Show and Tell: On My Mind

So, what's on my mind?

1. Last week, our ladies' Bible study group finished up True Woman 101: Divine Design, by Mary Kassian & Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  It was a rich and powerful study, and to a woman, everyone who completed the study, wished it could've gone on longer.  Scripturally sound and deeply insightful, it gave fresh voice & vision to topics and passages that have long been on my heart... and knit them all together in such a challenging and relevant way for women of our generation.  If your church has a regular ladies' Bible study, I'd encourage you to request this study as an excellent resource for a future session.  I personally can't wait for True Woman 102, or 201-- whatever comes next!  I hope this great study will be followed up with many more biblically-faithful, challenging messages for women in this generation. 
2. Submission-- it's a word fraught with misconceptions. 
3. This week at our church, we're starting a new bible study about prayer.  I'll be facilitating/leading it, teaching from Scripture and leaning on "greats" like Andrew Murray.  After studying more last night about the connection between fruitful prayer & abiding in Christ, this morning I woke up with "Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross" in my head... love that hymn!
4. Last week, I did the great semi-annual household seasonal clothing exchange.  (It's been two years exactly since I had all of our kids' clothing in one place; while it was quite an undertaking, I am so so so so so so so so so very glad to have these things more sorted & organized.) While I may share details of my own approach/method at some future point, I definitely don't have time to do that right now.  Here's someone (a large-family-mom) who HAS recently shared tips/ideas about changing out kids' clothes.  
5. One afternoon this week, I looked on my banking app and was shocked to find that our balance was $70,243,856.00.  I had fun being a $70 millionaire and dreaming up ways to give and use that much money, until they corrected our balance that evening, back to its normal level with not near so many numbers.  :)
6. Yesterday in church, I was overwhelmed with emotion as I remembered and prayed for friends and contacts who live in difficult places, countries where it is difficult, illegal, and/or potentially life-threatening to live as a disciple of Jesus.  We are to remember those who are imprisoned!
7. In an increasingly disconnected generation, what are Christians to do with this whole "love your neighbor" idea?  Here's a great article about practical, literal neighboring.  
8. We have to fight HARD to keep our kiddos and ourselves from being overcommitted.  Here's an article from Sheila about that very thing.  As I came back to America last year after nearly 6 years away, this was probably one of the top three most shocking things I noticed about our American culture.  We say "no" a lot... but many (most?) of the people I see seem stressed, overcommitted, and lack relational connection in their lives... and a lot of it has to do with commitments made for very young children.

SOME WORTH-YOUR-TIME-IF-YOU'RE-INTERESTED LINKS:

• Homeschooling is dangerous - Veteran homeschooler and mom-of-7 tells you how it is.
• Dear (Pregnant) Sister, - A good perspective on the demands of pregnancy
• Do you feel like screaming, "HELP!!!"?  Sherry has some encouraging and vision-casting words.
• How do Modesty & Being Sexy for our husbands fit together?
• Why talking helps women "warm up" for marital intimacy
• To flirt or not to flirt?  What should Christians do with this now-accepted form of female seduction?
• Should you marry someone who uses porn?  A sadly necessary article in our generation.
• In seasons of stress, it may help to go into "Bare Minimum Mode".
• BEFORE you take online advice...
• What the BIBLE says about anger.  Great compilation of wisdom here.
• Are you in need of godly counsel in some area of your life?  Click here to locate a biblical counselor near you.

As always, I welcome your thoughts.