Our Family's Table Talk

But He Gives More Grace (by Jessica)

2010-09-21T17:00:00.000-06:00

We have been learning about temptation, sin, and confession. These were rudimentary issues to the first family (Adam and Eve's family) and they continue to be fundamental to family life today. Temptation comes first. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines temptation as: enticement by argument, by flattery, or by the offer of some real or apparent good.
Whenever we are faced with temptation we usually know what to do and what not to do. Take the example of Eve when Satan tempted her.

Genesis 3:2-3 ~ And the woman said to the serpent," We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said,` You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' "

If we know the right thing to do then why do we sin?
James 1:14~ "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed".
We often find that our flesh is continually warring with our spirit/mind. While self control and restraint of our fleshly desires is helpful and necessary, and it is wise not to put oneself in the way of temptation, it is easy to fall into the trap of focusing entirely on "denying the flesh", that is, eliminating sin in our bodies by self-effort through the keeping of a list of do's and dont's. If it is the body that wants to sin and not the mind are we excused from accountability?
James 4:17~"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."

We must always remember that the devil is seeking to destroy us. Many times he does that through temptation.
1 Peter 5:8~ "Be sober (self-controlled), be vigilant (watchful), for your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour".
We must never let our guard down. When we think we are safe that is when we are in the most danger. A soldier must always be on guard. If he would stop watching it could cost him his life. We are soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must always be on guard because the devil doesn't give us a warning; he wants our life.

Is there any way to overcome the temptations of the devil?
James 4:7~ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
1 John 2:14... I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.
To be able to overcome the devil we must continually be reading and studying God's Word. His word is sharper than a two edged sword, discerning the intents and thoughts of the heart and is profitable for teaching, reproof and training in righteousness.

Is sinning against another person the same as sinning against God?

Take the example of David. We would say that David sinned against Uriah and Bathsheba. But didn't God say "You shall not commit adultery"?( Exodus 20:14). A more practical example might be me taking my brother's candy. In doing that I would not only sin against him, I would sin against God, the One who said, "thou shall not steal", Exodus 20:15. But what if I only thought about taking his candy. Would that also be a sin? Exodus 20:17 "You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor's". We can never escape sin and we can never escape God, the One who we sin against.
Psalm 51:4~ Against You , You only have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight...

What about when we fall to temptation?
Psalm 32:1&5~ Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, " I will confess my transgressions to the Lord", and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

When we sin we must confess to God our sin, ask for forgiveness and He will graciously forgive us. It is truly a privilege to serve a God who is... gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. Psalm 145:8-9
This doesn't mean that there are not consequences. Take the example of David. He repented of his sin toward Bathsheba and Uriah and God forgave him. The immediate consequence was that his child died. Whenever we sin there are consequences. When faced with the consequences from our actions we can be thankful that; 1. We were caught. 2. Those whom the Lord loves He corrects. 3. We probably won't do it again and we hopefully know why we won't repeat that sin.

God desires repentance.
Psalm 51:16-17~ For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken and a contrite heart- these, O God, You will not despise.
If we go through the actions of repentance but our heart isn't in it, repentance is useless. Yes, there must be outward actions of repentance, but it must be done with a heart that is broken and contrite and more desirable to God than burnt offerings. Only then are our outward actions pleasing to God.

Whenever we are tempted we have the privilege of being able to ...come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need(Hebrews 4:16). We are weak, He is strong. It is truly only in Christ that there is strength and hope in the face of temptation. We hate sin in proportion to how much we love God and find our delight in Him.
He gives us the strength to resist temptation when it comes, He gives us mercy and grace when we fall and He has saved us from eternal destruction and from eternal separation for God.

Oh that we would not take that lightly, that we would not serve our own lusts and desires, but strive to bring glory to His name with everything that we do.

Isaiah 53: 3-6~..."He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all".

Are we truly grateful for what He has done for us and are we striving to bring honor and glory to His name by our thoughts and actions?

Harvest at the Vander Vorsts

2010-08-11T18:05:00.007-06:00

This afternoon the combiners pulled in.

Daniel(9months) decided that he wanted to get in on it as well. He loves riding on the 4-wheeler and being with the "big" boys.

We trust everyone is having a good summer. We hope to get back to blogging soon.

Pictures of Spring at the Vander Vorsts

2010-04-17T16:40:00.001-06:00

We have been enjoying the nice spring weather and the baby animals that come with it. It is fun to see the "first" signs of spring.

This week we had an unexpected baby show up. We all think she is pretty cute and are trying to come up with a name for her.

Daniel was in awe of the whatever his older siblings were doing.

We have 11 bottle calves (so far) and even Amos and Micah help to feed them. The hardest part about feeding the calves is keeping track of who is fed and who isn't. We seem to have gotten a system down now.

Joe inqubated 40 eggs and last week 34 of them hatched. It was very interesting watching them come out of their shells. Joe will be getting 25 more chicks next week.

Katrina is the primary caretaker of the kittens. She has each of them named and plays with them almost every day.
Amos and Micah really enoyed being able to get quite a few tractor rides when the men came to plant.

Monday Evenings with Victoria Botkin

2010-02-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

Victoria Botkin is the wife of Geoffry Botkin and the mother of seven children. Her husband has been doing an online mentoring series for men, which ends this week. Mrs. Botkin is now going to do one for the ladies. She will be talking to mothers of young children, but we think that other woman who listen to Mrs. Botkin will benefit greatly because we have received much encouragement and help from their family. The titles of the sessions are:

All about Eve

All about Sarah

The Proverbs 31 wife

About love

How to help your husband love you

How to become a wise woman

The sessions will last from 8-9pm central time Monday evenings.

The sessions will start March 1 and go till April 26. To sign up for the sessions click the title.

The Blessing of Family Eccentricities (by Rebecca)

2010-02-18T15:19:00.003-07:00

The Blessing of Family Eccentricities

Chapter four from the book The Little Boy Down the Road written by Mr. Doug Phillips inspired me to write this post.

