(in)courage

Having grown up in Northwest Arkansas, it seems that I have always known about Dayspring and the wonderful products that they offer.  In addition to the products, they are the hosts for the community known as (in)courage.  I LOVE this site and how it connects women an encourages them to grow in their faith!  Today if you stop by the site, you will see a guest post from yours truly.  Enjoy and stop by again on Friday because I will be reviewing a few new Dayspring products and giving away a $20 Dayspring gift certificate!

Popular Posts: Behold the Lamb

This week I am reposting some of the most viewed posts from the last several months.  Many of you loved this information about the birth of Jesus as much as I did!

We are over half way through our 25 Days of Christmas series!  Most of it has gone according to the plan I had put together with a few curve balls thrown in.  Today is one of those curve balls.  Last week at the women's Bible Study I attend through my church, we were asked to bring something to share in regards to the Christmas season.  My new friend Brittany shared with us from a post she had put up on her blog several years ago.  I was BLOWN away by this information.  Oh, how marvelous and thorough and complete the mind and plan of God is!

Behold the Lamb- Brittany Bonner

The prophet Micah foretold the birthplace for the coming Messiah seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Micah said that the Messiah would be born in the little insignificant village near Jerusalem called Bethlehem. The actual location of the birthplace of Jesus Christ is also found in the prophecy of Micah, the location was Migdal Eder which in Hebrew is the “tower of the flock”.

“And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.” Micah 4:8 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.” Micah 5:2

Migdal Eder, the tower of the flock mentioned in Micah 4:8, is the watchtower where the priestly shepherds would watch over their flocks in the shepherd's fields there at Bethlehem.

This tower is where they would watch over their flock from the second story and where they birthed the newborn lambs in the lower portion of the two story tower there in the fields of Bethlehem. In the lower portion of this watchtower that the birthing of the lambs would take place, ewes were brought to give birth to the lambs. In this shelter the priests would bring in the ewes which were about to lamb for protection.

The shepherds would wrap the newborn lambs in swaddling clothes to protect the body of the lambs, keeping the new lambs without spot or blemish, they would then be laid in a manger until they had calmed down.

These were not just any flock and herd.

Migdal Eder was the watchtower that guarded the Temple flocks that were being raised to serve as sacrificial animals in the Temple. The shepherds who kept them were men who were specifically trained for this royal task. They were educated in what an animal, that was to be sacrificed, had to be and it was their job to make sure that none of the animals were hurt, damaged, or blemished.” These special lambs came from a unique flock which were designated for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem.

These lambs would be offered as sacrifice at the Temple just four miles away in Jerusalem.

With the establishment of Temple worship in Jerusalem, the fields outside of Bethlehem became the place where this special group of shepherds raised the lambs that were sacrificed in the Temple. Being themselves under special Rabbinical care, they would strictly maintain a ceremonially clean stable for a birthing place. The Tower of the Flock was used for birthing ewes, and the surround fields were where these shepherds grazed their flocks. These shepherds customarily kept their flocks outdoors twenty-four hours a day every day of the year, but brought the ewes in to deliver their lambs where they could be carefully cared for.

It was to this place that Joseph took Mary. It was in this special stable at “Migdal Eder” that Christ was born!

The "swaddling clothes" that wrapped the lambs was also used to wrap the Lord Jesus.

These priestly shepherds in their fields near Bethlehem on that Christmas Eve knew where to go to find the newborn Messiah, Jesus Christ. He would be found where the angel had told them, wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger in the lower floor of the tower of the flock, Migdal Eder

Luke 2:8-18 records that there were shepherds in the fields keeping watch over their sheep by night.

“And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night … And the angel said to them, ‘Be not afraid: for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” Luke 2:8,10,11

These shepherds were none other but the shepherds from “Migdal Eder”. The angels told the shepherds that they would find the Babe wrapped in "swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." There was no need for the angels to give these shepherds directions to the birth place because they already knew. These were the men who raised sacrificial lambs that were sacrificed in the Temple. When the angelic announcement came, they knew exactly where to go, as Luke 2 indicates, for the sign of a manger could only mean their manger at the tower of the flock!

