful people have come forward to write guest posts for both this site and my other at Her Daily News. Over on that blog, Beth from Astrology Explored has been sharing her extensive experience in the corporate world with a series of posts on handling problems and issues that come up in the work place. Please visit and read her posts, and leave her a “thank you” comment for helping me out this week.

While I have been spending much less time on the computer, my spam comments began to pile up for this site. I finally started going through them the other day to make sure a legitimate comment had not been blocked. I must say I am appalled. Probably 98% of the comments stopped by the Akismet spam filter are pornographic in nature. It made me wonder, with the easy access to porn now through the Internet, when do we teach our children, and especially our sons, about it?

The “sex talk” and a talk about pornography are, to me, two separate issues. In the sex talk, I believe we should teach our children about the basics and the biology, but also about God’s intended plan. Our children should be taught that in the sanctity of marriage, sexual relations with our spouses are a blessing from God that join a man and a woman physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Sex is not a bad thing, and our children need to know that marital sex is a healthy part of a marriage.

(more…)

I promised updates, so here is my first.

Smoking cessation programs always recommend picking a date at least 10 days in advance to attempt to stop smoking. Until that time, you do what you can to prepare yourself to stop. One of those preparations is identifying your triggers.

(more…)

Jaime from Fiction Scribe offered to write this post on choosing appropriate video games. As a Christian mother, I know it can be hard to find games that are appropriate both for the age of the child and religious beliefs. I know next to nothing about games, except the ones my son plays, so I asked someone more knowledgeable to give some advice. Jaime makes some good points, and hopefully her tips will make your game-choosing a little easier.

The Christian Gamer

The Christian Gamer. In this day and age, can there really be such a thing? Sure there are a few Christian games out there, but will they keep your child entertained like mainstream games will?

Let’s not worry about that for now.

Knowing what games are appropriate for your children can be a hard subject for any parent, but the Christian parent has it even a bit harder. Here are some quick tips about video games that will help you in deciding what’s appropriate for your child.

• Pay attention to the ratings on the game. They will usually be in black and white and in one corner of the game box. If you are unfamiliar with what the ratings mean, check with a sales person.

• Remember that the ratings are not the be all and end all. Use them as a first factor in your research, but not the determining factor.

• Try to go to smaller games stores. Sales people in those types of stores (instead of stores like Wal-Mart) are more likely to have played the game you’re looking at or at least have played something similar. It’s not bad to do your research, and most salespeople should be more than happy to show off their game knowledge.

• Read the book. Each and every game should come with a book introducing how to set up the gaming system and about the game. Some (mostly RPGs – Role Playing Games) will even give a prologue-like introduction. This book will give you clues to what the game is about, the themes involved, and just what your child will be doing in the game.

• If you’re looking for some safe starter games and games you can play with your child, there are still board games (in video game form) like chess and monopoly out there. However, be careful because there are also a lot of gambling games out there and you need to pay attention.

• Some of the most popular games out there are RPGs – Role Playing Games. Your child gets the opportunity to control one or many characters in an often complex story line involving love, hate, and your other basic soap opera components.

• Know where you draw the line. Where do you stand? Do you not mind shooting as long as it’s not shooting other people, or do you not want shooting at all? Do you not mind fighting as long as cartoon characters are doing it? You need to determine what your lines are before you get started because a lot of games sit on the fence in those regards.

• Finally, remember to check in on your child’s game playing. Just because it started innocently doesn’t mean your child can’t find cheat codes and easter eggs (special codes to make funny things happen in the game) online to make their game play more…interesting.

I recommend The Sims games (not the expansion packs for younger gamers) like The Sims Family, Sim City, Sim Hotel, etc because they can encourage you to learn time management (work, play, etc), money management, and other skills.

As for games that involve violence but not on a human-to-human scale, I recommend games like Spyro, Sonic, Zelda, Mario (like Mario cart would appeal a lot to young boys who will get out the play-fight urges without a shoot-’em-up game), and Rayman. Spyro and Zelda especially can encourage your child’s problem solving skills, as many of them involve puzzles of different kinds. I know a lot of puzzle-type games in my youth put me on to logic puzzles, number and word crossword puzzles.