The word eccentricity means irregularity, departing from the norm, special, something out of the ordinary (that only you can do). Large families tend to be eccentric (a lot of variety and different personalities). That is great. It means having a home that is filled with life. The larger the family, the more potential for special gifts and work. Welcoming variation in an environment of unity is key to family prosperity. We cannot prosper unless we can love one another.

The more children distance themselves from the unique look and feel of their family, the more they hinder their potential as multigenerational visionaries because they are exchanging the blessing of family eccentricities for the curse of peer conformity. Scripture says that were your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Time is the greatest treasure a child has. Therefore we must spend that time wisely. How we spend the majority of our day, such as on the internet or with friends, shows where our treasure is. If we spend time with family, that is were our heart will be. Eccentricities reflect both strengths and weaknesses, both add life and color to the church. From the strengths we learn character, and from the weakness we learn to have compassion on others.

Sounds of life

Sounds of a household are windows into the souls of the family. Many homes today are filled with the sounds of the polluting television and shouts of family despair. Homes can also be like a dead tomb because there are no children, which means there is no noise. The Christian household is supposed to be different. It is to be a place alive with love and joyful sounds, filled with people of all ages who are sinners, thankful to God for life, forgivness, and for each other. Sometimes a Christian household could be described as gloriously organized chaos, it is the noise of everyday life. We should love the sounds and eccentricities of our homes and families. It is a gift from God (1 Chronicles 16:28-29).

Where Moth and Rust Destroy (by Jessica)

2010-02-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

We all have different interests and treasures. Amos and Micah love trucks (or tractors). I enjoy shopping. Joseph really likes 4-wheelers. But the more we let our interests and earthly treasures consume us, the easier it is for us to get distracted from things eternal, such as God and His word, loving our brothers and sisters, seeing others as more important than ourselves etc. We must remember what our real treasures are and that we are just passing through this earth. This earth is not our home and the only thing from this earth that will be in heaven is people. Our short time on earth should not be consumed with the things of this earth. People are much more important than things. So what is our real treasure?

Isaiah 33:6~Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.

Proverbs 3:13&15~ Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding. She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

Throughout the whole Bible, especially in the book of Proverbs, we see how godly wisdom and the fear of the Lord should be our highest treasure.

I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. Phil. 3:8

Matthew 6:19-21~ Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Is Christ our greatest treasure? Do we see view our earthly treasures as undesireable(a loss) compared to knowing Christ, the greatest treasure? The things on this earth will not last forever, but God and His word will. His word is the only infallible rule of faith and practice and will never perish.

1Peter 1:24-25 "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever".

Do people know us by our earthly treasures and our earthly knowledge or do they know us by our heavenly knowledge and our relationship with a God who is; infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.

Posted by: Jessica

photocredit

Being Humble (by Katrina)

2010-02-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Are your relationships with your siblings based upon your own selfish interests? Being humble is the number one key to all relationships. When we have conflicts with our siblings they will only stop when we cloth ourselves with humility. A readiness to admitting we are wrong and asking for forgiveness is one way humility is expressed in our relationships. This is what I have been learning from "Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends".

What if we are right? We still need the attitude of Jesus, who although a king, humbled himself even to the point of death on the cross. Jesus expressed His authority by serving others, by considering the interests of others, not only His own interests (Philippians 2:1-10). When we think only of our own interests it causes arguments and strife. Our pride can hurt our relationships.

The problem is that we can't 'make' ourselves humble for very long. It is an attitude, a condition of our hearts, rather than a feeling. It is an attitude created by seeing ourselves correctly and understanding God correctly. We must always be gratefully humble, remembering what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. We should not take praise for ourselves when praise belongs to someone else, and if we do it by ourselves, we must remember that we are nothing apart from God.

Posted by Katrina

Pictures of This and That (by Jessica)

2010-01-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

Daniel was having a Ruff Day. The outfit that he's wearing is size 6-12 months and he is only 2 1/2 months. He is a very chubby baby.

We got 8-10 inches of snow Saturday night.

WWe girls baking. We have been making cookies and selling them in town.

Dad and the boys eating breakfast at 5:30 a.m. before they left Monday morning. They went to Texas to look at vans.

Our view of the Wolf mountains.

We have been doing "fun stuff" while Dad and the boys are gone. Making cards, reading, playing games and spoiling Daniel.

How are you Educating and Why? (by Jessica)

2010-01-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

I am often asked why I am educated at home. It has nothing to do with local school quality. The 'why' question is mostly asked because homeschooling is not mainstream and is therefore a little different. Most people are not really asking for our philosophy of education. We should ask "why", but not because it is or isn't mainstream, but because we are intentionally keeping before us our purpose for doing something.

One reason to ask that question is because our children are part of the next generation and how we train them will determine whether they will be the ones who will turn their generation back to God and the Bible. Are the people whom they look up to people who are, or were, used greatly in turning people back to God and the Bible, or are our children modeling their lives after people who have little or no concern for the kingdom of God? We must constantly ask why we are doing what we do, whether attending homeschool, public school, or private school.

Regardless of the educational method we chose, as followers of Christ, our first priority must be God's Word. If God's Word is inspired and without error, then it must be sufficient for ALL of faith and practice. What does God's Word say about education? First, it commands parents to train their children, not just when it is convenient, but diligently, in everything that we do(Duet.6:4-9). Therefore, God's Word should guide in every activity we undertake, rather than be subservient and conform to our activities. Training in God's Word should be second to none on our activity list because our first priority is to love God with all of our heart. What is the greatest passion of my heart? What place does God's Word have in my education? Do I naturally default to it to guide my decisions, to instruct my path, to give counsel to others? If God's Word is important then the method of education should honor it, teach it, promote it, be guided by it.

