Sweeter: Incredible Interview w/ Katie Davis!

Sweeter: Free E-copy of Passport Through Darkness!

Get it here:

 http://www.makewaypartners.org/free-ecopy-of-passport-through-darkness-2014/

Sweet: Julie & Julia

A friend who knows my love of cooking sent this movie from across the Pacific, all the way from Cambodia. 

Like, a year ago or something! Then I put it away and immediately forgot where I put it. And I've been looking for it for, like, a year. 

Then, while going through a desk drawer a week or two ago, what do you think I found? Sure enough; there it was!

So I watched it, and wow! I didn't even realize until later that I was watching a true story about something that had actually happened! The movie chronicles Julie Powell's journey of spending a year cooking through her hero Julia Child's book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It also follows Julia Child during her time in France that inspired her to write the cookbook. 

But the movie's not just about cooking; it's also about writing and international travel, and it gives a poignant glimpse into the two women's marriages. I'd call it an emotional masterpiece!

Disclaimer: In addition to a little bit of cussing, the movie contains a couple of dirty scenes; so I don't recommend it for kids. Although I liked the movie in general, there were 2 or 3 things - they weren't TOO bad - that I feel should have been left out.

Books don't have scenes, though; so now I've really gotta read the book! :)

A Modern Parable

This is the story of two girls. And you know the struggle that most girls have, the desire to feel beautiful and the feeling of being ugly. Well, these two girls felt that way; and  they, like most girls, decided to do something about it.

Both girls felt that their primary facial flaw was the shape of their mouths.

Nellie tried to solve that problem by wearing the prettiest, fanciest lipstick she could find. She saved money and scoured the internet to find out which one was the best of the best.

Then, of course, she bought it and applied it. She wasn't super happy with the results, but hey - it was way better than it had been! And she could always apply it more generously whenever necessary. At least no one was seeing her naked lips anymore! She had hidden them well, and she was happy.

Never mind that she looked like a buffoon!

Heidi couldn't think how to solve that problem. She worried and cried; but then she noticed her friends' smiles, and that gave her an idea. She started consciously smiling at everyone she saw.

Soon she saw someone who was very sad, and she knew she could either be sad with him or try to cheer him up. So she smiled compassionately and said something kind, which put a smile on HIS face. He randomly said, "You're beautiful." She was taken aback, as this was the first time anyone had said that to her. And she determined to use kind words more often.

Moral: With everything in your life, you can either try to bury it, or you can invest it (Matthew 25:14-30) .

Appreciating Women

Women are half of God's image.

"And Elohim created man in His own image;
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27).

Every person on this planet matters to the Father, and that includes women. So this month, as we're thinking about breast cancer awareness, remembering loved ones lost to the disease, encouraging the women in our lives to be careful, and generally "painting the town pink," let us remember also the women of all ages, around the world, who face deadly dangers of all varieties, like these little girls in India.

Challenging Femininity #11

http://feelinfeminine.com/?p=5342

Challenging Femininity #8

Be sure to check out the article on Elizabeth Prentiss! She wrote the hymn "More Love to Thee, O Christ" which has recently become popular due to a contemporary Christian musician singing it. She also wrote the book Stepping Heavenward, among others. That book is one of my favorites. It's a sweet story about a young girl who draws nearer her Heavenly Father throughout her life.

Challenging Femininity #7 and Other New Stuff

My favorite webzine!

One of my favorite websites with a brand-new format!

My brand-new, very favorite hymnal! It's the new worship hymnal from Lifeway, with all the best hymns and all the best choruses from the last thirty years. :-)

Challenging Femininity #6

Challenging Femininity #5

Challenging Femininity #4

May you have a blessed year in the Lord Jesus!

I want to share some sweet verses I read this morning.

"God setteth the solitary in families:

he bringeth out those which are bound with chains:

but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

Thou hast ascended on high,

thou hast led captivity captive:

thou hast received gifts for men;

yea, for the rebellious also,

that the LORD God might dwell among them.

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits,

even the God of our salvation. Selah" (Psalm 68:6,18-19).

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty

wherewith Christ hath made us free,

and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty;

only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh,

but by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:1,13).

Challenging Femininity #3

Hear ye, hear ye! Miss Jocelyn has recently announced the third issue of her webzine for girls and about all things feminine.

http://feelinfeminine.com/?p=2948

Challenging Femininity

The second issue is out! I haven't read all the articles yet, but I'm really excited about the interview. You wanna know why? Because it's with Mrs. Gretchen Acheson from my favorite blog ever - Young Ladies Christian Fellowship!!! I've read that blog for about seven years (I think), and the girls have been such an encouragement to me! Here is the link for Miss Jocelyn Dixon's web magazine: http://feelinfeminine.com/?p=2297

Sacred Claim

I just recently finished reading a book by one of my long-time favorite authors: Leslie Ludy. The book was Set-Apart Femininity, and it was anything but a disappointment. One of the points that convicted me most was the one called sacred claim.

My life belongs to God. I belong to God. I am His to do with as He pleases. He has a sacred claim on my life and wants to use me in some way in the world for His own glory.

So what right have I to waste my time and money and affections on trivial pursuits? God's kingdom needs servants. God's field needs workers. There are hurting people everywhere, and God would have me burdened to help them.

It helped that my devotions have been in Exodus lately. The children of Israel were slaves, strangers in a strange land. Then God heard their cries and delivered Him, leading them on a pilgrimage to a far-away country; so they rose and cooked their unleavened bread and got their packs ready and went out from Egypt, trusting in the God of their fathers Who had delivered them with His mighty hand.

What would have happened, I wonder, if they - like me - had so many possessions that they couldn't fit them in a room, let alone a pack; and they were dull to the Spirit of God because they were neglecting their relationships with Him for the sake of worthless "pleasures"?

God's call on us is to be pilgrims. Ready to stop and help the needy, but otherwise faithfully and steadfastly walking forward on the road to the Promised Land.