The Gift, Part II : My Neighbor & Her Baby

Numerous people have stopped me and asked me how my neighbor "Jessica" is doing. I've actually been surprised at the number of people that read that post. So, if you read the previous post entitled "The Gift: Being in a Mess with Others (For God's Glory)", you remember the story about my neighbor (a young girl) that had moved in with her boyfriend of 3 months and found herself pregnant and far away from home. The following weeks after my post, we had several more interactions with Joe and Jessica as they wadded through what seemed to feel like deep mud. Exhausted, scared, angry, lost, and helpless were a couple of the emotions we felt through them. Jessica called me once and asked if she could come over and get some space from Joe. She did not have a car, so she asked if I'd take her to get some cigarettes, and so on. It went on like this for only about two weeks until one day I came home to Joe working on his car out front of his house. I asked him how they were doing. He casually replied, "Oh, you didn't hear?" He went on to tell me that Jessica had miscarried that Monday, and flew back to her home state that Wednesday. I could not believe it. I grieved her miscarriage, and hoped she was safe and supported back home. In just a couple months, this young girl was in and out of my life, and without any notice on either side.

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Months later now, I hope that all our encounters spoke God's love over her. Both Joe and Jessica do not know the risen Christ, much less trusted in the cross to rescue them from sin and death. They are real people, with gritty stories, foul mouths, and deep hurt - yet, Jessica is just the type of woman Jesus went after in the gospel stories. I can just picture Jesus interacting with this girl - asking her questions that might lead to a transformed heart, and beckoning her to trust in him for real life. I can picture his soft eyes rest on her, eyes full of his divine love and deep compassion.

My prayer is that Jessica will find rest for her soul. I pray that she will meet another follower of Christ that can usher her into more of Christ's heart for her; that she will find healing and hope in this painful and unredeemed world. My prayer is for her life to be restored on this side of heaven, and that one day I will get to see her rejoicing in the presence of her King. If you took the time to read this, take a moment to pray for Jessica's healing and salvation.

Our Hearts are Known

Often when I pray, I feel compelled to not pray - or at least with words. Not because I am tired, apathetic, or feeling unworthy of loving communion with the Father (while those reasons do exist for me often), but because I believe that God knows the Heart behind my thoughts. Often words just don't add up to the level of emotion I am feeling.

The other day, I was making the long trek to DIA (Denver International Airport) to pick up a good friend that had just finished her Christmas vacation in Oklahoma. I love this drive because it is mindless. Then entire journey is highways - which affords me the opportunity to focus on other things, without having the distractions that life always serves up on a silver platter. As I began to pray - a little prayer that Matt and I have posted above our kitchen sink came to my mind.

"Now,

O Lord,

Calm me into a quietness

That heals 

And listens,

And molds my longings

And passions,

My wounds

And my wonderings

Into a more holy

And human 

Shape.

As this prayer washed over me, quietness was the only way to define my posture. I felt my entire spirit become quiet before the Lord. My thoughts slowed down, my physical body relaxed, and my soul felt more receptive to receive. 

I could sense the Lord speaking, "I know." I know your heart, I know not only your thoughts - but the emotions, the experiences, the longings, the synapses in your mind - all the things that come together to create your thoughts. I felt the truth - the truth that I am known. God, the almighty and incredibly intimate one - knows my heart fully. The Spirit intercedes for us when we do not have the words (Romans 8:26), and the Father knows our words before they ever take form on our tongue (Psalm 139:4).

We can sit before the Lord in silence and simply let him "search us and know us". This kind of prayer lets us rest in his great presence - knowing that He is reading our thoughts, our hearts, and our minds. He longs for us to understand the depths at which he intimately knows us.

He knows our HEARTS behind every fleeting THOUGHT. 

He KNOWS us, praise Him for being intimately involved with US. 

Easy, Warm, Winter Meals!

Two of my favorite Winter recipes are listed below! I want to share them cause they are easy, REALLY good, and absolutely PERFECT for cold nights. Both of the recipes come from Diane Phillip's Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever, and I can testify that this is seriously the best cookbook ever! The recipes are good enough to try the first time with dinner guests! Enjoy!

