• Sin & Repentance

    Object – Relational – Life Meaning Lusts (HT: CCEF)

    Tim Challies linked over to a great CCEF article that I encourage you to check out: When the Problem Is S*xual Sin–A Counseling Model The author, John Bettler, uses a three-tiered pyramid analogy (with “Lust Object” at the top, “Relational Lusts” in the middle and “Life-Meaning Luses” at the bottom) to illustrate his teaching points. There are many excellent points that are useful for all struggles with sin, but they are particularly helpful for this “can be hard to talk about” (but SO common!) one. If you are uncomfortable talking, encouraging, and lay-counseling about this topic (with your teenage children, adult friends, whomever), I encourage you to check it out.…

  • Grace in Daily Life

    Unlikely Smuggler

    (I can’t remember if I posted this for you guys in an earlier blog post. But I was looking something up on my laptop and stumbled across the OLD OLD essay I wrote, you know, a zillion years ago and thought it might give you a chuckle or two. Can you believe I was such a little smuggler back when the USSR was still in existence? Life is so strange. And God is so good.) ———————————————————————————————- Unlikely Smuggler by Tara Klena Barthel ‘What am I doing?’ I thought as my mind swirled and my hands began to shake. ‘I’m only seventeen years old. I’m supposed to start my senior year…

  • Hope in Suffering

    Beating Cancer

    Pastor Jollyblogger linked over to this photo essay and, well, through my tears I just had to post it for you too. Hope your Thursday was a good one — I enjoyed so many blessings–but I think I may be physically pushing a little too hard this week. (I write that on my way to bring the fourth load of laundry up three flights of stairs.) But I feel no complaint! I’m just trying to figure out how high I might need to just let the piles on my dining room table grow … Joy to you,  Tara B. PS Please please please use CAUTION and only poke around this…

  • Grace in Daily Life

    Take Time to be Holy

    I started my day today with Joni Eareckson Tada’s Holiness in Hidden Places. (Well, actually I started my day at 4AM by comforting Sophia after a slightly troubling dream. She couldn’t get back to sleep until 5:00, so we snuggled and chatted in her room. And then I couldn’t get back to sleep until 6:30. It’s now 9AM, she’s STILL sleeping, and I’m feeling VERY strange about starting my day now–kind of like that “what time IS IT” feeling you have when you travel overseas.) ANYWAY–this hymn was included toward the end of her book and I enjoyed reflecting on the words and then looking online to hear the tune.…

  • Uncategorized

    Gospel Coalition

    Wow! You don’t want to miss this! Live Webcast of The Gospel Coalition 2009 National Conference — Entrusted with the Gospel Many of my favorite preachers (and even a few of my all-time favorite heroes of the faith) are speaking: – Ajith Fernando – Tim Keller – Phil Ryken  – Bryan Chappell – D. A. Carson Click through and enjoy (learn! be edified! be called to worship!). Yours, Tara B.  

  • Uncategorized

    Comforted by God’s Justice

    This past weekend, I had the joy of reflecting on how COMFORTING it can be to meditate on God’s JUSTICE. Does that sound counterintuitive? Aren’t we supposed to be afraid of God’s justice? Not if we are Christians. You see–the Bible makes it perfectly clear that, for God’s children, His justice and punitive wrath (which we fully deserve!) were completely spent on Christ on the Cross. God punished His Son. He will not punish us. We deserve His wrath, but He will not condemn us. Why? Because God is a Just God.   I deserve death, but instead I get life because the Son of God paid my penalty. I…

  • Singleness & Marriage

    Two Posts from Jess

    Don’t miss two great posts by Jess over at Making Home: Intimacy is a Step (on a One-Way Street) Study Your Husband Like Jess, I wish I had heard (and LISTENED TO!) advice like the first post when I was still single/in my teens and twenties. And the second post? Well. Let’s just say that I’m a) convicted; and b) grateful for the Cross.   Hope your Friday is a great one! Yours, Tara B.  

  • Uncategorized

    Playtime in the Rain

    You know you live in a desert when your daughter eagerly asks to play OUTSIDE when it RAINS because, well, it’s just so novel and fun: And if the child gets to play in the rain, then the puppy surely does too: