Paper Bridges » Believing

What I pray everyday

Monica Brand — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:22:27 +0000

Nothing fancy, but it’s heartfelt.

Simple.

Honest.

And I think He’s listening, because it seems to be working.

Lord, give me a task that no one else can do.

Then when those instances come, what I might think is a nuisance or an interruption to normal life, I’m more apt to respond with a YES, because I’m getting what I asked Him to give me.

Something only I can do.

Me . . . Monica, a homeschooling mom with a desire beyond the walls of my home, to change the world – or at least a desire for making an impact in the lives of others, to be on the front lines in the battle.

These are only first thoughts on this subject: I have a feeling I’ll be writing a lot more on this simple prayer. I need a way to look back to see how far the Lord takes me on this.

This is another post inspired by The Missional Mom (Living With Purpose at Home and in the World) by Helen Lee.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

“I love God, but find it difficult to pray.” I hear ya, friend. Been there, done that, got the...
Eat, Pray, Love: a travel memoir Update (6/9/08) For my latest comments on Gilbert’s book, follow...
Leaving (not) on a jet plane This afternoon I’m off to the wilds of Pennsylvania. My...
Homeschooling mom, meet my friend, Mercy As a home schooling mom, I know my weaknesses. I’m...

What I learned about myself at VBS this year

Monica Brand — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:09:04 +0000

This past week, I played the part of Mary, the mother of Jesus, at our church’s Vacation Bible School program. Everyday I told the children a story of Jesus from Mary’s perspective. The birth of God’s son, from far-away Magi bringing gifts, an escape to Egypt, encountering old prophets in the temple, loosing a boy Jesus at Passover and that first water-to-wine miracle at a wedding.

I went to sleep every night with thoughts of how I would tell these stories, getting the words exactly right for the kids. Working into the narrative exactly how I would ask the children questions to pull them along into this imaginary world of ancient Nazareth. We had a script, but I tweaked most of it to fit the needs of our program, taking up a good deal of my mental energy.

Friends, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed myself more at Vacation Bible School.

Some days I felt I really nailed the story. I remembered everything I wanted to say (I memorized as much as I could, only going up on stage with an index card of key points.) I’ve done little skits and and plays at church before, but nothing like this. Few props, only one other character who popped out at the very end for me to interact with.

Basically, it was just me as Mary with the job of communicating a story. Each morning a monologue.

For the first time – and this is the part I want to express most of all – people came up to me to say how they enjoyed something creative I had done. On Monday, a church elder stopped me as I left the stage to give me a kiss on the cheek and words of well done. All week I heard pretty much the same thing. I think someone may have said “anointed”. I even got a, “Wow, Monica, you have found your niche!”

Never in all my years as a volunteer in ministry has anything like that happened before. I can’t ever recall a time when people expressed strong feelings of “Hey, you do that really well!” to me about anything.

Can I tell you all this without it sounding like I’m bragging? I hope so. I know where I made mistakes and fumbled a bit for the correct part of the words to come out. There were a couple of days when I came away from the children kicking myself for forgetting a part of the story. I wished a few times that I had more than one opportunity to present each story so I had time to get it right with more emotion and better expression.

But it was fun. Even with all the work, memorization, tweaking the script, nervous energy before the performance, it was a LOT of fun. And the children! Sometimes antsy, often distracted, they were engaged and wanting to hear what Mary had to say. I even had one young girl with her Bible open on her lap to show me where exactly she could read the story for herself.

Isn’t that neat?

So, that’s what I learned about myself this past week. It seems I have a knack for oral storytelling.

Dare I say it’s a gift? I would certainly like to think it is.

Another thought: Could it be that my love for writing, especially true-life stories, is directly related to a gift of storytelling?

This past week has given me a lot to think about. Just like Mary pondered all those stories about Jesus in her heart, I’ve now got something to think about too. Like . . . now what do I do with this gift?

Thoughts?

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Turning down the volume And the same goes for Facebook, but I’ll forgo the...
Lent: Week Two Here it is the second week of Lent and I...

