"The Atonement Child" by Francine Rivers [Quotable Quotes]

In addition to book reviews, I decided that if a book contains one or more amazing quotes, I want to spend time talking about them. The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers had so many that I couldn't pass them up. It was this book that encouraged me to add the quotes gadget to my blog layout (you'll see it on your left). There were 11 quotes from this book alone that I thought were beautiful enough to share. Francine Rivers gives insight into the heartache of women who have chosen abortion or feel they have no other choice and the healing that comes with it. I trust her knowledge. The entire reason she wrote the book was to shed light on her own testimony and the heartache of her own decision to abort. What an incredible way to share life's most taxing trials and the gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ! I encourage you to read the book and my review on it. You will not walk away unscathed.

Quote #1: “How many others suffered in silence, too ashamed and too afraid to speak about their pain? The world wouldn't let them grieve for children they had aborted. How could they when the rhetoric said there was no child? How does one grieve what doesn't exist? No one wanted to admit the truth.” (p.248)

This quote reminded me of an incredibly difficult blog post written by a mother who lost her child due to a miscarriage. She titled it, How Abortion Has Changed the Discussion of Miscarriage and I'll let her post speak for itself. She hit the nail on the head:

"I was sent home to continue to live like my baby had never died – like there never was a baby. But recently, I have realized that this response is an indicator of the state of our society. After all, it is hard for a society to mourn the loss of WANTED unborn life when it is busy calling it “tissue” and discrediting its personhood. It is hard for a society to embrace a mourning mother for her loss of tissue when it is busy defending another mother’s right to dispose of it. But for a woman who prays ceaselessly for life to fill her womb, For a woman who has tried for years to finally have children of her own. For an expectant mother who suddenly finds herself frantically calling her OB after finding bright red blood... The “material” in her tummy is anything but tissue. It is life. It is hopes and dreams and answered prayers. It is destiny and a future and a promise of another generation. It is bike riding and little league and ballet lessons and college and grandkids… It is a baby. But it can never be both. Society can never acknowledge that we lost a baby and with the same breath declare the rest to be tissue. That is how abortion has changed the discussion of miscarriage – it has silenced it. Even though miscarriage affects millions of men and women each year, it won’t be featured on the news. There will be no memorials for all of the WANTED unborn babies. There will be no moments of silence or Today Show features for women who are organizing support groups. Despite the huge number of families miscarriage impacts each year – it will not be discussed widely. Because if they call ours babies… Then all of the aborted ones… were babies too…" (source, bold mine)

Quote #2: “I have to be separate in my way of thinking and not let my emotions rule. Oh, and they have ruled, Joe. They've ruled for months. I've let myself be kept in turmoil, stumbling every which way I turn."
"And no wonder."
"Don't make excuses for me. The world's too good at that.” (p. 250)
"We're Christians. We have to care what people think. The appearance of wrongdoing, remember? I'm not going to move in with you had have people think we're living in sin. What sort of witness would that be?” (p. 257)

There's two incredible pieces of this quote I want to talk about: 1. emotions. Rivers is dead on in this conversation between the main character and Joe in regards to them. They are unreliable. We spend too much time trying to reign in our emotions when we should instead focus our minds on Scripture. Once we focus on mind on Scripture, our mind automatically gravitates to the things of GOD. That is exactly what the Bible teaches us to do (see Romans 12:1-2 as one example). Gain wisdom through Scripture. Renew your mind according to Scripture. Do not be conformed to this world, but transform your mind. That is the entire reason why I created the 40 Day Challenge, to renew my mind according to Scripture. I am so glad I did (now it's about time to do it again). 

Secondly, as Christians we should care what people think. The more time we learn and grown in Him the more He sets us apart. Our lives should be different because the One who lives within us is different. The Holy Spirit will constantly teach and admonish according to Scripture so that we become more like Him, which is our ultimate goal. The more we grow and learn in Him the bigger witness we become and He will use us for His glory. What good are we to Him if we continue to live in sin? We are not using our lives for His glory!

Quote #3: “How could a woman who had an abortion not feel guilt or some sense of remorse? How could she justify what she'd done? Whom else could she blame when everyone was telling her it's her choice? Without facing the truth and confessing it, how could she be forgiven how could she be restored? How could she be free?" (p. 282)

Especially since the world refuses to recognize their pain and loss...