Migdal Eder at Bethlehem is the perfect place for Christ to be born. He was born in the very birthplace where tens of thousands of lambs, which had been sacrificed to prefigure Him, were born. God promised it, pictured it and performed it at Migdal Eder.

It all fits together, for that's the place the place where sacrificial lambs were born!

The Lamb born at Migdal Eder was the Lamb to be sacrificed to take away the sin of the world.

You see our Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem where all sacrificial lambs were born, and our Lord Jesus died in Jerusalem where all sacrificial lambs were killed.

John the Baptist proclaimed of Jesus,

"Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29

Jesus is presented in the Bible as being “in type” as a sacrificial lamb. It was not by chance but by choice that Christ identified His death with the time of the observance of the Passover.

Peter spoke of our redemption as wrought by the

"Precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" 1 Pet. 1:19

and Paul told us that

"Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" 1 Cor. 5:7

Even the first fulfilled type by which Christ is to be revealed in Heaven is as the Lamb (Rev. 5:6-13). The baby grew up! He grew into a man to fulfill the plan for our salvation. He grew up to be the advocate, the intercessor, the "one mediator between man and God, the man Christ Jesus." (1 John 2:1, Heb 7:25, 1 Tim 2:5) He grew up so that He could die, thereby offering a perfect, sinless life in sacrifice for our sins. He grew up to be raised from the dead, conquering death and instilling a living hope of eternal life in all who come to Him. He grew up so that he might become “the source of eternal salvation." (Heb 5:9)

I'm glad that Jesus was born. But I rejoice even more in the life He lived, the death He died, and the accomplishment of His resurrection! While the world remembers a baby in a feeding trough, let our remembrance of His death help us to look to the Man, the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the year.

Behold, the Lamb.

For Brittany's complete sources, see this link.

Popular Posts: Lessons In the Wait - Marriage

This week I am featuring some of the most popular posts from the last few months.

Source

The bride’s dress was amazing.  The groom looked over the moon in love. The vows were heartfelt.  The flowers were gorgeous.  The cake was splendid sugary goodness. It was a beautiful wedding, but IT is inevitable.  What is IT?  IT is the dreaded bouquet toss.  The time when the relationship status of single girls is displayed for all to see like the bright lights of Vegas.  I know that scene all too well and totally boycotted the tradition at my own wedding!  Call me a party pooper, but I had been there, done that, one too many times!  It is one of many times when you are face to face with the fact that you are single but your heart longs to be married.  I was 24 (almost 25) when I married Hal.  The years between college and my marriage were refining years for me.  God taught me a lot about myself and even more about who He is.  I had intended to also give my responses to the questions below, but when I read the responses from Sarah, I decided you didn’t need to hear from me today.  

Sarah and her husband, Jay, live outside of Washington, DC where Jay works as a Naval officer currently stationed at the Pentagon.  She is a Razorback loving girl married to an Oklahoma Sooner.

Jay and Sarah

What was greatest lesson God taught you in The Wait?

There are many things that the Lord taught me while I was single and waiting!  I think the one that stands out most in my memory was learning about the character of God, specifically His goodness.  It was really a matter of Him asking me, "Do you believe that I am who I say that I am?  Do you believe that I am good, and all that I do is good?"  I learned from scripture that God is good and it is impossible for Him to be otherwise.  Resting in the truth of God's Word made it possible for me to trust God with the desires of my heart.  

What do you wish you had known now that you are married?

1.  How to cook, grocery shop, and menu plan

I survived off of Lean Cuisine pepperoni pizzas, Chick-fil-a, and Sunday night dinners with my family for most of my single life.  However, my microwaving and drive-thru skills have yet to impress my husband.  It's hard to cook for just one person, but it would have helped my first year of marriage if I'd had at least a little experience.

2.  How to practice hospitality

I tend toward introversion, but I married the most personable, friendly, and social man you will ever meet.  Jay loves to host his friends, neighbors, and colleagues.  I've learned that hospitality is a skill that requires some preparation and work, but is always worth it.  I wish I'd practiced hospitality more when I was single - even just hosting girlfriends for coffee and dessert. It would have been a great practice for helping my husband in this way now.