Reading the entire Bible in only 90 days – again

Monica Brand — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 19:46:04 +0000

This will be my second go-around reading the entire Bible in only 90 days. I read last summer after discovering the program hosted at Mom’s Toolbox. Earlier this year, I mentored a group of other women reading because I knew how important that encouragement to keep going is – especially when bogged down in a long Old Testament book.

This time I’m only reading and definitely popping into Twitter for the #B90days chatter. In fact, it was during that Twitter banter that I got the idea to re-read again for the summer.

I know! I’m a wild and crazy gal. Reading the entire Bible twice in two summers. (Don’t make fun of me to my face, okay? I’m sensitive.)

Why read the entire Bible with all it’s boring bits? All that stuff in Numbers and Leviticus and . . . all those dead prophets?

Yeah. All that crazy stuff.

Moses and Elijah are going to be talking about those good ole days in heaven and you won’t be able to follow the conversation because you never read about it. What if there is a pop quiz in heaven?

Kidding.

Because it’s our history. If you are a follower of Christ, then it’s the backbone of your faith too. And don’t you think you should at least read it all through cover-to-cover, Genesis to Revelation, at least once?

If you have never read the entire Bible before, but can’t seem to get it together, this is the group for you.You can’t beat the accountability and encouragement, we even have fast moving Twitter chats on night of the week if you need

You know what to do – for more information and to sign up, follow the link: Reading the Bible in 90 Days.

Come join up – we start reading tomorrow!

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Read the entire Bible in only 90 days : sign up now The next round of Read the Bible in 90 Days...
Bible reading resources for the summer I’ve found three ways to help you get more Bible...
A Bible on wheels might say, “ROOV” Or zoom zoom. I have two interesting finds for you...
Vacation Bible School 2010 pictures Vacation Bible School 2010 pictures is a post from: Paper...

Finally! My thoughts on The Missional Mom (part 1)

Monica Brand — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0000

Here I go again, over thinking my response to a book, taking forever to post my thoughts.

Part of my problem is that I want to get it right. All the emotions that I feel over The Missional Mom – and there is a lot to sort through – I’m afraid to write anything. So I’m just going to jump in and hit publish. Forgive me if this is rather steam of conscienceness. I can’t write this any other way. . .

The Missional Mom (Living with Purpose at Home and in the World) by Helen Lee is a book I’ve been looking to read for a long time. I’ve been hungry for the message found in these pages years before Lee wrote her book.

My mothering right now is in a funny place. My children need me; they don’t need me. It’s an odd place to be. My eldest will be 13 years old this summer. My youngest almost six; she’s getting good at making her own peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. There is still much to do here, but the hard work of caring for little babies and toddlers is over.

For a long time, I’ve looked at our days together, our homeschooling too, and wondered if there was something more I could be doing. And by more I mean doing for others in a meaningful way, things I can involve my children in as well, because I don’t want them growing up thinking being a Christian is mainly about going to church twice a week, AWANA club and saying grace at meals.

In all honesty, a lot of my Christian faith has taken on a ho-hum routine to it these past years and it’s a scary place to be. I never want to think of my faith in the Lord as boring or routine, but that’s what I’ve let it become. I know that’s my problem, not His lacking or unfaithfulness, but me being stuck in a spiritual rut.

Is any of this making any sense? Does anyone relate to what I’m saying? I’ve been a Christian for a long time and I know the correct answers for Sunday School. I can play the game.

Then I come up against a book like The Missional Mom and it makes me want to find my way back to a time when my faith was exciting and I did things. You know, those crazy things you would do because you just had to make your belief known to others around you no matter how crazy it made you look? Or you would go places and do things because you knew it mattered in the Kingdom of God?

I read The Missional Mom and it made me want to go places and do things again for the Lord. Of course, now I need get to do these things as a mom because that’s who I am and how can I leave my kids out when they need to understand Christianity beyond AWANA?

I want to be a mom who does exciting work for the Lord.

