Suffering And The Sovereignty Of God

Some of life’s biggest questions come up when we start talking about suffering. Questions like: Why do we suffer and what is the purpose of it?  Where is God when I’m suffering?  And is God good?

So much of my story and testimony of Jesus’ work in my life has come from wrestling with these questions. Today I want to start a little blog series that wrestles with some of these questions. I will not pretend to have all of the answers, but I would love to share some of the things I’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with the sovereignty of God…

God is sovereign over all things. He is even sovereign over suffering.

What I mean by sovereign is that God is the one who exercises supreme authority and power. He is above all others in character, importance, and excellence. He is the one who “works all things according to the counsel of his will.” (Eph 1:11 ESV)

Many people have mistakenly divorced God from suffering. But if we ignore God’s sovereignty and how it plays into our suffering, we will miss being rooted and grounded in the fact that God is with us in our suffering. Scripture clearly shows that God is with us even on the days when our hearts swell with emotions and pain.  

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says,

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”

God is sovereign over suffering, but that doesn’t mean that suffering isn’t real.

The Bible says that we suffer. It says that we suffer in every way. It says we are perplexed. It says we are persecuted. It says we are struck down….But…. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;

perplexed, but not driven to despair;

persecuted, but not forsaken;

struck down, but not destroyed;

always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

Our suffering is real. It can be puzzling.  It can be physical or even emotional, yet we are not crushed. We are not meant to be destroyed by it. There is a purpose. We are meant to have the life of Jesus manifested in our bodies.

Be encouraged that “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” (2Co 4:17 ESV)

God is sovereign over suffering, but that doesn’t excuse evildoers.

God’s perfect love is both kind and severe. In the beautiful story of redemption, Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” He was crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. And God raised him up. (Act 2:23-24 ESV). This was the kindness of God making a way for people to be set free from sin.

God made a way for salvation. It is only by His kindness that any of us are set free. However if all we knew of God is His gracious side, we would be left with a flat- one-dimensional view. Jim Andrews in his book Polishing God’s Monuments says that, “The love of God, due to human wickedness, necessarily also has “severe” edges in the form of judgment and discipline (105).

 What he is saying is that God will deal with sin because it is impossible for God to do an injustice. Andrews continues by saying, “Divine justice is a crucial component of divine love. A God of love does not forgive, ignore, wink at, or pass over evil.” (Andrews 105). If God overlooked sin that would be an injustice. God cannot and will not let the guilty go unpunished. If we are suffering because of someone’s wrongdoing, we can heed Romans call to “note then the kindness and the severity of God” (11:22 ESV).

So if you are suffering, whether it be big or small, physical or emotional, know that God is sovereign.

He sees you.

Suffering is real.

God knows your situation.

He sees the evil-doer and will act justly.

Know His kindness toward you. He died for your salvation. He is acquainted with suffering. Turn to Him. Cry out to Him. And feel the embrace of His comfort.

Today we addressed the sovereignty of God and suffering. Stay tuned as we wrestle with the questions 1) Is God good? 2) What is the purpose of suffering?

Write

Mark and I love Southern Seminary. Mark is currently working towards his MDiv and has had a great experience there. He has taken a number of online classes, and on the occasional Saturday I have been caught listening to his lectures with him. I majored in Biblical Studies in college and can’t seem to help myself. I love learning about the Bible!

A neat opportunity came up through the school in July of 2010. A women’s devotional called A Walk Through Psalms was published in order to help fund more women’s scholarships at Southern Seminary. I had the privilege of contributing to the book. I had so much fun writing the devotion for Valentine’s Day.

I am so excited about how the Lord is using the book. It is encouraging readers and is allowing more women to study God’s word.

To date the devotional has raised $26,000 dollars for scholarships. Southern recently contacted me and the other contributors and asked if we would share about the book. So if you are looking for a yearlong devotional, check out Women at Southern: A Walk Through Psalms. It may be purchased from the LifeWay campus bookstore or by calling 502-897-4506. There are still a few red Women at Southern journals available ($15 value) that are given free (as long as they last) by sending or bringing the receipts to the women’s office, 502-897-4085 or women@sbts.edu.

 

 

 

*Second photo provided by Southern.

 

I Will Carry You

Today I am linking up with Monica and Kelly’s blog. They are  hosting different links from moms who have lost babies. Check out their blogs if you’d like to connect with other moms who have lost a child.