3.  God's design for marriage

Reading more about God's design for the husband and wife in marriage would have been a great blessing now as I'm learning (and will continue to learn!).   Lindsay has posted about The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace, and we have said in conversation many times, "I wish I had known this before I was married!!"   We prepare for four years or more in waiting to begin a career - how much more should we prepare for marriage while we wait?  

  

What one scripture did you cling to?

I clung to a lot of verses about God's goodness!  Here are a few:

• No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.  Psalm 84:11
• You are good and do good.  Psalm 119:68
• And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose...to be conformed to the image of His Son...  Romans 8:28-29

  

The Lord used these verses, among others, to convince me of His goodness in the midst of my waiting.  Any bitterness or fear or loneliness that crept into my heart was quickly rebuked with the truth of God's character - and His good intentions towards me. 

How did God use your single time to change you?

If I start counting at 22 - because honestly, my dream was to be married right out of college - God gave me seven years of waiting.  I hope that from His perspective, I was refined.  During that time I learned about contentment in the Lord alone.  I also learned to be vulnerable before the Lord in prayer.  Sadly, I don't remember asking the Lord for a husband until I was 27.   It was almost as if I was afraid to ask Him - in case He said no.   I finally had the realization that asking God for something as good and godly as marriage (after all, marriage was His idea!), was not wrong.   In fact, it was probably sinful for me NOT to acknowledge Him in my desire for marriage.  Once I began intentionally petitioning the Lord for a husband, there was a sense of security that guarded my heart.  No longer was my heart gripped with fear  when thoughts of being single flooded my mind;  instead, by God's grace, I could meditate on the truth that God will give me what is good, according to His glory.  

What other encouragement or resources would you give to single women desiring marriage?

I read a few books that were immensely helpful in shaping my thoughts about both singleness and marriage.  The following titles are pretty funny (the kind you might rather purchase on Amazon than buy at the bookstore, ha).  BUT the biblical wisdom presented is really helpful.  I highly recommend them both.

1.  Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye?:  Trusting God with a Hope Deferred by Carolyn McCulley

2.  Get Married: What Women Can Do to Help It Happen by Candice Watters

The Emotions of a Miscarriage

Several weeks ago I shared that during my last pregnancy, I was carrying twins, but lost one baby early in the pregnancy.  Miscarriage like any loss is hard, and often we don’t know how to respond whether we are the one who lost a child or if someone we are close with lost a child.  A couple of months before we lost one of the babies, my good friend Kim lost a baby.  Today she shares a little of her experience and offers suggestions on how to handle the emotions you experience after a miscarriage as well as ways to respond to someone who has lost a baby.

Kim and her husband, Nate, live in Corsicana, Texas, with their twin 3 year old boys and 3 month old Caroline.  Kim blogs at Chasing the Wind.

What emotions did you experience when you realized you had miscarried?

A miscarriage is very multi dimensional.  I remember feeling saddened with the loss of a dream. I had plans for the baby.  I had spent time thinking about how I would decorate the nursery and what names we might chose. It was a weird loss in that I had never met the baby, but I knew the baby.  I also felt in some way responsible.  That maybe I had done something to cause the miscarriage. I had to recognize God's sovereignty and rest in the knowledge that I had not caused anything to happen.  I also remember feeling guilty that my husband, Nate, would never meet the baby. 

What advice would you give someone who just lost a baby through miscarriage?

Talk to someone:  What is so weird about having one is that you have a child that people will never know about.  It will be worse not talking about it than finding someone who has been through it.

Right Expectations: Don't expect your husband to grieve the same way.  They will be sad, but they will move on faster than you.  Don't take it personally or feel that he didn't want the baby.  He just will handle it differently than you.

Don’t be Afraid to Smile: Nate's biggest gift to me was when he told me to "feel what you feel when you feel it."  He encouraged me to cry when I needed to and to be happy if I wanted to, but not to put any expectations on myself as to how I should feel.  I was worried that if I wasn't crying all the time that it meant in some way I wasn't sad, but I had two 2 year old boys at home with me and it was okay if I wanted to laugh with them as they danced in the living room floor or smile when I saw them playing together.  I also struggled with feeling guilty when I cried because somehow it reflected that I didn't trust God's decision, but Nate encouraged me just to acknowledge the emotions I was feeling and to really deal with them properly.  It was okay to be sad and acknowledge the loss and it didn’t mean that I didn’t trust who God is.

