Congratulations Ian!

2010 College of the Redwoods Valedictorian!

In front of a huge crowd,

he was given the opportunity to boldly lift up the name of Jesus Christ in his Valedictorian speech!

He has now departed to bring the good news of the Kingdom to the people of Mexico.

Goodbye, Ian!

We will miss you!

Mr. Shuttle Man

I was just remembering a funny story from last summer in Colorado, and I thought I would share it with you.
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The Set Apart Girl Conference had ended, and all the girls were packing up and catching their rides to the airport. I watched as they all headed off, having enjoyed a great weekend but also glad to be going “home”-- which consisted of all parts of the nation and even the world.
My sister and I would not be leaving for a few hours. I thought for sure we would be the last ones left, deserted in the big, empty University Center. I headed up the elevator to the Panorama Room where we had spent the weekend and was glad to find people still there. Annie, Grace, Bex, Eric, and a few others were still around finishing clean-up. Annie and Eric both kindly asked me if I needed help with anything, but I told them that I just had a late shuttle and would be around for a while. I chatted with them for a few minutes and then headed down to wait with my sister.
We sat in the big room with huge glass windows and watched for our shuttle. All the while it thundered and hailed and flashed lightning outside. Finally our shuttle appeared, and by then it had calmed down a bit outside, for which we were thankful. We ran up with our bags and the shuttle man saw us and hopped out. He looked about the age of my grandpa, and after greeting us he kindly took our bags. We jumped in the back of the van and waited for him to have a smoke before getting back in the drivers' seat.
As we headed off he made small talk, asking a few questions like “Where are you from?” and “What brings you here to Greeley?”. I told him that we had been attending a conference and were now heading home to California.
Then, with a chuckle, he asked, “So did you meet a lot of nice-looking young men while you were here?” I turned a little red but replied, “No, we didn’t.”
He didn’t give up. Now grinning at me into the rear-view mirror with a twinkle in his eye he continued, “Well, surely you at least met a few good looking young men while you were here...?” to which I replied with another definite “No” and hid a smile. Now he was nearly blown-away, and paused as a confused expression now crossed his former joking countenance. I laughed and told him that actually we didn’t meet one single young man because we were attending a girls’ conference! He was still bewildered that we had indeed not met any “good-looking young men”, and didn’t seem to understand.
Next he proceeded to take a different approach and asked, “So what was this conference about?” Ah. I knew he would ask that. I began to tell him that we had attended what was called a Set Apart Girls’ Conference, and that the focus of it all was actually on purity. I told him that 200 girls had gathered together who all wanted to keep themselves for one man, their future husband, and not chase after guys but rather use their energy and single years toward pursuing Jesus Christ.
If he had been bewildered before, now he was positively at a loss for words, and I was able to say only a few more sentences before he grew uncomfortable and changed the subject completely.
Later I laughed as I thought about his jesting attempts, but realized that he really was just approaching from the mindset that he thought was the "norm". He thought that all young girls only had one focus- guys. He didn’t know any different I suppose. I’m sure he grew up quite differently than the 200 girls who had just spent their weekend together.
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Sometimes it's easy to forget that the people we meet when we go out in the world don't know.
They don't know the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the wondrous love of the Father, or His saving grace. How could they? "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" -Rom. 10:14
How careful we must then be toward them! How needful that we be in tune to the Father's thoughts about these lost souls. May the Lord give us wisdom!
"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." -Colossians 4:5-6

May the Lord give you wisdom and grace today as you walk as His kingdom-bearer in the midst of this lost world.

tell me a secret...

here I am again

So here I am again...

willing to be opened up and broken like a flower in the rain

Tell me what have I to do to die and then be raised?

To reach beyond the pain

like a flower in the rain

-jaci velasquez

The feast of passover had begun. Jesus knew that His time had come. He was leaving. He was going to His father. He had loved His own who were in the world unto the end. But He also knew that one would betray Him.

And knowing that His Father had given all things into His hands, that He had come from Him, and was going to Him, Jesus rose from supper and laid aside His garments. He took a towel and girded Himself, poured water in a bason, and began to wash His disciples feet...(1)

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Jesus never ceased to do the absolutely unexpected.

Why would He wash feet? In a few hours He would be hanging on a cross, bearing these men's sin. At the same time, they would be running for their lives, denying His very name, and leaving Him alone. He knew this would happen. Why then did He do this?

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Sometimes I want to do great things. To rescue the lost. To wrestle in prayer 'till victory comes. To abound with fruit for my Father's pleasure. To see the enemy conquered, and God's people rise up strong. To have a place in the kingdom come.