While I am doubly blessed to have two sweet baby boys, Elias and Owen, I will never forget the joy my first baby brought me. I will never forget when I first saw two lines on a positive pregnancy test. My heart leapt within my chest as my eyes stared in disbelief. I was actually pregnant. Still in college and having only been married for 8 months, I was a little surprised to find out that I was expecting. But, boy howdy was I overjoyed! I practically had the baby’s name, college, and future spouse picked out before sunset. When I told Mark he was thrilled, and we both couldn’t wait to welcome our first baby into the world.

Sadly, on October 2, 2008 I lost my first little baby. I remember my cheeks were hot with tears as I felt the sting of sudden loss. As the mysterious world of pregnancy slipped from my grasp, I waded through various emotions. I was sad because I wouldn’t be afforded nine months to carry life. I was angry that wouldn’t be able to hold onto the delicate life that had been placed in my womb. Pinpricked by the reality of death, I faced tragedy.

What I didn’t know on October 2nd was that Jesus had a lot of things to teach me.

First, I learned that Jesus is good at turning tragedy into triumph. He was the one who could lift my head that was heavily tilted toward despair. He was the one who could take the sadness that clung to me like cobwebs and turn it into joy. He was the only one who could triumph in my situation.

Second, after losing my first baby, I learned that I had a choice to make. 1) Trust God or 2) Turn away from God. I had to choose to trust.

Third, I learned that I cannot surrender to my circumstances. And that I can’t let loss dictate truth to me, because hope does not depend on my circumstances. The truth is, “All things will work together for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

Honestly, at times I looked at life situations and asked God, “How is any of this good?” It wasn’t until later that I realized that God’s definition of “good” was very different from mine. I defined “good” as 1. Nothing bad ever happening 2. Things always going well for me 3. Always getting what I want 4.Succeeding in everything that I do, etc…”

My Pastor Nathan Tarr said, “When we hope in a promise like Romans 8:28 that God will work all things in our lives together for good, but then import our own vision of what that good must be, we set ourselves up to be “ashamed” of God and “disillusioned” with God (cf. Phil. 1:20).”

I was disillusioned with God, and it wasn’t until I saw God’s definition of “good” that my perspective changed. Now I understand that God’s good means 1) my faith will progress and 2) Jesus’ Gospel will go forth. God will use my hard situations to refine me and progress my faith and my circumstances may be the very thing God uses to show people the Gospel. Hope is not founded in my circumstances; rather, it is founded in the word of God and in the person of Jesus.

Fourth, Jesus not only gave me hope in the midst of terrible loss, but He gave me a testimony. And what is amazing is that our testimony is our appointed place of ministry in the church and with unbelievers.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

I love this verse and cannot tell you how many women I have been able to pray with and speak to because the Lord allowed me to lose a child. God has not only given me eyes to see hurting people, but he has turned my testimony into my ministry.

I have learned so much through losing a child. My prayer is that as I remember this little one’s life, the testimony of Jesus will always be on my lips for He is the one who gives and takes away. I will bless the name of the Lord!

Here is a sweet song that is perfect for any mother that has lost a baby. I love the part that says “I will praise the one who’s chosen me to carry you.” Each baby is such a precious gift and I will praise the Lord for the time I had to carry my baby.

p.s. Here is a little story I wrote on grief, and here is the second part of it.

At A Crossroads

Imagine a father sitting across from his adolescent son. The father stares deep into his son’s eyes and doesn’t beat around the bush. “Listen to me,” he says with loving intensity.

The boy’s dark eyes lock onto his dad, as he speaks. In the moments that follow this loving father paints a picture for his son that will affect the rest of his life. A crossroad is described. There is no middle road, only two paths going in opposite directions.

The Father colors one road as a path to life. It’s as if the father wants to take his son firmly by the hand and lead him on the path that is secure, a path that will add many days and years to his son’s life.

But before the son can get too comfortable on this described path the father quickly adds black onto the white pages of his son’s mind by sketching another path.  He draws for him, the path of death. This path is smeared with foolishness, selfish desire, and scoffing at correction. The son is left at the crossroads and so are you.

As this father and son live on the lines written in Proverbs, they are waiting to be found by us on the pages of Scripture. They invite us to open our Bibles and take our seat as a son. They ask us to listen to our Heavenly Father who stands ready to teach and instruct us.

Today God is offering us a divine invitation to gain wisdom. He is calling us to know the person of Jesus and to worship Him by obeying His commands.

You Are At A Crossroad.

As you open your Bible to Proverbs 9, you must first know that you are at a crossroad. As you stand before two paths, you have a choice to make. You will not be left alone to make your decision because two voices will be calling out to you, both pleading with you to come down their path. One voice shrieks, “There is no God. Do whatever you want.” Fool-heartedly laughing one voice shouts her vulgarities while she waits to seduce you, dare you go near her. This is the voice of folly.