Honor the Life:  Nate gave me a Pandora charm.  I have a good friend who lost a baby at 6 weeks.  The baby was the size of a poppy seed, so she and her husband bought a painting of poppies to hang in their house.  Find something that is memorable to you and your family so that you will remember the baby.

How do you respond to a friend who has lost a baby through miscarriage?

Give them time: As a friend you need to recognize that it is not a simple loss (not that any loss is simple) but that there will be more going on in the heart and mind of the person than they may realize at first.  

Recognize it is a loss: Miscarriage can be awkward.  You know the baby, but you never met the baby and most people will never know you lost a child, but that doesn’t mean that the mother isn’t experiencing grief and loss.

Follow their lead:  As with any loss people will respond differently.  Make sure you are available but don't push if they don't want to talk about it and on the other end, don't rush them in their grieving process.  This is a loss, this is a death, allow the other person to grieve how they need to.

A note from Lindsay:

I love the way Kim was able to express the feelings she experienced.  I too experienced some of the same feelings, but my experience with losing a baby was a little different in that I lost one of two babies. I only wanted to add that if you know someone that experiences a similar loss, allow them to grieve the loss of one child.  I can’t tell you the number of people who made some comment like: “At least you still have one baby.”  Yes, that was a true statement, but in many ways, I feel like I never was able to grieve the loss of Baby B because it was just expected that I would be joyful because I was still carrying a child. 

Meet My Friends: Erin "What Should I Be Doing?"

Hal and I have moved several times since we have been married. We have loved experiencing new places, but far the best thing about the moves we have made is meeting amazing people. I met Erin while we were living in Florida. She is one of the most encouraging people I have ever meet.  I love that her post below she mentions to have a pleasant countenance because that is one thing I will always remember about Erin.  You just want to smile when you see her because she radiates JOY!  A few weeks ago she wrote a post about how as stay at home wives and mothers we feel like we have to explain what we do on a daily basis. She is following up that post with a guest post today answering the question "What Do I Do?" with "What Should I Be Doing?"


Erin is a pastor's wife, mother of a sweet girl, teacher, and coach. She loves to run, study God's Word, and spend time with family and friends. She blogs at Rainer Adventures.


What Should I Be Doing?

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog on finding my identity and validation in Christ instead of a paying job. Instead of answering the question “What do I do?” I realized the question that should be asked is “What should I be doing?”

Thankfully, God’s word always has an answer. Some of the things that I should be doing are:

 “Pray without ceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

o   I read about a friendly reminder to pray for our husbands here.

o   My favorite resource to pray for my child is the 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for your Kids.

o   In a recent conference I’ve been listening to a cd on which the speaker talked about praying for the individuals who gave you certain gifts or your family when you are folding their clothing. When you see those items, say a little prayer for them.

-          “Rejoice always… give thanks in everything” 1 Thessalonians 5:16/18

o   Having a joyful countenance goes along way. It draws others near to you.

o   You are much more appreciative of the things you have.

o   Your days are just better when you are happy and thankful.

-          “Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always”  1 Chronicles 16:11

o   Spend time with God everyday! This time is not meant to be a burden but a time of refreshment. We should spend time with God first out of obedience, knowing that the desire and delight in God’s Word will come when we are faithful.

-          “Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness- without it no one will see the Lord”   Hebrews 12:14

o   When I drive, grocery shop (yes, even in Walmart!), etc. I should be pursuing peace. Because of my impatience I don’t always do the best job, but God tells us patience is one of the fruits He has given us (Galatians 5:22)

This list is not all-inclusive, but these verses have given me a great starting point and have been good verses to commit to memory. I love how God has given us His Word to direct us in every situation.

Lessons In The Wait: Longing To Be A Mother

Although I never personally struggled with infertility (at least not so far), I do have several close friends and family that have faced this difficult battle.  I have watched both of these ladies that are sharing with us today walk through this difficult season.  I know you will be encouraged by them as much as I have been!

