Thanksgiving Pictures

I apologize for the lack of posts for the past several months. I have begun post-high school courses online so life is a bit hectic right now. It is a good kind of hectic though. The courses I am taking are listed below for anyone interested. I would recommend all of them at this point, although I am not very far into any.

• Koinonia Institute
• The Creationist Worldview
• America's Test Kitchen Cooking School

 

Anyways, here are a few pictures of our family taken this Thanksgiving. I hope y'all enjoy!

Three generations. From left to right: me, mom, my sister, dad, my grandma, and my brother.

My parents with the grandkids. Aren't they precious?

Swinging with Pawpaw Greg :)

Me with my cousin.

Mom and Dad

 

So sweet!

 

 

Thanks once again to Berean Productions for the wonderful pictures.

 

 



Videos

I apologize for the lack of posts the past several months. Things have been rather busy and I am having technical difficulties with blogger. I hope to figure this out soon and post a bunch of pictures. In the meantime, I wanted to share a couple of videos for your enjoyment.

First, I am sure most are aware of Billy Graham's newest, and perhaps last, broadcast: My Hope America. We watched this as a church family a couple of weeks ago, and I was profoundly moved. Please share this with your lost family and friends.

Second, here is a wonderful sermon on the accuracy and inspiration of Scripture by Voddie Baucham. I find this one of the most convincing and logical arguments I have heard recently.

I hope you enjoy these videos!
 

Apologetics

Here is an essay I wrote for a Christian Worldview class I took a while back. Since I had a length limit, I wasn't able to go into as much detail as I would have liked, but this is a good summary of the role of apologetics in faith.

"Be Ready to Give an Apologia"

     Richard Dawkins, a prominent member in the scientific community and bestselling author of "The God Delusion", has this to say about religion, "Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence." He also says, "I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world." Obviously, Christians strongly disagree with Dawkins' assessments of religion, but what should we do about it? Many Christians advocate contending for the faith through knowledgeable discussions with unbelievers - a method traditionally called "apologetics". The original Greek word, apologia, means "speaking in defense" of one's beliefs. However, other Christians believe apologetics has no real value. They have two main objections: 1) Apologetics does not save anyone; therefore it is useless and 2) Loving Christ and a willingness to be used by Him are the only really important things for a Christian to focus on. While both objections have considerable truth in them, when examined closely we find that they are illogical and not founded on Scripture.

     First, let us examine the objection that apologetics does not save anyone, and is therefore useless. It is true that giving a sound apologetic to an unbeliever will not save him. Even if the unbeliever understands and accepts the good reasons for your faith, he is not saved. He must ultimately accept Christ as his Savior in order for salvation to occur. However, this does not make the role of apologetics obsolete. The Holy Spirit can use reasons for the faith as a powerful tool in transforming a person's life. Often, explaining your faith in a logical sense is the first step towards sharing the Gospel. For example, an atheist will not be interested in hearing about the saving grace of Jesus Christ if he doesn't even see Christianity as a viable option. You may first have to demonstrate that Christianity is logical and before he will even hear of Christ. This is one way in which the Holy Spirit uses apologetics as a tool for salvation. Obtaining a basic understanding of the evidence for our faith is not a waste of time, but rather an asset that the Holy Spirit can use to
lead others to salvation.

     Let us next examine the second objection: Loving Christ and a willingness to be used by Him are the only really important things in a Christian's life. This statement is absolutely true in one sense. Certainly, the most important things in a Christian's life are that he loves Christ and eagerly follows His command to "go". However, it does not follow that one must not have a sound understanding of the faith in order to refute the ideas of the world and prove the Biblical account. The verse often used by proponents of this idea, Luke 10:27, says, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind." The question is not whether we should love the Lord, but rather what loving the Lord entails. Christ said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." He also said, "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." Clearly, as seen throughout Scripture, Christ commands us to follow His example and obey His words. Christ Himself gave an apologetic to those around Him, most noticeably through miracles. He performed miracles in order to prove His divine authority. While Christians today cannot perform miracles, we can give reasons for our faith. Also, Peter wrote in 1 Peter 3:15, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." Peter used the very word "apologia" in this text. In 1 Corinthians 10:5, Paul wrote, "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."