Black Bay Corn Chowder - 

8 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups diced red potatoes
One 16-ounce package frozen petite white corn (defrosted)
1 cup heave cream
salt

1. Cook the pieces of 1/2-inch bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add the onion, celery, and thyme and cook over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften. Add the flour and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 3 minutes. Gradually add the broth, whisking until smooth, and bring the mixture to a boil.

2. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5-7 quart slow cooker. Add the potatoes and corn. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 -7 hours.

3. At the end of the cooking time, stir in the cream, cover the slow cooker, and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes. Season with Salt, and serve the chowder hot!

Ginger Pear Pumpkin Soup

4 tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 medium red pears, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree
3 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream

1. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, pears, and ginger and saute until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Transfer the content of the skillet to the insert of a 5-7 quart slow cooker.

2. Stir in the pumpkin and broth. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours of on low for 5-6 hours.

3. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream, cover and leave on warm for 30 minutes before serving.

Piper's Birth: A "Natural Family-Centered C Section".

Before I was pregnant, I had no idea about the "wealth of knowledge" that would be available to me the moment I exclaimed, "I'm pregnant". Some of the information is sought out, some is offered, and some comes unsolicited!  Everyone has their opinions about pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood: some helpful, some seriously scary, some kinda "Debbie-Downer", and some is completely inspiring! It was a season in my life like none other! So, in order to increase my head knowledge at the same pace that my feet were swelling, I had to keep reading, and reading....In my 9 month preparation, I chose to read "First Time Mom" by Kevin Leman, "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp, parts of "Baby Wise" by Gary Ezzo, and now I'm reading "Raising and Emotionally Intelligent Child" by John Gottman. Truly, there is a wealth of knowledge to be attained if ones chooses to dive into the pool of pregnancy/mom-hood!

Matt and I, born and raised in the heat of Dallas & Plano, Texas, had no idea there was a growing population of people that desired to deliver their babies in homes, in tubs, outdoors, on family quilts, you name it! Needless to say, we thought we would just sign up at the hospital, put our name down for that "magical" epidural and call it a day with a baby in hand! That was our golden plan, until about month four. My husband's friend and mentor mentioned in dude language something that went like this, "Man, our Douala was the best investment we have ever made this side of marriage. She was incredible, and she kept me sane behind the scenes!!" Pretty quickly we got in touch with the one and only Angela. She was training to be a midwife at the time, but she took us in as her final Douala client! Oh, such and honor! If you ask me, there is a reason the word "Angel" is in her name! Ha! She's kind, knowledgeable, and quite ethereal!

Our first meeting with Angela was at Whole Foods. I inhaled a cranberry scone and a caramel latte while I heard about the most natural ways to bring a child into the world. I suspected, while I was inhaling my morning treats, that scones and lattes might not be a part of this "natural" gig! However, despite the false guilt that crept in, Matt and I decided to go with Angela! Even if we were to take an epidural, we wanted the extra support this first go around....and I hoped to labor as long as I could without the "magic".

Pretty soon after our first meeting, I was convinced that I wanted to go all natural: no epidural, no  pitocin, no nothing! Angela taught us so much about how labor works, and how we were made to give birth. Matt and I began to prepare for a natural delivery at St. Joseph's Hospital!

At 34 weeks, my doctor told me that our baby was breech. Piper sat head up with her bottom in the canal and her arms and legs all pointing to my right side. Matt and I began to pray for her to turn. We asked our parents, our friends, and some wonderful ladies at our church to pray that our baby would turn! If Piper did not turn, we would have to do a C-Section. A week later, no turn. Our doctor asked if we would like to try an aversion, but we opted out for several reasons. Another week, no turn. Another week, Piper was still breech. Now we needed to reassess our birth plan.

Angela emailed us a video from the UK entitled "Natural, Family-Centered Caesarean". The sweet English accents were not the only thing that drew me into the film. The film showed a woman who advocated for a Natural, Family Centered C-Section. This included the doctors putting the I.V. in the less dominate hand, lowering the curtain when the baby is delivered, delaying the clamping of the cord (for extra oxygen), immediately laying the baby on the mother's chest, and letting the baby do the breast crawl and start nursing while in the O.R. Matt and I were thrilled! The doctors, in this video, were fostering the mother-child bond before, during, and after the surgery. This became our new aim.