Second, we cannot seperate knowledge and the fear(respect, awe) of God (See Prov.1:7). Another way to say this is that education is never neutral, it either honors God as creator and the source of true wisdom, or it dishonors God and exalts man. Psalm 1 says,"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night..." If we sit under wicked counsel do we expect to be godly? In Luke 6:40 Jesus says, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher." We will become like our teacher(s). Parents(especially fathers) have the responsibility to protect and provide, but as children we have the responsibility to honor our parents. We should not give our hearts and loyalties to those outside our homes, but to our parents. This can be difficult. It will require wisdom and a strong faith, but God uses it in a mighty way in our lives, our family, our churches, and in our community and world. can make a tremendous impact on the parents and other children in the home. Another verse is Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...". Again, education is not neutral to this command as it either renews our mind, causing us to present ourselves to God, or it causes our mind to not believe God and conform to the world. Is my heart being transformed into a picture of Christ or conformed to the fleeting values and standards of the world?

We should educate to train disciple-makers and prepare citizens for the kingdom of God. Phil. 3:20 says that our "citizenship is in heaven". This world is not our home and should not be our focus. Compared to eternity, our time on earth is not measurable. How then should we educate and why? We would be wise to consider this often. 2 Tim. 2:2-4 says, "...the things you have heard from me...commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier." While parents do have an important responsibility to protect their children, sheltering should not be the primary reason for homeschooling or private school. Paul is telling Timothy to make disciples of men with proven spiritual character able to teach others. Instead of sheltering, we need to be training soldiers. When a soldier is in training they are preparing for the day they will enter the battle, how to fight the enemy, and all about the enemy. If they didn't know about the enemy, how the enemy thinks and what the enemy knows how can they successfully fight against them. It is the same with children. They need to know how our world thinks and how our "world" has been trained in order to know how to fight against it. The battle will not be easy(Eph.6:12) but it is a battle we are equipped to fight(Eph.6:14-17). Are we educating with the purpose to raise up soldiers and establish citizens of heaven or is our reason based upon some other foundation?

Our decision should be guided by what is most effective in spreading the gospel

This is one of the primary reasons why our family has chosen to homeschool. We think it is the most effective way to fulfill the great commission given in Matt.28:18-20. There are many ways that families can minister through their churches and in their communities. Some of the ministry "tools" in the New Testament were: church planting, discipleship, ministry to widows and the fatherless, hospitality and many more. Homeschooling should and does give us time to do the things mentioned. Also, living our normal lives can have an impact' if love for God in our hearts expresses itself through loving our families and neighbors. We can have an impact on people by the testimony of our lives and not even know it. Our actions really do speak louder than our words. Many think that spreading the gospel would be most effective attending public school, but our family believes differently.

Posted by~ Jessica

Wanting What Someone Else Has (by Joe)

2010-01-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

Coveting is the desire to get or have something that does not belong to us, it is taking someting that belongs to someone else but we think we need it. God knows what we need and what we don't need. God knows what to give and what to take away. Christian people learn to be content with a little and with a lot. One of God's ten commandments is, "thou shalt not covet." God gives this commandment, not because he doesn't want us to have anything, but because coveting will keep us from possessing what we really need most- God himself. When people covet they cannot enjoy God because they are putting something before Him, they are worshipping an idol. In their mind they are pursuing what they want, and it takes priority over God. The Bible says covetousness is idolatry. It often happens gradually and unknowingly to us.

Posted by: Joseph

How Do You Homeschool With 8 Children? (A Mom's Perspective)

2010-01-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

This post is in response to a question by one of our faithful (3) followers. I hope it gives encouragement and helpful ideas to those who read it.

In some ways, this is a difficult post to write, because we haven't found that perfect curriculum or schedule out there yet. We are always looking for new ideas, always trying to reform for the better. It has been our experience that it isn't necessarily the curriculum or the schedule that gauges our success, however. It is if we have reached and captured the hearts of our children. This has been a process for me, as I tend to be task oriented, thinking that if I have mastered the schedule, I have arrived.

It has been our observation that there are as many reasons to homeschool as there are homeschoolers. We are of the conviction that this world is not our home, we're just passin' through. A lot of what we do is, prayerfully, preparing our children to be strong in their faith, to be able to give reasons for their faith, to make wise decisions in life, and ultimately to be prepared to meet their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 talks about teaching God's Word to our children diligently when we sit, walk, lie down and rise up. This is what we try to do.

Most of our school is done with everyone learning together. This eliminates the problem of having individualized lessons for each child. We teach to the level of the oldest, and the younger children, amazingly, learn right along with them. This helps the younger ones to learn concepts faster, and it teaches the older children to take time for their younger siblings, helping them along the way.

"But what do you do with the toddlers?" Yes, they do present a challenge and yes, we do have interruptions. What has worked great for us is to train the twins to sit on their own blanket during our school time. They are allowed a few toys (not a lot), and are to stay on the blanket unless given permission to leave. After about an hour of this, then one of the older children will give them a little snack and send them outside to play for a little while. I have found that there is a valuable lesson in serving when the older ones help the younger ones.

There are three areas that have to be in place for me to run a meek and quiet homeschool (or any) day:
1) Organization - It is difficult for me to function effectively with a lot of clutter around the house. I am at peace in my spirit when things have a place and are in its place.

2) Chores - I cannot even begin to put everyone's stuff away. Therefore, everyone has chores they do routinely, from the oldest down to the youngest. It is a rare occassion that I do laundry or even put on a whole meal by myself. I am fortunate to have children that help in almost every area of running our home smoothly.

3) Training the children to listen and obey promptly. If I am lazy in my training of the children, our homeschooling day becomes a frustration instead of a joy.

Here is a sample of what a day might look like in the Vander Vorst home:

6:30 am - Rise and Shine.

~ The 2 little girls get the twins dressed and ready for breakfast.

~ Joe does the calf/horse/dog/cat chores.

~ The older 2 girls make breakfast (Katrina & Joe take turns, too).