In the end, know where you stand and try to find someone who knows what they are talking about to quiz about the games. Like I said, most gamers like to show off their knowledge and will be happy to help.

christian, christian video games, child-appropriate games, christian gamer, christian mothers

We all sin. We all have fallen short of the glory of the Lord. And we all continue to sin in our own ways. My sin is that I am a smoker. I have heard people debate whether this really is a sin, but the answer is clear — yes, it is. It is also a terrible addiction that continues to grip lives and take lives every day.

It should be easy to pray, put down the cigarettes, and never smoke again. Believe me, I have tried it. I have prayed to quit more than any other thing. But I have also failed at it more than any other thing. When the withdrawal symptoms kick in, and the headache and nausea and dizziness and anger take hold, I lose my will to pray.

Please visit Smoker’s Redemption to continue following my progress.

christian, christian smoker, Smoke Away, prayer request

Today’s guest writer is Sarah, another author here at 451 Press, at Mental and Emotional Health and About Portland, OR. She offered to share her story of salvation, and it is one that mirrors so many of our journeys of finding, losing, and finding God again. My own is so similar to hers it is shocking. Thank you, Sarah, for sharing this with us.

Growing up in rural Oregon, my parents used to tell us that we belonged to the “Church of Stay In Bed on Sunday Mornings.” The E family, neighbors down the road, took my younger sister and I to church with them any time we wanted to go, and I loved it. The E family had ten children so adding two more to the van was no problem for them. (I remember each of those children’s names to this day, too. Ben(jamin), (Eliza)Beth, Sarah, Sam(uel), Mary, Mark, Micah, Jacob, Joe & Hannah!) I was right in between Sarah & Mary and my sister was between Mary & Mark so we literally fit into the family perfectly. The E family was a pillar at the church we attended. Mom & Dad E were among the first members of the church when it began, and because of the ten children, everyone knew them. My sister and I were counted in their family (making it an even dozen children!) when the church would do family counts even.

In junior high I made friends from all over town and stopped hanging out/playing with Mary as often as I had in elementary school. By the time my sophomore year of high school rolled around, I rarely saw the E family, and I’m ashamed, now, to admit that when I’d run, I purposefully would run on the other side of the road so I didn’t have to stop and tell them that I was too cool for church then.

In October, a close friend took me with her to an FFH concert where I publicly accepted Christ as my Savior. I left the concert feeling AMAZING and wanted to tell everyone. I started going to a weekly lunch Bible study that was held on campus and lead by other students. Three weeks after accepting Christ I was asked to pray aloud. I was mortified. I had never prayed aloud before, and there were 30 of my fellow students and friends in the room. I tried to tell J (the Senior leading us that day) that I didn’t want to, and he pushed me to do it.
I did, but my voice was so shaky and by mid-prayer I was crying so I’m sure no one heard my first aloud prayer. I never returned to this Bible study.

By this time, I had started attending church regularly. There were four girls who were very close to one another all in my German class who attended the church I was at. Katie and I used to pass notes back and forth in Government class about church (this seems very funny to me now!) and I still have a note where she encouraged me to buy a Student Bible like hers stuck in the back of my Bible (a student one, no less) that I’ve had for the past 8 years. In this note, K told me that she was in a weekly Bible study with Shannon, Megan, Bethany & Susan (Bethany’s mom) that she wanted me to come to one morning. I was both thrilled to be invited to this group and scared that I wouldn’t fit it or I would feel out of place. The next Friday morning I set my alarm a half-hour early and went to the house. I immediately felt at home there. Susan welcomed me into their home like I had been with the girls all year long, and since I knew the girls within school, I was already pretty comfortable. They took me in and told me that they wanted me to come EVERY week from then on out. I did.

There were very few days I missed Saturday or Sunday services, I never skipped Wednesday youth group and I was accepted to join the mission team that year. The entire Bible study group traveled to the Navajo reservation that summer to build the foundation of a church and play in The Grand Canyon. It was one of the most moving experiences of my life. Our Bible study group grew even closer the night of the Potlach the tribe held when we sat outside the group huddled together talking about things we’d never told one another and praying. It was an amazing experience and changed my life.