     While the usefulness of apologetics has been sufficiently established, apologetics can also be used incorrectly. A Christian should not get in a discussion simply to tout their views over their neighbor. In other words, we aren't in it to win an argument, but to win souls. Love and respect for one's neighbor prove the most effective way to do this. Peter said, "Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." Other translations say, "with gentleness and respect." Also, Christ stated that the second greatest commandment was as follows, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Since you would not want someone to ungraciously treat your ideas as bunk, you should not do so to your neighbor.

     Blaise Pascal stated, "There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only be God, the Creator, made known through Jesus." Our responsibility as Christians is to tell the world how to fill this vacuum. With 850 million people claiming atheism or no religion, Christians must be capable and willing to make a case for God. Apologetics is often the first step. In conclusion, John Calvin wrote, "A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth was attacked and yet would remain silent." We cannot hold our silence in the face of attack from men such as Richard Dawkins, who, according to 2 Corinthians 4:4, are blind, "In whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

For more information on apologetics, visit these websites:

~ Answers in Genesis
~ Institute for Creation Research
~ Evolution vs. God Film by Ray Comfort
~ Creation Today   

David Ring Sermon

Recently I heard a two part sermon by evangelist David Ring on Focus on the Family Radio. It was perhaps one of most touching messages I have ever heard, and I thought I would share it with y'all. But first, for those of you who aren't familiar with David Ring, here is a quick bio:

"Few individuals have felt the crushing blows that have besieged David Ring since birth. He was born to lose. On October 28th, 1953, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, David was born with Cerebral Palsy. Orphaned at age 14, he was cast about from family to family with nowhere to call home. He endured constant physical pain, humiliating public ridicule and constant discouragement. Yet in the face of these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, David emerged not victimized . . . but victorious! Life was worse than hopeless to him until his relationship began with Jesus Christ who taught him self-respect and acceptance of his physical challenges. To most, physical challenges of this magnitude would prove to be a tombstone. For David Ring, this coming of age was and remains a milestone.

You’ve never heard a speaker quite like David Ring. Although difficult to understand at first, you will soon find yourself captured by his quick wit and warm personality. Whether giving a motivational message at a sales convention, or inspiring church leaders, David always focuses on an individual’s need to conquer the personal challenges an adversities of life. As you hear David Ring, you will laugh…and cry. You will be amazed at his triumph over odds. You will be moved to consider your own life. As one who has not been stifled by his physical limitations, he clearly stakes his challenge to everyone. "I have Cerebral Palsy – What’s your problem?"

As a nationally known speaker since 1973, David shares his story with over 100,000 people each year at churches, conventions, schools and corporate events. He has been featured on numerous occasions on several nationally televised programs.

David’s book Just As I Am, (Moody Press, Chicago, IL) tells about his heartaches and victories, and addresses the central theme of his life: "Triumph Over Odds."

Here are the links to the sermon:
Part 1: Living Joyously - Part 1

Part 2: Living Joyously - Part 2

I hope this message inspires and blesses you as much as it did me! Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

College Education

At long last, my article on college education is complete. It is a fitting time, as I graduated from high school on June 7, 2013. The logical next step for most people is college, and it is certainly something my family and I have given much thought to over the past couple of years. Based on the information we have garnered, the people we have talked to, and my specific calling to be a godly homemaker, we have come to the conclusion that college is not the wisest or most profitable occupation for me. I am by no means implying that this is the right decision for everyone, only that all things must be wisely and prayerfully considered regarding this issue in every individual case. We mustn’t simply jump on board the cultural bandwagon, but rather seek the Lord’s will in our lives and follow it, no matter how odd or outdated it may seem to our society. With these things in mind, I hope that you will think through this article and be blessed by it.