Is that bad, wanting the exciting? Life as a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom has a lot of mundane to it, don’t you think? But how would we recognize the wow if we didn’t have the dull? One of the things I appreciated about the book are all the mentions Lee gives to her own homeschooling and of other moms who successfully combined homeschooling and some sort of ministry.

Those are the moms I want to go back and re-read. If she can do it, why can’t I?

Don’t you love it when a book moves you to change?

Part 2 : Yet more thoughts on how this book has impacted my life, especially my approach to how I spend my time online.

**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of The Missional Mom from the publisher in exchange for a review.**

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Yet more thoughts on contentment Thanks for the encouraging words this week, friends. It’s nice...
Thoughts regarding online v. offline homeschool community As a homeschooling mom, I rely on my online friendships...
Book giveaway: The Rookie Mom’s Handbook I wish I had this nifty gem of a book...
I don’t recall praying to practice patience It’s funny how kids wreck your idea of how things...

If Mary and Joseph had been on Facebook

Monica Brand — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 17:05:40 +0000

This is a clever what-might-have-been if Facebook had Mary and Joseph updating their profiles as their lives unfolded under the influence of our miracle working God.

That sentence seems a bit awkward, but I like it. It stays.

Hat tip: High Calling Blogs.

Merry Christmas to all readers of Paper Bridges.

Thank you for continuing to read my humble blog. May you have a blessed Christmas with your loved ones.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

I am a woman inspired That was fun! It only took 25 times, with a...

Read the entire Bible in only 90 days : sign up now

Monica Brand — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:06:37 +0000

The next round of Read the Bible in 90 Days is starting soon – January 3, 2011. Are you up to the challenge?

I joined in with the summer group – and let me assure you – this is not a reading challenge for wimps. You will read a lot of Scripture daily. I think the average is ten chapters a day. But it’s totally do-able. You gotta hustle. You gotta work it with finding time to read, but the benefits! So many.

Discipline to read.

Spiritual growth.

Knowledge of the Story.

Why Jesus is so radical.

Believer: if you have never read the Bible in it’s entirety, I implore you to join this challenge.

Many people will be reading with you.

The community at Mom’s Tool Box is strong.

Many are on Twitter to encourage you.

There is accountability in the community.

Will I see you there?

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Reading the entire Bible in only 90 days – again This will be my second go-around reading the entire Bible...
Why I read controversial books For conversation, to engage a stranger while waiting in line....
Watching her read As a mother, and as a lover of fine words...
Bible reading resources for the summer I’ve found three ways to help you get more Bible...

The AND Conference

Monica Brand — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:58:10 +0000

Once again, Twitter comes through for me when it comes to finding what’s happening on the web.

I follow Michelle Wegner. She tweeted the link for the AND Conference. Now I don’t want to walk away from the computer for fear of missing anything.

Basically, the AND Conference is finding a way to bridge an old way of doing church with a new way of thinking how to communicate with the un-churched (I hope I have that nutshell version correct; maybe someone will come along to add a better description). As a former member of a church plant team, I’m interested in a discussion on how to do things better.

I share the links with you, because I’m hoping you are interested in how to do ministry better too.

The AND conference website. The live webcam feed.

Have you ever helped plant a church?

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

More thoughts on church: I’ll not give up Sunday wasn’t the happy Sabbath it could’ve been; you figured...
Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Where You Live by Will and Lisa Samson Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Where...
Two chairs I want her to look at me. I will it...
I just realized tonight I’ve been blogging three years now. That’s a lot of...

I finished!

Monica Brand — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:31:36 +0000

I did it! I read the entire Bible in only 90 days. I kept up with the daily readings without too much effort, but at the Type-A Mom conference, I fell several days behind and had to catch up quickly if I wanted to finish with the group. That was my goal from the start, to be done in 90 days, so I read a large chunk of the New Testament in only two days.

Now that it’s over, I’m can say I’m glad I stuck with it. To be sure, there are large portions of the Old Testament that are tough to get through. There is a lot of negativity; I’m thinking of the nation of Israel and her lack of obedience, all those terrible kings and a lot of infomation that doesn’t seem important to us today (yup, I’m thinking of you, Book of Numbers).

