Ya know what they say? Never say never. I always thought, “I don’t understand bump photos. They’re weird. Why do people post them?” And then, I had a happy little baby bump and a large collection of friends who happen to be miles and miles away from me. I know what will happen – I’ll go home in August and everyone will be all like, “OHMYGOSH, NAOMI, YOU’RE HUGE.” (actually, let’s really hope that doesn’t happen). Hehe. The point is, I must keep said friends updated with the progress of my pregnancy…. since you can’t see it in person. *waves to PA friends!*

So there ya go! I’m officially 17 weeks along. To translate: it’s the second trimester, yay! Random people have begun asking me if we’re expecting… so I guess that’s a good thing. I have officially moved beyond the looking-like-I-ate-too-many-Twinkies stage. Good. ‘Cause I don’t even like Twinkies.

I met with my Arkansas midwife last week and that was fun. Travelling for the summer is kinda annoying because I have a Pennsylvania midwife and now an Arkansas midwife…. and in three months I’ll go back to my PA midwife. I’d prefer to have just one. But life throws ya curveballs and one just has to roll with the punches. It is what it is. :D

The really fun part is that I heard our baby’s heartbeat again!! Which is awesome. Brandon and I have begun referring to the baby as Squish-Squish… because that’s the sound of the heartbeat. ;) And it’s waaaaay better than calling the baby “it” until we know whether it is a boy or a girl. Also, it’s pretty great that this has turned into calling random babies “squish-squish.” Like “aaaah, did you see those parents that took their little squish-squish up for prayer at church today? I hope everything’s all right.” And “look! a squish-squish!” (Yes, talking about babies is great and funny!). :D



Other fun updates:

Books. I’ve been keeping busy doing pregnancy reading. Honestly, I did so much baby reading prior to pregnancy, I kinda ran outta good books. At my midwife appointment last week, I was excited to see a few titles that I hadn’t been able to find at my library at home. Pregnancy books are an odd genre because a) everybody’s got different opinions about everything, so it takes some mental sorting, and b) birth by nature is an ‘earthy’ kind of experience, so the details are a little icky to read. I mean, seriously, it’s all like, BLOOD! LABOR! TMI! Ya know? It’s like a recall of every baby shower and women’s retreat I’ve ever been to in my life (what? you weren’t inundated with countless birth stories as a teenager?). ;) But I gotta say --- pregnancy books are still about 100x better than online pregnancy forums. That’s where the real crazies come out. Also, it amazes me how many people ask questions to the random internet that should be directed to people that actually KNOW STUFF --- like medical professionals or even older women that have been mothers!

Food Cravings & Aversions. I like food. The highly-sensitive-food-aversions of the first trimester have passed, which is nice. I still hate the smell of Subway… but I don’t think that will ever change. :D I finally enjoy coffee again! Not enough to drink it every day – which is better anyways. But since this is hot Arkansas, I’ve been doing cold-brew decaf iced coffee a few times a week and it’s a nice treat! Every time I make it, I’m like, why even go to Starbucks? This stuff is amazing --- and it didn’t cost me $4 for a cup!

In answer to the “have you had pregnancy cravings?” question – no, not really. There’s some food that I prefer over others --- like the fact that I’d rather have ice cream for dessert, rather than just some dark chocolate. I’m loving the fact that I have more time to cook better, i.e. healthier. Time to prep fresh vegetables, visit the farmer’s market, try my hand at baking homemade wheat bread, throw together morning smoothies and simmer beans on the stove. I really love cooking, and it’s great to be able to do more of it, and it’s very helpful to finally be cooking our meals right before we eat them --- rather than the crazy spring/fall semester schedule that had been me packing 90% of our food in lunchboxes to be eaten throughout our workdays! (I am definitely in the insanely-grateful-to-be-staying-home category of homemaker).