Quote: #4: “He had the tool to break down the walls that imprisoned his people. He had the tool to rip away the veil to the Holy of Holy's so that his flock could come before the Lord and be cleansed, made whole, transformed, and have a personal, loving relationship with their creator. That very tool sat on Hannah's bookshelf right now, gathering dust until Sunday morning. Her Savior was there, waiting to speak to her and show her the way home again, the way back to love. YOUR WORD IS LIFE! Why didn't more people understand that?” (p. 283)

I love this portion of the book where a pastor realized the most helpful tool on the face of the planet - God's Word. The sad part is that in broken homes the Bible sits on a shelf gathering dust.

Quote #5: “Lord, you are God! You made us. Who better to know how to fix us when we've gone wrong? who better to set us to rights again? Who better to love us through the fire and refine us into something beautiful and useful despite our wrongs?” (p. 283)

Truth.

Quote #6: “A woman could be the wind beneath a man's sails or a gale to send him into uncharted waters. She could be an anchor in stormy seas, or she could let him drift into the rocks.” (p. 296)

I read this to my husband and his only response was, "Yup."

Quote #7: "Hormonal changes permanently alter the breast structure. And when a pregnancy is terminated through abortion, the process is interrupted, which leaves cells in a sate of transition. And they say cells in this state have a very high risk of becoming cancerous. So the woman's chances of developing breast cancer later in life may be greatly increased.” (p. 310)

I decided to do a bit of research to determine the truth behind this statement. You'll be floored with what I found:

• "Endocrine disrupting compoundsmay contribute to breast cancer risk by skewing normal endocrine function." (source)
• "Breast development is a process guided by naturally occurring hormones, minuscule amounts of which exert striking effects in breast tissue at the critical stages of prenatal development, pubertyand pregnancy. These two features of naturally occurring hormones—that they exert extreme effects in small amounts and that they have the strongest effects at specific developmental stages—also characterize endocrine-disrupting compounds." (source)
• http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/index/
• http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/ABC_Research/index.htm
• "It is known that having a full-term pregnancy early in a woman's childbearing years is protective against breast cancer....Interruption during the first trimester of a first pregnancy causes a cessation of cell differentiation, which may result in a subsequent increase in the risk of cancerous growth in these tissues." (Planned Parenthood, source)
• "After a woman's first full-term pregnancy, hormonal influences transform a high proportion of her breast cells into mature, differentiated cells which make milk. Milk producing cells are fully mature and less sensitive to DNA damage than immature undifferentiated cells. Therefore, susceptibility to mutations declines in the breast cells of women who have had an early full-term pregnancy." (source)

Quote #8: “... those selling abortion don't want them to have [the facts]," Virginia said heatedly. "Besides the Supreme Court doesn't agree with you. They judges seem to think we poor women would fall apart if we knew the facts, so they decided women don't have the right to know the full truth." She shook her head. "They've made it legal to withhold vital information, even when a woman requests it, for heaven's sake!” (p. 310-311)

You can read all about the history of court rulings in regards to this statement here. 

Quote #9: “It doesn't take two minutes on an examining table for a girl to know that abortion is painful and destructive and it'll have far-reaching effects on her life. Besides the emotional trauma of going through something so violent, there are the physical aspects, the aftereffects. Unfortunately, by the time she's gone that far, it's too late to change her mind.” (p. 311)

Francine River's testimony of her own abortion can validate the truth behind this statement.

Quote #10: “This generation seems to see children as a financial burden and responsibility to be avoided.” (p. 313)

I wish this wasn't true, and I'm going to steal a quote from a book that I think sums this sad truth up pretty well,

"Years ago, before this generation of mothers was even born, our society decided where children rank in the list of important things. When abortion was legalized, we wrote it into law.  

Children rank way below college. Below world travel. Below nightlife. Below physical fitness. Below a career. In fact, children rate below your desire to sit around and pick your toes, if that is what you want to do. Below everything. Children are the last thing you should ever spend your time doing." (R. Jankovik, Mom Enough, p.14-15, it also appears on the blog Desiring God titled, Motherhood Is a Calling (And Where Your Children Rank))

Isn't that true of our mentality these days? It's convicting! After reading that I had to sit down, determine where my children rank, and make some changes...

Quote #11: “Emotions are powerful, but they also change as quick as the wind. That's why the Lord says to renew your mind. Don't base decisions on what you feel.” (p. 335)

This one relates so much to Quote #2 that I don't want to expound on it. See Quote #2. 