Amy and her husband struggled with infertility for almost 4 years.  After repeated treatments and no diagnosed reason for their inability to conceive, they began the adoption process.  In August of this year, they received the call they had been waiting on for almost a year.  Their precious son is 2 months old. 

Kathy and her husband dealt with infertility for almost 20 years.  During those years she was able to share in the lives of her 9 nieces and nephews and the numerous children she taught.  After several different treatments, they chose to pursue adoption.  They welcomed two brothers into their home in 1999.  This year, the oldest will graduate from high school.

Amy and her husband, Donnie, with their
son.

What is the greatest lesson you have learned as you waited on God to answer your desire to be a mother?

Amy: The greatest lesson that I have learned from waiting is that God is always in control. He is always faithful to meet all of our needs right when we need Him.

Kathy: The greatest lesson I learned is that God is in control, not me!! He has an ultimate plan for my life and His timing is perfect! I know that may sound simple, but I truly believe many Christians try to live their life without truly getting hold of this truth.

What do you wish that would have known now that you have a child/children?

Amy: How fast time flies when you are with them. I kind of knew that time would fly by, but man I can't believe that he is almost 2 months old. 

Kathy: That it's not as easy as you may think from the outside looking in. I could be critical of parents before I became one, thinking I had better ideas of how to handle children. After all I'd worked with a lot of children - I just didn't live with them and invest my heart in them as a parent does - didn't know the inner struggles. Teaching a child to follow God's truths is a lot easier than training them ~ they really do mimic what they see. 

Sometimes, people don't know what to say or how to pray for someone who is struggling with infertility. What would you suggest they say or how would you suggest they handle it?

Amy: Honestly, I would suggest that people just say that they are praying for God's will in the lives of their friends. That was more encouraging to me than anything. I also appreciated when people just listened to me and let me express my feelings at that particular moment. It did not help when people said that they understood what I was going through when they did not have infertility issues. It also didn’t help when people told me not to think about things (because that is pretty much impossible when you are going through infertility treatments), or even when they said that it just isn't the right time. I think that kind of sounds harsh for me to say because in my heart I knew that part.  We knew that God had a special timing for us, but hearing it over and over did not make things any easier.

Kathy: Offer a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, and sincerely praying with you - not just say 'I'm praying for you.' - do it together. I had so many say to me that 'when you quit focusing on it it'll happen'. Like Amy said that's pretty much impossible with infertility treatments ~ you are having to track so many things! Don't shy away from me because you have children. Be sensitive, but trying to spare my feelings by shying away from me hurts - we love being around and with children. Their faces are our proof God answers prayers. 

Kathy with her husband, Steve, and her boys, Kyle and Dallas

What is a scripture you clung to?

Amy: 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 - “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”   It is also the life verse we have chosen for our son and it hangs in his room as a reminder.

Kathy: When teaching in a Christian school our class was to memorize Psalm 34:8-19, and Steve and I were struggling to understand God's will in this area. These verses soothe my soul even today. Especially verses, 8, 15, 17, 18. Even though at the time we didn't memorize it, verse 1 of that chapter was also a blessing/challenge.

 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; 

   blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 

9 Fear the LORD, you his holy people, 

   for those who fear him lack nothing. 

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, 

   but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 

11 Come, my children, listen to me; 

   I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 

12 Whoever of you loves life 

   and desires to see many good days, 

13 keep your tongue from evil 

   and your lips from telling lies. 

14 Turn from evil and do good; 

   seek peace and pursue it.

 15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, 

   and his ears are attentive to their cry; 

16 but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, 

   to blot out their name from the earth.

 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; 

   he delivers them from all their troubles. 

18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted 

   and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

 19 The righteous person may have many troubles, 

   but the LORD delivers him from them all. Psalm 34:8-19

I thought I wold finish up with a statement that Kathy made as we were putting this together.

Looking into the eyes of your child ~ whether God gave them to you biologically or through adoption ~ and hearing and saying' I love you' is such a privilege. 

If you have struggled with infertility, how did God encourage you through the process?