~ Mom is either sleeping in a little with baby Daniel or taking care of him or getting herself ready.

7:00 am - Breakfast / Bible Study with Dad.

8:00 am - Morning Chores

9:00 am - School starts. We do singing, scripture memory, studying of Proverbs and science together.

~ Individualized lessons include math, writing, and music practice. The older children listen to their math lesson, do and correct their own lesson. I have found it helpful for them to correct their problems the same day they do the lesson (it's a teachable moment).

12:00 - noon meal / Dad teaches catechism while we eat

1:00 - 2:30pm - Nap time for little ones. The older ones are given this time to read their Bibles, read their assigned book, write a report on it which they will give orally to the family in the evening.

2:30-6:00 pm - We try to be consistant in giving each child specific jobs to be done during this time, as well as having some free time that is to be used wisely.
6:00 - Supper
7:00 - 9:00 pm - Dad either does history with the children (they are reading about the Reformation right now), reads a book outloud to them(Ballyntine books, presently), answers Bible questions the children have from their reading, listen to an educational or uplifting DVD, or the children give their oral reports on their assigned book.

There you have it.

It is our goal and prayer to take every moment captive, to make the best use of our time. There is so much to teach and learn. So little time.

A Christian Home

2010-01-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

From infancy you have known the holy Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:15

O give us homes built firm upon the Savior,

where Christ is Head and Counselor and Guide;

Where every child is taught His love and favor

And gives his heart to Christ, the Crucified:

How sweet to know that, tho' his foot-steps waver,

His faithful Lord is walking by his side!

O give us homes with godly fathers, mothers,

Who always place their hope and trust in Him;

Whose tender patience, turmoil never bothers,

Whose calm and courage, trouble cannot dim;

A home where each finds joy in serving others,

And love still shines, tho' days be dark and grim.

O give us homes where Christ is Lord and Master,

The Bible read, the precious hymns still sung;

Where prayer comes first in peace or in disaster,

And praise is natural speech to every tongue;

Where mountains move before a faith that's vaster,

And Christ sufficient is for old and young.

O Lord, our God, our homes are Thine forever!

We trust to Thee their problems, toil and care;

Their bonds of love no enemy can sever,

If Thou art always Lord and Master there:

Be Thou the center of our least endeavor,

Be Thou our guest, our hearts and homes to share.

Written by: Barbara Hart(1916)

Pictures of the family

2010-01-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

Katrina & Grace making doll dresses on their sewing machines.

The finished product

Daniel (isn't he cute)

Daniel-1 1/2 months

Everything below is from the month of November

Grace, Micah and "cat"

Joseph, Amos and Micah playing with play-dough

Jessica, Amos & Dolly

~Behold, children are a heritage from the lord~ Psalms 127:3

Journals (written by Katrina)

2009-12-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Journals are very important. In them we write about all our hopes, dreams, discouragement’s, failures and God working in our lives. Also, we can read them to our children and they will believe it because they know it actually happened and know that it is true. I would like to have a journal to tell of all my adventures and read it to my kids just like my Dad and Mom do to me.
Posted by:Katrina
photo credit

Who do you belong to? (by Rebecca)

2009-12-27T18:00:00.001-07:00

There is tremendous peer pressure on young girls today. The age at which peer pressure is experienced seems to be happening earlier. It is not uncommon for young girls to have a growing resentment toward their parents if the parents continually ask their daughter to be different from their peers. This resentment manifests itself in girls who aren't permitted to enjoy, without restriction, friends and peer approval. If a young girl is different from her peers, but does not understand why, she will get confused about fitting in when she is surrounded by her peer group. This is usually when and where the real battle starts (Prov.8:1-5), a battle in our heart to see who we really do belong to. John 5:44 says, "How can you believe, when you recieve glory (honor) from one another, and you do not seek the glory (honor) that is from the one and only God?"

Discontentment is the real reason a girl might be feeling restricted. The battle that goes on in our hearts will not happen if we know who we belong to, and why, and we are convinced of both in our hearts. When a girl decides who she is going to give her heart to, she is changing her relationship with her father, either "for better or for worse". "For better or for worse"- this sounds like marriage, and it is, preparing us for our relationship with our husband some day if we marry. If she decides to follow her peer group will she be able to look her father in the eye and see the disappointment? When young girls choose the peer group she is throwing away the love, protection, and leading of her father to follow a life that is hollow and empty.

What kind of women is our future husband going to be waiting for? A true maiden of honor. So why do we want to be like those who's words and actions do not please God? The young men who are giving attention to them are only being led by their visual and temperal desires, having no wisdom, depth, or standard. Jesus knows everything that we think. He knows when we have been coveting things that are not meant for us, or for any daughter of God.

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's workmanship (masterpiece, work of art) created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Then it is our duty to show our peers, and others, what it means to be a woman of God and a daughter of our father. We can do this by obeying our parents and by the way we present ourselves to others. As girls reject the ways of the world God will help them to live a life that is above reproach (see 1Timothy 2:9-10).

Posted by: Rebecca

photo credit:allposters.com

A Good Romance Book for Girls (by Jessica)

2009-12-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

Before You Meet Prince Charming is a book that every girl should read. It talks about the dangers of dating, using our "waiting" years for the Lord and to grow in the Lord. It talks about keeping ourselves pure, a concept that is foreign to our culture today. It made me see the importance of purity, not just physical purity, but keeping our thoughts pure as well. Here is an analogy of keeping ourselves physically pure: you spent the whole morning making a cake for a birthday party, you frosted it, decorated it, and it looked perfect. Later someone came into the kitchen saw the cake and took a small piece. Your cake was now ruined. You could put another piece in the gap and from a distance it would look fine, but it would not be perfect, it would always have a scar. It is the same way with us. Even if we just give away a little tiny piece our rose(body) it will always have a little tear, ruining it's beauty forever.