------------------------------

I want to end with sharing a bit of my testimony. During my freshman year of college I was promiscuous. Had I become pregnant I have no doubt in my mind that I would've chosen an abortion. There's many reasons why I believe this about myself then: 1. I was selfish. 2. I would've been scared to tell my family. 3. I would not have known the father. 4. I did not want to quit school to support a child or deal with whatever lay ahead had I chosen a full-term pregnancy and adoption (selfish). Thankfully, God spared me from many consequences of my lifestyle as an 18 year old. My goal in sharing these quotes and spending so much time talking about them is not to cast judgement, but to offer encouragement. Even if you did make the decision to abort your baby there is forgiveness through the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. If He can forgive you for sins past, present and future, who are you to remember them and who am I to hold it against you? Give them to Jesus, find someone who will encourage you according to Scripture daily, and let the healing begin. Any healing process is laborious but with Jesus anything is possible!

What I believe about life:
 I believe that God creates life from conception. Period. 
I believe God knows each individual before conception.
I believe God's sovereignty stretches to all aspects of human life, including, but not limited to pregnancy.

David wrote about that truth in a beautiful Psalm...
"For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
 I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; 
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, 
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; 
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them." 
Psalm 139:13-16

"The Atonement Child" by Francine Rivers [Book Review]

The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My favorite part of this book began in the later chapters when the main character finally decides whether or not to abort her child, conceived by rape. The intensity of such a decision was well written. Francine Rivers also does an excellent job of calling out individuals claiming to be "Christian" and challenging all Christians in their belief of life, death, and choices. Because I believe GOD creates life from conception, I felt that abortion, no matter the circumstances, would leave a woman with long lasting effects, but I didn't know how to put it into words. Francine does that. The reason why astounded me. On her website, http://francinerivers.com/about/faqs, she was asked to explain how she got the idea for each of her books and she described this book with her own personal testimony, "Is there complete forgiveness and restoration for a woman who has aborted her child? Does abortion have any effect on the woman and the man involved in the crisis pregnancy? Does it impact people around them? (This was my most painful and personal book because I needed to face and deal with my own abortion experience. The character of Hannah is based on my story; Evie is based on my mother’s.)" And yes, she answers each of those questions. When asked which book was the hardest to write, she explained it was this one. Her reason is obvious, "The Atonement Child was the most personal and difficult to write because I had to face my own abortion experience. Added to the considerable research I did, and women who shared their experiences with me, I went through an intensive post-traumatic stress Bible study for post-abortive women at our local pregnancy counseling center. Reliving all aspects of my abortion decision and experience was excruciating – but healing. After twenty-six years of being imprisoned by guilt and shame, I was free through the power and love of God. Though the book was the most heart-wrenching to write, it also proved to be the most life changing. I’ve received countless letters from other post-abortive women and have learned my experience is not unique. Our nation is filled with wounded men and women. The character of Hannah is based on my story, Doug is based on Rick’s, and Evie is based on my mother’s." I feel Francine's testimony is reason enough to read this book and take her seriously.  To share her own personal testimony of how abortion affected her own life took some guts. She opened all kinds of doors for criticism and judgement. Testimonies have the ability to change lives and that was obviously her goal. It was also quite obvious, by reading this book, that her experience was excruciatingly difficult. It was an all around, incredibly infuriating, devastatingly sad, read.

View all my reviews

P.S. As a result of this book, I decided to write a blog post all about my favorite quotes from each of the books where I've written a review. There's a lot of quality quotes that I can't wait to share! Stay tuned.

Tuesday's Top Ten Plus Ten [Funniest Books]

I wonder, as I review this list, about my taste in comedy. Seriously, I love to giggle over Laffy Taffy jokes! As a result of that truth I wouldn't put too much emphasis on "funniest" books; in fact, I might actually call the list wacky. Still, I'd check these books out for their outlandish silliness, 'cause everyone needs some silly in their lives.

For more laughs, giggles, or eye rolling be sure to check out Melany's list! 

1. Ghastlies, Goops, and Pincushions by X.J. Kennedy is a book full of wacky nonsense verse. I giggled through each poem - all in one setting.

2. Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series is hilarity at its finest. The book is a little rough around the edges at times, but I love the strange characters Evanovich creates stories around; plus the bizarre situations Stephanie Plum gets herself involved in are mysteriously comical. Stephanie Plum is an awful bounty hunter who's constantly down on her luck and with Grandma Mazur or Lulu to babysit half the time, things are always interesting. Not to mention the fact that she has two men she's in love with and I often wonder if Evanovich isn't just going to leave us hanging on which one she picks. I'm rooting for Ranger, but we may never know, which is killing me! 

3. The children's book titled Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo by Karen Rostoker-Gruber is hilarious only because of the illustrations by Paul Ratz de Tagyos. It's the pictures that make this book come alive! Each time I read it I giggled as the animals "help" Farmer Ted with his chores. Seriously, read this book for the illustrations.

4. If my two year old daughter would add anything to this list it'd be The Monkey Goes Bananas by C.P. Bloom. I found it hilarious because of my daughters adorable belly laughs. She especially likes the page where the illustrator ingeniously depicts the monkey being flung across the watery chasm between the islands separating himself (once again) from the bananas. I add a few monkey "oooo's" and "aaaaa's" and "eeee's" to make it that much more "comical." I still can't get over how much she LOVES this book. It's a book of few words, but it's a great story.

5. If my former students could add anything to this list it'd be The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. It's funny, yet it isn't. It's full of heartache, while also being side-splitting. The main character, Junior, loves to cartoon and as an Indian growing up on the Spokane reservation he has quite the subject list: like drunkenness running rampant, unemployment, hunger, education woes, tragedies galore, not to mention his own medical problems. This book is emotionally loaded - with tears and hysterical laughs throughout. The reason it makes this list is because Junior makes lemonade, adding a bit of wit and humor, with the truck load of lemons life hands him.

Side Note: I taught this book to my high school reading class, which consisted fully of struggling readers (it was a 100% special needs class). Unfortunately, each of my students could relate to Junior's medical issues and the exclusion experienced because of it. Fortunately, we all fell in love with Junior's ability to take life head on (well sorta, because Junior's list of medical issues begin at being born with too much cerebral fluid on the brain and all kinds of issues as a result of that one issue, but that's beside the point). Junior is relatable and I loved his take on life, which is exactly what many of these kids desperately needed. It was always, always, always a riveting success. Warning: masturbation is a short, but embarrassing, topic of discussion at one point and time. If it hadn't been for that one piece I would've read it to my junior highers. 

6. Moo! by David LaRochelle is a picture book with one word: Moo! It's funny only because of the ending. 

7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney does make the list. Don't judge! If you can't read this book from a junior high teacher or parent perspective, don't read it. Half the stuff I read about in this book (like the cheese touch) actually happens. If it wasn't for stupid books like this, I'd have gone hysterical with all the crazy stuff I dealt with day in and day out. Trust me. It's funny. (I might also think it's funnier than it is because one of my high school speachers created a humorous prose speech out of it. Call me biased, but he did really, really well with it.)

8. I thought the children's book Plaidypus Lost by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel was worth a giggle or two. If you have a little one, this book will be relatable, which is why I found it worthy enough to make this list.

9. Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year by Esme Raji Codell is filled with hilarity, sincerity, brilliance, and ingenious. Esme documents her first year of teaching in a Chicago Public School. What she faces and how she deals with it inspired me as a teacher on so many levels. There are hilarious moments, but there are also tear jerking and frustrating ones as well. It's an all around great read.

10. Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan is most definitely worthy of this list. You see, I have a naughty Marley (not nearly as naughty as this Marley) but after reading this I was convinced it had something to do with the name. And no, I did not name my Marley after this book. If you have a dog, you'll be able to relate and empathize with the hilarious situations Marley gets John and his family involved in; but I warn you, you'll cry just as hard as you laugh.

This is my Marley, who we refer to as "Naughty Marley" or " Marley Man"...

... he's also been the topic of conversation many times here...

My Little Marley Man

Marley Man's Weird Quirks #22-25

Poor Marley Tried to Bite a Fan

Poor Marley and the Dreaded Red Ant Attack

All in all, I think you're guaranteed a giggle here and there by checking out the books on this list. Still, if you don't appreciate jokes (like the one I found on the Laffy Taffy I ate last night, What Makes Music on your Head? A Head Band) then you won't appreciate a few of the books on this list. ;) 

Before you sign off, don't forget Melany's list!

Tuesday's Top Ten Plus Ten [Favorite Book Quotes]

Today Melany and I are sharing some of our favorite book quotes. My list was a difficult one to narrow down. Since Melany is a lot like me I know this list could be exhaustive, but I honestly can't speak for Melany so be sure to check out her blog today!

1. "I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library." - Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice 

How perfectly fitting that quote is to my own life and I have an excellent, forever growing library.

2. "More and more the distinction between prayer and the rest of life seemed to be vanishing for Betsie." (Corrie Ten Boom, The Hiding Place, p. 197)

It was that quote that made me want to be like Betsie. I admire the way that woman handled adversity. This story is one worth reading, not just because Corrie related the story of what they faced in a Nazi Concentration Camp, but because of how they endured these horrors. Absolutely amazing.

3. 