Nine Reasons Why I Am not Following the Popular College Route

1. College is not the beginning of knowledge.

Contrary to popular opinion, college does not give us the knowledge we need to live by. It isn’t a light to our path or a lamp to our feet. Our society views college as the road that leads to wisdom and success in life.  Scripture, however, says something entirely different. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Similarly, Proverbs 9:10 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Therefore, for me to pursue college as the world does - for the ultimate wisdom and understanding that will make me successful in life - would be foolishness. Only the fear of the Lord can truly make me successful, which leads to the second point.

2. The typical college does not teach the fear of the Lord, nor does it fulfill the requirement of wise company.

Since the fear of the Lord is the beginning - the starting point - of all knowledge, a college’s first goal should be to instruct in righteousness. However, as we all know, this is most definitely not the case. In fact, blatant paganism is more welcome on campus than Christianity, and increasingly Christians are prohibited from evangelizing on college grounds. It follows, then, that colleges actually teach foolishness. Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” The majority of colleges today teach evolution and atheism rather than the fear of God. Furthermore, Scripture says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Even as a strong Christian, the Lord warns us not to partake in bad company. A place where the majority of people fear man rather than God, who reject the reality of God, and who “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” would certainly qualify as bad company. It isn’t college that leads to blessing. Psalm 1:1 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.”

3. A college degree is not a savior.

This may sound rather extreme, but when everything is boiled down, many people view a degree as some kind of savior. We have had many people ask us, “What if something happens to Stephanie’s husband so that he cannot work, shouldn’t she be prepared with a college education so she can support the family?” While on the surface this sounds reasonable, in reality it reflects a dependence upon the degree instead of on the Lord. I am commanded to follow the Lord’s call for my life and to obey trustfully. He is in charge of everything, and knows what is going to happen in my life. Therefore, I do not have to be afraid about the future, because He has it all planned out. My reliance for provision in times of trial is on Him alone, not on a piece of paper I received. In fact, the Lord provides for everyone, those with and without college degrees. I know the Lord will bless my obedience to His commands as Genesis 26:1-5 illustrates:

There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

4. A college degree is not security.

Following from the above point, it is by no means guaranteed that a college degree will land a job. In fact, a study in 2011 revealed that eight out of ten college graduates were moving back home. College graduates are having significant difficulty finding work, and in June of 2012 the number of jobless graduates was almost 2,000,000. Furthermore, many who are employed don’t work in the field of their study. In our economy, it is just as difficult for a college graduate to find work as it is for a layman to do so. Thus, a degree really provides very little job security.

5. College does not contribute to contentment in my role, nor is it the best use of my single years.

The call the Lord has placed on my life is that of Proverbs 31 and Titus 2. I am preparing to be a submissive wife, mother and teacher, and homemaker. There are so many more details involved in this call, but as that is not the subject of this post, I will confine it to this description. College not only does not contribute to this role, it creates a discontentment with such a role. In studying anywhere from two to twelve years of my life towards a specific career, am I then going to easily and nonchalantly give that career up to be at home? Why would I use the single years the Lord has given me to study something which I will not be pursuing, in an atmosphere which disdains the call I have been given? It simply doesn’t make sense in light of the previous points, the contrary environment, and the time involved in something I won’t be able to pursue. My single years should be used in learning all of the various aspects of my career: that of wife, mother, and homemaker. If I spend that time on college, I will already be behind on knowing how to properly and efficiently run a household.

6. College narrows a woman’s work field.

In fact, why would I want to study one area of interest when I could study many? Why would I concentrate all of my time on a history degree, when during the same amount of time on my own I could learn about cooking, gardening, sewing, home business, raising children, teaching children, self-sufficiency, frugality, financing, holistic medicine, and many more fields? The knowledge base of a truly prepared Proverbs 31 woman is extensive, and ranges multiple degrees. What good is a history degree going to do me when I need to cook a five-course meal? However, I could learn how to cook a five-course meal and learn about history at the same time. The sky is the limit to the fields of study useful in the home.