I’m trying really hard to be mindful of what I’m eating and how often. Always trying to get more greens into my diet by throwing some kale in my broccoli-cheddar soup (Brandon raved about that soup), or throwing some spinach in a strawberry smoothie or finding new dinner recipes. Sometimes I feel a little whiney, like “why are vegetables sooo booooring?” And then I remember that adults are not supposed to whine. :P And I remember that ALL the food groups are necessary… so I go drink some milk and I feel better. :D

Heart Thoughts. It’s difficult to put words to the swirling thoughts in my head about pregnancy. The inner turmoil of the first trimester was relentless. Having seen many close friends and family go through miscarriages in recent years, you could say that I was fighting hard against anxiety. But God is good and God is big and He carries my heart in His hands. As I continue to walk this journey, I’m falling into more trust of my God.

Snow. Big shocker there... or maybe it wasn't. Here in Pennsylvania, we know that March comes in like a lion. While last winter was as calm and mostly snow-less, this winter has been chock-full of the white stuff. I feel like Brandon has truly experienced the Pennsylvania seasons. This March has been no exception. I woke up on Saturday morning and pull back the curtains to see white stuff gently falling. A little later, we were enjoying a morning cup of coffee in the living room (we only use our living room on Saturday mornings!) and there sat Caspian the kitty. He has a perfect position on top of a chair with his little face in between the curtains so he can watch the snow fall--- or the ducks that reside across the street by the little creek. Those ducks should be grateful that he is an indoor kitty, because I know that there are some hunting/murderous thoughts going through his furry head.

Our weekend was restful and pleasant and full of all things normal & good. I am endeavoring to focus on the task at hand, instead of the task ahead, as I'm prone to do. When you have a to-do list as long as mine and the task-oriented personality to go with in, enjoying the moments isn't something that comes naturally. 1 Timothy 6:6 says that "godliness with contentment is great gain." Every task that I do is for a purpose, and if I am working to the Lord (whether it be menial things or the more commonly thought of as spiritual tasks), I am being obedient. I am being godly. Even when I am folding laundry and packing lunches and making the bed again, my soul can rest in Christ. Because I am fulfilling His will. I can enjoy these moments. In this season of college and busy-ness and little time and very-focused jobs, I am slowing my heart down and trying to live in today. Not tomorrow. Not the distant future. God has given me today, and I will rejoice in it. Today is a beautiful day.

I knew that I was gonna do this... I forgot one of my all-time favorite books!!

The Cross & The Switchblade by David Wilkerson
I've been privileged to hear David Wilkerson preach several times and each time, I am touched by the humility and unassuming nature of this man of God. In my mind, I can hear him praying for the Holy Spirit's help to speak the Word of God. It is burned in my memory and causes me to think, I want to be that desperate for God's words when I preach! Anyway, back to the book. The Cross & The Switchblade tells the story of David Wilkerson's beginning in ministry---in a small church in Philipsburg, PA (close to me!), and how that God consecrated him by challenging him to give up television and give himself to prayer, and what resulted from that. Eventually, the Lord led him to New York City to begin Teen Challenge. I won't tell the story, but I especially love the demonstration of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit!!

This book is highly recommended by me. :)

Now that I have "waxed eloquent" about what books people should not be reading, let me talk about what books people should be reading. I don't like dwelling on the negatives very much. If you know me and/or have read this blog for awhile, you know that I love books. I've loved books ever since I was a child. One of my earliest memories in school (of the very few years I wasn't homeschooled) was in 1st grade. The teacher gave the class our first chapter books and told us to read the first chapter during that hour... I finished the whole book. Not surprisingly, as I grew up, my favorite times were going to the library. At home, my mom knew that if she couldn't hear me--playing the piano--I most likely 'had my nose stuck in a book.' Only a raucous, lively family and intensely passionate church kept me from being a totally unsocial bookworm. :)


Through the years, I have compiled my 'short list' of All-Time Favorite Books. These are the books that continue to inspire, convict and challenge me spiritually whenever I re-read them. And I do reread them often...


Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill
I refer to this author "the poetic prophet." His writing is like a jewelled dagger; beautiful to look at and yet, sharp enough to pierce the soul. Alliterations and descriptive phrasing make this book a joy to read... and yet a painful experience. It's a call to revival!! Revival = a reviving of that which was dead. Revival is admitting that I was wrong, I fell away and I was not doing the things of God. Say it with me, "OUCH."