Homer Hickam, October Sky, p.232 

Homer Hickman's science teacher, Miss Riley, gave him a book about rockets. It was this book that helped Homer and his friends reach an unprecedented level of understanding in rocketry, physics, mathematics, &etc. Every teacher yearns for that type of courage from every student in his/her classroom.

4.

I could have 1,000's of quotes from The Valley of Vision! So I simply opened the book and picked the first one I had highlighted. This is a must have prayer book for every Christian. 

5. "It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." - C.S. Lewis in Screwtape Letters

Although fiction, it was this book that helped me understand the war against sin. It also gave me a different perspective on demons and Satan. I didn't find it scary. A tad creepy? Um, yes. But C.S. Lewis offers insight over and over again into the truth behind our sinful nature. This quote was one way he did that.

6. Another book where I could have 1,000's of quotes from is Milton Vincent's A Gospel Primer. This quote (which was one of thousands) blew.me.away.

7. "I don't know why, but the Bible always seems to come to me in my time of need, even with the exact words." - Rochunga Pudaite in The Dime that Lasted Forever

Rochunga's story of unwavering faith was inspiring. Everyone should read his story and come to the same place of trust in God's ability to provide in all circumstances, no matter what.

8. "Grown-ups are always thinking of uninteresting explanations," said Digory" in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Haha, this one just cracked me up, but also made me realize that I need to have more fun.

9. "I used to think that when people fell in love, they just landed where they landed, and they had no choice in the matter afterward. And maybe that's true of beginnings, but it's not true of this, now.I fell in love with him. But I don't just stay with him by default as if there's no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me." (Veronica Roth, Allegiant, p.372)

This is such an amazing description of love. (From a fictional, high school love story to boot!) Love is a choice. And you must make it multiple times in the course of a day, week, month, year, lifetime. 

10. "Because God is good, we have an infinite number of reasons to praise him in our homes." (Gloria Furman, Glimpses of Grace, p. 18)

Truth. We deserve nothing from Him. The fact that I have a cup overflowing is enough to praise Him. Heck, the fact that I have a cup at all is amazing! 

And one more just for the sake of sharing a perfect reading quote...

... besides, every favorite book quote list needs some Dr. Seuss! 

Recent Children's Book Finds [That Are a MUST READ!]

Every week my daughter enjoys story time at the local library. If we're getting ready to go "bye-bye" there's only two places she cares to go: church or the library. She loves it. I'm sure it helps that we come home with a bag full of new books. (I try to add a few of the ones we enjoy to my Goodreads profile and also to my Reading and Writing page, but I'm a tad behind these days, hence this post.) Some of them I toss aside with an "eh, it was okay" kind of feedback but these, these are worth sharing and reading over and over again. Definitely check them out. 

 I grew up pretending to be Mother Goose (I went all out with a costume even!) and then I'd go around reading everyone nursery rhymes. Perhaps that's why I'm a big fan of any twist on an old favorite. Murray uses the rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock to present the story of the day a dog followed this boy to school. 

Jennifer Ward and Kenneth Spengler have done an excellent job introducing animals in the arctic with this book written as a song! There's so much to love about this book - music, counting, animals, the discovery of a new place - what's not to love? Apparently this isn't the first this team has written; I think it's time to check the others out as well. In fact, Jennifer Ward has a whole host of books that are now on my wish list. 

 This book is one was my 2 year old's absolute favorites! She laughed hysterically at this monkey's predicament and because of her enthusiasm, it also became a favorite of mine. Amazon has this lovely "Customers who bought this item also bought..." link showcasing other books by the author or similar books to the one purchased, well due to that particular link I added The Monkey and the Bee by C.P. Bloom to our wish list (which is becoming quite extensive).

 This is most definitely an all time favorite! Judy Sierra and Marc Brown worked together to create such an adorable rhyming story inspiring children of all ages to read and write. I recommend this book for teachers, mothers, and readers - no matter the age!

 The llustrations by Paul Ratz de Tagyos are absolutely hilarious and make this story come alive! Each time I read it I giggle as the animals "help" Farmer Ted with his chores.

 There are six books in this Bear and Friends collection, but so far Bear Snores On is my favorite. I still want the set, there's not a bad one in the bunch.  

 This book is a perfect illustration of my life right now with Bean and stands as a wonderful reminder that although my to-do list is important, it's not nearly as important as time with her. Such a sweet book filled with love and fun.

 What a fun story from the perspective of a little boy who wants to keep the mouse he found. Another story worth reading with your littles (that you might actually enjoy as well).