Keeping our thoughts pure is important. It is also very hard to do. Take for example romance novels. Romance novels are traps, covered in flowers, waiting for someone to pick them up and get sucked into their world of fantasy, romance and happily ever after. Many girls fall into that trap and spend their days dreaming about romance stories that, for the most part, aren't true. Many romance novels also give the wrong impression of "prince charmings". In real life not too many princes come riding in on a white horse with shinning armor to sweep you off your feet. Movies are also very dangerous. So many girls are looking to the movies to be their guide about what is a man. So many married women are asking, "Why isn't my husband like that, why doesn't he act like the guy in the movies?" What they don't realize is that the perfect man doesn't exist. We should not invest our time watching something that is going to make us discontent and unhappy with the real world.

Another thing talked about is, desire the very best. Don't lower your standards just because you think there is no one to meet them. Our culture has the tendency to "lower the bar". But don't take the one dollar now when you could have ten thousand dollars later. It is very hard to wait. But waiting produces patience, and patience produces character, and character leads to godliness. We often have to wait because God has something better for us and we need to use our "waiting" time wisely so that when "prince charming" comes, we are ready.

Posted by: Jessica

Before You Meet Prince Charming is available here

Sisters, love your brothers and help them be men

2009-12-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

(ad by dockers)
Written By: Jessica

Our culture is running out of men. Men who will lay down their lives for their families, men who will stand up for what is right and men who are willing to die for their faith. As sisters, we need to be encourging our brothers to be men. We need to not only encourage our brothers and build them up but we need to love them. That is sometimes a hard thing for us as sisters to do. As sisters, we shouldn't tolerate our brothers because we have to, but we should love them because we want to. Brothers are a gift from God. Our brothers have been put in our families for a reason and God has given us our brothers for a reason. If we wouldn't throw away a present that our best friend made for us then why throw away a present that is from God. As sisters we should be as concerned for our brothers and their well being as Mariam was for Moses in Exodus 2:1-10. She was willing to risk her life for her brother, are we willing to do the same?

How do we act toward our brothers? Do we continually put them down and discourage every idea that they have? How we treat our brothers now is how we will treat our husbands someday. Also, the example that we ourselves give to our brothers is what they will someday look for in a wife. Do we want our brothers to have wives who are continually putting them down, criticising them and simply making life miserable for them? We should start setting a good example of what a godly woman is now when we are young because it does not get easier as we get older.

We need to encourage our brothers and let them "be the man". If our brothers want to help us or serve us in some way we should be thankful for that and we should let them know that we appreciate what they did for us. When our brothers do things for us they are practicing being men. As girls we tend to resent "brother" help, thinking that we have to prove that we are as good or better than them. We should be glad for the time that we have with our brothers because it will not last forever. We only have one life to live and at the end of our lives do we want regrets or do we want to be glad that we used our time wisely?

Posted by: a big sister

Christmas 2009 Newsletter (written by Jessica)

2009-12-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

To all our family and friends: Greetings.

In January we started meeting together as a family once a week to pray for people in our church and community. In March we started inviting other families to join us. We meet for supper at six and prayer meeting at seven on Wednesday nights. Also, January was mom's birthday.

In February we packed up the camper and went to the warm, sunny, state of Georgia. We spent 3 days there at a family conference where we made many new friends and learned so much. On the way back we stopped at the Creation Museum near Cincinnati, Ohio , a very worthwhile stop. We also got started on sewing. Grace and Katrina have made several doll dresses (with Mom’s help) while Rebecca and I made skirts.

March- Rebecca and I helped out with meals more since mom had morning sickness. We have learned a lot about making meals and planning ahead. Dad started preaching once a month at church. We also took a trip to SD to attend the funeral of a close friend, Grandma Martha.

In April Joseph, Amos and Micah had their birthdays. The twins turned 3 and Joe turned 10.

May - Rebecca had the opportunity to take flute lessons once a week for most of the summer. Starting in May we fed bottle calves every day twice a day for 4 months.

In June our friend Elena came for a 3-week visit, which was very fun. Rebecca, Elena and I played music several times for church, rode horse and stayed up late talking. Elena became an expert at feeding bottle calves.

July was hot, but bearable, because we often went swimming in the neighbor’s pool. For the 4th we had some friends over and shot fireworks. Grandpa and Grandma came for a visit in July bringing with them a very nice 4-wheeler. The 4-wheeler is everyone’s, but Joseph is the one who takes care of it and uses it the most. His sisters are sticking to horses for the time being, although a 4-wheeler is much easier to catch.

In August we took a trip to Paradise Valley to visit our good friends, the Riglers. We had a great time. While we were there we took a short trip through Yellowstone. We didn’t see Old Faithful because of road construction but we stopped and saw the waterfall, which was very beautiful. The scenery was also very beautiful.

In September was Dad’s birthday, which wouldn’t be complete without a chocolate cake with banana filling and peanut butter frosting.

October was spent being sick. We all got colds and the flu. That month was also spent getting ready for Daniel’s birth. We baked lots of hotdishes, banana bread, muffins and buns and put all of it in the freezer. It was nice not having to worry about what we were going to have for supper and breakfast after Daniel was born.

November - Daniel was born on the 12th weighing 11 ½ pounds. He is very chubby and is very loved by his brothers and sisters. The Grandparents came around Thanksgiving time. Grandma Polly brought her famous Graham Cracker Pie and we made a big Thanksgiving meal. Rebecca and Grace's birthdays were also during November.

In December, we have been making lots of Christmas cookies and other goodies. Last Sunday was the Christmas program at church. Joseph played his harmonica, Rebecca played the flute and Katrina, Grace and I played the piano. Also, Katrina and I had our birthdays.