The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun
You like adventure? You like stories of faraway lands and exotic peoples? You should read this book. It is the story of Brother Yun, a Chinese preacher who stands for Christ even in the face of persecution. It's quite the journey from the miracles of him receiving a Bible (in Communist China) to surviving a 74-day fast to walking out of prison supernaturally, as if he were invisible. Simply amazing. Brother Yun writes with humility and you will feel the depth of devotion in this spiritual giant's words.


No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green by Melody Green
The controversial life of a young musical genius who loved God desperately and followed Him completely until his untimely death at the age of 28. Keith Green's radical life stands a righteous rebuke and heartfelt challenge to me personally. Can I write songs from the heart of God, like he did? Can I preach truth and live holy and seek God passionately, like he did?


Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Living a life of discipline is hard for us carnal humans. This book gives practical insight on spiritual disciplines that we should establish as habits in our lives. Things like prayer, meditation, simplicity, fasting, confession, service, etc. Simple and deep reading, if applied. A word of warning (just as my pastor told me, when recommending the book), the author is Quaker and sometimes he gets a little mystical. Just chew the hay and spit out the sticks. :)


Rees Howells: Intercessor by Norman Grubb
The newest addition to my Favorites list. This book reveals how God can use any willing vessel, how surrender is the key to powerful prayer and how the prayers of one person can shake nations. After reading this book, I am inspired to get on my knees and intercede for souls.


In His Steps by Charles Sheldon
The only fiction book in my Favorites list. Even the fact that I have a fiction book in my list will tell you a little about the calibre of this story. Charles Sheldon spins a tale about a minister gives a challenge to church-goers, to ask themselves the question "What Would Jesus Do?" and then honestly live out the answer. The results dramatically affect people's lives, careers, business practice, passions--and even a whole town. Truly life-changing.

Other awesome books... Azusa Street by Frank Bartleman - Read and weep. That's what I did. Christ the Healer by F.F. Bosworth - It will rock your healing theology. Tozer on Worship and Entertainment by A.W. Tozer - Okay, this will just rock your world. In general. You will never think of entertainment the same again. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence - I read this as a teenager and was astounded by the concept of continual prayer. Not Even a Hint by Joshua Harris - Great Biblical book for anyone who deals with lust. The Autobiography of Charles Finney. I could go on and on and on... but since I am writing this blog entry while on vacation, and not staring at my library, you are saved from the endless lists of books.

Be a reader. Read the Word most and love it best. But also read good books. Read books that will feed your spirit, challenge your faith and mature your character.

It seems that everywhere I go, I hear something about the Twilight book series and subsequent film adaptation. I love books. And you might assume that I would be as entranced by this young adult fiction series as the rest of the world is. But the fact is—I am a Christian. Even (or especially) my book choices are determined by my devotion to Christ. Sometimes the world embraces a new thing, and the Church doesn’t quite know how to handle it. In this exposition, I’d like to shed some Biblical light onto Twilight, and determine how it stands.

For those unfamiliar with the plot of the Twilight book series, here is a brief summary. Bella, a human young girl, falls in love with Edward, a young-looking-but-very-old vampire. He is a “good” vampire, because he only drinks the blood of animals along with the rest of his vampire coven, though they find it difficult to restrain their murderous urges. The series mostly tells the ongoing saga of Edward & Bella’s romance, marriage and ultimately, Bella’s transformation into a vampire.

I've done as much research as possible on this subject without actually reading the novels in their entirety. I did read several excerpts and can empathize with the young girls so obsessed with these novels. I felt the fleshly inclination to the romantic storyline while reading. That scared me, because I also felt a strong spiritual revulsion to the evil represented in those pages. Galations 5:17 says, "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please."[1] And this perfectly illustrates the battle the books represent in a Christian young women's soul.

My objections to Twilight are as follows, in no particular order.