7. Post-high school education is not limited to college.

As stated in the above point, there are so many fields of study for a Proverbs 31 woman. For as many topics as there are to study there are books. College is not necessary in order to gain an extensive knowledge of a topic. How many things have you learned through simply reading on your own? In fact, college primarily consists of reading and studying on your own anyway. In addition to books, there are local classes, online classes, and so many resources at our fingertips.

8. College debt does not help my future husband.

Proverbs 31:11-12 says, “The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” One of the greatest strains on a marriage is debt, and by incurring significant debt in college many women are doing their future husbands evil and not good. Furthermore, the Lord specifically warns against debt as slavery, and bringing slavery into a marriage is not the wisest course of action.

9. Many of the successful entrepreneurs never received college degrees.

Many of our founding fathers never even attended school, much less college. But perhaps you think that in order to succeed in today’s world, you must have a college degree. Though as discussed earlier success in this way without the Lord is actually foolishness, a healthy understanding of the lack of necessity for college even in this regard is in order. Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell, Inc, dropped out of college at age 19, never achieving the degree for which he was studying. Henry Ford, of Ford Motor Company, never even graduated high school. Bill Gates dropped out of college and established Microsoft. Rachel Ray never received a culinary college education. Steven Spielberg, known as one of the best filmmakers and co-founder of DreamWorks, dropped out of college. Finally, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook and the youngest person to achieve status on Forbes 400, never received a college degree¹. These people represent the highest pier of worldly success, and none of them attained a college degree. Remember, though, that worldly success is not what we are to strive for, but rather to be like Christ more every day.

I know that these ideas seem strange, and perhaps to some offensive. It is not my goal to offend anyone, but simply to give my reasons why I will not be attending the traditional, popular method of post-high school education. I realize the necessity for college in some occupations, such as that of doctor or nurse. However, for the calling of the woman in Scripture, there is no need to pursue college. This does not mean that I stop learning. In fact, I plan to learn a great deal in a plethora of fields. My focus is on the role the Lord has given me, and the plan He has for my life in regards to my further education. This is not a one-size-fits-all article, because the Lord’s plans are individual and specific. However, never try to fit the cultural expectations into the Lord’s calling for your life, but simply follow Him in faith. He will lead you to the best possible place. I leave you with my favorite verse, Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

1. http://learnfinancialplanning.com/famous-people-who-didnt-go-to-college/

Senior Photoshoot

A couple of weeks ago I did my senior photo shoot. It was a beautiful sunny day, but rather windy - which can be slightly difficult with long hair and a skirt - but the pictures turned out wonderful. I want to thank Justus McCranie, a friend and brother-in-Christ, for his skillful work and patience...you can visit his website at Berean Productions. There are many pictures, and all wonderful, but I have chosen these few for the sake of brevity.

This one is awesome!

With my dear friend Haley

I have no idea what Samson was doing here, but I looks pretty funny!

I am so thankful that the Lord called my family to homeschool beginning in the second grade, and that for the past 11 years I have been blessed with the teaching and companionship of my dear mother. My dad has been so supportive and worked so hard in order that we might obey the Lord in this way. I would not exchange my school years for all of the world. I am looking forward to doing the same for my children if the Lord wills.

I do not stop the process of learning at this point, but rather plow ahead to focus on learning how to run and manage a home in all of its aspects, establish a home business, and bless the community and church through service. Most important, I will always strive to grow in the relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I can't wait to share with you what I have learned the past several years about college from the Lord, godly speakers, and history. Until then, God bless!

Unconditional & Return to the Hiding Place

I wanted to highly recommend two Christian movies which have just recently been released. The first is "Unconditional":

 

 

The second is "Return to the Hiding Place", which is not released on DVD yet. They are, however, doing showings throughout the U.S.A. and will hopefully soon be releasing it. It won the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival "Best Feature Film" award.

 

 

Both of these films were absolutely excellent and extremely moving, and I would highly recommend them for families with children over 13 (or at that maturity level). I am so thankful for the number of distinctly Christian films that are being released these days.

 

I will be posting my senior pictures soon. As far as the post on college goes...I will have to postpone that until I finish with my paper assignment for the online class I am taking. So, look forward to that sometime in May.