We are very thankful to God for all that he has done for our family this year. A special thank you to all who pray for us.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Vander Vorsts

Family Picture

2009-12-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

The Birth of Daniel- A Father's View (for men)

2009-12-07T14:31:00.000-07:00

We did plan on having our baby at home, just not by ourselves, but that is how it worked out. And, by God's grace, it worked out to be a good thing, for several reasons. First, it made me recognize how much I trust in man, including myself, without even realizing it. The midwife was involved in another labor and we were behind the time curve on this labor because it went so fast. Suddenly all of my 'props' were removed. When I realized I would have to deliver Daniel it caused me to pray a lot and depend upon God entirely. I know my response would have been quite different had a doctor or midwife been there. So who am I really trusting in? This is subtle and yet robs God of much glory. My hope must be in God, completely.

Another thing I learned is that there is great value in a man realizing his own weakness and God's exceeding power, in all things, but especially in his most important role, that as father and husband. My only strength is truly in my utter weakness and dependance upon Him. There is no greater application of this truth to my life than in my home. When I realized that this baby was going to be born and that I was going to deliver, I was anxious. A friend complimented me on delivering Daniel but I must say, "Be impressed by what God did, He really was working with quite a helpless attendant." As men we have reason to live in a state of utter humility and dependance upon God- God has greatly honored us by making us the head of our homes. God longs for men to come to Him as fathers and hubands in humility and dependance as we serve our families. God has not abandoned us as fathers and husbands. His power is great toward us but I am afraid that many of us men have forgotten God. We try to be strong in our own power rather than His, and it doesn't work very well.

Third, what better hands to catch a baby than the hands of the father? A father's hands are probably the strongest in the home, and yet gentle enough for the occassion. Personally, I would encourage midwives and doctors to do this when possible. It is a powerful way of "turning the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers" (Malachi 4:6-7). An elderly friend told me when his children were born the doctor chased him out of the room and down the hall. Dad couldn't get too involved or too near until it was time to pay the bill. My heart and their heart (kids) is going to turn somewhere. The less I have to do with my kids the more my heart turns elsewhere and the more their heart turns elsewhere. It is a fact of life. It reminds me of the Christmas tree Joseph brought in today. It isn't the prettiest tree we have had but it may be the best because of what it means. He went out and found it himself, cut it and hauled it home and it was twice his size. He worked hard. Our hearts are connected to that Christmas tree more than the grandest tree because we know Joseph invested hands-on sweat equity to bring it home. God has designed the family to operate with the input of a father, and no amount of toys, money, or fringe benefits can replace a godly father. There can be no substitutes!

A special thanks to all who have been praying for us. Thank you very much.

Posted by: Dad

New Family Member!!!!

2009-11-14T21:58:00.000-07:00

DANIEL TODD VANDER VORST

Born: Nov. 12 at 5:30pm

11 1/2 lbs

Mom and baby are doing great.

We are praising God for our new little (or not so little) blessing.

Be of a good cheer (by Joseph)

2009-10-22T10:00:00.000-06:00

Do you spread cheer or discouragement? A boy went to visit his friend Gabe. Gabe was having trouble with his math and said that he was dumb but his friend said "you are not dumb. You are just having trouble with your math. You can still be an engineer." That encouraged him. But if he said to Gabe "you're dumb" that would not make him feel good. So do not put people down. Speak kindly to people, it can make a big difference. If they are doing wrong it is important to speak to them with love in a nice voice why you think they are wrong. With genuine love in our hearts for the other person, we can speak the truth and be of good cheer. PHILIPPIANS 4:4-5

A Clear Conscience and Good Relationships (by Katrina)

2009-10-19T11:36:00.000-06:00

In reading Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends-
most people desire to have good relationships, but a clear conscience is necessary to have good relationships. Our conscience can be clear, it can be guilty, or it can be dead. A dead conscience is guilty but denies the guilt and says everything is OK; it happens when we disobey so much that it no longer bothers us. A guilty conscience is guilty but does not want to confess what it has done because it is afraid of getting in trouble; it gets more and more guilty because it does not confess. A clear conscience is where it does something bad but it is bothered by it so it confesses. Psalm 32:1-5

Confessing our mistakes makes for good relationships because it builds trust in the other person and makes us want to do better next time. It makes us responsible. Six important words are "I AM SORRY" and "WILL YOU FORGIVE ME", but they must come from the heart and not just our lips. A dead conscience ruins relationships and a guilty conscience avoids relationships, but a good conscience builds relationships. 2 Timothy 1:3

Traditions of Man or the Word of God (by Jessica)

2009-10-15T14:10:00.000-06:00

Statistics indicate (see previous blog about young people leaving the church) that christian education in evangelical churches is failing. Children who attend Sunday school are more likely to leave the church than those who don't. The number of youth pastors has increased dramatically over the past 30 years but the number of young people continuing in their faith through college is plummeting.

Ken Ham (in his book Already Gone) suggests that even though the research data suggests that the church may be better off by eliminating these programs, that would be too radical. He wants to be "solution" oriented, to focus on the positive rather than be negative. Mr. Ham suggests a makeover of cirriculum and teachers as a starting point. Cirriculum needs to be more apologetic, focusing on specific answers to specific questions and issues common in our culture. Teachers need a new passion and sense of awe in representing God before students.

Mr. Ham's solutions to revitalize a christian education (CE) program that appears to have an 80% failure rate are not new and the problems he is trying to solve are not new. What is new is the accelerating rate of failure and the statistical research to prove it. How long will our churches continue to pursue what is failing, and failing quickly? We need to seek a biblical answer rather than one steeped in man's wisdom. The church's response in times of decline has often been pragmatism, that is, to become more relevant, creative, entertaining, and stimulating in the eyes of man, which has meant a step back from God.

In his final chapter, "Welcome to the Revolution", Mr. Ham suggests that to change the trend we need reform in four areas- parents, christian educators(defined as Sunday school and elementary Christian school teachers), youth pastors, and pastors. Mr. Ham starts with parents and says this, "If our survey should teach you anything, it's that you can no longer depend on the Sunday school and youth ministries in your church to educate your kids in the things of God. In all honesty, this was never their responsibility in the first place. This is your job; this is your responsibility; you need to step up to the plate and take charge." To each of the other three groups targeted for reform, Mr. Ham offers soul searching action points, and yet these challenges are not new, but rather, are good reminders. A refreshing challenge to youth pastors was to "equip the parents"; and don't just say that but actually make it a priority.