I realized after proofing this post that most of the books we pick revolve around animals. That's what my little girl is into right now so I immediately nab titles with anything bear, monkey, elephant, dog, or cock-a-doodle doo's (that's what she calls a rooster). It keeps her entertained and her love for books alive; not to mention the fact that I actually enjoy reading these books as well. 

Tuesday's Top Ten Plus Ten [Favorite Bible Stories]

Last week Melany and I wrote about what we believed about the Bible and this week is all about our favorite Bible stories! The Bible is one amazing book...

1. The woman who washed Jesus' feet with her hair. (Luke 7:36-50) I wrote about this story nearly two years ago and every time I read it, it has the same effect on me. (Read my post titled Canceled Debt.) I can relate to this woman and Jesus' statement, "Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven - for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." (vs.47) That's me. My sins are many and so I kneel before God in thanksgiving and praise for the work He has done and is doing in my life.

2. When Jesus claims authority over the Sabbath. (Mark 2:23-3:6) This story shows up again in Matthew 12:1-14, Luke 6:1-11, and John 5:15. It's basically written the same four different times and here's the gist: "One Sabbath [Jesus] was going through the grain fields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" Jesus response to this question blows.me.away. "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and at the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to this who were with him? The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." (vs. 25-28) Basically, the needs of David's men took precedence over ceremonial bread and Sabbath rules! Jesus is telling them that HE IS GREATER THAN DAVID AND THE TEMPLE! He made the Sabbath, He owns it, He made the rules and Jesus was telling them, "IT IS MINE!" The best part of this story is the continuation into chapter 3 of Mark where Jesus intentionally provokes controversy when He entered the synagogue and told a man with a withered hand to "Come here." (vs.3) and proceeded to ask this amazing question, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" And no one had an answer for him. After He healed the man's hand the Pharisees sought ways to destroy Him. And this is why this story is so extremely powerful: Jesus put the issue of the Sabbath on a new plane: the Sabbath is for expressing Jesus' rule and authority - not Moses' - it is for worshipping CHRIST. It is for relieving man, not burdening him. And for showing mercy and doing good - just like CHRIST. Jesus is telling them to REST IN ME. WORSHIP ME. EVERY DAY. I AM YOUR SABBATH.

3. The story of Job. Although it has a sad beginning, I LOVE this story. Job loses every thing: his wealth, his children, his health and then every one turns against him - including his wife (2:9). His three "friends" give horrible advice, telling him he deserves what happened to him because of his sin. Here's the thing, Job was a righteous man and it had nothing to do with Job's sin. God gave Satan permission to touch all that belonged to Job to see if Job would continue to follow Him or turn away from Him. Instead of blaming Job for all his tribulations his friends should've taken Elihu's advice in 37:14, "... stop and consider the wondrous works of God." (which I believe is the entire purpose of this book). No matter what you're going through, stop and consider the wondrous works of God! Even if you lose everything... praise God! Do not be like Job who started out doing just that, but then turned to complaining and begging God for an answer to his "why me?!" Instead of praising God, he begins to conflict with God (see 3:26, 6:8-9, 7:11, 9:15, 10:1-2, 13:3, 13:15, 21:15, 23:1, 23:4, 23:17, 31:35, 31:37). And God's answer to Job is awesome, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements - surely you know!" (I'm sensing God's wrath and perhaps a bit of sarcasm?) God continues to lay out his mighty works in chapters 38 - 41 and after this AMAZING discourse, Job promises silence in 40:4-5 (which I believe is the climax of the book) and repents in chapter 42! Read it to find the happy ending, but learn from Job: no matter what - praise God! And if you need reason to praise Him read what He says about Himself in 38 - 41 (My favorite is when He tells Job that He can put Leviathan on a leash... wow... or when he simply states, "Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine." (41:11) Even what was taken from Job and even what was given to him at the end. Amazing.)

4. The Lord freeing Israel from bondage in Egypt. (Exodus 1-15) If you want to read a perfect example about God's Sovereignty - read this story. Every time I came across something that pointed to God's sovereign hand - I highlighted it. God was in control from the beginning starting with why the Israelites were there (see #9) to the very end when the Israelites were freed from slavery. In this story you learn God's name (3:14) and you learn the reason this event is about to take place, "So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it;" (3:20). God's sovereignty is on display with Pharaoh when He hardens his heart again and again, "I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go." (4:21) Why did he do that? Well each of the plagues pointed to each of the god's the Egyptians worshipped. In other words, God is sending sign after sign after sign stating, "I AM THE ONLY LIVING AND TRUE GOD!" Need proof? Read 7:5, "The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them." or "By this you shall know that I am the Lord..." (7:17) or "...so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God." (8:20) or in 9:14-16 (my favorite), "For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth." (bolded mine) or 9:29 or 10:3 or 11:9 or 13:8-9 or 14:4 (another favorite) "I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord." He states that again in 14:17-18. He is in control! This story makes His sovereign hand evident from beginning to end. They were in bondage because God wanted His Name glorified in all the earth! They were freed from bondage because God wanted His Name glorified in all the earth! Praise God for His sovereignty!

