reminiscing

God is faithfully for us

March 25, 2019 by Kristin 3 Comments

When I was 16 years old, I had lots of questions for God. The answers were a process, but he used words and people to draw me to him. The first truth I really grasped onto was Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Two decades later, I still hold tightly to that promise. I know God so much better now, thanks to words and people and experiences. But there’s still so much I can learn.

I’m slowly working through “If God Is For Us: The Everlasting Truth of Our Great Salvation” by Trilla Newbell. It’s a six-week study of Romans 8.

I keep underlining Trillia Newbell’s words that point me to truths about God’s faithfulness and the freedom he gives. She writes with encouragement and confidence, knowing God truly is for us. I really like the mixture of questions – some focus on studying God’s word and some are personal reflections – and I’m gaining so much context for that promise God showed me when I was a teenager. The margins are jotted with my thoughts as I work through this book and reflect on these past twenty-three years of following God and my recent focus on living faithfully.

About the book

This fresh and inviting approach to Romans 8 with its attractive layout is divided into six weeks of five days each. Every week begins with an overview of what’s ahead and includes prompts to get the reader engaged with the Word. “Respond” questions are for digging into the text and understanding it better. Each day the “Explore” devotions help apply the text to life, and the daily “Reflect” questions guide the reader into prayer and reflection.

The format “If God Is For Us” works well whether done individually or with a group. Newbell shows readers how to find and use various resources to enrich their study: cross-references within the Bible itself, websites, video, and others.

The first week is an overview of the first seven chapters of Romans. Newbell leads up to Romans 8 by examining some great themes of the faith: the fallen human condition and need for salvation; the doctrine of adoption; the struggle with the old nature; peace with God through Christ, and more.

Weeks two through six focus intently on Romans 8. As Newbell goes through the rich teachings of this chapter, the reader not only will become more comfortable with its theology but will appreciate its application to daily life. The keywords called, predestined, conformed, sanctified, justified, glorified are covered, as are major scriptural truths such as the Spirit’s intercession in prayer; our present sufferings compared with future glory; believers being conformed to the image of God’s Son; the promise that God is working all things together for His purposes, which are good. In the final week, five rhetorical questions Paul asks are answered.

Week 1: No Greater Message: an overview of Romans 1–7
Week 2: Life in the Spirit: Romans 8:1-11
Week 3: Heirs with Christ—God’s Children: Romans 8:12-17
Week 4: Future Glory: Romans 8:18-27
Week 5: Our Assurance: Romans 8:28-30
Week 6: Everlasting Love: Romans 8:31-39

When this workable and in-depth study is completed, the reader will better know God, His Son, and the timeless, ringing truths of His Word as declared throughout Romans 8: that God indeed is for us and that absolutely nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

About the author

Trillia Newbell is the author of “Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God’s Good Gifts,” “Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves,” and “United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity,” as well as the kids’ book “God’s Very Good Idea.” (Learn more about Newbell and her books here.) A writer and speaker, she also is currently the director of community outreach for the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. She and her husband Thern reside with their two children near Nashville, Tennessee.

Giveaway

One of you gets a copy! Whoo-hoo! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win between now and Friday, March 29. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents.

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*****

I received a free copy of this study and the giveaway opportunity from Side Door Communications in exchange for a review.

Stories from the Porch in November

November 30, 2018 by Kristin 2 Comments

November included some of my favorite traditions – Friendsgiving and our Christmas Tree Hunt. Surprisingly, it also included a snow day. November also means Thanksgiving, Ben’s birthday, and National Adoption Awareness Month. This month’s view from the porch is actually my son throwing a snowball at the kitchen window while I was watching the kids enjoy the early snow that gave them a day off school.

Highlights

In 2011, we started cutting down our own Christmas tree on my mother-in-law’s land. Then we moved to the country and continued the tradition on our own property. Thing is, these trees weren’t raised and trimmed to be Christmas tree, so we’ve had unruly trees right in our living room. Despite all my Type A ways, I really love the perfectly imperfect trees. They help me enjoy the holiday season more.

The perfectly imperfect one from 2013 may have been my favorite tree. You can read about the adventures from 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016 too.

With November having five Thursdays, we have more time after Thanksgiving before December begins. This is the earliest we’ve ever put up our tree, but that’s just how the calendar worked out. And I’m not sad to ease into December.

Earlier in the month, went to see Zach Williams and Matt Maher in concert. It’s one I’ll remember for a long time. Of course, I shared about that in a post too.