One is left, again, with a certain disconnection between church and reality. Statistics shout that Sunday school isn't working and yet man says "let's be positive, it just needs reform". Mr. Ham tells parents they cannot depend upon and look to the church to teach their kids the things of God but his solution amounts to updating the potency of the drugs that parents are so addicted to (ie Sunday school, youth groups, children's church, VBS, etc) for teaching their children about God. If we continue 'as is' we indeed become irrelevant and even hypocritical because we know it isn't working but continue to go through the motions because we honor the traditions of men more than the word of God. Jesus Christ, the head of the church, is bringing about encouraging change.

Looking at the bigger picture (by Katrina)

2009-09-03T15:46:00.000-06:00

In reading Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends, I have been learning how the big picture helps me get along with my family. The big picture is loving my brothers and sister so that there will be generations of godly families that love God and each other. But I must start loving my brothers and sisters now if I want to have generations of godly families. I don't know what the future holds but if I have strong, loving relationships with my brothers and sisters, when something bad happens they will be my closest friends and a source of strength . If my sister takes one of my toys and I want that toy now and I grab it, I am just looking at the little picture and thinking about me. I could ask for the toy nicely and not grab it. It helps me to look at the bigger picture while I am living with my brothers and sisters.

Psalm 145: 4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. (NKJV) Posted by- Katrina

Contentment (by Rebecca)

2009-09-03T11:19:00.000-06:00

I read a story that dealt with contentment in a book called Raising Maidens of Virtue. Contentment is a big problem today. The opposite of being content is coveting. Coveting means desiring something too much. And too much is measured by how that desiring compares to desiring God. If desiring leads you away from God rather then closer to God, it is covetousness. If you put your desires over God it is idolatry. Idolatry is sin.

Only God can give us true contentment. There are many places in the Bible where there are stories of people, such as Paul, being content with their situation. Consider the Israelites, who were thankful to God that He led them out of captivity, but when they got to thinking about the food they left behind in Egypt, they started to become discontent. We do the same thing. We are given a gift; perhaps from God or from a person but we focus on the gift and forget the giver.

So how do we stay content? Instead of trying to persuade ourselves to be happy in our circumstances (to be needed, to be beautiful, to be noticed, to be important etc.) we need to believe and trust God's goodness for our lives in what He has already given to us and promised to us. Philippians 4:11-13 Paul talks about learning to be content in whatever situation he is in. Storing God's word in our hearts can help with staying content. Psalms 119:11 says "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you".

Another way we can be content is to be mindful of who we look up to. We can pick out peers whose lives show that God is their greatest treasure and "keep our eyes on them". It is a way to fight covetousness. Philippains 3:17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

Be a Man (by Joseph)

2009-09-03T10:52:00.000-06:00

There was a boy at the dentist office. He did not want to be there and did not want any pain so he was being whiney. He did not listen to the dentist and the dentist said, "Be a man." The boy said, "I do not want to be a man." The dentist could not believe that, because God made boys to become men.

TV commercials and movies often make fun of manhood. Manhood is not easy but you can do it. An example is the boy was being whiney and did not sit up at the dentist office. Manhood is like that. When your day is not going well, instead of whining, one should sit up, but it may not be easy. Boys used to be taught that it was their job to provide the money, but even that has been changing. Fewer young men are ready or able to provide the money to support their families.

But the most important thing as a dad is not your job, it is what takes place in your home, taking care of problems and spending time with your family. Providing the money is important,but loving God's word, reading the Bible to your family, and loving your family is more important. This is what it means to be a man. This will help us prepare to become young men.

(Taken from Boyhood and Beyond)

The Fence Dwellers (by Rebecca)

2009-08-28T17:25:00.000-06:00

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 [NKJV]

Once there was a Gardener who planted a beautiful garden with almost every kind of flower and bush. Next to the flower was a rock pit that was gray and ugly. The flowers that were next to the pit started to turn their heads to the rocks and imagine what it would be like to be strong and smooth. The rocks didn't produce any seed but the flowers didn't care. As the flowers continued to look upon the rocks they began to covet the strength and size of the rocks. The flowers started to despise themselves and these flowers became known as the Fence Dwellers. The fence dwellers started to rip off their beautiful petals and they even went as far as to put clay on themselves and crouch down wanting ever so much to be like the rocks. Wanting to be something they were not created for. The fence dweller's stories soon spread to the younger flowers and the young flowers began to do the same things as the fence dwellers only they only tore a few of their petals and covered themselves only half way with clay. The fence dweller's stories spread to the rest of the flowers and soon afterward the whole garden was covered in clay. The Gardener sadly walked through his once beautiful garden and said to the garden, "Why did you do this to yourselves? Don't you know that I created you for a purpose ? Why have you rejected me?" The fence dwellers didn't hear him. The clay had suffocated them and they died without producing any seed.
Then it started to rain and the rain washed the flowers clean and from that day on they were happy to be what they were created to be.
This story is taken from the book called Raising Maidens of Virtue written by Stacy McDonald.
The rocks in this story represent men, the flowers women, and the Gardener is God.

The flowers lost their purpose. They wanted to be like the rocks but they weren't made to be rocks. Who were women created for? 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the women, but woman for man. [NKJV]

What effect did the fence dwellers stories have on the other flowers and why?
It is similar to girls that might be dressed immodestly having an influence on the young Christain lady. The fence dwellers stories seemed so bold and confident and powerful that the younger flowers started to remove their petals, wanting to be like them, yet knowing that this was not natural. Sometimes we listen to music and wear clothing that probably isn't the most modest or appropriate but we compare ourselves to the world's standard rather then scripture. Romans 12:1

The fence dwellers died without seed...
Only a woman can carry in her body the miracle of life. Only a woman can conceive and nurture this life with her own flesh and blood. Only in a woman's body can take place the uniting of mortal flesh and a living, eternal soul. This is a genuine gift, given by God, that can take place only in a woman's body and it will never be changed by lawmakers or scientist.

