Friends...
It was so good to see friends from Florida this past weekend! We have so many people from Madison Street that we love and respect a great deal...so many that we miss desperately and would love to see more often! But in saying that, we had a great opportunity to talk with our kids this weekend about understanding why God gives us friends! What a neat discussion....
The boys have got the calendar out looking at who is visiting when...when their friends, Katey, Zach and Cob will move here, when Savannah and Bryanna will visit and when their cousins are coming! They have it all mapped out and they are ready! We have big plans - tents, toys and trips! They are excited....and it leads, as it always does, to a discussion on how much we miss everyone. But this time, it also leads to a discussion on how thankful we are that God is giving us friends here...how sweet Trinity is as a Church and how many precious people we are meeting. In this discussion we get to talk about all the blessings that are a part of our life here and how God is working in our Church...and the boys start putting together the dots - on their own - that if we are faithful to do what God puts before us, He is faithful to take care of us in the midst. He has called us to Trinity and He has blessed us in the middle of our move! He has healed hearts and, without our knowing it, ingrained a love for "new" church in our hearts! Sometime in the last few weeks they went from missing folks to looking forward to our life here! Now, they still miss friends - of course - but they were able to recognize God's work in their lives and their hearts...how cool is that?!
The boys have got the calendar out looking at who is visiting when...when their friends, Katey, Zach and Cob will move here, when Savannah and Bryanna will visit and when their cousins are coming! They have it all mapped out and they are ready! We have big plans - tents, toys and trips! They are excited....and it leads, as it always does, to a discussion on how much we miss everyone. But this time, it also leads to a discussion on how thankful we are that God is giving us friends here...how sweet Trinity is as a Church and how many precious people we are meeting. In this discussion we get to talk about all the blessings that are a part of our life here and how God is working in our Church...and the boys start putting together the dots - on their own - that if we are faithful to do what God puts before us, He is faithful to take care of us in the midst. He has called us to Trinity and He has blessed us in the middle of our move! He has healed hearts and, without our knowing it, ingrained a love for "new" church in our hearts! Sometime in the last few weeks they went from missing folks to looking forward to our life here! Now, they still miss friends - of course - but they were able to recognize God's work in their lives and their hearts...how cool is that?!
My Top Favorite Book!
My favorite book is by far: Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney. This is a fantastic book in which Mrs. Mahaney clearly breaks down Titus 2:3-5 and "fleshes it out" for women to work through.
Titus 2:3-5 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
The book breaks out 7 virtues that women have to examine themselves in light of, according to these verse. According to Feminine Appeal, these seven virtues are:
* The delight of loving my husband (ok...sounds innocent enough...but you just wait! NOT an easy chapter - but VERY helpful to ALL marriages!)
* The blessings of loving my children (If you have seen my facebook posts about attitudes and discipline lately, you know this chapter can challenge me - and, I am biased - but I have great kids!)
* The safety of self-control (is there really anything else to be said? Ouch...)
* The pleasure of purity
* The honor of working at home (yes...clean the house before you read this chapter!)
* The rewards of kindness (harder than you might think)
* The beauty of submission (Yes...she did say "beauty" - find out why!)
All in all, this is the best women's studies I have found! I am not one that likes the mushy, feel- good stuff put out there by so many women's authors today. I am tired of women telling me to love myself more, take a stand for my rights, etc. That's what's got all of us in a mess in the first place! Too many of these ladies write books thinking that we are brain-dead and heart-led...I'm sick of it! I am committed to quit reading all the junk - let's make sure the authors we read have some substance and some grit - challenge me and don't worry about whether or not my self-esteem can handle it! It can't - apart from Christ I am NOTHING! He is my self-esteem! I loved Feminine Appeal and Carolyn Mahaney is a solid author (I hope to be able to lead our ladies at Trinity through this book soon)! Guard your minds and hearts ladies - read with a purpose and passion!
Michele Everson, Proud Wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two reading little boys!
Titus 2:3-5 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
The book breaks out 7 virtues that women have to examine themselves in light of, according to these verse. According to Feminine Appeal, these seven virtues are:
* The delight of loving my husband (ok...sounds innocent enough...but you just wait! NOT an easy chapter - but VERY helpful to ALL marriages!)
* The blessings of loving my children (If you have seen my facebook posts about attitudes and discipline lately, you know this chapter can challenge me - and, I am biased - but I have great kids!)
* The safety of self-control (is there really anything else to be said? Ouch...)
* The pleasure of purity
* The honor of working at home (yes...clean the house before you read this chapter!)
* The rewards of kindness (harder than you might think)
* The beauty of submission (Yes...she did say "beauty" - find out why!)
All in all, this is the best women's studies I have found! I am not one that likes the mushy, feel- good stuff put out there by so many women's authors today. I am tired of women telling me to love myself more, take a stand for my rights, etc. That's what's got all of us in a mess in the first place! Too many of these ladies write books thinking that we are brain-dead and heart-led...I'm sick of it! I am committed to quit reading all the junk - let's make sure the authors we read have some substance and some grit - challenge me and don't worry about whether or not my self-esteem can handle it! It can't - apart from Christ I am NOTHING! He is my self-esteem! I loved Feminine Appeal and Carolyn Mahaney is a solid author (I hope to be able to lead our ladies at Trinity through this book soon)! Guard your minds and hearts ladies - read with a purpose and passion!
