Notes to Readers

Notes to readers

Inspire a Fire

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Exciting news!

I was recently invited to become a monthly contributor to a popular Christian devotion website, Inspire a Fire. My first post was launched yesterday. Check it out at http://www.inspireafire.com/training. (And consider leaving a comment there to let the organizers know they did a good thing inviting me!)

I am so thankful for this new opportunity and for all of you who continue to encourage me to write, even on days when the words don’t do what I want them to.

Stay tuned, my friends. I am still – in the words of this post – in training.

The Girl on the Other Side of the Bathroom

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That’s how we knew each other, my suitemates and I.

Roomies

Last week was my second trip to my favorite writer’s conference. (Okay, so it’s the only writer’s conference I’ve ever attended, but still.)

We stayed in a residence hall with shared bathrooms between each pair of rooms; I wouldn’t trade those accommodations for anything. Walking through the bathroom and into the other room is a bit like stepping out of the wardrobe in the C.S. Lewis classic.

You knock. You step through.

And the people, the places, the stories on the the other side are just a bit magical. You meet people who (even in passing) have stories or comments or insights that touch your life. You find yourself thinking of them days later. Maybe years later.

Makes a person wonder, what doors are here in front of me that I should be stepping through? Look around… God may be tapping you to step forward.

One of the girls on the other side of the bathroom wrote a quick summary of our last night on her blog.  If you’re interested, check it out.

Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name (3 John 1:14b).

 

The Mustard Patch is on Twitter!

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Join me @MiniMustard!

This new outlet is a source for mini-devotionals – 140 characters or less! – along with news and updates from The Mustard Patch.  If you tweet, please follow my feed @MiniMustard.  If you have friends who tweet, please spread the word!

If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still view my page at www.twitter.com/MiniMustard.

I hope you enjoy this new outreach.  Feel free to share your thoughts by tweeting back or commenting below.

Thanks, friends!

Janet

Interesting Message

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I came across an interesting sermon on the radio last night while driving in my car.  It was interesting enough that I sat there an extra five minutes to hear the end of it.  Michael Ramsden, part of the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries team, was giving a message on the uniqueness of Christ in fulfilling many of the philosophical ideologies that are rooted in thinking, feeling, or doing.  Since I haven’t had a chance to write much lately, I decided to repurpose his content.  I couldn’t find a transcript of the broadcast, but truthfully, he had such an engaging presentation style that I’d recommend listening to it anyway.  If you are interested, you can listen to the message on the RZIM website.

God’s blessings on your week!

MBI Founder’s Week

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There are some powerful music and messages coming out of Moody Bible Institute’s Founder’s Week.  If you’re interested, you can listen online or find a broadcasting station at www.foundersweek.com.  Sessions will continue through Friday.  The theme verse is I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord (Philippians 3:8).

Founder’s Week is a week-long event at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and features preaching from a variety of Christian teachers, pastors and musicians.  The story goes that the founder of Moody Bible Institute, D. L. Moody (1837-1899), once walked into a classroom and announced: “It’s my birthday.  Classes are canceled.  Let’s go for a sled ride!”  February 5th has been special to Moody Bible Institute ever since, although some wish the school’s founder could have been born during a warmer season!

Founder’s Week was established in 1901 to commemorate D. L. Moody and has continued to grow into an opportunity for alumni and others to gather, share the Word, and worship together.Moody Bible Institute

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:42).

Upcoming Event: Is Faith in God Reasonable?

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The Great Debate: Is Faith in God Reasonable?
Friday, February 1, 2013
7:00 – 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Online OR Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN)
FREE!

Next Friday, Purdue University is hosting The Great Debate: Is Faith in God Reasonable? This debate will feature Dr. William Lane Craig vs. Dr. Alex Rosenberg. Best of all (for anyone not living in central Indiana) the debate can be viewed live through a webcast! You can also sign up to host a live or recorded viewing for your church or other group. Attendance either in-person or online is free, but you need to sign up to view online.

I am not familiar with either of these debaters, but William Lane Craig is noted as one of the leading apologists and debaters for Christianity today. Alex Rosenburg likewise comes with an impressive resume filled with experiences related to the philosophy of science. Are you intrigued? You can learn more and sign up to view online at www.symposiachristi.com/?page_id=13.

Feel free to spread the word to anyone who may be interested!

Flyer for debate

Flyer for debate

More Blogs are Coming!

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Hi everyone!  I hope you have been enjoying the last few blog-free weeks.  I am gearing up for another whole year of blogs, but in the meantime, I wanted to share this verse I was reading the other night.  It occurred during the Exodus from Egypt to the Holy Land.  Then Moses said to [God], “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here (Exodus 33:15).

If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

This seems like a fitting verse for the start of a new year, and has become my prayer for 2013 (and every year, really):  God, give me the strength and the wisdom to go where you send me, but if You do not go with me, do not send me!

Wishing all of us the Presence of God in the coming year… and always.

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people (Exodus 13:21-22).

Vacation

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There are some who say that it is so much work getting ready for a vacation that it is not even worth trying to take one.  As I’m racing through this week, I cannot help but think they have a point.  But it’s not going to stop me.  This week I am clinging to Exodus 33:14: The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 

I am very much looking forward to that rest. 

Whether I can maintain that sense of rest once I return from vacation is a whole different question, but we’ll save that topic for another time.  For now, I am off to catch the tail end of summer, and you can enjoy a couple of blog free weeks.  This blogger is officially “off the grid” and resting.

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

Welcome, Friends!

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Here’s a quick snippet about how this blog started. 

I began writing monthly articles for my church newsletter in December 2009.  (Wow, time flies.)  The archive of these articles appears below this post.  Even though they all say they were posted in March 2012, they were actually written over a two year period.  This is why you’ll occasionally see references to things like Christmas, which I do recognize does not occur in March! 

I do not anticipate ever again having this many posts in a given month , though I DO hope to write more than monthly.  Perhaps multiple articles, perhaps a mixture of these articles and other random posts.  I really don’t have a plan apart from my monthly church deadline.  This should not come as a surprise if you (a) know me or (b) have read my “Planning” post.

Thanks to those who have been pushing me to do this.  We’ll see where it goes…