 

 

Modesty

To my sisters in Christ, please take the time to watch the video posted below regarding modesty by CJ Mahaney. It is so important to know what our brothers struggle with regarding clothing.

Snow!

I am finally getting around to posting the snow pictures I took on February 16 of this year. We had about four inches of beautiful snow. It was the first snow we have had in several years, and the first in our new home. For the Northerners and those who receive frequent snows amongst my readers, please be patient with a snow-starved Southerner! Without further ado, behold the beauty of winter wonderland:

Measuring the snow accumulation.

 

Our home in the snow. I have waited a long time for this :)

Our backyard

The sun is setting

The barns

In the morning

An old piece of cotton equipment that is on our property....absolutely stunning in the snow

The pathway to the field behind our property

The field

 

Bundled up

Samson using the coat God bestowed upon him. He looks so much like a wolf :)

I hope you enjoyed these few snippets of our life here on our little farm. I am working on a post about college and hope to share it soon, if the Lord wills.

Generational Vision

I read Isaiah 39 this morning, and it struck me particularly poignantly. In Isaiah 38, King Hezekiah is sick and dying, so he calls out to the Lord. The Lord hears his prayer, heals him, and promises him 15 more years of life. Hezekiah praises the Lord for this blessing. Then, we get to Isaiah 39, which is directly after this, as seen by "At that time". The passage reads:

"At that time Merodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures - the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory - all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.

Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, 'What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?'

So Hezekiah said, 'They came to me from a far country, from Babylon.'

And he said, 'What have they seen in your house?'

So Hezekiah answered, 'They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among all my treasures that I have not shown them.'

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, 'Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 'Behold, the days are coming when all this is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the Lord. 'And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'

So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, 'The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!' For he said, 'At least there will be peace and truth in my days.'"


The thought struck me thus:

Hezekiah had been blessed with immense wealth and prestige. He had also been given extended years. He was one of the few kings who sought the Lord, and whom the Lord bestowed favor upon. The king of Assyria, who had conquered nation after nation, threatened to attack Judah. However, because this king mocked the God of Israel, and because Hezekiah sought God's protection, the Angel of the Lord wiped out 185,000 Assyrians. Thus, they never even attempted attack upon Judah. Hezekiah had it great. There was peace and truth in Judah.

However, Isaiah prophesied that times were coming, because of the sin of Judah, when Babylon would conquer them, destroy their land, and take them into captivity. He even prophesied that Hezekiah's own sons would be slaves to the king. This was terrible news.

At least, it would seem so. But instead of tearing his clothes and donning ashes, Hezekiah said, "This prophecy sounds good." What? Good? For some reason, judgement, captivity, and destruction don't sound too good to me. So why did Hezekiah say this was "good"? Because it wasn't going to happen in his time. He would get to enjoy pleasure, peace and prosperity for the remainder of his days. Who cares about what happens down the road when I'm gone? So long as it doesn't affect my happiness and wealth, I couldn't care less. Actually, I think it is "good".

This really struck me, and honestly, convicted me. So often, I do things for the here-and-now, when in reality, my decisions and sins affect generations to come. And, then, on a wider scale, I thought about our country.

Hezekiah was king of Judah, and he had no generational vision. If the leaders of a people have no generational vision, and refuse to look to the future consequences of ideas and policies, what will happen to a nation? If the men who have the greatest capacity to influence the direction of a nation to godliness and lasting happiness only think about today, what do we have to look forward to? Well, what happened to Judah? Instead of removing the high places, Hezekiah took the path of least resistance. He gloried in his state of peace and truth, and left the nation to crumble. Judah was destroyed, and the people taken into captivity, never to be the same.