Matt and I choose May 3, 2012 for our babies birthday (that part is kind of weird), and we marked our calendars. On the eve of Piper's birth, my mom and Piper's namesake, prayed over me and gave me the warmest hug. Then my parents and Matt set the alarm clocks and we all fell asleep. Eight hours later, the alarms went off! I jumped in the shower, Matt loaded the bags, and we headed out!

Soon after we arrived at St. Joseph's, I got prepped for surgery and Matt put on the scrubs. While we were waiting, Matt talked to our doctor about our hopes surrounding the birth. The doctor listened and was encouraged by our educated involvement. Then everyone left the room and Matt read Piper a letter. We took some pics of me at my LARGEST, and then I was rolled into the O.R.

Piper did not come out quickly because they could not get her head out. The doctor struggled with her little body for a minute. This struggle was good because there was no need to "stress" her once she came out. Our little babe came out crying. The doctor's lifted her up, and Matt said, "it's a girl". Tears flooded my eyes. This was a miracle. Life from life - an absolute miracle. The wiped Piper off and laid her on my chest immediately. Piper completed the breast crawl like a champ, and she started nursing in the O.R. They allowed her to remain on my chest for the first 90 minutes of her life. We delayed the vaccines, the bath, taking the measurements, anything that would interfere with skin-to-skin. I bonded with Piper immediately.

God was abundantly gracious to me in this process. He had different plans ordained for our precious Piper. God crafted the most peaceful, calm, family-centered Cesarean I could have imagined. I am so thankful for the education and support that Angela offered us, the ability of Matt to advocate for our family, and to my parents who stood by us for our entire hospital stay.

Piper was born at 9:03 am, weighing 7'8'' and measuring 19 inches long. Matt named her Piper, and he prayed Isaiah 30:29 over her heart. 

"And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival;

your hearts will rejoice as when people playing pipes go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel."

The Gift: Being In a Mess with Others (for God's Glory)

As we were packing up last Thursday getting ready to visit Texas Tech, my phone rang. I glanced down and saw a message from one of my neighbors. 

We have lived in Englewood for almost a year and a half, and since then we have gotten to know all our immediate neighbors. Englewood is right outside of Denver, off Broadway, and Broadway runs all the way into downtown. It is a great spot for Matt and I right now, but it has had its challenges. For example, there is nothing even close to a Home Owners Association. Two blocks down, someone just decided to fence in their entire lot and use it for storage!! They store their R.V., their shed, their lawn mower, and God knows what else. Finding a beautiful manicured lawn in our neighborhood is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I think you get the picture!

Sometimes you know that you are right where God wants you, not because you are being flooded by His blessings and His peace, but because you can feel your perspective of the world, and His children being shaped for His Glory. 

Never in my life has my theology been challenged and shaped in real life practical ways than in my time in Englewood. It is not a mission trip, it is not a day trip to a homeless shelter. It is living with true humanity, broken and bruised, and waiting for redemption within feet of my front door - on all sides! It would be so easy to just scurry into my home, lock the doors, and keep to myself - and YES, I have done that several times. However, every time I get to spend ample amount of time with a neighbor I am shocked at how God decides to move. I have found that the Gospel is needed in tangible, practical ways all around me. 

Humanity is crying out for God's mercy, truth, compassion, justice, and healing.

This female neighbor that texted me is a new neighbor. Her boyfriend Joe has lived next door to us for about a year, and had been dating Jessica for 3 months before she decided to move in. She has now been living next door to us for 3 months, meaning they have been in relationship for a total of 6 months.  Before Jessica moved in, Matt and I had dinner on our front porch with Joe a few times. It was never meant to be some "strategic, evangelistic" dinner. We just had some extra food a couple nights right when Joe would pull up from a long day of work, so we'd invite him over.

It felt natural. 

When Jessica moved in, I had a huge heart for her. I knew that she was walking into an incredibly risky situation, and personally I did not see what drew her to Joe. Jessica and I exchanged phone numbers that day, and later that night Matt helped me to open my eyes to what was going on. This was not a relationship based on love, but on sex. Jessica is only 21, and she moved away from friends and family to live with Joe. For what? I just could not understand why she would choose this for her life. The second day that she was here, she totaled her car. She called me to pick her up. The next week she needed a ride to Target, and the next week I had some extra bananas so I made several neighbors banana bread.

