Cultivating Community

Panera is wonderful. I love coming here, the atmosphere is incredible. There is always soft music in the background that can be slightly heard over the sounds of blenders and sweet conversions. This is definitely a place I can come to enjoy friends, feel inspired or get work done.

I’m waiting for my friend Emmie. Everyone needs an Emmie in their life. She has been a big sister to me and honestly feels more like family than a friend. She’s a good listener, never ceases to make me laugh and always has time for me when I’m in town. She brings people together and canmake a friend with almost anyone. Her gifts and passion for people help to truly cultivate community.

As graduation approaches quickly, I’m reminded of the many lessons God has taught me during my time at SEBTS. I have so enjoyed learning from my church, my friends and my classes. One consistent lesson has been in the area of cultivating community. Almost three years ago I was fresh out of college and was spending a summer as an intern with my church in Bluffton, South Carolina. As a female intern, I was helping to lead Bible studies and disciple young women. In turn, our college pastor’s wife was pouring her life into ours. This was such a blessing. One evening, while we were meeting in their summer apartment, she turned to me and said that there was something she just couldn’t put her finger on. She felt that I was open and shared life with others, but there was just something missing. I stayed behind after the others left to talk with her and pray further. God began something that day in me that has radically changed my life.

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we aremembers one of another.” (Ephesians 4:25)
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
“Listen to advice and accept instruction,that you may gain wisdom in the future.” (Proverbs 19:20)

You see, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t in church. I have a wonderful family that loves God and serves Him passionately. I’ve been blessed to have great community but it wasn’t until that summer that I learned I had not been taking full advantage of it. I struggled with authenticity. It was easy to share situations or circumstances in my life but not … me. I couldn’t share my struggles or weaknesses. I knew all the “right” verses and “right” responses. Somewhere along the way I had learned how to fake them. In fact, I was so good at it that I fooled myself. Whenever I shared a struggle with someone I would always follow it up with a “But God…” statement. And yes,these statements were true. God was (and is) sovereign, in control, loving and good. He is all those things I claimed Him to be. However, in the midst of struggle, my heart struggled with truly believing the words I was speaking. In turn, I denied my community the gift of loving me. For example, in the midst of my grandparents divorce or a difficult break-up I “told” my friends the circumstances but I didn’t tell them the deep struggles that were plaguing my heart. I didn’t share about the anger, doubt, bitterness, sadness or sense of loss. I talked the “spiritual lingo,”painted on a smile and “carried on.”

“But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be nodivision in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, allsuffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:24b-26)

This blog can’t truly suffice the journey the last three years have been in learning to cultivate deep community. However, I can tell you that the more transparent I am with my friends, the deeper our friendship. Look around and see the people that God has placed in your life. Have you truly let them in? Do they know the parts of your heart that are the “ugliest?” Don’t be afraid to let them in.

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, fromwhom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)

After that summer I moved to Wake Forest and started at Southeastern. God put three lovely ladies into my lifethat I had never met before; Kara & Megan (my terrific roommates) and Courtney (our neighbor). I’ll never forgetthe day that I came home from class and just knew I was supposed to tell Courtney everything. And when I sayeverything, I mean everything. God had been working on my heart and I knew it was time to turn His lessons intoaction. There were some sins that were still causing me to live in shame. I had never shared the depth of thosethings with anyone. I timidly asked Courtney if I could share something with her. As the words and tears spilledout, I expected her to look at me differently. I expected our friendship to change. And you know what? It didchange. It got deeper. As I looked into her eyes I felt the sweet feelings of acceptance and love. It was that day thatI began to see the true beauty of relationships when they are real and reflect the love of our Father.

Almost three years later I can look back and see how those three women have been used by God to speak into my life and challenge me to cling to the Cross and depend more on the Lord than I ever have before. Please spend time with the Lord today and see if there are any “walls” that you’ve put up in your heart that have hindered your ability to cultivate deep community. Let people in. Let people love you and walk with you through the difficult crevices of your past and present. The Body is a beautiful thing!

February 28 / IHOP National Pancake Day!

Happy National Pancake Day! Please consider visiting your local IHOP to get a free short stack of pancakes and make a donation towards the Children's Miracle Network! You can read the description from the website below or click the link above and visit it to find your local IHOP!

Since beginning its National Pancake Day celebration in 2006, IHOP has raised nearly $8 million to support charities in the communities in which it operates. On February 28, 2012, guests from around the country are invited to celebrate National Pancake Day at IHOP and enjoy a free short stack of Buttermilk pancakes. In return for the free pancakes, guests are asked to consider leaving a donation for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other designated local charities.

weakening His ministry...

"We impoverish and weaken His ministry in us the moment we forget He is almighty. The impoverishment is in us, not in Him. We will come to Jesus for Him to be our comforter or our sympathizer, but we refrain from approaching Him as our Almighty God. The reason some of us are such poor examples of Christianity is that we have failed to recognize that Christ is almighty. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment or surrender to Jesus Christ. When we get into difficult circumstances, we impoverish His ministry by saying, “Of course, He can’t do anything about this.” We struggle to reach the bottom of our own well, trying to get water for ourselves. Beware of sitting back, and saying, “It can’t be done.” You will know it can be done if you will look to Jesus. The well of your incompleteness runs deep, but make the effort to look away from yourself and to look toward Him."