But there is another voice calling. This voice calls you to turn at the Lord’s reproof. The voice of wisdom calls you to leave your simple ways. Being simple is characterized by being young, niave, or easily deceived. Wisdom lovingly pleads with you to quit being deceived and come and dine with her.

It is important to know, that there is no middle road. You will either choose the path of wisdom, or you will choose the way to destruction.

You are given instruction.

Right here you are given instruction, and it may seem obvious which path you should take. But it is important to know that you can’t choose the right path by yourselves. If you choose alone, you will always choose the way to death. Why? Because as shown in Romans 5:18-19 each person is born into sin.

I must stop and tell you right here, the book of Proverbs is not about moral reform. And it sure isn’t a book of manners. This is not a code of ethics or good behavior. This book is about having a new heart- a transformed heart. Only God can give you that. Only He can enable you to walk down the path to life by transforming your inner man. The good news is: God made a way by giving us Jesus. As John 3 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

That is amazing, and therefore you must pay attention to the book of Proverbs because it holds the key to life. It unlocks the door to wisdom and introduces you to the person of Jesus who is wisdom Himself.

Like the son in the book of Proverbs must respond to his father, you too must respond to your Heavenly Father. His correction, instruction, and reproof will meet your life.

What does God’s discipline/ training look like? Training may look like a rebuke from a brother (1 Tim. 5:20). It may appear in the shape of a trial. James 1:2-3 exhorts you to “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”  God’s training is a call to walk in the light. It is a call to speak the truth in love to one another so each one may grow up in the Lord. The Lord’s correction, instruction, and discipline will meet your life and you will respond one of two ways.

You will respond one of two ways.

This loving call/correction from the Lord will find you in one of two states. First, you may be a transformed believer who knows Jesus. You would be characterized as a wise person because you turn at the Lord’s reproof. This will look like, 1) You not taking God’s discipline lightly, and you don’t become unglued when reproved by Him (Heb. 12:5). 2) You believe the truth. You believe His word which says, “For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, (Pr. 6:23). 3) You obey God. (Pr. 9:9) 4) You do not scoff and hate those who deliver the Lord’s rebuke (Pr.9:8)

If this is you, the book of Proverbs paints you as one who grows in wisdom. Proverbs 9:9 says it best, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.” Matthew 13:12a puts it this way, “For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance.” If this is you, you are one who is no longer dead, but now alive in Christ.

Yet there is another response. Second, you are in rebellion against God, and are walking in hatred toward Him. When the correction comes, or the reproof meets your life, you scoff. You incur injury on those who correct you and you seethe with hated toward the one giving correction.

Here’s your result:

Your choice is a life and death matter. The results of your choice are literally the difference between eternal life and everlasting death. If you listen to wisdom, you will be one who fears the Lord (Pr. 9:10). If you are known by Jesus, and are obedient to His word, which is walking in wisdom, your result will good. Your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life (Pr. 9:11) But if you scorn, ridicule, and sneer at the ways of God, you alone will bear it.  For when you smirk and mock God to his face, you rebel against him. And you alone will bear the punishment.

Which way will you walk?

Whose voice will you listen to? Whose feast will you attend? Will you obey God’s instructions? Will you let God’s word master your life? Or will you scorn his discipline and walk in rebellion? The crossroad is before you. I implore you to let wisdom leave its signature on your life.

P.S. If you are wondering if you truly know God and are asking “How do I know that the Lord has given me a new heart?”

Some great questions are: Do I repent? Do I turn? Do I love God?  Do I die to myself? Do I obey God?

 

 

*Some of this material was taken from a Wednesday morning prayer meeting taught by Kathy Tarr.

I Am Amazed!

As Easter approaches, I can not help but think about how amazing Jesus is. His sacrifice is astounding. Jesus gave himself up for our sins (Rom. 8:32; Gal. 1:3-4). He did the unthinkable. He came and made a way for mankind to be redeemed. He made a way for us to live!

“Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us…” (Eph. 5:2). Because Jesus died and is alive, I have seen Him move so much this year. I have seen the Lord bring freedom. He has opened blind eyes. He has changed people’s hearts. He has given life. He answered prayer. He has moved in so many ways. I am amazed at Jesus.

His sacrifice matters so much to me. He has turned my hard heart into a heart that can love Him. He has revealed Himself through His word. All I can say is when you see Jesus you will never be the same. I will never be the same!

I pray that my sweet boys will encounter Jesus like this.

God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. The word  is near you, in your mouth and heart. because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!