The Author: Stephanie Meyer, the author of Twilight, is a Mormon and a graduate of Brigham Young University. Mormonism is a cult. Its devotees are highly deceived. They cling to beliefs that are religious in nature, but deny the deity of Christ. Which is heresy. This author may not be writing about Mormonism, but the deception she lives daily is woven throughout the stories. As a Christian who loves Christ—the Lord & God, I want no part in that deception.

The Inspiration: I quote from Stephanie Meyer's website, "I woke up (on that June 2nd) from a very vivid dream. In my dream, two people were having an intense conversation in a meadow in the woods. One of these people was just your average girl. The other person was fantastically beautiful, sparkly, and a vampire."[2] Certainly the Holy Spirit did not inspire the author. Her inspiration came from the flesh or satan himself. Because of the subject matter of the books, I'm inclined to think that these books are demonically inspired.

The Occult Influences: Throughout the first two books in the series, the story focuses on vampires and werewolves in a cursory way. The vampires possess so-called special powers. Edward, the male protagonist, has the power to read minds. I find this troubling because psychic ability has long been coupled with witchcraft and the occult. Vampires are legendary, but throughout history, they are grouped with the 'dark side' of the spiritual realm. By definition, they are “an imaginary demon, which was fabled to suck the blood of persons at night.”[3] The Bible is very clear that God uses angels as ministering spirits to do His will.[4] If there are spiritual beings, but not angels, on the earth--it is safe to assume that they are demons. And even though this series is fictional, as Christians, can we cling to evil in demonic form? We must “abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.”[5]
In the Old Testament, all things witchcraft-related were deemed “detestable to the Lord.”[6] It is reasonable to assume that since God’s character does not change, what He finds detestable does not change either.
And even if readers have found Twilight’s magical qualities innocent in the first few books, justification is threatened towards the end of the series. Twilight’s nice-vampire image has attracted many readers not usually given to the horror/vampire genre. However, in the third book, Twilight makes a swift descent into blood-filled horror fiction. In the fourth book, the "hero" and "heroine" have a half-human/half-vampire child. The author admits this was inspired by her research of the 'incubus,'[7] which is "an imaginary demon or evil spirit supposed to descend upon sleeping persons, esp. one fabled to have sexual intercourse with women during their sleep."[8] How sickening.
One last thought: In the early church, new believers burned their books on magic in public—even though the books were of great monetary value.[9] Should we not have the same opposition to evil, since we are submitted to the same Lord?

The Sexuality: While graphic sex is purposefully avoided, there are many pages devoted to Edward & Bella's lovemaking. Sex, sensuality and physical lust are overwhelming themes—if not THE overwhelming themes—in this series.
Many justify this by pointing out that the couple did not have sex until after marriage. "See! They're promoting abstinence!" All Christians have the responsibility to “honor marriage” and “let the marriage bed be undefiled” according to Hebrews 13:1. Because of these Scriptural commands, I believe that it is wrong to read books with extended descriptions of sex or watch movies in which sex is taking place—marriage or no marriage! Sexual relations are only intended for within the marriage covenant. So unless it's YOUR marriage covenant, you should have nothing to do with it!
Just as pornography creates permanent changes in the brain[10], book themes present data for our brains to turn into mental images. If this data is wrong, our imaginations will quickly fall into sin. Jesus said that thinking lustful thoughts is the same as doing the act.[11] As a single young woman, I fight a battle for purity daily. Even one book with sinful themes is burned in my mind. This is a great reason to be discerning about the information we embrace. We involuntarily think on the themes presented to us. Philippians 4:8 gives clear evidence of the standards God has set for our mind to consumed with. Things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good reputation, anything excellent or worthy of praise. With that in mind, I don’t believe that Twilight’s obsession with sex—if they’re gonna do it, when they’re gonna do it and when they finally do it—is spiritually edifying content.