But I get it now. Reading the Bible from cover to cover gives you a better perspective on the Story – I say it with a capital S because it deserves one. That’s The Story and we – right now where we are – are also part of the Story. God’s Story of mankind. When Jesus arrives on the scene in the book of Matthew and the Jewish leaders don’t know what to do with Him because He is so different and radical – it makes sense why they reacted that way. Those leaders were still in the OT and Jesus came to turn all that Law on it’s head.

Don’t take my word for it. Read the Bible for yourself to see what I’m talking about. Read the OT. I know it’s not at the top of your reading list, but you need it as back story for when you turn the page to start the Gospels. Jesus – our teacher, our savior, our Lord – will show you a new way, a way that we can do and live beyond the law found in the Old Testament.

Amy will be hosting another Bible in 90 Days. I encourage you to join the group. I believe reading together with a group can make all the difference in your success. The Twitter community at #B90days helped immensely.

Did you complete the challenge of reading the Bible in only 90 days? What did you learn?

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Read the entire Bible in only 90 days : sign up now The next round of Read the Bible in 90 Days...
Reading the entire Bible in only 90 days – again This will be my second go-around reading the entire Bible...
Bible reading resources for the summer I’ve found three ways to help you get more Bible...
A Bible on wheels might say, “ROOV” Or zoom zoom. I have two interesting finds for you...

Mark Driscoll on Twilight and vampire fiction

Monica Brand — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:08:52 +0000

Mark Driscoll shares his thoughts on the Twilight series and all the new vampire-ish books for preteen/teen girls. Some of you aren’t going to like what he has to say. Please watch and we can discuss in the comments.

HT: Katie Howard

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Twilight discussion: Edward, the virtuous vampire When I read popular novels, I love to find unexpected...
Yet another reason to spend every waking moment on the ‘puter: Christian Fiction Online magazine launches Love fiction? Me too. Many happy clicks await you here...
Twilight, sex and the tween And now we come to what I believe is the...
Twilight: Final thoughts and links Remember those two questions I posed at the beginning of...

The Shack by William P. Young: our discussion continues

Monica Brand — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:55:36 +0000

Just so you know, there is a new comment (with a response by me) on my post regarding The Shack. You can find that conversation here, if you want to join the discussion. I’m pleased we have been able to discuss and disagree without judgment or anger. Thanks, guys!

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

For you Shack fans From the Christian Post: The publishing world sees very few...

No time to blog. Gotta read.

Monica Brand — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:11:53 +0000

I’m a day behind in my reading for Bible in 90 Days. No blogging, no Internet, no tweeting (oh, the agony!) until I’m caught up.

Be back soon.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

How to read the entire Bible in 90 Days Last Monday, I joined with hundreds of other Christians in...
Blog Action Day 2008: the Lord speaks on behalf of the poor I’m going to get out of the way and let...

Vacation Bible School 2010 pictures

Monica Brand — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:46:09 +0000

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Reading the entire Bible in only 90 days – again This will be my second go-around reading the entire Bible...

H – E – R – O ! God is my hero

Monica Brand — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:09:14 +0000

It’s the end of Day Two of our church’s Vacation Bible School. We’re doing Superhero Headquarters. Catchy tunes, but I miss the old songs I sang as a girl. “Father Abraham,” “This Little Light of Mine,” “I am a C – H – R – I – S – T – I – A – N.”

I learned a lot of theology in those simple songs.

It’s Susan’s last year because she’s twelve, next year she wants to be a teacher’s helper so she can wear a costume. Lucy intentionally bumped up to the kindergartners. Edmund accidentally enrolled in with an older age group because I never can keep track of what his public school grade should be. Peter had everyone up at 6: 30 am so we wouldn’t be late. Yesterday we were 15 minutes late. Today we left early.

I think I finally have a child willing to be the official time keeper other than I.

I guess you can learn more than just Bible from Vacation Bible School.