 

 

*(Romans 2:4b, 5:6, 10:8-9, 10:13)

Persevere: No Maternity Leave For Me

I’ve decided being a stay-at-home wife could be a full time job. I could spend weeks just organizing my closet. I could probably spend days just trying to find homes for all of my shoes. Let’s not even talk about it I tried to keep the pantry and fridge in perfect order.

I could literally spend my whole life trying to keep my house looking perfect. So what happens when I add children to this already full time job? For me, the goal changes. My goal is simple. Keep the children alive. Side note: I think it is a miracle that any child survives. I can’t tell you how many times Elias has nearly killed himself by bouncing off the couch head first or by face planting into a coffee table. It breaks my heart when he does this, but he has proven to be very resilient, and he is still breathing!

Between keeping the kids alive, feeding a baby every three hours, doing laundry, changing diapers, and tackling dishes there isn’t a whole lot of free time in my day.

My question for today is:

How do you keep your heart alive and in love with Jesus amidst the business? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Because I  can’t take a maternity leave from God, I have had to find new ways to be in His word when time is limited. Here are a few things that have helped me..

1. Listen to the Bible. You can listen to the Bible here.
2. Listen to sermons. You can listen to great sermons here or here.
3. Listen to books on tape.
4. Listen to worship music.
5. Read a short devotional like Daily Light by Anne Graham Lotz.
6. Memorize Scripture. I am currently memorizing in James.

While these things should not replace Bible study, they are still incredibly helpful. When I fill my mind with truth my day goes better. When I hear the Word of God my heart perseveres.

I love Jude’s call to press on. He says, “But you, beloved, building yourself up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (Jude 22).

Jude’s call to persevere is clear. And ultimately God is the one who helps us. He keeps us from stumbling.  And He will present us before the presence of His glory with great joy (Jude 24).

God will do His part, now let’s obey God’s word and do our part in persevering.

Fun Stuff Fridays…

5 Things I Like…

1. I am currently in love with a Starbucks drink called Caramel Apple Spice. It tastes so good that it is like drinking an apple pie. What’s even better is I just found out that it isn’t seasonal. Seriously, you should try this drink.

(photo source)

2. I love how Ed Welch pastorally answers the question, “Do people who commit suicide go to heaven?” Check out Justin Taylor’s Blog to read his response.

3. I think this Jewelry Box D.I.Y is fun.

(photo source)

4. I love Christmas decorations, especially stockings! I would probably leave them up all year, but my family never seems to allow that.

(photo source)

5.  I love this time of year because we get to celebrate the birth of our Savior. I love Luke 2:10-12! “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

A Tragedy Turned Into Triumph

On October 2, 2008 I lost my first baby. I remember my cheeks were hot with tears, as I felt the sting of sudden loss. As the mysterious world of pregnancy slipped from my grasp, I waded through various emotions. I was sad because I wouldn’t be afforded nine months to carry life. I was angry that wouldn’t be able to hold onto the delicate life that had been placed in my womb. Pinpricked by the reality of death, I faced tragedy.

What I didn’t know on October 2^nd was that Jesus had victory waiting for me around the corner. What I would find out was, Jesus is good at turning tragedy into triumph. He was the one who could lift my head that was heavily tilted toward despair. He was the one who could take the sadness that clung to me like cobwebs and turn it into joy. He was the only one who could triumph.

What helped me while facing tragedy was to know who God is. God is a rescuer. In Exodus 1-3 there is a group of people who were stuck. Their lives were bound with chains. Slavery had overtaken them. Like many of us today the people were oppressed and carrying heavy burdens. The people were afflicted. But bigger than their very real problems was a God who loves to rescue.

This God that loves to rescue is one who hears. The same God that heard the people’s cries for help is the same God who will hear your cry for help today (Exod. 2:23-25; 3:7).

This God that loves to rescue is one who sees. God saw the oppression of His people and did not stand idly by. That same God sees your hurt. This God that loves to rescue is a hearer, and a seer, but also one who knows. At the end of Exodus 3:7 it says, “I know their sufferings.” Jesus knew the suffering of His people, and He knows what is making the tears flow for you. He knows what is causing you pain. He knows your suffering.

This rescuing God hears. He sees. He knows. This God came to deliver His people (Exod. 3:8) and to bring them out of their affliction (Exod. 3:17). This God is Jesus. And “Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). Jesus can deliver you and is strong enough to bring you out of your affliction.

Just because God knows about our pain and can rescue us doesn’t mean that our pain isn’t real. We can cry. The people in Exodus cried and even groaned, but they did it before the Lord. Their hope was in the only one who could deliver them. In the midst of tragedy it is important to know what to do.