The Perception of Love/Relationships: Brio Magazine (a ministry of Focus on the Family to teen girls), in their review of the Twilight series, highlights the unrealistic expectation of a perfect guy. They say, “[Edward] is the fantasy creation of a woman writer.”[12] This is not one of my most vehement objections, but it is a valid point.
Looking at the Twilight series as a whole, I am more concerned about the principles being fed to young people. Twilight teaches young people, esp. young girls, to be driven by their emotions in relationships. It constantly reinforces the idea the feelings trump everything else. According to this book series, emotions = true love. This is very deceptive. The Bible’s definition of love is sacrificial in nature. Love is a choice. Some may confuse Bella’s emotional sacrifice for Edward with true love, but it is motivated by her feelings. She loves the way he makes her feel, and is even willing to give up her soul (i.e. eternal salvation) to be with him. Her love is selfish, not selfless. And she refuses to recognize any dangers in her relationship, or accept any wisdom from the authority in her life. Which brings me to another point…

The Rebellion Against Authority: Another very harmful principle constantly supplied is the utter disregard for parental authority. The Bible clearly states that children must “obey [their] parents in the Lord, for this is right.”[13] And even going beyond the actions of obedience, children are told to “honor [their] father and mother.”[14] The attitudes must be ones of respect and reverence. Contrary to Biblical teaching, the parents here are ones to be simply tolerated or ignored, at will.

Orson Scott Card, a columnist for secular Time magazine states, "Stephenie Meyer's Twilight does raise some questions, and I've asked them. 'You really want your teenage daughter to live inside the story of a girl who lies to her parents, invites a boy to sleep in her bed and trusts him not to take advantage of her?'"[15]

There are other issues that could be brought to light, such as atheism, blood/gory violence, an allusion to gang rape, various other occult references and some profanities and vulgarities.

Through flowery words and a romantic storyline, the author has entranced millions of readers[16], especially young people. However, when the fluff is stripped away, the philosophies left are hardly praiseworthy. It is evil wrapped up in an innocent-looking package. "For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."[17] The enemy is waiting for any open door to bring destruction into the minds of God’s people. It is my belief that Twilight presents a door flung wide open for the working of the devil in our hearts and minds, deadening our spiritual discernment and justifying compromise in the area of media consumption.

Be of sober spirit; be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around
like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8



1 Galations 5:17, NASB
2 http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight.html
3 American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster 1828.
4 Hebrews 1:14, NASB
5 Romans 12:9, NASB
6 Dueteronomy 18:9-13, NASB
7 http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/bd_faq.html
8 Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “incubus” definition 1.
9 Acts 19:19, NASB
10 Speech given by Judith Reisman given at a Science, Technology and Space Hearing: “The Science Behind Pornography Addiction,” Thursday, November 18, 2004. Available on the Web at http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1343&wit_id=3910
11 Matthew 5:28, NASB
12 http://www.briomag.com/briomagazine/entertainment/a0007866.html
13 Ephesians 6:1, NASB
14 Ephesians 6:2, NASB
15http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733752_1736282,00.html 16 http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE4AK03620081121
17 2 Corinthians 11:14, NASB.

Life-Giving GOD,

Quicken me to call upon Thy name,
for my mind is ignorant,
my thoughts vagrant,
my affections earthly,
my heart unbelieving,
and only Thy Spirit can help my infirmities.
I approach Thee as Father and Friend,
my portion forever,
my exceeding joy,
my strength of heart.
I believe in Thee as the God of nature,
the ordainer of providence,
the sender of Jesus my Savior.
My guilty fears discourage an approach to Thee,
but I praise Thee for the blessed news
that Jesus reconciles Thee to me.
May the truth that is in Him
illuminate in me all that is dark,
establish in me all that is wavering,
comfort in me all that is wretched,
accomplish in me all that is of Thy goodness,
and glorify in me the name of Jesus.
I pass through a vale of tears,
but bless Thee for the opening gate of glory at its end.
Enable me to realize as mine the better, heavenly country.
Prepare me for every part of my pilgrimage.
Uphold my steps by Thy Word.
Let no iniquity dominate me.
Teach me that Christ cannot be the Way
if I am the end,
That He cannot be Redeemer,
if I am my own Saviour.
That there can be no true union with Him
While the creature has my heart.
That faith accepts Him as Redeemer and Lord
or not at all.