When I left for college, I started at a church my youth pastor had recommended to me. I loved the church, the college group was huge and I felt like I fit in, until one of the adult members learned that I was dating a non-Christian. To preface this story, I have lived with depression and anxiety since the age of 15 (thanks to Accutane). I was medicated and fine with it. I was getting the help that I needed.

Lori, I think that was her name at least, found out that my boyfriend (of 5 years by that point) was a non-Christian and she pulled me aside one day to tell me that the only reason I was depressed was because “you’re dating Satan.” No joke, the woman told me that the love of my life was Satan. I never went back to that church. In fact, I stopped going to church all together. I was so offended and so hurt by this woman’s words that I couldn’t do it.

For five years I didn’t attend church. I didn’t seek out a church. I didn’t like church. I had to be dragged to church. My best friend Stephanie dragged me to her Lutheran church six months ago and I felt weird. I felt like they all knew I wasn’t an active church-goer, and I felt like I stood out because I didn’t take Communion. (I didn’t feel comfortable with the body of Christ since I wasn’t actively IN the body of Christ. Six weeks after Steph took me with her, I took a literal leap of faith and went to church. Alone. At the same church (different branch) where I had gone in college. I was a bit uncomfortable (and sat next to a loud mouth-breather so I was a bit distracted) but I went. Last Sunday I went back to the Lutheran church with Stephanie (and they didn’t eat this non-Lutheran!) and I cried during church. I was so moved by watching Pastor Greg’s son run up to him after communion that my eyes literally started LEAKING. I accepted communion last week and accidentally dipped my bread into the wine, not the grape juice. Church wine is STILL not my favorite Sunday-morning food flavor!

I have been back to the church I attended alone three times now and am feeling more comfortable. I plan on continuing to go and seeing how life back in a church (since I’m not “dating Satan” now) goes for me!

-Sarah

christian, christian women, salvation, testimony

Some people get their morning pick-me-up from a cup of coffee, but eventually the caffeine kick fades and leaves little benefit behind. But what if a more meaningful form of morning sustenance was available? It Is Written Television has set out to change the way people start their mornings by offering viewers a three-minute online spiritual boost. This new daily devotional program, called “A Better Way to Live,” is now available Monday - Friday through the It Is Written website and iTunes.

“A Better Way to Live” features 3-4 minute messages during which It Is Written’s speaker/director, Pastor Shawn Boonstra, focuses on one passage from the Bible and applies it to daily living.

“It Is Written developed this new program with busy people in mind,” said Boonstra. “We hope that, on a daily basis, it will help people handle the stresses of daily life, as well as deepen their relationship with God.” For more than half a century, It Is Written has been a weekly television broadcast, sharing the gospel around the world. Now this Bible-based television program is more accessible than ever, as new programming is available six times per week with the half-hour program airing on television stations across the nation every weekend, and the new “A Better Way to Live” devotionals available online during the workweek.

The best part is that it is available on demand. “A Better Way to Live” is different than any other program It Is Written has ever produced, because the exclusive online program is ready for the viewer wherever and whenever they want to see it.

To view the program, visit: http://www.itiswritten.com/betterway

To download daily programs or subscribe and receive them every day through iTunes, visit: http://www.itiswritten.com/podcasts

About It Is Written

It Is Written has been one of America’s most popular weekly religious television programs since its first broadcast in 1956. Led by speaker/director Shawn Boonstra, this donor-supported, non-profit ministry reaches millions of people through its weekly telecast, online Bible studies, spiritual resources and live events. To learn more, visit http://www.itiswritten.com

SOURCE: It Is Written Television; PR Newswire

christianity, religion, devotional, christian press release, It Is Written television, iPod

On September 11, 2001, Satan attacked the United States. On September 11, 2001, our Lord claimed victory once again.

A child kissed his mother this morning.
“I love you,” she whispered in his ear.
A husband hugged his wife this morning.
“I’ll be home at five,” he promised.
A boss praised his workers this morning.
“Great job,” he said with a nod.
A waitress served breakfast this morning.
“Have a good day,” she smiled.