Our national debt is out the roof - over 13 trillion dollars. We revel in sin: murder of the innocent, homosexuality, pornography, profanity, and perversions of all kinds. Children are being indoctrinated in the government schools, learning "tolerance" for all but Christians. False religions are rampant. We have too many "high places" to count. The next generation will indelibly feel the full effects of this gross system of immorality, and may well have very little of a nation left to fight for. And what is our response? We want pleasure in the here-and-now more than ever before. Women shouldn't be burdened with children, in fact, society shouldn't be burdened with children. Who cares about the unimaginable debt we have already incurred for our 1.87 children per family. Let's spend more, leaving our children to figure out the solution. No need for moms and dads to teach their kids, as Scripture commands, just send them off to a God-less institution to educate them. No, we have said what Hezekiah said in the face of looming national destruction, "It sounds good."

Even in perhaps less obvious ways, we often make choices every day that negatively effect the generations to come. I know I do. It isn't as if Hezekiah was some pagan king....no, he was a godly king, and yet he still failed to realize the importance - the vital necessity - of a generational vision.

What contributes to a healthy nation in the future? A godly nation in the present. Without the Lord our God guiding us, we are incapable of preserving anything, for we ourselves, apart from Christ, are doomed to destruction. He gives us the generational vision, because He has a generational vision.

Our founding fathers understood this well. In fact, the only reason we have a nation today is because they valued this principal so highly. The well-known speech of Patrick Henry bares this out:

--- "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?"

I know this may seem impossible, but if God is for us, who can be against us? I also know I haven't done justice to this passage, but I had to share with you a little of what I learned. I couldn't believe how much God revealed to me through this passage.

I highly recommend listening to Generations Radio, hosted by Kevin Swanson, to understand more about a multi-generational legacy. You can visit the website, here. Or, you can listen to his sermons on Sermon Audio.

We just got snow yesterday, so I can't wait to share snow pictures with y'all!

Please, please, please leave a comment with your thoughts on this important topic.

We Have a Winner!

The winner of the giveaway for the two wonderful books "Stepping Heavenward" and "Ben Hur" is Kimberly at An At Home Daughter. Congratulations!

I will be posting some Thanksgiving and family photos soon, so stay tuned!

Giveaway!

To celebrate 5,000 page views on my blog, I am doing a giveaway. Since the last topic I posted was on books - distinguishing between good and bad - I thought a suitable giveaway would be two of my favorite books. These are both Christian fiction, and absolutely excellent. The first is "Ben Hur".

 

And the second is "Stepping Heavenward".

 

 

Here are the steps to enter and also receive additional entries in the drawing:

 

1. 1 entry - Leave a comment with the title of your favorite book. Please don't forget to leave your name and blog address (if you have a blog).

 

2. 5 entries - Follow this blog.

 

3. 5 entries - Blog about this giveaway. Leave the blog address in the comment.

 

Leave a comment for each of these steps you take. The giveaway will end midnight on January 21. I will draw a name January 22 and post who won. If you entered the giveaway, please check my blog on Tuesday of next week. I will also contact you with the information given in the comment (ie: leave a comment on your blog). Good luck!

 

 

 

Should a Christian Read Mystery Novels?

After reading the entire Sherlock Holmes series, which I enjoyed immensely, I began a search for another mystery series with a similar style - deductive and logical, not gruesome or mystery-turned-horror-story. I discovered the work of Agatha Christie, the world's bestselling author and mystery writer. She wrote many of her novels in the 1930-50 era. I decided to read one of her most famous works, "The A.B.C Murders," with the famous detective Hercule Poirot and his sidekick Captain Hastings. It was an easy read, very engrossing, and pretty clean; I finished it in two days time. The content was not gruesome, and the characters had fairly good morals, excepting the bad guys. No details were crude or inappropriate, and there were only a few "mild" profanities - the book was, by today's standards, very clean indeed. And yet, when I had finished reading, something stirred within - the Lord convicted me of several things. The question arose, "Is it God-honoring for a Christian to read mysteries, especially those centering on murder?" Not, again, that the book was inherently bad or wicked, if viewed from a purely "checklist" sense. Nevertheless, the Lord showed me several points that related to this sort of reading (and honestly, any reading we chose to do).
   
     First, several Scriptures came to mind, and as I searched through the Scriptures last night, more followed.