In the middle of tragedy cry out to God. In Exodus 3:23-25 the people cried and groaned before God and He heard them. Jeremiah 29:12 tells us to call upon God, to come to Him, and to pray to HIm. He will hear us.

Don’t just cry out but seek the Lord with all of our hearts. Not just the pieces that are together. Not with just the pieces that are presentable. Bring Him your whole heart. Even if it crushed, broken, tattered, or bruised. Bring the whole thing even if it is burning with a desire to sin.Bring your whole heart even if it is confused. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says that the eyes of the Lord are looking for a whole heart devoted to God. We don’t have to get our heart right before we bring it to God. Bring it no matter what condition it is in. Watch God take that heart and rescue it, restore it, and renew it. He can and will give you a new heart, a healed heart, and a whole heart.

The Beatitudes: A Christian “to do” list?

You may be like me when you read Matthew 5. It seems like a Christian “to do” list, but it is so much deeper than that. Now the Beatitudes are supposed to be the character of a Christian, but only because it is the character of Jesus. Jesus is the subject of the Beatitudes. It is all about him. Jesus is the one blessed by the Father because he perfectly keeps the law. Jesus, not only keeps the law, but is really the only one who is promised blessing. He is the narrow way to our joy and the only way for us to find happiness.

When Matthew 5: 3 says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” You need to know that Jesus was poor in spirit. He acknowledged his need for the Father and was dependent on God in all things. The Bible says, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phi 2:8). Because Jesus was poor in spirit his Father blessed him and the kingdom of heaven is his.

Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.” Remember when Jesus wept over Jerusalem? He was mourning. He was grieved by the people in Jerusalem who were sinning.  Remember the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed and sweat blood because he was about to bear the weight of the world’s sin? Jesus was concerned about sin. He mourned over it therefore his Father blessed him and comforted him.

Matthew 5:5 says, “Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.” Meek means having faith in God and being weak toward the world. Jesus came having great faith and resisted the world’s fleeting pleasures. He invites us to do the same in Matthew 11 where he says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mat 11:28-30). Because Jesus was meek, he was blessed by the Father and has the earth as his inheritance.

Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work (John 4:34). Jesus literally called his food “doing the will of God.” Because he was a man who hungered and thirsted after righteousness he was blessed by Father and was filled by God.

Matthew 5: 7 says, “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.” Jesus was a merciful man. In Scripture we see Jesus telling Peter to not forgive seven times, but to actually “mercy” the person who has wronged us (Mt. 18:21-22).We also see Jesus “mercying” a crowd after his cousin has died.  The Bibles says, “When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (Mat 14:14). Because Jesus was merciful, he was blessed by the Father and he obtained mercy.

Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.” Jesus had integrity. There was no difference between his words and his actions. He was not double minded. He was singled minded in his devotion to God. Because Jesus was pure in heart, he was blessed by the Father
and he saw God.

Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.” Peacemakers aren’t passive. Jesus was actively making peace for us. Ephesians says, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility”(Eph 2:14 ESV). Through dying on the cross Jesus tore down the hostility that was between us and the Father. Because Jesus was a peacemaker, he was blessed by the Father and is called the Son of God.

Matthew 5:10-12 says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Jesus was the most persecuted man. He was mocked. He was spit on. He died a criminal’s death even though he was an innocent man. Because he was persecuted for righteousness’ sake, he was blessed by the Father and the kingdom of Heaven is his.

The only person who is promised blessing is Jesus. Apart from Jesus this world is as good as it gets. It will only get worse after this.However if we are in Christ, this world is as bad as it is ever going to get. It will get so much better after this. The point is: accept Jesus. He is the narrow way to joy and the only way to find happiness.

* Much of what I wrote here was taken and adapted from Nathan Tarr’s sermon at Christ-Church Knoxville.

Fun Stuff Fridays…

5 Things I Like…

1. I love taking classes. I was actually sad when college was over. Thankfully my church is offering Sunday night Bible classes. I am taking one called So Great A Salvation. We are studying different words like justification, adoption, redemption, etc…

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2. I love picnics. One time I thought it would be romantic to take a bike ride and then have a picnic with Mark. However, we were so starving from peddling up hill the whole time, that by the time we got there we were hot and on the verge of being grouchy. I still laugh about that. Now we drive to our picnic stops and have an amazing time.

3. I love to use Isaiah 61:11 as a prayer for my church and country. “For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before the nations.”

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4. I love my mom! She has been such an amazing servant to my family. She always puts others before herself. She is not only a servant, but she has a deep well in the Lord and is such a blessing to our family.

5. I love hats. Part of the reason I loved watching the royal wedding last week was because of all of the hats.

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