Flames filled the sky this morning.
An orphan stared, uncomprehending.
Chaos gripped the world this morning.
A widow cried out in anguish.
Towers crumbled to dust this morning.
Livelihoods vanished in the ash.
Fear toppled joy this morning.
Time stood still in its wake.

God reached down His hand this morning.
“I love you,” he whispered to His children.
God opened wide His arms this morning.
“I was, I am, I always will be,” He promised.
God welcomed home His soldiers this morning.
“I am pleased,” He said with a smile.
Jesus hung on the cross this morning.
“You believed, and you are saved,” He comforted.

Amazing video of 9/11 images set to Michael Crawford’s “Not Too Far From Here”

christian, christian poetry, 9/11 poetry, religion

For this prayer list update, I am asking for prayers for myself. After months of shoulder pain, it has finally gotten to the point that I can’t use my arm much so I have decided to see a doctor. I have arthritis, and that may be the culprit in my shoulder. I had x-rays taken today, and I have an appointment with an orthopedist next Monday. Please bear with me while I have this taken care of, as it is really beginning to put a crimp in my typing style. I will keep up as best I can.

In the meantime, if any of my readers have a story you would like to tell or a subject you would like to talk about, please feel free to e-mail an entry to me. I will post it as a guest blog, with appropriate links. I do retain the right to turn down anything that I think others may find offensive or otherwise inappropriate for this site. In the rare event I choose not to accept an entry, I will explain my reasons and try to suggest alternatives for you.

Keep me in your prayers for quick healing, please. For someone who makes a living typing all day, this shoulder problem is rather worrying. Thanks!

I am taking us in a different direction today. I have a second site here on 451 Press called Her Daily News. For today, I am redirecting you to that site to discuss an issue important to all women: heart health. Information from the National Institute of Health will help you talk to your doctor, download the cookbook, reduce your risk factors, and listen to your heart. The #1 killer of women is heart disease, whether Christian or not. So join us on Her Daily News today for a health break and help ensure your heart doesn’t stop you from accomplishing God’s work and will.

The term “jezebel” today is often used to refer to a woman who is sexually promiscuous. She enjoys power over men and sways them to sin. Although in today’s society a jezebel is not necessarily viewed as terrible as she once was, the original Jezebel was a sinner of, as they say, Biblical proportions.

We first meet Jezebel in 1 Kings, chapter 16. She was a daughter of the king of the Sidonians, Baal worshippers. King Ahab took her as his wife and brought her religion to Israel. Once among the Jewish people, she set out to summarily wipe out the worship of God and replace it with Baal, sparing no thought against any means to accomplish her goals. King Ahab ruled a nation and defeated the Syrians on the battle field, but in his own home Jezebel held the power. “Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.” (1 Kings 16:33 NKJV). Her influence over her husband was so great, even in that strictly patriarchal society, that God raised up Elijah the Prophet to lead His people away from her false religion and back to Him.

Jezebel was a murderer, a prophetess of Baal, power hungry, greedy, and sexually immoral.

“For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.” (1 Kings 18:4). This passage tells us specifically that it was Jezebel, not Ahab, who had the prophets killed. She so stongly believed in her religion of Baal, that she showed no mercy in doing away with the holy men of Israel. She also had a man named Naboth killed so that King Ahab could have his vineyard. “She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, ‘You have blasphemed God and the king.’ Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.” (21:9-10)). Naboth was falsely accused and killed at Jezebel’s orders for pure greed.

Jezebel was also power hungry, and wielded the power of a ruler in her husband’s name. Not only was she the one that gave the orders for the Lord’s prophets to be killed, but she wrote the letters which sealed Naboth’s fate, and sealed them with King Ahab’s official seals. “And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the city nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth.” (21:8). This verse reveals that Israel’s leaders were most likely used to following her orders just as if they came from the king. Even though those letters were sealed in the king’s name, when the deed had been accomplished, “Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, ‘Naboth has been stoned and is dead.’ ” (21:14). The city leaders knew that the orders to kill Naboth had come from Jezebel, not the king, and yet they still did as she commanded. Ahab had simply gone home and pouted when Naboth would not give him his vineyard. It was Jezebel who took matters into her own hands and took by force whatever she or her husband desired.

