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    Friends caught in legalism? This requires MORE compassion.

    I have so many friends who just SQUIRT out wisdom. In casual conversations, when teaching God’s Word, shopping at Target, running a meeting … these women are simply FOUNTAINS of wisdom from heaven: “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above…

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    3AM Arrival

    Well … THAT wasn’t the easiest trip I’ve ever done! Snowfall in Minneapolis delayed my flight for almost four hours, so it was almost 3AM when we finally reached Atlanta. THEN, the ENTIRE train system in the Atlanta airport was OUT OF ORDER. So we had to walk–LITERALLY A MILE–through an airless, hot basement tunnel to reach the end of the terminal. THEN, I get to my hotel only to be told that I’ll have to wait “at least 15 minutes and maybe longer” because their computers are “out” because they are running some report or something. So … it’s after 3:00 in the morning, I am just now getting…

  • Hope in Suffering

    We do not grieve alone …

    Jill Carratini continues to be my all-time favorite writer/apologist over at Ravi Zacharias Ministries (well, except for Dr. Zacharias himself–it is always a joy to read his contributions too!). Their Slice of Infinity daily e-devotional continues to be the only one I read each day. (Who has time to read e-devotionals? Not me! But I MAKE time for this one.) I hope that you will read: A Man of Sorrows To tempt you with just an excerpt: “There is, for me, immense comfort in a Christ who was not always smiling. As I picture his face set as flint toward Jerusalem, my fear is unfastened by his fortitude. As I…

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    Draw Out the Infection (but don’t stop there!)

    Tim Challies hit it out of the park again with a fantastic blog on friendship/accountability. Let me tease you with a tiny excerpt and then encourage you to pop on over to his site to read the entire post: “Too many accountability relationships end there. They are incomplete, ending with sin or with sympathy. Confession is necessary and we may well sympathize with one another as we discuss sins that are common to all men. But we cannot and must not end there. Instead we must take those sins to the cross. My pastor gave the wise advice Wednesday night that we must be prepared not only to look each…

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    Gospel Counterfeits (HT: 9Marks!)

    Oh my! Have you ever been guilty of these GOSPEL COUNTERFEITS?! Oh oh oh–I am running to the Cross. (And heading home in my first of three airports for the day! 🙂 THANK YOU for your prayers and encouraging emails. I believe (and hope!) that I served these dear, DEAR, women in Maryland well. I did my best! That’s all we can do, right?)   Grace to you! Yours, Tara B.  

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    Upwards I Look …

    Earlier this week I had a troubled night … restless, intense dreams, awake multiple times with FAILURE after FAILURE, SIN after SIN just pummeling my heart and mind. But one time in the night I awoke from my tossing and turning and found I was singing inside my heart: “No guilt in life! No fear in death! This is the power of Christ in me!” And then I went to sleep. Today? I am here, weak, tired, a little sad … but SO longing to encourage and bless these dear women! SO longing to worship God and help others to do the same. And this is the cry of my…

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    Safe & Sound on the East Coast

    Just a note to let you know that I am safe and sound on the east coast. I flew into Pennsylvania, and I’m currently in a hotel in, I think, New Jersey, and tomorrow we’ll go to a retreat center in … hmmmm … (had to go and look it up!) … Maryland. Fever was lower this morning at 4AM when I started my trek from Montana, so here’s hoping that I can serve, teach, and love these dear women well. I probably won’t have internet access again until Sunday night–but if I can, I’ll try to catch up on some blogging. THANKS for the cards & emails & kind…