My Utmost For His Highest, February 27, "The Way to Knowledge"

Hospitality & Generosity in the Luther home...

Justin Taylor has an AMAZING article entitled, "Hospitality and Generosity in the Luther home" ... I would DEFINITELY encourage you to read it! It's incredibly inspiring and I am challenged by the Luther's ability to be so selfless and generous with all that they had!


Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:9-10

Wonderful Wednesdays

Good morning everyone :) I hope that your Wednesday has started out well! Today is WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY and I want to share something wonderful with you! I've been trying to use my morning work-out time to do some recreational reading. There is so much reading to do at SEBTS that there often isn't time to fit in any additional reading. However, I just finished a book that I really enjoyed. My roommate Audra let me borrow it and I am so thankful!

In her book, Sunrise on the Battery, Beth Hart displays her knowledge of Charleston well and recaptures the city I love beautifully. However, you don't have to be as big a fan of the lowcountry as I am to enjoy this one. The best part of this book is the way that she displays a radically changed life. Mary Lynn and Jackson are Southern natives who have climbed the social ladder in order to provide the life for their girls that they never had. However, they have an encounter with Jesus that leaves them forever changed. I've copied the description of the book below.

One more WONDERFUL thing (FREE OF CHARGE!!!): If you have a minute, check out this blog, Southern Belle View. Beth Hard and a few other ladies have created this blog to offer encouragement through inspirational books, recipes, crafts and fun little posts about being Southern :)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
She wanted her husband to attend the town’s society-driven church. God answered her prayer in a radical way.

An emptiness dogs Mary Lynn Scoville. But it shouldn’t. After all, she’s achieved what few believed possible. Born in the rural south, she has reached the pinnacle of worldly success in Charleston, South Carolina. Married to a handsome real estate developer and mother to three accomplished daughters, Mary Lynn is one Debutante Society invitation away from truly having it all. And yet, it remains—an emptiness that no shopping trip, European vacation, or social calendar can fill.

While her husband commits social suicide and the life they worked so hard for crumbles around them, Mary Lynn wonders if their marriage can survive. Or if perhaps there really is a more abundant life that Jackson has discovered, richer than any she’s ever dreamed of.

Valentine's Day / 3 years later

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Today has been so precious ... our kids have showered us with hugs and Valentine's Day cards. And it is so sweet to see them all in their red and pink! I just read a post I wrote back in 2009. I was looking forward to graduating from Clemson and still praying about coming to SEBTS. I was wondering about China and serving overseas. It is now 3 years later and I'm graduating from SEBTS and looking to move my life to China August 1st. I copy/pasted a little from the blog below:

Sometimes I still worry if I am making the right choice. Did I just not have enough faith to go to China? Is this the easier path? Sometimes the people pleaser in me comes out when I see the questioning look on faces. But I really don't think that is true. I really do believe that God is leading me to Wake Forest to be prepared for whatever He has for me. He did a lot in my heart over Christmas. I'm so thankful that He is in control and is sovereign over my questions, my "decisions," and my sin. He is enough and the only one I should aim to please. So this is where I'm at ... I'm moving forward in faith towards Seminary. There are still questions... is MAIS the right program? What is next? Working with Internationals here? Teaching? Working overseas? Will I EVER get married? Should I do the 2+2 program? I believe that as I seek the Lord, if seminary is not the "next" thing then God will put a stop to it. He's in control. But I'm moving forward in faith knowing that my future is in His hands.


Well, it's 3 years later and a lot has happened. It's neat to look back to that time in 2009 knowing all that God has done. He provided a fantastic church that teaches me so much and a school that has grown my love for and knowledge of the Lord. I have been challenged in my faith and in my walk. God has brought people into my life who have discipled and poured into me. He's allowed me to go on two trips overseas (Central Asia & East Asia). I've also had amazing roommates and friends that have become more like family. It has been an amazing season. As I read that blog from 2009, I remember the feelings and questions I had. They aren't too different from the ones I have now as we (Kara & I) pray about this possible move in August. But it is encouraging to look back over and reflect on God's sovereignty, wisdome, grace and love.

I hope that you have all had a WONDERFUL Valentine's Day. I hope that you have felt loved by those around you and in your life. Most of all, I hope that you are able to reflect on our God and His great and mighty love for us.

Kid love :)

I have to admit, I have some of the best kids. There are moments when they make me laugh and, honestly, there are moments when they drive me crazy (like the time one of my 1st graders decided to chunk a hard ice pack down the entire lunch table, almost hitting multiple people in the head). However, the majority of my days are spent admiring how amazing they are. They are moments, each and every day, where they completely melt my heart.

Today was one of those days :) Yesterday we went over the calendar with our kids for February and (THANKS TO MS. MINETZ!) I made it to the calendar! I believe the question was, "Ms. Smith's birthday is on the 19th. What day of the week is that?"

Well, today I got my first birthday card from one of our 3rd graders. It's 17 days early and it's absolutely perfect.





























Here is another precious gift from a few weeks ago. We recently had a 3 day weekend and this is what one sweet 4th grader put on the board...