• Uncategorized

    Hoping for a Sturdy Little Pool

    I’m sure it’s not that important, so I’m reticent to pray for a supernaturally strong, cheap plastic pool that can withstand puppy claws and active children. And yet I know that God cares about the little stuff too, right? 🙂 So let’s just say that I pray that God will know how grateful I am for blessings like these … and I hope we have at least a few days (weeks?) of fun with our current effort to keep cool on these blazingly hot days:    

  • Relationships & Peacemaking

    Our Desire to Belong is Corrupted by Our Need to Exclude

    Yesterday’s RZIM Slice of Infinity (the only email devotional I read Monday-Friday) was another stellar essay by Jill Carrattini: There is Still Room I encourage you to read the entire devotional (and sign up to receive it regularly too—I’ve never received ANY solicitations or SPAM from them. Ever. And the essays are usually very good). But since I’m running out the door right now to take almost-final-SALE-orders to the post office, bring our poor little car to the shop (could this be the end of our Honda?), get Soph to swim lessons and Lilikoi to the vet (hooray for domestic-diva-Momma-days, eh?!), I only have time to leave you with this…

  • Relationships & Peacemaking

    Longing to Fit In (And Finding Contentment in Christ Alone)

    I was reflecting yesterday about how we all, at times, peer in on certain relationships and wish we would easily “fit in.” It could be a prayer group or a playdate; the “leaders” of your church or organization; a certain small group; or even just a set of friends who always seem to be sharing in inside laugh about some outing, adventure, or time just hanging out around the grill. It feels so good to be wanted! To enfold into a group of people who say, “We like her! She’s great! We love to spend time together.” This is a natural, human tendency. We were created to worship (God) and…

  • Sin & Repentance

    More Grace in an “AA” Meeting?

    We’re almost done with our summer women’s study on Tim Keller’s “The Prodigal God”, and I think I speak for all of the women participating when I say that it’s been a wonderful, convicting, encouraging time of learning more about God, ourselves, and especially the GOSPEL. (I highly commend this book to you!) Throughout the study, we’ve been trying to APPLY what we are learning, especially as it pertains to how many of us have “elder brother tendencies” to: – Do “good” things (and avoid “bad”) things, but for wrong (“damnable”) motivations – Want the good things that God the Father gives us, but not REALLY want HIM – Judge,…

  • Uncategorized

    Long Line of Learned, Passionate, and Articulate African-Americans Within the Reformed Tradition

    I was so excited when Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile’s latest book arrived this week: May We Meet in the Heavenly World: The Piety of Lemuel Haynes (1753-1833)   I’m ashamed by my ignorance, but until Pastor Anyabwile let us know about this great man, Lemuel Haynes, I simply never knew that “there had in fact been a long line of learned, passionate, and articulate African-Americans within the Reformed tradition” (from the Foreword by Anthony J. Carter)—more or less from the time of the founding of the USA. As soon as I found out, I bought the book because I wanted to learn more! And now I can’t put the book down.…

  • Uncategorized

    Welcome Miracle Channel / The Bridge Viewers!

    Just a quick note to say HELLO and WELCOME to any viewers of the television show “The Bridge” that might be stopping by after my interviews about Peacemaking Women. I hope that you enjoy poking around my current posts and old archives too. Please note that we also have a HUGE SALE on my Women’s DVD Study (“Living the Gospel in Relationships”) going on for only nine more days, so please be sure to check that out if you are interested in any discounted resources. So happy you are here with us! Blessings and joy,  Tara B. PS My two-day interview on the Miracle Channel is airing June 22-23 at…

  • Uncategorized

    Firm Conviction that God is Kindly and Well-Disposed

    I haven’t blogged about reading through Calvin’s Institutes for awhile (probably because I’m SO behind in my “read through the Institutes in a year” plan). (BTW—Do you think an exhausted, drugged from surgery new mom could possibly hold up that giant book and read/catch up in the hospital recovering from a c-section? Probably not, I’m thinkin’.) But today I was reading in Hall and Lillback’s “A Theological Guide to Calvin’s Institutes” and quotes like these have thoroughly enticed me to get back in the saddle and continue reading the actual Institutes, even though I’m so behind schedule for reading through them in one year: “Yet we must not understand that…

  • Uncategorized

    Would you please follow this blog on FaceBook (if you’re already a FaceBook user anyway)?

    It’s been a strange little journey for me (because in many ways I am SO behind the times technologically), but over the past few months, I have become a TINY bit of a regular FaceBook (FB) user. No, I still don’t do ANY quizzes or games, etc. on FB. And I decline, well, 99.99% of all requests I EVER get for anything. But, I have found it to be a convenient (and even fun) way to stay in touch with people. And this week, I signed up THIS BLOG on FaceBook. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but apparently, FB “reads” my blog and publishes it right into the…

  • Hope in Suffering

    Counsel from the Cross (and) Hearing Jesus Speak Into Your Sorrow

    Every once in awhile, I am given a great gift by an author or publishing firm and asked to review either a manuscript for endorsement or a final book for promotion. As a bibliophile who is REALLY trying to stay on budget and NOT buy as many books (!!), receiving manuscripts and books in the mail is like a teeny bit of Christmas in a Media Mail envelope. I love it. I particularly love it when I can not only whole-heartedly recommend the books for others—but I, myself, am edified, encouraged, and helped along this journey of growing in grace. What gifts these brilliant, articulate, biblical, winsome authors have! I…

  • Uncategorized

    How to wake a napping papa Fred …

    Step one: Put on your matchies apron with Momma and grab your very-own-kids-cookbook, measuring tools and ingredients … Step two: Be sure to enjoy some beaters along the way … Step three: Roll and bake …   Step four: See how long it takes for daddy to smell the nummies and come downstairs …