Bye bye For The Weekend

Don't mind the 1 finger, he hasn't gotten used to holding 2 up yet :).

This weekend we will be heading to Austin for Dominic's 2nd birthday party. He turned two yesterday and being us, we just have to celebrate :). Food, conversation, and a pinata are on the agenda.

Around this season of life, Nicole has these spurts of crazy energy to do big projects (clean out the garage, for example). And that spurt came pretty recently and so we will also be doing some cleaning in the garage this weekend. I hope we accomplish much.

Be looking for pictures sometime next week.

In Christ,

~Micaela

Dying in Faith

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"These all died in faith..."-Hebrews 11:13

In case you haven't been able to tell, we're big Spurgeon fans around here.

There have been many ways the Lord has used his writings and example to teach me important truths and lessons.

Lately, I've been reading a lot a missionary couple who abandoned every earthly pleasure to serve Christ and pursue His kingdom. Their lives being characterized by the sweet and precious passage in Philippians 1: 18-21. Each believer should have this focus, this passion, and this desire; we are being prepared for another place, this world is not the end, our earthly dwelling is just that--our earthly dwelling. Those missionaries that I am reading about had this firmly in their minds. They were living each day by faith, committing to glorify Christ whether that meant by their lives or by their death. Going back to Spurgeon, here is a passage that puts these thoughts in a better light.

"In faith they lived-it was their comfort, their guide,

their motive and their support; and in the same spiritual

grace they died, ending their life-song in the sweet strain

in which they had so long continued.

They did not die resting in the flesh or

upon their own attainments; they made no advance from their

first way of acceptance with God,

but held to the way of faith to the end.

Faith is as precious to die by as to live by...

To them the pains of death were but the birth pangs of a

better state. Take courage, my soul,

as thou readest this epitaph.

Thy course, through grace, is one of faith,

and sight seldom cheers thee;

this has also been the pathway of

the brightest and the best... "

I pray that this would characterize my own life; that each trial and affliction, each blessing and season, would remind and teach me to live by faith and not by sight. What I see is construed by me and is therefore tainted, praise the Lord I am not left to my own understanding!

Praise Him that He is faithful, He does not send us through the flames alone, He carries the heavy burden, and fills our lives with every spiritual blessing. Whether we realize it or not, we are being prepared for an eternal weight of glory that far surpasses what we can imagine.

This gives me such encouragement and drive because I am confident that each trial and grief has a purpose and there is a reason that the Lord has placed it in my life,

if I ever see the reason or not is another story but I know it is for my good and His great glory, and for me that is more than enough.

"Look anew tonight to Jesus, the author and finisher of they faith, and thank Him for giving thee like precious faith with souls now in glory."

-Charles H. Spurgeon

Some thoughts from our small group

We recently finished our small group class for this semester and we participated in one based off of A Portriat of Paul by Rob Ventura and Jeremy Walker. Here is the book's product description:

"What does a true pastor look like, and what constitutes a faithful ministry? How can we identify the life and labors of one called by God to serve in the church of Jesus Christ? To address these questions, Rob Ventura and Jeremy Walker examine how the apostle Paul describes his pastoral relation to the people of God in Colossians 1:24-2:5. By discussing these essential attitudes, qualities, and characteristics of a faithful minister of Christ, A Portrait of Paul provides gospel ministers an example of what they should be, and demonstrates for churches the kind of pastors they will seek if they desire men after God's own heart." 

Among many things, this book has showed me a great deal of what elders must bear as shepherds. The book describes what elders should look like according to scripture, what burdens they bear as elders, and how I ought to pray for them. It also talks about church members and fellow Christians and what their role is in the church and as it relates to elders. It was very insightful to understanding the ministry of the apostle Paul and how, ultimately, our greatest model is Christ and His faithfulness to the church.


In Christ,
~Micaela