-From "The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers & Devotions"

The Chronicles of Narnia series are my all-time favorite fiction books. I love the stories, the imagery, the English-ness, the purity of writing, the exaltation of nobility and courage and those character traits often ignored in this modern world. I love the references that C.S. Lewis (TCON's author) did not "intend" as allegory, yet they speak to me of Christ. I love that it is magic without demonic inspiration, and that there is a clear line between good and evil.

In hono(u)r of the newest Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, I am going to post my favorite lines from the book that were not included in the movie.

"No more of that, your Majesty, if you love me," -Trumkin the Dwarf

"He that is walking between the Centaur and the Giant has no look of surrender in his face." -Glozelle

"The Trees... quenched their thirst with deep draughts of mingled dew and rain, flavoured with forest flowers and the airy taste of the thinnest clouds."

"You came of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve. And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emporer in earth. Be content." -Aslan

"You are my King. I know the difference between giving advice and taking orders. You've had my advice, and now it's the time for orders." -Trumpkin the Dwarf

I'm not gonna post my opinion on Prince Caspian (the movie), because The Sis hasn't seen it yet and I don't wanna spoil her experience. :)

Grand total: 78 books (I think). My favorite finds? Where do I start?

Sacred Songs & Solos by Ira D. Sankey. His name was very familiar and it was a thin songbook that looked incredibly old. (I collect old hymnbooks). So it went in the box. After researching, I realized that the name was familiar because Ira Sankey was world-renowned as D.L. Moody’s partner in evangelistic ministry and as a prolific composer.

A Daughter of the Land by Gene Stratton-Porter. This book was in the collectors’ room for really old and rare books, which meant significantly more expensive. When I went back on half-price day, there it was!! Waiting for me. Calling to me…. LOL If you don't recognize the author, she also wrote The Girl of the Limberlost. If it still doesn't ring a bell, just remember-she's a good author. Take my word on that.

War on the White Slave Trade by Ernest A. Bell. I picked up this book because there was a quote by General William Book (founder of the Salvation Army) on the front. Just paging through it quickly, I read several stories of young women caught in sexual slavery in early America and the efforts of the Church to fight against it through governmental avenues and through ministry! Awesome!

And more: A book on 19th century etiquette (fascinating!), the autobiography of Charles Finney, four books by Grace Livingston Hill, an old hardcover of Les Miserables, Spurgeon’s Sermons, several books by L.M. Montgomery, a Methodist hymnal, two books in the Black Stallion series by Walter Farley, a book by Paul/David Yonggi Cho (pastor of the largest church in the world), some Andrew Murray, several by Louisa M. Alcott, some cookbooks, several cute little books for The Niece and many more…

And besides all the great books, I had fun, too!!
-Standing in the rain with The Chatty Girl, who was wonderful enough to lose sleep and be excellent company going to a book sale when she doesn’t even like books!

-Eavesdropping on the conversation of two guys in line in front of us. One said, “Perelandra” and my ears went on high alert. They were talking about a series written by C.S. Lewis that I’ve been wanting to read. The conversation was quite intriguing, especially when they mentioned its “Christian themes.” I should’ve just talked to them, but *shrug* what can I say? Sometimes I’m shy.

-A funny little comic of stick people that I drew while eating breakfast. It was a drawing of the The Chatty Girl and myself, and I was dragging a Santa Claus bag full of books. And this tiny comic was hilarious because we were eating breakfast at 6:30 am on a Saturday, when normal people sleep. We were tired and therefore, silly.

And I can't wait 'til next year's book sale!!!

What book sale am I speaking of?
The 47th Annual AAUW Book Sale on Penn State campus. They say it’s one of biggest sales on the East Coast. And oh, it is AWESOME!

It is awesome because the books are CHEAP, they are MANY (250,000+) and they’re sorted into categories. Otherwise, it’d be overwhelming. As it is, the volume staggers me.