All these things were building our relationship - more than I even knew. 

Jessica had texted me "Hey Shannon when you get any free time can we talk? I don't know who else to talk to."  She came over right away. This young girl sat across from me and said, "I'm 8 weeks pregnant, and I don't know what to do." My heart sunk. I had a feeling this was what she needed to talk about, but now there was no escaping this reality. She told me her feelings, her frustrations with Joe, and that she was not at all considering abortion. She shared some disturbing details about their relationship, and she infomed me that she had already seen a doctor and had heard the heart beat of this unborn child. I was relieved that she had health insurance and had seen the doctor. After talking for awhile, she told me that she had a still birth only a year ago, so this was a high risk pregnancy. There was an incredible amount of information to take in. Matt came in right around this time. He heard her story, and both of us offered to support them as best we could. Jessica would like to work things out with Joe, and would like to raise the child with him. Joe does not believe in marriage, but insists on being involved in the babies life. This is quite a mess, and a mess that most of the population lives in and calls normal. This is why Englewood, Colorado has blessed me. I feel like for the first time, I am not removed from these kinds of stories. 

I am not safe and secure from the reality of brokenness in our world.

SO, this week, we are getting some information from friends that are social workers, and then we meet with Jessica and Joe on Thursday evening. Please pray for Thursday evening. Pray for clear boundaries, pray that we would support them in a way that Jessica and Joe do not grow dependent on us (for their sake), and pray that GOD would move in the lives of these two young people. I know that we have to be ready for anything, but I am praying for a miracle. I am praying that Jessica and Joe will come to understand who their Father is, that they were created for far more. I pray for their salvation and for the salvation of this child.  This situation breaks my heart, and all I can think about is that precious baby that did not choose this situation for its life. I have cried several times over this situation, but I know that the Lord is calling us to be a light in this darkness. 

God, have mercy on these people. Pull them out of this life of darkness and bring them into your light. God, prepare Jessica and Joe to be the best parents possible for this baby or to consider putting it up for adoption. Guide us in this process of supporting them. I ask you to move in all 5 of us. 

Praying for a Miracle on All Fronts.

Amen

Marked by Gail MacDonald

My brunch with Gail was over a month ago, and to be honest...I have sat down to write this post a handful of times. Each time, I would get a tad bit further than I am right now only to loose my thoughts, turn my attention to a little baby, or remember that there is something else that I should be doing. I am not sure why month 4 of Piper's life seems to be more full of "ups and downs" (I mean literally...getting up, sitting down, getting up, and sitting down) than her second and third month, but I'm rolling with it!

Lunch with Gail truly marked me, and left me with an "anchor" to hold onto. I arrived at Merle's with ten minutes to spare (making sure I was on time!), but Gail was already there. Seated and prepared for our time, she merely invited me into the space. We began to converse about our lives, and she asked wonderful questions that made sharing easy and exciting. She asked about what brought me to Denver, how I met Matt, what I was pursuing at Denver Seminary, what my family was like, what Matt's family was like, our temperaments, our new baby girl, our goals, my heart, and what I had been learning the past couple years. It was refreshing to sit with someone who knew how to ask the questions that get at the "Heart" of Life. In fact, isn't it a terrible feeling to leave a meeting knowing that the person you sat across from knows you no better than they did before your time, and vice versa? This happens often because we are too timid to ask the good questions, the questions that draw out a person and let us get to know them! I admired Gail's poised posture, vivacious spirit, and wise discernment as she pursued getting to know me!

At one point in our discussion, Gail, who has an ample amount of training in the Meyers-Briggs Personality Assessment, looked at our Meyers-Briggs results and commented, "you two must be late a lot". I laughed and said, "as a matter of fact, some of our closest friends just told us last week that we are known for being late!" We both laughed, but then she graciously challenged me. She told me that this culture will take offense when others are late. She encouraged me to be on time to things and to make that a habit. Honestly, this is something that I should have been working on long before her wise "nudge". I am thankful for the reminder!