In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, I shared about our past Novembers, offered a free download of the Kindle version of my book (that 173 of y’all downloaded!), and welcomed two friends to share their stories on my blog. (If you missed those, Kelli shared about how waiting for and adopting her daughter gave her passion for other mommas that she’s turning into a ministry and Michaela shared about how God unites families for his glory.) I also got to see “Instant Family” with some of my dear friends.

Favorite things

Good Grit magazine – I heard about this on That Sounds Fun because Annie Downs was the guest editor of the November/December Beholden issue. It’s a beautiful magazine filled with so many lovely stories. The actual magazine even feels beautiful. I’m happy I subscribed. Magazines in general have been among my favorite things this year. I currently also subscribe to Southern Living, the Magnolia Journal, and the Pioneer Woman’s magazine.

Canvas pictures – I really love documenting our memories on our walls. My new canvas is a favorite addition. And I’ve actually added a couple things to the gallery since I took the picture in this post and have another canvas (which I got free during Black Friday sales!) on the way.

Thirty-One’s Casual Carry-All – I’d been on the hunt for the right everyday bag. I wanted it to be big enough for my planner, Kindle, and all the normal purse things, cross-body strap, pockets, and durable. I don’t change purses often, so I wanted to find the right one. And I did!

Lego Table – For Ben’s birthday, I wanted to give him a huge Lego table that would fit in his bottom bunk, and I love how it turned out! Greg got a piece of wood cut at Lowe’s that would sit down in the bunk bed. I ordered enough off-brand base pieces to cover that piece of wood and glued them down. Greg trimmed the edges with a Dremel tool. Ben told me it was the best birthday present ever, and I’m happy the Legos now live off the floor.

From the bookshelf

“Secret Daughter” by Shilpi Somaya Gowda – I bought this paperback at a book sale for 50 cents this past summer. I wish I’d picked it up sooner because I really loved this fiction story about family that spans two countries. The story provides bittersweet peeks into culture in India, international adoption, and motherhood.

“The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home” by Russell Moore – Usually I read quickly, but I’ve been taking this one slow over the past several weeks because there is a lot to digest. Moore’s perspective on marriage, children, and church family is encouraging, convicting, and thought-provoking.

“Come Let Us Adore Him: 24 Daily Advent Devotional” by Paul David Tripp – I’m excited to read this devotional as Christmas approaches.

On the screen

“Manifest” – Greg and I have been binging the episodes we had on our DVR. We’re caught up and totally intrigued.

“Grinch” – On Thanksgiving evening, we went to see this new movie in the theater. I love going to the theater and I especially loved watching this one with my youngest, who laughed at all the right parts and ate her body weight in popcorn.

How’s your November been?

When the past & the present collide

August 17, 2017 by Kristin 3 Comments

Nineteen years ago as a college sophomore, I walked into the Murray Christian Fellowship house on the edge of campus. I had learned about MCF while compiling a list of campus ministries for the student newspaper. What the campus minister had said during a brief phone call intrigued me. I didn’t know anyone, so I dragged some friends with me because I wanted to go.

Three years later, I graduated with a bachelor’s of science and walked away from that MCF house with a deeper understanding of my faith and some the dearest friends a girl could have.

On a recent Sunday in August, the current student leaders from MCF fill a row of seats near us in church. I held the college memories in my heart as my 7-year-old boy still let me hold his hand in church that same morning. My almost-2-year-old girl was eager to go the nursery and my oldest, who is somehow already 10, sat on my other side. Even so, I remember so much of college like it was yesterday.

God collided what He did long ago
with what He’s doing now.

{Tweet that.}

We’ve introduced our kids to the MCF house recently because our small group painted the front porch and started to haul out trash from the leaking basement. We’ve gotten to know a couple of the current students and hope to spend more time with them. Meanwhile, we are still missing the former student who was my kids’ babysitter but understandably graduated, moved away, and got married in recent years.

I’m grateful our church – which was started out of that same campus ministry more than three decades ago – is still in a relationship with the organization God used to teach me and love me when I was finding my way as a new believer. I sat there in the row of chairs Sunday morning with my kids while others prayed over MCF’s student leaders.

I prayed silently in my head:

Thank you, God, for prompting me through a newspaper assignment to walk the couple blocks from my dorm to the MCF house. Thank you for meeting me there that day, many days in the following three years, and even times since. I love how that ministry and our current church are intertwined and how nobody hesitated to join those students with prayer. Thank you for giving my family the opportunity to serve these kids as they serve you and their peers. Be with the students as they begin a new school year. Let them shine lights and love others for you, God. Let them hold onto the truth of what you’re doing now so they can remember your faithfulness later. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.