Jezebel also threatened the life of Elijah, but the Lord protected and hid him from her. God did not deal with her kindly. “And concerning Jezebel the Lord also spoke, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.” (21:23). When her fate caught up with her, Jezebel heard Jehu had come to Jezreel “and she put paint on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked through a window.” (2 Kings 9:30). We get the impression that Jezebel intended to use her looks, and possibly her body, to keep Jehu from killing her. But her power over men was lost, and she was thrown from the window “and some of her blood spattered on teh wall and on the horses; and he trampled her underfoot.” (9:33). When the soldiers went later to get her body, all they found was her skull, her feet, and the palms of hands. The Lord’s wrath had been delivered, and Jezebel was eaten by dogs.

What lessons can we learn from Jezebel today? There are many, and some are obvious such as the sin of murder and of worshipping other gods. But we also learn about relationships. A wife is meant to stand beside her husband, not in front of him. To use your husband’s name for your own gain subverts the marriage. Decisions and actions should be taken together as man and wife. To use your own body in sexual immorality leads only to destruction. Jezebel was eaten by dogs, but today’s sexual promiscuity leads to your body being eaten by disease. We also learn that ruling others through fear or intimidation only produces enmity, and eventually revolt. Ahab was a king and a success on the battlefield, but the picture we get of him at home is of a simpering, pathetic man who allowed his wife to overtake him. Intimidation takes away from others the dignity and self-worth that all men and women are accorded by God. In the end, both King Ahab and Jezebel met their deaths at the hands of those they had attempted to control by fear. We can work with others to accomplish our goals for God. Working over them disintegrates the Lord’s gifts.

All in all, Jezebel is an example of everything a woman should NOT do.

women of the Bible, Jezebel, christian women, sin, religion

Since the time when Christ engaged in His ministry here on earth, women have participated as missionaries. Some work alongside their husbands, while others choose to never marry and work alone. Jesus’ mother Mary, and the sisters Mary and Martha can probably be counted as the first women workers for Christ. The jobs we can do for the Christian faith are many, beginning in the home with our own families. But for those who choose to travel the world, the dangers, hardships, and rewards give fascinating glimpses into just what can be accomplished by women in God’s name. Mary Slessor is one of those women who left her home and family behind to enter the “wilds” of Africa. Her steady work, unfaltering courage, and absolute trust in God made her one of the most respected and revered women missionaries.

Mary Slessor 1848-1915

“Mother of All the Peoples”

Mary Slessor was born on 2nd December 1848 in Gilcomston, a suburb of Aberdeen, the second of seven children, only four of whom survived childhood. Her father, Robert Slessor, originally from Buchan, was a shoemaker to trade. Her mother, from Oldmeldrum, was a deeply religious woman of sweet disposition, who had a keen interest in missionary work in the Calabar region of Nigeria.

In 1859, the family moved to Dundee in search of work. Mrs. Slessor became a member of the Wishart Church, named after the nearby Wishart Arch from which Protestant martyr George Wishart had reputedly preached to plague victims during the epidemic of 1544.

Mary’s father became an alcoholic and was unable to continue his shoemaking work. He finally took a job as a mill labourer. Mrs. Slessor was determined to see her children properly educated, and the young Mary not only attended Church but, at the age of eleven, began work as a “half timer” in the Baxter Brothers’ Mill. Mary spent half of her arduous day at a school provided by the mill owners, and the other half in productive employment for the company. Thus began a harsh introduction to the work ethic which was to dominate her life.

(more…)

Congratulations to Jenna! She won the comment contest for the book Breaking Free: Making Liberty in Christ a Reality in Life. Jenna is taking her first Beth Moore Bible Study at her church and is enjoying it. I know she will be blessed by both the Bible Study and the book as she explores the wonderful insights and messages for women seeking to understand Christ.

Thank you to those who entered the contest. I hope you will continue to visit Life as a Christian Woman and join in the conversation. Your comments and private e-mails are always welcome!