As our time was coming to an end, she reached down beside her and pulled out two gifts! She gave me the first gift and told me that it is meant to be an "anchor" for our time, something that will mark this meeting. She mentioned that after our conversation, she now knew why she has chosen this gift for me. I unwrapped a small Vera Bradley note pad.  She explained that this stylish note pad could be my helper in the process of learning to be on time! I can now leave myself notes that will remind me of when I should leave! The second gift was for Piper, and it was precious. 

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My time was marked that morning. In fact, since we met, I have actually been EARLY to a few things! I am really trying to adopt an "on time" M.O. What marked me more than the Vera Bradley notepad was the way Gail was prepared for our time. From the moment I walked in the door, I felt honored by Gail. She was on time, she asked (by name) about Matt and Piper, she engaged my heart and mind, she challenged me, and she literally blessed me with gifts, and one that anchored our time! It was an incredible brunch, and Gail has completely raised the bar for meeting with others. 

I Am Grateful  & In Wonderful Debt To Gail for Her Kindness.

Shhh.....I'm Listening

Sometime in the 80's, my parents took the entire family into a counseling session. I mean the whole family. I was only about 2 years old, making Mason 10, John 8, and Ryan 5. I can see it now. My dad and mom come in, trying to keep a hand on whoever they can. John, with a huge smile, squirms out from under my mom's grasp on his shoulder, Ryan, with a head full of bleach blond hair sheepishly trudges in, and Mason hangs back observing the entire room first. Mason is the oldest, but he would never be found as dominating or dictating the actions of his siblings. Attempting to make a classy entrance was the unmet goal of the hour. My mom sits down in the center of the moss colored curved back sofa, tucks her ankles and makes a space for my dad. The entire family finds a place to sit and the session begins.

The counselor listens to my parents unpack some of the dynamics between the children, and whatever else was on their mind. However, not too far into the session, he says, "Everyone stop." He looks my mother directly in the eye, slightly tilts his head and gently says, "What do you notice about Shannon?" Good counselors are like that. They just watch everything, take it in, and then give you an idea that comes to you like lightning from heaven - an epiphany of sorts.

At two years old, I was climbing all over that sofa like it was a jungle gym. I was wiggling up John's chest, over his shoulders along the couch, down Mason's chest, landing in his lap only to slip down onto the floor. After greeting the floor for a quick second, I would crawl back up, only this time into my mom's lap! As I went from person to person, I would try to grab their face and say, "Look at me. Listen to me."

My incredible mother tells me that I did this often. For the record, me pulling on her face has nothing to do with the amount of attention she gave me. She still listens to me constantly, and she is in fact one of my closest friends.

Now, flash forward to tonight! With Piper asleep and Matt doing the dishes (Thank you Lord for both!), I laid on my back and just soaked in the moment. Motherhood brings a new appreciation of stillness and solitude. Breathing in, "Be Still", and breathing out, "and know" I quoted Psalm 46:10 over myself over and over again. Matt had some music playing in the kitchen, but other than those soft tunes, I could only hear the silence and the words I was thinking, "Be still, and know [that I am God]", "be still, and know", Be still and know". The words came over me like a thick warm flannel blanket on a snowy afternoon.

I began to think about how much I longed to be seen as a child, to be affirmed as a teen, to be heard as a woman, and to be understood as a wife. But now, in this season God seems to be drawing me towards the desire to just "be" with him. My spirit is not anxious to be heard by the Living God, it is not saying, "look at me", "listen to me","do this for me". Instead, I have this inner longing to be still, quiet, and calm with eyes wide, hands open, and heart pulled open and exposed before the Lord. From the deepest part of my soul, I can feel the longing for authentic, simple, rich intimacy with Christ. I can hear my heart saying in this season,

 "Shh, I'm listening."

Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good...."

An Interior Castle

St. Teresa of Avila writes about an "interior castle" that resides in each of us. The author, Thomas Kelly, talks of the same idea as the "Center", William Cowper, an 18th century Christian poet, writes about "still waters"and Gordon MacDonald uses the metaphor of a "garden, a place of potential peace and tranquility." All of these images symbolize the most important part of our being.