I’m in the “store”. Does your church do a store, where you earn stamps for memory verses, bringing a friend, having good behavior, so you can trade in the smiley faces for candy and cheap toys? I’m not sure I like the store. Don’t tell my kids I said that.

One of my favorite aspects of VBS is the crafts. I’ve always loved the crafts. I think I’ll scan a few of my favorites from this year and post them. That may be the only way they survive.

Currently there are seven kids in my house. Ages: 12, 10, 10, 10 as of tomorrow, 9, 8 and 5.

It’s raining.

Maybe I should get off the computer.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Reading the entire Bible in only 90 days – again This will be my second go-around reading the entire Bible...
All I want to say that won’t fit into Twitter My two biguns left this morning for their first sleep-away...
Remember how I said we should have VBS all summer? Well, I’m living it this week with not one, but...

How to read the entire Bible in 90 Days

Monica Brand — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:24:47 +0000

Last Monday, I joined with hundreds of other Christians in an attempt to read the entire Bible in only three months - 90 days of reading large sections of the Scriptures each day. I’m happy to report I am keeping up with challenge and on target with my reading.

Genesis and Exodus read like an old friend; I know these stories well. All that family drama makes for easy reading. Then we get to the laws of Leviticus. Oy! And here comes the book of Numbers, another less-than-exciting book (unless you like reading about animal sacrifice and genealogy.)

When Bible reading gets to be difficult, especially when you combine it with the busyness of life, you need a plan.

These are my tips on how to read the Bible, cover to cover, in only 90 days:

1. Start in the summertime. Less good TV to distract you. Reruns help you to turn off the electronic box and you get more reading done.

2. Read by the pool, in the hammock, at the beach or other places of recreation. You are spending more time outside, relaxing with a cold beverage, watching the kids play or enjoying the sun. Put down the trashy paperback and pick up the Bible.

3. Keep your Bible with you at all times. You never know when you can sneak in a chapter or two.

4. Read ahead a few chapters every day. I call this “reading insurance.” You never know what tomorrow will bring and you don’t want to fall behind.

5. Pray for the time, energy and eagerness to dive in into this life changing Book. Prayer works! And He wants us to know His word.

And my favorite tip:

6. Pick a new translation. I’ve already read all of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus in the New International Version a number of years ago, so for this Bible reading challenge, I decided to go with a different translation. By reading in a new-to-you translation, you can keep it interesting and maybe gain new insight to the Scripture. I’m using my pocket English Standard Version for this reading and enjoying the more formal tone with the language.

What are your tips to help you find time to read? Please share.

Next week: The benefits of quickly reading. Why would you want to read the entire Bible so fast. See you then.

Welcome, other Bible-in-90-days participants! I want to get to know you. Leave a comment and be sure to connect with me on Twitter or Facebook. If you love to read, or homeschool your children, you may want to subscribe to PaperBridges.net. It’s free!

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

No time to blog. Gotta read. I’m a day behind in my reading for Bible in...

Quotes from Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Monica Brand — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:19:51 +0000

Crazy Love (Overwhelmed by a Relentless God) by Francis Chan – written for the American Christian. I’m pulling quotes from the chapter titled “Profile of the Lukewarm”.

On Luke 8 (the parable of the seed scattered on the ground):

I think most American churchgoers are the soil that chokes the seed because of all the thorns. Thorns are anything that distracts us from God. When we want God and a bunch of other stuff, then that means we have thorns in our soil. A relationship with God simply cannot grow when money, sins, activities, favorite sports teams, addictions or commitments are piled on top of it.

On lukewarm people in the Church (as described in Revelation 3:15,16):

Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.

Lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They want to do the bare minimum, to be “good enough” without it requiring too much of them.

Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average, but beside that, they really aren’t very different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

Thoughts? Comments? Tell me if you agree or disagree.

