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    Just another day in paradise …

    We’ve been reveling in some “home time” and I thought you might enjoy a few pics … Our Circus Adventure! (Yes, that’s my THREE YEAR OLD on top of an elephant! She said, “May I please, Mom?” And I thought–“COOL!”) Creative Ways to Avoid Burns While Making Pancakes with Papa (Can you see the mitten?)   Our Poor Tulips! But How Fun …  

  • Sin & Repentance

    Do you ever get frustrated by SLOW service?

    Does it bug you to have to be on hold for five minutes? Or wait at the post office for ten? Enjoy this essay by one of my heroes of the faith, Ajith Fernando. (And please do continue to pray and financially support his ministry at Youth for Christ!) Yours, Tara B. ON WAITING IN A LONG QUEUE by Ajith Fernando As things go from bad to worse in Sri Lanka, we need to be looking for ways in which we can preserve the joy of the Lord amidst all the gloom around us, so that our demeanour exhibits the glorious good news of the gospel which we are called…

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    Go boldly to God …

    (More from Sibbes’ Puritan classic, The Bruised Reed …) “What should we learn from this, but to ‘come boldly to the throne of grace’ (Heb. 4:16) in all our grievances? Shall our sins discourage us, when he appears there only for sinners? Are you bruised? Be of good comfort, he calls you. Conceal not your wounds, open all before him and take not Satan’s counsel … Go boldly to God in our flesh; he is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone for this reason, that we might go boldly to him. Never fear to go to God, since we have such a Mediator with him, who is…

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    “Caught Off Guard” by William P. Smith

    Wow! The CCEF guys just keep on hitting ’em right out of the park! I truly believe that these men are writing the BEST books out there for Believers these days. (Although I wish their prices weren’t so crazily high sometimes–but I still whole-heartily recommend everything they ever write!) I just started William P. Smith’s, Caught Off Guard–Encounters with the Unexpected God, and it is already a delight. The preface starts out with some illustrations of how often we know a lot about God–but there is a GAP in how we actually live. Let me tempt you with an excerpt: “For instance, some people talk about God’s omnipotence, yet they…

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    What a support to our faith!

    I just began reading the Puritan classic, The Bruised Reed, by Richard Sibbes, and it has already been a great encouragement to me. I could quote every line, but let me start with this excerpt: “What a support to our faith is this, that God the Father, the party offended by our sins, is so well pleased with the work of redemption! And what a comfort is this, that, seeing God’s love rests on Christ, as well pleased in him, we may gather that he is as well pleased with us, if we be in Christ! For his love rests in a whole Christ, in Christ mystical, as well as…

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    Congratulations to MS!

    Just a note to congratulate M.S. from Indiana–she is the latest winner of the $99 Peacemaker Group Study (for joining our discussion board). I’m REALLY hoping to have some changes and improvements to the board soon (!!) … sorry that it’s taken so long. 🙂 Happy Monday and love to you all!   Yours, Tara B.  

  • Singleness & Marriage

    Temptations & Singleness …

    I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my single friends. Some truly believe they are called to singleness and they serve with great joy in their position. Most long for a mate and pray accordingly (even as they strive to be content in all things). I continue to whole-heartedly recommend Solo Femininity as the best (most gospel-infused, cross-centered, wise, winsome) blog out there for Christian singles (and for those of us who love them and long for them to experience all of the joys and blessings and responsibilities of the covenant family!). And I pray that my single friends will avoid pitfalls and temptations like: 1. Making an idol out…

  • Sin & Repentance

    Gossip is …

    In his sermon this morning, our pastor defined gossip as: Sharing something that is true, but sharing only part of the information, with someone who has no right to know and no desire to help. I immediately began to think through a grid of my own speech and how often I fail to live out Ephesians 4:29 (to let “no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen”). How often are we tempted to gossip? To bear false witness? Slander and accuse? Breathe graceless, gospel-less, cross-less words of condemnation? (Especially when…

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    More Pictures from the DVD Filming

    I received a few more pictures from the dvd filming and thought you might enjoy seeing them … Please keep us all in your prayers as we work on post-production. So much review and editing! And graphic work for the study guide and supporting materials too. We could all use your prayers. Thanks, friends! Love you bunches,  Tara B.  

  • Uncategorized

    Response to ‘SMB’

    (I received an email from someone overseas and I’m just not 100% sure that it would be wise for me to write her directly. So I’m going to post my response here with the hopes that if she visits again, she will read it and be encouraged to put her faith fully in the finished work of Christ.) Dear S, Thank you so very much for writing and sharing some of your life story with me. It seems to me, based on what you wrote, that English is not your first language and I must start out by saying, ‘Wow!’ Your English (as a non-native speaker) is phenomenal and I…