--"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret."   ~Ephesians 5:8-12

--"He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love..."    ~Colossians 1:13

--"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."    ~1 John 1:5-7

As evidenced in these Scripture verses and many more, we are called, as Christians, to live in the light. The Lord reminded me that reading about dark things, dark deeds, as a form of enjoyment is a very risky business. This is certainly not to say that we are never to read about anything bad, or any bad deeds. It is also not to say that we are never to read a mystery. One must be especially careful, however, where the focus of the narrative lies. Just because the book is about how a murderer was discovered, and even punished, does not mean it doesn't have a subtle delight in darkness. If the focus is continually on gruesome details or the murder itself, then the author may very well delight in darkness. If the detective is desiring for something to occur, some crime to take place - a very big problem in "The A.B.C Murders" - then they are delighting in darkness. I really appreciated the Sherlock Holmes series in this aspect: It laid out the problem (robbery, murder, ect) and then focused mainly on the logical solution to that problem. In this way, I did not get a pervading sense of dwelling on the darkness.

     Furthermore, the way the crime/criminal is viewed plays a critical role in whether the mystery is suitable. Does the detective condone darkness? Does he sympathize with workers of iniquity? Does he use methods of darkness (robbery, for example) to come at a solution? Where Sherlock Holmes may have lacked focusing on darkness, it, in many cases, condoned it all the same. This often takes the form of excuses. "I'll let the criminal escape, though justice would forbid it, because he really loved that lady and was simply ridding her of that nasty brother of hers." Or, "He wasn't really doing a wicked thing, he was just executing vengeance for a terrible wrong done him years ago." I am, of course, not talking of situations where the justice system of a particular nationality is perverted, so that honoring God means disobeying the government. There were no cases of the sort in any of the Sherlock Holmes series or in the Agatha Christie book. If the book causes you to sympathize with or condone darkness, then it is rejoicing in darkness, and has no part in the light. The Bible says, "You shall not murder." Period. End of discussion. Furthermore, the penalty for murder is capital punishment. Numbers 35:31 says, "Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death." The Lord is a God of justice. The book should reflect this fact. If it does give the proper perspective in this area, and does not in any way condone darkness, it may be plausible. Again, I am not implying that all mysteries are bad. Many of the Sherlock Holmes challenge the mind to reason and deduce, while not perverting justice or dwelling in darkness. These may have some value.

     Another point that is of definite import, which the Lord impressed upon me, is language. Is there really such a thing as "mild" swearing? Or can we say, "Oh, but there were only a few profanities," as though the Lord's standard makes exceptions? What are the Lord's standards regarding this? Many of the verses regarding darkness, listed above, apply to this issue. Another one is Hosea 4:2, "By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint, with blood shed upon bloodshed." (emphasis mine) Swearing, in this verse, is on the same caliber as murder. Using the Lord's name in vain, often viewed as less of a problem than profanity, is even more highly condemned in Scripture: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, who takes His name in vain."

     I understand how difficult it is to find books that meet this criteria, but we must be set apart, for God has set us apart.

--"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; once who were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."    ~1 Peter 2:9-10

--"But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the Lord will hear when I call to Him."    ~Psalm 4:3

I speak these things as convictions from the Lord, and I know many will disagree. It is between you and God to determine what crosses the line from light into darkness. Not all mysteries do, certainly. Please remember, however, that if the Lord reveals something like this to us, and we disobey it, we are placing that thing higher than God. We love reading this book more than we love Jesus. This is a dangerous position to be in, my dearest friends. Until you deal with this area, the Lord will not reveal another to you. He reminded me of these Scriptures also:

--"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."    ~Matthew 6:24

--"If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."    ~John 12:26

--"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."    ~Joshua 24:15

I have made the commitment, however difficult, to refrain from reading anything that dwells in, condones, or uses the language of darkness. Will you join me? I will be creating a list of good books to read, both fiction and nonfiction, sometime in the future, and they will be posted on this blog by summer.

Please, please, please leave a comment. I do so enjoy hearing from you!