Disclaimer: Yup, affiliate links. Yet this is a book I purchased, learned to love, and now want to spread the word, just one book-loving, Christian to another. I pray it helps you to draw closer to Him.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Book crazy (or just plain crazy?) It’s a new year, a good time to start a...
Does the book Eat, Pray, Love preach Christ? Comments are still coming in on this post about Eat,...
Book giveaway: Love as a Way of Life by Gary Chapman Thanks to the generosity of the folks at WaterBrook Press,...
Eat, Pray, Love: a travel memoir Update (6/9/08) For my latest comments on Gilbert’s book, follow...

Book Tour: Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff

Monica Brand — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:45:53 +0000

Stuff Christians Like made me laugh at myself. It’s not funny in a silly, make-fun-of-us kind of way, it’s funny because it’s true. Jonathan Acuff, blog keeper of the popular blog stuffchristianslike.net, has us pegged. If you have spent any length of time in the Evangelical church, you are sure to recognize yourself in Stuff Christians Like.

Having a spiritual excuse not have a spiritual excuse, trying not to complain around missionaries, being slightly offended that the pastor has a nicer car than you, giving ourselves liberal definitions of the phrase “quiet time.” Yup, me, me, me. If you have a copy of Stuff Christians Like, turn to the following pages to see if you are like me, a long-time member of the club. I’ve included a few quotes from the book that had me laughing out loud.

Developing subtle signals to let people know you are a Christian (page 32)

Being completely terrified to pray for patience or humility (page 62)

Making sure everyone knows your fiance isn’t living with you (page 76)

“I cooked dinner for my fiance last night at my place, but I was out of salt, so he drove to his place, in a car, because the distance is significant.”

Fearing your church will do something wacky the one time you invite a friend (page 90)

Finding typos in the worship music (page 97)

It only takes one hit to become an addict. You want to stop. Deep down inside, you know you’re supposed to be worshiping, to be communing with the Holy Spirit in song and praise, but now it’s too late. After that first typo, you start noticing more. And if the words are spelled correctly, you start picking up on spacing problems.

Feeling guilty for not converting enough people (page 137)

Dominating the “Please turn to. . . ” Bible race during church (page 152)

Sure, reading the Bible is about leaning from God’s Word, but it’s also about beating the person you’re sitting with.

The description of the “Metrosexual” worship leader is hysterical. Maybe because I’m in the ultra-liberal, godless Northeast, or perhaps it’s because our worship leaders are the son and daughter-in-law to the pastor, but on the Metrosexual Worship Leader Scorecard (page 80), my church is a negative 3. My church is not on trend. On the other hand, our youth band . . . those guys are hip.

Ha. Too funny.

As much as I like to laugh, the hidden gem in the book comes from the last few pages – not going to quote it, you should read it for yourself. I never knew Acuff could be so serious. This Christian likes that too.

Disclaimer: This post is part of a Blog Book Tour. The author (blogger) of this post received a free copy of the above book from the publisher in exchange of a written review. The review is the honest opinion of the blogger. This post contains affiliate links that financially benefit the blogger. By making a purchase via an affiliate link, the blogger may receive monetary compensation.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Blog book tour: Holy Roller by Julie Lyons Finally, a blog tour for a book that is truly...
Book Tour: Found Art From Found Art (Discovering Beauty in Foreign Places) by Leeana...
Book tour: Closer Than Your Skin by Susan D. Hill From Closer Than Your Skin: Unwrapping the Mystery of Intimacy...
Book tour: Me, Myself and I AM by Matthew Peters and Elisa Stanford Me, Myself and I AM (The Story of You and...

If I was your true friend

Monica Brand — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:34:06 +0000

I’d be asking you those tough questions. You already know the questions. The ones that we ponder in our hearts and we want so desperately to ask, but we are afraid of hurt feelings or overstepping into that private place that says Do Not Enter or Keep Out. These are the most important questions, yet we hesitate. I am guilty of remaining silent far too often only because I fear the response. Those sign posts again.

If I was your true friend, then I would ask you:

How is your spiritual life?

Are you praying? Reading your Bible?

How can I pray for you today?

What are your struggles? Hopes? Dreams?