Spending time in Richard Foster's book Devotional Classics, has led me to a new kind of thinking about being with the Lord. It seems that there is a kind of being that breaks from the traditional methods of studying God and his word. I have spent an ample amount of time in more regimented studies, and to be honest, I love them. I love the structure. After all, for better or worse, I am a rules girl. In fact, the "good student/perfectionist" in me will find myself adding more words to my answer for the sheer satisfaction of a perfectly filled out page! Oh, god have mercy on my perfectionism.

The past year, Matt and I have both been encouraged by the Christian mystics, some of them are mentioned in that first paragraph above. Even having been born and raised in the church, this kind of thinking and being is rather new to me. The ancient believers tapped into something on a regular basis that I have only experienced on occasion. It is a "thin place" that these believers describe, a place where the distance between the divine and the finite seem to be in closer proximity to each other. It is a kind of being that I believe we all desire if we are honest. Often times we talk about a kind of Christian that has to experience God, or feel God in order to truly believe in him. In Christian-ese, we call this the camp christian - the believer that depends on things like camp or retreats to bring them back into the fold of god's presence. This is not the kind of lifestyle these believers of old, these mystics talk about. They chatter about experiencing God's presence, but it is not to validate their faith to themselves. Instead it is their entire way of being. It is not a security blanket, but a foundation deep inside of them that remains in tact regardless of their momentary feelings.

Gordon MacDonald in his book Ordering Your Private World, says that we often are "tempted to reach out for a sort of "quick fix" that makes God seem real and more intimate." We all reach out in different ways and often these ways are strongly dictated by our "psychological temperament - [that is], what most effectively touches us for the moment and makes us feel at peace." Instead of attempting to know God in moments, we are called to know God at the core of our being. MacDonald explains to his readers, "The garden is a place where the Spirit of God comes to make self-disclosure, to share wisdom, to give affirmation or rebuke, to provide encouragement, and to give direction and guidance." To have a place for this kind of intimate interaction with the living God is crucial.
If we do not cultivate our garden, we will miss out on abundant life - the life that springs forth from a persons well nourished heart. Church services and religious activities will not suffice. As godly women, we must be attentive to our garden, our inside chapel, or our still waters that are inside of us.

Begin Tonight. As you lay in bed, breathe deeply in and out, then ask yourself what image you most relate to. Start to imagine what it would be like to have a place of holy serenity deep inside your being, a place where you easily remember who God is and that he is for you. A place you can feel the warmth of God's unmerited favor.  Can you imagine the difference it would make? Now, ask the Living God to REVEAL himself to you in this process. How does he desire to speak to you now? And, what is he calling you to do in order to hear him? How must you order your life so that you have space and a calm mind to hear the Lord regularly? Reader, fellow sister in Christ, you have now laid the first stone in your garden's path! This path will begin to wind through your lush garden, as you continue to press into the Lord and lay new stones in your intimate relationship with him. I pray that your heart, mind and soul fall more in love with our Creator.

"He who orders his inner spiritual world will make a place for God to visit and speak."

 Gordon MacDonald, Ordering Your Private World. (Nashville: Oliver-Nelson, 1984), p.115-123.

High Call, High Priviledge by Gail MacDonald - Book Review

This blog was in fact inspired by Gail! She says to the readers, "The less time one has the more carefully it should be managed. If you wait for free, convenient seasons in which to fulfill real duties, you run the risk of waiting forever....make use of chance moments." Being a new mom is not convenient or full of free moments. However, Gail is calling women in all seasons of life to use their time wisely and to trust that there is time to do the things we long to do! I love to write, so in this season that could be all about Piper very easily - I CHOOSE to write, I CHOOSE to enjoy things that bring me life. Thank you Gail!

Since reading High Call, High Priviledge, I have recommended it to pastor's wives, women involved in para-church ministry, and pro-baseball players christian wives. While Gail is a pastor's wife, this book would benefit any woman in small or large scale leadership, in motherhood, or in marriage. 

The reason I fell in love with High Call, High Priviledge is because of how it is written. Gail uses the medium of STORY to capture her audience. This is not a methodical, super religious "self-help" book. In fact, it is the farthest thing from that! Gail is unassuming, warm, passionate, wise, and funny! When I read the book, this is where I go in my mind. 

Gail is sitting across the table from me in a small cozy coffee house. We are sharing a scone and sipping on our coffee as she begins to tell me her story. She is not rushed, abrasive or needing to teach me something, she is merely sharing and enjoying my company as well. 

