ec Mag: Authentic Faith

It's always a pleasant surprise to receive advance copies of my work in the mail, and Saturday was no exception. I opened a package containing three copies of the February 2012 issue of ec magazine. I love writing for ec, not just because my friend Mandy is a its fantastic editor, but also because it's a great devotional resource for teens who are serious about their faith. Enter February's issue.

If you can't tell from the cover, the issue's theme is living out the faith we confess. I contributed the introduction on Authentic Faith, which compares surface-level Christianity with the kind of faith that changes lives.

Here's a little excerpt from the article to whet your appetite:

"We live in a Christian nation. At least, that's the label we've given ourselves, but in many cases, we are Christians in name only. In no area is this truer than the Bible Belt, where good boys and girls faithfully attend church with their parents and say grace over Sunday lunch every week. They go to church, sing hymns, and even pray on occasion, but it's all a façade. Their faith is practically nonexistent, and it's evident in the choices they make."

You may purchase the February 2012 issue of ec online from LifeWay. If your church has a subscription, you should see some copies in magazine racks soon.

Until next time, grace and peace.

It May Not Happen Overnight

{print available from the wheatfield}

Our world is one of instant gratification. I can have popcorn in two minutes and the response to a text in seconds. Thanks to my fancy phone, I never have to wait until I get home to check my e-mail, and I can update twitter whenever it strikes my fancy. I grow annoyed at red lights and frustrated at train tracks. Waiting is not something I do well.

I know I'm not alone in this. Go on, admit it. You're not good at waiting either. You know what you want, and like Veruca Salt on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original version), you want it now.

The fast-paced-have-it-your-way-in-five-minutes-or-less culture that we live in has bred us to expect instant results. And most of the time, that's fine. Except, of course, when we're required to wait.

This week, I've been studying the Old Testament story of Abraham and Sarah. God promised them something big, and they waited a looooooooong time - 25 years to be exact - for it to happen.

Have you ever been there? Stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for something more? I am so there, y'all. I know how they felt. God promised me something a long time ago, and I'm wondering how long it will take for it to happen.

A couple of months ago, I went to Nashville with some other women from my church to attend a leadership forum. As I listened to some really fabulous women speak and teach, I was reminded of how badly I desire that kind of ministry. I recalled the moments in my life when I have felt God's firm hand tugging me in that direction...and yet...I wait.

Don't get me wrong - God has always been faithful to me. He has provided writing projects that have stretched and challenged me. I am currently overwhelmed by offers from editors, and that's a good thing. Three years ago, with my brand new M.Div. gathering dust in the closet, it took me months to generate any sort of interest in my work. Months. I am thankful and grateful for the editors who have taken chances on me and allowed me to contribute to their publications. They have helped me get this train rolling.

But I'm still not satisfied. I want more. The prophet Jeremiah famously said that the word of God burned in him like a fire that he simply could not hold in.

I'm weary of holding it in, y'all.

And yet, in six short months, I will give birth to a brand new baby. My sweet little toddler is turning into quite a handful. I can't even manage to go to the grocery store most weeks, much less travel across the country teaching the word of God. It's just not time for that dream to become a reality. As much as I long for God to use me in such extraordinary ways, I feel like He is first calling me to be faithful in the place I am right now. In this stage of life. To raise my babies and serve in my church and write when I can.

God's delay in fulfilling His promises is not His denial of their eventual realization.

Abraham and Sarah learned that by waiting. As for me, well, I'm trying. Patience takes practice, you know. I'm learning that just because it may not happen overnight doesn't mean that it won't happen at all. I'm taking it one step at a time and one assignment after another, all the while trusting that God's timing is impeccable.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Review: Saint Francis (Christian Encounters Series)

Book: Saint Francis: Christian Encounter Series

Author: Robert West

You may or may not remember that one of my goals for 2011 was to read more consistently. I've always loved reading, but in recent years, my reading has been practically nonexistent. That needed to change. It took me a while to get back in the swing of things, but during the last half of 2011, I started reading again.

One of the first books I read was Robert West's biography on Saint Francis. I've always been fascinated by the saint who stripped down to his birthday suit and renounced his former life of wealth, and West's biography gave me greater insight into the life and theology of a man who would do such a thing.

I read Saint Francis immediately following my reading of David Platt's Radical, and while it may seem like the books have nothing in common, together, they challenged me to do life differently. After reading these books and discussing them with Dennis, we decided to adjust our finances in order to give more freely. It may not seem like much, but it's a start.

At only 221 pages, Saint Francis is a quick read, but the story was bogged down at times by West's writing style. He meticulously describes the historical and cultural world that Francis lived in, but he could have done a better job of weaving those details into Francis' actual story. As it stands, the historical passages seem a bit disjointed from the overall thrust of the book.

All of that said, I would still recommend this book to anyone who is curious about Francis of Assisi, a man whose great concern for the poor and personal vow of poverty literally changed the world.

This book was provided to me free of charge by Thomas Nelson publishers in exchange for my honest review. If you're interested in becoming a reviewer for Thomas Nelson, check out BookSneeze.

Until next time, grace and peace.