5. The story of Onesimus, the slave of Philemon. There's this itty-bitty book that's less than one page in length, sitting in the New Testament, that shares an amazing story of forgiveness and grace. Paul is asking Philemon to forgive his slave (Onesimus) who ran away from him and probably wronged him in more ways than that. Paul is asking Philemon to welcome Onesimus in his home, not as a slave, but as fellow follower of Jesus Christ. The key verse is in 18 where Paul is giving a wonderful example of what God did through Jesus Christ, "If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account." In other words, just like Christ, Paul was willing to pay this man's debt, but Paul, knowing Philemon's faith in Christ, would forgive and welcome Onesimus (just like Jesus). Beautiful.

6. The widow's offering. (Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4) This woman had little, but she gave all she had. Jesus praised her for her sacrifice. I need to be more like this woman.

7. The plot to kill Jesus. (John 11:45-57) Ahhhh! Another amazing example of God's sovereignty. This event happened just after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and as a result of that miracle many people were following Jesus. This of course upset the Pharisees and the chief priests so they gathered together and plotted how to kill him. What the high priest says is this, "You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish." (vs.50) What John wrote about this one statement is incredible, "He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." (vs.51-52) Get this: "These words spoken by the high priest sealed Jesus' fate. These words were his death warrant. Caiaphas, the high priest, wanted Jesus dead and out of the way so he spoke these words. God wanted Jesus dead and risen and reigning forever, so he spoke these words." (- John Piper) Isn't that amazing?! God parodied this high priests words into truth! God himself issued the death warrant for Jesus knowing that Jesus would prevail! Jesus would be victorious! The only reason the high priest spoke these words (remember, "he prophesied") is because GOD BROUGHT THESE WORDS TO MIND. God is the author of HIS story; this story makes that evident. *Mind.Boggling.*

8. Abraham's faith in God when he was asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac. (Genesis 22:1-19) Abraham had an unwavering faith in God and His Word. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac, even after God had promised that a mighty nation would come of his son, Abraham followed through. His statement to his son when he asked, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham's response, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." (vs. 7-8) What faith! Just as he was lifting the knife God called out to him saying, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." Abraham knew the Lord would provide because Abraham knew God would keep His Word. Do I have faith like that?

9. When Joseph makes himself known to his brothers that sold him into slavery. (Genesis 45:1-28) This part of the story is awesome because of Joseph's response to the brothers who wronged him: "... do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life." He again points to God's Sovereignty in the midst of heartache in verse 7, "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here but God." God is in control of this whole story. Which leads into the future where God displays his mighty Name through Pharaoh and the plagues (see #4)!

10. The Gospel. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) There is no better story than that of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is through His work that we are righteous. And because He is our High Priest, our Mediator, our Savior we have reason to praise His Name - now and for all eternity.

My goodness. Writing a brief summary of all my favorite stories makes me want to jump up and sing praises to an amazing, almighty, sovereign GOD! 

Tuesday's Top Ten [What I Believe about the Bible]

I am beyond thankful for today's topic. It renewed my faith in the fact that Scripture is the only source of truth in this world (see #2). If there's ever something I want my children to write down it is this: their belief on God's Word and who God is according to what He's written in it. His Name and His Word will be exalted in our home. Writing on this topic renewed that passion in me. I hope that passion has been evident in nearly everything I publish; because my mission is to know Him and make Him known and I believe that is accomplished through Scripture.

Which leads me to #1:

1. I believe that Scripture was given to us so that we may know Jesus Christ (John 5:39). The more time I spend reading and studying God's Word the more I learn about Him. The more I learn about Him the closer I am to Him. The closer I draw to Him the more I grow and change in miraculous ways. So, the Bible is the most important thing I own and I never leave the house without it. 

I challenge you to think about what you believe about the Bible because what you believe about the Bible will affect how you read it. How you read it determines what you believe about Jesus Christ and what you believe about Jesus Christ is the most important thing you'll ever believe. 