Also, Gail's book is PRACTICAL. She and her husband Gordon have been in ministry for decades, and from these several decades they have learned thousands of lessons. She addresses the marriage relationship, the responsibility of mothering, the art of listening, true dependency on God, authentic friendships with women, deep trials, burn out, personality, the home, and other interesting topics.

I recommend this book to you if:

1. You want to develop you character.

2. You enjoy listening to stories or biographies.
3. You are passionate and intentional about your home and supporting your husband.

3. You are in a role of leadership or responsibility.
4. You want to laugh, cry, and get goose bumps while you read!

Some of my favorite quotes:

In regards to raising her children - "I wanted them to know that I am a real person, not a plastic one. Real people make many mistakes. And godly people forgive those mistakes."

In regards to men working with women - "Many Christian leaders have pointed out that there is a close parallel between the spiritual and sexual drives within us. The result is that when one works closely with people in a caring, emotional context, the implications of sexual overtones are more likely to increase. Speaking as a woman, if I choose to become defensive, suspicious, or resentful about these realities, I cripple my husband, and I do damage to myself. As I watch Gordon moving among people from day to day, I find myself frequently reminded that 'he picked me thirty-eight years ago to be his partner in life; I'm going to make him glad he did.'"

On family - after admiring a family that had spent ample time in the MacDonald home, Gail asked the mother of the family, "What is the most important principle behind your remarkable family?" The mother responded, "a relentless pursuit of the forgiving spirit."

On friendship - "Today, as I assess my friends, I notice that they have several unique traits....I have a fun friend, a praying friend, a reality-check friend, a marketplace friend, several former disciples, a same lifestyle friend (a woman in ministry). Each of them is strong; they have independent spirits; they are not "leaners". Our conversations do not center on people, but on ideas, not on events but learning experiences, and on complaints but opportunity."

I mentioned in the "Lunch Date" post, that I am getting lunch with Gail this fall. I will write about any new topics that arise from our lunch conversation! Please comment below if you have read this book. Share your thoughts, or what impacted you the most. If you have not read High Call, High Priviledge, I recommend it to YOU!

Shanny Ally T

Piper's First Love Letter

This is a beautiful letter from Matt to Piper. Our doula encouraged us to have some special time just as a family of two before our baby came into the world. Matt chose to write our little one a letter. He read this out loud moments before I went into the OR. I will always treasure this special moment in our story. 

Little one, I've been waiting for you.  A year ago we had no idea you would be joining our family.  We had big dreams of what you would be like someday, but didn't know that you would come so soon.  I wouldn't change a thing.  You don't realize this yet but Jesus has already used you to draw me closer to Him.  He has already used you to draw Shan and I closer to each other.  You haven't even taken a breath yet and you've been more of a blessing then you could ever imagine.  I want to pray for you little one because some day you won't be little anymore.  Someday you'll grow up, fearfully and wonderfully made, and make your own way.  You will always be my child, whether you want to be or not, and whether I want you to be or not.  Nothing can separate us.  Know now that you will never do anything that will land you outside of my love for you.  You will always find a place of love with me.  I promise to do my best to teach you what it means to dwell deeply in a shallow world.  To show you the things in life of substance.  To be the things I hope to see you.  I promise to love your mother more than any other human being on this earth.  If I fail as a father, my hope is that my love for your mother would be all you need to see of Jesus in our home.  She has been the greatest gift God has has ever given me.  We don't know how lucky we are to have her. I want to pray for your now.  Someday you will no longer hear my prayers, but I will always pray for you.  I will always love you and do my best to protect you.  

Jesus take this child.  Make it your own.  Protect it and keep it close to your chest.  Instill in this child a love for you, for freedom, and for grace.  Show its mother and I how to ask for forgiveness, how to walk in mercy, and how to love unconditionally.  Protect it from the darkness in this world, but embolden it to engage the culture for your Kingdom.  Give us laughter Lord.  Grant us peace.  I promise, before you my King, to do my best to love this child.  It is yours before it is ours.  And because it is yours we trust in you.  Thank you for this great gift.  We love you Jesus.I'll see you soon.

Love, Daddy