Michele Everson, Proud Wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two reading little boys!
If You're a Mama, You Better Be a Reader!
Ok...the title of this blog should probably be, "If you're a Christian, You better be a reader"...but I'll pick on Mama's for now! In the move things have been so hectic and crazy - so many things on the "to do" list each day that don't get done, that my reading has taken a back seat. Even though we have been here a month (gee, time flies, huh?), my evening baths have still been more like time to soak and ponder all that the next day has in store! As a result, I am finding myself as more "reactive" to circumstances around me than as one who impacts my family, my home and the attitude of my children. While my quiet times and Bible reading have kept me grounded....I have not approached them with the same diligence and excitement as I have when I am reading and studying. The only way to explain it is to think of a student: If you are student in a college English class, taking the course because it is part of the required curriculum for all majors, you will study and get by - maybe even with a good grade - because it is something you need to do. If you are student who is majoring in English studies (who knows what this is called?), then you will take in the information in a whole new light, with a new vigor and your study habits will be much more passionate. When I am not studying and dedicating myself to growth through reading, my Bible study becomes more something that "I need to do" than something that feeds my growth and that I have a passion for. Does that make sense?
This past week I have made a determined effort to change this - I miss my reading! About 5 years ago, Chad and I started challenging each other to read good, solid books on a regular basis. I have always loved reading, but I liked the fictional "no brain activity required" type of reading. Chad reads regularly, but does not necessarily love reading. So, we started reading together. He would choose a book for us to go through and discuss. It grew until I have my own reading list to accomplish - filled with books by authors I know and trust (not fluff - and solid biblically), filled with subjects that I don't necessarily have a great interest in, but need to know. Some are convicting and some are informative, others inspirational.
We make our boys read - sometimes they get to read fun books that they choose, and then sometimes they read the books we choose for them. We know they don't necessarily love reading the books we choose (biographies of Heroes of the Faith usually), but they learn from them and will eventually learn the value of them. It is the same way with my reading. I don't necessarily LOVE reading some of the books/subjects/authors I have on my list - but there is value there. So much so, when I picked up a Christian novel over the Christmas holidays to "relax", I found myself wondering why I was spending my valuable reading time on that (not that there is anything wrong with reading it!)....
I will spend a couple of blogs going through some of my favorite books and/or authors and why.... not that I expect you to value what I say, but because I know it can be a daunting task to discern good authors and to do the research through all the "junk" that is out there in the Christian markets today.
Michele Everson, Proud Wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two reading little boys!
This past week I have made a determined effort to change this - I miss my reading! About 5 years ago, Chad and I started challenging each other to read good, solid books on a regular basis. I have always loved reading, but I liked the fictional "no brain activity required" type of reading. Chad reads regularly, but does not necessarily love reading. So, we started reading together. He would choose a book for us to go through and discuss. It grew until I have my own reading list to accomplish - filled with books by authors I know and trust (not fluff - and solid biblically), filled with subjects that I don't necessarily have a great interest in, but need to know. Some are convicting and some are informative, others inspirational.
We make our boys read - sometimes they get to read fun books that they choose, and then sometimes they read the books we choose for them. We know they don't necessarily love reading the books we choose (biographies of Heroes of the Faith usually), but they learn from them and will eventually learn the value of them. It is the same way with my reading. I don't necessarily LOVE reading some of the books/subjects/authors I have on my list - but there is value there. So much so, when I picked up a Christian novel over the Christmas holidays to "relax", I found myself wondering why I was spending my valuable reading time on that (not that there is anything wrong with reading it!)....
I will spend a couple of blogs going through some of my favorite books and/or authors and why.... not that I expect you to value what I say, but because I know it can be a daunting task to discern good authors and to do the research through all the "junk" that is out there in the Christian markets today.
Michele Everson, Proud Wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two reading little boys!
Snow Days - Fun Days!
Well, with the snow and ice today - came FUN! Daddy was up at the crack of dawn wanting to wake up the boys! Of course, he informed me that one of the ways you know you are getting old is when you decide to roll back over and go back to sleep in spite of the "snow day" and impending fun! So...who cares? I wanted to sleep!
The boys had a blast in the snow today - they played football and had a snowball fight! All three "boys" were out there until I finally lured them inside with hot chocolate...
While there are many times throughout the week that we talk about missing friends and cousins in Florida, we were able to say, once again, how thankful we are for our new home and new Church....snow was a fun part of that today!
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two cold little boys!
Thanks to Trinity Baptist Church!
Just a quick note to say Thank You to Trinity Baptist Church for your thoughtfulness and kindness to our family! While I never thought I would thank anyone for "pounding our family", I must say that this pounding was such a blessing! We have more food than we know what to do with - we have food in the pantry, the cabinets, the closets - you name it, we have food tucked in every available space! You are such a blessing to us and we thank God for sending us to be a part of this wonderful ministry! We look forward to serving alongside you in the years to come!
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two wonderful boys!
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two wonderful boys!