Past friendships never heard me ask those questions, when I knew I was supposed to ask them. Now I see these women struggling, drifting away, falling into a place I’m sure they never dreamed they would go. I stand at the shoreline of our friendship and they have drifted so far away. I wonder if they are happy. I am not happy for them.

Slowly I am learning to cast aside the fear, to speak up. To run after another crying girlfriend who just walked out the church door.

If we were friends away from the confinements of this cyberworld, then I would be having you here for dinner or coffee. I’d have your kids play with my kids, especially on a day when you needed a break because raising kids, especially if you homeschool and are with your kids more than usual, is exhausting work. Our husbands could hang out by the grill, we ladies would no doubt be in the kitchen. I’ll wash, if you dry. We would laugh together, cry together.

I hope you would answer the tough, difficult questions with honesty because if we are truly friends, then we shouldn’t have to fear.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

I have a friend She’s drinking. Again. And she shouldn’t be. She can’t. Alcohol...
Update on my friend All is well. I think. Last night I had a...
The kind of friend and mother I want to be It’s obvious this video is about friendship. The loyal, loving...
My fake heart attack It all started with a pain in my right arm....

Bible reading resources for the summer

Monica Brand — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:21:28 +0000

I’ve found three ways to help you get more Bible reading this summer. All are online so you can take these on vacation with you.

Read the Bible in 90 Days hosted at Mom’s Toolbox. Starts July 1. I will be doing this, watch for updates here.

Bible Cafe for Women is working through the workbook Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy by Kelly Minter as part of a Beth Moore Summer Bible study 3. I signed up for this six week study and have yet to purchase my book, so I need to do a little catching up.

Scripture Dig is a new website designed to help you dig deeper into your Bible. Daily posts on how to get the most out of Bible study, meditation on Scripture and which version is right for you. No Bible study offered right now, just getting really comfortable with the ins and outs of the Bible.

Let me know if you are going to participate in the 90 day Bible reading or with Bible Cafe. See you there!

Did I miss a resource? Online, book or website, share the link in the comments.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Reading the entire Bible in only 90 days – again This will be my second go-around reading the entire Bible...
A Bible on wheels might say, “ROOV” Or zoom zoom. I have two interesting finds for you...
Read the entire Bible in only 90 days : sign up now The next round of Read the Bible in 90 Days...
An ending My first year in Community Bible Study is over. I...

Women’s retreat, Blue Mountain, PA (June 2010): reactions, reflections

Monica Brand — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:37:40 +0000

Two days home now. Here is what I’m thinking:

I ate too much. I’m afraid to get on the scale.

I know in my head that if you gather a group of women together, the odds are good you will find victims of abuse and neglect. At the retreat, I heard several of these stories from those in our group. My heart had a harder time accepting it; I was shocked, angry, and now I’m just sad for what these ladies had to endure.

It’s fun to act silly.

Gwen Mouliert is quite funny. Better yet, she knows her Bible.

Girls suffer at the hands of women too. Negligent mothers, take note.

I have great talent for eating Doritos.

As a girl and grown woman, I have suffered little compared to some of my sisters-in-Christ.

I love my friends.

I like sleeping on the top bunk in my sleeping bag.

I prefer less air conditioning.

We serve a powerful, loving God who heals the brokenhearted. Thanks be to God!

Three hundred women singing It is Well (With My Soul) is beautiful.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

I am a woman inspired That was fun! It only took 25 times, with a...
Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez This book was a must read as soon as I...
What I’m reading: Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway Monique and the Mango Rains (Two Years with a Midwife...
I can’t think of a title for this post Because no matter what I write, it will not be...

I’m home

Monica Brand — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:30:36 +0000

Thoughts to follow soon. For now, I give you this:

I can think of no easier way to summarize the weekend.

Share or Bookmark this post if you like it. Thank you.

Leaving (not) on a jet plane This afternoon I’m off to the wilds of Pennsylvania. My...
To be known by my name As a young girl, I hated my name. I believed...
What I pray everyday Nothing fancy, but it’s heartfelt. Simple. Honest. And I think...
Yet more thoughts on contentment Thanks for the encouraging words this week, friends. It’s nice...