Today many woman are choosing not to create life. The more educated we become the less children we seem to have. We opt for career rather than life and raising children. Birth rates in the most developed nations fall short of population replacement rates, alarmingly so.

I am not supposed to dress modestly just because my parents say to and because it looks nice. These are important reasons. But I have learned that most of all I am to dress modestly because it pleases my heavenly Father. When I choose what to wear I should be thinking of others, would I cause someone [male or female] to stumble because of how I dress? Would I rather please God or man?

This story has helped me to think rightly, to stand against a culture that so strongly influences young girls to conform to a standard that leads to destruction. As girls, we can dress immodestly and not even think about the reason for doing it. I am really thankful that I have been taught how and why to dress modestly. I am sorry to see that many other girls don't know this. What is a young girl to do or how should we then live? We can live by example in how we dress and act, living to a higher standard which pleases our heavenly Father. We can speak the truth in love when opportunity is given but we must be ready to do it. And we can pray.
Posted by:
Rebecca

Admit It! (by Joseph)

2009-08-18T13:46:00.000-06:00

I am reading a book called Boyhood & Beyond by Bob Shultz. In the chapter called Admit It, there was a man driving his friends home and his friends were dodging things. Something flew by him and he turned the steering wheel and hit another pickup. His friends wanted him to keep going; not to tell the man sorry. But he told the man sorry and the man that was taking his friend's home paid for the damage on the other man's pickup. After a few months he got it paid and they were good friends.

Another example the book gave was there was a man working by a bathtub. He dropped an air gun and it shot a nail through the bathtub. He thought that nobody would notice but then he knew that somebody would find out about it. He told his manager about it, that he was sorry. The man that was nailing was happy because the bathtub had not passed it warrenty. He learned that when you tell somebody that you did something wrong right away, that God will bless you for that.

What I learned was that when you do something wrong, if you do not tell somebody and somebody finds out, you will be in worse trouble. When you do something wrong and you have the first chance to tell, do it because it will just get worse if you don't tell.

Written by Joseph

Young People Leaving the Church (by Jessica)

2009-08-13T14:42:00.000-06:00

When people think about the younger generation leaving the church they think about the college kids. They are the ones physically leaving the church. But when do their hearts start to leave the church? When do they start to doubt the Bible and what is being taught to them? Well, 39.8% first start doubting in middle school, 43.7% start doubting in high school and 10.6% start having doubts in college. What percent of kids go to church? It starts at 95% going to church regularly during elementary and middle school, 55% going regularly during high school and 11% going regularly during college. The most kids leave church mentally during middle school and high school. (Surveys are of Evangelicals in America)
If you look at the church in England you will see very little. Most of their churches are either dead or dying. The churches that are empty are not honored as being a church. They are being turned into: bars, restaurants, strip clubs, museums etc. England used to be a Christan nation but now that has declined. The same thing is happening to America. The church is dying. The college kids aren't coming back to church. There is the exception, of course, but for the most part they are not coming back. Some of the top 10 reasons for leaving the church are: 12% Boring service, 12% Legalism,11% Hypocrisy of leaders, 10% Too political, 9% Self righteous people,7% Distance from home, 6% Not relevant to personal growth,6% God wouldn't condemn to hell, 5% Bible not relevant or practical, 5% Couldn't find preferred church in area.
(Info taken from book I've been reading; Already Gone by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer)
Parents say that their kids won't leave church if they bring them to Sunday school, youth group, church etc. But they are leaving the church. The church is losing 61% of its young people. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Adults expect young people to rebel. So the young people are. They are leaving church as quick as they can. Deut. 6:6-7 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up.(NKJV) The church can't teach everyone's children all day as parents can. God gave that responsibility to parents. Sunday school teachers only spend around 45 minutes each Sunday teaching children. Most of that is telling Bible stories. There is nothing wrong with Bible stories but are Bible stories going to be enough to get them through high school and college? Will 45 minutes a week be enough? Let's say parents, taught their children for an hour each day. That would be 7 hours a week and 365 hours a year. In Sunday school the time that children spend learning is about 36 hours a year. Parents can decide what to talk about. For example, our dad might read an article that he might or might not like. If it is something that we need to talk about, we talk about it. I personally have learned more from this than I ever did in Sunday school. Instead of the church teaching the young people our family believes that it is the parents responsibility and the parents gift to teach their children. - posted by
Jessica

Not Being Caught Off Guard (by Katrina)

2009-08-13T10:58:00.000-06:00

The book I have been reading is called Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends

The part I have been reading is by Grace Mally a 12 year old girl.

Grace was sitting in the car and Sarah said, "let's write a book to help brothers and sisters". Grace thought "another one of Sarah's big ideas". They have seen familys not get along. So they agreed to write the book. They said we shoudn't be suprised if it is hard to get along. The very first brothers on earth fought. They fought and Cain even killed his brother Abel.

When we say something without thinking about it it can lead to trouble. Some years ago Grace's dad had gallbladder surgery. That night after the surgery Grace's dad was very sore. Grace's mom had to help Grace's dad get into the bed. In the night the phone started ringing. Grace's dad got out of bed and ran to the phone. Then he remembered the surgery. In the same way, we can be caught off guard in our family and that can cause problems.

This book helps me not to be caught off guard when my brothers and sisters say or do something I don't like. It helps me not to say something bad. It helps me to be aware of it so I am not caught off guard and then all of a sudden say something bad. - posted by Katrina

Ephesians 1:3

2009-07-30T15:02:00.000-06:00

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.