I’m a book collector, a book lover, a book reader, maybe a bookworm. But I’m turning into a very selective book buyer. A book “snob” just sounds so harsh. I buy books to read them and study them and reference them and decorate with them.

There’s a method to my (book) madness. The important three categories are Collectors, Children and Religion. I go in that order, because the best books are the old ones. Children’s books are way popular, so I go to that category next. I go to Religion last, because I work under the assumption that truth is unpopular in our secular culture, so few people know and/or want the incredible Christian writers of old. Usually, I find the best Christian books in the Collectors section anyway. Strange, I know.

I love good books. I like older books because they’re generally more likely to be “good” books. I read few books of modern fiction (written within last 50-60 years). And I hate, hate, HATE those horrible Harlequin romance novels. Even the sight of them makes me nauseous. There was someone buying a whole stack of those in front of me in line, and I had to look at the ceiling to avoid being sick… Speaking of hating books, as I was glancing through titles in the Religion section, I picked up a copy of the book of Mormon. As I realized what the title was, I dropped it like my hands were on fire. I do not fear heresy, but I despise it with a holy passion.

Anyway, more on the book sale to come...

I promised more words/explanation/blogging several days ago and haven't got to it until now. Living takes alot of time. Sometimes I lack the time to write about it. But for posterity's sake, here's a blog entry.

I alluded to pain previously. Specifics are unnecessary. I just want to talk a little bit about what God has been teaching me in the last week. Things have happened that are not the will of God. I have been very angry-at the evil one. And very frustrated that my (our) prayers have not accomplished results. I began to study intercession. Seeking out the Word of God to understand. Because I know, that God is not a liar. His promises are always true. And if life does not line up with the promises, it is not God's fault. I want to KNOW how to pray and see God answer. I want to pray in faith, believing, and receive! I want God to be glorified in and through my prayers.

There is a book that I recommend. Rees Howells: Intercessor, by Norman Grubb. Read the book. It's incredible. But that's a side note. Here are a couple characteristics that Rees Howells revealed about intercession.

Identification.
"(The intercessor) pleads effectively because he gives his life for those he pleads for; he is their genuine representative; he has submerged his self-interest in their needs and sufferings, and as far as possible, has literally taken their place."
Jesus was the greatest example of this. He was "numbered" with sinners. He poured out His soul unto death. He bore the sin of many. Of course, we do not bear the sin and become the substitue for men. Only Christ can do that. But we must pray & plead for their souls or healing or whatever we are interceding for.

Agony
"When the Holy Ghost really lives His life in a chosen vessel, there is no limit to the extremes to which He will take him in His passion to warn and save the lost."
The Holy Spirit is the Intercessor upon the earth and sometimes His intercession is expressed in "groanings that cannot be uttered." It is an agony of soul inexpressible in human language. It is a willingness to do ANYTHING for the one you intercede for. Like Moses, who was even willing to give up his soul for the wayward Israelites. Or Paul, also said "let me be accursed from Christ for my brethren." This crucifixion of soul in intercession is absolutely necessary to see God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Authority
This is the end. The joy following the tears. The harvest following the sowing. This is the results.
"Intercession so identifies the intercessor with the sufferer that it gives him a prevailing place with God. He moves God."
Hard to comprehend, isn't it? Like Moses, who after laying down even his soul for the rebellious Israelites, saw God literally "change His mind!" It's true! Right in the Word.

This is why God is seeking, looking, longing, searching for intercessors... people who are willing to crucify the flesh, be in soul-agony and persevere in prayer until the answer comes. Please note, people, that I do not write this because I know this. I've only experienced the slightest taste of intercession and I so desired to be one who glorify God in my prayers. There's a couple things that I think are important (based on the Word) to successfully intercede, i.e. get results.

1. You must be fully convinced of the will of God. Yes, it is God's will to save all (1 Tim. 2:4). Yes, it is God's will to heal all (Psalm 103:3). And if it is something more specific to your life or the life of others, just pray and ask the Lord. He'll reveal His will.