2. I believe Scripture is absolute truth. In fact, I believe that it is the only true source of truth in this world. "The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever." (Psalm 119:160)

3. God exalts His Word above all else. There are actually two things He exalts above all things: His Name and His Word, "... you have exalted about all things your name and your word." (Psalm 138:2).

4. God's Word reveals God's character. God's Word is perfect and holy, just like Him, because His Word reveals who HE is. (See John 5:39, or simply keep reading.) 

5. The Bible is GOD centered. Not man centered. If the first question asked while reading it is: How does this apply to me? you are missing the entire purpose of this book, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me," (Jesus Christ's words in John 5:39). Scripture reveals Jesus Christ, who is the only source of life. My purpose in studying HIS WORD is so that I know THE WORD (aka, Jesus Christ, read John 1:1-18). If you don't read it from a GOD CENTERED perspective, you're reading it with the wrong intentions. And be wary of handling it with the wrong intentions, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene." (2 Timothy 2:15-17) 

6. I believe God had a purpose in each book from Genesis to Revelation. When I read I try to find the author's reason for writing it to whom he wrote it, what I learn grows astronomically. That means I must understand the author, the audience, the history, the original meaning of each word, the sentence structure, and how it all relates to the purpose. By doing so, I'm learning why the Holy Spirit revealed His Word to His prophets, His disciples, His apostles... so that we may know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus is who He says He is! I believe that understanding the purpose in each book helps me to rightly handle it (2 Timothy 2:15-17) and know the truth about who God is according to Scripture.

7. I believe the Holy Spirit opens my eyes to the meaning and brings it to mind when I need it. I believe what God's Word states about the Holy Spirit, and I believe He is here to help me. I also believe that I cannot understand God's Word without Him. HE ALONE opens my eyes to HIS WORD, it is nothing that I do on my own. No matter how much studying I accomplish, if I do not rely on this one fact, I will not understand it fully. And if I never make an effort to study, memorize, and meditate on God's Word correctly, how can the Holy Spirit use it to change me and give me growth? I believe that in order for the Holy Spirit to work effectively in the lives of those who believe in Him, we must spend time in His Word - daily. 

8. Scripture is the very breath of God.  With His Word He created the heavens and the earth, with His Word all of creation came to be. If he is capable of producing all of that with His Word, I have no doubt in my mind -at all- that He created Scripture to reveal Himself and can accomplish His purpose in His believers. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16)

9. "Everything will unfold, not as 66 separate documents, or even 2 separate Testaments - but 1 book, by 1 divine Author, who wrote it all with 1 overarching theme: the redemption of sinners for the glory of God." - John MacArthur (Could not have said it better myself.)

10. I believe God revealed what He revealed for one divine purpose: HIS GLORY. Why do we live? For His glory. Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart? For His glory. (Exodus 6:7, 7:5, 8:10, 8:22, 9:14, 9:16 "... for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.", 9:29, 10:1-2, 11:9 and finally 14:4, "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.", bolded and underline mine) Why did Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead? For His glory. (John 11:4, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.") There are many, many examples to prove that God exalts His Name and His Word above all else; and I will continue to study what He has given me to know Him better and will continue to make Him known. His glory is revealed throughout Scripture and I will do my best to learn all that He has revealed. How do I know there's more to be revealed? The book of John ends with this miraculous, thought provoking statement, "Now there are also many other rings that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25) Why wasn't everything about God written down? Well, I don't really know, but perhaps our finite brains couldn't handle such information. Still, I do believe all will be revealed in eternity; and I.can't.wait.

As an added bonus: I believe history is HIS STORY unfolded. After all, He created the world, He made the rules, and since He created the beginning; He also created the end. Just because the Bible is written, does not mean HIS STORY is over. Day after day, Scripture is being fulfilled right before our eyes. To continually see God's hand at work - changing lives, revealing Scripture, fulfilling Scripture - well, that gives me incredible peace that He is sovereign and faithful to His Word.

Believing in God's Word and trusting in it entirely has changed my life. Charles Spurgen understood the Bible's effect on people when he said, "A Bible falling apart usually belongs to a person who isn't," and I can honestly tell you that since diving into God's Word a few years ago, my faith is stronger, I am more grounded, more hopeful, more thankful... all because God has revealed Himself to me in more ways than I can count. And because of what Scripture has revealed about Jesus Christ, I am at rest.

Trust me, Alistair Begg had it right in stating that...

Melany and I share a love for scripture and I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God's Word plays a vital role in this 16 year old's life as well. Don't forget to read what she believes about the Bible.