But then, in gentle voice, He whispers, "Do this little thing. The one that is right before you. Wash these feet. Lay aside your own gain, and get down on you knees. Take up you towel, and follow Me. Wrestle in prayer for this person, who will never know you did so. He who is faithful in that which is least is faithful in much. "

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have you taken up your towel today?

(1) John 13:1-5

Ladies Against Feminism

This is another wonderful website for ladies!

It was just recently re-launched and has many new authors sharing

inspiring and challenging thoughts.

Check it out!

A Wise Woman

I would like to mention a little something about the blog that I recently added to my list of "sites I visit". It is called A Wise Woman Builds Her Home. What a blessing it has been to me to read bits and pieces of this site! It is full of practical, inspiring posts on Biblical Womanhood, Femininity, Rich Christian Living, and much more. Though primarily directed to mothers, it has set me thinking and preparing my heart for whatever God has for me in the future, echoed the words of Scripture that I have been pondering lately, and further established me in truths that were swimming in my mind. It has given me ideas to ponder, truths to wrestle with, and kindled a vision in me for true womanhood and Christ-centered family life. Some of the posts which I have especially liked are: Top Ten Things Ungodly Cultures Hate That the Bible Tells Men, Would You Love Her?, The Controlled Mother (helpful thoughts for my baby-sitting), The Broad and Narrow, She Beautifies His Life, and Pioneering Biblical Femininity in a Post Christian Culture.

If you get a chance, I would encourage you to visit this beautiful site for some worthwhile reading.

Something Wonderful

"After years of society belittling the calling of motherhood, something wonderful is happening--something wonderfully counter-cultural! In the midst of the anti-life, anti-motherhood philosophies which pervade the culture, there is a new generation of young ladies whose priorities are not determined by the worlds expectations of them. They have grown up in homes where fathers shepherded them, where children are not merely welcome, but where they are deeply loved. Some of these women have been home educated, which means that many of them have grown up around babies and their mothers. They have learned to see motherhood as a joy and a high calling because their parents see it that way.When asked about their future, these girls know their own minds. These are the future mothers of the Church: Young women who are not afraid to say that the goal of all of their education and training is to equip them to pursue the highest calling of womanhood--the office of wife and mother."

--Doug Phillips, The Little Boy Down the Road

Advice on Reading

by Richard Baxter (1615-1691)


"Make careful choice of the books which you read: let the holy scriptures ever have the pre-eminence, and, next to them, those solid, lively, heavenly treatises which best expound and apply the scriptures, and next, credible histories, especially of the Church . . . but take heed of false teachers who would corrupt your understandings."

1. As there is a more excellent appearance of the Spirit of God in the holy scripture, than in any other book whatever, so it has more power and fitness to convey the Spirit, and make us spiritual, by imprinting itself upon our hearts. As there is more of God in it, so it will acquaint us more with God, and bring us nearer Him, and make the reader more reverent, serious and divine. Let scripture be first and most in your hearts and hands and other books be used as subservient to it. The endeavours of the devil and papists to keep it from you, doth shew that it is most necessary and desirable to you.

2. The writings of divines are nothing else but a preaching of the gospel to the eye, as the voice preaches it to the ear. Vocal preaching has the pre-eminence in moving the affections, and being diversified according to the state of the congregation which attend it: this way the milk comes warmest from the breast. But books have the advantage in many other respects: you may read an able preacher when you have but a average one to hear. Every congregation cannot hear the most judicious or powerful preachers: but every single person may read the books of the most powerful and judicious; preachers may be silenced or banished, when books may be at hand: books may be kept at a smaller charge than preachers: we may choose books which treat of that, very subject which we desire to hear of; but we cannot choose what subject the preacher shall treat of. Books we may have at hand every day. and hour; when we can have sermons but seldom, and at set times. If sermons be forgotten, they are gone; but a book we may read over and over, till we remember it: and if we forget it, may again peruse it at our pleasure, or at our leisure. So that good books are a very great mercy to the world: the Holy Ghost chose the way of writing, to preserve His doctrine and laws to the 'Church, as knowing how easy and sure a way it is of keeping it safe to all generations, in comparison of mere verbal traditions.

3. You have need of a judicious teacher at hand, to direct you what books to use or to refuse: for among good books there are some very good that are sound and lively; and some good, but mediocre, and weak and somewhat dull; and some are very good in part, but have mixtures of error, or else of incautious, injudicious expressions, fitter to puzzle than edify the weak."

While reading ask oneself:
1. Could I spend this time no better?
2. Are there better books that would edify me more?
3. Are the lovers of such a book as this the greatest lovers of the Book of God and of a holy life?
4. Does this book increase my love to the Word of God, kill my sin, and prepare me for the life to come?

Good Morning, Sunshine!

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He hath set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race...

Psalm 19:1-5