2. You must be fully convinced of the ability/power of God. Especially in your own situation! Some situations look so bad that you think God can't do it. Heb. 11:1 says that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. Which means, real faith doesn't start when things look good. If the circumstances are good, that's not faith-that's reality.

3. You must persevere. Luke 18:1 says that we should pray and not lose heart. We gotta have the kind of faith that goes the whole way. The parable of unrighteous judge in Luke 18 illustrates this perfectly. The woman just kept coming back and coming back and coming back and coming back. Yup, that's us.

These are things I'm learning. My heart is renewed and encouraged in faith. I want to look at situations through the eyes of faith, seeing that God is WILLING and ABLE to do all that I've asked of Him. Because He is a loving Father and He is God who was seeking me out to intercede.

Nothing happens, but by prayer.

"True godliness does not turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors to mend it."
-William Penn

"The contemplation of the saints is fired by the love of the one contemplated: that is, God."
Albert the Great

"Prayer-secret, fervent, believing prayer-lies at the root of all personal godliness."
William Carey

These quotes are from Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster. This is one of my favorite books, one of my "top six." I'm reading it again for the billionth time (or so it seems), and yet it is as challenging as ever! The book teaches on spiritual disciplines and how to practice them. I feel like such a child about these things, still learning and understanding the basics of godliness.

SNOW. Why does it wait until February for all the big snows to come? And specifically, why does it have to snow on youth event nights??? Friday was the 2nd time we postponed our youth snow tubing night... GRRR. But on Saturday, The Little Bro said the 6 inches of new snow made the snowboarding "awesome!!!" I'll take his word for it. :)

Demolition. We got to destroy our kitchen on Saturday. How fun! Actually, I wanted to use a sledge hammer, but my daddy wouldn't let me. Something about using the old cabinets for storage in the shed. *Sigh* So now we have no cabinets and no sink. But we have alot of paper plates, to help us through the remodeling. And "we" are gonna do most of the work ourselves, I guess. "We" is such a relative term, eh? It means that I get to do anything that doesn't involve skill or anything electrical. Haha. I'm the lowest on the family totem pole in construction knowledge. I guess that makes me a grunt. But, hey, at least I'm funny. :)

Left Behind. I read the books. All of them. It was quite an adventure. I'm not generally one for popular modern fiction or any fiction that was written within the last 50 years. Because it's usually "fluff" - words with no substance. But I wanted to read these to form an opinion. My take on them: "Interesting." They truly are fascinating works of fiction. Gripping. The authors' style of writing draws the reader into the story, though it thoroughly frustrated me. It was like Charles Dickens, because there were 3 or 4 or more situations going on at one time, and not one fully resolved until the end of the series. Makes me wanna pull my hair out!

There are several major flaws in the series (in my opinion).
#1. Inaccurate understanding of Biblical prophecy. This is the first flaw, and definitely the most important. I knew before reading that I disagreed with some major premises. For instance, the authors assume that the antichrist will rule the entire world. I believe he will only rule the revised Roman empire. Towards the end of the series, I was beginning to wonder if the authors honestly believed what they were writing. Or maybe they were writing some things for dramatic effect? It just seemed too fantastic or too strange. Granted, it is the End Times-the judgments of God, and those will undoubtedly be incomprehensible to the human mind. But still, the sign of the Son of Man will be a huge glowing cross in the sky?? What?
#2. Weak Christian characters. The Bible teacher is the most spiritually mature person in the series, and the only one that seems to truly walk with God. The rest of them stumble along, run around the world and don't seem to have much of a prayer life. New Christians were portrayed as having an insatiable hunger for the Word (good) and dramatically changed (good). There's not much in the Bible about what Christians will be doing during the Tribulation, so the authors are mostly speculating--which was maybe why I thought it was a lame depiction of Christians.

To sum up. I will never read the books again, and don't think it is worth the time for anyone else to read the books. The fact is--I plan on leaving on the first train out! I'm gonna be Raptured, taken up to meet Christ in the air! During the seven year Tribulation, God will finish His dealings with Israel... but I'm gonna be busy gazing on the face of Christ. Don't be left behind!